finals!!!

well, it's finals week. and you know what that means. holy moley freak out. and try to get everything done that you should have started way earlier. 


i'm in a pretty okay place. i think. two exams and two papers to go. i'm not sure if i should feel as calm as i do now. maybe it's just because it's nearly three am and i'm on the ninth floor of the library listening to the rain hit the  window. it is rather soothing. 


i have not been in any education courses this semester so i will use that as the excuse for why i have not posted since this summer. as always, when one semester is coming to a close i eagerly look to the next in anticipation for topics that have yet to be explored and the fresh slate that awaits. but alas, much stands between me and spring semester. 


i must first decide if i want to stay at the library and try to write more of my paper or call it quits for now and head home. (i think the fact that i'm blogging out of no where is evidence that i should choose my bed.) 


i have much to say. and much to share. if with no one else, then just with myself, on a more articulate level than usual. so i am hoping to use this medium more.


an aside: i am glad that i am now aware of its existence, but at the same time i am frustrated that no one in my life thought it was worth mentioning to me. [post secret]


good night. and good luck. 

Six Needs

Lisa Guernsay recently gave a presentation regarding digital media in early education. But rather than jump in and begin discussing the pros and cons of using media with young children she reviewed what she believed to be the six needs that students have. They are as follows:

• "attachment and security
•  conversational partners
•  early exposure to new words and ideas
• physical movement and hands-on exploration
• practice at self-regulating
•  deeper learning."

http://ispilledthebeans.blogspot.com/2011/01/improve-your-vocabulary.html

Many times we get so wrapped up in a debate about a certain topic, such as whether or not we should use digital books or only physical books with children, when the whole time we aren’t focusing on what the students need the most. Guernsay made a good point in calling everyone’s attention back to the basics. If we are not supporting our children with these fundamentals then how much does it really matter if they are using a Kindle or a paperback?

I think we can all take a page out of Guernsay’s book and take time to reflect about what is the most imperative for your students at this time. Perhaps setting aside a certain time of the year to do so would be beneficial. You could take Christmas break to really assess whether or not you are giving students the basics that they need and then work to improve upon them and add the icing on top.

I hope to one day work in a school where I am supported in my reflective process.

Guernsay’s blog is found here: A Modest Proposal for Digital Media in Early Childhood

Budget Cuts May Cost Disadvantaged

In my blog post found at Early Ed - NC on the Verge focuses on a current issue going on in North Carolina. The state budget is in the process of being ratified and early education programs will be getting the ax if the General Assembly overrides the governor’s veto. 

http://community.mis.temple.edu/stephanierobinson/2011/04/07/hello-world/

The program known as Smart Start currently services under privileged children and “focuses on improving the quality of child care in the subsidy system and provides services related to children’s health and family engagement.” If this proposed budget goes through the program may stay open but it may take cut backs. They may also have to start charging for what they are able to provide for free currently. That would mean that the children who need to be in the program the most would face the most challenges to do so.

I don’t have the solution for this situation because I don’t know the all the complex details that go into putting together a budget but I do think that money should not be taken from educational endeavors. How do we expect our country to go forward and be competitive if we aren’t willing to invest in our youth? 

I hope Smart Start can continue doing the good that it does in North Carolina.

Quality Early Education Programs Correlated with Low Arrest Rates

Lisa Guernsey writes in her post entitled “Study Highlights the 25-Year Impact of a Chicago PreK-3rd Program” about the long-term effects discovered through a study done by Arthur Reynolds, child development professor at the University of Minnesota. Some preschoolers were enrolled in a program known as “extended intervention” the control group was cared for their parents or relatives and around 15% did attend head start. 

http://www.globaldailystar.com/at-what-age-should-you-send-kids-to-preschool/7598/preschool-kids/

The advantages of the “extended intervention” are reported to be widespread and have shown themselves even 25 years later. Those who completed the program:
• “Stayed in school longer
• Completed high school at higher rates
• Graduated from high school on-time at higher rates
• Had higher socio-economic status
• Had a job with higher prestige”

It is also reported that the experimental group had less involvement in the justice system and fewer arrests. 

I think that this study speaks volumes for ways to assist inner-city children. School systems located in large cities should take a look at these results and see if it is possible to adapt such programs for their own populace. 


