Monday, July 20, 2009
My EDM 310 Blog Assignments are now complete!
It has been a very hectic summer but we made it through. Thanks Mr. Sullivan for teaching me some things I did not know. I will definitely be implementing many things I learned from this class into my own classroom. Adios!
Technology Literate!
At first I had a some bitterness about this class because I had to take it over again! The first time I took it South was on quarters (yes over 10 years ago) and they needed the class to be on semester hours. So you can see why I was upset I had to take it over again. But I tried to be positive because I knew technology had changed since I took the class 10 years ago so I was looking forward to learning something new that I could implement in the my own classroom.
As far as the blogs go I already had a personal blog that I had set up through eBlogger so I already knew a lot. But there was still a lot to learn like setting up a link and adding tags to photos. Blogs are a great way to express opinions or just get thoughts out. They are also a great way to put information out on the web.
Our personal presentation was great because it introduced me to Google Docs and how to use Google because I had never used it before. The presentation also gave us a chance to speak in front of the class which is something we will be doing most of our professional life. I really liked this particular project.
The spreadsheets I am sure will be helpful but they were a bit boring for me. That is all I have to say about that.
The podcasts were the most nerve wracking and need the MOST preparation. I think our group met 3 times before the actual podcast. I do thing that podcasting is a very valid form of communication and can be very useful in the classroom.
As far as the blogs go I already had a personal blog that I had set up through eBlogger so I already knew a lot. But there was still a lot to learn like setting up a link and adding tags to photos. Blogs are a great way to express opinions or just get thoughts out. They are also a great way to put information out on the web.
Our personal presentation was great because it introduced me to Google Docs and how to use Google because I had never used it before. The presentation also gave us a chance to speak in front of the class which is something we will be doing most of our professional life. I really liked this particular project.
The spreadsheets I am sure will be helpful but they were a bit boring for me. That is all I have to say about that.
The podcasts were the most nerve wracking and need the MOST preparation. I think our group met 3 times before the actual podcast. I do thing that podcasting is a very valid form of communication and can be very useful in the classroom.
iPod Education
iPods are a very good way to get instruction to students in the world that we live in today. iPods can be used to view podcasts or to even record them. I found an excellent site called Mr. Langhorst's 8th Grade Web Classroom. Mr. Langhorst is an American History teacher and has podcasts available for each section and even has what are called Studycasts which is basically a review session for each unit test. Students can view all of the podcasts from their convenient little iPod. To get to this excellent page click here.
Following along this same course Duke University decided to incorporate iPod instruction in 2008 and it was so successful the use of iPods is growing. The University distributed about 1600 iPods uploaded with orientation material to all of its incoming freshman in the Fall of 2008. Although they have decided to shift the focus of iPod distribution to just certain classes the experiment was deemed as positive. The opinion of faculty is mixed, some are very excited about using the new form of technology and others don't see the use in it. The iPod has been used in courses including theater studies, music and foreign languages. Overall the project has introduced a new technology that will soon catch on and be implemented in many more courses on Duke's campus.
Following along this same course Duke University decided to incorporate iPod instruction in 2008 and it was so successful the use of iPods is growing. The University distributed about 1600 iPods uploaded with orientation material to all of its incoming freshman in the Fall of 2008. Although they have decided to shift the focus of iPod distribution to just certain classes the experiment was deemed as positive. The opinion of faculty is mixed, some are very excited about using the new form of technology and others don't see the use in it. The iPod has been used in courses including theater studies, music and foreign languages. Overall the project has introduced a new technology that will soon catch on and be implemented in many more courses on Duke's campus.
Dr. Alice Christie-the ed. tech guru
Dr. Alice Christie is an educational technology guru to be quite honest! She is a 40 year veteran of the educational system and offers a comprehensive website that acts as a resource for teachers who wish to use technology in the classroom. She is a Ph.D. who has 25 years of experience in the K-12 grade levels. She conducts workshops nationally on how to use technology in the classroom to enhance teaching and learning.
