Dangers of Online Posting

The dangers that come with posting online are a real and constant threat. This threat is multiplied when children are involved. Once something is posted online, it is forever on the internet. Predators are everywhere and the internet is no exception. I believe there are several precautions that we can take to protect our children from these dangers.
First, I believe it is paramount to teach our children about online safety. Things such as never posting their whereabouts, being mindful of the photos they post to social media, and keeping personal information private can go a long way. In this case, I believe prevention is key.
Another precaution to take is to maintain tabs on what our children are doing. Technology has given us the advantage of parental controls, but these are not fail proof. We need to know what our children are doing online in order to protect them.
In addition, utilizing the parental controls that are available can help promote online safety. By keeping children from visiting websites that they shouldn't be, we are helping to keep them safe online.

YouTube Video

For my YouTube video project, I plan to explore why future students should choose Pulaski Tech. I chose this subject because it was the only one that made sense for me; I am not close enough to campus to do a tour, and because I am only in my first semester I do not know enough about the Education department or the ECD department to adequately explore their good qualities. I have been planning my video to be more fun than formal. The planning portion of the project is what will come easy for me. The difficulty in the project will be in the execution of my ideas and editing the video to be exactly how I want it to be. I am looking forward to the finished product.

What Makes Ten?

While perusing YouTube I found several educational videos that would be suitable for the classroom. While I usually only watch funniest home videos on YouTube, I had not put much thought into the fact that it can be educational and a real asset in the classroom until I read the chapter. Once I started browsing on YouTube I came across several videos, channels, and playlists that are full of awesome content that could help making learning fun and easier for visual learners. The video above is only one example of what I found.

BYOD

I believe that students bringing their own devices to school is a risky move. I once worked in a childcare facility in which the students were permitted to bring their own devices (gameboys, ipads, etc). What I observed while working there was that this policy created more problems than it was worth. Children always wanted to play with the other children's devices, which was not permitted. Chargers and other accessories were continually getting lost and parents had to replace them. While that may be slightly different if the devices  were solely used for educational purposes, I don't know that the risk is worth the benefits.
First, you have liability issues. When devices get dropped, broken, or otherwise harmed, I would imagine you would be dealing with some angry parents. In addition, not all parents buy these devices for their children. If some students have them and others don't, it could create problems. In this situation, it would be difficult to navigate using several different types of devices for the same project or assignment. If students were required to have them, it places an unnecessary financial burden on parents.While I do believe that technology is an important aspect of every classroom, I think there are better ways of implementing it than having students bring their own device. I do not think that the benefits that could only come of a BYOD policy would outweigh the issues that would arise because of it.

My Dream Classroom

     My dream classroom would be a fun environment for elementary age children. When I think about my classroom I think of bright colors and a clean, soothing space with plenty of windows. I would love to have a large library and ideally alot of storage space so that toys and manipulatives could easily be rotated.
     I believe that technology is increasingly important in classrooms, and I would love to incorporate it in as many ways as possible. This means computers and/or tablets for activities, projects, and possibly centers. Also a smart board to incorporate into lessons and daily routines. I believe this is important so that children will grow to be technologically savvy and it serves to hold their interest.
     I also believe that the atmosphere of a classroom is equally as important as anything else that you could have in it. I would love for my classroom to be a happy place for my students. I believe this can be achieved thru a positive and energetic attitude, as well as good classroom management.