C4T #3

It's All About Your Attitude

I was assigned to Mr. Justin Tarte for my third C4T assignment. His blog is entitled "Life of an Educator," and in his "about me" section, he describes himself as a passionate educator with a love of learning and technology. He made a great statement that really caught my attention. He said, "I am excited about integrating technology and social media into the educational setting, while increasing collaboration & transparency among all stakeholders." I thought that was very appropriate, especially since I am learning daily how important technology is in the classroom. The first post I looked at of Mr. Tarte's was "It's All About Your Attitude." He posted a picture that said "It's all about you... How do you see the world? Is your glass half empty or half full?" He went on to describe how when your glass is half full, your perspective and attitude unleash a world of possibilities. He also described that when you practice the power of positive attitude and perspective, you are better able to balance the demands of life. He challenged his readers to find the silver lining in every situation, to commit to every situation, and to commit to empowerment and a positive outlook on life.

In my comment to Mr. Tarte, I began by introducing myself and letting him know that for my EDM310 class I would be commenting on his blog for the next few weeks. I gave him my email address and links to both my personal blog and the class blog. Mr. Tarte's post really interested me because I am a strong believer in striving to live a positive life. The message he portrayed is so vital for students and teachers to grasp; not only is it essential in the classroom, but it is also an important part of your everyday life. I told him how much I appreciated his post and how much I enjoyed the pictures and message he gave. As a future educator, positivity is one of my main priorities.

The Importance of Literacy

The second post of Mr. Tarte's I read was "The Importance of Literacy." His focus was on why literacy is so vital in the classroom. He made a great statement that basically summed up why literacy is so important. He said, "Literacy gives people tools with which to improve their livelihoods, participate in community decision-making, gain access to information about health care, and above all, it enables individuals to realize their rights as citizens and human beings.Literacy is not just about reading and writing; it is about respect, opportunity and development." Mr. Tarte went on to describe how he uses "word walls" to encourage literacy in the classroom; these walls promote student independence, provide visual maps for students, and help students develop a core for reading and writing. He also provided his readers with a few suggestions on how to incorporate literacy into the classroom: encourage students to read more than just books for your class, make reading and writing a priority, and consider allowing students to create a personal blog or reflective journal.

In my second comment to Mr. Tarte, I started off by telling him how much I enjoyed reading his post. The topic he wrote about is so relevant in schools today, so it was very easy to respond to his descriptions. I told him that I thought the word wall was a great idea, and since I am majoring in Secondary Education with a focus on English, it would be a great tool to teach my students different content areas concerning English. I went on to tell him how much I appreciated his suggestions for ways to increase opportunities for literacy in the classroom. I focused in on his suggestion of personal blogs; since I have recently discovered how useful blogging is from EDM310, I let him know that I would certainly incorporate personal blogs into my future classroom. I concluded by thanking him for his inspiring post.