February 27, 2010
Time: 10: 00 am. - 4:00 pm.
Our class was held at the Dallas Public Library in downtown where we met the Fort Worth class of Dr. Vowels. Two of the librarians showed us how to access Dallas Public Library resources for teachers and EBSCO Host Databases which I considered very informative and educational. Later in the afternoon, Ms. Essig gave us a tour of the library facilities. Dr. Vowels then demonstrated how to create our blogs. Honestly, I was very unsure of what I’m going to do. However, I had the same feelings about the website from her previous class; but lo and behold! All of us in class were able to create one. I’m really thankful to Dr. Vowels for giving us the technology challenge. Now, it’s blogging! There’s that fear of the unknown again….
February 27, 2010
Time: 7:00 - 10:00 pm.
Before we started this class, I have already registered at blogspot.com and created an account to follow Dr. Vowel’s LTC 5338 class blog. That’s was easy though! Tonight, I visited some blogs, picked up some ideas, and experimented on some gadgets. I’m still very confused! Before I slept, things were getting into shape; my class blog will be ready tomorrow afternoon.
March 2, 2010
Time: 6:00 - 7:00 pm.
We didn’t have a class today. Dr. Vowels joined her friends for some celebration on her honor; however Deanna, Lisa, Anna, Cheryl, and I lingered a little longer to work on our blogs. We’re getting there!
March 5, 2010
Found where to store my documents for each of the main topics on my class blog. I think this is going to be fun once I figured out where everything goes.
March 9, 2010
6:00-8:00 pm.
Andrea, Kimshay, Lisa, Rebecca, and Tiffany presented their blogs. All of them were very creative. After class, I showed my blog to Dr. Vowels. She suggested making new pages instead of storing or creating a link to the documents. I think that makes sense, because I don’t think another blogger will have the patience to locate the stored documents from another website.
March 13, 2010
1:00-2:00 pm.
Student A was in my mind while at Half-Priced Bookstore. I found Easy Children's Recipes that will perk her up when we meet on Monday, March 22.
March 15- 19, 2010
Worked on my blogs. I'm getting a little bit comfortable about posting new pages. It makes me think creatively and present my topics in unique ways. To be able to share whatever little knowledge I have acquired makes me humble and proud at the same time. My professor's positive comments about my blog makes me more confident. This is exactly how my very own students feel when encouraged; I could see their eyes light with understanding. Happy blogging!
March 23, 2010
6:00-8:00 pm.
Dr. Vowels's review of literature served as the springboard for our class discussion today. Most of my classmates shared their seminol moments and how a pivotal moment somewhat changed their perspective about life as a whole. As I recall my younger years, pains of losing my beloved father after highschool graduation must be my seminol moment in life. He was very supportive of me, very protective of his first child and only daughter. It was like my world crumbled, I did not want to go to college and just wanted to be with my grieving mother. She persuaded me to move on, telling me that education was the only inheritance she could give me; that it was really what my father wanted for me. In the contrary, my uncles were agreeing with me to just stay at home; arguing that there was no use sending me to college since sooner or later I will just get married. But my mother who had just reached 6th grade persisted and never relented. Looking back, my dearest mother provided and paved the pivotal moment not only in my life but for my younger brother's too, who became a successful architect in our country.
March 25, 2010
Class Hours
I am aware of the social and emotional family issues my tutee is experiencing in her very young life. She is quite reserve; I've never seen her as bubbly as my other students. She must be experiencing a seminol moment in her life at present. Being her teacher and tutor, I'm bent on providing a pivotal moment in her life in the best way I can.
March 30, 2010
6:00-8:00 pm.
Made it to class on time. As we worked on our blogs, Dr. Vowels edited our literature reviews suggesting proper citations and writing conventions.
April 6, 2010
4:45-6:30 pm.
Business as usual! She must be very proud of our class; we conducted ourselves professionally; each one of us shared some information about our case study while Lisa typed the minutes to be emailed to Dr. Vowels. A little later, Tessie shared about Pi Lambda Theta Honors Program. Oh, my gosh! I remember receiving their invitation, but trashed it just like another junk mail.
April 13, 2010
6:00-8:00 pm.
In tonight's session, we are honored by the presence of a visiting professor, Ms. Virginia Williams. Being a Reading Specialist and expert in her field, her knowledge and perspective are highly valued. She offerred valuable insights about ways to support our struggling readers, ESL students in particular. To scaffold their learning and enhance vocabulary development, teachers should create a print-rich environment and a phonetic-based instruction. Additionally, make the classroom environment an exciting and interesting place to learn.
As Anna narrated her case study, I couldn't help but recall the numerous ESL students who have come and gone in all my years of teaching. These students if not nurtured academically and given the optimum support they need are generally at greater risk of underachieving when they reach the upper grades. Underachievement and not coping with the academic challenges are the leading causes of ESL students' drop-outs in upper grades. As an ESL person myself, perseverance is one virtue that I learned to gain a little success in all my endeavors.
April 20, 2010
6:00-8:00 pm.
To say that I'm very proud of what I have accomplished in this course would be an understatement. Dr. Vowels had challenged all of us technologically and we met the challenge 99.9%. Who would ever imagine that a person like me who just learned to text in the beginning of our first class with her would be capable of developing a personal website and a web blog of case study. Speaking from my own perspective, she had taken us to greater heights; better equipped to be better educators of the 21st century. Thanks for the ride, I'm forever grateful! It was a very somber moment though in class upon her announcement that today was her last day not only in this class but as a professor of the university. I'm deeply saddened by this news....
GOD BLESS YOU DR. VOWELS ON ALL YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS!!!
