Ashley Marie's EDU3650 Blog!

http://clipart-library.com/clipart/teacher-communication-cliparts_12.htm When thinking back on my Elementary School experiences, there was a sense of separation between school and home. Teachers primarily reached out to parents when there was an issue arising from school, and I have little to no memory of my parents coming to class unless for some performance taking place at the school. Therefore, videos such as Putting Parents to Work in the Classroom are excellent ways to see collaboration between teachers and parents in recent years (Borovoy, 2012). In addition, the notion of Parent Mentors within a school highlights how the working together of parents and teachers brings out success within the classroom (Borovoy, 2012). The beginning of the video was inspiring, watching parents receive their certificates in aiding in the success of the various students graduating (Borovoy, 2012). The teamwork of parents and teachers not only models to students how working together benefits all in...

https://paloaltoonline.com/news/photos/2020/september/24/87675_col.jpg      Regarding technology and social media, I find myself conflicted because I see the benefit of both sides. However, as a parent, I know how using technology and exposure to youtube and social media can cause harmful development in young children. On the other hand, I have also seen how positive technological advances have aided teachers within the classroom. But when it comes down to which side I would go on, Social media use in general and the use of cell phones in schools, I would side with being against it.       Watching The Social Dilemma ( Orlowski , 2020) provided further evidence of my worry about social media and the use of cell phones in today's society. Educators are responsible for giving students a safe and trustworthy environment. Unfortunately, students' technology platforms on their phones are not designed to protect them ethically from becoming addicted to their ...

https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/featured_card/public/images/rxstimulants_1200x800.jpg?itok=hqvpSYFy Scholastic and the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) created a powerful lesson to make students aware of prescription stimulants and their impact if abused.       The lesson by (NIDA) is for grades 6-12, and I focused on applying the lesson in a 6th-grade class. The students will begin a class discussion by reading the article " What You Need to Know About Perscription Stimulants." Throughout the reading, students learn about different medications and why there are used to help treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, students will learn terms like Dopamine and Norepinephrine, which are chemicals needed in a balance to help with focus and problem-solving skills. Knowing the purpose of prescription drugs can scaffold the learning of the dangers of misusing them and the risk of addiction. During the class reading of the a...

https://e7n7r7a7.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Social-Emotional-Learning-for-Educators.png                I was grateful when I realized we discussed and learned about Mindfulness during this week's blog post, as I greatly respect mindfulness practice and what it can achieve. I work in an enrichment center with neurodiverse students, and the Mindfulness class is one of the more popular classes offered. Experiencing the process of encouraging students to create a safe space and to be present, and with many instances of keeping their eyes open, has been a privilege to be a part of. Additionally, when asked to choose an app to practice Mindfulness, since I am a mother, wife, student, and now blogger, I already had several apps on my phone. For example, Aura is an app that provides meditation series, podcasts, calming music, and Live sessions with coaches, to name a few of the many features. In addition, Aura is a great tool to he...

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/helping-homeless-word-cloud-vector-made-1441589669    "Adapt to your surroundings." - Kasey The Homestretch  (De Mare, Kelly, Taber, 2014)          After watching The Homestretch documentary (De Mare, Kelly, Taber, 2014), I kept thinking about two themes. The first theme is vulnerability and how the stories of students like Roque and Kasey are vulnerable to everyone around them (De Mare, Kelly, Taber, 2014). For example, Roque is a strong young man with the ambition to change his situation; he said, "I don't need anyone to tell me to take things seriously," which proves that he has had to grow up quickly and be vulnerable to everyone and everything around him (De Mare, Kelly, Taber, 2014). Additionally, teens like Kasey and those who attend the night ministry because they have nowhere else safe to go are highly vulnerable to the environment around them (De Mare, Kelly, Taber, 2014). When people are vulnera...

"Mental health is all too often one of the last things that we pay attention to, even though we know how immensely important it is"      - David Anderson, expert on schools and mental health at Child Mind Institute (  Nadworny & Drummond, 2016)  Learning about mental health this past week has brought up essential topics for a future educator. While listening to the podcast For Kids, Anxiety about schools can feel like being chased by a lion!  Shared firsthand how severe anxiety does not only affect the student but the families of the students as well (Cardoza, 2016). Hearing the teenage boy describe how he wanted to join friends was heartbreaking because he was too nervous to follow through (Cardoza, 2016.). Though, it was inspiring to know there are programs like Aspire that are full of professionals to help students daily with their anxiety and help in finding techniques and methods to make learning and going to school easier for them ( Cardoza, 2016)...