What I've Learned This Year by Mr. McClung

A summary and response to the post by first year teacher Mr. McClung.

Mr. McClung sounds like the kind of teacher I want for my children. He is enthusiastic and experimental, while being reflective and adaptive with his lessons. This post “What I Have Learned This Year” was an excellent review of what has made him a better teacher throughout the school year. A few of his points, such as Never Stop Learning and Don’t Be Afraid of Technology are positions that I am sure carried over from his own education, but Communicate and Be Flexible are points that I think he truly learned through this first true experience.
Being flexible is a skill that must be practiced, and one that I feel you will need forever in the classroom. I have quite a bit of classroom experience as an educator, yet was reminded of my need to adapt and change in my most recent teaching assignment. I was given a unique experience this spring to work as a support class teacher, meaning I had every child in the school for some period of time each week. With a few exceptions, I taught the same artist or set of skills to every group that came to me throughout a week, from 3 year olds to middle school students. Naturally, there were many times that I would teacher the same lesson 3 or 4 times a day, for 5 days in a row. The lesson that was taught on Monday morning was often unrecognizable by Thursday afternoon. If a teacher reads her audience, enhances instructions, adapts examples, and adjusts assessments, one can end up with an exemplary lesson. I found every lesson plan had to be rewritten at the end of the week to reflect what I REALLY did in those classes.
Mr. McClung is very wise to recognize the value of good communication. It is indeed “the best way to resolve any issue I the workplace”, and everywhere else. The issue is not simply communicating, whales communicate, but communicating well. Those who communicate well already understand the importance of doing so, and those who do not usually don’t know it. There are few lessons we can teach our students that are more important than how to be a true listener and to share with someone else their thoughts in a clear, non-offensive manner. I feel sure Mr. McClung was a really good teacher this year, but next year, WOW. He is striving toward excellence.

Wikipedia Myth

This is a video created by Nichole Hassell and Kimberly Tharp, and it discusses the taboo of Wikipedia.

Comments 4 Kids 2

Miss T's Classroom


MARY'S MAGICAL BLOG

My response:
Mary,
That sounds like a great book. I had a best friend move when I was 12 and we felt like running away too. The good news is I am now 34 (really old, I know) and she is still one of my best friends, 800 miles away. I am taking a class at the University of South Alabama and we are learning to help our students create blogs. Yours is excellent! I also enjoyed your post telling me why I should read your blog. Keep up the good work.


I then read a later post by Mary Pools Day where she writes about the fun she and her friends had visiting the pool on February 11th.

My response:

That sounds like such a fun day! Do you know what happened in Mobile Alabama on February 11th this year? It SNOWED, and it NEVER snows in Mobile. Isn’t that funny that you were swimming with your friends while we played in the snow.

Kimberly Tharp
EDM 310
University of South Alabama

comments4teachers 1

Kids Know What Matters Posted by Paula White

An answer???

You are tackling the job of recommending class placements from one angle only: what decision is in the best interest of the child concerned? You ask why teachers ignore the recommendations you make. I propose that they are placing students in a manner that creates the best classroom composition for the TEACHER. Rather than focusing on the research you mentioned, or the specific social and developmental needs of the student, teachers are “balancing out” the classrooms based on numbers of students who are discipline problems, low achievers, high achievers, and those who require accommodations for remediation or enrichment. Perhaps the convenience of the teacher is taking a higher priority than the needs of the students. It is disturbing to see that accusation written in black and white, but I fear that is more the norm than we like to believe. I have never had the privilege of teaching recognized gifted students, but I am thrilled to read about a teacher who understands their needs and strives to meet them. Thank you for working so hard to see that each child is placed in a classroom in which they can “soar”.

I am a student at the University of South Alabama participating in Dr. John Strange’s EDM 310 class.
http://www.edm310.blogspot.com/

I will be summarizing my responses in a post to my blog on June 30.
http://www.tharpkimberlyedm310.blogspot.com/

Thank you for the insights you have shared.


