I decided since my lesson plan needed lots of visual aids, lists, and pictures that it would be easiest to put it all into one format. Here is the Prezi I created to make sure I had all of my visual content in one place:
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Teacher/Student Communication-Off the clock
I applaud this school district for their proactive policy. As we all know, media can be used in great ways for education. We can bring so many good things to students, and give many opportunities to experience things they would otherwise not know about; But it can definitely bring unwanted content into the picture also.
How many times have we seen reports/rumors/stories about inappropriate contact between students and teachers? Too many to count. I would anticipate that with new technologies such as Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sights, that these types of stories would increase. Hats off to this school district/superintendent who implemented this policy before something "bad" was to happen in their district. I'm one who tends to think that the boundary rules are a little silly, especially in elementary school. They tell us that we're not allowed to hug the kids, and some districts have even banned "high-fives". Well, really, how am I suppose to side-step a hug from a 1st grader running at me? Those situations are a little difficult to handle when it comes to "appropriate contact", because it's initiated by the student and is very innocent/naive. When it comes to middle school and high school though, I think there should definitely be written rules on what kind of contact outside of school is appropriate. I am not saying that I think contact outside of school is a bad thing, but this rule is, in my opinion, the best way to protect students and teachers.
I'm sure there have been many instances in school when communication has been mis-interpreted, and that's one thing to handle. It is easier in ways when it's in-school because there are other teachers, faculty, and students to back up information and events. But what happens when something is sent over a text, tweet, or Facebook chat that is interpreted differently than the intention? Most likely a teacher will be accused of having inappropriate contact with a student, and corrective action will be taken against them. Now, there are instances where students and teachers have had inappropriate relationships, so I am not defending that at all. What I am saying is that there are teachers who have all the right intentions, that will say something that they mean one way and a student/parent interprets differently, and then we have a problem. It's easier if contact is limited outside the classroom, because then misunderstandings will be less frequent.
Why take the chance on having these kinds of issues and accusations being thrown around when it can be easily prevented by setting guidelines? I think this school district has the right idea, because honestly, why should students and teachers be sharing things on their personal media sites anyway? If they feel like they need to have a friendly social media outlet, they should make it available to all students, such as a class wiki or web-page, or twitter group where they can share with each other in a space that parents and other faculty/administration. That way teachers can post some information about themselves that they wish to share, but it is still appropriate. This will prevent any misunderstandings, and create a safer environment for teachers and students alike.
How many times have we seen reports/rumors/stories about inappropriate contact between students and teachers? Too many to count. I would anticipate that with new technologies such as Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sights, that these types of stories would increase. Hats off to this school district/superintendent who implemented this policy before something "bad" was to happen in their district. I'm one who tends to think that the boundary rules are a little silly, especially in elementary school. They tell us that we're not allowed to hug the kids, and some districts have even banned "high-fives". Well, really, how am I suppose to side-step a hug from a 1st grader running at me? Those situations are a little difficult to handle when it comes to "appropriate contact", because it's initiated by the student and is very innocent/naive. When it comes to middle school and high school though, I think there should definitely be written rules on what kind of contact outside of school is appropriate. I am not saying that I think contact outside of school is a bad thing, but this rule is, in my opinion, the best way to protect students and teachers.
I'm sure there have been many instances in school when communication has been mis-interpreted, and that's one thing to handle. It is easier in ways when it's in-school because there are other teachers, faculty, and students to back up information and events. But what happens when something is sent over a text, tweet, or Facebook chat that is interpreted differently than the intention? Most likely a teacher will be accused of having inappropriate contact with a student, and corrective action will be taken against them. Now, there are instances where students and teachers have had inappropriate relationships, so I am not defending that at all. What I am saying is that there are teachers who have all the right intentions, that will say something that they mean one way and a student/parent interprets differently, and then we have a problem. It's easier if contact is limited outside the classroom, because then misunderstandings will be less frequent.