I particularly like the "how to create a rubric" section of her website. As a result of my experiences with another class I have become very familiar with rubrics and how useful they are in grading situations. Rubrics are used as a guide for students when they are doing any assignment. The student knows exactly what the teachers want from them because it is written down right in front of them. Dr. Christie provides links to many of the rubrics that she has used over the years so other educators can use them or just build upon them. She also has links to other teachers rubric templates and links on how to write a rubric. This is one useful tool I will be using in my own classroom.
I particularly like the "how to create a rubric" section of her website. As a result of my experiences with another class I have become very familiar with rubrics and how useful they are in grading situations. Rubrics are used as a guide for students when they are doing any assignment. The student knows exactly what the teachers want from them because it is written down right in front of them. Dr. Christie provides links to many of the rubrics that she has used over the years so other educators can use them or just build upon them. She also has links to other teachers rubric templates and links on how to write a rubric. This is one useful tool I will be using in my own classroom.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
A little competition never hurt anyone....
I just listened to the NPR news piece about the new Google Operating System. I think it is great that someone is coming out and really challenging Microsoft and its operating system Windows. The new Google OS will be called Chrome and promises to more user friendly than Windows. Google execs make the argument that most people use Google as a search engine why not have it as an operating system on most computers. Right now Google generates most of it's revenue from advertisements. Many analysts do say that this will be an up hill battle for Google because even when Microsoft was struggling with the OS Vista competitors still could not get a foot in to the market.
Like I said I think it is a good thing that consumers will have more choices in choosing an operating system. I only hope that Chrome is of equal or better quality than Windows. As far as education goes I think it is also good for school systems and educators to have a choice in the operating systems they want to use on their computers. Overall it is a good thing!
Like I said I think it is a good thing that consumers will have more choices in choosing an operating system. I only hope that Chrome is of equal or better quality than Windows. As far as education goes I think it is also good for school systems and educators to have a choice in the operating systems they want to use on their computers. Overall it is a good thing!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Inspiration....
That is one of many words I can use to describe Randy Pausch. Not only was he a professor and teacher but he was also a friend and mentor to his students and colleagues. In his Last Lecture he shows us his teaching methods of being down to earth, funny and personable while teaching us something. He is so engaging that we do not know that he is teaching us something and this is what he refers to as a "head fake." The whole time he was speaking he was performing one of these "head fakes" and that was to relay to his listeners and viewers how to lead their lives. This coming from a man who is nearing the end of his.
I think that the most lasting teaching technique of Randy Pausch was allowing his students to achieve their dreams, this was his whole goal as an educator. He created a whole course called Building Virtual Worlds that enabled students to carry out their childhood dreams. They could create virtual worlds about anything that they wanted. Pausch said that these projects were amazing and eventually became a campus wide phenomenon. He also wanted this class to be about the groups and the people within these groups bonding. Another way of fulfilling students dreams was creating a whole degree program known as the Dream Fulfillment Factory which was a 2 year professional masters program that teamed up artists and technologists. It was all about small teams making stuff, it was about freedom and success. Amazingly companies guaranteed that they would hire these students after they finished. Paucsh's most lasting professional legacy was what is known as ALICE which was a novel way of teaching computer programming to children. Kids were allowed to create movies and games and all the while they were learning something hard. This was another one of Pausch's amazing head fakes.
I also think Pausch wanted to teach his students to persevere or hurdle over what he calls "brick walls." These brick walls are obstacles that we all must face when trying to achieve something. Brick walls ask us how much do we want something and they also show others our dedication. Mr. Pausch faced many in his lifetime while trying to achieve his goals. For example he was denied admission to his beloved Carnegie Mellon University, he was almost kept from experiencing zero gravity by his boss at the University of Virginia and most of all cancer was about to claim his life. One quote that stuck with me was, "I am dying and I am still having fun!"
