The Longer Story:
In fact, as a child, I was a delight to my first teachers, my parents. Whether we like it or not, parents are our first teachers, after all, for better or worse. Mine were wonderful. My father was an artist, author and Professor of Art and Art Therapy at California State University, Sacramento and a excellent model. I wanted to be a teacher just like him.
I realized an important thing on one particular day when I was eight years old and in third grade. I was sitting in my chair, quiet as always, studiously working, it dawned on me that I was invisible. I needed no help, I demanded no attention. Did the teacher even know my name? Out of the blue, the young teacher burst into tears and said she could not "take it" anymore from Johnny Y. Yes, he'd pushed her over the edge. At that moment, I began to write my list of things she could do to better manage the class, help those who were struggling and inspire us all.
I carried that list and as the years ticked by added more and more to it. I was determined to make a difference and do it right. I graduated from college with a K-8 Multiple Subject teaching credential. I kept finding the hidden students and wanted to help. The "invisible" migrant student lacking English? Sure, I'd learn Spanish and get a credential to teach second language learners and teach English as a Second Language. A bright but "invisible" child who just can't seem to sit still or read, spell or write? Sure, I'll learn about ADD and Dyslexia. I'll become a diagnostician and certified tutor! And the many, many "invisible" students falling through the cracks with no labels? The disenfranchised? The 30% in my town that never even graduate from high school? Well, why not learn about Instructional Media and use what they all know and love (technology) to reach, teach and motivate? Working on that!
Why? So no child will ever be invisible again!
Note:
I had wrongly assumed that since I have an iPhone and MacBook it would make this assignment too easy. As I result, I ignored the cool "apps" and tried to utilize the programs that most kids have already on their basic cell phones. It began well. I took numerous pictures, signed up for Evoca (to record a message then get it placed directly in my blog) and began researching other options. It all quickly went south. The evoca account would not recognize my password. I ended up recording my narrative on my "voice memo" app. That worked well. I sent it to my email. Bubbleshare and Gabcast are both no longer offering services, so those were out for podcasting and slideshows.
I finally broke down and used iMovie (iTunes and eventually tried iDVD). I transferred my voice memo to iMovie, added photos I took with my cell, and made the 1 minute video posted above. But ALAS! It would not play. Not until I finished typing this lengthy explanation did it miraculously work. Blogger would not recognize or download my Mac movies. I could watch my movie on QuickTime, but could not get it translated into that format. I tried everything and spent hours searching "help". I tried sending it to YouTube so I could get a link, but that was a fail. Or maybe it's there and I can't find it?? Why does it work now? I have no idea and probably could never recreate it again. In retrospect I should have completed this project on my daughter's cell using our old HP computer. The good news, however, is that with my students at school we could use our MacBooks in the lab and utilize our cell phones easily. Just no tedious downloading to Blogger!
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