Sharing Projects.

I was very suprised how different my project was from everyone else's. All of the website and lesson variations gave me wonderful ideas, but I hope mine wasn't too different. Regardless, I really do think students would enjoy doing something similar. Writing the poem itself took awhile, as did adjusting the audio (I used several programs to make the audio louder). I hope that everyone could hear it okay. Jenn has already posted on my project in the previous post and she seemed to be able to hear it, which was exciting. Overall, I think the outcome of my project went well. One thing Jenn mentioned that I just wanted to clarify... the paintings of individuals were all closeups of individuals within one painting that I showed in the beginning and end of the project. I thought that would capture each person's perspective more. Originally I had wanted to have the whole poem at the end as well, and perhaps I should have. Anyways, thanks for all the wonderful ideas to everyone, some of you I will be talking to while student teaching, if not, this class has been a lot of fun... Good luck in the future!!

Project!!

I am so very excited about the progress of my project now. I redid the poem... it's entitled "Tonight" and I had everyone in my house read a stanza from the different perspectives. First, I was suprised by what a good job they did, better than I am with a microphone, but now I find it funnier how serious they all seem.--My family is anything but serious! Regardless, I'm going to piece it all together on the MAC tomorrow and I should be able to play it on either PC or Mac. I just hope that the audio shows up!!!!! My biggest worry is that it will be difficult to hear on the speakers in class like my IMovie was. I'm not sure if it will be dependent on audio or if the lyrics will be present with the pictures, we will have to see.

Reflecting on Final Project progress

Originally I had planned to use an old poem that I wrote, which I was pretty proud of, in collaboration with my project. Because I no longer have a copy, however, I tried to recreate (or just create) a new piece that goes along with the painting. After reading the poem now, I have decided I don't really like it. Of course I am my worst crittic, but I'm going to redo it again until I'm halfway satisfied. Hoping that some creativity will arrise and my writer's block will go away so that I can resumer working on the other parts of the project.

I was wondering...

Throughout this course and other courses we have taken to prepare us to be English teachers, we have had many discussions about what tools and strategies we would us in the classroom. When Shay came to visit us and discuss his work with film in the classroom I heard quite a few people saying, "Well he teaches an elective class though..." This really suprised me.
Ever since I decided to be an English teacher I KNEW I would teach a Creative Wri ting elective. I never had any doubt about doing that. I don't mean to suggest that there is not A LOT of work to keep English teachers busy enough, but I was wondering if anyone else had ideas about what else they wanted to do in schools. What other things would you like to be active in ( yearbook, newspaper etc.)?
I always think about being a Creative Writing teacher in addition, and the idea of becoming a basketball couch in school has also crossed my mind. Maybe this is because I come from a small school where teachers had many positions; I'm really not sure. Could that be it?
Karen forwarded this article to me today that basically says everything I believe in regarding poetry and allowing students to express their own voices. Anyways I guess after reading it, I just wondered why we never talk about the additional things we want to do when we teach, especially if they are what administrators are looking for?

IWeb verses Freewebs.com

I agree that the IWeb template seems more professional, especially because there are no advertisements. Still, I thought that a professional website would be useful to showcast yourself as a teacher and also to expand on and organize both your past experiences and where you are headed in your carreer. I can see myself using a professional website like the ones we created, and that is why I decided to construct it using Freewebs.com instead of IWeb. This class has definately transofmred my apprehensive MAC using capability and I am more comfortable using a Mac, but a PC is still what I have at home. I wanted to be able to work on my website in the future and doing it in IWeb I think would have made this assignment, just that--an assignment that I would not be able to expand on after this course. On a side note, after using the Mac to do various things in class this semester, I would consider buying a Mac for my next computer. Applications like IMovie, garageband, IPhoto etc. are much easier to use together on a Mac then I have found from a PC.

ILife Book

As I was re-reading my posts I realized that I hadn't disscussed my experience with the ILife '06 lessons. Michael Rubin's book is a wonderful guide to learning IPhoto, IMovie, Garageband, and IWeb. I will definately hold onto it as a useful tool. However, I learn much better through hands-on experiences, and I found that the lessons Rubin sets up were more confusing, time-consuming, and frustrating. I don't believe my frustrations with the lessons had anything to do with Rubin's technique. Instead, I just think that I do not learn well from step-by-step guides. By the time the IMovie project came around, I was experimenting with it by myself and only refering to the ILife book if I was stuck.From this, I feel the three hours it takes to do a lesson is better spent on experimenting with your own ideas by using the program. It's much faster and I think you know how to use the program better if you fiddle with the buttons. Creating my IMovie... I did a lot of "what does this do, what does that do'es?" Reading and copying what someone else is doing seems mindless and less enjoyable. But maybe it's just me. Did anyone else rely more heavily on the ILife lessons they did?