Why take the chance on having these kinds of issues and accusations being thrown around when it can be easily prevented by setting guidelines? I think this school district has the right idea, because honestly, why should students and teachers be sharing things on their personal media sites anyway? If they feel like they need to have a friendly social media outlet, they should make it available to all students, such as a class wiki or web-page, or twitter group where they can share with each other in a space that parents and other faculty/administration. That way teachers can post some information about themselves that they wish to share, but it is still appropriate. This will prevent any misunderstandings, and create a safer environment for teachers and students alike.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
How to Evaluate Teachers
After reading this article, I am absolutely terrified of what is to come in the future for the teaching profession. I am not saying that I do not agree with evaluating teachers; obviously that is necessary to make sure students are getting a proper education. But how do we evaluate them that takes everything into consideration? Can it even be done? To use the "value-added assessments of teachers — which use improvements in student test scores to evaluate teacher effectiveness" seems absolutely ridiculous to me. Who on earth is proposing this? Do "they" not realize that test scores do not mean proficiency, and that there are a thousand factors to think about when making the claim about a "good or bad" teacher? Do they not consider that if they are only looking at test scores that teachers who rank the highest might have just taught to the test, and now that it's over their students don't remember any material that they had to "drill and kill"? What about us special education teachers? Do we have to suffer and have our names slandered because our students are making slow progress? I would like to start seeing ACTUAL TEACHERS be involved in making decisions on how we should be evaluated. People who hold positions in office and do not have teaching experience, and don't even hold any degree related to education should not be the ones deciding our future!
Grading teachers by students' test scores seems so ridiculous to many of us in the teaching profession, yet we're not the ones making decisions...why not? We should be able to say "yes, please come evaluate me, but also look at my students and see what challenges we have to overcome in the classroom before giving me an F". What about teachers who are dedicated to teaching and inspiring children, but teach in a school district that can't afford pencils and paper, let along new technologies and text books. What about the teachers who are given more than 40 students in a classroom to try to manage their behavior, let alone give them all a quality education. I can only hope that people such as Arne Duncan will start to consider these factors before implementing more hurdles for teachers to overcome, and before expecting a full turnaround in "improved assessments designed to measure critical knowledge and higher-order thinking skills". I also hope that in trying to prepare all of our "states to work jointly toward a system of common academic standards that builds toward college and career readiness", that programs such as music, acting, art, and other fine arts are not forgotten. I realize that those subjects are hardly gradable...what are they going to do, fail a teacher because all of their students can't play their E minor scale from memory? We need to remember that in our process to "race to the top", we may be losing many things that define us as a culture, and losing things that are, what I consider to be, just as important as the textbook material. Studies show that children who learn music have better math and science skills, and language skills, so please let these teachers teach also, even though our students aren't being graded on those subjects at the national level.
Well that was quite longer than I expected, but I still have much more to say on this issue. The summary of my rant; Don't rank and evaluate teachers strictly by what their students fill out on a bubble sheet.
Grading teachers by students' test scores seems so ridiculous to many of us in the teaching profession, yet we're not the ones making decisions...why not? We should be able to say "yes, please come evaluate me, but also look at my students and see what challenges we have to overcome in the classroom before giving me an F". What about teachers who are dedicated to teaching and inspiring children, but teach in a school district that can't afford pencils and paper, let along new technologies and text books. What about the teachers who are given more than 40 students in a classroom to try to manage their behavior, let alone give them all a quality education. I can only hope that people such as Arne Duncan will start to consider these factors before implementing more hurdles for teachers to overcome, and before expecting a full turnaround in "improved assessments designed to measure critical knowledge and higher-order thinking skills". I also hope that in trying to prepare all of our "states to work jointly toward a system of common academic standards that builds toward college and career readiness", that programs such as music, acting, art, and other fine arts are not forgotten. I realize that those subjects are hardly gradable...what are they going to do, fail a teacher because all of their students can't play their E minor scale from memory? We need to remember that in our process to "race to the top", we may be losing many things that define us as a culture, and losing things that are, what I consider to be, just as important as the textbook material. Studies show that children who learn music have better math and science skills, and language skills, so please let these teachers teach also, even though our students aren't being graded on those subjects at the national level.
Well that was quite longer than I expected, but I still have much more to say on this issue. The summary of my rant; Don't rank and evaluate teachers strictly by what their students fill out on a bubble sheet.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Video Game Replacement? I Hope So!
There are many times when I see kids with electronic machines shoved in front of their face; it usually frustrates me to no end, but a device like the new version of the Nook could possibly change my opinion on this. This Nook not only allows access to millions of books for adults, but is now incorporating children's books that can also be interactive. For a child who doesn't like to read, or who maybe doesn't have the capability to pay attention to a regular book for an extended period of time, this could be a great solution to them not reading at all. In my experience, children are usually very willing to play with new electronics. Giving them an interactive, electronic, educational version of their "video games" may get them more interested in reading, especially since this new Nook is in color (which might be more attractive!). There is also access to magazines; imagine being able to have access to a stack of Disney and Highlights magazines without the stack! Of course, as with all pros, come the cons. I am the kind of person who likes to hold an actual book, and flip through it. Some people may say this is useless, but as we have all learned in TE301 giving a child an actual book is a very important process for them to experience. They are able to learn what is the top and bottom of a book, where the beginning is, which way to flip the pages, etc. Having an actual book is a very important part of learning literacy, but I think once the basics are learned, the Nook is an incredible option for students to have access to sometimes. It could be a great way to send materials back and forth from home to school, and students with special needs could easily bring their reading materials back and forth from their gen. ed classrooms, to the basic and resource rooms, and to any other services they receive.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Victim...Says Who?