(http://earlyed.newamerica.net/blogposts/2011/study_highlights_the_25_year_impact_of_a_chicago_prek_3rd_program-52909)

Book vs. eBook

My blog (20) is Early Ed Watch and the post I chose to comment on is entitled "Learning to Read: Will E-Books Help or Hinder?"

(found at this site: http://earlyed.newamerica.net/blogposts/2011/learning_to_read_will_e_books_help_or_hinder-52170 and continued on the following link: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/printissuecurrentissue/890540-427/are_ebooks_any_good.html.csp)

The blog, overall, deals with issues surrounding the education of all American children from birth to eight years old. This blog post, in specific, is focused on the pros and cons of using electronic books with young children. The blog post is connected to another site which hosts the entire article that the author, Lisa Guernsey, wrote for the “School Library Journal.” 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laptop-ebook.jpg

Many different teachers and reading specialists weigh in on whether or not eBooks aid students or just cause more confusion. One good point that is made early on is delving into the definition of “eBook.” An electronic book could be anything from a PDF file to an animated feature that is 75% or more pure animation with very little actual text. Some eBooks have narration and mark what word is being said at what time. Others include games, quizzes and activities.

An advantage of an eBook is that more students can have access to many materials. At the same time, many fear that eBooks will be the demise of the appreciation and understanding of physical books, as well as the books themselves.

The one point that really resonated with me was what Julie Hume, a reading specialist in University City, MO, stated. She said, “When students repeatedly have a strong model of fluency, the more they hear that, the better they get it.” For this reason I think eBooks would be a wonderful resource for students who do not have English speaking parents at home. It is a well known statistic that children do better at reading if they are read to at home. When that is not an option an eBook, with a narrator could fill in some of those gaps.

I am excited to see where the electronic book will lead us and what benefits all individuals can receive from it.

CULT & SPED

My two online courses for this summer are currently both accessible and I am super pumped about it. The beginning of the semester is always the best. The enthusiasm for the new content is high, the smell of sharpened pencils is in the air, you know the drill! 

http://charlottesings.wikispaces.com/Diversity+Resource+Guide

My CULT class is Education in a Democratic Society and touches on many topics I've covered in education courses from Calvin. But I'm excited to revisit them and share my insights in the many blog posting assignments.


The SPED class is Introduction to Exceptionalities, a Special Education class, and is reminiscent of EDUC 202. I've already been so inspired and moved by the films and youtube clips provided for this online class.


All this to say: GET ME IN A CLASSROOM STAT!


And ps - I need more info on Teach for America and similar programs. 

summer lovin'

What am I loving about summer, you ask?


I'm loving the nice(-ish) weather. 
The fact that my first semester is accomplished.
I am taking some super interesting summer courses.
I feel organized at the moment. (due to my room being clean)
Getting closer to some of my friends in Kent.


And much, much more.


Get ready for a bunch of posts regarding special education and equality in education due to two of my online classes.


That's all for my post. 


I'll leave you with a foto of my friend Angel and me. It is almost her birthday. I'm excited to celebrate!

PS> more glamorous shots to come.

locked in the library.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattungerphotography/5222352081/

I'm mid-finals week and I am definitely missing my study buddies from Calvin. Hannah will forever be the best paper writing partner ever. [I love late night ihop runs and plugging in my computer into the outlet on the ceiling.] Dan was also a good partner in crime. Josh was the best in Spain - splitting a bottle (or two) of wine over homework is definitely the way to go. 


I've been spending a good amount of time in the library due to the sad state that my computer is in. I really, really, really want to get a new one. [a macbook pro] But that doesn't seem to be in the cards at the moment. I just don't like always using public computers or the family computer. I feel restricted in a way and I don't completely understand why. I guess I am very fortunate and have gotten used to the convenience of having a personal laptop. 


So I have two exams down. One to go. And a Spanish paper that is killing me. 


I have been doing fairly well here at Kent State but I still struggle so much with writing a paper. Perhaps I should look into the resources here for paper writing. As of right now I just need to buckled down and pump it out. [First things first, I need to stop all my dilly-dallying.] 


Summer is a day away (as well as Cinco de Mayo) and I'm ready for it. [As well as the summer courses that I'll be taking.] 


