Summary Post C4T Teacher #4 Post #2

My C4T from 11/13/11

"This is Angela's Blog I commented on"

Hello Angela, back again! My name is Jonathan Giles and I'm a student in Dr. Strange EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. Another very well written article and one I whole heartedly agree with. iPad's and many other forms of technology belong in the classroom, period. i had the opportunity of substitute teaching this entire past week for my old high school and it frustrates me in so many ways how technology is just so absent to this day.

I don't know exactly how it's going to happen, but I know it needs to happen. Me and my group in Dr. strange class are organizing a survey to send out to all the local schools that asks question about the use of technology in the classrooms and I can't wait to see the results. Hopefully something gets passed in the near future or anything that gets things like the iPad and many other things into the classroom as soon as possible. Your article did a fabulous job of introducing key reasons as to why this kind of technology belongs in the classroom. i'll see you again next weeK! Ha ha.

My C4T from 11/28/11

"Second blog of Angela's I commented on"

http://www.angelamaiers.com/2011/11/guest-post-connected-education.html

Hey Angela! Once again, my name is Jonathan Giles and I'm a student in Dr. Strange EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. Kinect Education seems like an unbelievably awesome idea. I'm assuming it goes hand in hand with how Kinect works for Xbox 360? I've witnessed the technology and I've honestly thought it could be a wonderful tool to use in the classroom as well as gaming. It just seems like such a clean, hassle free, yet effective and fun way of teaching and learning.

If it doesn't have anything to do with Kinect for Xbox 360 (I'd be shocked) then it's still great. They are so much alike and show so many similarities! I also love your points about what your goals as an educator should be. I subbed (substituted for a friend of mine) 9th grade at my old high school a couple weeks ago and I absolutely loved it. I can't wait to have a class of my own, but my only problem was the fine line between discipline and becoming their friend. I guess what I'm talking about is the fine line between knowing when to be their friend and when to be their teacher. I think that's an area I could get better in. I will definitely stress some of your points that I agree with to my students such as learning the material first to help them flourish academically but also I want to get to know all my students personally. It's why I'm getting into teaching.

I love your ambitious style Angela and I hope I'm as good of a teacher as you are! I've absolutely loved reading your blogs and even when this class ends I've bookmarked you and will continue to read your posts. See you next time!

My summary of the two assignments above:

Angela has a way with words. Her blogs were a joy to read. She spoke about things that were relevant and about things that mattered. She doesn't beat around the bush long and gets straight to the point. She's also very interested in finding new and exciting ways for her students to learn, like Kinect and iPads in the assignments above. She's constantly learning herself and that makes it a joy to read her work. She practices what she preaches. Teacher's should never stop learning and learning new technology is a great way to do that. I look forward to keeping up with Angela's work in the future.