School Bullying

There are several different reasons for a person to be bullied.  Reasons include jealousy or being different from others—race, sexual orientation, and religion—just to name a few.  Cohn (2003) discusses factors in a child’s life that may lead to them either becoming a bully or a victim.  She says that “children who observe parents and siblings exhibiting bullying behavior” and those that receive physical punishment at home, negative feedback from teachers and other school personnel, and are trying hard to fit in with a crowd of peers are more likely to become bullies. Victims tend to be children that lack confidence and appear weak, have overprotective parents, and constantly seek approval. (para. 5)  Exploring this data really forced me to think differently about bullies.  Bullies are not just mean or bad kids—they are children that are struggling to find their place because of rejection or pain that has been infused into their life.  Parents shape their children, and they are the ultimate determinants of whom and what they become.  It is essential that parents be educated about this issue and how their own actions can impact their child’s behavior so they can make better parenting decisions.

            The National Center Against Bullying identifies four primary types of bullying: physical, verbal, covert, and cyber-bullying.  Physical bullying involves hitting, kicking, and actually causing bodily harm.  This is probably the easiest type of bullying to identify because there will be visual signs of an altercation: ripped clothes, bruises, bloody noses, etc.  Some of the most severe bullying is not physical, but it harms victims in an emotional way that leaves lasting scars.  Verbal bullying involves the typical name-calling; covert bullying occurs when a bully attempts to ruin a victim’s reputation, embarrass them, and cause humiliation.  Cyber-bullying involves bullying by use of technology: telephone, the Internet, etc.  In years past, children were targeted by bullies at school.  However, they were able to escape torment when they went home.  When a youth is a victim of cyber-bullying, there is no escape.  Bullies are able to target victims in their own homes.  This type of prison is extremely detrimental to self-esteem and demeanor.

            All types of bullying are extremely harmful throughout the duration of bullying and even leave psychological issues that last for several years.    While a child is bullied, it is reported that victims feel depressed, complain about their health, and achieve less academically.  None of these short-term effects surprised me.  Of course someone being bullied would be unhappy when someone is constantly harassing and criticizing them.  Of course a victim would complain about their health – because they do not want to go to school to be targeted.  Of course a victim’s grades would begin to fall; they are too consumed with worry and unhappiness to bother with homework.  There really is not much analysis involved—it is common sense.

            According to the Harvard Mental Health Newsletter (2009), “Victims of chronic childhood bullying are more likely to develop depression or think about suicide as adults compared with those who weren't bullied, while former bullies are more likely to be convicted of criminal charges.” (para.2) Once a person develops psychological issues, it is extremely difficult to be rid of them.  I think once a child is incessantly harassed and called names, they eventually start to believe what the bully is saying is true.  Therefore, as a bullied, depressed child becomes an adult, they will probably grow into a depressed adult.  But, why would a childhood bully be more likely to be depressed?  Could it be guilt? Maybe, but I think there is a different reason.  As discussed earlier, bullies tend to learn the behavior at home or elsewhere.  In adolescence, they are struggling to feel accepted and have experienced rejection.  It seems only logical that a bully would continue to feel this way as an adult.        

            An extremely prominent case is the story of Phoebe Prince.  Phoebe was a 15-year-old student that was beautiful, intelligent, and the victim of cyber-bullying.  After jealous girls plastered insults about her all over the Internet, she committed suicide.  Phoebe’s school is now attempting to hold students accountable for their harassment and reorganizing the way they deal with school bullying. (McNeil, 2010) This is just one of the many instances when bullying led to suicide.  The case of Prince left many with so many questions, so few answers, and a call to action to change the way schools and legislation handles bullying.

            According to the American Association of Suicidology, 4,630 people (between the ages of 10 and 24) committed suicide in the United States in 2009.  This resource also stated that about six percent of high school aged students have attempted suicide.  No one, let alone youths, should even be thinking about suicide.  These children are so unhappy that they would rather be dead than live another day of harassment.  Children do not have to experience this type of unhappiness; they need to have an ally – someone who supports and is willing to protect them.  Schools – teachers, administrators, and especially students must come together and develop a multi-faced program that will stop bullying once and for all in their school.