PS> Calvin friends - the library here is open 24hours M-F. (and it's open on Sunday.)

Yoga & Pilates

My new favorite thing to wear is my workout outfit. Black yoga pants, pink sports bra, and grey super soft T-shirt. It's so comfortable and it makes me want to be active! 


My mom and I walked around the neighborhood four times on Saturday night. (I think that's about a mile.) And I did a pilates workout last week. I think I'm going to do it again when I get home from class. I just feel so good after I do this workout. All the breathing and centering is so calming also.

http://www.smccd.edu/accounts/salahuddinr/

I attended a yoga class at the Wellness Center earlier in the semester and absolutely loved it. Once again there is the breathing and the centering. Yoga also feels very spiritual. And I just ordered a DVD online. Yoga for Depression and Anxiety. I am very excited to try it out. There were wonderful reviews on Amazon about this product. 


And my girlfriend, Angel, wants to do yoga with me. I think I will definitely benefit from a little accountability in this department (as well as someone willing to do it with me). 


Any advice is always welcome and if you want to join in with me I'd love it!!!

New Tech V: Proprofs Quizmaker

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/04/proprofs-adds-useful-tracking.html

Finally I'd like to quickly comment on ProProfs Quiz Maker. This site allows for you to create and take quizzes. I think this is a wonderful platform for teachers to use. I would love to have online practice quizzes available to my students to help them prepare for exams. 


There are so many options of what can be done. 


Quizzes can be multiple choice, fill-in the blank, true/false, or essay. You can then decided if you want the correct answer to appear after the question is answered or once the whole quiz is completed, if at all. An explanation of why the answer is correct can be provided as well. This feature would be great especially for practice situations. 


In addition the creator can track the results of the quizzes. I would then be able to see which questions many students struggled with. I could then assess it and decide if I need to go over that material again or if it was just a bad question. 


I would use this resource for all grade levels. And K-12 teachers get to use this tool for only $3.97/month whereas anyone else would spend about $40/month. A downside would be the cost although it's not very high. 


I can't wait to do a pre-test with my first year students to see what knowledge they bring with them to Spanish I.
. 

New Tech IV: Wallwisher

• List causes of the Spanish-American War.

• Rearrange the verbs so that they are in two categories: regular verbs and irregular verbs.

• List words in English that you are curious to know their Spanish translation.

• Give me topic ideas for our next unit.

What do the four previous sentences have in common?
They would all be good discussions to have on Wallwisher!

http://www.cnyric.org/teacherpage.cfm?teacher=1037

Wallwisher is an online notice board in which students can go on and add to the discussion. Each comment is like a virtual post-it note that can be added, rearranged, and deleted. Best of all it's completely free.


I absolutely love the idea of brainstorming via this tool. How many times are you asked a question on the spot and can't think of a single thing but then it hits you when you're driving home or in the shower? I would love it if my students could simply go online and post their idea without worrying about forgetting it before the next day of class. 


I think this also be a good tool for students to use to regulate their own time and learning. They could create their own wall as a sort of to-do checklist which would help them see everything they need to do and they could rearrange it according to priority. This would encourage my students to be self-regulated learners. (Holler to Dr. Was in Educational Psychology.)


I would use this tool with middle and high school students. I love that it's free but dislike that each post can only have 160 characters. But even that's not the worse thing in the world.


I think I'm going to start a wall right not to help me get through the last few weeks of this semester! 

New Tech III: Storybird

Many of the technologies presented in class allow for online interactions between students and teachers. Another platform that offers this is Storybird. 

http://wltechconsultants.wordpress.com/2010/01/23/storybird-needs-language-moderators/

Storybird is a collaborative story-telling tool. This free website allows teachers to create virtual classrooms and invite their students to join. Students do not even need an email to sign on which is nice for younger students who are not old enough to have one.  The teacher would create a username for the students, a password is created by the site and the student has private access to the site. 


Teachers can then create assignments which the students will see when they log on. Students can create stories to go along with provided images. The images give a professional feel to the piece and if desired the student or parent could pay to have the product printed.


