Sunday, February 3, 2013

Blog Post #3

Peer Editing

All of the information from Paige Ellis' Blog Assignment #12 on peer editing helped me because I have been struggling on how to edit the first two C4C assignments. The fact that she was honest enough to share her email exchanges with Dr. Strange meant a lot to me. She is a true teacher. I would have kept all of that to myself, but instead she shared with the world through her blog. I will be a better peer editor due to this blog assignment. This class continues to challenge me and open my eyes to so much more. There is no reason to be embarrassed when I have questions. I do not feel ashamed or alone, and also feel that I am growing with each assignment.
The Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial slideshow, and the Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes video gave me several suggestions going forward in my C4C assignments. The focus needs to be on Compliments, Suggestions, and Corrections. Prior to this assignment I was unsure of exactly how to respond because you don't want to come across as a Mean Margaret, or Picky Patty. I want to be encouraging, but also honest. My goal is try to be more helpful in my peer editing now that I understand how it works. I think this understanding will also help me appreciate the constructive criticism I receive in the future. We all have to understand that we are striving for the same goal of becoming better teachers.

Assistive Technologies


It is so inspiring to see how technology has opened the doors for the blind and hearing impaired. I was first introduced to assistive technology during a Special Education class at USA this summer. We learned how all special needs children can benefit from iPads. Education is leaning more towards inclusion now more than ever, so it is important for teachers to understand how ipads, and other devices, can help students that are blind or hearing impaired. I really enjoyed the iPad Usage For the Blind because it gave exact examples of how students can use its features to help them read books. However, I was amazed by the video Teaching Math to the Blind by Art Karshmer at The University of San Francisco. The device used to teach Math to the blind is absolutely amazing. It is very interesting to see how blind students will be able to learn Math all the way to basic Algebra. His device will open more doors for them in the professional field involving Math & Science.
With inclusion being such a growing role in education today, I can see using all of the these assistive technologies to help any blind or hearing impaired students I might have. I would want all of my students to feel that they are getting the same learning experience. As a teacher, you would hate for anyone to feel as if they were being left behind because of an impairment. The iPad offers so many great options with the ereader for the blind, and itunesU. I would want any blind, or hearing impaired, students to have iPads available to them, so they are able to fully participate with the rest of my class.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

I felt like I was watching a video of one of Dr. Strange's former students because I heard several familiar phrases, such as "Students need to learn how to learn, " and "Students need to connect to the world, not just their classroom." The video Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts talked about the empowerment students will get from having to learn on their own. They will feel much more accomplished by working to find the answers themselves. It sounded like a high school level EDM 310 class. The theme I keep hearing and am starting to understand is that being a teacher doesn't mean I have to have all of the answers. My focus needs to be more helping guide my future students, so they learn how to learn.
How long will it be until this is the common practice for all teachers? The common themes I keep coming across in this class are allowing children to grow on their own, learn on their own, and not be afraid to be creative. What is encouraging is that in several of my history classes my teachers are implementing critical thinking, not just reading out dates of great events. We discuss "why" events occured, "what they mean" to us, and "how they effected" the people during that time. When I went to the Edutopia website I was pleasantly surprised to see information on how to teach during Black History Month, and even fun ideas for lesson plans during the Super Bowl. All of these are very interesting, and it makes me even more excited to become a teacher.

2 comments:

  1. You are absolutely correct about Paige Ellis' Blog Assignment #12. She opened my eyes on how important peer editing is. Personally it always made me feel a little uncomfortable and like you, I would have not posted about the email exchange with Dr.Strange. Fortunately for us, she did!

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  2. Thorough, thoughtful, well done!

    Excellent

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