Warning: The Following Material is for Mature Adults Only

The fact that the title of this blog post is a warning will most likely have little affect on who reads it.  In the recent past, one would walk into a Blockbuster and find categories of movies, each with their own rating such as PG, 18A etc.  There was always that section at the back with the large sign stating, usually in big, bold, red letters, "Adults Only".  I remember seeing people walk out of that section carrying a small black bag and I would always wonder what was inside.  Of course, I knew as a child that because there was a sign saying "Adults Only", and I was not an adult, that I was not to go beyond that saloon style door or there would be consequences.  In this case, a sign, a separate blocked off section, survellaince monitors and roaming employees are all in the way of curious little ones trying to sneak a peak of what could be in those tiny, black bags.  Now, in 2014, those same children no longer have to be curious.  Through a simple Google search they can access a wealth of videos, information, pictures and websites about subjects that are beyond their understanding.  There are warnings for most explicit materials; however, as the cliche goes curiosity kills the cat.  Warnings do not prevent access.  Human nature can be one's worst enemy.

So what does this mean for teachers?  Should they play a role in teaching their students about the dangers of an online identity?  I believe that cyber education needs to begin in the elementary grades because, as we all know, once something is online, it is there to stay.  If children are not educated about their online identities early enough, they may already have put themselves at risk of being targets of online prowlers or of cyber bullies.  Simple day to day lessons on how to be a good online citizen and showing students how to use the internet in positive manners will help them to build a strong, online identity.  It is especially important for students to understand all of the risks because of the lack of censorship.  Adults can not control curiosity in their children; however, they can foster positive habits so that curiosity does not put their children at risk.

In regards to the documentaries Sext Up Kids and the Sextortion of Amanda Todd, the situations brought forth with children and the dangers of the online world raise the issues of censorship. How much freedom should youth have? By allowing them to roam free on the world wide web, are we handing them to the hands of online predators and the dangers of a tainted online identity? These are the questions that ran through my mind. I came to the conclusion that conversation needs to happen and having the dreaded "sex talk" needs to happen at an early age. The traditional view of the topic of sex being taboo needs to be left in the dust. The 21st century is one of technology, and if parents and teachers are uncomfortable with the topic of sex and refuse to answer questions or engage conversation, children will find their own answers and in doing so, my find themselves in a world beyond their curiosity.

TIME'S UP!! - An Online Teaching Resource

In the 21st century classroom, students have the world at their finger tips. Computers, tablets, smart phones and laptops all provide a wealth of information that one could spend a lifetime sifting through. So what happens when a student is given a task, a time limit, and technology? Many students struggle with the concept of time management which is why I want to introduce a very simple, yet effective, online stopwatch teaching tool.  What this tool does, is it allows students to monitor how much work they get done in a certain amount of time.  This will help them to be accountable for their work habits and also give them the opportunity to decide if a break is necessary or deserved.  The site provides numerous different visuals including a bomb, a digital face clock, etc. so students who prefer to have a picture of time instead of numbers counting down can do so.

If computers are not readily available, most personal devices have some form of stopwatch application that could be used as well.  Technology provides infinite possibilities when it comes to classroom engagement.  The online stopwatch is a very simple, but very effective tool that any teacher could implement in their classroom.

Here are some more great Time Management Tips to use in the classroom:

My Teaching Philosophy

I live among some of the richest people on the planet and have felt the luxury of wealth. I have experienced the lives of those who are among the poorest people in our world as well. Both have shaped who I am and who I will be as an educator. I believe that empathy is one of the most valuable skills one could obtain in life. The ability to put one's self in someone else's shoes is such a huge asset and the first step in becoming a critical thinker which leads me to my ultimate goal as a teacher.
If nothing else, my students will learn how to critically analyze texts, media and all things in life. It is my goal to provide students with a passion to better understand everything they read, see and hear rather than simply accepting materials for their face value. With these skills, it is my belief that my students will be well equipped to be actively involved in social justice issues. It is my hope that all of my students will have a need to be informed and a want to challenge themselves and the ideas put before them on a daily basis.

In A Nutshell...