I would use this site for creative writing in Spanish. In my high school Spanish class my teacher would give us a new prompt every Monday and we would spend time writing on that topic. This was an opportunity to use creativity in our thinking and not to be so bogged down by all the rules that go into learning a foreign language. I think Storybird would be a wonderful site to do something similar. The different prompts also allow for students to tell about their own lives or respond to current events. 


I would love to see Spanish IV or AP Spanish students (grade 12) do an end of the year project and create a book. If funds were available at the school I would love to then have their books published and given as a gift for their hard work in completing so many years of foreign language study.


I love the fact that the teacher is the moderator in everything on the site and that I would have the power to take down or delete anything the students posted that I did not agree with. A down side is the fact that the images are limited but hopefully this will be something that is added to as time goes on.


In addition I am weary to have students complete writing assignments solely on the computer. The temptation to use online translators and to cheat would be so strong. I need to research how other foreign language teachers integrate technology successfully. I want to know what my students think and that they know how to say not, what a computer can regurgitate for them. 


If anyone knows of any suggestions for this concern of mine I would love to hear from you. 


Gracias.

New Tech II: Prezi

Now I'm sure everyone is familiar with PowerPoint presentations. And there is always the class that you dread going to because you know that the presentation is going to be a total bore. Or worse Mr. Dzeda wants to show you slides with audio from the 1930s. Then there's the professor who packs way too much onto a single slide and then just flies through them (Ge). 


Prezi is a solution for the monotony of old fashioned slides.

http://prezi.com/

Presentations and games can be created on this website. They are immediately uploaded onto the internet for all to see. This, along with the difficulty in creation process, may be a downside to the technology. 

I believe that this type of presentation program could hold the attention of students of all ages. Young students might be more impressed with the twirling and zooming. I believe any subject could use Prezi and I would use it for showing historical or cultural aspects of Spanish-speaking people. 

The non-linear form of this tool would allow students to see how aspects of culture or history are interconnected and do not stand alone. The outlay of Spanish apartments (pisos) is related to how Spaniards feel about privacy. Points such as this and others could be presented in an interesting manner for a Spanish class.

New Tech I: WordQ + SpeakQ

In my educational technology course we each have to give a presentation on "new" technologies that can be utilized in the classroom. I signed up for the first round of presentations and I thought it went pretty well. Mine was over Ning - a social networking site where you can create your own social network and make it as private as you'd like. I think it has a lot of potential for classroom discussion/blogging.

My friend, Amanda, did her presentation on WordQ and SpeakQ. These are computer programs that aid the user in writing assignments.

http://www.goqsoftware.com/

They can be used together or separately. SpeakQ is used with a microphone and when a the user comes upon a word that she does not know how to spell she simply says it aloud. The application (which is used in conjunction with Microsoft Word) will then enter the word (or phrase) for the user. WordQ is similar in that it will give suggestions of what word the user is attempting to write. The user can then choose from a drop down list the word that they are looking for. You can also have it read back what you have written, which can be very helpful in locating errors.


A great thing about this technology is that it comes in Spanish!!! (It even breaks it down to Castellano - Spanish from Spain - and  Español.)


I think that this technology could be extremely useful for any high school student who struggles with language learning. Students who maybe don't take a language because of disabilities may be able to find more success with a tool like this.


I think a disadvantage would be the price of the tool (although you can get grants) and the fact that it works best when it is only dealing with one specific voice. Having multiple students use this program with varying accents may diminish its accuracy and helpfulness.


I would be interested in researching the current use of this technology in high school classrooms.


Please feel free to leave feedback. And if you have used either of these programs I'd love to know what your experience was like.


:D

Wedding Dress by Derek Webb

I loved this song the first time I heard it play in a friend's car on the way home from college. It is exactly what I need to hear right now. 

I need a revival.

If you could love me as a wife
And for my wedding gift, your life
Should that be all I’d ever need?
Or is there more I’m looking for

And should I read between the lines
And look for blessings in disguise
To make me handsome, rich, and wise
Is that really what you want?

[Chorus]
‘Cause I am a whore I do confess
But I put you on just like a wedding dress
And I run down the aisle, I run down the aisle
I’m a prodigal with no way home
But I put you on just like a ring of gold
And I run down the aisle
I run down the aisle to you

So could you love this bastard child?
Though I don’t trust you to provide
With one hand in a pot of gold
And with the other in your side
‘Cause I am so easily satisfied
By the call of lovers so less wild
That I would take a little cash
Over your very flesh and blood

[Chorus x2]

Because money cannot buy
A husband’s jealous eye
When you have knowingly deceived his wife

[Chorus x2]

Lyrics from Derek Webb's website.

