Mindy+Burns

=Mindy Burns=

Hi, my name is Mindy Burns. I'm from Dayton, OH. I graduated from Bellbrook High School in 2007. I am the youngest of four; I have two brothers and one sister. I am a fourth year Early Childhood Education major. In the spring I switched my major from nursing to education. During one of my clinicals I watched a friend put in a catheter and had to leave the room because I was about to pass out! Needless to say, I decided nursing was not for me. I now have this year to finish up education classes before I can apply to the early childhood cohort. My best friend's sister who is an academic advisor at Ohio State University helped me decide to pursue Early Childhood Education. Upon graduation, I plan on combining my love for all things science with my passion for education to be a child life specialist. A child life specialist works in the hospital setting and helps children understand their procedures and also helps the family with anything they need. I feel that this job is a good combination of nursing and education. I am also working towards a Deaf Studies Certificate. I recently joined UC's Rowing team. It's a club sport; I'm on the novice women's team. I really like it so far, it's a great workout and it keeps me motivated to constantly improve my rowing skills and overall fitness.

I currently work in Admissions at the Cincinnati Zoo. Over the summer I worked at Camp Allyn in Batavia, OH. I worked the residential camp so I lived there over the course of two months. Camp Allyn is a camp for individuals with disabilities. We had new campers each week, the camps ranged from 4 days to 12 days long. Two of the camps were kids camps and the rest were for adults. It was an amazing experience. I have worked with people with disabilities because my sister has an intellectual disability and was involved in a recreational group in Dayton for adults with disabilities. I often went there when I was younger to help out and hang out with everyone there. As a counselor at Camp Allyn, I provided direct care as needed and planned and participated in activities with the campers. Working there helped me to be less judgmental and really opened my eyes to the different disabilities out there.



Contact info: burnsm3@email.uc.edu

media type="custom" key="7561363"

ISTE Standards
Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers: a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness

Reflection: Teachers have many different teaching styles, just as students learn in a variety of ways. There are many different theories and methodologies to consider. In Computer Tools for Teachers, we focused on the constructivism theory. This is a way for students to construct their own knowledge with the help of the teacher. Active learning is encouraged to create a memorable and impactful lesson for the students. We read the article [|Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning], Teachers can promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness with constructivism. As a final project, each student presented part of a lesson plan based on constructivism. Seeing all the different presentations has helped me realize the vast number of ways to engage a student while teaching. Incorporating technology into the classroom is essential, especially with all the technological tools available to teachers. [|Wordle], [|Live Binders], [|Teacher Tube], [|Delicious], and [|Google Books] are just a few examples of the resources available to teachers. Each student chose a website to present to the class. I did my presentation on [|Flickr], information for which can be found under Artifacts on my Wiki.

Standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS-S. Teachers: b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.

Reflection: In this class I have learned the importance of addressing which standards you are using for the students. Had I not taken this class I would not have been aware of the ISTE Standards. I believe incorporating these standards into the classroom at any grade level will result in increased creativity and increased learning by the students involved. I am grateful to Professor Pentecost for the several aspects of technology she introduced to our class. I have learned so much from her as well as my fellow classmates. In class we learned how to make a rubric with [|Rubistar] This website allows you to create a rubric and search rubrics created by other educators. An example of my rubric is found under My Artifacts on my wiki page. [|Easy Test Maker] is another website we used to create a sample test The test I created can be found here:.

Standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers: a. Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.

Reflection: The University of Cincinnati uses Blackboard as a way for students to check their progress and keep up with assignments for their classes. Elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools across the country may not have access to this type of tool for students and teachers to use. For Computer Tools for Teachers we use a Wikispace to post assignments and information about ourselves. As an Early Childhood Education major, these types of websites may not be something I would utilize for my students as they would be too complex and unnecessary. But knowing that I could create a Wiki for my personal or professional use is a great tool to have under my belt. In this class we visited the CECH Library to see all the different resources they have available for students to use. For our lesson plan project, my partner and I rented a box of shapes from the CECH Library. We used the shapes in our lesson plan for the students to trace. Not only have I learned about online tools for the classroom; I have learned about resources available to me that I did not even know existed! Our lesson plan can be viewed here:

Standard 4: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers: b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.

Reflection: In my high school English class, we had to turn all our papers into [|Turnitin.com] This was a way my teacher ensured that we did not plagiarize any of our work. Schools need to purchase a license with the website in order to use it, but it is a useful tool for identifying plagiarism. In Computer Tools for Teachers, Professor Pentecost provided us an internet article titled [|Cost of Copyright Confusion]. This along with a handout titled “Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers”. These are both crucial to familiarize yourself with as a teacher. It is not just the student who can get in trouble with copyright infringement. As a class we found helpful lesson plan templates and ideas for specific subjects on the internet: Lesson Plan Templates. We did not copy these templates but used them as a reference to create our own lesson plans. We each had to find three lesson plans that correlated with our area of concentration. The three lesson plans I found can be viewed under Artifacts on my Wiki page. I found this very helpful in seeing what a lesson plan entails. I have never created or presented a lesson plan before this class. After taking this class I have a better grasp on how to create a lesson plan. Presenting a lesson plan with my partner was a very rewarding experience.

Standard 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers: c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.