I have been following this court case since it began; and I'm outraged. As a future educator, I like to think I have a fairly accurate idea of the importance of safe schools. With all of the new cases of students committing suicides because of bullying, I would think that teachers, administrators, and school boards would take this very seriously. So why, then, did the principal feel the need to ask what kind of underwear the female student was wearing?! Are you kidding me? His reasoning is something along the lines of getting a good idea of what was "exposed", to "determine the severity of the matter". Who cares?! Does the fact that this young man pulled down two students pants in gym class not sound like a good enough reason to take disciplinary action? Any action at all? It doesn't matter what was exposed, the fact is that every student has the right to keep their "private parts" private. That's just general knowledge. Even if that female student was wearing underwear that covered that entire section of her body, that does not lesson the embarrassment of the situation, nor does it make her feel more safe at school. This mother, in my opinion, had every right to talk to the principal in this manner, because he simply wasn't listening and was asking questions that were in no way appropriate. I don't think it's appropriate in any case, not even this one, for an adult male to ask what kind of underwear a young female student was wearing. All he should have to know is that another student violated her right to privacy, and that should be enough. Why is this mother having to take all of this action to protect the rights that the school should have taken more seriously? It seems like the "bully" in this case should be the one having to address officials, not the mother of this violated middle-schooler. It's about time that everyone in schools, including teachers, parents, administrators, and other faculty, start taking initiative to make schools a safer place for our students. Statistics show that students learn better and retain more information when they feel safe...isn't this one of the obvious answers to the education crisis? Safer Schools = Better Learners.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Arne Duncan at MSU? Well...kind of!
This Monday and Tuesday, the Education Nation Summit will be held in Rockefeller Center. President Obama, Arne Duncan, and many others in the Education Department/Profession will be interviewed, making speeches, asking questions, and discussing issues in today's education on MSNBC. MSU was ranked first, for the 16th consecutive year, in Elementary and Secondary Education. This ranking has given our school the opportunity to be video-streamed into the discussion at 2pm on Monday. Select students from different cohorts will be given the opportunity to ask questions to Arne Duncan, through a video stream. Now, both of these topics are very interesting. We have the Education Nation Summit, which should be very important to all of us as future educators, but what's even more mind blowing is that Arne Duncan, the current Secretary of Education, will be talking "face to face" with students from MSU. How crazy is that?! And yes, of course I'm bummed that I'm not in a cohort, because I'm very involved and interested in the politics of education, but hopefully we will have students representing us that will ask the tough questions. Ones that he can't answer simply, but ones that really make him think for a minute.
What I mean by that...well, I can't really explain until you've read this proposal. Now, this proposal is very idealistic. Sure, bringing qualified, diversified, and productive teachers sounds great! But HOW are they planning on doing this? How are they going to distinguish between people who are just competent in their subject matter, from those who have the heart to become teachers? In a perfect world, you could teach someone how to have all the qualities of a teacher. But let's face it: to be a teacher, you need to have more than "young people who have the most talent and skill in these subject areas". A teacher needs to be patient, flexible, understanding, kind, have a general liking of students, and many more things. So my question, Mr. Duncan, is how are you going to prevent a revolving door effect? How are you going to make sure that you are choosing qualified candidates for teaching? How are you going to prevent the recruitment of students who are just good in their subject, who are roped into teaching because they're "smart", but discover they hate actually teaching and drop out a few years later? Then we'll be stuck with the same problem all over again.
Ok, that's more than just one question, but I obviously follow these issues very closely and don't want empty promises anymore. There is an education crisis in this country, and I'd really like to see people start asking questions that can't be answered with a few simple words.
