We will be presenting our digital story in class. Digital Story is a story made up of photos and can be narrated and put to music. The digital story should tell a story and cause emotion to the viewer. It should stimulate the viewer in a way of learning. It is difficult to say how each student can see the story, so it needs to be a subject matter that would cause the viewer to think about what is being shown.
So What? i was thinking hard ob what to do our digital story about. It was difficult finding a subject matter that would hit home. One of the classmates suggested that we do it on the bombing in Japan. It didn't sound that great, so we decided to do it on something that hit home with the rest of us. My mother has had cancer for sometime now. She is ill and is going to die of cancer. I thought it would be good to educate the rest of the class about cancer. Most of the class knows what cancer is and how it kills. I just want to show how cancer can also be battled against. It is possible for us to battle against it and defeat it. We need to have good diets and exercise. We need to have a good attitude towards life. My mother has been a trooper through the whole process of cancer. She has had a good attitude for ten years, unfortunately there is not a winner all the time. The digital story was fun to play around with. It was fun trying to make a movie. I am sure it is not as good as I really think it is, there are going to be some classmates who have much better ones. I did enjoy making it, since I did it almost by myself.
Now what? I would like to say I will be the best techie around because I have taken this class, but I am still an amateur. I did enjoy the class and all we had the chance to accomplish. I think the world would be great if everyone knew just a little more. I will use what I have learned in my future classrooms. It is the best of the best. We are learning more everyday now than last year and just the recently graduated. There are more things to learn and teach, and we are the ones doing it. It is great to have the opportunity to study something I know I will love doing for the rest of my life. It will be a benefit to me to learn all that I can to be prepared. I feel I have taken the time I needed to learn this semester. I have great ideas for the future. My wife is a teacher, and she has asked me some things she could do in her class to be better with technology. See, I am already teaching the material I have learned. It is exciting and all will be well.
Video Education Fr All
I think there are many opportunities to teach with different ideas. I like how we were going to try a twitter thing in class this semester. It was an idea for something different. I will always welcome a new idea in my classroom. I do not want to be one of the teachers who get in a rut and use the same thing over and over again, never using anything different. It is awesome how we can use a new idea in the classroom and integrate it into the classroom.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
digital story 3
What? I have been learning a little bit more about digital stories. This week in class we learned how to use photo story. It was really easy to use, I was amazed at how easy it was. I expected to have more of a difficult time with the digital story. To be honest I was a little intimidated with the whole thing. I thought I was going to have a hard time finding all the things to put together. After going over photo story, I was able to see that it was actually quite simple. I even messed around with movie maker from Microsoft which was even better for entering in the sound and having it coordinate with the pictures. I don't know why I was worried about doing the story before hand.
So what? Well, I think the digital story is a great way of doing things to get students attention. It may not teach the whole story of a subject, but it definitely is a way to show the students the material with some emotion involved. I have had a fun time learning about the tools that are necessary to make a good digital story. It is not really that difficult to do a digital story. I thank with even a little more practice one could become quite efficient at it and could do a digital story for almost any topic that may be presented. It is a great way of showing material and having the students see it in a different aspect. Everyone likes movies and stories, right?
Now what? I have a goal of using much of what I have learned in the class. I want to use technology in my future classroom. I do understand that it is a supplemental use of knowledge, and I will not be able to use the all the things all the time. I will use digital stories on the topics that may be boring to most of the students. I could use it for Social Studies in sixth grade. In field we used actually thought about doing a digital story about Rome. We decided not to do it because it seemed like to big of a task for one lesson. We ended up doing a PowerPoint instead. Now that I think about it, the digital story would have been just as good. I will use one sometime in the near future in my classroom.
Video I think I have watched this video before, I did like it. I couldn't help thinking about how cool it would be if I walked through my house and ordered everyone around like he did. I think we are what we make ourselves in this day and age. In the past we could have slid by without really giving anything much of a try. If we did not want to do something with technology, we did not. Today there is no way we can do that. We need to jump at any opportunity to learn everything that will benefit our own future. Good video though!
So what? Well, I think the digital story is a great way of doing things to get students attention. It may not teach the whole story of a subject, but it definitely is a way to show the students the material with some emotion involved. I have had a fun time learning about the tools that are necessary to make a good digital story. It is not really that difficult to do a digital story. I thank with even a little more practice one could become quite efficient at it and could do a digital story for almost any topic that may be presented. It is a great way of showing material and having the students see it in a different aspect. Everyone likes movies and stories, right?
Now what? I have a goal of using much of what I have learned in the class. I want to use technology in my future classroom. I do understand that it is a supplemental use of knowledge, and I will not be able to use the all the things all the time. I will use digital stories on the topics that may be boring to most of the students. I could use it for Social Studies in sixth grade. In field we used actually thought about doing a digital story about Rome. We decided not to do it because it seemed like to big of a task for one lesson. We ended up doing a PowerPoint instead. Now that I think about it, the digital story would have been just as good. I will use one sometime in the near future in my classroom.