Teaching in a silo by Paula White

I wrote my last response to you before reading your latest blog entry. I think I now know how you will feel about my “stay fresh” plan. As I read “Teaching in a Silo”, I thought through each of my co-workers, trying to determine if there is a deep-thinker who might challenge me in the ways you mentioned. I returned to teaching in December after a break to raise my family, so I am still a new faculty member. Interacting with teachers around the world will be crucial for stimulating new ideas, but I certainly concede that we need someone right there, in our building, who knows our students and challenges. With a “critical friend” we can take ideas and make them realities, or filter those ideas and toss them out.
Thank you for the reminder that I do not need to be an island; it is okay to lean on someone. Thank you for reminding me how blessed I am to have a principal that “gets me”. And thank you for reminding me that school gossip and politics has very little positive impact on what I am trying to accomplish.



Why Don't Schools Have Innovation As An Expectation

The line “the copier is the innovator” sticks in my mind as I read your post regarding Innovation As An Expectation. I learned to sew about 8 years ago and have enjoyed making outfits for my children. I particularly enjoy visiting pricey children’s boutiques, then going home to replicate things I liked for a fraction of the cost. On numerous occasions I have said “I can make anything you show me, just don’t make me design something myself.” I labeled myself as non-creative and skilled only in technical applications. THEN, God exhibited his sense of humor by placing this “left-brained” mathematics teacher in a one-semester-only position as our school’s Art instructor. ART…you’ve got to be kidding. So, I learned a lot about art and about myself and now I’ll get back to the point.
I think I have learned that you do not have to be a copier OR a creator, you can be both at the same time. Throughout history, progress has been made by standing on what has already been learned and reaching further. As each new skill or invention was perfected, users have accepted it as commonplace and looked for ways in which it can be improved. In the present, we find ourselves with virtually all information just a click away, and a seemingly infinite number of people accessing it and improving upon it. Thus, the exponential growth of innovation is inevitable, and “copying” is the stepping stone toward new ideas.

This was a fascinating post she mentioned: A Constituent of Innovation by Michael J. J. Gras, White Oak ISD

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

Randy Pausch was a fascinating and innovative educator. What an excellent example of someone creating and drafting a whole new way to teach. This particular lecture was heartbreaking to watch and contemplate, and sent me down a thought path as a parent that was very uncomfortable, contemplating what I would communicate to my children if I were not going to be around in their future.
The first constructive advice I absorbed from this lecture is how to position yourself to be an innovative teacher. Dr. Pausch found a place where his dream would be embraced, among administrators who were willing to flex rules and “look the other way”. He made no claims to knowing outcomes, and did not try to predict where his ideas were going. And yet, through his remarkable salesmanship, was able to convince others to get on board and try something new. I think that an educator who is ready to innovate must actively search out an environment that will encourage new thinking.
Dr. Pausch related a story from the beginning of his ETC program, where his mentor advised him “ You obviously don’t know where the bar should be, so don’t insult their [the students] intelligence by placing one.” What a great concept to remember as a teacher. When our students surprise us with their aptitude, push them further, challenge them harder.
A few minutes of the lecture were spent, outlining the program that Dr. Pausch created at Carnegie-Mellon. He spoke of his distaste for “book learning” and showed a diagram of the project based masters program he had developed. Few of us will ever have the opportunity to teach something that has never been taught before, but what a lesson on curriculum design for an entirely new genre of information. I am sure a great deal of the program’s success stems from the enthusiasm that Dr. Pausch had for learning and creating.
I feel that what Dr. Pausch would want educators to take from his last lecture, was how much fun learning can be. His students were given freedom to create, but strongly encouraged to have fun. Several times in EDM 310 we have been advised to choose project topics that we are interested in, because we learn best if we enjoy what we are working on. That is an amazing lesson to take into our classroom. It would be easy to buy into the reality that life isn’t always fun so learning doesn’t have to be either. But truly, we can find ways to apply learning to our students lives such that it will interest them and make the learning process fun.

Artist Timeline

My Thinking Spot

A Vocaroo recording of the environment in which most of my work is done.