What I mean by that...well, I can't really explain until you've read this proposal. Now, this proposal is very idealistic. Sure, bringing qualified, diversified, and productive teachers sounds great! But HOW are they planning on doing this? How are they going to distinguish between people who are just competent in their subject matter, from those who have the heart to become teachers? In a perfect world, you could teach someone how to have all the qualities of a teacher. But let's face it: to be a teacher, you need to have more than "young people who have the most talent and skill in these subject areas". A teacher needs to be patient, flexible, understanding, kind, have a general liking of students, and many more things. So my question, Mr. Duncan, is how are you going to prevent a revolving door effect? How are you going to make sure that you are choosing qualified candidates for teaching? How are you going to prevent the recruitment of students who are just good in their subject, who are roped into teaching because they're "smart", but discover they hate actually teaching and drop out a few years later? Then we'll be stuck with the same problem all over again.
Ok, that's more than just one question, but I obviously follow these issues very closely and don't want empty promises anymore. There is an education crisis in this country, and I'd really like to see people start asking questions that can't be answered with a few simple words.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wiki Pages
I really think I could learn to enjoy the wiki pages. Even though we didn't have to go very in depth with the site, it seems like it could be useful to make an organized collection of teaching sources, videos, websites, ect. Instead of loading up my personal website with links and videos, it makes complete sense to make a collection of other materials on the wiki site that I can refer to. It's also great because similarly to a google doc, I can invite other people to edit it, and can also hold discussions on it. The widget button can also be very useful because it seems like you can insert/embed pretty much anything into the site. The pages that can be created seem almost like folders to me. I would consider them almost a filing system for all of my information that I want to keep easily accessible. I haven't worked too much with my wiki yet, but I think I will definitely use it in the future!
I can't really see myself using this in any way with my students...maybe the only possibility would be to allow each student to have their own page where they could post work on the same wiki. I think the other technologies we have explored are more useful for group work. I think the wiki site will be mostly for my use, possibly because I will be teaching elementary school and I don't think wikis could be used very much in my grade levels.
Click HERE to view my Wiki!
I can't really see myself using this in any way with my students...maybe the only possibility would be to allow each student to have their own page where they could post work on the same wiki. I think the other technologies we have explored are more useful for group work. I think the wiki site will be mostly for my use, possibly because I will be teaching elementary school and I don't think wikis could be used very much in my grade levels.
Click HERE to view my Wiki!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Technology of Choice Week 6- Prezi
This week I decided to explore Prezi. I have seen many people use Prezi before, and have always thought their presentations looked very professional, but also difficult. The way Prezi works is that you can post content on a single wall, adjust the sizes of the content, and then create a path which is similar to a slideshow. Instead of playing the slides one by one, Prezi zooms in and out of the media on the wall, and it seems like a camera is moving from content to content.
For a website that creates presentations that are so fun to watch, it is very simple to use. I was intimidated by it before because I hadn't had much experience creating presentations other than PowerPoints. After having this class for 6 weeks though, I thought I could probably give it a try...and it was one of the most simple sites I have used!
I think Prezi would be perfect for doing either a picture or text "slideshow" but is not good for lots of text. It would be a great site to use for visual learners, because the movement and creative layout of the website will most definitely keep students attention better than a simple PowerPoint. It's a fun site to use, and easy enough for children to use and create presentations. It would also give a unique spin to presentations that would normally being boring and visually uninteresting to watch.
Click HERE to look explore Prezi and try making your own!
For a website that creates presentations that are so fun to watch, it is very simple to use. I was intimidated by it before because I hadn't had much experience creating presentations other than PowerPoints. After having this class for 6 weeks though, I thought I could probably give it a try...and it was one of the most simple sites I have used!
I think Prezi would be perfect for doing either a picture or text "slideshow" but is not good for lots of text. It would be a great site to use for visual learners, because the movement and creative layout of the website will most definitely keep students attention better than a simple PowerPoint. It's a fun site to use, and easy enough for children to use and create presentations. It would also give a unique spin to presentations that would normally being boring and visually uninteresting to watch.
Click HERE to look explore Prezi and try making your own!
Photo Show
This week, I created a photo show using photoshow.com. I created a show about the year my service dog in training, Mango, spent with me learning how to be an assistance dog. I really liked this site! It is quick and simple to use, and seems very user friendly.
I think this particular site would be very useful in a classroom. The simplicity of the website would easily allow younger students to navigate and create their own stories. Using this site would allow students to bring their own personalities and lives into the classroom by sharing their own personal photos. They could, for example, do a slideshow of pictures with captions from their summer vacations, a class project with photos from a field trip, a class slideshow using pictures from the entire year of school, or they could even start learning how to use sights that allow use of licensed pictures and do a project with photos and captions instead of or in addition to a written paper. One of the most positive things about this website is that the subject that the student is presenting on is not limited to actual pictures, they could use other images also to create a presentation about any subject. The only negative thing about this website is that you only are allowed access to your video for one month after creating it, unless you pay for the upgrade. That also goes for the special effects they have; they are limited unless you pay for use of the site.
