Part 2 of Blog Post 5

After reading the first part of this post, I can see how my PLN has changed throughout the semester. At first I wasn't really sure what a PLN was, but now it has really come to me. I see now after communicating with all of the students and teachers from across the world is a great PLN. My blogger has really showed me how to communicate better with people I don't even know. I think it is great I was able to see what students and teachers around the world were doing in their classrooms. I will have a PLN when I become a teacher. It really teaches you things and you are also teaching other people things they might not have known. I have really enjoyed this and hope to continue to let my PLN grow. I also hope to allow my students to become a part of a PLN and learn new things from all around the world.

C4T#4 Posts 1 and 2

For my teacher I chose Lana. She seems like a fun and busy elementary teacher. Her post was about drug free week at her school.
My Comment:
Hey! I'm Breanna and I am an elementary education major at the University of South Alabama. I also chose your blog as my teacher blog for the week. I LOVE your blogger profile. I think it is so cute and kid friendly. I have siblings in elementary school and they did the same kind of activities for drug free week too. I think it is cute to let kids enjoy days like this, but also teach them something good.

I sure would be tired if I was you too. I've heard that is what comes with being a teacher. Hope you get some rest. :)

Lana's second post was about an animal project they are currently doing in class. She also posted a note a student wrote her. They seem to love her and she makes a great positive impact on their lives.
My comment:
Hi Lana. Hopefully you've gotten some rest from the last post i've read. The note was too sweet. I cannot wait to start having a positive impact on little one's lives. Hope y'all have fun on your animal projects and Happy Thanksgiving :)

Blog Post 14

In the article by Joel Klein, he talks about many problems that should be worked on in the school system. The first problem he talks about is the training for teachers. He basically thinks the the way teachers are trained should be better. The next problem is anyone with a college degree can become a teacher. He thinks the top 1/3 of the graduates should become a teacher. The last problem is teachers are interchangeable and decisions are based off of seniority. Teaching should also be more professionalized. This would not only benefit the teachers, but the students as well. The article then talks about how this radical change would bring a board of police to the profession, established standards and providing mechanisms for removing incompetent teachers. Teachers would also need to take an exam, just like lawyers and such, and complete an internship of 3 years.

I very much agree with all of these solutions to these problems. Becoming a teacher just seems too easy. Children rely on us to educate them and with it being so easy, anyone can do it. I do not think just anyone should become a teacher. Great teachers have a passion for the job and their students. Not everyone has passion for this profession. I think the way people look at teaching should be changed and it should be more professionalized. This could help students in the long run and help teachers become better in many ways. If it weren't for teachers, you would not have doctors or lawyers. Teachers teach them to become what they are. I'm thinking the exam is just like what we have to take and yes, I do agree with that. Once again, not just anyone should be thrown into this profession just with a college degree. I do not so much agree on the no mandatory assignments policy. I think progress should be shown throughout the year with any assignments (PBL etc).

I think this article really makes one think about teaching as a profession. People are quick to say teaching is easy & don't take it seriously. I think teaching should be taken more seriously. I could use some of these solutions as I pursue in my career. It was a very helpful article.

C4KSummary for November

My first child was Taine. He showed a picture of the life cycle of a frog. He didn't write anything, but he just showed a picture of it.
My comment:
Hey Taine! I'm Breanna McCormack from the University of South Alabama. I remember learning about the life cycle of a frog. It is very interesting to learn about. It has been a very long time since I learned about it, but your post has reminded me how cool it was. This is a great post. Keep up the good work in school!

My second child was Alex. He has an art blog. He showed us how to make a digital art project with an alter ego.
My comment:
Hey Alex. I'm Breanna and i'm from the University of South Alabama. Your post was awesome! I have never done anything like this before, but it looks like lots of fun. Your finished product looks great! Thanks for sharing that with us.

My third child was NONE. Happy Veteran's Day!!

My Last child was Alex. His post was about his first quarter in school. He also talked a little about Harry Potter.
My comment:
Hello Alex. I'm Breanna from the University of South Alabama. Your post is very creative. It is awesome you love to learn in school!! I love Harry Potter movies. They are awesome. I'm glad your 1st quarter went great!

Blog Post 13

What are your thoughts on Inclusive Learning?

Read the following articles and a answer the question above.

1. Intervention Central
2.Mainstreaming Special Education in the classroom

Also watch the YouTube video Inclusive Learning: Everyone's In and give your thoughts on the video.


Answer the question in a post that adheres to the standards found in the ACCRS and in Writing A Quality Blog Post.

I will start by saying I have wanted to be a Special Education teacher since I was in high school. I had my mind set on it. I started doubting myself, so that is when I decided to change my major to elementary ed. I am still wishy-washy about it, but hopefully it will come to me soon.

Reading Intervention Central really tells how you can make the classroom setting easier for everyone. Not all children learn the same or can handle every day tasks like others can. For us, as teachers, it is our job to include everyone equally, but make it best for everyone. Some students may need a daily routine that is set. You can try as best as you can to have good structure in your classroom. Any routine is good for the students and yourself.

Mainstreaming Special Education in the classroom is somewhat like inclusion, but different as well. They are both including students with any sort of need to be in a classroom with other students. Personally, I think this is awesome and everyone should be treated equally. I know when we had students with learning disabilities in the classroom, they stayed in the classroom with everyone else, they just had a teacher to help them in their time of need (this is inclusion). In the article it states Mainstreaming is "earning" your right to be in a classroom. I don't really agree with that because being there is a right in itself to be in the classroom.

The Inclusive Learning Video is a great example of just what Inclusive Learning is. I think it is awesome to watch things like this and see teachers who actually put time and effort into children with needs. There are always ways to change a classroom setting to make it suitable for all children. I think all children should be involved with everything everyone else does. The video gives great examples on how to do so.

Project 12B

Project 10 Interview Movie

Blog Post 12

C4T #3 Posts 1 and 2

I was assigned the teacher Doug: off the record.
His first post was an interview with another teacher. The other teacher is a seventh and eighth grade Science teacher. Doug asked the questions as Brian, the other teacher, answered them. They just talked about the use of technology in the classrooms.
My comment:
Hi Doug. I’m Breanna and I am a student in EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I enjoyed reading your interview with Brian. It is always great to see what other teachers are doing in their classrooms and with their students. I’m still getting used to younger kids using technology so much, just because I didn’t in school. I think all of these new things are great in schools.

His next post was about a convention they had for technology. It was called BIT. Bring it Together is what BIT stands for. I thought it was an awesome idea. In his post he just explained how it was when he got there and what he did.
My comment:
I think this is an awesome idea. It is always great to go and meet others and share fun experiences together. Having something big like this can give you an opportunity to teach someone something, as well as you learn something new too.