C4K Summary April

I was assigned to comment on a student blog in Mr. Somerville’s class at Pt England Auckland NZ.

The student posted about her uncle’s passing and how she felt at the service, I thought it was very touching and very grown up for her to talk about her thoughts and feelings after her uncle’s death. The student also wrote about 32 interesting things that the reader may want to know about her, a post similar to a C4T I read earlier in the week. The child is a seasoned blogger and she should be thankful to her teacher and the leadership at her school who has integrated technology so effectively in her education. The student responded to my comment and asked me some questions to find out more, I was thrilled to talk to someone so very far away.

"Hi Alexandria, im very interested that you are in Alabama and I really wanna come their one day. I'm so happy that you enjoyed reading my 32 facts about me. I think when I pressed publish on my Uncles Funeral post that I done I felt a little bit better because I let it out like what you just said. Thank you for commenting on my blog and I have 4 questions for you if you don't mind:)

*Is it cool living in Alabama

*Is it small or big there

*How old are you

*Have you ever visited New Zealand"

I responded to her questions and included some information about myself and the area where I live.

The last student for April C4K only had one blog post on his site and he did not respond to my comment. The post was about the things he likes to do after school. He said he likes to play with his two dogs. I asked about the tricks they knew and told him about some of the ways I taught my dogs to learn tricks in my own life. The fact that he only had a very limited amount of information on his site leads me to believe, he is either not blogging or the teacher has not required any technology assignments. There is a stark difference in the children who are in classes of teacher's who integrate technology and those who aren’t. I would like to be a teacher who makes everyone aware of the power of technology in the classroom and how much a student can benefit from the responsible and effective implementation of it within education.

Last C4T

For the final C4T, I was assigned to comment on Denise Krebs Blog titled, “Dare to Care.”

I found Mrs. Krebs Blog very interesting and she was kind enough to respond to one of my comments. I read a lot about the journey she has embarked upon by taking a Kindergarten position in Bahrain off the coast of Saudi Arabia. I wrote about the post where Mrs. Krebs was moving and packing up her daughter’s keepsakes, deciding which papers and school mementos to pack as space is limited. The bulk of the saved items from her K-8 education went into the trash. Mrs. Krebs writes a poignant comment for the reasoning behind the purge:

“It doesn’t matter if a student is a high achiever or a low achiever, no parent wants to have years worth of test scores and reports cards that give little information about who their child really is. Most of the report cards had meaningless letter grades with few heartfelt comments. Year after year of high stakes test results don’t show anything worth knowing about my daughter or her education.”

The comment I wrote spoke about how I was envious of her ability to be honest about the meaningless scores, certificates and grades we as teachers are obligated to assign. Authentic learning is harder to measure with a mere number or graph, but will present itself much later when it is much more important and vital to the success of the individual. Mrs. Krebs responded to my comment by telling me to “speak up” of sorts by creating opportunities for authentic learning by allowing children to tackle problems, create solutions and develop a love of learning and no one would be able to argue with that strategy, even if they agree with the use of high-stakes testing.

Blog Post # 13

What Did I Leave Out?

What can we do to prevent student misbehavior?

Watch the following links to begin the ongoing journey to improve classroom management.

Positive Discipline Strategies Yield Quick Results

Top 10 Proven Classroom Management Tips for Teachers

Practical classroom management



Classroom management is so important to the instructional day. Students will learn much more when a teacher is able to teach uninterrupted. A teacher’s role in the modern classroom is a very demanding but very rewarding as well. The way the year will play out depends on how the expectations for behavior are put into place in the beginning of the year, starting from the minute the child walks into the classroom for the first time. There is a popular saying in education, “Don’t smile until at least after Christmas.” The general rule of thumb is to use only ‘tough love’ during the first semester. I am not sure if I agree with those anecdotal quotes per say but I do think that a teacher should not be a child's friend. I believe teachers should show we are firm, fair and care. Rules and procedures should be established from the start and consistent consequences should follow without any leeway or wavering. Give them an inch and they will take a mile!