Project

For my project I am demonstrating how IMovie can be used to help express poetry, visually. Incorporating still pictures with my own written poetry -based on these images- will show a connection between what we write and what we see. I have always had a passion for writing poetry, and I think having students write poetry based on pictures or concrete images will help them appreciate a genre that they may otherwize feel disconnected from. Also, it is important for students to expreience different point of views and perspectives in their own writing in addition to exploring voice and point of view when they are read literature. Choosing a topic that truly interests me and that I feel I will use in the classroom has been challenging, but I am very excited about sharing and learning poetry in this new way.

Did you know??

So I never really understood how to insert hypertext using brackets [[]]. No matter how many times I looked over my notes I couldn't get it to work for me. Here's what I realized today.

If you highlight one of your words in the passage, click on the hypertext icon, and insert the URL, it makes a connection from that word to the website without fiddling with brackets. It seems way simplier to me. I'm excited!

Website

My website is comng along. The template, background, and images are up and ready for viewing. I fouled around with music selections but decided against adding music. I just thought it might be distracting from the information rather than complementary. I don't know maybe it's just me. Regardless, more content is needed and on the way!!

Check it out

IMovie reflection

After all the time I put into my IMovie project, I feel that I have a solid understanding of how to use the applications. I redid my movie about three times; each time I learned how to edit better, decrease and increase my sound, and transition from one slide to the next. I went from being completely incompentant with the equipment and IMovie application to having a good idea of what adaptors I need for both a PC and a Mac. I do feel that students will benifit from using the IMovie application in collaboration with other literature.

Will Richardson talk

Just wanted to take a moment to talk about how incredable Will Richardson's talk was. I loved his example of how the first website found on Google dedicated to Martin Luther King is unrealiable, offensive, and almost commical because it reaffirms his point that students need to be taught or "guided" on how to use the internet and other resources to their benefit. I wrote a little bit more about Will Richardson's visit on the YA Lit blog, which I have bookmarked. If you want to, please take a look at my further response, and the responses from my YA Lit classmates!!

IMovie continues...

With all the struggles I had trying to import my footage on a computer, not to mention finding time when a class is not in the Mac lab, I thought my troubles were at an end. I had saved my project onto a DVD and only needed to add my voice over, but evidently the audio recording does not save with the project so all of my footage was mute. Just another issue that is good to know now... So, I am again in the library uploading my footage and hoping that the audio will save. I agree with Will Richardson that it is important to learn this technology, and I feel that I have a very good understanding of IMovie now. Still, I feel that this amount of time was suppose to be spent on my project NOT my IMovie. I have definately learned what frustration is. In any case, my footage is finished downloading... so here we go again! I hope it turns out alright.

506 IMovie and reflecting on Project

Although I have expressed my concerns to Prof. Sterns and Prof. Reid, I felt the need to speak in regards to the problems relying on the Library for tools and access. After recieving two different adaptors from the library, the technician finally informed me that they must not have any adaptors for PC's. Since then I have had success with viewing my film-footage and have even started editing, which felt great. Unfortunately, a class was using the computer Mac lab for 3 hours during my break today so it will again have to wait until Thursday. I did get things done for other courses, and I feel that I am on the right track with the projects,seminars, papers, etc.
What still worries me, and the only thing that I have not been able to find a decent topic for, is my project for Eng506. Talking to other people in the class, I feel that I am not alone in that I haven't begun, but I am still quiet nervious because I need to begin. I keep thinking of various topics but I cannot seem to target any specifics that seem applicable to teaching. I guess I'm wondering if anyone has a little feedback... models of what you have been working on, or suggestions. One of my favorite passions is writing poetry about paintings..perhaps I could do something with that. I'm a little stuck and I'll keep thinking, but for now I'm on my way to join you for more talk with Will Richardson. (I promise that the next blog on Will's visit will be more meaty) ;) THANKS ahead of time!

Kaider's (Point) of View

When Kaider shares his success story of incorporating technology into the classroom, particularly IMovie, he reminds us that technology is the tool to telling stories but not the story itself. I think it is important to remind your students that they do need a good story before they can just begin filming. Also, I think it was a smart idea for Kaider to use this approach to literature early on. He automatically engages students in their own stories. If we do not expect students to tell their own stories, how will they ever appreciate someone else's story? Limited technology in the classroom is a problem, but I loved how Kaider introduces the idea of using dispovable camaras and just taking turns with the digital camara. There is so much that students can do with images that are important to them. In addition, images will help them to focus their story, reveal a feeling or a moment but not tell "their life story." What a great way to gain the students respect--by making the assignment about them. Also, I couldn't believe that teachers cover their doors with construction paper to keep people from entering their class. My guess would be that those teachers also did not like to be a part of disscussing and conversing with their class, but Kaider's idea of having a picture of a door on his door let students know that his classroom was about interpretating and questioning, that he wasn't just going to let them sit there. The article's called Personal Narrative and Digital Storytelling. Check it out. It's worth the read!