Did you listen? Wasn't that fun? If you want to try it press the button below and record yourself through your microphone. This is just for fun, it won't save. But you can try out the real thing at Vocaroo.com, Thanks!

Powered by Vocaroo

Richard Miller: This Is How We Dream Parts 1 and 2

I am not…I am not currently prepared to write with multimedia. But I’m getting there, and I recognize the potential and benefits of authoring in this way. It spoke to me when he talked about a text only document taking two years to distribute, while a multimedia presentation received 9,000 visits in such a short time. This IS how we will distribute and receive information to and from the masses.
The idea of information being owned not by the individual, but shared by all is a new one I am adjusting too. My initial reaction to so much of what I have been exposed to in EDM is “Why are they putting this out there for free, what do they want from me?” I am slowly realizing there has been a shift, and collaborating is the new norm in education. It is empowering and makes our jobs easier, and yet harder as we strain to contribute to this shared knowledge, not just absorb. I cannot ignore a slight uneasiness when I consider this vast worldwide network (Genesis 11).
My favorite part of the video was at the end of part two when he says “The goal of this technology is not the technology itself…”. That sums it all up. Technology is great, amazing, useful, spectacular, attention grabbing, but what will we do with it. We are educators, how will we EDUCATE with what we are learning. Even borrowing someone else’s spectacular lesson plan and implementing it will be worthless if we cannot analyze the needs and abilities of our own students and find ways to achieving learning outcomes, not just teaching goals.

The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler
Does the networked student even need a teacher? Oh my goodness YES. Absolutely none of the network would exist and no learning would take place without a teacher there laying the foundation work. I am firming up my belief that a good teacher can teach anything, only they sometimes must learn it first. In this particular video, the Psychology teacher is no longer responsible for teaching psychology to this networked student, but instead, teaching the tools needed to allow the student to learn on his own. Many of my classmates commented that this video sounds a lot like EDM. I propose it is exactly like EDM. Dr. Strange is not trying to teach us how to teach; he is teaching us how to learn, so that we may in turn teach our students how to learn.
I watched this video with a small measure of pride, because 4 weeks ago I would not have understood much of what was being discussed. Now terms like PLN, wiki, iTunesU, skype/videoconferencing, and RSS feeds are not baffling or even intimidating. I am not an expert in any of these area, but I have dabbled to the point where I would be comfortable introducing them to my students. The networked student needs a teacher to point him in a direction, to steer him when he heads off course, and to give him an ultimate learning goal.
An enormous part of this networking process is communicating with others, and those others are frequently learned scholars and highly respected authors. Clear and polite communication is not a naturally occurring trait among most young people. A teacher models, corrects, and guides a student through interactions with the world of higher learning. A teacher helps protect a student from false information, inappropriate content, and in general, those who wish to harm rather than help the student. “Why does the networked student need a teacher?” The learning spark will never grow to a flame without an excellent teacher to fan it upward.

The Machine is (Changing) Us: YouTube and the Politics of Authenticity by Michael Wesch:

This was a very interesting discourse by Dr. Wesch. He and his students have spent an enormous amount of time analyzing Youtube and investigating phenomena and terms such as the progression of the word “Whatever”. He is obviously extremely intelligent and talented at analyzing and organizing information and creating new understanding. But I have to be honest, my reaction here is…Whatever.
Perhaps this is my natural cynicism when I stay up too late at night working, but I keep thinking, just because a thing can be studied, that doesn’t mean it should. Youtube is no doubt changing the world, just like the automobile and the microwave did, and it is fascinating to analyze those changes, but this did not seem to be the most earth shattering topic to which his sharp mind could be devoted. I may add more to this post later if I see it in a different light.

C4K 1

I was privileged to watch Eric read his paragraph on Earthquakes for my comments4kids assignment. Eric is a level three student at the Pt. England school. My 1st grade daughter is fascinated to watch what other students across the world are learning and accomplishing on the internet.

