Network Learning Project Post #2

Hello All!!

I join you again with an update on my sewing excursion.  I have been watching some videos on how to sew a button onto a pair of pants and I have even included a picture of the pants I will be fixing.  As you can see from the picture, the button on my pants is on the verge of falling off, which is not good!

Look at the button!!

     I have bought thread and a needle to prepare myself for my final video.  I have learned to thread a needle.  One thing I learned that I did not know I had to do was to place pins underneath where I planned to place the button.  I also learned that there are different patterns that you can use when sewing on the button such as criss-crossing the thread through the button or simply going across the button.  In order for the button to stay, you need to do this multiple times.  You also need to wrap the thread around to create what they call a shank.  This creates a strong hold.  There is then some additional stitching form the front and back to continue to keep the button on strong.  I plan to watch a few more videos and research a bit more to see if there are other ways of sewing on a button.  But so far, this seems like a pretty self explanatory way to fix my pants.

Cooking with TPack

     I hope you all enjoy my video here:  Cooking with TPack

     After a tremendous effort of cooking with TPack, the end result is here.  My nephew chose a large bowl, a Thomas the train plate, and a spatula for me to use.  As I was making the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I realized that the spatula was probably not the best tool for the job.  Although I was able to make use of it to get the ingredients out of the jars, it was not the best tool for spreading.  My helper did assure me that it tasted delicious and was "the best that Auntie had ever made" but I could tell that the peanut butter was not spreading well.  If I tried to spread it out anymore, I would have broken the bread.
     Another thing I would have changed was the distance my camera was from me.  I tried to show each step by lifting up the bread and the plate to show what I was doing, but if my camera was a bit closer you may have been able to see each step in a more precise manner.  However, it was definitely an interesting experience trying to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a tool I may not normally have chosen.  At least now I know if I run out of knives I have a few options!!

Networked Learning Project-Post #1

     I grew up in a very close-nit family.  My father was a very tall man standing at 6'5", but had an inseam of 30" on his pants.  For any of you reading this, what that means is, he was super tall, but had REALLY short legs.  My mother always bought him pants, but then had to hem them up a few inches so that he never tripped on them.  Trust me, a man of his size tripping, would not have been a good idea!!

     My mom could hem pants.  If I needed a button put back on pants, she could do that.  A hole in a shirt or a pair of pants, she had that too.  So where am I going with all of this?  

     Well, I do not know how to sew, never learned.  I took sewing class in seventh grade, but nothing ever stuck.  I remember coming home from work one day and feeling a draft in my pants.  There was a huge hole in an area that was unseen to anyone (good thing I wore nice underpants that day!).  I actually had to have a friend's grandmother fix my pants for me.  It was so embarrassing!  I know some of you may say, why not just have your mom do it?  Well, I always wanted to have her teach me, but six years ago this August, I lost my mom to cancer, so she never got the chance to teach me.  

      I can not sew a button on, nor use a sewing machine (I actually gave my mothers away).  So, for my Networked Learning Project, I want to teach myself to sew a button on my pants.  I have way too many pairs of pants where the buttons are on their last leg.  They are ready to fall off and I think that if I can fix them, I can save my pants!!

So, join me on my journey to save my wardrobe!  Maybe I will even be able to learn how to fix holes and rips in pants, I guess we will just have to wait and see!!!

What is TPACK?

     After reading various articles and looking over different videos, I realized that most of these sources have a very similar definition for TPACK.  TPACK stems from a VENN diagram (something I am very familiar with being a mathematics teacher) that is a work that supports good teacher with a full integration of technology. To see an explanation of this VENN diagram, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wGpSaTzW58.  It is an intersection of content, technology, and pedagogy.  Content is the subject that you focus on teaching.  Pedagogy is how you teach.  When content and pedagogy cross over, this how we gain effective ways to teach the subject.  Technology is also part of this diagram and crosses both content and pedagogy.  Content and technology cross and this is where you can relate your content to technology such as using graphing calculators in a mathematics classroom.  Technology crosses pedagogy in a way to support the teaching in the classroom.