Most of all Pausch is trying to teach lessons on how to live your life. He not only relayed these to his students, friends, family and colleagues but he relayed them to everyone who has watched or will watch this lecture. Have fun, help others, keep your child like wonder, never give up, you can't get there alone, show gratitude. These are all lessons that Pausch showed on a daily basis and that I am sure stuck with every person he touched. He did not want anyone to feel sorry for him he just wanted to leave all of them with something to think about. He valued every expereince that he had whether it be with his students, as an Imagineer at Disney or even failing to acheive his dream of playing in the NFL. "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." This lecture was amazing and was given by an equally amazing teacher, I am proud that I will one day be a teacher as well and I can only hope to pass on the wisdom that Randy Pausch did in his last days.
Note: I watched the whole video and did not hear any mention of M.I.T only Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Virginia.
I think that the most lasting teaching technique of Randy Pausch was allowing his students to achieve their dreams, this was his whole goal as an educator. He created a whole course called Building Virtual Worlds that enabled students to carry out their childhood dreams. They could create virtual worlds about anything that they wanted. Pausch said that these projects were amazing and eventually became a campus wide phenomenon. He also wanted this class to be about the groups and the people within these groups bonding. Another way of fulfilling students dreams was creating a whole degree program known as the Dream Fulfillment Factory which was a 2 year professional masters program that teamed up artists and technologists. It was all about small teams making stuff, it was about freedom and success. Amazingly companies guaranteed that they would hire these students after they finished. Paucsh's most lasting professional legacy was what is known as ALICE which was a novel way of teaching computer programming to children. Kids were allowed to create movies and games and all the while they were learning something hard. This was another one of Pausch's amazing head fakes.
I also think Pausch wanted to teach his students to persevere or hurdle over what he calls "brick walls." These brick walls are obstacles that we all must face when trying to achieve something. Brick walls ask us how much do we want something and they also show others our dedication. Mr. Pausch faced many in his lifetime while trying to achieve his goals. For example he was denied admission to his beloved Carnegie Mellon University, he was almost kept from experiencing zero gravity by his boss at the University of Virginia and most of all cancer was about to claim his life. One quote that stuck with me was, "I am dying and I am still having fun!"
Most of all Pausch is trying to teach lessons on how to live your life. He not only relayed these to his students, friends, family and colleagues but he relayed them to everyone who has watched or will watch this lecture. Have fun, help others, keep your child like wonder, never give up, you can't get there alone, show gratitude. These are all lessons that Pausch showed on a daily basis and that I am sure stuck with every person he touched. He did not want anyone to feel sorry for him he just wanted to leave all of them with something to think about. He valued every expereince that he had whether it be with his students, as an Imagineer at Disney or even failing to acheive his dream of playing in the NFL. "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." This lecture was amazing and was given by an equally amazing teacher, I am proud that I will one day be a teacher as well and I can only hope to pass on the wisdom that Randy Pausch did in his last days.
Note: I watched the whole video and did not hear any mention of M.I.T only Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Virginia.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
iTunes U
iTunes University is a great way for teachers to get information to their students in a way that they love-with their cell phone or with their computers. There is a great site sponsored by Apple which gives a tour of iTunes U it is www.apple.com/education/guidedtours/itunesu.html. Teachers can creat content lectures, students can research and they can collaborate with other learners around the world all in a secure environment. Some of the categories included in the iTunes U classroom are languages, fine arts and history. Students and teachers can access free lectures, language lessons and audiobooks from their IPod, Iphone, MAC or PC. There are over 100,000 educational audio and video files from universities, museums and media organizations.
ITunes U is an amazing tool for both teachers and students. Teachers can relate to their students with their lectures and research on their level. Most young people have a cell phone or have some way to access a computer. This is a fun, new way to get a students attention. Students can also contact and listen to other learners all around the world. This is truly a global classroom that is user friendly and easy to access.
Did you know?
