After reading "a plague of tics" I was pretty much speechless. I thought the whole story was so interesting in how the author made it feel so real that you were almost inside of his head. He let you get inside of his head as a child with all of those tics and what went on. His brain always telling him to go lick a light switch or say something outloud. That would be aweful going through school all those years and doing those tics; not only were they the same tics from the previous year but they also deveolped into different ones.
It made me made that during the whole time the parents just seemed to ignore his tics. They would get mad at him sometimes but for the most part they turned a cheeck to it. Whenever a teacher would come to the house to talk about his behaviors and tics, his mother would be a charmer and offer them drinks and stories to make the teacher understand that it wasnt his fault and to not hold him late or back at all.
It didnt talk about his parents trying to get him help at all! How could you let your chid go through with all of that without checking with a doctor if there was anything you could do to help him. In college when he started to smoke all of his tics went away! That was crazy to me how something like smoking could subdue all of the tics. It was a weird and crazy ending to a great story. It just bothered me how his parents didnt take him to any doctors or anything to see if they could help him.
Overall a really interesting story that onced I started the first page I couldnt stop. The author did a really detailed job of letting the readers inside of his head as a child that suffered these tics growing up.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Narrowing Argument
1. The question I am trying to find out and pose is if now-a-days we are focusing too much on high-stakes testing scores or if we are not preparing future students enough for the global economy which includes using technology well and always advancing. Government will cut funds to schools that dont test well and will give grants to ones that are doing really well.
2. We need technology in order to improve students scores and have better ways to teach students with disabilities. Also, technology is a key part of classrooms and classroom instruction today. We should be giving the grants to the schools that are not scoring well in order to provide more up to date technology.
3. That from my point of view high-stakes testing are test like the PSSA's, SAT's and GED's. These test are high stakes because there is a lot of value place on this one test. For example, I was 6th in my class and never missed a day in high school and was a striaght A student but I messed up my SAT's a little and Pitt didnt accept me into their school. The issue is that we are cutting the funding to these schools and then eventually closing them and then making them go into a new school. This is making things hard on students and making it difficult to stay current in school and their grades suffer. We need to give funding to schools in need and show them new current methods and technologies to teach their students better. Scores shouldnt have the final say in anything.
4. I still want to find out more stat's about high stakes testing scores and more ways to have a better option to find out what students know than those test. Also, the technologies that are new and up to date that can help students learn information better. Technologies such as: smart boards, projectors, computers,tv and different software that is available. I really want to see the different options to high-stakes testing that are available for students to take.
5. That these schools that are not doing well dont deserve grants and the schools that are doing well should be rewarded and given these grants. Also, that technology will not help these students in any way it all depends on the students and their abilities. High-stakes testing is the best way to get accurate scores of what students have learned and where to be placed.
6. Educational Technology- The development of a Concept
Catching Up or Leading the Way
2. We need technology in order to improve students scores and have better ways to teach students with disabilities. Also, technology is a key part of classrooms and classroom instruction today. We should be giving the grants to the schools that are not scoring well in order to provide more up to date technology.
3. That from my point of view high-stakes testing are test like the PSSA's, SAT's and GED's. These test are high stakes because there is a lot of value place on this one test. For example, I was 6th in my class and never missed a day in high school and was a striaght A student but I messed up my SAT's a little and Pitt didnt accept me into their school. The issue is that we are cutting the funding to these schools and then eventually closing them and then making them go into a new school. This is making things hard on students and making it difficult to stay current in school and their grades suffer. We need to give funding to schools in need and show them new current methods and technologies to teach their students better. Scores shouldnt have the final say in anything.
4. I still want to find out more stat's about high stakes testing scores and more ways to have a better option to find out what students know than those test. Also, the technologies that are new and up to date that can help students learn information better. Technologies such as: smart boards, projectors, computers,tv and different software that is available. I really want to see the different options to high-stakes testing that are available for students to take.
5. That these schools that are not doing well dont deserve grants and the schools that are doing well should be rewarded and given these grants. Also, that technology will not help these students in any way it all depends on the students and their abilities. High-stakes testing is the best way to get accurate scores of what students have learned and where to be placed.
6. Educational Technology- The development of a Concept
Catching Up or Leading the Way
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Ha ha he said Ha ha
This article was really interesting to me because I have never took the time to think about these laugh tracks that are on some sitcoms. I do watch Two and a Half Men, Seinfeld, and Friends along with other comedies.
When Chuck Klosterman wrote about who was actually laughing during these shows was really weird and interesting. I watch Seinfeld almost everyday and when he said that we are probably laughing along with dead people it struck me as odd. I wonder how old and where these laugh tracks came from. Do they update them at all? When it is filmed in front of a live audience, do they become the new laugh track? Overall, I really found this part in the article interesting.
