Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Blog Post 2

students playing
Did You Know by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod

Did you know there is a short video on the way technology and other countries are going full speed ahead in the future? According to the video, China will someday become the largest English speaking country. After viewing the video you will also see a comparison of the IQ level in India compared to the total population of the United States. Secondly, how the job market has changed over the past couple of years. The video states that as a country we must prepare for the future or we will be left behind. You will also see a break down on how social media is taking the place of a simple meet and greet. Lastly, how technology such as computers and cell phones are advancing, giving the world easier ways to do things.

 My Comments 
I agree technology is advancing at a rapid speed. I think this is good thing in some ways but can be bad in others. The positives are updates for police officers, doctors and any other technology that will be a help to ensure people get the best help and care possible. On the other hand, the negatives are social networking sites being used for the wrong reason and resulting in crime. Texting and driving is the result of a lot of deaths. I believe that the improvement of technology is part of the reason why other countries are leaving the United States behind. Working at a cell phone company I see that people are lost without their cell phones. People rely on the phones to be alarm clocks, calendars and to store things, such as notes and phone numbers. These are things that we used to rely on the human body to remember.  The world is going to continue to improve technology so we must keep up and not use the most recent inventions as enablers. 

Mr. Winkle Wakes 

In this video, Mr. Winkle takes a trip to three different places the office, the hospital and to school. Because he has been sleep for one hundred years a lot of technology has past him by. Oddly the only place that he felt at home was at the school because he stated that nothing has changed from the time he left.The video also shows that Mr. Winkle was not accepting of the new technology.

my comment 

I think the video shows just how older people see technology. Most people are not ready for change and don't want change. What stood out the most was the fact that the school was left behind although most of schools are financially challenged. We need the best technology in school to keep up with the world. How can we teach students to go after the best jobs if they don't know how to use the most up to date technology? Sadly although the video was funny it was true. Some school systems are left behind and just like Mr. Winkles you can go there and feel right at home. 
BABY WORING ON A COMPUTER

 

A Vision for 21st Century Learning 

  Learning in the 21st Century is a video about changing the way we teach to keep up with the world. The video also show student having fun learning and then show us what goes on in the class room today. He states in the video that if we make it fun most students want even know that their learning. He talks about the way schools make students learn facts and have to recite them back on paper are read them in a book and memorize the material. 
 My Comment  
 

I think most teachers look at the change as being something new that they want understand themselves. From my experience most teacher teach just how they where taught and that is the old fashion way because that is all they know. Work shops for teachers to teach them a new way would not be a bad idea.  I don't think the video asks them to change the lesson plan but to change the way the lesson is being taught. 

 

The Importance of Creativity: by Sir Ken Robinson 

In Sir Ken Robinsons video, he talks about the importance of being creative.  He stated that creativity is as important in education as literacy. He talked about being prepared to be wrong because if not you will never come up with any thing original. He also prioritized the way our school systems in the United Stated value each subject. He asked why don't we teach dance in school everyday like we teach math? He stated that we push all of the arts to the back, and focus more on the head and not the body.

My Comment

I Couldn't agree more with Sir Ken Robinson creativity in the school systems are lost. Students that are not as smart as others really have no place. When I was in school we had a lot of students that where great in football, basketball and dance but didn't excel in academics. In the work force you have to be different to keep up with the most cutting edge jobs so being creative will not just effect you in school but it will also effect you every day job.

Vicki Davis: Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts


In Ms. Davis class she used a lot of different electronic devices to teach. The students in her class were all enjoying the way they were being taught. Students were sharing ideas and also asking questions. Ms Davis act as if she knew what was going on at all times in her class. She also introduce he class to a wide verity of web sites.

I have mixed feeling about  all the technology being used in the class room. It can be a great thing because their learning  how to use different devices to get work done.  It also keeps the students engaged in learning. On the other hand I would just want to keep a hold on what type of communication is being used on the phones and the social networking sites. I believe that you can have the same amount of fun but have it mentored. 