            Found in the book, Critical Issues in Education: Dialogues and Dialectics, to successfully curb school bullying, a complete schoolwide program needs to be implemented that includes participation from students, parents, teachers, and administrators. (Nelson, p.339) Students need to be involved in a structured program that involves learning to interact in new ways and communicate appropriately, contains active learning, and the program needs to include education for teachers, administrators and involves the parents.  When reading Implementing Bullying Prevention Programs in Schools: A How-To Guide, I found that programs that combat bullying include education specifically about bullying or social-emotional learning programs (SEL) that helps children deal with their own feelings and actions. (Jones, Doces, Swearer, & Collier, 2012, p. 2-3)  In my opinion, programs should offer information about both bullying and social-emotional training.  It is important that students and parents know rules and procedures for behavior, but if they also know how to effectively communicate and problem solve, it seems programs would be more successful.

            Perhaps the most successful bullying prevention program currently is Steps to Respect.  This elementary based program is built on three components: schoolwide implementation, staff training, and classroom curriculum.  According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, “Steps to Respect adopts a socio-ecological approach to bullying in a school setting, concentrating on the broad-scale impact of social interactions among students on the school environment.” (para. 4) The program teaches that everyone involved in a school is responsible to reduce bullying; its purpose is to improve social interaction amongst students and to educate teachers how to respond to problems. 

            Right now, there is such a disconnect between schools and states; some schools implement bullying prevention programs whiles others do not even have one.  Sometimes, it does take more than a school-wide program to solve problems, and help is needed from the government.  Currently, anti-bullying legislation is different from state-to-state and there are no specific federal anti-bullying laws.  I think this is deeply problematic because to be successful, everyone needs to have the same framework and the same expectations.  Only in 2011 did Michigan adopt “Matt’s Safe School Law.”  Basically, the law requires that every Michigan school adopts an anti-bullying policy and implements a specific protocol for dealing with all school bullying related issues. (“Revised School Code,” 2011)

            Presently, there are not any federal laws that protect children from bullying.  While state laws are sufficient for most circumstances, I do believe that federal laws should be enforced to protect these children in extenuating circumstances.  There are only federal civil rights laws that protect individual civil rights.  But, if a person contributes to a victim’s suicide because of harassment and tormenting, there should be some federal act that will hold that person responsible.    

Utilizing Technology in Education

Found in the online article, Research on Multimedia in Education, “when information technology-assisted project based learning is used in a constructivist, cooperative learning environment, students learn more and retain their knowledge better.” (para. 1) Utilizing technology in the classroom is progressively becoming more popular because it is attractive to a wider audience, includes many types of learners, and urges students to apply learning in a hands-on manner.  It is beneficial to incorporate technology into the classroom not only to improve student learning, but students will also be more engaged in the learning process.  This post will focus on how technological advances have changed and improved the way we teach; specifically, screencasting, collaborative editing, and blogging have reformed the traditional classroom into a more practical learning environment that challenges students to actively learn. 

Screencasting:  According to an article by the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, screencasting records a person’s movement and audio on their computer screen, capturing everything occurring during a specific period of time. (para. 4)  There are many free programs that you can download to have screencasting capabilities, among them are: CamStudio, Screencast-o-matic, AviScreen, and Copernicus for Macs.  Screencasting can be an extremely powerful tool to utilize in the classroom.  A teacher can model what is being taught through screencasting.  In my business class, I teach how to use the different buttons on the Ribbon in Microsoft Office.  With a projector or on their own computer, students can view a pre-recorded screencast explaining how to implement different features of the Ribbon into a document.  Being able to help and monitor students while the screencast plays is a huge advantage; students are also able to re-watch screencasts to better understand concepts.  Screencasting is a student-centered activity; it accommodates different learning styles and speed. (“7 Things,” 2006)

            While screencasting is an extremely attractive alternative to modeling what is being taught, it is not an efficient method for modeling all lessons.  I am a business teacher and my lessons are meant to help improve students’ computer skills.  Using screencasting in a lesson in an English language arts class would probably be an inefficient method for teaching about the theme in a novel.  Some concepts need to be taught in a traditional way: pencil, paper, textbook, etc.  

Collaborative Editing:  Collaborative editing is a software tool that allows multiple people to edit a document simultaneously.  A group of users can create a document together, while in separate locations, that each can individually edit.  Google Docs is essentially a free online version of Microsoft Word.  It has similar features; however, it allows users to collaborate on documents, which is especially useful on a group paper.  EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative says, “Collaborative editing is a more efficient method of creating and revising documents.” (para.4)

            Collaborative editing is used when multiple people are in charge of writing and editing a document.  Using Google Docs to edit a paper is much easier than e-mailing back and forth between group members.  Another example when collaborative editing would be useful would be during a lecture.  Members of class could all edit notes to share with each other.  However, this editing process does have a few flaws.  First, all users must be trustworthy and communication must be clear.  With Google Docs, it is very easy for an unfinished paper to be submitted.  It is crucial that all users know what is expected of them.

