Youth and Digital Media

This cartoon cracked me up when I first saw this on Huffpost. Today I finished all my reading for my "YOUTH AND DIGITAL MEDIA" class and then this was on my twitter feed. This is supposed to describe today's youth but I'm really not ashamed to see this is ME too. 

How funny is that rabbit! ROFL....LMAO!!!! 

I'll be posting more as I got a few really good ones about today's kids and their digital lives. 

Strength Comes From Inside

I just finished the hardest class that I ever had in my life (RESEARCH & METHODOLOGY), (Thinks back to undergrad: the anatomy class my senior year or stats class was a walk in the park). I am just grateful I made through, although there were some days I wanted to throw in the towel and just not do anything. I was able to muster up some courage and actually get it done.

Sometimes I really do surprise myself. I get really down and negative about myself, although I should always realize I am a super strong chick. Just thinking about all the crap I've been through, yet I still continue to live. I am amazed and proud. Although there are days but mostly nights where the depression takes over and the dark blanket wraps around my body. Life looks gloomy and dark. I went back to school so I wouldn't be in my thoughts of depression and so far it's worked. Now I'm just extremely stressed out! Ha! Go figure. What will happen after I graduate? I don't know but I am looking forward to actually doing NOTHING for at least 4 weeks come June 2016.

I may be alone.... but I am my own cheerleader. In and out....I must prevail! I really don't know how but it happens. One more summer class...fall and spring...and voila....Cap, gown, and hood!

Educational Research

Educational Research and it's importance in my field is key in developing strategies and new ideas. We've come a long way from the first compulsory education systems and we will continue to evolve. Being a teacher is not stagnant. We have to constantly evolve and reflect on our practices. Each student is like a flower in a garden and some need different things to thrive and grow. Students have issues in school and home and that will also change due to the dynamic of personalities and moods. I believe education research is beneficial to my practice. Both descriptive and experimental research will help in my field and department. The ideal relationship between research and educational practice is yet to fully be determined. I know they go hand in hand but for me specifically I am at the beginning of this action research journey. 

25 Hour Learning Challenge with Multimedia

Time to Shoulder hoop and have some fun!!!! This is week 6 of my Participatory Learning class and am finalizing my 25 hour learning challenge!

I created a prezi so please check out the link below that has captured my learning progress and final reflection:

 http://prezi.com/pcjzzmga2l8j/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Participatory Learning in our Digital World

Participatory learning is helpful because you are able to work with others to achieve a desired result. In my case I was trying to complete snake with an advanced hoop. I was told to use the beginner hoop then move to a smaller one as I got more rotations. With hooping the larger and heavier it is, the easier it is to stay up with little “pump” or “chest circles.” 

Once I got to the smaller and lighter hoop I became disheartened at the fact that my rotations decreased. It can be very frustrating and I tend to move on to something else when I am jamming as to keep my momentum of dance going. I had to make it a point to stop and say to myself out loud, “Go back to snake. Don’t give up.” When I was hooping with a friend yesterday, that started after me, and see her doing snake so easily I feel a bit annoyed. She was there to support me as I was there to support her when she started hooping. I’m really good at off body moves and she’s good at snake. 

But I keep persevering!!!!

My digital identity has not had any effect on my learning snake and snake has not affected my digital identity. I’m really proud and okay with who I am and who I am branding myself as online. My digital footprint now has new prints because I am writing this blog and it is attached with my real first and last name along with Google plus. I am posting and using videos of myself that are tagged and hashtagged. My journey can be read by other hoopers on their journey to snake and can see that it will not happen overnight and there may be frustration that comes along with it. 

Sensual Snake

In my journey to conquer the hooping move "snake" I was able to use various tools to help with my practice this week. I already belong on Hooping.org and subscribe to hoopers on YouTube to look at different explanations of "snake" also known as shoulder or upper body hooping. I wanted to take a class this week however I was on spring break and took my advanced students to Los Angeles to dance for the week. I wasn't able to take my hoop but when I got to L.A. I took a pole dancing class while waiting for the kids to get out of the dance studio down the street. I also took hip hop and jazz funk while there however I chose to take this class because snake is a very sensual move. 

I wasn't able to try it out yet because I won't be home until Monday night and this is due. I will try it and remember the lessons taught by the teacher at the pole dance studio. Getting different ways to approach this move is and has been very helpful. If it is different from another I try it and see what works. That is the only way to improve. Continue to collaborate and physically try it. 

Learning Challenge

The challenge I decided to entertain was learning how to do "SNAKE," also known as shoulder hooping. I wanted to be able to keep the hoop up for longer than 3 rotations without falling with an advanced hoop.

This week I practiced with my beginner hoop and next week I will use the advanced hoop. Before I was able to get about 2-3 rotations. This week I got 5 rotations so I was excited about that.

There is so much freedom and creativity in hoopdancing with the freestyle that occurs. That is how you learn anything...right? Trial and error. You get some guidance and tips and then you practice to perfect what you are doing. When you take a class with #hoopgirl it always ends in what's called a "jam session."

Of course practice is frustrating because I want what I want at that moment usually and I want to be the best at whatever I do. Getting just two more rotations was very satisfying. I'm surprised that that move is still hard for me after all this time. I think making me practice just that will help but its so hard not to go to my "go to" moves.

I haven't had the time to take a class or go to Delores Park last week and next week I will drop in to a class or do a community jam in San Francisco. Right now YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQw1Dbv-hq)and Hooping.org have been the resources that I have been using. Mainly its just practice that I need to get my rotations on.

This was 3/27/2015 (5 rotations) 

FYI it was 80's day so I dressed in my 1980's New York B--Girl attire.