Another way to prevent student misbehavior is to learn preemptive strategies to limit or negate the reinforcement of negative behavior. Rob Plevin has created a series of video’s to help an educator learn the skills needed in order to prevent the actions and reactions in the negative behavior cycle. The teaching profession is one where experience is really the best way to learn, are you going to gain that experience the easy way or the hard way?

Blog Post 12 (I chose to write this blog post individually)

What assistive technologies are available to you as a teacher? Select a few and discuss how they may be useful to you.



The local school district in our area answers the question of what assistive technology consists: According To the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, assistive technology is defined as

"any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially or off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase, maintain or improve capabilities of individuals with disabilities."

The use of assistive technology in the classroom is only limited to how much time and energy we as teachers put into helping those children who are identified with disabilities. There are low tech and high tech equipment that may be utilized for the educational day and beyond. Speaking with a particular student’s parent, former teacher or para-professional can help determine what methods or strategies should be utilized. In certain instances it may be necessary to consult with an experienced professional or specialist about the disability, this can help a teacher gain much needed perspective about what the student is feeling and what technologies he or she might benefit. There are very simple tools a teacher can make very inexpensively that can help with transitions, tasks and behaviors that may be in need of a modification. Visual aids and anchor charts are very simple and easily applied to any subject or activity. The visuals are a reminder to not just the child whom has been identified but serve to assist the other children in the class as well.







The IEP or Individualized educational program team will help the teacher determine the products, tools or programs which may prove useful for educational success. One site the local district offers as a resource is ablenet. The site can be explored and they offer a wide variety of products. If the student is visually impaired or deaf or hard of hearing there are many new technologically advanced products coming down the pipe. One such program is the icanconnect distributed by the FCC (Federal Communication Commission.) The services will be offered to the deaf and blind who are low income and in need of assistive technology. The Braille type machines can run up to $6,000.00 dollars. UltimateNews© contributes news about new technology offered to the deaf and blind.







Assistive technology is ever changing. Some tools are rudimentary and basic in design or implementation, others are costly and complexly constructed. Whatever the technology the IEP team and teacher choose to use, there will be time invested and it will be an experiment of sorts to find the best tool possible in order to move the child toward educational success.

Project 12B

For Project 12 B, group Castleberry taught a third grade lesson on fractions. We used ideas from a lesson plan found on Smartboard Exchange. The lesson plan addresses the ACCR standard 13. Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts and size 1/b. [3-NF1]

Blog Post # 11

What can we learn about teaching and learning from these teachers? What can we learn from Brian Crosby, Back to the Future, TED Talk? Mr. Crosby teaches 4th, 5th, and 6th grade at Agnes Risley Elementary School, Sparks, Nevada. We can learn so much from a teacher who inspires children to learn through methods that are not representative of modern-day education. The typical model for education would include traditional teaching and learning in order to meet the standards set forth by the state. Mr. Crosby goes above and beyond the standards and challenges the children, who are also English Language Learners and Low Socioeconomic Status, to think outside of the box. Instruction is real world based through experiments and cooperative learning not only with in the classroom but across the globe. I think if a teacher is allowed to have creative control over the learning process, anything is possible. There are many school districts that are very focused on test scores and data that can be quickly measured by a standardized test. The class population in Mr. Crosby’s class is learning in a meaningful way, one they will never forget. It is inherently visible the passion this teacher has for teaching and learning. The experiments prove to excite the teacher, individuals in his class as well as children elsewhere who learn from their blog posts, that is powerful learning every kid deserves.