            Collaborative editing is most beneficial in a group setting.  Google Docs is a great, basic program to use but word processing software would be more efficient in an independent setting. A wiki is a great tool for classmates to collaborate online, but if only one person is writing, a blog may be more appropriate. 

Blogging:  Writing a blog is essentially writing a journal online.  It is short for ‘web log’ because people write different posts on the Internet.  People write a blog for many different purposes, but most blogs tend to focus on one primary topic; I’ve seen cooking blogs, technology blogs, blogs about starting a business, or sometimes, it may just be about a person’s life.  Blogging can serve many educational purposes.  From blogging, I’ve learned so much about technology and just teaching in general. 

This sort of assignment is a part of the “new” pedagogy discussed in Marc Prensky’s article, “The Role of Technology in Teaching and the Classroom.”  Blogging is a student-centered, independent learning activity where the student is basically in control of their own learning.  The teacher does not teach but the students teach themselves.  (para. 2) To facilitate blogging using the “new” pedagogy, teachers would help focus what the students are to write about and the requirements to meet the assignment.  However, blogging may not be best used in the traditional classroom during lectures and so forth.  If you asked a student to blog about a teacher’s lecture, my guess is that you would probably get some off-topic, less than stellar posts. 

Using technology in the classroom is an extremely beneficial tool to aid student learning.  With technology, students are able to teach themselves rather than just rely on a teacher’s instruction.  Every student is actively involved in the learning process.  Screencasting, collaborative editing, and blogging are all useful tools that can enhance curriculum; however, this paper has shown that it is not appropriate in every classroom setting.  As technology advances, pedagogy and learning will continue to change.  As teachers, we need to continue to learn about these advances and how to better reach our students.  Utilizing technology is an extremely powerful tool to engage students; however, we must also be cognizant that it may not always be the best form of instruction.

  

 

Social Networking in Education

The social media storm was just beginning when I was just a young, eighteen-year-old college freshman.  Mark Zuckerburg was probably still enrolled in Harvard as I was ‘friending’ cute classmates I didn’t know.  My entire college experience was documented through photos, wall posts, and private messages.  Going through the teaching program, several professors gave warning after warning about the dangers of social networking.  After graduating from college, my goal was to be virtually invisible in all aspects online to students, potential employers, and colleagues.  Now, in my second year as a graduate student in an educational technology program, my goal is to now have an online presence and have classroom activities be well-documented online.  I’m no longer ‘friending’ cute classmates but ‘following’ educational professionals. 

Darcy Mayers wrote an article for Dell’s educational blog titled, “Making Social Tools Your “Friend" ... Ideas for Streamlining the Home/School Connection.” After reading this article, I realized that social networking is no longer a taboo topic or inappropriate method of communication if used the proper way.  Social networking is just what our country is moving towards.  Tweeting with students is not only acceptable but encouraged because it promotes thinking about classroom topics outside of school.    Using social networking as an educational tool encourages responsibility, collaboration, communication, and so much more.  I had my third graders use StoryBird.  My sixth-graders worked together using Scribblar. 

Last week, I ran into my student-teaching coordinator that happened to be a huge advocate for not mixing social networking with education.  As I was sharing everything I have been experiencing in my educational technology program and ways I’ve been implementing technology into my own classes, I could see the hesitation and fear in his eyes.  There may always be educators that rebuff social tools in the classroom, but I know my students are actively engaged and learning.  Instead of handwriting a book report, students created a Fotobabble and gave voice to characters in the book. 

As social networking has matured, so have I.  It is no longer just a tool to connect with friends but a way to share and expand knowledge.  I use Twitter, LinkedIn, Delicious, Pinterest, and this blog as a method of communication and collaboration.  I’ve taken teaching suggestions from online articles, creative classroom activities from Pinterest, and attempted to develop a contact with nearby educational professionals.  I don’t believe it’s dangerous—it’s smart.  Utilizing social tools makes better teachers. Period.

