International School Blogs

The first international school blog I found was titled The All New Traill Blog Campus Site. This blog was a site for the entire Traill International School, not just specific classes. This blog was created as a place for students and teachers to share their work and achievements. While visiting this blog you can find updates on sport activities, you-tube post, club information, podcast, post and download homework, and so much more. The Traill International School's main plan is to have a blog for each class that is offered in their curriculum. If you would like to visit the school blog and explore for yourself, please go to: http://traillschoolblogs.com/.





The second blog that I found was the Shu Ren International School Blog. This site provides parents, students, faculty, and visitors with information about the school in general, events going on, and so much more. ON the blog, it also provides you with a link to the original school website. This blog gives information about admissions, adult classes, after school programs, facilities, faculty, press coverage, programs, summer camps, staff, and uncategorized stuff. Some of the posts are titled Join Us On Facebook, Winter After School Classes, Shu Ren Featured on Local Websites, and Open House This Week. If you would like to visit this blog, go to: http://shurenschool.wordpress.com/.

Blogs in K-12 Classrooms

The first classroom blog in the U.S. that I found was Mrs. Newingham's third grade class blog. As the teacher, Mrs. Newingham updates the site with new information regarding the achievement and status of her class. This blog is used for students' friends and family to keep up with what is going on in the classroom. As you explore this site you can find the daily schedule of the class, class activites, weekly newsletters, teacher resources, classroom celebrations, field trips, and so much more. This teacher uses this site for a way to let parents know what is going on in the classroom on a day to day bases. If you would like to view this site please visit: http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/alberyhome.htm.


The second blog that I found was Mr. Jason Parker's fifth grade science class from Salem Elementary School. He uses the blog to address his students' parents. This blog provides a way for parents to keep up and know what is going on in their child's class without having to contact the teacher everyday. Mr. Parker also post podcast for parents and pictures for them to view and see how their child is interacting in the classroom setting. He also provides links to other class blogs so that parents can visit other classes as well. There is also a place for views to subscribe to RSS feeds from the blog on new entries or comments. If you would like to visit this blog please visit: web2.burke.k12.nc.us/blogs/jparker.

The Fischbowl Video

After viewing the video from Fischbowl, I am not surprised but overwhelmed about how the technology has produced over the years. When I was in middle school, I never even had a cellphone, I used a computer maybe once a week, and myspace wasn't even a website. Although I have known that technology has increased over time, I had no idea to what extent it has been updated. I wasn't able to have a cellphone until I was sixteen and even at that age I still didn't use text messaging. In today's times you see an eight or ten year old with a cellphone, but that is where technology has led us.
In my houseold growing up, I didn't spend my time on the phone, computer, or playing gaming systems, I was enjoying the outdoors. I believe that within the last year I have used more technology than I did the other eighteen years of my life. Today it is uncommon for someone not to own a computer. It is hard to look back and see how I made it without google giving me all the answers, facebook connecting me to my friends, email that connects me with my teachers, and the internet in general. I believe that in the years to come, we will have transformed into a technological based world in all aspects of our lives. One question that comes to me is, what will my classroom be like when I start teaching? Will I be teaching via internet? Will there be no need for paper? Or will we be to the point where there is no such thing as an educator because will we be entirly depended on the world wide web?

Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide

The Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide (ACCESS) Program was developed by the Alabama Department of Education to implement distance learning. The Department of Education provides this program to give high school students the opportunities to participate in Advanced Placement (AP), elective, and other courses which may not be offered to them in a regular classroom. These technological courses take place during regular school hours in an ACCESS lab available in the school. The instruction for these courses will take place through web-based programs, face-to-face instruction via internet, and real time videoconferencing (IVC). IVC is a two way audio and two way video instruction that provides students with immediate feedback The objectives for ACCESS are to provide access to: Advanced Diploma Courses, Additional Course Offerings, Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment/Credit Courses, Remediation and Supplemental Resources, Teachers with Multimedia and Technology tools to enhance instruction, and Leverage Existing Resources and Distance Learning Offerings.
In order to visit this site, go to http://accessdl.state.al.us. When you reach the website, at the top of the page you will find eight different tabs in which you can access information from. The tabs consists of About ACCESS, Courses, Students, Educators, Parents, Contact Us, Help, and Resources. This site is not just for the Department of Education to visit. This website is to help parents, students, and educators to better understand all aspects of the Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide Program. On this website, you can also find a list of high schools that have operating ACCESS labs, the plan for 2007-2010, the goals that have been met in the past years, and where they plan to expand the ACCESS labs to. There is also a powerpoint available at http://accessdl.state.al.us/showaccess.php?Ink=aboutaccess. I think this website will be helpful and useful to me as a future educator because the technological world is our future. This site gives us a glimpse at what the educational field will become. I also find it useful to help me inform my future students and their parents of the highest opportunities our education department has to offer.

Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX)

The Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX) is a resource provided online to teachers, students, administrators, and parents in the state of Alabama. On this website you will find access to a number of topics helpful for everyone involved in the education field. ALEX provides access to lesson plans, state standards, and web links to connect you to other helpful information. The Alabama Learning Exchange also provides you with your own personal workplace and a search engine tool for easy access to information throughout the ALEX database. Also available on the site are links to information on professional learning and distance learning.

The Alabama Learning Exchange is a helpful online source for veteran and new educators. It is a reference for all educators to turn to if they need important information. I feel like I can go to this website to find accountable lesson plans and educating activities for my classroom. ALEX is a site that connects you to different subject matters and topics by just visiting this one site. Searching on the web can be time consuming and as educators, our time is valuable. By connecting to ALEX you can have a large amount of information on one site. I believe that this is a way to connect teachers and administrators throughout the state of Alabama and it is a good resource to access to. For anyone that would like to visit the Alabama Learning Exchange website you can go to: http://alex.state.al.us. Anyone who is going into or is already participating in the education field will enjoy and appreciate this site. This is an effective tool for the state of Alabama's education department and is useful for many educators.

A Little Bit About Me

My name is Kendra Leigh Hill and I am nineteen years old. I was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, which is one of the reasons why I attend the University of South Alabama. I have lived in the same house all my life and I don't plan to move out until I graduate college. I have a brother who is five years older than me. I also have a niece who is four and a nephew who is three, they are adorable. I am an Elementary Education major and this is my second semester at South. My first year of college I spent at Faulkner State Community College, where I was on a softball scholarship. I decided to transfer early due to the excessive amount of classes I took during my first year. Some of my hobbies include softball, fishing, hunting, golf, basically anything outdoors, reading, and spending time with my friends and family. I also have a toy Yorkshire Terrier named Jersey. There is never a dull moment with him around. These are a few things about myself and I look forward to more posts.

Welcome To My Blog

Hello my name is Kendra Hill and I would like to welcome you to my blog. This is my first blog I have ever used so I hope you enjoy it!!!!!