What can we learn from Paul Anderson and the Blended Learning Cycle? Mr. Anderson is a high school AP Biology teacher in Bozeman, Montana who knows the value of asking good questions. The model for learning is a mix of Blended Learning and the Learning Cycle. Blended Learning is a combination of models which includes classroom learning mobile learning and online learning. The Learning Cycle is a model that uses a central goal to evaluate surrounded by the ways in which a person comes to that point using explore, explain, expand, and engage. While Mr. Anderson implements this Blended Learning Cycle, he uses an acronym he created called Quivers: questions, investigations, video, elaboration, review, and finally summary. The summary will be a quiz but the student must demonstrate mastery of the topic or else there should be remediation and further investigations conducted. The cycle of learning continues until mastery is achieved and the answer to the question posed has been evaluated, which is the ultimate goal of science teachers.

There are many things we can learn from Sam Pane in his video, Sam Pane 4th grade. I love the idea that he based a project on how to be safe while using the internet. He let his students make a comic on how to use the internet safely. I have never even thought about making a comic in my classroom, so this is something new that I would love to do! Sam teaches us (the viewers) how important it is to address online personal information, as well as, informing us that we can do so many activities that allow students to learn to use safety online. Most importantly, Sam teaches his students to become a Super Digital Citizen. He wants his students to be able to go to a website and evaluate the information they’re after. The way he approached this is by stating this quote from spiderman, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” Then he brings it into his lesson by asking, “What kind of power does the internet give us?” From this, we, as future teachers, should learn to introduce a subject in a way that catches the students attention. Reel them in by the things they are familiar with and love.

In the video Project Based Learning, three teachers (an english teacher, a history teacher, and a technology teacher) combined their one hour class, to make a 3 hour hour class that included all three subjects. With this they have more time and flexibility. One thing I feel I learned from this video is, when we give our students the time, the dedication, and the feedback needed, they can go above and beyond what they ever expected and want to take ownership for what they did. With more time, they are able to do more projects (in this video that includes all three subjects) and be satisfied with their project. We, as future teachers, want to be able to teach more than just the curriculum, we want our students to enjoy what they do in the classroom. The english teacher in this video, Melanie, stated at the end of the video, that before they combined the classes all the students used was paper and pencil and they hated it. With the extra time, they are able to do different projects on the computer and enjoy it. Project based learning is what kids are all about now, and this video has taught me to shower my students in project based learning, and they will be more satisfied, and willing to take ownership of the work they did.

After watching the video about Roosevelt Elementary’s PBL Program I learned about the benefits of implementing project based learning from a young age. Roosevelt Elementary School is located in Redwood City, California. Project based learning begins in the kindergarten level at this school. PBL emphasizes real world problem solving in the classroom. Teachers, as well as students, collaborate in creating projects that meet state standards. Not only do students receive quality knowledge from PBL, but they are introduced to public speaking at a young age. Practicing this skill from a young age is beneficial because the students receive feedback from not only their teacher, but their peers as well. This feedback can increase confidence among students and make students proud of what they learned. This helps build social skills. The community is also involved in the PBL movement. Community residents speak to classes at Roosevelt Elementary to tell students real life stories. PBL is self motivating and encourages students to learn!

Grade 12 Reading Standards for Literature 1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. [RL.11-12.1] 16. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem. [RI.11-12.7] 20. Write informative or explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. [W.11-12.2] 22. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 19-21 above.) [W.11-12.4] 24. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information. [W.11-12.6] 28. Write routinely over extended time frames, including time for research, reflection, and revision, and shorter time frames such as a single sitting or a day or two for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. [W.11-12.10] 30. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data. [SL.11-12.2] 32. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. [SL.11-12.4]

C4K Summary March

The first C4K in March was John from Mrs. She’s class in the Pt England School Auckland, N.Z. John is new to the class so he didn’t have anything in his blog at the present time. John did; however, have a birthday recently so I posted a comment: Hi John, I hope you had a super birthday! My name is Alexandria Butler and I am a student at The University of South Alabama in the United States. It was so sweet for your grandma to bring you a cake to school. My favorite cake is chocolate; it must be your favorite too. I really like the video and I wonder what gifts you may have unwrapped. Thanks so much to you, your classmates and Mrs. She for posting it.



