PLN 25

I read an article called "Keeping up;U Spk Txt?". The what mattered in this article was how texting is so popular in our society today. It was saying how many people use texting now and days. One really popular device used for texting is the Black Berry or sometimes known as "The Crack Berry" becuase it is such an adictive piece of technology.

This article really related to me becuase I am constantly texting people and think it is a great way to communicate. Whether I am texting my mom to let her know where I am, or texting a friend to see what the latest plans are I am always using texting to talk to people. I probably text people more than actually calling them. It's just so much quicker and easier.

This relates to the world because our use in technology is spreading so much and texting is just another example of that. All over the world people use texting and it is really popular.

PLN 24

I read an article called “Why are kids failing?” by Mrs. Davis which was very relevant to me and most of my classes. The thing that mattered in this blog was obviously why are so many students getting bad grades, even with so many opportunities to excel?! Even though I’m only a student and not the teacher who has to deal with these students and write down the grade in a grade book, I’m still pretty puzzled by this.

This relates to me because in almost all of my classes I have had my teacher give the whole class lectures on how poor some kids are doing and how they really need to bring up their grades, but it just doesn’t seem to get through to anyone! I honestly think that kids are just lazy and so oblivious to the harm they are doing to their high school career. One of my friends was or maybe still is failing all of her classes and said to me “did you know that if you fail a class you don’t get credits? You have to like retake that class! Uh-oh I had not idea.” I knew this and that’s why I try so hard to keep my grades up and good. I wonder if a lot of these kids are like my friend, they don’t even know what the consequences are going to be like…maybe they do and just don’t care. Whatever the reason I don’t think there is any excuse not to keep your grades at least a C level.

This relates to the world, mainly in schools because I’m sure that other students are failing classes too, its obviously not just Arapahoe! But teachers give their students so many opportunities to get help and even make up the work they have missed and some people just don’t want to pass their grade I guess. Every time I see a junior or even a sophomore in my class I kind of feel bad for them, but then again it was their choice to do bad the previous year, that encourages me sometime to do good in class because I don’t want to have to retake a freshman class all over again, and I definitely don’t want to have to go to school in the summer!

PLN week-12 PLN-23

For my PLN I read an article called "Math in life" by James H. who was a teacher who was also a little concerned about what things are really that necessary to teach in math. He was thinking about what else could the curriculum include, or not include that would better the learning for the students.

This related to me because me like many other students will often question and complain about why we are learning these equations that seem hardly relevant to life. Or why I would need to know how to calculate the volume of a trapezoid? Instead maybe we should learn about things that we may not be taught outside of school, like credit, taxes, and mortgage things that we will definitely have to deal with and better know, because you are kind of on your own about learning this kind of stuff.

This definitely relates to the world because everyday people are dealing with credit, and taxes, and maybe even debt...and not so often we are trying to figure out the circumference of a sphere. I think that it would be the best thing to teach things that are much more relevant to life than things that we are learning that aren't that important if we decide to become an architect we can study more about that on our own time in college courses.

PLN week-11 post-22

I read a short blog called “How Much Does This Really Matter?” By David Warlick that had me thinking a lot about the topic. He was showing some brief statistics of how little American citizens know about science:

66% do not understand DNA, “margin of error,” the scientific process, and do not
believe in evolution.
50% do not know how long it takes the
earth to go around the sun, and a quarter does not even know that the earth goes
around the sun.
50% think humans coexisted with dinosaurs and believe
antibiotics kill viruses.

When I read these I must admit I felt pretty dumb myself because I thought some of these things and didn’t know other things. I wonder who this article was mainly targeted at. This relates to the world obviously in the way like I said before who should this apply to? Should a ten year old boy know this? Or should a pastry chef need to know the process of DNA to be successful? Or should just the people who deal with this type of thing every day know this? Like scientists, doctors, teachers?

There are some things that everyone should know it’s just that plain and simple. It’s like common sense. But knowing exactly what people should know is the tricky part. I was watching this show where a girl didn’t even know the Presidents name was, and thought that the sun was a planet (this girl was well old enough to know these things too.) So is it really that bad that 50% of people do not know how long it takes the earth to go around the sun? Well that’s pretty sad but I’m not sure that it is such a huge deal and that it’s going to end the world. Maybe we just need to start teaching these things more vigorously in schools so that when these kids are adults they will know these things.

PLN week-11 post-21

For my PLN I read a post called, “Allowing Re-Takes To Improve Student Learning” by a Biology teacher named Craig. He was talking about how he makes his exams re-testable if a student receives less than a 80% on the test. He says that the reason for this is to make sure that the student fully understands the concept of what they are learning.

I personally have mixed feelings about being able to retake a certain test. Sometimes I think it is unfair because there will be some students who will get an “A” the first time they took the test because they really tried and studied. Another student may have just blown off studying knowing that they would have a second chance.

This teacher though has a rule that you have to go to this meeting, or review session to make sure that they will understand the subject the second time taking the test. I think that this is a good idea because at least you know that they are trying a little more the next time.

This relates to the world because this kind of has to do with second chances. It reminds me of driver’s tests. I don’t know all the laws and rules but I’m pretty sure that if you don’t pass the first time you can just keep retaking the test. I bet if they didn’t have this rule that a lot less people would be receiving their license or permit. I don’t know if this is such a good idea because if someone has to take a test 20 times than they probably don’t understand the information needed to know, and know they are out their driving risking the lives of others and themselves

Reflection-2

Overall I think I did a pretty good job on my presentation. I need to not rely on my notes so much because I know what I'm talking about I just get nervous so I like to look down to read what I'm saying. I think I could have spoken a little louder but others thought I did that well. I think I might hav improved a little from my last presentation, but maybe not.

PLNweek-10 post-20

In David Warlick’s post called “A Conversation about Failure” was talking bout how kids with disabilities such as A.D.D or dyslexia are denied and labeled “slow” as soon as someone learns of their disability.

This related to me because my mother has dyslexia and it has never stopped her from completing any goals. She was not the best student in high school, and her math teacher gave her passing grade just so long as she would never get a job dealing with math (remembering that this was a long time ago and now teachers could never say this; because parents would have a heart attack if their little baby heard such a thing.) Now my mom uses math every day as a Reality Specialist working for the government. Her job deals with huge numbers (as in numbers with a $ sign following after it) that if she made a mistake it could put her in jail. But she knows that this “disability” could never stop her!

This related to school because there are many kids in my classes and some friends who have related problems like this. I have a friend that has A.D.D and though he can be the stereotypical A.D.D kid and sometimes uses that excuse to get out of trouble or work at school, I know, and he knows that he is better than that. When he seriously tries this kid is a genius! But people in the past telling him that he is different and dumb I think has gotten into his head. There are classes that I believe are important to help those with these needs, but it should never hold back or deny a student from their full potential.

This related to more than just school but to the world. Some of the greatest minds in all time had problems like this that they overcame. I decided to do a little research and found that Leonardo DaVinci one of the greatest artists, scientists, and revolutionists in all time had dyslexia. He and many others saw it as not a weakness but a gift. I thought that this was such an amazing thing for some one to take something that many have thought was a bad thing, and turn it in to such a positive uplifting gift! That is why I don’t think the title of this post represented this well, it shouldn’t be “A Conversation bout Failure”, but “A Conversation about Success!”