Did you know/Shift Happens is a presentation created by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod to show the viewers some startling statistics on technology and the world. To get to the presentation you can click here www.thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/06/did-you-know-20.html. The presentation has many interesting statistics about the United States and other emerging countries around the world like India and China. The number of college graduates in each country was quite surprising with the U.S. at 1.3 million, India at 3.1 million and China at 3.3 million. In India 100% of college graduates can speak English. In the technology realm right now MySpace, if it were made into a country, would be the 8th largest in the world. These are just some of the surprising numbers being presented in the movie.
I think that the main message of this presentation is that the world must start preparing its students and young people to be adept in technology. The message is especially talking about the United States. The message urges us as citizens of the United States to urge our educators, school board reps and politicians to take every measure necessary to get our children ready to compete globally with technology. I do agree with Mr. Fisch to an extent but the emphasis should not only be on technology but traditional learning as well. We do not want to breed a generation of robots, instead we need to create a generation of well rounded learners and human beings.
I think that the main message of this presentation is that the world must start preparing its students and young people to be adept in technology. The message is especially talking about the United States. The message urges us as citizens of the United States to urge our educators, school board reps and politicians to take every measure necessary to get our children ready to compete globally with technology. I do agree with Mr. Fisch to an extent but the emphasis should not only be on technology but traditional learning as well. We do not want to breed a generation of robots, instead we need to create a generation of well rounded learners and human beings.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Teachers and Technology
In reading the post entitled "Is it ok to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher" I do see Karl Fisch's point. If you are going to be a teacher in today's classroom you must have some technology background. Students in the classroom in this day and time must be students of the world, that is just a fact. In order to be successful as adults they must have some computer skills. So then we must ask, why not the teacher that is molding their young mind? I really like the comparison of standards that the Fisch makes, would you tell someone you can't read, then why would you tell them you know nothing about computers? I like this, computer skills should be right up there with learning to read and write in today's world.
I feel that educators should take every opportunity to learn about technology, not just computers but ways to better their own classrooms. This can be done by simply learning how to create a Power Point presentation or learning how to upload a grade book on to the computer. These skills will simplify and better their classroom. If the teacher is willing to learn then allow them to do so. To some degree I do agree with letting a teacher go that is not willing to learn, chances are they need to retire anyway. On the same note, the school boards should be providing opportunities for their teachers through workshops to learn educational technology. If everyone pulls together teachers can learn new things as well.
I feel that educators should take every opportunity to learn about technology, not just computers but ways to better their own classrooms. This can be done by simply learning how to create a Power Point presentation or learning how to upload a grade book on to the computer. These skills will simplify and better their classroom. If the teacher is willing to learn then allow them to do so. To some degree I do agree with letting a teacher go that is not willing to learn, chances are they need to retire anyway. On the same note, the school boards should be providing opportunities for their teachers through workshops to learn educational technology. If everyone pulls together teachers can learn new things as well.
Listening to past podcasts
I listened to podcasts that were done in Mr. Wakeman's EDM 310 class in Spring of 2009. The two I chose to listen to were the Last Lecture of Randy Pausch and Shift Happens. Both had some very interesting information and were well done but could be improved and I know I could use the mistakes made in these podcasts to make my own recording better.
One mistake that really stood out at me was the scripted sound. Both groups at times sounded like they were reading from a script and it sounded almost robotic. Another issue I had with both podcasts was the problem of voice level. The first being too low and the second being too loud. One would like to hear a nice soothing voice on a podcast almost like a talk radio type voice. In my own podcast I hope to avoid filler words like "um" and long pauses. I would also like my own podcast to be more of a conversational format not actually saying, "I am going to pass the microphone of to so and so." Paper rattling is also a big no no, the listener wants to hear the speaker not the paper they are looking at. Both of these podcasts were good tools to help me better my own recording.