                                                     Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12187843@N07/3569418060/">ViaMoi</a> via <a href="http://compfight.com">Compfight</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>

I am Krystle, Krystle Darla Doreen Valliere.  I grew up in the fresh and fierce Northern Saskatchewan CITY of Meadow Lake.  It is important to note the fact that Meadow Lake is a city, because although it may feel like a quaint and friendly, slow paced lifestyle, come rush hour, the one set of traffic lights can indeed cause a ruckus.  By ruckus, of course I mean a three or four car pile up throwing off people's five minute (maximum) commute to or from their places of work.

Anyways, more about me!  I am Metis, which is awesome, although I do not know much about my Aboriginal roots, I am beginning to dig deeper and find out more about this side of m heritage.  I suppose I should have said that I am a Scottish, Welsh, Metis; however, I do not like to sound pretentious.  I am a very social person.  Boy oh boy can I talk, especially if you get me on the topic of travel, culture or language.  All three topics provide the opportunity for riveting conversation.  In my spare time you will find me coaching or playing volleyball, getting my hair wet and swimming a couple laps at the pool or making new friends at the nearest coffee shop.

As of right now, I have to be honest and say that I really do not like technology.  To me, it hinders conversation, causes constant misunderstandings, and only works on a good day.  To sum it up, technology frustrates me.  Of course I am open minded about it.  I can see the good side of technology as well and how it can be implemented into a classroom.  Living in a country such as Canada, this is not such a hard picture to visualize: rooms full of computers, students using iPads or iPhones to conduct research etc.  However, having travelled and taught in different parts of our world, I feel that people are putting so much emphasis on technology that they are forgetting about the basic ways of passing on knowledge.  It does not all have to be about inquiry, and research.  Storytelling and face to face conversation are tools that we should also be concentrating on improving and hopefully we will experience less technical difficulties.

I have been fortunate enough to travel a fair bit before the dark shadow of student loans began looming over every penny I earn.  Thus far, I have ventured to Mexico, Italy, France, Scotland, and Kenya.  All journeys were amazing in unique ways and taught me lessons that could not be learned from a book, website or online journal.  I am a firm believer in the fact that experience is the greatest educator of all and in saying so, it is my goal to see and do as much as possible before, during and after my teaching career.  Technology helps me to stay in touch with the many people I encountered throughout my travels; however, nothing will ever surpass the first hand experience of actually being there.  Had I taken a cell phone or even a camera, I feel that some or most authenticity would have been lost.  I am not interested in "capturing" a moment.  I am more so interested in the feeling, and realness of amazing experiences.  I feel that by actually living in the moment instead of trying to preserve it, I will be better equipped to pass on the knowledge and experience.

WoOp…There it is!

Today has been an exciting one!!  After years of searching, I finally came across a song that holds a special place in my heart.  It was in my ECMP 355 class via a Youtube video that we viewed in class that the song rang in my ears.  In Feb. 2010, I was volunteering in Nairobi, Kenya, and the students at the orphanage I was at would "jam out" to this song on a daily basis; primarily because it was the song that skipped the least on the one Cd the children were in possession of.  The song is entitled "Ohh Ahh" by Grits Feat. tobyMac.  Just hearing the song finally inspired me to choose a topic for my final project.  I am going to become and "expert" mixologist.  I have come to this conclusion because I have very limited knowledge on alcoholic beverages and can not mix a drink for the life of me as well as the fact that I think it would be a valuable knowledge base to have when trying to obtain part-time employment (especially needed as my chosen profession is teaching).  I would like to learn not only the chemistry behind mixology but also all the fancy tricks that one can master in regards to tossing bottles in a magnificent fashion.  Of course I will be tast-testing, and will be inviting others to do the same and perhaps take part in a poll or provide feedback about how a beverage tasted.  I feel there are numerous directions that my journey to become  an "expert" mixologist will take me and am really excited to get started.

If you have any drink recipes or suggestions on how I can monitor my progress please comment.

Poning Nubes…and I'm the Nube.

My first post.  I am trying out a new blog to compare it with wordpress.com.  Thus far, I am liking blogspot better because it is more user friendly in regards to creating a layout and organizing my blog.  I found there to be too many steps to do a simple task on wordpress whereas on blogspot, all can be edited, created or changed in one single, simple step.  Perhaps my favourite feature thus far on blogspot is the 'layout' feature where you can change the entire set-up of your blog with ease.