Making the Videos!

In SEDU 183 we made videos that were Public Service Announcements. My group did drunk driving. I really enjoyed this activity because the students were in control. This allowed our own creativity to shine through, especially not having a rubric. For this activity the cons were that we were unsure how to use the software to edit the video which made me personally feel overwhelmed at the time. That was the only con I really saw though. This activity could be used in many ways. For instruction, where the teacher will create a sample of what she/he wants to be done. I feel this would be very easy in a early childhood classroom for crafts to be demonstrated. This could also be used as an assessment because students could turn in a project and show the work they have done on it and that way the teacher could give credit accurately. Finally, it could be used for communication. I went to a student G-20 summit. In this we learned about other countries and they used pre-made videos throughout all of the presentations.
HERE IS MY GROUPS VIDEO!!

Finale and Prezi!

In class we looked at two really great tools!

Finale: This was a program used to create sheets of music. Although very cool, I do not think I would use this in a classroom. The high price and difficulty of the program seems to be at a higher level than early childhood education. I did think the things you could do to incorporate the tool into a science lesson plan was very neat though!

Prezi: I have seen this tool many times before and still have never tried it. It looks like a very neat way to do presentations. I like that it's free and easy to use. I also like that it definitely keeps the attention of students. One thing I did not like though was all the motions. Some moving is just too much. I do plan on using this tool very soon though!

Evaluation time :)

Kidspiration! :)

Kidspirtaion may be my favorite tool to date that we went over in class. Being an Early Education major I feel that this tool is great for critical thinking. When demonstrated in the classroom and also then applied on the computer, students are demonstrating understanding and application. I have recently learned in another class about Bloom's Taxonomy which are the possible levels a question can be rated on, the higher the level the harder the question. Both application and understanding are on the lower end of the scale of Bloom's Taxonomy but a very important skills to master. I also feel that this tool can be used greatly when preparing for the PSSA's, which everyone understands are very important. I feel this tool could greatly benefit an elementary classroom.

Reflecting on tools in classrooms...

In the last class we went over museum box and go animate 4 schools. Museum box, I feel, was directed more towards secondary education. It would be very useful for history as mentioned. I also like the idea about laying out the day or week using it. That would be a creative way to get the students attention. The thing I like the most is how visual it is. It's a lot better for students when they can follow along with something on the board. Next, Go!animate was very interesting and creative. What I liked about it was that you could make it into like a short movie. The biggest downfall was the money if you're not sure how often you would use it. If you could get a sponsor for a classroom that would definitely be an awesome tool to use.

the first set of online tools...

The tool I liked the best that was demonstrated was the storyjumper. A good way I thought that this would be useful in classrooms is for story telling time. With this tool you can post it on the board. Doing so will help every child be able to see the words as teachers read, familiarizing the children with the words, and also they can see the pictures to help them understand further. When showing 20-25, six to seven year olds, a picture at one time, many children may miss it. With this tool everyone is able to view it at the same time. I will definitely use this tool in my classroom.

Getting organized!

I wasn't really sure what tool to use that no one else would. I searched Google and found a neat website called http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/Organiser+Tools. Under this website there were many options; presentation tools, organization tools, etc. The tool I found and really liked was a website called thinklinkr.com. This websites helps create outlines with your notes. For me this was awesome because I know when taking notes it can become such a scribbled mess on my paper. Another great feature is that it walks you through outlining, from bulleting to making sure you rename your outline. Another perk is that you can invite people to use it with you as well! One downside it the basic package is free but the more creative you want to get with it, it'll cost you. One more negative of this program is it takes a little while to get the hang of it. Understanding how it all works is a little time consuming as well. Here is a short tutorial, check it out! :)

Erie leaders talking...

This video goes along with my last post. The video points out many things that could be done to help the poverty levels. Erie believes that to start getting out of this slump, it needs to start in education and pulling together people through that. With the poverty level at 32% something needs to be done! This is a problem that cannot be ignored any longer.

Sometimes the little things can mean so much....

In the morning I have an education class called Multiculturalism in American Schools. In this class, we discussed diversity in classrooms. The diversity can range from race and gender, all the way to socioeconomic status.This being said, an Erie news paper released a status that stated that 70% of The children in their district were at the poverty level. This problem affects not only the students who are dealing with this at home but also the teachers at school. Teachers need to be sensitive to children and their needs. All issues at home are not the same and the intensity of the problem can range greatly. Some families are just tight on money while others have no money top eat at all. This problem is being addressed slowly but surely. Erie now offers free breakfast and lunches to all students. This is an awesome idea because not only do children get to be feed but also no one can feel left out because their parents do not have the money to buy them food. As a future teacher this makes me aware that there are a wide range of problems that we as teachers are going to have to address in classrooms. In my Child Development 2 course we discussed that maybe teachers can buy each child a comb and make it a routine in the morning that each child brushes their hair. This is a good idea because no one feels left out and that also may be the only time that child gets an opportunity to do any type of self grooming. Another thing we discussed, if able to, for beginning of the year a teacher may give a little first day gift. Something as simple as a pair of socks or maybe closer to the winter a pair of mittens. This is simple but, to a child in need, can mean so much. Do you think these things are good ideas? Do you think there is any other way we as future teachers can help?

Reflecting on tools we use in class...

My favorite activity we have done in SEDU 183 up to this point is the PowerPoint lessons. Every student was to pick a grade level and then a curriculum to stick to. Then the student was to create a PowerPoint for that lesson. Creating the PowerPoint's took a lot of time. My entire PowerPoint took a full 3 hours to do without any interruptions but, it was so fun and exciting I did not even realize how much time I had invested into it. I think this tool is very useful. It can make lessons more interactive and more interesting for students. Also, a PowerPoint with a paper to go a long with makes the students pay attention to the slides to find the answers which makes the child need to look carefully for answers and learn the information. The downfalls of this tool is that technology can fail us all, especially at very inconvenient times. Teachers must make sure they have a back-up plan just in case. I would definitely 100% use this is my classroom. It's time consuming to put together and has a change of failing just like all technology but if used correctly, can teach children in a great way.

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. ~Thomas Paine

All about me :)

Hello. My name is Demi. I am a sophomore at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. I am majoring in Early Childhood Education. I plan on running daycare's when I get older as my main business and teaching because I want to, not just for a job. By teaching I hope to just make a difference with kids, even if it is only for a short 9 months. I want to teach young children because I believe that they do mimic things they see and I want to be a good role model for young children to start off with. In this blog, I hope to share my journey through the year(s) to becoming a teacher. Also, to show that I am able to be a good teacher.