Stranger Danger

As a child, my mother taught me about ‘stranger danger’ by scaring me to death.  She would tell me stories about kidnappings, rape, and murder, and I think I watched one too many Lifetime movies with her.  Even though this may be a slightly rough way to teach safety to your children, her parenting method worked.  I was completely terrified of pretty much anyone that I didn’t know; I remember on at least two different occasions where strangers approached me and I ran away.  Today, parents have an even bigger responsibility to protect their children; strangers are now able to target children in their own homes.  Internet safety is somewhat of a new conversation, but Darcy Meyers discusses the phenomenon and what parents can do to protect their children and their privacy in her blog article, “BEYOND STRANGER DANGER: Parental Control and Privacy Strategies to Protect Your Digital Child.”

Using blocks and restricting websites are an excellent way to prevent your child from viewing inappropriate websites, but Meyers insists that talking and reinforcing the danger to your children will ultimately keep them safe.  She says, “What is essential is creating and maintaining an open conversation that balances caution with fun and freedom.” Let your children or students know that they can come to you at anytime with questions.  As a parent or teacher, your first priority has to be to keep your children safe.  Even though it may be difficult or awkward to have the Internet safety conversation, it is a necessary one. 

Maybe my kooky mother wasn’t so kooky after all?

Senseless

What can I say?  Actually, what possibly can be said to console the families, ease the pain, or somehow, rectify the harm orchestrated at Sandy Hook Elementary on that chilly day in December?  There.is.nothing. Families are shattered; lives are ruined, and I think, the way we look at safety in schools has changed.  This tragedy wasn’t the result of bullying or abuse.  The victims at Sandy Hook were targeted only by matter of coincidence. 

In the aftermath of this, many have pleaded for new legislation.  Now, I’m not specifically for or against gun control.  I, personally, do not own a gun, but I respect the right given to those who do.  I believe that the right to bare arms has undoubtedly contributed to some of the violence our country sees today.  I honestly don’t believe, however, that prohibiting that right would diminish all violence in our society.  Do I think we should strip our citizens of their natural-born right?  Absolutely not, but something has to change. 

Schools are supposed to be one of the safest places for children and I suppose it still is, but after Sandy Hook, teachers, parents, and students all carry just a little chip on their shoulders.  In both schools where I’ve held teaching jobs had locked external doors – at all times.  There is a camera outside the front door and they must buzz to identify themselves before they are admitted.  Sandy Hook Elementary used this same safety regimen when allowing guests.  The fact that this didn’t protect the children or deter the gunman is quite alarming.

Something has to change.  But, what can we do? Where can we improve? How can we change?  When will this senseless violence end? 

Collaboration

If you’re like me, your stomach turns inside and you groan whenever you read that there is a “group project” on the syllabus.  I’ve always preferred to work on my own – high school, college, and even when organizing something for work.  There are many reasons why I prefer to work individually; in the past, it usually had to do with me doing most of the work anyway and another person getting a grade for it.  Going to group meetings was a pain; working with people you don’t know is a pain – basically, the whole thing gets on my nerves.  Today, while working on my Master’s Degree, it is still required in most classes that we collaborate on some assignments.  While lazy group members haven’t been a problem in this program (yay! J) it is still somewhat frustrating.  Technology issues, conflicting schedules, worrying that someone isn’t going to do their part, the list goes on…

So, why do teachers do this?  Why do teachers insist that students collaborate on assignments?  Research shows that students learn better while collaborating in a group setting.  Edutopia offers some insight to how a top-ranked college prep school incorporates collaboration into every subject.  In math class, students almost always work in groups of four to answer problems.  In English class, students in a large group sit in a circle and hold discussions.  The article shows that sitting in a circle is conducive to holding conversations because eye contact is unavoidable and everyone feels included. 

Making collaborative work focused and giving everyone a part is critical in a group’s success.  Even though it may often be frustrating, collaborating does often teach me a lot.  Not only does it teach about the content, but it also teaches me about teamwork, compromise, and responsibilities.  This is important to remember next time my stomach starts to turn.

Reaching the Unreachable

We, as teachers, have all had them but hate to admit – disinterested students that just don’t seem to care…about anything.  But, Ben Johnson discusses using technology to reach these students in his article, “Using Technology to Reach Unreachable Students.” Normally, disengaged students seem to become more interested when teachers incorporate technology into lesson plans.  An oral class discussion can be dominated by select students, but a digital conversation can include the entire class.  iPads engage students, and they tend to learn more.