Overall I think this project was very successful, and could be used in almost any grade level for projects.
Click HERE to view my photoshow!
I think this particular site would be very useful in a classroom. The simplicity of the website would easily allow younger students to navigate and create their own stories. Using this site would allow students to bring their own personalities and lives into the classroom by sharing their own personal photos. They could, for example, do a slideshow of pictures with captions from their summer vacations, a class project with photos from a field trip, a class slideshow using pictures from the entire year of school, or they could even start learning how to use sights that allow use of licensed pictures and do a project with photos and captions instead of or in addition to a written paper. One of the most positive things about this website is that the subject that the student is presenting on is not limited to actual pictures, they could use other images also to create a presentation about any subject. The only negative thing about this website is that you only are allowed access to your video for one month after creating it, unless you pay for the upgrade. That also goes for the special effects they have; they are limited unless you pay for use of the site.
Overall I think this project was very successful, and could be used in almost any grade level for projects.
Click HERE to view my photoshow!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
What a struggle!
So the actual technology of the Lesson Plan and the VBlog I thought were pretty simple...getting them to save to the wiki site...whole different situation! Moral of the story; Don't ever count on an internet connection...it might just fade in and out when you're trying to get something uploaded.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Technology Lesson Plan
As I'm sitting here trying to put the finishing touches on my lesson plan using Google Earth, I have an audience. The children that I'm a nanny for (twin 6-year old boys and a 4-year old girl) are watching over my shoulder, and asking to go "underwater and to the moon" because I showed them the google earth program.
I usually save my homework for early mornings when they're sleeping and at night when I'm home, but events this morning made me want to take out my newly discovered program and share it with them. The boys were playing their Wii and I heard one of them yell "I learned how to do the jump!". Well, I thought it would be sad if all they were learning during the summertime was how to operate useless games. I asked them if they wanted to work on my computer with me, and they were a little apprehensive at first. Then I pulled up the program, and they were really excited to see that it was very similar to a video game! I showed them things like the street view of their house, underwater shipwrecks, and spots on the moon where people have landed. They were very engaged as we sat there for at least a half hour (a long time for them to sit still!)
After sitting with the boys, I realized that these technologies are very applicable to education. So, reluctantly, I'll admit it; I'm coming around to the idea of more technology in the classroom.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
4 day school weeks...who really benefits?
I have already posted this link (http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-06-04-shorter-school-week_N.htm?csp=usat.me) to my twitter (never thought I would say that) but I can't believe this is a growing trend to cut costs. I have been following several education blogs, and they all seem to be saying the same thing; four day school weeks are a growing trend as one of the only ways left to cut budgets. I still can't believe this. In a time when the U.S. is competing with so many nations, how can we afford to educate our kids less? It's not even the matter of competition with other nations either, it's within our own. These days it's nearly impossible to find a decent job without college, and even then the job hunt isn't that great. Why would we give some students the disadvantage?
The article talks about evidence of children improving their test scores...but who is actually evaluating these 4-day weeks? Is it the teachers who actually see the progress of students, or is it people who simply administer tests and count numbers? As educators, we all know that a student should not be measured by a number. Maybe a student struggles with reading comprehension, but is insanely artistic. Maybe a student needs to work on drastically improving their social skills before addition and subtraction can even enter their mind. Maybe a student scores almost perfectly on these exams, but isn't able to express him/herself in any other way except the numbers that are printed on their exams because all of the school's short 4-day classes are geared towards teaching only the material will be tested. When does individuality and creativeness trump AYP, or will it never? Standardized tests may prove that students are being better educated...but then again, it could be that they are just learning what bubbles to fill in.
If these test administrators truly believe that students are getting enough formal education in 4 days, then why can't the 5th day be used for performing arts, gym, foreign language, etc.? It seems that when trying to cut budgets, the definition of education is becoming a much more well-defined term. In my opinion, education should be a much looser term where formal education is of course taught, but where students also have the option of expanding their interests to more than a bubble sheet. How are kids going to find things to be passionate about if art, music, sports, etc. are slowly taken out of public schools, the only place that many students are able to be introduced to them?