One mistake that really stood out at me was the scripted sound. Both groups at times sounded like they were reading from a script and it sounded almost robotic. Another issue I had with both podcasts was the problem of voice level. The first being too low and the second being too loud. One would like to hear a nice soothing voice on a podcast almost like a talk radio type voice. In my own podcast I hope to avoid filler words like "um" and long pauses. I would also like my own podcast to be more of a conversational format not actually saying, "I am going to pass the microphone of to so and so." Paper rattling is also a big no no, the listener wants to hear the speaker not the paper they are looking at. Both of these podcasts were good tools to help me better my own recording.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Listening to Various Podcasts
This blog post subject is about various podcasts we were directed to listen to on I-Tunes. The podcasts included SmartBoard Lessons Podcast, KidCast, ConnectLearning, EdTechTalk, MacBreak Weekly and This Week in Photography. This assignment was great because I got to listen to many examples of how podcasts are done, how they sound and how they come across to the audience. I learned what to do and what not to do for our own podcast assignment.
SmartBoard Lessons podcast is the first one I listened to, it was hosted by Ben Hazzard and Joan Badger who are both teachers in Canada. I listened to Episode 11 which was lessons on how to wrap up the school year. Joan also talked about some very useful web links for teachers. She talked about a math movie link that sounded quite interesting. It alerted teachers and students to movies in modern day cinema that used math in them. These movies included Alice in Wonderland and National Treasure to name a few. I found the podcast to be interesting once they got to the subject, I think there was just a little too much chatting. It is also pretty interesting that these two people were not even in the same room together. They were doing the podcasts from their own offices miles away from each other.
Next I listened to KidCast which is learning and teaching with podcasting. It was episode #62 and it was hosted my one person, Dan Schmit. This podcast was very straight forward and got right to the point of the podcast. There were no guests just one man speaking his mind on video podcasting or "vodcasting." He had the opinion that video podcasting was not a natural progression from audio podcasting it was what best suits your message. One is not better than the other. He made the point that video podcasting can be used for content that needs a visual and it can also be used for students who are learning about body language. He said the downside of the video podcasting was the time factor, teachers and students don't have time to this kind of podcasting because it is time consuming.
ConnectLearning is a very informal podcast hosted by David Warlick. I listened to Episode 90 in which he was at a conference of librarians and they were brainstorming about ways to use the podcast in the classroom. Some said that the podcast could be used to record class sessions and that students could use them at home for homework and projects. David did point out that this is being implemented at the college level but not so much at the K-12 level. Another teacher said that the podcast could be used to interview school faculty and employees and those interviews could be added to the school website for parents and potential students to view. I really liked this podcast because it provided some great ideas to teachers.
EdTechtalk podcast was talking about teachers teaching teachers or what are we learning from our colleagues. This podcast went back to a moderator and guest speakers format with varying opinions to different questions. All of the guests were asked to talk about what projects they were working on and how they were helping teachers. It sounded like they were heading up workshops that teachers were attending during their summer break to enhance them professionally. Some of the speakers also talked about projects that they got going with their students. An example of this is a project where kids create a cooking show recorded as a podcast.
The last two podcasts were very "techy" and they were of little interest to me. They were MacBreak Weekly and This Week in Photography. MacBreak Weekly is a podcast that discusses the latest Mac news from a journalist standpoint. It is really a round table discussion on all things Mac. They discussed the new I-Phone and the WWDC. As I am a PC user none of this interested me at all. The last podcast I listened to was about photography. This Week in Photography discusses camera technique, technology and news. Once again they were talking about Apple and new RAW updates to various cameras.
SmartBoard Lessons podcast is the first one I listened to, it was hosted by Ben Hazzard and Joan Badger who are both teachers in Canada. I listened to Episode 11 which was lessons on how to wrap up the school year. Joan also talked about some very useful web links for teachers. She talked about a math movie link that sounded quite interesting. It alerted teachers and students to movies in modern day cinema that used math in them. These movies included Alice in Wonderland and National Treasure to name a few. I found the podcast to be interesting once they got to the subject, I think there was just a little too much chatting. It is also pretty interesting that these two people were not even in the same room together. They were doing the podcasts from their own offices miles away from each other.