Another part he talked about was that Americans laugh at different times than do the German people. Americans use a laugh to fill some awkward moment or just to fill a conversation. Klosterman said that we have three different laughs: a fake laugh, a real laugh and filler laugh. This part was really relevant to me because my girl friend tells me often that I have a fake laugh. She can tell when I am really not laughing but feel like I should laugh so I do. Doesn't everyone do that?
I feel like it doesn't matter to me if a show has these laugh tracks or not. Even when the author said people laugh when these tracks go off and join them so they feel like they get the joke. But, for me if I don't get the joke I am not going to laugh just because others are. I will laugh at things I find funny not because I should get a certain joke.
Lastly, I am a huge MASH fan as I have confessed before and I was glad to see that MASH starting to not use the laugh tracks when they were in the surgery scenes. They even stopped it at the last of there seasons so now I will have to take a look and this gives me a reason to watch them all again!
Finally to leave this blog post on a good note! This is one of my funniest clips...I don't know why but my high school friends thought this was hilarious and I still laugh every time I see this.
When Chuck Klosterman wrote about who was actually laughing during these shows was really weird and interesting. I watch Seinfeld almost everyday and when he said that we are probably laughing along with dead people it struck me as odd. I wonder how old and where these laugh tracks came from. Do they update them at all? When it is filmed in front of a live audience, do they become the new laugh track? Overall, I really found this part in the article interesting.
Another part he talked about was that Americans laugh at different times than do the German people. Americans use a laugh to fill some awkward moment or just to fill a conversation. Klosterman said that we have three different laughs: a fake laugh, a real laugh and filler laugh. This part was really relevant to me because my girl friend tells me often that I have a fake laugh. She can tell when I am really not laughing but feel like I should laugh so I do. Doesn't everyone do that?
I feel like it doesn't matter to me if a show has these laugh tracks or not. Even when the author said people laugh when these tracks go off and join them so they feel like they get the joke. But, for me if I don't get the joke I am not going to laugh just because others are. I will laugh at things I find funny not because I should get a certain joke.
Lastly, I am a huge MASH fan as I have confessed before and I was glad to see that MASH starting to not use the laugh tracks when they were in the surgery scenes. They even stopped it at the last of there seasons so now I will have to take a look and this gives me a reason to watch them all again!
Finally to leave this blog post on a good note! This is one of my funniest clips...I don't know why but my high school friends thought this was hilarious and I still laugh every time I see this.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Researching Educational Technology
This topic has a vast amount of resources and articles. What I really am after is the stance that technology is a positive thing in the classroom. Even if schools have limited resources and limited availability to technology, even the limited time will help and have a positive impact on the students. Some will disagree and say that there is too much technology used in the classroom these days but I am not taking this stance.
As everyone should, I will be not only using the library's books and printed material but also their vast inter web and web based searches that are provided for our uses. I particularly like the EBSCO host search. I have looked at some articles that I found while searching "Educational Technology" and "Assistive Technology". These look like they are going to be very helpful in my research of this particular topic. Also, I plan to interview a couple more teachers to get their take on this impact of technology use in classrooms and how they stand about it.
Even if you are not interested in becoming a teacher, I think that everyone should be aware of the technologies that are being used in classrooms today. Students are going to be the future and I look forward to teaching students with the most up-to-date technologies of the day. Technology use in the classrooms are here to stay and will help out everyone.
http://www.teachersnetwork.org/ntol/howto/incorptech/index.htm
Look under " Other articles on using new technologies to reinforce instruction"
As everyone should, I will be not only using the library's books and printed material but also their vast inter web and web based searches that are provided for our uses. I particularly like the EBSCO host search. I have looked at some articles that I found while searching "Educational Technology" and "Assistive Technology". These look like they are going to be very helpful in my research of this particular topic. Also, I plan to interview a couple more teachers to get their take on this impact of technology use in classrooms and how they stand about it.
Even if you are not interested in becoming a teacher, I think that everyone should be aware of the technologies that are being used in classrooms today. Students are going to be the future and I look forward to teaching students with the most up-to-date technologies of the day. Technology use in the classrooms are here to stay and will help out everyone.
http://www.teachersnetwork.org/ntol/howto/incorptech/index.htm
Look under " Other articles on using new technologies to reinforce instruction"
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Annotated Bibliography
Horejsi, Martin. "Making Technology Inclusive." Science & Children. November/December 2003: 20-24
The author goes into detail and explains the different assistive technology categories. The categories are: Input devices, output devices, and software. After giving a little description about each of the categories in their separate paragraphs, the author gives examples of each. For example, trackball, micromouse, and touchscreens are different types of input devices. This article does a great job at showing future teachers ways to integrate these new technologies into their classroom to provide an equal learning experience for all students. Students deserve the same opportunities as the others, so this was a great way to get this information out to future teachers and educators.