Reflection: In this day and age, a teacher needs to be fluent in all technology available. Today’s students are tech-savvy and will at least be one step ahead of the teacher in their knowledge of technology. Students want to be challenged, as evidenced in a video Professor Pentecost showed us, called [|Engage Me!] This type of learning is being realized at Hughes High School right across from the University of Cincinnati campus. Hughes High School is a STEM school, focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math. Professor Pentecost set up a day where we took a tour of the high school and talked to several different teachers. Dr. Obarski stressed the importance of applying for grants to bring money and technology into the classroom. The students at Hughes High School have great access to technology because of the hard work of the teachers to win grants and find opportunities with local businesses. Networking is a good way to find these opportunities. Even networking with fellow teachers is a great way to find resources for the classroom and share optimal teaching strategies. On our class wiki, each student was required to research an online resource that could be useful to teachers: Web Resources I found a website called [|Quia]. Teachers can create educational games, quizzes, surveys, and web pages. Teachers can also search games and quizzes created by other educators. This is an excellent way to network with teachers you normally wouldn’t have access to.

Course Work Reflection: I think my "aha" moment came when we were discussing constructivism and then completed our "Remembered Lesson" activity. Listening to other people's remembered lessons, I realized that they were memorable because the teacher created a song to remember a math equation or used technology in a way that made an impact on the students. Classrooms in which the teacher lectures, hands out notes, and then tests the students on the material are a way of the past. With all the technology available to students and teachers today, creating a memorable, impacting lesson plan is not just expected, it is desired from the students. My favorite aspect of the class was the final lesson plan presentation.

Final Class Reflection: Before taking this class I had heard from a friend who took a similar computer class that it was an “easy A” and all you did was learn about the standard Microsoft Office programs. Sitting through the first day of class I realized this course would be completely different than I expected. (In a good way). From day one we have been introduced to numerous internet resources and technology tools to be utilized in the classroom. Instead of taking a boring computer class, I have become excited about all the possibilities and potential a teacher holds. Presenting my technological tool, Flickr, was something I was very nervous about even though it was a simple presentation. Getting up in front of a new group of people always makes me a little nervous. So as the class progressed I became more comfortable with my classmates and was looking forward to presenting a lesson plan with my partner. On the day of our lesson plan presentation I was very nervous. But the satisfaction and rewarding feeling that came after we were finished was much different than the relief I felt once my technology tools presentation was finished. Overall, this class had increased my confidence being in front of a classroom. I’m looking forward to furthering my knowledge of technology, which is already solid because of this class.

**Web Resources**
Title: Quia Summary: Teachers can use this website to create educational games, quizzes, surveys, and web pages. Teachers can also search games and quizzes created by other educators. URL: [] Student's Name: Mindy Burns

**Lesson Plans**
Student's Name: Mindy Burns Title of Lesson Plan: Alphabet Round-Up Grade Level: K-2 Subject: Language Arts, Alphabet Standard, Benchmark, and Indicator: A. Phonemic awareness, word recognition, and fluency standard B. Use letter--sound correspondence knowledge and structural analysis to decode words. C. Recognize, write, and say the common sounds of letters. Brief description of lesson plan: Students will receive a handful of Alpha-Bits cereal. The students will spell as many words as they can with the letters in the cereal. The words will be reviewed as a class. Website: []  Student's Name: Mindy Burns Title of Lesson Plan: Introduction to Classifying Grade Level: K-2 Subject: Science Brief description of lesson plan: This lesson plan will introduce the concept of classifying to students. The students will be able to sort items by at least three characteristics. [] Student's Name: Mindy Burns Title of Lesson Plan: Inchworm Measurement Grade Level: 2 Subject: Math- Measurement Brief description of lesson plan: Students will use inch long "inchworms" cut out of green construction paper to measure various objects around the classroom and receive a better understanding of measurement. Website: []

**Technology Tools Presentation**
Name of Technology Tool: Flickr URL Location of Tool: www.flickr.com Is there a video or tutorial to learn how to use the tool? Yes Is the tool free? Yes Can I pay to upgrade for more options? Yes Would you, as a teacher, use this tool? Yes Who uses this tool? (Teacher, Student, Family Members, Other) Anyone can use Flickr. You just have to sign up for a free Yahoo account if you don't have one already. What does one use this tool for? Flickr is an application to upload and organize photographs and videos. You can view your own pictures in a slideshow and view pictures other people have posted. What is the educational value of this tool? A teacher or student could use Flickr to share any kind of picture or video they would like everyone to see. It's an easy way to upload and organize pictures and videos. Student's Name: Mindy Burns

Rubric
URL: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1955298&

Learning the Alphabet

 * CATEGORY || Excellent || Good || Needs Improvement || Poor ||
 * Voice || Voice is clear and consistently heard throughout classroom. || Voice is clear and heard throughout a majority of the classroom. || Voice is unclear and heard throughout a small part of the classroom. || Voice is unclear and unheard throughout the classroom. ||
 * Sounds || Each letter is voiced with the correct sound. || Over half of the letters are voiced with the correct sound. || Less than ten letters are voiced with the correct sound. || Less than five letters are voiced with the correct sound. ||
 * Correct Letters || Student correctly identifies all letters in the alphabet in the correct order. || Student correctly identifies over half of the letters in the alphabet in the correct order. || Student correctly identifies over half of the letters in the alphabet in the incorrect order. || Student identifies less than half of the letters of the alphabet in the incorrect order. ||