Next I listened to KidCast which is learning and teaching with podcasting. It was episode #62 and it was hosted my one person, Dan Schmit. This podcast was very straight forward and got right to the point of the podcast. There were no guests just one man speaking his mind on video podcasting or "vodcasting." He had the opinion that video podcasting was not a natural progression from audio podcasting it was what best suits your message. One is not better than the other. He made the point that video podcasting can be used for content that needs a visual and it can also be used for students who are learning about body language. He said the downside of the video podcasting was the time factor, teachers and students don't have time to this kind of podcasting because it is time consuming.
ConnectLearning is a very informal podcast hosted by David Warlick. I listened to Episode 90 in which he was at a conference of librarians and they were brainstorming about ways to use the podcast in the classroom. Some said that the podcast could be used to record class sessions and that students could use them at home for homework and projects. David did point out that this is being implemented at the college level but not so much at the K-12 level. Another teacher said that the podcast could be used to interview school faculty and employees and those interviews could be added to the school website for parents and potential students to view. I really liked this podcast because it provided some great ideas to teachers.
EdTechtalk podcast was talking about teachers teaching teachers or what are we learning from our colleagues. This podcast went back to a moderator and guest speakers format with varying opinions to different questions. All of the guests were asked to talk about what projects they were working on and how they were helping teachers. It sounded like they were heading up workshops that teachers were attending during their summer break to enhance them professionally. Some of the speakers also talked about projects that they got going with their students. An example of this is a project where kids create a cooking show recorded as a podcast.
The last two podcasts were very "techy" and they were of little interest to me. They were MacBreak Weekly and This Week in Photography. MacBreak Weekly is a podcast that discusses the latest Mac news from a journalist standpoint. It is really a round table discussion on all things Mac. They discussed the new I-Phone and the WWDC. As I am a PC user none of this interested me at all. The last podcast I listened to was about photography. This Week in Photography discusses camera technique, technology and news. Once again they were talking about Apple and new RAW updates to various cameras.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
International Blogs
The first international school blog that I came across was that of the Zhuhai International School in Guangdong Province, China. You can access the blog by clicking here. This school is pretty amazing as it is a member of the International Baccalaureate Program and is a candidate for the World Baccalaureate Program. It is truly an international school with many nationalities represented. The teachers at the school are certified in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. The school ranges from ages 3 all the way up to high school age. The blog itself has some great pictures of the students and contains monthly news letters to parents and guardians.The second blog I found was for Ambrit Rome International School located of course in Rome Italy. You can access this blog by clicking here. Ambrit's goal is to teach an international education to a diverse population of students. This school is also striving to meet the International Baccalaureate standards. The blog is actually the school blog but the students have created a number blogs including one about technology, sports and music. The blog I found has some excellent slide shows and pictures of the students in action. It also has a link to the schools main web page.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
School and Teacher blogs around the country
I found a blog used by Bertha Robinson Elementary school located in Jackson Missouri. One can access this blog byclicking here This site includes useful information such as a monthly newsletter, menus, calenders and information about the school staff. It also includes accelerated reading lists. So just basic but very useful information for parents and caregivers of students at this school.
The second blog I found was from Hickam Air Force base in Honolulu Hawaii. How awesome would it be to go to school in Hawaii?? You can reach this schools blog by
clicking here This blog is a little more personal to the school. It includes posts about alumni, weather in Hawaii and just interesting tidbits about the school. It also has links to the schools main website, a guestbook and information about the Air Force base.
The second blog I found was from Hickam Air Force base in Honolulu Hawaii. How awesome would it be to go to school in Hawaii?? You can reach this schools blog by
clicking here This blog is a little more personal to the school. It includes posts about alumni, weather in Hawaii and just interesting tidbits about the school. It also has links to the schools main website, a guestbook and information about the Air Force base.
