Final Post

Well, this was fun. Okay, so maybe not completely fun for me, since I hate blogging. It was better than most homework assignments, though and a good experience. I will never blog again, unless required for something. Nothing against this assignment or those who do blog, as I said, it was a good alternative to writing a paper. I just feel awkward posting my thoughts on the internet for anyone to see, even if it just about the class or the given topic and knowing that only classmates are really likely to read this. Anyone not in the class reading this is weird for coming across this and thinking my random, scholarly, but not really scholarly blog would be a fun read. Haha! You were wrong, buddy!
Anyway, I did enjoy the concept and creativity of this endeavor. I might try this with my students, as long as I don't have to do the sharing. Maybe I would feel less uncomfortable with this assignment if I knew a way to only make this thing view-able to my classmates. I would certainly find a way to do that if I used this method in my own class, as if I am tech-savvy enough to figure something like that out.
Ignoring that this is supposed to be a post about the blog, I would like to say I absolutely enjoyed this class and Dr. Scanlon. This entire class was a great learning experience and I loved being in a classroom with classmates I knew from other classes and was forced to take more classes with this semester. It was like high school again and like we all bonded. I loved it. I am pretty sad this semester is ending, but also so relieved, because well I'm sick of assignments and could use a break before my next semester.
I wish everyone in this class the best of luck in the future and good luck finding teaching jobs!

Tech Post 2

For my technology experiment, I chose to create a Pintrest. Jen Gumm gave me the idea, as well as some very creative teachers I know. Let me tell you, this was no easy task! Everyone talks about Pintrest and makes it sound so simple. I had no idea what I was doing! I signed up and started clicking around and got all sorts of lost. So, in my true fashion, I gave up. Weeks later, I finally went back to try it again with Jen's help. 

I fell in love. It's so amazing the things we can find. Just search "teaching ideas." BOOM. All these great ideas for teaching come up. From long lesson plans, to just cute little ideas to spice up the classroom or an activity. Things as simple as ways to call on students or decorations to hang. I'm obsessed now and will continue to... Pin...? Is that the word I use? I will say Pin.

This is such an amazing outlet for educators, or any profession I'm sure, but I did not search those professions. You just keep clicking and find ideas you would never be creative enough to do on your own. Some of my favorites were ideas I truly can take with me into the classroom, such as a fund unit plan on Shakespeare.

Here is my Pintrest: http://www.pinterest.com/hollyjosilva/

Open Post 2

I would like to use this time and open post to talk about an issue I have encountered during internship. I have this student, let's call him Robert, for his confidentiality, he is very sweet and smart. He is that student that I swear reads nonstop. Every time I turn around, he is asking to check out a new book and take an AR test. He's certainly a top student. 

Unfortunately, the other day, my supervising teacher received an email from his mother letting her know that his most recent book he checked out from her had been ruined by another student who "played a prank" on Robert and that they would replace the book. Obviously, my supervising teacher did not care about the book being ruined and refused to let his mother replace the book, which I agree with. We were both concerned about the "prank." We discussed it, and neither of us believe this to be a harmless prank by a friend, but rather a mean "prank" from a bully. 

All day, all I could think about was poor Robert being bullied. He would never say a mean thing to anyone. All he does is sit quietly in the back of the room, does his work, then reads. Yet, some jerk student decided to pour paint in his backpack as a joke, ruining all of his possessions and school work within the bag. I wanted to pull him aside and talk to him, but I do not feel this is my place as I barely know the students at this point. The same day I found out, a noticed a student in my class shove Robert's notebook off of his desk right in front of me. I almost lost it. All I could think to do was tell the student to never do anything like that again, lecture on bullying, and tell my supervising teacher (who was monitoring the hallway at the time). That student received a detention, but I am not sure that made the student stop.

I remember when I was in middle school, if I knew of a kid bullying someone like Robert, I would have given the bully a taste of his own medicine. I had a habit of doing such things back then, always taking the underdog's side and proving the point of what comes around, goes around. As and adult, I know better, yet those feelings come back again of wanting to help the so-called underdog, but I do not know how as an intern with no true connection to the students yet.

Has anyone else encountered this in their internships or in similar situations? I want to help Robert, but I do not know how. The teachers and administrators already know of the issue, so my first idea of letting someone know who can do something is out the window. I want this sweet kid to feel safe and like someone is standing up for him. Any ideas?