Frustrations with Mac verses PC

Just thought I'd take a moment to vent about PC's and Mac's not being compatable. IMovie and GarageBand would not be difficult in the slightest if these programs were run by both PC's and Mac's. But having a PC at home, when you need a Mac to run programs for class slows down the process considerably. I have yet to feel like I was able to create anything I love because I'm always rushing around library schedules, class conflicts, and my commute. If, however I could use the computers interchangably, that would be simplier, the time constraints would not be so bad, and I'd get more/better work done. With that being said... I strongly encourage anyone who continues to bridge the gap between these two computer types. I will be your number one customer, and you will be saving others some considerable frustrations. Thanks!

First experience filming

My Technology in the Classroom assignment is to create an IMovie. The use of a camcorder is very foreign to me. I have never filmed anything before, never recorded, I didn't even know which size tape would fit into the camcorder...thus it took me two different trips to the store to buy the correct tape before I could even begin! Also I was somewhat dissapointed that I had to hold it right handed... but at least I'm accustom to that challenge! So Monday morning I reported to Otselic Valley Central School to shoot some footage. The difficulties I ran into included parent permission of participating students, and keeping the camara steady. The tripod that I brought would not fit well in the section of the classroom I was filming and I was limited because only half of the class could be filmed. Nonetheless, I feel that I was able to capture Miss. Blakes presence in the classroom. I decided to do a short documentary on Miss Mary Helen Blake (my former art teacher) because she is the foundation at Otselic Valley. Students have her from kindergarten all the way till they graduate, she has worked at OV for 27 years, and thus has even taught many of the students' parents. Her warm personality and likeable feature is something that as teachers we should stride to attain! We've been talking in class about how the community and the education system work best together. Not only is Miss Blake the backbone of education at OV, not only is she a active community member there, helping with all of the school plays, but she also resides in Cortland, NY. So I thought it passed due that she gets some recognition and the praise she so deserves!

A WHOLE new mind

Daniel H. Pink's A Whole New Mind shows us the physical attributes of each side of the brain, how each functions and how they are co-dependent opon one another. Being left handed, I had often heard the phrase "Only left-handed people are in their right mind." Pink re-affirms this fun fact in the first section of A Whole New Mind. After reading the introduction, my initial reaction was, "Oh great a different person presenting the same ideas on how the world is changing and we need to change with it." Although I agree with this idea, my assumptions of Pink addressing the same issues as Friedman or Alverman was definitly wrong. It is interesting to me that the shift from a Left-side dominance to a Right-side dominance is underway. As the world becomes larger and more people begin to contribute it makes since that our more objective emotions and critical thinking would be needed. Pink shares, "Our broader culture tends to prize L-Directed Thinking more hightly than its counterpart, taking the approach more seriously and viewing the alternative as useful but secondary" (27); I agree with Pink's observation and think that this idea could best be applied in the classroom. Just as Friedman discusses about a changing world, the classroom structure needs to change to... from a one direct-teaching strategy to a more collaborative team learning.
Incorporating the thinking of right side of the brain more will be benificial in the classroom as it is often said that students favor one method of learning. However, one thing that Pink leaves out, and the Professor Reid in the ENG 506 blog has pointed too, is that the physiological brain structure and how it works is not nearly as important as what it's working on. As teachers our job is to develop learning, students are already equipt with the necessary tool. Being more consciensious and flexable in regards to the teaching style technique however, is an important concept to gain from the first section of Pink's book.

Global Introspective

In The World is Flat, chapter 10, Friedman says that men who are culturally brought up to believe that women are inferior are at a disadvantage because they feel "entitled" to success, power, etc (413). Indeed I think that men with these strong ideologies are setting themselves up for disadvantage, especially in a flat world. Competition is on the rise globally and denying half of a countries' population involvement will give them a fighting odds of one verses two, that I would argue will be even more detremental because the Under-Developed-Countries are starting out disadvantaged already. Clearly any feeling of entitlement for work will be mowed over by people in China, India etc. that are willing to work hard for better lives.
Still, as I read Friedman's words, "It builds in them a sense of entitlement that discourages what it takes to improve, to advance, and to achieve," America ran through my mind immediately. I think Americans need to be careful. As the world power, it is easy to assume that we are entitled to certain luxuries because those luxeries have always been attainable in our lives. In my opinion, many Americans growing up in today's generation feel "entitled" -- entitled to maintain their comfortable living status not because they are male... but because they are American. I look forward to being proved wrong on this point, and I hope that I am.