Eric's Earthquake Paragraph

Blog Post #5

My response to

Why Smartboards are a Dumb Initiative by Michael Staton
and
Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards by Bill Ferriter

In registering for EDM 310, I was particularly interested in the Smartboard training we would receive as part of this class. I am a middle school math teacher and will have an eBeam installed in my classroom this summer. Reading the two critiques of Smartboards certainly took the wind out of my sails. But after further research, I am comforted.

The eBeam is a portable unit that can be attached to any surface, converting it into an interactive computer screen, even without the use of a projector. The cost is significantly lower than that of a Smartboard and the capabilities are very similar. I am still researching and learning exactly what those capabilities are and how I will use them in my classroom, but I feel that my school made a more economical choice, and that with the technology I am being exposed to, I will be able to download supplemental programs to perform any task in my classroom.

I did find a blog listing several benefits of using an interactive whiteboard in the classroom
http://education.families.com/blog/classroom-technology-interactive-whiteboards

I think the first benefit listed may be the most valid of them all. It is hard for the technologically literate to understand the fear behind those who are not comfortable using new technologies. However, part of being tolerant and open to one another’s differences is accepting how hard change can be. Even a teacher who is eager to learn new methods may struggle if they have not been immersed in technology for much of his or her life. Michael Staton mentioned having given away his IWB after realizing he could recreate the same information at little or no cost. Perhaps that is the key, free technology for the tech savvy, and IWB’s for those who need the simplicity and “push” into the newest opportunities as teachers.

Podcasts in Classrooms

After watching the video EDM 310 for Dummies, I began to think of a topics I think would make a useful or entertaining video. As I am exploring the blogs of the students at the Pt England School, I find myself wondering about the guidelines put forth for allowing these students to publish to the web. For example, what information are they restricted from publishing, what training are they given on internet safety, and how much assistance does the teacher provide for each of these blogposts? I think a video answering some of these procedural questions would be beneficial to a teacher wanting to implement these techniques into a classroom. A more entertaining video might involve tips for keeping Dr. Strange happy with your work (after reading several of his responses to classmates, it appears many could use such a video).

Blog Assignment 4

Integrating ICT into the MFL classroom

What a clear and informative video. This teacher is one who not only is innovative in his own classroom, but is very purposeful in his desire to share the technology with other teachers. The idea of podcasting study guide reviews is an exetremely practical one that I can incorporate into my classroom immediately. I feel we have already learned the technology in EDM 310 to allow me to comfortably attempt such an experiment.

It was very helpful to provide links to programs which are known to be user-friendly. I particularly like the link at the top which reads “ICT for the non-specialist”. I am interested in learning more about Podbeam, and why it may or may not be more desireable than creating a classroom blog through google.



100 Ways to use your iPod to Learn and Study Better

There are a few fascinating links at this site, although most of them were interesting to me personally, not necessarily as an educator. The Pod CityGuides sounds like a useful tool, but I was unable to follow the link. The free Sesame street videos is something I will load immediately. The education Podcast Network is probably the most informative for educators and I look forward to exploring that one further.

The first suggested tutorial link, Video iPod tutorial, directs you to a members-only training center. For “less than $1 a day” you can have access to many fascinating online classes. I was much more interested in the second tutorial, Learning podcasting. This one looks very informative and clearly written. There are many informative links, and in-depth information when I am ready to move beyond the basics. This is a site to bookmark.


Educational Podcast Network

This is the site I have been hoping for. I want to see ideas on exactly how to incorporate some of this technology into my middle school math class. The EPN groups podcasts by subject area and age groups. I checked out a few of the mathematics podcasts and am excited by what I am seeing. Specific ideas are listed that I can use immediately this fall.

I found a series on teaching with SMARTBoards that was interesting to listen to. The men producing it have a web site http://teachingwithsmartboard.com . I have just begun to explore the site, but as a teacher new to SMARTBoard technology, I am thrilled to have a tutorial. The posts are as current as this week and they encourage e-mail questions and suggestions.