 

 



Friday, January 27, 2012

C4T ASSIGNMENTS 1&2- The Principal's Principles



Summary of The Principal's Principles post on State of the Union Address

A Brief summary of Mr. Bernia  post about the State of the Union Address. Mr Bernia agreed with the President statement about teachers matter and that a good teacher can increase lifetime income by 250,000. He talked about how dedicated and creative,the teacher at his school are and the fact that they come to work early and leave late. Mr Bernia  disagreeS with the statement about keeping students in school till the age of 18. He stated "forcing young people to do anything is not the answer. We must, as professionals, make school that engage children. These environments will offer many options, from college prep to vocational education. From blended learning, to online classes, to flexible hours, to traditional learning, let’s engaging teachers in building policy and make our schools places that students want to graduate from." Stop teaching to the test and higher education can not be a luxury where the last to comments from the speech and and he agreed with both of the topics. He concluded thanking the President for making education a priority and the respect that he have for teachers

My comment
My name is Cedric Lett an EDM310 student at the University of South Alabama. After reading your post I was so happy that I chose to be a part of the education field. The comments you made about your staff should be the way that any Principle speaks about their staff, but that’s not the case. Growing up in the public school system I know that we have teachers that come to school just to get a pay check or have the mindset that “I have mine” meaning education “you need to come to school and get yours”. Your right forcing students to stay in school till the age of eighteen is not the answer. We have to become professional and come up with ideas to make students want to graduate not saying that better jobs and self reliance is not a good reason to want to graduate. Teaching to the test is the way of the world, sadly but true. Making teachers use their creative sides to teach would bring a much needed approach to the schools. I enjoyed reading your post and look forward to reading many more. I will do a summary of two of your post and add it to my blog please fill free to visit my blog and add comments the link is below
Date of summary 2-5-2012

 http://mrbernia.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/the-state-of-the-union-address-1-principals-response/

An open letter to Mr. Kast’s class


The Post was a thank you note to a class that Mr. Bernia visited. He talk about what a great time he had at the school and some of the things that they were doing in the class. He read some of their post and said that they where great ways to do a book review. Mr Bernia stated " I have a belief that if educators find ways to provide opportunities for students to have the freedom to create something meaningful, that the results will be amazing" Then he thanked all the teachers that were apart of the class.

My Comment

Mr. Bernia

After reading your post I felt just like I was in that class listening to you speak to the students about technology. Sounds like the students enjoyed you and have had a great time being there. Its a great thing to be empowered to inspire people and after reading some of your blog post you have a great talent. I want to be the kind of teacher that inspires students to stay in school and want to be a teacher. My edm310 class has challenged me more then I could ever imagine. It was great reading you blogs and I have subscribed to your page so I look forward to reading many more.
mrbernia.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/an-open-letter-to-mr-kasts-class



Friday, January 20, 2012

Blog Assignment 1

So you really want to know about the life of  Cedric Lett, ok but remember I warned you. Born and raised in Mobile,AL. My interest are music,working,family and shopping. I'm going into education  because I have a desire to help children. I had alot of teachers just sit back and watch children fail so I want to be that one more that cares. I attended the University of South Alabama in 2007 where I played around and ended up out of school with no way to pay for school, so I had to take a break and work. I got a job at Sprint/Nextal where I worked to save money to get back in school. During this time my mom suffered from a bad stroke and lost the function in her left side.I had to go back home and help my mom with bills and around the house that was a small set back. Trusting and believing in God, I kept my head up and I continued working and helping my mom,little sister and brother.Summer of 09 I met my real dad it felt good having a male role model in my life. Still working and helping out at home, I was almost to the point where I could pay for school again and things where going good with my mom

my mom, little sister, and me
On September 30, 2011 my dad and stepmother was killed in their sleep by a drunk driver. "I know crazy right" but let me explain, a Ford pick up truck crashed into my dad and stepmother's bedroom killing them instantly. I received a call about 8am that morning with the news that my dad had been killed, nothing else was said because I droped the phone and left work to head to Creola to see my dad being pulled out of the house in a body bag and then another bag came out and I was told your stepmother was killed too. The truck was left in the house to be pulled out by a wrecker because the driver left the house and called a cab at a gas station down the street from my dads house. He turned him self in the next day and his family bonded him out of jail were he is awaiting a trial date.

truck"title

house


Remember never drink and drive because you never know what mistakes you will make that you can't take back the next day. I'm back in school now for the first semester and plan on graduating in the spring of 2013 I would tell anyone that has a goal to hold on to your goals because one day they will come true 


Time Management

After watching Randy Pausch on Time Management, I learned that you have to have a plan and sometimes that plan want always go the way you want it to, but if it don't you just have to revise your plan. Dr Pausch stated a cliche that I have heard all my life"failing to plan is planning to fail" In my opinion that means that  you have to have some type of guidelines to follow in you life to be successful and that you cant start at the top you have to work steps to get you where you want to be.Time management has been an issue for me in the pass but now I utilize my calender and small to do list to keep me together.

Didn't know anything about Randy Pausch, I hope that's not a bad thing. After doing  a little research I notice that he died from terminal cancer on July 25,2008 and his last lecture inspired a lot of people including myself.