Hosea in Miss. Lavakula’s class at Pt England School Auckland, N.Z. was the second student I was assigned to comment in March. Hosea included a interactive map activity on his blog to help learn about following directions. Here is my comment: Hosea, I think you have a very interesting blog. Can you tell me what the words “Kia ora” mean? After viewing your blog, I can see you are learning so much! The Rescue! Hansel and Gretel Geometry Sessions is a very informative presentation, great work! Do you enjoy using technology and blogging in the classroom? What is your favorite post on your blog or what are you most proud of this year? Keep up the good work and don’t forget to thank your teacher for making sure you are able to blog and use such a great resource! 



Cheyanne in Miss. Clark’s class at Pt England School Auckland, N.Z. presented information on her blog about butterflies. She included life cycle information, what they look like and how they live. I think judging from her information she learned much about the topic and was very thorough. This was my comment: Cheyanne,thanks so much for such an interesting blog post. You have clearly learned a lot about butterflies during your research. I just watched a very informative movie called: The Flight of the Butterfly. http://www.flightofthebutterflies.com/ The film chronicles the life cycle and migration of the elusive Monarch. For years no one knew where in the world the butterflies would migrate. Then after 40 years of searching a butterfly enthusiast, Dr. Fred Urquhart http://www.flightofthebutterflies.com/discovery-story/, solved the mystery. I very much enjoyed watching this movie in an IMAX theater in 3-D because it was like being there with the butterflies. I don’t know if you have a theater in your area that plays IMAX movies but it would be great if you could see it. Keep up the good work, I enjoyed your blog.

C4T Summary Teacher # 3

I was assigned the 21st Century Classroom: The Amaryllis blog for my third C4C. I thoroughly enjoyed the ideas presented in this blog; although, the teacher Mrs. Heidi Siwak is a seventh grade teacher, there are activities that could be adjusted to fit any grade level. The first post I commented on was an Oreo-type cookie writing activity. Everyone is partnered up and handed a cookie. The partners are then challenged to come up with as many different/unique ways to eat the Oreo-type cookie. This is Mrs. Siwak's follow up to the writing activity:

“I then asked students to eat their oreo cookies without hands which causes a great deal of laughter!

Finally we debriefed.

1. We tend to fall into patterns of behaviour that we don't really think about.

2. We stop finding new ways to do things because of habit.

3. To spark creativity and get new ideas we need to break our patterns of thinking and doing, and then deliberately try to think of new ideas.

4. We discussed how it felt to not be able to eat the cookie the way they had planned to. For some it was slightly stressful.

Finally I asked students to think of something they do in a habitual way and to come up with three new ways to do that task. These they shared with other students. It was a fun 40 minutes of learning. When we meet again, we'll revisit the activity to consider our ideas about the right way to do things.”

This was my comment: What a fun idea. I love an activity that includes the use of food. I think if you want to spark creativity, definitely use the sense of taste. I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t eaten an Oreo-type cookie before, breaking the “but I never…..” cycles sometimes children get on, who are not very confident writers. I may borrow this idea for my second graders, any tips? Thanks so much for the interesting post!



The second post I commented on was a very well done video reflection by seventh graders who used causal modeling. The technique looks similar to a brainstorming sheet and links ideas in an interconnected loop. The example shows the ways we are able to define very complex ideas or thoughts in a story or as a pre-writing activity. I enjoyed the reflection video because it showed how much we can learn when things are examined starting at the root. The question or main idea is posed to start off the chain of events that explain the concept or question. This map of reasons and causes can help break down the learning to the fundamental or basic elements. This was my comment to the causal model reflection video: I think this tool is one that could be used across all grade levels, thanks so much for sharing it. So frequently children are so bored at the thought of being asked repeatedly to find main idea and details of a story. This tool could also be used for writing or group projects. I am going to try using this technique in the future when we examine fairy tales which almost always have a deeper message embedded within the story and characters. Thanks again for illustrating examples about how to use such an interesting tool for thinking and learning.

Project # 10