Blog Post #3

Peer Editing
The videos gave me a different outlook on how to properly peer edit another classmate's blog. I was unaware that I should be leaving a detailed comment; including everything the peer did correctly and incorrectly. It is a great feeling to be praised on what you did right or what another person enjoyed about your post. In saying that, it is very important that you are positive throughout the entire post and assist the person on the correct help necessary.
The videos and slideshow provided for EDM 310 to watch are as followed: What is Peer Editing?, Peer Edit with Perfection Tutorial and Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes. Each one was extremely helpful in its own way. In all of the videos, each referred to editing on paper, not in a blog. So it makes it difficult to follow some of the tips like signs and signals for certain mistakes. My favorite video was Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes. I thought it was very original and super cute; of course everything is cuter with children, though!

Assistive Technologies
Even though I knew that there are those who cannot see or hear in everyday classroom and there is a certain way to teach them, I never really knew how to teach them. I am very grateful for these videos because not only have they stated the issues that are present in today's classroom, from them not being able to participate in group projects to understanding the concept of numbers, but also what we are future teachers can use and do to help. With the Mountbatten video, they showcased a machine, think of it as an intelligent type writer, that creates each letter in braille as it is telling the student what they have typed. It addressed the issue that many blind students face in that they cannot write an essay, make list or notes in the classroom.
If a teacher cannot read braille, then they do not know where the child stands academically. This remarkable technology will allow blind students to be more included into the class by being able to write essays and be a part of "peer group projects." The machine also translates the braille into written words on another computer screen so that the teacher can see their performance on paper and have proof of what they know and what they need to work on. While this machine helps for a child to spell and write for language, there is another in San Francisco that is hard at work with the most difficult subject for the blind which is math.

Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts

Vicki Davis discusses in her video, Harness Your Students' Digital Smarts, that students need to be self-taught and explore the virtual world for themselves. That way they get a sense of empowerment when they accomplish something or figure it out. They are most likely to remember that, versus when a teacher is just lecturing about it. I found it to be a pleasant surprise that I just began following Vicki's twitter today! I cannot wait to see what other great advice she has to give.
I personally wish I grew up in a classroom like Vicki Davis demonstrated in her video. It is so important for students to stay up-to-date with the increases in technology, and it is vital they learn to use it in the classroom. I would have especially loved creating the Avatar world she explained in her video. Allowing her students to have fun while learning was extremely important to her. As a future middle or high school special; education teacher, I want to do my best to capture the attention of students each day in my classroom. By standing at the front of the room lecturing with them taking notes with a pencil and paper on what I say is not the type of classroom environment I want to establish especially with SPED children.