Don't Teach Your Kids This Stuff. Please?

by Scott McLeod

In three weeks of EDM 310, we have already been exposed a vast array of blogs, videos, and websites intended to spur us into some action as future and present educators. My impression of Scott McLeod’s poem is that this was written simply as personal expression. Perhaps his satire was not intended to “change the world”, he simply feels that he has found the best way to prepare his children for the future, and is confident that they will be better prepared than many of their peers. Poetry is so often used as a forum for expressing one’s thoughts and ideas. I felt this message was very personal, to individuals, rather than school systems and curriculum planners.




The iSchool Initiative

What about handwriting? As I listened to this well-formulated argument, I can’t help thinking, there are skills that cannot be taught on the computer screen. Fine arts and speech-making (for a live audience) would be lost in an iTouch-only classroom setting. I presume that this iSchool initiative is designed for a secondary school setting, for the list increases dramatically for elementary students.

Why would one choose and iTouch for this classroom revolution? I realize the cost is a leading factor in convincing someone to take this new approach to education. However, it seems to me that waiting a brief time, until the iPad is available at a lower cost makes more sense. I have an iPod Touch and most websites are somewhat difficult to navigate based on the size. With an iPad, pages would be sized accessibly.


The Lost Generation

The presentation method for this video is extremely powerful. The first few moments draw the listener in through the perplexing monologue. As with many such creations, the idea itself is as impressive as the final work. I am wondering, what specifically is the “lost generation”. Could that be any generation, or is there an age group commonly referred to in those terms?


Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

What a beautiful form of art. I am glad Jennifer shared this with us, and I hope others will share discoveries as well. As I watched the video I thought, how did they connect in such a way that there no gaps or pauses in their webcam transmission. My second thought was where did he find such a vast array of musical talent, tech savvy enough to participate in such an ambitious project. And my third thought was, PEOPLE, you are being watched all over the world, brush your hair, make your bed, be presentable!

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

I found this video compilation to be another thought-provoking jolt to the status quo of our education system. The information and statistics presented were very representative of my first college experience, working on my bachelor’s degree in education in the mid ‘90s. However, my experience at USA (2000 – 2002 Instructional Design MS) was entirely different. I honestly had an extremely interactive, relevant educational experience (no flattery intended here), possibly because of the nature of the program of study. This was very likely not the experience University wide.

Of particular interest to me, were some of the comments found under the video link on Youtube. Education is a field FULL of disillusioned, burned-out warriors who once had the desire and drive to change the world, and have now been beaten down by reality. Perhaps, I am just feeling cynical this morning as I write, but these sweeping changes, that are so obvious and desperately needed, seem very elusive and nearly impossible. How many people out their will work as hard as this KSU professor, or Vicki Davis to revolutionize their little corner of the world?


It's Not About the Technology
by Kelly Hines

It really is all about the teacher. We are discussing in my EEC 300 classroom management class, how the teacher is the single most important determining factor affecting whether or not learning takes place. I believe an effective teacher can teach anything.
You write that teachers must be learners, and I agree completely. There are systems in place to nudge teachers along in that direction. Short-term certificates and continuing education force teachers to seek out learning opportunities. However, these are often looked at as something to be endured so that one can return to the status quo. The desire to learn comes from within, and I am not sure that I understand yet how to awaken that desire in myself or my students. The class I am participating in has stirred my desire to reach out and find ways to change my teaching methods in my middle school math classroom. But I don’t know how to keep this desire fresh. I don’t want to settle into my old routines once the everyday responsibilities of a school year set back in.




Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

Part of your post really spoke to my personal experience. I am a middle school math teacher. Countless times, I have endured parent conferences that begin with the parent stating "I am not good at math!" or some variation of that sentiment. When did it become okay to accept a critical weakness as "who I am", and not strive to better one’s self? This idea of labeling weaknesses and excusing them has permeated academia and social scenarios, and has led to a decline in our expectations. Technology is only the newest genre to be shunned by those who have no interest in bettering themselves.

That being said, I believe technological literacy is a crucial element of effective teaching, but not the most important. A love of learning and a desire to innovate are what makes a teacher successful, and these traits should prompt a teacher to become technologically literate. So perhaps we have a “chicken or the egg” debate here regarding the hierarchy of importance.

