Week 1--Blog Response to Amy White

thursday, october 1, 2009

Week1: Digging Back into Blogging

I am excited to start blogging again; particularly when there aren't so many rules attached to it. I enjoyed expressing my thoughts, but the format was too structured in our last graduate class so I didn't really enjoy it. It felt really stressful. I have been reading over the info in FSO and I'm looking forward to all what this class has to offer. I feel like we'll finally get some time to explore all the things we've only had time to glance at as we hurried by. So, I hope to get my hands dirty and dig into all the great stuff out in the www. Here's to a great month!!

Week 1--Thesis Idea and Helping Each Other

Bullying, specifically cyberbullying is my current thesis topic.  My goal is to create an e-learning lesson providing sensitivity training about bullying and cyberbullying for educators.  I feel that it is important to approach this subject from a variety of sides.  I will address the sides of the victim, the bully, the bystander, and the authority.  For each of these sides, I will define and explain bullying, how it leads to cyberbullying, and suggest possible solutions to the problem of bullying.  

I'd like to know more about everyone's thesis idea and how it's coming along for you.  I think we can really help each other this month by being patient and encouraging to one another.  I know that I need assistance with accountability and some help in the area of time-management.  I want everyone to know how thankful I am for everyone in my group at Full Sail.  I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know some of you very well and I can't wait to meet you all face to face in February at graduation.

Week 1--Reading: TV Reality Shows

What a great way to start a book!!! I have just started reading Henry Jenkins' book Convergence Culture and I am intrigued by the first couple chapters. I find it interesting the number of people that follow reality television shows and spend a multitude of time trying to figure out the show before it even begins. I may not be one of these analytical viewers, but I will admit that I am completely sucked into the world of reality TV. I am a consistent viewer and supporter of American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Hell's Kitchen, and Survivor. I never thought that I would get this involved in any television program, especially one that deals with the lives of other people.

I find that the discussion of reality TV is everywhere, including my classroom. We were having a class meeting the other day and one of my students began talking about Survivor and making predictions about what was going to happen on the next episode. This opened an entire conversation about the show, both past and present, and everyone's opinions about each team and member, who should stay, who should go, feelings about everyone's integrity or lack thereof, etc. It was amazing. My students were predicting, analyzing, summarizing, inferring, comparing and contrasting, explaining about cause and effect, and just generally comprehending the show. I never recognized the connection to reading skills that this type of discussion could bring before, but I will be using this in the future with my students for engaging activities. They didn't even realize the skills they were using until I attached labels to each skill. This may be a breakthrough...especially for my reading students.

Week 1--Missing My Summer Job

This is a video describing my summer job. It was only a seven week position and I miss it terribly. I learned so much about myself this past summer and I'm hopeful that it will lead me in new directions in the future.

Success!

I completed my final round of fluency testing for my students yesterday and I am proud to announce that 95% of my students made fluency gains. I can't wait until FCAT scores come back! I am so proud of them and their hard work! :-)

The Bullying Needs to Stop!

I had an incident at school today in which a select group of students were bullying another student in my classroom.  It's amazing to me how sly they can be, because I had no idea what was happening until the victim came and told me.  I've seen this happen before with these same students and the same victim and I spoke with these students at that point.  Obviously my words and the consequences for their actions didn't stick.  So what am I to do?  Administration says to tell them when any act of bullying takes place, but when it is solely verbal or multiple students' words against another's, nothing happens.  

Our school recently participated in a cyber-bullying training for our students.  I was surprised by the amount of students that had no idea that harassment over texting, the phone, or the internet was a form of bullying.  I have decided that since I am still witnessing the act of bullying happening in our school, I'm going to spend some much needed class time addressing this topic.  I proceeded to do some research on anti-bullying and I found an amazing website, that can be used by students, teachers, administration, parents, or just about anyone interested in helping a victim or stopping a bully.  

This educators link to this website is 

http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults/teachers-corner.aspx

If this is an issue you have seen in your classes, please take a look at this site.  It can be used as a great tool for students, parents, and even administration.  

Also, if anyone has any other resources or suggestions to stop bullying or cyber-bullying, please let me know.  I don't want to see this continue in my school and I'm going to do everything I can to put a stop to bullying, at least in my classroom.

Wanted: Time Management Skills

I feel as if I should post my calendar and agenda online for everyone to see, so that when I have to tell someone "no" they would understand why.  I have always been the first one to sign up to assist others and I have often put others before myself and I just can't do that anymore.  I'm finding that being enrolled full-time in a Master's degree program, teaching full-time, teaching clogging classes and private lessons, finishing two reading endorsement classes, and managing a household does not fall into place all on it's own.  I'm not sure where to begin.  I've tried to let household chores slide a little, but I can only handle that for so long.  My lesson planning and paper grading has been pushed aside, but these are responsibilities that must be taken care of in order to keep my job.  I have deadlines to meet and I'm doing everything to stay above water.  My concern is that my disorganization and lack of time management skills are weighing heavily on me at this point and I don't feel effective in any area anymore.  I'm quickly losing energy and excitement for the things that were once most important in my life.  If anyone has any suggestions or tips for time management, please fill me in...I want to be successful and I want to enjoy the journey!