Project #8 Book Trailer

Blog Post 6

What is a PLN? A PLN is an online source that helps one in their teaching career by exchanging information and questions within a group of people. It is very simple to start a PLN, the easiest way is using social media such as twitter or facebook. These are great sites that not only use your pln but let it grow as well. A reason social media is such a great way to form this PLN is because anybody from anywhere can access and input information at any time or ask a question. At first i had no idea what a PLN was but after learning about it I do see how this can be a very helpful piece of work in and out of the class room. Especially with the idea of using social networks because of how often they are accessed by so many people.

Blog Post 5

What do you learn from these conversations with Anthony Capps? When Mr. Capps set down with Dr. Strange they discussed project based learning. The goal of PBL is to show that students actually are learning something in the classroom and show their progress in the classroom as well. PBL is an awesome way to make students go out and look for the information they in order to be successful. This is huge for students it gives them a sense of pride in themselves because they independently went out and found exactly what they need.
In the next video iCurio, which is a search engine. Anthony explains exactly what this is, I have never heard of this before until now and it seems very useful and safe. It allows students to safely search the web and find the information they need without parents and teacher worrying about what websites they are going on to find it.
In Anthony and Dr. Strange's Tips for Teaching Part 1 they give five useful tips for teachers to succeed.
1. Be Interested in Learning Yourself - If you are not interested in learning your students will not want to learn. You as the teacher are their role model and you have to set a good example for them.
2. Hard Work - It will be hard work but let it be fun for you and your students.
3. Be Flexible - Always be ready and prepared for the unexpected.
4. Get Kids Engaged - You want the students engaged in learning, if not they will not learn.
5. Reflection - Always try and revise your work to make it better because you can always better yourself.
In our last video Don't Teach Tech Use it, basically says that as teachers we shouldn't waste our time tying to teach students how to use technology, because they most likely know more than us already.
The last video Additional Thoughts about Lessons, Anthony teaches how to make a lesson plan using four steps. The first step and most important is to make your lesson plan for the year. Then you need to break down the plan into 6 or 8 weeks. The next step is to break it down into units. Each of these steps have equal importance to being a successful teacher.

Blog Post 4

When I first saw this topic the first thing I thought of is the saying, "there are no stupid questions." This is true and after reading the pieces assigned it really hit me how kids think in a class room when it comes to asking questions in class. In Ben Johnson's "The Right Way to Ask Questions." when he asks have we ever thought how silly a teacher could be? This really got me thinking in the past no I haven't. He says as a teacher stands in front of so many different students acting like we know everything then go back and asks the students questions kind of contradicts that belief. When teachers ask "does everyone understand?" no student wants to be that one person who raises their hand and says no in front of the whole class. So as a teacher we should wait just a few seconds then pick on one at random.
In the post "Asking Questions to Improve learning Questioning styles and Strategies" I took away that it is important to not only think about the question you are about to ask but also wait until the speaker is done because you might be asking a question that is about to be answered just shortly. One also needs to make sure their questions are clear and direct. If an obscure question asked what kind of answer can one expect back honestly?
In Joanne Chelsey's YouTube video she talks about open and closed-ended questions. Chelsey says that close-ended questions are structured so that the answer can be yes or no, as where open-ended questions have to have a more in depth answer and usually requires some explanation.

Blog Post 3

Peer reviewing and editing is crucial in a learning environment, and benefits both parties. While coming up through high school I never really understood why we would look at each others papers and edit them, now I realize how much that has helped me since I am going to be a teacher. One major instance that everyone should try and avoid when peer editing is using harsh comments, we are trying to help each other not tear some one else down because of their work. When peer editing there are three things a person should try to do suggestions, corrections, and compliments.