Tech 1 Post

I am somewhere between a technophobe and technophile. I can do what I need to do, and that's about it. I'm not one of those people who can find a new technology and pick up on it instantly. I get stuck in my ways and struggle with the new, but eventually I get the hang of it, though I usually find out years later there could have been so much more within my abilities.
I have had a MySpace pretty early and eventually learned how to add music, pictures, and fun backgrounds. I might not member how to do those things now, but I could then. I also had a Facebook, but as far as I know, there wasn't extra stuff we could do. Just the basics. I now have an InstaGram. I have never had a Tumblr, Twitter, or any of those other social media outlets.
I actually recall back when all we had was AIM, before MySpace, having this thing called a "Sub profile," where I could add this link and my little box intended for a quick bio on AIM that had different colors and subheadings where I could add music and all this crazy stuff. I have no clue how I did it, but I did. Honestly, I think I may have regressed from a technophile to the in-between that I am now.
I am doing well with figuring out this blog and Wiggio. I am trying to figure out Edmodo, since my teacher uses this with her students, uploading homework and helpful links for any assignments. I need to learn more, because I see these students and they seem so advanced with technology, while I just stare in awe. I need to get on their level as much as I can. I've already been mocked by the students in my internship for being out of touch with technology, after telling a student to look it up in the dictionary, when "duh, they like have computers, who uses a dictionary anymore."

Open Post #1

Open Post #1

     I am just going to go with the suggested ideas with this open post. I no longer write poetry, but I used to when I was younger. I actually had one published when I was in middle school, but I'm not sure how legitimate that was. Now, I guess I just lack the muse and over emotions that I used to possess. Typically I was Taylor Swift status in when, why, and what I wrote poetry about, but not in skill level or ability to match it to music. Now that every little action around me doesn't stir up a sea of emotions, I never get the urge to let out the emotions in a poetic form.

     I do love creative writing, though. That was my favorite class in college and what lead to my major change from Math Education to English Education (quite the stretch, right?). In high school and maybe even late middle school, I'm not too sure, I used to write stories, but I was never overly creative. All of my main characters were basically myself. I guess I was self absorbed and couldn't see a view outside of my own. Now, when I write, I take on very different characters than myself as the main character, trying to see a world outside of my own from a mind set I myself do not possess. My favorite short story I ever wrote was from the view point of a male Marine during deployment, clearly something I know nothing about first hand. I did this in creative writing class as a way to try to see the world as my husband did at the time. My teacher submitted this to a journal for college writing assignments and was selected and publish. This was actually a legitimate source, though.

     I would love to one day write a novel or series of novels, but for now short stories and papers for school with have to suffice. I have attempted to start a few books but always get stuck and never start again. I believe this may be due to the fact that at 24 years old, I lack the life experiences to truly be a writer. Just as my writing has improved with age, not just in writing style that comes with my progression through education of the written word, but also in ideas through experiences. Maybe once I have seen more of the world and experienced more exciting things, or at least watch them second hand, I will be able to complete a book or novel. Before I die, that is my goal, even if I only accomplish this at age eighty.

Introduction

Introducing Holly Silva

    For starters, I have never blogged before in my life. There's something about rambling on the internet about myself or other topics that I am sure no one cares to read my thoughts on that just doesn't sit well with me. Also, with the internet, I hate the idea that anything I "say" is in print and can be forever, especially with screen shots. Too finite for my taste. But, alas, I must do this for this class.

     So, here it goes! I am Holly Silva. I have been married for about two and a half years now. Together, we have an American Pit Bull Terrier, named Bella Blu, which is Italian for Beautiful blue, since she is a blue pit. She is basically my world, which is pretty sad. It can be argued that she is the most beautiful dog in the world, but don't argue against me on that.

     I am an English Language Arts major and it feels like it's taking forever to graduate due to my glacial pace, but I'm almost there. Along with being a full time student, I also work full time as a server at High Tide Harry's. It's not too bad there. I make pretty good money and my coworkers are basically awesome, which is a vast improvement upon my last serving job. In my "free time," which hardly ever exists, I try to recreationally read, but I feel that I do not get to do that as often as I would like or as often as I used to before entering college. I rarely go out and when I do it's typically for a special occasion or just a simple lunch to catch up. I am a fairly boring individual. That's probably why I hate blogging.