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Creating Slideshows: BBP
This is my Slideshow I created with Zoho. I'm not sure why the pictures aren't positioned how I would like them...but I'm working on fixing the alignment of everything! All the info is on there, so for now just pretend everything is evenly spaced and centered :)
Friday, June 11, 2010
Exploring Google Docs
I never thought I would say this about a technology used in this class...but I love google docs! I think they could be applicable in almost any classroom, office, group, or just as an exchange of ideas/plans between friends and family. They bring peer editing and revising to a whole new level, and make the convenience factor so much higher! The most positive things I can see about google docs are:
-They can be edited/revised from anywhere, anytime.
-Anyone who is invited to can edit it, whether it's two people or 15.
-It has almost all of the applications of a regular word document.
-No need to keep printing out copies for people to edit, they can do it directly.
-They can be used as an organizational tool.
I love having the ability to send something to a person and have them be able to send it right back to me without having to save draft after draft, all the editing builds into one document. In a classroom, this can be very useful to use as a peer editing tool. Not only does a google doc give students the ability to help each other with their work and gain new ideas on how to organize papers, but it allows them to do it outside of the classroom. This can mean more time for instruction in-class, because peer-editing could be assigned as homework. (I realize that students socio-economic status must be considered though, because all students may not have a computer or internet at home. This is a perfect opportunity though to introduce them to computers at the public library that can be used for free). This may be an easier way for some students to edit papers also, because in addition to giving verbal feedback, they could take their time and edit their own comments before they save them, whereas writing comments are usually permanent. It also allows students to highlight the changes they have made so the writer has the option to use or not use their suggestions.
The only downfall I can see of the google doc is that anyone could have the power to "destroy" the work. This could happen by deletion or by addition of inappropriate materials. Students would have to learn to make sure they have not just taken the changes of their peers at face value; they need to learn how to evaluate and properly consider the changes.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Discovering a new Technology
For the assignment this week of exploring a new technology, I decided since I'm in this class to learn as much as I can about new things I should dive into something I have little experience with. I also thought that since I have been very negative about certain websites in the past, I should give one a chance and try to find benefits to it. My choice? Google Earth. Now, I realize you might be asking "why would anyone feel negative towards this website?". Well, I guess I'm a little (ok, a lot) behind the advancements of internet technology, and am quick to brush them off and judge them as something useless or even harmful. There are so many negative reports about how internet technology is invasive and can give personal information to strangers so easily. This is why I freaked out when I realized that Google Earth could literally show almost any image of anything on this planet; seriously, when you think about it, it sounds crazy and invasive (to me anyway). Since I am a very private person, the thought of my house or apartment complex being shown to anyone with just a click of a button without my permission seems strange.
My feelings aside on this issue, I decided to download the newest version of Google Earth and the plug in and play around with it. I also did some research (of course with google, who else?) and learned that this program is probably one of the most useful learning tools on the internet today! It is not simply plugging in an address to look at a building, this can bring you a whole 3D version of anywhere you could possibly want to travel! I "flew" everywhere from the Eiffel tower, to the Rocky Mountains, to my cabin up north...all within minutes! I also explored underwater, visited the moon, watched the sun set in California...really Google, are you kidding me? How did I not know this existed before?
I don't even know where to start explaining how I could use this in my classroom. In regards to the TPACK model, Google Earth could easily be incorporated into lessons that include all three components. Take for example going "hiking" in the Grand Canyon; The visual images and exploring could easily be used to supplement classroom materials that the students are learning about mountains, valleys, etc. The images could be incorporated before, during, or after, depending on the students and lesson (and how much of a "wow" factor) the images are. The images and exploring could also be used in forms of assessment. For example, if you're trying to assess how well the students know significant buildings/monuments across the world, you could show images of, let's say, the Washington Monument, The Eiffel Tower, Greek Statues, and more to see if they can identify them.
Google Earth can also be used in lessons that are teaching the placement or navigation of countries. In the features, you can make a "map" and travel to certain places in a certain order. You can also design your own buildings; anywhere you want. This would be great for possibly a high school architecture class.
The possibilities seem endless with this program! I know it is something I will definitely get to know when I have the time, and learn how to navigate it properly so I can make use of it someday in my own classroom.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Edited Photos/Screenshot
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50794101@N05/show/
Here is the link to a slideshow of photos I have edited in the Digital Imaging lab.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Twitter...Yay or Nay?