I was able to learn many things from this article. Wouldn't you as a student want different technologies at your disposal to ensure you are learning to your strength? Being aware of different and new technologies that are going to level the playing field is a great thing for teachers to be exposed to. I hope that everyone can take a lesson out of this article and always be searching for new technologies that will help students learn better.
The author goes into detail and explains the different assistive technology categories. The categories are: Input devices, output devices, and software. After giving a little description about each of the categories in their separate paragraphs, the author gives examples of each. For example, trackball, micromouse, and touchscreens are different types of input devices. This article does a great job at showing future teachers ways to integrate these new technologies into their classroom to provide an equal learning experience for all students. Students deserve the same opportunities as the others, so this was a great way to get this information out to future teachers and educators.
I was able to learn many things from this article. Wouldn't you as a student want different technologies at your disposal to ensure you are learning to your strength? Being aware of different and new technologies that are going to level the playing field is a great thing for teachers to be exposed to. I hope that everyone can take a lesson out of this article and always be searching for new technologies that will help students learn better.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Attached to Technology and Paying a Price
My overall feeling of this article was about how much technology took over the lives of the Campbell family. I couldn't believe how much they were into technology, I mean everyone loves new technology and being on Facebook and checking their e-mails but they let it take over their lives.
Technology is how Mr. Campbell makes his living but his children and wife are not as bad as him but still pretty addicted to technology. His wife has burned cookies and his son's grades are getting worse and worse and they believe it is because of all the technology he has and how it distracts him. Luckly, they set up only a hour of unmonitiored free time for their daughter and that is the time she is using her technology.
I was suprised about the research that was presented in this article. For example, how people check their e-mail or change screens 37 times in a hour. Also, about how multitaskers where having a hard time not looking at the blue triangles because they couldnt not look at them when they were on the screen. They were shown to be less efficient at juggling problems which was really important.
This article shows how addicted people are becoming to technology. Spending vacation time on the new Ipad instead of being with their families and doing activities with them. I can understand why people love technology but I guess I can't ever see myself letting technology get in the way of my wife and children. Whenever I have a wife and children I will devote myself to being the best I can for them and not for technology.
Technology is how Mr. Campbell makes his living but his children and wife are not as bad as him but still pretty addicted to technology. His wife has burned cookies and his son's grades are getting worse and worse and they believe it is because of all the technology he has and how it distracts him. Luckly, they set up only a hour of unmonitiored free time for their daughter and that is the time she is using her technology.
I was suprised about the research that was presented in this article. For example, how people check their e-mail or change screens 37 times in a hour. Also, about how multitaskers where having a hard time not looking at the blue triangles because they couldnt not look at them when they were on the screen. They were shown to be less efficient at juggling problems which was really important.
This article shows how addicted people are becoming to technology. Spending vacation time on the new Ipad instead of being with their families and doing activities with them. I can understand why people love technology but I guess I can't ever see myself letting technology get in the way of my wife and children. Whenever I have a wife and children I will devote myself to being the best I can for them and not for technology.
Who I Am
My name is Bryan Kirsch and I am a Junior here at IUP. I am majoring in Elementary Education. I am from North East, Pennsylvania, where grapes and sports take over life. Welch's even have a factory right in the middle of our town. I live surround by grapes and only about a mile from Lake Erie.
I love sports, I grew up playing baseball, basketball and football. Whenever I get a chance to play them with my friends I take advantage of it. Other than sports my other main hobbie is working out. I work out everyday for at least an hour. I love out door activities that include: hiking, fishing and hunting.
I love the summer and the sun! I will live somewhere where it is sunny and hot all year long. I don't like this snow business one bit. I enjoy laying out on a beach, as I said I live a mile away from Lake Erie, so whenever I am not working in the summer one can find me either on the beach or the golf course.
That is a little more about who I am.
I love sports, I grew up playing baseball, basketball and football. Whenever I get a chance to play them with my friends I take advantage of it. Other than sports my other main hobbie is working out. I work out everyday for at least an hour. I love out door activities that include: hiking, fishing and hunting.
I love the summer and the sun! I will live somewhere where it is sunny and hot all year long. I don't like this snow business one bit. I enjoy laying out on a beach, as I said I live a mile away from Lake Erie, so whenever I am not working in the summer one can find me either on the beach or the golf course.
That is a little more about who I am.
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