I read your post as part of an assignment for Dr. John Strange’s EDM 310 class http://edm310.blogspot.com and would love to hear any response you may have on my blog http://tharpkimberlyedm310.blogspot.com.

Thank you for prompting me to think.


Gary Hayes Social Media Count

Watching the social media counter, I could not escape the feeling that we are building up to a point when something monumental will occur. I have no idea what that might be, but it feels as if there must be some breaking point. Can these programs grow at these exponential numbers infinitely? When will we, humans, reach our capacity for involvement, or will we ever? Strange thoughts for late at night…

As a teacher, attempting to suppress social networking in my classroom will be a losing battle. My goal is to embrace it, as we are hearing repeatedly through these movies and posts. I want to read all I can about incorporating my students technical prowess into my math curriculum.

Here are 4 incredibly thought provoking videos and my response to each.

Did You Know? 3.0
by Karl Fisch

Did You Know??? I did not! Perhaps I knew the conclusions, but had never seen the statistics broken down so shockingly. Each screen of the video was thought provoking a noteworthy, but as an educator, I was most struck by the statement “We are currently preparing students for jobs that did not exist, using technologies that haven’t been invented, in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.”

I am very familiar with Dr. Strange’s philosophies of teaching (coaching/mentoring/whatever you call it) and my head knows he is exactly right in regard to the regurgitation methods we frequently employ. My classroom, however, doesn’t support that. I “fall victim” to the traditional methods of teaching and do things the way they have always been done. This video reminds me, creating life-long learners is not the best way to teach, it is the ONLY way to teach. It is the only way to impact students in a way that will make a difference in their lives as adults.



Mr. Winkle Wakes
by Mathew Needleman

How disappointing. When I think of my own school, the school I once attended and now teach, those nostalgic, comforting similarities to 25 years ago now make me uncomfortable. How have we changed so little? What can we now do to catch up? How much of my math curriculum should be formulas and equations? Will these be relevant and applicable to my students in 10 more years?

To some degree, what I am teaching is relevant, but I am not sure how to structure my lessons in a way that pushes them beyond memorizing or even applying, to learning how to learn. I don’t want Mr. Winkle to be comfortable in my classroom. I don’t even want the parents of my students to be “comfortable”. I want to teach my students to embrace new information rather than shun the unknown or unfamiliar. I want to master the “I don’t know, let’s find out!” philosophy of teaching.




Sir Ken Robinson: The Importance of Creativity
TEDS website

As I listen to Ken Robinson speak so eloquently, I am not thinking of my students, but of my children, my niece and nephew, and all the children around me whom I love and want to see succeed. I am the mother of 3 young children, and their creativity and imaginations amaze me. Am I nurturing that small flame and creating an environment where they need not fear failure? Not consistently I am afraid.

This lecture was so thought provoking, my mind is flooded with people I want to share this with: the new Head of Schools whom I work for who will have a unique opportunity to revamp our curriculum in the upcoming months, my young nephew who is showing such promise in his artwork, my friends who have recently decided to home school. We all need to hear this. Education did change (or begin) to meet the demands of the industrial age, therefore it makes sense it should drastically change again in the technological age.




Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts
edutopia.org website

Employing this kind of technology really is possible in our classrooms, right here in Mobile Alabama. I think this teacher is remarkably daring and brave. Daring to dream big and ask for what she needs (hardware), and daring to design and create an environment where kids teach themselves. It is so much easier to do the work for them than it is to plan it so they can successfully discover on their own.

Her bravado is a willingness not to have all the answers. To allow your students to teach you shows a great deal of confidence in your classroom management. This Spring I had a completely new experience, teaching Art to students ages 3-14. I often felt, particularly with the junior high, that if I didn’t have the answers to their every question, I might appear to be an inadequate Art teacher (which is exactly what I felt I was). Being willing to learn with your students takes a great deal of confidence, and is a trait I feel is highly desirable.

My first, but not last, Wordle

I'm Back

After an 8 year hiatus from all things technological, I am (hopefully) returning to the world of the tech savvy. Thank you Dr. Strange!