I wish iPads and unlimited technology was available at my school but unfortunately, it isn’t.  We don’t have wireless Internet and time spent loading web pages is often frustrating for students (and teachers.)  In fact, I had students create an Animoto video, but the lesson didn’t work too well because the videos wouldn’t even load, and students weren’t able to see their finished product.  I want to reach the unreachable students; I want to engage them in learning, but how can I appeal to them with my less sophisticated technology?

Expanding Your Business

When you think of Britney Spears, do you automatically think of her perfume line?  Or, when you think of Tim McGraw’s accomplishments, do you think of his singing or acting career?   Many celebrities have entered into multiple different business ventures and rebranded themselves.  Teenagers today probably find it hard to believe that Jessica Simpson used to sell albums; her clothing line has earned more than one billion dollars….yes, that’s right….one billion.  However, there have been some companies and celebrities that have been unsuccessful in rebranding themselves.  Oprah is a well-known billionaire and syndicated talk show host.  Well, her television network, OWN, has been struggling since its launch in 2011.    

An article on ReadWriteThink discusses rumors that Apple will expand its empire to televisions.  However, former Apple executive, Jean-Louis Gassee, says that Apple has no intention of creating a TV.  I believe that Apple could be really successful in selling televisions.  However, they would have to come out with something new and different than other TV distributors.  Gassee says, “To realize the dream, as discussed previously, you need to put a computer—something like an Apple TV module—inside the set. Eighteen months later, as Moore's Law dictates, the computer is obsolete but the screen is just fine. No problem, you'll say, just make the computer module removable, easily replaced by a new one; more revenue for Apple ... and you're right back to today's separate box arrangement."

Basically, Apple comes out with a new phone every year.  When advancements in technology are made in phones, people want to upgrade.  New phones are fairly affordable, and people are willing to pay extra money for these features.  However, televisions are completely different.  They cost way more money, and people don’t run out and buy a new TV once a year.  To be successful in this venture, Apple would have to make upgrades affordable and worthwhile to customers.  Until they can successfully accomplish this task, I’m sure they’ll stick to phones and computers.

Common Core Standards

The Common Core is a new set of standards adopted by several states to monitor and track student progress.  These standards outline for teachers, students, and parents exactly what is to be learned and are meant to better prepare students for college and careers.  Michigan teachers should have begun training on the Common Core Standards in 2010; they should begin implementing the standards in 2012, and formal assessments of the standards will begin in 2014.

To be honest, I’ve just recently started hearing about the Common Core Standards.  Maybe it’s because I’ve worked for the past three years in a private school, but there was never any training or even discussion about these standards.   Unfortunately, the first time I heard about them was in a job interview.  Needless to say, I didn’t get that job. 

Even today, I don’t know a lot about these standards.  Even though I am a teacher in a private school, I still want to follow Michigan curriculum and ensure that my students are receiving a quality education.   On the Free Technology for Teachers website, Richard Byrne tells you about ePals’s Common Core Implementation Center.  It provides resources and teaching ideas to successfully implement these new standards into your class.  This website is a great resource to teach teachers who have less accessibility to training about the new standards.    

Parenting

I do not have any children nor am I truly ready to be a mother.  Besides the fact that I just got married, I believe I am too selfish to be a parent.  I enjoy napping, having lazy Sundays where I don’t get out of bed, and taking spur of the moment road trips.  Being a good and attentive parent means putting your child’s needs ahead of your own.  When I become a parent, I know that my napping will be greatly reduced, lazy Sundays will be nonexistent, and I’ll have to trade in my spontaneity for a balanced routine. 

Maurice Elia wrote an article on Edutopia titled, “Parents: Make Bedtime a Social-Emotional Moment with Your Kids.” She discusses the importance for both parents and children to have a special bonding time before bed.  This time should be spent reading, reflect on your day, and generally, just calm down.  When I read this article, it really showed me the type of parent I want to be.  I want to be a parent that promotes the social-emotional development of my children.  Life can get so chaotically busy; it is so important to have a designated time spent together.   

Partnerships

Ah…………conflict.  Everyone has them and it is often awkward and uncomfortable to be forced into a conflict with the parent of one of your students.  When a teacher is faced with this, it tends to be a reaction to defend yourself.  In Mark Phillip’s article on Edutopia, “Parents and Teachers: Turning Conflicts into Partnerships,” he discusses a simulation activity he had teacher interns complete that required them to converse with Filipino parents that were concerned that their children weren’t receiving enough individualized attention.  Teacher interns took two approaches to dealing with these concerned parents: many attempted to explain their teaching rationale while others focused on listening to the parents’ concerns.  While it is almost an innate response to defend your teaching style, most parents just want to feel that they are being heard and understood. 