After having twitter for a few weeks...well, I guess I'll just give my honest opinion; I think it's probably the most ridiculous thing anyone's ever created. I have yet to use it in a productive way, and I really think the whole idea of "updating" is a waste of time. A lot of my bad feelings are possibly because of the way I've seen it used though, with people updating a ridiculous "tweet", and people who are updating their site probably more times than they've walked outside during the day. I don't care where anyone is going, when they're going somewhere, or any of the other "w" questions that users of twitter seem to answer. It honestly seems like a stalker's heaven. The only productive way I can see this website being used is if people are posting links to useful websites, or possibly a newscast updating with new "news". But even if these educational/useful things are being posted, I still don't want to take the time to check twitter, because it seems like a big waste of time. I would rather pick up a newspaper and read to see what's going on in the world, or call someone to see what their plans are for the night. I can see the argument when people say that it gets "right to the point" of what you are looking for, but doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of incidental learning? If I'm looking for a news feed about middle eastern affairs, then that's great. But if that's all I'm looking for, I'm going to miss that really important story about events in Africa or South America that I wasn't necessarily looking for, but still should be informed about and would have if I picked up a newspaper or even turned on CNN. I know there are many valid arguments about the positive use of twitter, but it is one site that I won't be visiting too often. All of the other sites we have been using so far I think are great tools, but I highly doubt twitter will become a part of my favorites list.
This is a photo I Licensed with Creative Commons
This is one of my first uploads to flickr. I took this picture at a wedding I went to at a Vineyard a few weeks ago.
Photos in the Classroom
I think pictures are a great technology to use in the classroom. Not only are they a great way to share images that children see on a daily basis, but are a perfect way to bring animals, countries, people, and much more into the classroom that the students rarely or never get a chance to see. Images from across the world, or even just from several cities over, may seem foreign to students who don't have the opportunity to see them, so bringing those objects in with pictures gives a simple idea of what the object looks like and its relative size/habitat. I think this can be especially useful for at risk students in cities who have the disadvantage of not being able to travel out of the inner city. These students may have a harder time identifying with objects that appear on tasks such as standardized tests, that ask them questions about plants, animals, or other things that they are not familiar with. The same goes for children who live in rural areas and are not able to picture what a skyscraper looks like, or what sitting in traffic is. By using pictures along with explanations and questions, children can see almost anything they want to and get the opportunity to experience things they would not otherwise have access to.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Technology Integration in Classrooms
One of the most recent experiences I've had with seeing technology in the classrom was in a lower elementary special ed (LD) classroom in Lansing. There are 13 children in this class, all functioning on very different levels. I was so impresse with how computers brought out skills in the children that I had not seen in the classroom, only in the computer lab. One of the main websites they used was a PBS kids website that had all kinds of games which enhanced skills ranging from colors, to shapes, to math problems. In the classroom, the children were sometimes not engaged, were bored with the lesson, didn't want to sit still, but in the computer lab they were completely focused on their computers. The educational games that they were using seemed to be working very well, because the teacher said she saw a difference in the skills they learned and applied in the classroom after playing the educational games for a couple of weeks. I have only been in special education placements, but from what I have seen it has been a great tool for children with special needs, in particular one with motor skill development difficulties. This particular child could not write/draw easily so he was not always capable of completing the work, even though it was just because he couldn't put down his ideas. Using the computer with a large mouse attached allowed him to play the games and type in a way that suited him best, so that he could still get the content from the lesson, and could focus on improving his motor skills in therapy sessions and other practice times. I have yet to see a bad example of technology used in any placement that I have been in. From SmartBoards to picture slide shows, I have seen students react very positively to all technology used.
Political Correctness v Old School Teaching
http://freedomedium.com/2009/10/we-need-politically-correct-classrooms/
I think this post represents many things that I personally struggle with on a daily basis when it comes to working with children. I can just imagine the sarcasm in this writer's mind as they wrote this, because some of these issues seem so ridiculous but are real issues that teachers are faced with every day. When is it ok to drop the political correctness and just be the person we are, or is it better to think twice before we let any words come out of our mouths? The issues discussed in this article really made me think about the kind of teacher I want to be, compared to the kind of teacher I might have to be. When I think back to elementary school, I have very fond memories of my teachers, librarians, janitors, and other faculty/staff. I remember sitting in my kindergarten teacher's lap on occasion for story time, getting hugs when I fell off the the play equipment, and the librarian letting me stash myself away next to a bookshelf during recess so I could see what mystery the Boxcar Children were going to solve this time. Now, we're not supposed to hug the kids or have them sit on our laps because they could "interpret it as a different meaning" and we can be sued for assault. I also know many schools have a policy that a student cannot be alone with a single staff member, so being the only student alone in with the librarian would never fly.