Response to Friedman's Chapter 5 (the affected)

I think Thomas Friedman’s chapter five, America and Free Trade teeters on the idea that many Americans are afraid. While a flat world might not affect America as a successful, powerful country, it does affect the individual directly. Friedman tries to calm some of the fears that Americans have in this chapter by saying passages such as, “you can be sure that new knowledge jobs will open up at decent wages for anyone who keeps up his or her skills” (265). I believe Friedman is exactly right; a global market will only make room for more and more inventions, specialized companies, and incoming jobs as others become obsolete. The problem is people who are “keeping up on their skills” are not the ones primarily concerned. The real problem here is the comforts that Americans have become accustom to. Many families have made a comfortable standard of living for themselves on labor jobs and they do not want the competition of other people who are willing to do the same jobs as them for less money.
Friedman states, “Some American knowledge workers may be affected in the transition, but the effects will not be permanent” (265). When you take on the point of view of an entire country, yes the small amount of who will lose their jobs in the transition is not of great concern. But for them, of course losing their jobs and way of life will be a huge concern. Again, I work with people who are very comfortable with their factory pay and routine job responsibilities. I can’t imagine Friedman looking at them and saying, “Do not worry, you are only the few who will lose their job, others are flourishing.” I realize this is an exaggeration, and I believe that Friedman does not speak directly to these people because ultimately their fate lies in their own hands. “In order to maintain or improve their living standards, they will have to move vertically not horizontally. They will have to upgrade their education and upgrade their knowledge skills so that they can occupy one of the new jobs” (267). I suppose that I just hope they are aware and ready to take on these new challenges, and I fear they are not.
Also, Friedman presents the idea that “the pie keeps growing” (267) that our wants and needs are expanding and will continue to expand, opening new jobs in the future. Maybe so but I wonder when the expanding pie stops. I find it difficult to imagine it is ongoing. Does it stop when natural resources are gone or when our population is too large? These environmental issues echoed in my ear as I read on. Sure, the social benefits now are noticeable and wonderful, but where is the limit.
Perhaps I too have a limited imagination as Friedman says, “the only limiting factor is human imagination” (267). I respect Friedman very much as an author and this novel has allowed me to question things that I would not have questioned before but I am curious to hear what others have to say on this topic! What issues came up for you?

Technology's place in the classroom

Before reading Thomas L. Friedman's The World is Flat, I'm afraid I was one of the 'clueless' people he describes. The internet for me has been a valuable tool, but this is my first attempt to contribute information on the internet. I currently work in an international factory as I put myself through college. The company has plants in Germany, China, Australia and the U.S. (to name a few), and I have heard the terms "outsourcing" and "offshoring" before. I have seen the company's employees change from an almost all caucasian american background to a mix of nationalities, including Indian, Cuban, Bolivian, Samalian,Vietnamese, and Thai. How does this relate to teaching you might ask? As teachers in this rapidly growing global society, we have to prepare our students to be more competative and to use the sources the internet provides. If we fail to use these new technologies to benefit the classroom, we are not properly preparing students for their futures.

Friedman states, "The great challenge of our time will be to absorb these changes in ways that do not overwhelm people or leave them behind" (49). Within the last two years I have seen the anxiousness in my fellow employees that comes from being overwhelmed rise. I believe Friedman's concern is valid. The next generation of students are growing up with the internet. It will not be a "nice new tool for them" but a way of life.Emailing, blogging and setting up websites for our classrooms is now essential. I am still struggling with this realization however. Prior to reading The World is Flat I had not payed close attention to how the internet will be integrated into the classroom and now I'm just realizing what an impact it has made for the future job market, for our students.

Before reading Thomas L. Friedman's The World is Flat, I'm afraid I was one of the 'clueless' people he describes. The internet for me has been a valuable tool, but this is my first attempt to contribute information on the internet. I currently work in an international factory as I put myself through college. The company has plants in Germany, China, Australia and the U.S. (to name a few), and I have heard the terms "outsourcing" and "offshoring" before. I have seen the company's employees change from an almost all caucasian american background to a mix of nationalities, including Indian, Cuban, Bolivian, Samalian,Vietnamese, and Thai. How does this relate to teaching you might ask? As teachers in this rapidly growing global society, we have to prepare our students to be more competative and to use the sources the internet provides. If we fail to use these new technologies to benefit the classroom, we are not properly preparing students for their futures.

Friedman states, "The great challenge of our time will be to absorb these changes in ways that do not overwhelm people or leave them behind" (49). Within the last two years I have seen the anxiousness in my fellow employees that comes from being overwhelmed rise. I believe Friedman's concern is valid. The next generation of students are growing up with the internet. It will not be a "nice new tool for them" but a way of life.Emailing, blogging and setting up websites for our classrooms is now essential. I am still struggling with this realization however. Prior to reading The World is Flat I had not payed close attention to how the internet will be integrated into the classroom and now I'm just realizing what an impact it has made for the future job market, for our students.