Teachers and parents need to be partners in promoting their child’s learning.  There always needs to be constant communication so both parties know what is going on.  If something happens at school that affects a child, the parents need to be notified and vice versa.  Phillips also provides other resources to check out that help with communication between teachers and parents. 

Day Dreamer

John Paul Titlow discusses the change in music in his article, “New Apps Show the Music Education Revolution is Just Getting Started.”  I think everyone knew that with the creation of online music pirating, ahem….Napster, that the way music is communicated would be forever changed.  It’s been about a decade since then and music technology is only developing at a more rapid rate.

Music education is now available online, via SoundSlice – which allows guitar-learners to watch YouTube videos to learn tabs.  Children can essentially teach themselves with the help of this app.  Music education students are also able to communicate with a teacher over Skype.  This is a transformative approach to teaching and learning to play music. 

I particularly think this is an awesome approach to learning music because I have quite the embarrassing/horror story on my quest to play a musical instrument.  In fifth grade, I decided to pick up playing the trumpet in the band.  Man, I really loved it and was pretty darn good at it…..if I must say so myself.  However, I was forced to give it up because I had some sort of allergic reaction to the metal on the trumpet.  Literally, it looked like I had a football in my mouth. 

So, I switched to the percussion.  I was given this little starter drum and the xylophone.  The xylophone was so tricky, and I never figured it out.  Needless to say, I dropped out of band that year.  Maybe, if I was able to work on the craft in the comfort of my home with some YouTube assistance, my xylophone skills maybe would have improved.  Who knows?  Instead of pursuing educational technology, I could be pursuing music education or even better, a Grammy. J   

The Art of Teaching

I could really relate to Shira Loewenstein’s article, “Mentorship: Teaching the Teachers,” because she explains an itch that teachers go through after they develop stability in their career.  When I became a teacher, I always knew that I would have to continue to develop my education, and although it wasn’t especially attractive to me, it also didn’t deter me from entering this profession.  Once I got settled in my first teaching job, I immediately wanted to go back to school; it wasn’t necessarily the “itch” she describes, but it was a longing of sorts to advance my education.

All throughout college, I wanted to be an English teacher.  English was my major, and business education was my minor.  To be honest, I thoroughly enjoyed my business classes, but I never actually thought I’d teach it.  I student-taught in an English classroom and had an unofficial long-term substitute position teaching English.  However, that is where my English teacher experience ends.  Since spring 2009, I have been teaching consistently as a business teacher. 

After a semester in my first permanent teaching job, I knew that I loved teaching business and wanted to develop my education in that area.  So, I went back to CMU for a semester to become vocationally certified and make my business minor a major.  Then, I began this Master’s program in January to develop my career even more. 

As Loewenstein says, “Teaching is a craft – an art form – that needs to be practiced and perfected.” This is why continuing education is so important.  I know that I know more now about pedagogy than I did when I first graduated college in 2008.  I also know that I’ll know more in five years.  This is what thoughtful and dedicated teachers do – they continue to develop their ‘craft.’ 

Cyber Monday

“The need for cash will be around for a long time, but over time it's likely to become the exception rather than the rule.”

This quote was taken from Michael Singer’s article on the ReadWrite Web, Paying It Forward - Online And Mobile Style.  Today, we’ve become so dependent on technology for making purchases, handling our money, and managing our finances.  I no longer even get a paycheck because it directly deposits into my bank account.  If I want to see it, I have a voucher that I can view online.  I can pay all of my bills online, and shopping online is very easy.  Customer service is becoming obsolete; with pay-at-the-pump and self-checkout, there’s hardly interaction between a sales clerk and a customer. 

It is a rarity for me to carry cash; I maybe have only a few dollars on me every few weeks.  I use my debit card for everything and nearly every place accepts credit.  You can even swipe a debit card to buy a Coke from the pop machine.  However, last week, I went to pay for my dog’s stay at a kennel and was quite flabbergasted when they told me they didn’t accept credit cards. 

