C4T #3

What Ed Said
Comment#1:
     For C4T #4 my blogging teacher's name is Edna Sackson. Edna Sackson blogged "What would you do if you could change the world?" on June 30, 2012. In this post, film maker  Genevieve Bailey explores the world in the views of 11 year olds through a video. This is particularly interesting because like the video stated, they are not quite children, but not yet teenagers. It is interesting to see how they view the world around them; a world that everyone older than them has created. Genevieve asked questions to all kinds of eleven year olds she encountered in fifteen countries over a period of several years. 
     Edna showed this video to students at here school who were mostly 11 year olds as well. They enjoyed it and afterwards were able to have a Q & A time with Genevieve. Most of their responses included making the world around them an equal opportunity for all races and making most things if not everything free. This shows how much attention even an 11 year old is paying to the society in which they live. On a separate blog, other questions were asked including: What do you like least about being eleven? What do you worry about?   and Would you rather be clever or good looking? These youth gave some amazing answers which really let me know that I may have been one of the people they referred to when a lot of them say that they are underestimated as an 11 year old.
I commented:My name is Angyl White and I am a student at the University of South Alabama. Being an elementary education major I was truly inspired by your blog post. That video was a wonderful look into the views of not just 11 year olds in America, but everywhere. It really shows how different, but alike a lot of 11 year olds are. I visited the blog of the other students with the other questions that were asked. When I read these responses I was immediately convicted because I realized that I may be one of the adults that several of them referred to saying that they were underestimated.
This was a great post for me! Thanks


Comment #2:
What Ed Said Again!!!

     On July 11, 2012, Ed blogged, "Do you waste learning time?" Ed shares his thoughts of the classroom that does things the same way all of the time just because it is the way that things have always been done. In the beginning he starts off with the phrase, "I used to think...now I think". I especially like this because he goes on to explain that this phrase is a part of an important thinking tool. He says, "It allows you to grow, without having to have been wrong. It allows me to develop my ideas, change my practice, increase my understanding, deepen my thinking… and change my mind." I thought this was a great way to view this phrase because many people often believe that if you make up your mind about something at one moment, then your mind cannot change. For an educator who is continuously learning like they should be, this would be a ridiculous thought because if you were actually a "life long learner", you would continue to explore and THINK and of course come up with new thoughts, ideas, and reasons.
     Mr. Ed gave 2 scenarios, one where the students sat in a circle and the teacher asked questions and the students had to raise their hands to answer. He pointed out that in this traditional way of a group discussion, the teacher spent most of the time encouraging the class to listen to others, wait to be called on, sit down or even to be quiet. He also pointed out that some of the student may not even be paying attention. The THINKER can change this situation and like in Ed's second scenario, he/she can split the children into groups. In scenario 2, the students are having a regular conversation with a smaller group and the teacher walks around and listens in and raises key questions. Ed points out that in this way, the students practice effective communication by listening and speaking one at a time. They don't have to raise their hands and all students can be more active in the conversation. These scenarios prove the importance of being a thinker. For example, I used to think that the best way to understand whether your class really understands a certain topic is to bring them all together and have a class discussion, now I think that splitting students into groups is a better way.
I commented:Wow! Another inspiring post. I am going to be sure to make sure I “think” back and remember the importance of this blog when I get into my own classroom. It is wonderful that you have pointed out the importance of student interaction for effective teaching and learning. I especially like the way you summed up the thought behind, “I used to think…now I think”. I have always wondered the best way to present this as an argument when I change my mind about something. Most people think that once you make up your mind about something, you can’t change it. Ridiculous! If you are experiencing, learning, and most of all THINKING, you will MOST DEFINITELY change your mind about some things. Please visit My Blog. Again, thanks for sharing another great post!