Free Rice

FreeRice will ask a question about vocabulary,math,science,geography, art history of languages and for every answer you get correct they will give 10 grains of rice to those who have no food. While this may not seem like a lot it adds up. It also inspires people to play more to and learn more to get more rice. Since its start in 2007 they have generated enough rice to feed millions. I think one of the best things a website or business can do is be socially conscious. Free Rice is a non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Program. It has two incredible goals, first to educate people for free and second to provide rice to hungry people for free in effort to end world hunger. This site allows educatation to help stop world hunger. This is made possible from the sponsors who advertise on the site. They make a statement about education that I think it great! They say, "Whether you are CEO of a large corporation or a street child in a poor country, improving your education can improve your life. It is a great investment in yourself." It is true education is an ongoing process and it is great that this website recognizes this.

New Technology, The iPad

The iPad combines Safari,mail,photos, video,youtube,itunes, ipod, ibooks, app store, maps, notes,calender, contacts,spotlight search, iwork, keynote,pages,numbers, too name just a few. This portable device weighs 1.5 pounds, has a screen 9.5 inches by 7.5 inches, and is .5 inches thick. The product combines apples best product and features into one revolutionary product.Jony Ive, Senior vice president says, one of the greatest features about this product is that you do not have to change yourself to fit this product changes to meet your needs. They have created applications made to fit the ipad and are constantly working on more. They have over 150,000 and they have have improved them tremendously from the old applications. The Large screen makes it easy to use. The screen is completely touch, and is the largest multi-touch apple has every made. There are over a 1,000 sensors in the screen. The back lighting system is LED, which gives the crispness and color quality. Another great feature is the great battery life, it gives you ten hours. Apple wanted to made sure that this advanced technology was affordable,and it is sold for $499. It is said to be the most advanced piece of technology and even considered a new category of technology. I think that product could be very beneficial in the classroom as well. I think it would be a great technology for students to have.

iPad Video

Shoes and Education

This last Monday I attended a talk by the creater of TOMS Shoes Blake Mycoskie. TOMS is a shoe company that is socially responsible. It was created to give shoes to children who do not have any. For every pair of shoes purchased they will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. Not only is this important for health reasons, but it is important for a reason I did not think of, education. When Blake was talking he said that shoes are a part of many childrens uniform in other countries. Without shoes they are unable to attend school. He told us a story about a mother in Argentina. After her three children recieved shoes she started crying. Blake was confused and asked a translater to ask her what was wrong. She said that her three children have been sharing the same pair of shoes so each children could only attend school every three days. This story was heart breaking to me. Children are not recieving an education because they do not have shoes! Education is the most important thing a child an recieve. I truly believe in the TOMS shoes cause, as Vice President of the Club at Michigan State I want to make sure people know more about this cause and try to help in any way they can!

Alternative Spring Break New Orleans

This past spring break I particpated in Alternative Spring Break. My group when to New Orleans and did disater relief. We worked on the houses that were destroyed by Katrina. This is a picture of my group with Miss Betty infront of her house which we worked on all week. The trip was very eye opening. I did not know how much work still need to be done! It seems that many people have forgotten that there is still so much to do and much more help needed. This experience was one of the best of my life. I learned so much not just about New Orleans, what it taked to build a house, but also about life. I met people who had survived the storm and lost loved ones, but still were incredibly opptomistic. As a teacher I want to stress giving back to your community and others. I want to make sure that as a class we do community service. Community service has always been important to me and I feel that is it one of the best things you can do. Not only are you giving back, but you are getting even more back in return. It is important that students are not only taught how to score well on a standarized test,but also lessons in humanity. Lessons about life. Giving back is important and it is easy to get trapped in your bubble and forget about the problems of the world. New Orleans opened my eyes, there is still so much to be done, if is anyone gets a chance go down and help rebuild the city, it will be an experience you will not forget!

Skype... Learning of the furture

While skype has been used for people to keep in touch around the world for years, I feel that this technology could have many benefits within the classroom. I personally have just recently become a skyper. I have three friends studying abroad this semester and it is the only way we really communicate while they are gone. I think this could be used withing the classroom, for example my classroom could link up with a class in a different country and we could learn from them or do a lesson on another culture or we could just learn together. I also think it could be used to work with classrooms within the United States and even within the State. I think it will engage the children with the video and telephone like feature. I also think it is great the skype is free! I think another way that I could use skype in the classroom,is by making an account as a teacher and having hours that I will be on to assist them with homework or go over anything that we did in class. I think it is important as a teacher to be a teacher to your student outside of the regular school hours. I think skype is a technology that I would like to use or at least try out with my future students.