Online money management is a method to simplifying handling cash.  It is easier; I no longer have to carry a massive wallet and worry about dropping cash.  This form of technology is only going to become more user-friendly and common over time.  I’m sure they’ll develop even easier methods to make purchases. 

Good Deals

I always like a good deal.  If I can save a certain percentage, I seem to always be able to justify spending on something.  Now, I’m not a crazy coupon lady or anything; I’m more like an Internet- junkie-website-enroller-for-discounts type of lady.  I love to sign-up to receive e-mails for different stores because usually, they’ll always send you a 15-20% off coupon just for enrolling with periodic coupons after that.  Now, my inbox gets sort of crowded sometimes.  During the week, I always have my e-mail open and I enjoy going through the different offers from stores.  However, if I find that I’m not getting what I want out of the e-mails (ahem…coupons, sales promotions, etc.) then I discontinue them.  At the bottom of the e-mail, there is a tiny, tiny button that is usually faded grey that says, “Unsubscribe.”  When you click this button, you’ll be able to adjust your settings to how often you receive e-mails from this business.  If you opt-out, the e-mails will no longer come.  Simple as that.  I do this once every few months to prevent too much of a good thing in my e-mail. 

In an article on ReadWriteThink, Robyn Tippins discusses the same sort of issue in her article, “How to Keep Marketing E-Mails from Drowing Your Inbox.”  However, she offers a different solution.  Swizzle is an online service that scans your inbox for commercial e-mails. 

Just as I clicked on this website, I was thinking how unnecessary it was, but its careful ploy really intrigues the customer.  Is it free?  Will it weed out what I want from what I don’t need?  Then, I click on the total game changer – it gives you the top promotional deals from various companies. This is something I can get used to.  I decide that I do want to sign up, but it doesn’t support my e-mail provider.  Psh…some things are too good to be true. 

Create an "I Can" Culture

My first teaching job was at a private school where the teachers complained about students that wanted additional homework and a bigger challenge.  Yes, that was our biggest problem.  The students wanted good grades, but even more than that, the students wanted to be successful.  Nearly everyone wanted to be a doctor and everyone wanted to get into a top university.  I didn’t realize how lucky I was until I began a new teaching job at a new school.  I just took it for granted that students want to learn.  Now, if I mention college to a senior, they just shrug their shoulders and mutter something about community college under their breath. 

The biggest difference between these two groups of students is the culture in which they’ve been raised.  In my old school, students were held to a high standard by their parents, teachers – everyone.  College representatives were constantly coming to visit the students; college and scholarship applications were always readily available, and these students knew they had options.  My current students need to know that they are capable of achieving more.  A culture needs to be created that forces these students to realize just how important college choices are. 

Edutopia featured an article titled, “Creating a Culture of ‘Can,’” which discussed the different ways to create enabled learners.  Students must learn and truly understand they can.  Heick says, “Can is a mix of knowledge and self-efficacy that has been nurtured through experience – by consistently meeting both internally and externally created goals judged by standards that are also both internally and externally drawn.” I now realize that my new teaching job doesn’t just require teaching – I must create a diverse classroom culture that promotes independence, collaboration, and success. 

Thankful

I have two students that greet me every single day when they come into my classroom and thank me when they exit.  When the school year first started, I sort of brushed these students off thinking they were just being polite.  Strangely enough, these two students are sisters.  At parent-teacher conferences, I spoke with their parents and told them how polite and respectful their daughters are because they are the only students to ever thank me when they leave.  Then, the parents of these two students told me something I’d never considered – they are thankful to have me as a teacher, to be learning, and to be in my classroom. Up until this year, these students were home-schooled.  The girls spent quite an amount of time convincing their parents that they should go to school, rather than be home-schooled.  These girls are not only polite but actually want to be in school. 

An article appeared on Edutopia called, “Thank a Student.”    Sometimes, we get so caught up in our everyday life that we forget to be truly appreciative.  Once these students’ parents told me how grateful the girls were to be in school, it made me appreciate them that much more.  Provenzano says, “Not only do teachers feel underappreciated, but students feel this way, too.”  This is so important in developing a relationship with students.  It is important to show our students that we are grateful to have them in our class.    

FIRE UP Chips!

Okay, I admit it – I’m a tad unnerved.  That’s an understatement, actually.  I’m extremely appalled and disturbed.  As a Central Michigan alumni, teacher, and CMU educational technology graduate student, I think it is only natural to have a reaction to the charges brought against our former professor.  Since I first heard the news, so many emotions have passed through my body – denial, confusion, and anger – just to name a few.  I feel betrayed and I never even met the man in person; I absolutely cannot imagine how his family must feel. 

