Project Hope

I REALLY ENJOYED LISTENING TO THE STORIES ABOUT PROJECT HOPE. THEY WERE REALLY STORIES ABOUT STRONG WOMEN THAT NEEDED HELP THAT IS HARD TO FIND. NILAYA AND MICHELLE WERE BOTH MOTHERS THAT WERE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. NILAYA WENT STRAIGHT INTO A SHELTER AND MICHELLE GOT A ROOMATE. MICHELLE'S ROOMMATE ENDED UP GETTING LAID OFF AND BOTH OF THESE WOMEN FOUND THEMSELVES AT PROJECT HOPE. BECAUSE THEY HAD TO LEAVE THERE ABUSIVE HUSBANDS THEY WERE FINANCIALLY NOT ABLE TO AFFORD HOUSING. THEY WERE LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO MOVE THEMSELVES AND THERE CHILDREN INTO PROJECT HOPE.
WHEN THEY GOT TO PROJECT HOPE THEY FOUND HOUSING THROUGH THEM. NILAYA BECAME A LEADER FOR THOSE WHO COULD NOT AFFORD HOUSING TO FIND WAYS TO PROVIDE TO THOSE THAT HAVE FALLEN ON HARD TIMES. THESE WOMEN, TO ME, WERE VERY INSPIRATIONAL. THEY NEW THAT HAD TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION THEY WERE IN AND TRY TO MAKE THERE LIVES BETTER. THESE WOMEN, ESPECIALLY THOSE THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN, SHOULD GET BETTER ASSISTANT.

Math in Technology

Judy Chandler explains why involving technology in mathematics is so important. Teachers think that the students just can't learn extra additions or the teacher does not want to change their teaching technique. So these teachers are reluctant to learn the technology so they can teach it to their students. So students suffer because their teachers refuse to explore such resources. Because teachers, and we as future teachers are giving the knowledge to our future generations, we should be ready and willing to help them confront what they will be seeing in the real world.
Judy Chandler encourages teachers to teach our children through using technology in the math classrooms. It can help you get through more material with your students. It also lets everyone learn in a different way. We should provide meaningful ways of keeping our students interested. It can be done by using visual presentations, audio recordings, or exploring pictures.
These podcasts were very helpful in demonstrating and explaining the importance of incorporating technology in our classroom. You can teach them but also put it into action for them through technology. Lecturing and taking notes can only go so far as to teach children and have them retain that material. If we can keep it more interesting for the students they will be able to learn much more.
Math has always been the most difficult subject for me so I know how some children feel in the math classroom. Any resources that we can use to change the way they feel about a subject can only do them good. Tools are out there for us to really put to use. Introduce them to the world of technology because they will definitely see it when it comes time for them to be in the workplace. I know that some of us as teachers and future teachers are quite ignorant when it comes to technology but it is our job to teach ourselves to get it to the students. As teachers we should never stop learning.

The Stanford Challenge

This podcast was an interview with information about the growth and fixed mindsets. A student with a fixed mindset believes that their intelligence is fixed. The student can't do any better because of what they think of their own abilities. It is pretty difficult for students with a fixed mindset to learn in a strange environment or to learn unfamiliar concepts.
Students in the growth mindset easily adapt in different learning environments. For these students the brain gets larger and they have the potential to learn more. The importance of this category is that every student can learn unfamiliar concepts and learn more in general. There is always more room for knowledge because learning is not fixed.
I believe that each child has different learning abilities but they are all able to learn more. What I should do as their teacher is help them to understand the growth mindset to allow them to learn better just by believing that. This concept makes me think "Believe in yourself". You know it sounds cheesy and your students will probably think it is just as cheesy but if you make them believe in themselves it will only help them. Everyone is capable of learning more but if you have a fixed mindset it can render what you are able to do. At the age they are in school is the time they can absorb the most information, so if they miss out on that time because they have a fixed mindset then it will probably affect them the rest of their life.

A Night in the Coral Reef

This video was for grades 6th-8th. It first began by showing the life you will see while the sun is up then quickly delves into life at night in the water. It as a lot of different shots to show you lots of different fish, plant life and other things that live in the water. Each animal that was talked about had its own little tune to go with it. Some animals are easier to spot at night than in the daytime. Night is completely different from when the sun comes back out. And that is how the video ends. Back to life when the other animals come back out of hiding.
One reason I think that these podcasts are a great tool for teachers is for the soul fact that they are short clips. I know that sounds a little silly but I truly believe we loose out students' attention in long lectures. When they are not interested or entertained by the subject matter they will either not retain that information or they will not listen at all. This video was just long enough to give them the lesson the students needed before it became to long as they lost interest. This video could be the best way for them to get the information.
Another reason these podcasts are great for teachers is that they are seperated for grades. You can see if you are a high school teacher to pick the videos under 9th-12th. They are easy to access and helpful to get a quick lesson in that can teach them alot. Students that are visual learners can really get some help from these videos instead of trying to read about the material.

Edutopia

The Edible Schoolyard is a middle school in California made a better to better understand subjects throught the idea of nature. The beginning of school does not start with papers and the challenges of waking up. The students are actively involved in learning as soon as they walk through the door. The students go out to the garden to begin their learning. Students learn about condensation and evaporation from the reain and water. Through measuring the fruits, the children learn about measuring for cooking and some math. Students learn about where the fruits come from or what each is called in another country. They learn about teamwork and the environment.
The Heifer Ranch is a place for students to learn about poverty, work, and teamwork. They get to understand struggles of children that are not as well off as they are. The students were divided into groups and given certain resources. Every group had a resource that the other group needed. The students have to learn to cooperate and work together. They are really being taught what they cannot see in their community and given the insight into what they can do to help.
It might not be possible for me as a teacher to create a garden for my students but i might be able to have some potted plants in my classroom for a mini version of this lesson. I really beleive in visual learners and giving something to my students to work with to better understand a lesson.
The second podcast makes me try and think of a community service that I can get my students into locally. In middle school I went to St. Mary's Home and tutored children. There are many places in Mobile you acan choose from to show the students people are in need. Penelope House, St. Mary's Home, Ronald McDonald House, Salvation Army, etc.

MGM ACCESS Lab Visit

I loved visiting the ACCESS Lab at Mary G. Montgomery High School. I think that all future teachers should take time out and learn what it is all about. It is a very new program but it rapidly growing and moving in to all the local schools.
The lab at MGM is set up like a regular classroom with cameras, microphones, and computers. the instructor can have his class up on the web and also up to three others at one time that can see his lesson. This instructor I visited with had a class physically sitting in front of him and also a class that could see him that was not actually at the school. He believes this is a great new program that can really help students. He mostly deals with honors and AP students that can take more upper level courses from him on ACCESS. One of the other instructors I got to meet was a science teacher that had a link to teachertube.com on her page. This gives students a visual aid and extra practice. They said that not many ACCESS teachers have this for the students but it is a very good tool.
The instructor I visited with also believes that ACCESS has some problems. It is so new that it still needs some tweaks to make it better to use. Since everyone is backing this program it should not be a problem to get input from the teachers and help it get better. All new things have to be modified.
I really was impressed with ACCESS and wanted to one day become an instructor. I am striving to be an English teacher and they said that there is really no need for English teachers on ACCESS because it is really for classes that students cannot get in an everyday school. They told me if i specialize in one part, like mythology, then there might be more of a possibility.
I saw from the lab that there needs to be improvement but I am still very impressed with what has been done for students through ACCESS!