I think in order to be a successful teacher, I'm going to have to look at my students differently than I look at other children. My job right now is beinga full-time nanny for two 6-year olds and a 4-year old, and I also babysit for other families around the Lansing area. I hug these children, they sit on my lap to read stories, and when they hurt themselves I put bandaids/ice where they say it hurts....for me not to be able to show my students the same compassion is going to be very difficult. I know that school rules are going to be very strict, and the desire to keep my job and good reputation will outweigh my wanting to give my students hugs when they need one...but it will still be hard.
I want to become the teachers I had; the ones who taught me to think outside the box, to not judge a book by its cover, to memorize my "times tables" by marching and chanting down the hallway. Those things I can be, but I know I won't be able to be my kindergarten teacher who let me sit on her lap when we read Madeline, or my librarian who hugged me every year on the birthday we shared, or my science teacher who held my hand when we were allowed to pet a snake at the zoo but I was too scared to walk up alone.
I don't really have the experience to say which is better; that the no-touching policies won't prevent any innapropriate contact, or that every student should be hugged...those don't seem right either...but I think it's going to be hard to not have any options on what a student/teacher relationship can be. I wish I could be the teachers I had in almost every aspect, but it looks like today's rules and regulations are going to delegate what kind of teacher I have to be.
I think this post represents many things that I personally struggle with on a daily basis when it comes to working with children. I can just imagine the sarcasm in this writer's mind as they wrote this, because some of these issues seem so ridiculous but are real issues that teachers are faced with every day. When is it ok to drop the political correctness and just be the person we are, or is it better to think twice before we let any words come out of our mouths? The issues discussed in this article really made me think about the kind of teacher I want to be, compared to the kind of teacher I might have to be. When I think back to elementary school, I have very fond memories of my teachers, librarians, janitors, and other faculty/staff. I remember sitting in my kindergarten teacher's lap on occasion for story time, getting hugs when I fell off the the play equipment, and the librarian letting me stash myself away next to a bookshelf during recess so I could see what mystery the Boxcar Children were going to solve this time. Now, we're not supposed to hug the kids or have them sit on our laps because they could "interpret it as a different meaning" and we can be sued for assault. I also know many schools have a policy that a student cannot be alone with a single staff member, so being the only student alone in with the librarian would never fly.
I think in order to be a successful teacher, I'm going to have to look at my students differently than I look at other children. My job right now is beinga full-time nanny for two 6-year olds and a 4-year old, and I also babysit for other families around the Lansing area. I hug these children, they sit on my lap to read stories, and when they hurt themselves I put bandaids/ice where they say it hurts....for me not to be able to show my students the same compassion is going to be very difficult. I know that school rules are going to be very strict, and the desire to keep my job and good reputation will outweigh my wanting to give my students hugs when they need one...but it will still be hard.
I want to become the teachers I had; the ones who taught me to think outside the box, to not judge a book by its cover, to memorize my "times tables" by marching and chanting down the hallway. Those things I can be, but I know I won't be able to be my kindergarten teacher who let me sit on her lap when we read Madeline, or my librarian who hugged me every year on the birthday we shared, or my science teacher who held my hand when we were allowed to pet a snake at the zoo but I was too scared to walk up alone.
I don't really have the experience to say which is better; that the no-touching policies won't prevent any innapropriate contact, or that every student should be hugged...those don't seem right either...but I think it's going to be hard to not have any options on what a student/teacher relationship can be. I wish I could be the teachers I had in almost every aspect, but it looks like today's rules and regulations are going to delegate what kind of teacher I have to be.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Technology Experiences and Expectations
I have almost no experience with technology, which is exactly why I decided to take this class before I am in the classroom full-time. I am fine when using basic programs on computers, such as Word and itunes, but when it comes to more advanced programs and editing I have never been successful (not that I've really given it much of a try). I have done simple PowerPoints and Prezi's for classes, and have also made online photo albums that didn't require editing. My most recent project has been scanning and attempting to edit some photos for my younger sister who is graduating high school this year, so that we can use the older photos in scrapbooks without having to put glue on the originals that might ruin them. This semester I would like to learn the basics about more technology sources, and how technology can be transfered into classrooms for younger students and students with special needs since I am an Elementary Ed/Special Ed.-LD major. I do not neccessarily expect to master any sources, but would like to become more advanced in searching for appropriate technological tools and different ways to incorporate them into lessons. Learning the basics of programs would allow me to have a great starting point on advancing my technology skills.
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