Image from this blog. 

walk like an egyptian

I'll be completely honest. I don't watch the news or keep up on global issues as much as I'd like. While living in Spain the TV was almost always on and I'd catch at least two good hours of news a day. Back in the US it would have to be a much more conscious decision to get in any news time.


I believe the current situation in Egypt is worth watching, following, and educating. The majority of a class period for my Recent Spanish Lit course was devoted to discussing Egypt. The world waits to see what Mubarak, the Egyptian army, and the Egyptian people will do.

  
While watching CNN this evening several Egyptian protesters were being interviewed. They are very adamant about what they want. Freedom. <Freedom in this life> was how one young man kept putting it. He is prepared to die. Another Egyptian quoted Patrick Henry saying, <Give me liberty or give me death.> 


I hope that violence isn't the avenue to freedom for the Egyptian oppressed. 


I have the feeling that now is there time. 


Freedom for all.

Educational Aspirations

I just want to share with you a quote from the very intelligent Mary Healy. In her blog she discussed a consequence of being in the classroom with students. I think it is both very scary but the potential for learning and growth to occur is so great and so worth it. 

It made me realize, I think for the first time, the breadth of what I'm trying to accomplish by becoming a teacher. I'm going to be taking children I do not know and possibly will never understand or be able to relate to, and trying to teach them things that may or may not mean anything to them, and I'll have to work around and through all the darknesses in my own soul, as well as theirs, and everyone in my classroom is going to be vulnerable, whether they know it or not.

 http://spadeallcross.blogspot.com/2010/10/clarification-qualification-yadda-yadda.html

She says a lot of other really great stuff about being a teacher in this post. I encourage you to read it.


In other exciting news: the transfer center has completed looking at my transcripts and I am in the process of conversations with the Spanish and Education departments to see how some of those specific credits will transfer. I am optimistic and excited for the next few semesters/summers here at Kent. 

I'll leave you with a photo of my puppy - because she makes me happy! Lily!

kent state golden flash(er/es)

And so it's official - I am a Golden Flash (or as my parents would comically say, a Golden Flasher). 

I am one class away from completing my first week here at KSU and am happy with how it has gone thus far. I thought coming from Calvin (4,200 students) to Kent (21,000 undergraduates) I would be completely lost in the sea of people. But my pre-semester planning has helped me get the lay of the land. And I am definitely not afraid to seek out answers. Still it's all so new.

I am, however, surprised by the abundance of familiar faces that I see on a daily basis. I mean in a school of 21,000 - what are the odds that I would see 4-6 people I know a day? But I guess such a large number of my former classmates have made Kent home, whether initially or, like me, as a secondary nature. 

Calvin will always have my heart - but I think Kent will gain my respect quite quickly. 

well, hello there. come here often?

Well, what a lovely way to get started. Reminiscing over my class trip to a winery in Spain that took place nearly two years ago. This photo is of me, Meredith Wemhoff, enjoying a free sample of cava in a town an hour or so outside of Barcelona. Cava is Spanish champaign and was easily one of my new favorite beverages.  


You might be wondering what I was doing in Spain - a poor college student like me...Well, apart from spending a lot of money at a higher education institution, I was gaining the immersion experience for my Spanish major. 


Two years later, much poorer, (not to mention increased debt) I find myself at Kent State University as a transfer student - who still doesn't know how her credits will transfer, nor her class standing. However, this is my seventh semester.


I am enrolled in an Educational Technology course that aims to help me learn how to integrate technology into teaching and learning so that it will better facilitate the two. I am looking forward to the opportunities to learn new technologies as well as gain more understanding with the ones I currently implement. I am by no means tech savvy but I don't live under a rock either. 


And the reason I'm here in the first place: students. I have a passion for Spanish and a passion for people. I want to be an educator and I want to be a friend and advocate to every student who walks in my door. 


Well, there's a nice little introduction to me. I'd be pleased if you joined me in my adventures. :D


cuídate.