Thing 4

Sharing thoughts helps us to understand a little more about each other and about the world in general. I feel like we take for granted all of the opportunities we have to encourage our peers. Commenting on a blog is such an easy way to give someone the boost they need to keep up the good work. Once we start to share with our classmates, we will not only learn about them, but start to form a bond. As said in one of the articles, you start to become a part of the life of the blogger you are reading.
I think the most important thing a person can do when leaving a comment is to make it worthwhile. In the readings, it talked about how much of an impact a comment can have when it's done properly. I guess the best way to do this is to elaborate! Don't just write a few words, say what's on your mind. That's the whole point of this project.
I think if my comments are going to make a difference, then I have to choose to post on something that catches my attention or draws me in. That's how I chose the five blogs to comment on throughout the semester. Something in each of these made me stop and think for a moment. I chose, Nicole Lee, Amy Bunch, Tracie Cannon, Alice Everett, and Darlena Gary. All of these bloggers seem to be very motivated. I found out that Tracie is also an English major and she had some wonderful ideas about using blogs for journaling. It's nice to share ideas with others, especially those who will be working in the same field as you. Amy's post on image generators gave me some incentive on making classrooms signs. Darlena is also a middle school language arts major. I think we'll have a lot in common and hopefully can continue to share ideas throughout the semester. Nicole's blog is fun to read and I think it's important to enjoy what you are commenting on. Alice shared some neat ideas on her blog about creating a book online for students. I can't wait to keep up with everyone's posts and learn more about them as we go along.
As far as the two other blogs, I chose one from Blog Spot called Single Parent Dad.
There are a couple of reasons why I chose this particular one. For starters, it was one of the blogs to watch. I also think that it's important that as teachers we realize that many of our students will come from single-parent homes. There are many challenges that come with that. Also, my husband is in the Army and will be leaving for his second deployment soon. I know what it's like in a sense, to be a single parent. When he is gone, that role is inherently mine. I think this blog shows the ups and downs of parenthood with a sense of humor to go along with it.
The other blog I chose is called The Page Flipper. This blog is dedicated to young adult books. The blogger, Chelsea Swiggett, writes reviews on a variety of teen books. For me, this is perfect! I love to read, especially young adult books. Also, I think its crucial that as a middle childhood major, I stay current on books in which my students would be interested. To me, reading is an essential part of the learning process. The more I know, the better chance I have to reach out to my students and find a topic that truly interests them.

Thing 3

There are so many different ways a blog could be used effectively in the classroom. As a future teacher, I think it would be an ideal way to record teaching strategies that were successful and also ones that didn't live up to my expectations. I want to know what lessons provided the most benefit to my students. It's too difficult to try to remember later on how students reacted to a lesson or assignment. With a blog, you can quickly note things of importance. I also want to keep parents in the loop when it comes their children. A blog would be the perfect tool to do this. I could post assignments for the week, field trips, reminders, local events that may interest the students, etc.. The possibilities are endless.
Students could also use a blog to express how they feel about certain assignments. It would be great feedback for the teacher and would also help the student to realize what they gained or didn't gain from the work. I also think journals are a wonderful way to start a class. The students could use a blog for that purpose, or even for a "thought of the day."
In the education program, you are given so much information to take with you in the world of teaching. I think it would be a great idea to have teacher candidates start a blog when they join the program. They could write about their classes and lessons, their experiences with the students, and the knowledge that they are gaining throughout their journey. It would be a such a useful tool to take into your first year of teaching.

Thing 2

So, I accomplished a feat...I have created a blog and an avatar! Something that seemed beyond my level of comprehension turned out to be relatively easy. My posting name isn't very original at all, but I have hopes of coming up with something more catchy. For the name of my blog, I used my initials C.R.F. and my age, which is 25. It's a little piece of me that doesn't reveal too much to the world at large. I have learned so much already in just the short time that I have started this project. I love how you can personalize your blog site and give it just the right touch to make it your own. My avatar is a mini version of how I see myself once I finish school and begin my own career as a teacher. Even though I could create my character to be anything I wanted, I found it very difficult to make it look anything other than how I picture myself.
Creating the blog wasn't difficult at all. I guess it's the idea of using technology to its full extent that is a little overwhelming. I hope that I can grow as a person and student by using this blog to express some of my thoughts and ideas. It's a little intimidating, but I feel as though in the end the rewards will be great!

Thing 1

In my learning journey, I feel like I always begin with the end in mind. I'm not sure if this is a trait that I acquired, or if it has been there all along. Either way, I believe it helps me to focus and concentrate on reaching goals and accomplishing what I set out to do in life. Accepting responsibility for my own learning has always been a major priority for me as well. It seems only natural that I be in control of my education and learning process. I set goals for myself and only I can make certain that those goals are reached. I would consider both of these habits to be fairly easy for me. On the other hand, I do find it difficult to view problems as challenges. I can honestly say that when a problem arises, my thoughts are always centered around how to fix the problem. Later, I look back and see what the problem taught me and how I could have benefited from the experience. My goal is to try to see these things while the problem is occurring. I feel that I could learn much more this way and possibly even handle the situation in a different manner.
So far, this process is a learning experience for me. I have never done a blog before, but I feel like it's something I will grow to love. There's something refreshing about taking all of my jumbled thoughts and putting them into action. I'm very excited about discovering some of the wonderful things 2.0 has to offer. I know in the world of teaching, technology is a girl's best friend. There are so many resources out there just waiting to be discovered and utilized! I'm very much looking forward to this journey through the 23 Things.