McVee, Bailey, & Shanahan: Response

I really liked this article, it gave me a better look into what goes into our class! It was interesting to see the transition this teacher made when first teaching this class, and then what he learned after teaching it a few times. A quote that reminded me of our class was "When I first began introducing technology to my teaching I thought bout how much flexibility is needed to make a class run smoothly.". It really made me think about how our class is so flexible and that I really enjoy that aspect of our class. I always feel as if we never rush things, we take the time we need to, to finish what we are working on. Another part of this article I liked was how always having a backup plan is strongly encouraged. I feel as a future teacher, that is going to be a very important thing to remember and is also something I have been taught in my other classes as well. My favorite part of the article was the talk about incorporating humor into the class, I feel that many teachers/professors don't feel that way, and it is really refreshing that some teachers/professors still like to make learning enjoyable!

Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Blog #2

I'm always a little sad when I finish a good book because I don't want it to be over, but after finishing Wonder I am extremely sad. It was so good that I never wanted it to end. This book opened my eyes to many things. Towards the end of the book, (if you have not read but would like to read, do NOT read past this part due to spoilers!!), August is at his graduation ceremony for the 5th grade, and his principal is giving a speech to conclude the year and acknowledged all of the students. In his speech he quotes The Little White Bird by J.M. Barrie and says, " 'Shall we make a new rule of life...always try to be a little kinder than is necessary?' ", and I have not been able to stop thinking about that quote since I read it. I think it really sums up the theme of the entire book, and is something that we all should consider when interacting with other people. Be kinder than what is expected of you. In doing this, someone's day can be made, or someones life could be saved. It doesn't take much to be kind, and this is why I want my future students to read this book. August was already sad and insecure about his face, dealing with people bullying him for it just made it worse. But there were those few kids who decided to be kinder than others, and it made all of the difference. I feel that this book really proves that people who have disabilities don't just have one story. This story is told from the point of view of several people in August's life, not just his. His story was not singular, he impacted so many people around him that the author felt the need to have these characters tell their story too. Also, when August was telling his story it wasn't even close to being a single story. It was not just his facial deformities he had to deal with, he also dealt with friendships, school work, the death of an animal, growing up a bit and changing his image, and many other things. August's story is not a singular one, but it is one that everyone should consider reading.                                                                                                                                                                               

Wonder by R.J, Palacio: Blog #1

When I first thought of the idea for my single story that I am choosing to explore for our class, I knew that Wonder was the first book that I wanted to read. I had seen the movie when it came out, and after seeing it the first time I watched it six more times within the next two days. I am currently halfway through the book, and I didn't think I could fall more in love with this story, but I was wrong. The book has a few added parts and a lot more added detail. So far, this book has already opened my eyes to how messed up this world can be, and how there needs to be more advocates for children with disabilities. I have always been aware that children can be mean, but why? Why is the excuse that "their just kids" said so normally when referring to kids being mean to other kids? There should be no excuses, kids should be taught that everyone is different, and that we should celebrate each others differences rather than look at them in a negative light. I would love to have the opportunity to teach this to my future students, in order to try and teach them that compassion can be powerful. A few nice words or sitting with someone at lunch thats sitting alone, can make a huge difference. Also to teach them that words hurt. No matter if spoken or sent over text, words have a lot of power, so we should use our words for good rather than use them to hurt someone. I am excited to finish this book and see what conclusions I come to at the end!

My Single Story and Possible Books

I am choosing to do my singe story on children/adolescents who struggle with physical disabilities. I had wanted to do the entire spectrum of disabilities, but realized that it was way too broad and that I needed to narrow it down. I chose physical disabilities because I feel like there are many different ways that a character can react to having and living with a physical disability. Also, I feel that there are many assumptions that are made towards people with physical disabilities. I am guilty of assuming that their quality of life isn't as good as someone who isn't living with a physical disability, but I feel that reading these books will make it easy to see that, that is not the case. I am hoping to learn about how people with physical disabilities live their day to day lives. I am also hoping to learn what struggles they face so it is easier to empathize with them. Also, I would like to gain a better understanding about physical disabilities in general. I feel that I don't know as much as I should and knowing more could possibly help me when I am a future teacher. Some books that I am considering are,

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
2. Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman
3. The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
4. Girl Stolen by April Henry
5. Ugly by Robert Hoge
6. Deenie by Judy Bloom
7. Don’t Stop The Music by Robert Perske
8. Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
   
   
   
   

Can Ed Tech Power a Social- Justice Approach to 'Disruption' Edward

When first reading this article, one thing that really sparked my interest was the idea of the app called 'Streetwyze'. This app allows people to document the truths of their communities. Many statistics give false information, so I feel that people who actually live in these communities have a better sense of what goes on within the community. Another thing was the program that Akom created. This program allowed students to actually make changes in their community, as opposed to learning useless information.