I began thinking.  How can a man, so educated and successful in his career, just sneak through the cracks for so long?  How can a 58-year-old man who has worked in education for several years only now screw up so badly?  Is it possible that he woke up one morning two-weeks-ago and just suddenly downloaded all of this inappropriate, graphic material? I.highly.doubt.it.

In document written by the Geneva, Illinois Police Department regarding Internet safety, characteristics of an online predator are college graduate, computer savvy, successful careers, and the list goes on.  If those are the characteristics of a predator, than whom can we trust? These monsters do not wear scary masks or hold signs that say, “Danger,” but instead look like everyone else.    This man taught teachers how to be better teachers.  He was a tenured professor in what many consider a prestigious teaching program and university.  

My feelings of betrayal, I admit, stem from my own selfish inadequacies.  Will the fallout of one man’s actions affect all of us?  By that, I mean, will a degree from CMU’s teaching program lose value and will students not want to attend CMU because of this negative publicity?  I can’t help but feel that my Master’s Degree will come a bit tarnished. 

After the Penn State scandal, reports showed in April 2012, 14 percent less students had committed to PSU than at the same time the previous year.  There is really no comparison between these two events; undoubtedly what happened at Penn State was way worse.  At least one man did sickening things and from there, a long chain of cover-ups and “turn-the-other-cheeks” happened.  From what I have read, all of CMU personnel acted in a professional manner regarding this.  Everyone had a strong sense of urgency and handled the situation appropriately; within hours of finding the evidence, this professor was suspended.

That is what I need to remember when I proudly hang my Central Michigan University degree in the frame.  This professor was only one man, and CMU is a university filled with excellent teachers.   I will not think of his action but only about the reaction of the CMU employees involved in this terrible incidence.  That, alone, is enough to make me proud to be a Chippewa.   

The Bubble

Fredric Paul wrote an interesting article about the new Blackberry 10.  While smart phone after smart phone has been released, the Blackberry 10 has waited to release the new phone until the first few weeks of 2013.  While that doesn’t seem like a long wait to some, it apparently is an eternity for avid smart phone users.  Paul believes that the Blackberry 10 will flop because comparable smart phones have already been released with equitable features.  Personally, I don’t think that the release date is the problem.  The problem is that I, and probably a lot of other people, didn’t even hear about or even know that a new Blackberry was coming out.

Marketing.  It’s a pretty simple idea that has a tremendous impact on companies, products, and sales.  Apple does a fantastic job marketing its products; they create a movie trailer for every iPhone that comes out.  It is always a top story on the news when a new product is coming out.  Why does it seem like the Blackberry 10 is a well-kept secret?  There are many new features that are attractive to users, and I remember when the Blackberry was the “it smart phone” to have.  If I were in the marketing department of this company, I would be shouting from the rooftops about the new Blackberry.  But, I don’t work for this company and according to Paul, the Blackberry 10 is doomed. 

Has anyone heard anything about this release?  I didn’t think I lived in a bubble, but maybe I do?

Friends don't let Friends Text and Drive

At some point or other, we’ve all been guilty of it probably.  I know many that are guilty of it every day.  Even before the “No text while driving” law passed in the state of Michigan, I avoided texting while driving.  I knew that it was dangerous and could potentially cause an accident.  In Adam Popescu’s article on Read Write Web, he claims, “Distracted driving killed more than 3,000 Americans in 2010,” and “Last year 11% of all U.S. crashes were attributed to cell phone use.” Those are scary statistics. 

The fact is that texting while driving is extremely hazardous to yourself and those in other vehicles around you.   I honestly love to talk on the phone while driving.  I do not believe that it impairs my attention or reaction time – too much.  If you’re not talking on the phone, you’re adjusting the radio or reaching for something in your purse.  Unfortunately, we live in a world where everyone is a distracted driver.  Why is it that we’re bored when we’re driving?

Probably most people who text while driving have experienced ‘close calls.’  I label a ‘close call’ as a near-accident situation, a veer while driving, or pretty much anything that makes your heart race a little bit.  Experiencing a close call, for me, was enough to make me not text while driving – ever.  Why don’t other people who experience close calls learn their lesson?  Does it take an accident or even a death to make you realize that a text just isn’t worth it?