All about ACCESS
ACCESS is long distance learning website provided by the Alabama Department of Education. It allows public high school students "access" to classes that they cannot take at their school. Some of the courses that are being offered this summer include: AP courses in most every content area along with regular education courses such as Algebra I and English. The elective courses offered are also interesting. They include: personal finance, psychology and nutrition and wellness. This site also includes information for teachers and parents as well and also for those who want to participate in the program or just learn more about it. Alabama colleges are involved as well including the University of Alabama and Troy University.
This site provides such an excellent opportunity for students to take classes that they might not have access to at their own school. It also gives them the experience of taking a class online which they might have to do in their college careers. It is beneficial for educators as well because it offers a new, fresh way to motivate students and offers them something new besides just the traditional sitting in a classroom. This is a great chance for students to vary their high school curriculum.
This site provides such an excellent opportunity for students to take classes that they might not have access to at their own school. It also gives them the experience of taking a class online which they might have to do in their college careers. It is beneficial for educators as well because it offers a new, fresh way to motivate students and offers them something new besides just the traditional sitting in a classroom. This is a great chance for students to vary their high school curriculum.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
The Alabama Learning Exchange
The Alabama Learning Exchange or ALEX is an excellent website not only for teachers but for students and parents as well. Educators will be thrilled that this website is available because it offers examples of lesson plans for a wide array of courses taught K-12. The site also offers professional learning which offers support, information about English learners and tips and tricks. Students will find the site helpful because it offers various links that they can use to help them out with research or even simple things like "how to sit at a computer." It allows everyone involved in education to be the best that they can be.
I think this will be a wonderful tool for me when I become a teacher. It is a useful tool for ideas regarding lesson plans, a place to better yourself professionally and for students to find links that are useful. The aspect that I love about this site is that it is always being added to with fresh material. I also like the fact that contributions are being made by educators just like me. This is a fantastic website that I plan on visiting frequently when I get into my classroom.
I think this will be a wonderful tool for me when I become a teacher. It is a useful tool for ideas regarding lesson plans, a place to better yourself professionally and for students to find links that are useful. The aspect that I love about this site is that it is always being added to with fresh material. I also like the fact that contributions are being made by educators just like me. This is a fantastic website that I plan on visiting frequently when I get into my classroom.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
All About Melanie
My name is Melanie Kriner. I am a wife, mother, sister and daughter and I love being all four. I especially love being a mother to my daughter Kaitlyn who is 3 years old. Three years ago when I had Kaitlyn I decided it was time to go back and finish my degree. I started at Auburn in 1996 and took off many semesters to work and to make a long story short I never finished. So in 2007 I came back to South Alabama to finish up my degree in Secondary Education/Social Sciences. The experience has been gratifying as well as difficult while raising a child at home. I have the unconditional support of my husband David and of my family and friends. All of these people come together to give me words of encouragement, babysit Kait or help me proof read a paper. I chose to come back to South because is was convenient and I feel I am getting the best education possible at this university.
My interests include travel, we love Disney World. I love to read when I have time and when I am not reading school books. I enjoy cooking and watching cooking shows on the Food Channel. I love being outside, this is an activity that my daughter and I enjoy together. History is my passion, I love all branches of history but I am especially interested in World War II, The American Revolution, History of Monarchies, Russian and English histories. I look forward to graduating in May of 2010 and moving on to being an educator here in Mobile County.
My interests include travel, we love Disney World. I love to read when I have time and when I am not reading school books. I enjoy cooking and watching cooking shows on the Food Channel. I love being outside, this is an activity that my daughter and I enjoy together. History is my passion, I love all branches of history but I am especially interested in World War II, The American Revolution, History of Monarchies, Russian and English histories. I look forward to graduating in May of 2010 and moving on to being an educator here in Mobile County.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
My Adventure in EDM 310
Welcome to my EDM 310 personal blog! I am actually taking this class over again but I feel like things have changed since the last time I took the class so it will be beneficial for me when I go into the classroom in the Fall. Thanks for visiting and check in for new posts!
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