     As the three overlap, this is where we see the TPACK model. TPACK stands for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge.  This model identifies what teachers need to support the technological integration into their classrooms as well as teaching effectively with technology. (www.tpack.org)

     TPACK is a nice way to see how technology can easily be integrated into the classroom as new and improved technologies come out.  It shows how without technology in the mix, it might make for a rather shall I say, tedious class?  Technology is on the rise and including this into the model shows us that technology can be integrated into all the teaching aspects

Philosophy Statement

I believe that everyone has a place in the educational world.  I suppose you can say I believe that everyone has a divine right to be educated.  My philosophy over my years of teaching has changed its view slightly as technology has changed.  I aim for the success of all students and I give equal chances to all students, no matter who they are.

I meet the standards of the curriculum in my district each day that I instruct my students.  There are rubrics set in place for such things as reading writing, and technology in my district.  Each day, I try to follow these rubrics in some way so that the students can get the most out of their education.

Coming from the new generation of learners called the "Net Generation" (Bennett, p 776) born between 1980 and 1994, I lived in an educational system that was semi-immersed in technology.  As I went through my schooling, technology was as its growing stages.  By the time I reached high school, computer labs were surrounding me.  I worry about our students now and how they have grown up in an educational system completely immersed in technology, yet having teachers that know less than they do.  Many of the teachers try to use these technologies, but do not know a lot about it. (Bennett, p 778).

I plan to give the students choices and let them have a chance to discover and learn new things that interest them the most.  If that means using the internet to find fun videos on factoring or using graphing calculators to show the slope of a line, then I will do whatever it takes to show the students different techniques and ideas.  Every students learns differently and I will speak to the visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learners.

In teaching mathematics, there are so many ways that you can learn one concept.  I am always prepared to teach concepts in different ways so that all of the learners in the class have a chance to understand the concept.  I always try to give the students chances to work together to help each other.  Oftentimes students can explain topics in different ways than I can.  When they work together in small groups, they explain topics in different ways and understand each other in away that I could never interpret.  When the students leave class understanding the concept, they leave with a feeling of achievement and are grateful that they did the work themselves.

The technological breakthroughs have brought my teaching to a whole new level.  When I began teaching, I had a piece of chalk and an eraser.  I now teach using a SMARTBOARD and internet access.  When the SMARTBOARD is not working, I feel like my entire lesson is completely washed out.  For some of the newer teachers in the "Net generation" not having technology for a lesson can be life altering.  Using the technology every day in class keeps my students engaged.  I use this technology as a reward, offering the students credit for coming to the board (they truly do get enjoyment from feeling like the "boss" of the class for a few moments).  I also look up videos to engage them in some of the more tedious topics that we do go over in mathematics class.  When they see these fun things, I inform them that these are videos and topics they can look up at home or on their own devices to gain a better understanding if needed.

With new initiatives such as BYOD coming forth, students will be hoping to use these devices inside and outside the classrooms.  As a teacher, I agree and disagree with the initiative.  There are time where I wish each student has a device (such as when I do not have enough calculators), however, when I see students texting and not paying attention in class, then I wish that the BYOD did not exist.  Is it all worth it?

In conclusion, I have noticed a great shift in my teaching and my philosophy of my teaching.  It has changed due to the technological divide.  Will all of the teachers jump on the technology train?  Or will we leave some of these teachers behind?  Are the students of each generation always going to know more than we do about technology?  I guess I still have a lot of questions that need to be answered and I will have to wait for the future to find out the answers.

Hi World, It's Me

Hello out there in the blogging world, this is Amy.  I am new to the whole blogging scene.  I want to introduce myself.  I am a Math teacher at Malone High School in Meriden.  Although I do not live in Meriden, I feel like it is a second home to me since I spend so much time there!!

I am now enrolled in a Sixth year program for Instructional Technology and Digital Media Literacy.  I am super excited to begin this new journey.  It has been awhile since the last time I was in school so I have to remember all the little things that come along with taking classes again!!  However, I am psyched to be on this journey and hope for the best!!

Testing

Test Blog to see if this works!!