Video I think I have watched this video before, I did like it. I couldn't help thinking about how cool it would be if I walked through my house and ordered everyone around like he did. I think we are what we make ourselves in this day and age. In the past we could have slid by without really giving anything much of a try. If we did not want to do something with technology, we did not. Today there is no way we can do that. We need to jump at any opportunity to learn everything that will benefit our own future. Good video though!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Field Experience 3
I have finished my field work at Edgemont Elementary School with cooperating teacher, Mr. Jennings. He was very informative on the technological view of teaching. He has been on the tech training staff at his school for many years, so some of the things he was doing in the classroom was amazing. He would assign his students a report that would be due on a given date, and he would let his students explore options on on the web. His classroom was unique because he was able to have Macs in the classroom. Each student had to share the computer with one other student. This made it possible for Mr. Jennings to effectively show the students what needed to be done. One thing in particular that made the computers even better was the method of sharing what Mr. Jennings had on his laptop with all the monitors in the classroom. It was difficult for some of the students to see the smart board on the wall so they were able to view what the teacher was showing directly in front of them on the screen. Each student could see what was being done on the board and it would be seen on the screen as well. For one of my lessons I had a website about ancient Rome that the students needed to view. Mr.Jennings was able to place it in a folder on the desktop of each student. We did it the day before the lesson was taught. When it came time for the students to view the website, each student clicked on the folder and the site came up on every screen in the classroom. I could have all the class view the page and split up into groups to do the project I prepared for them to do.
I know it is not possible for all the classrooms to have computers like Mr. Jennings' class, but I can see how the technology really helps students to be better learners. Mr. Jennings gave an assignment to do a comic book about a made up superstar. The class was engaged in doing the project, all but one I heard liked it and was really excited about the assignment. The assignment was to take pictures that could be used in the comic and write the comic all on the computer. Mr. Jennings did not have to explain how to do it because the class already knew anything there was to know about the computer and it's programs. It amazed me how the students knew how to do the things they were required to do. I would not know how to do many of these things. This is why it is so important for the teachers to experience technology classes in order to learn what these students are learning in the classroom. I will be prepared to do what is required of me to be one step ahead of the students in my future classroom.
Video: Cyber Summit on 21st century skills
This is not hard for me to believe after I have seen what is going on in the today's classroom. I see the students involvement much more than if the technology was not there. In class we have had many videos showing how technology is going to be in all the classrooms while we are a teacher. We have to remember that we are preparing students for jobs that are not even created yet. How can a teacher teach skills that are not invented yet? It is all about teaching the basics and having them grow them into what that will be someday. Technology is the only way we are going to be able to accomplish the task at hand. Teach a child computer basics and have them master them and they will be unstoppable later.
I know it is not possible for all the classrooms to have computers like Mr. Jennings' class, but I can see how the technology really helps students to be better learners. Mr. Jennings gave an assignment to do a comic book about a made up superstar. The class was engaged in doing the project, all but one I heard liked it and was really excited about the assignment. The assignment was to take pictures that could be used in the comic and write the comic all on the computer. Mr. Jennings did not have to explain how to do it because the class already knew anything there was to know about the computer and it's programs. It amazed me how the students knew how to do the things they were required to do. I would not know how to do many of these things. This is why it is so important for the teachers to experience technology classes in order to learn what these students are learning in the classroom. I will be prepared to do what is required of me to be one step ahead of the students in my future classroom.
Video: Cyber Summit on 21st century skills
This is not hard for me to believe after I have seen what is going on in the today's classroom. I see the students involvement much more than if the technology was not there. In class we have had many videos showing how technology is going to be in all the classrooms while we are a teacher. We have to remember that we are preparing students for jobs that are not even created yet. How can a teacher teach skills that are not invented yet? It is all about teaching the basics and having them grow them into what that will be someday. Technology is the only way we are going to be able to accomplish the task at hand. Teach a child computer basics and have them master them and they will be unstoppable later.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Fieldwork 2
I will not be using the What so what and Now what format because I used a a lot of the some things last time, I hope that will be ok. I am enjoying my field experience. My teacher uses technology in his classroom a lot. It is one of the classrooms in the school that has Macs in the classroom. The computers are shared between two students. It is kind of hard because the screens are in the way and the name tags are not visible. I do not know the student' names yet because of it. I do get to see the teacher do most of the instruction with technology. He will use the Internet to show pictures and maps, he also uses the permithion board to do the math. He has problems set up in a folder on his laptop. He will pull up the program and write with the designed marker. He is able to cross things out and erase things and redo them. I want one in my room when I do my teaching.
I did use some technology during the first lesson I taught. I looked up the websites previously when I was preparing my lesson on Roman Geography. I fould a fun interactive map that showed the Roman Empire and the growth throughout time. It went great with the lesson I was trying to teach. We have created a couple of PowerPoint's to assist with other lessons we did. I am having fun learning about the different ways that technology can be used in the classroom, it is amazing what the students know and the things they are able to do. The students in Mr. Jenning's class have done digital stories in the past. We wanted to do something like that with the students, but it looks like the time does not permit us to do it. I will continue to be observant and learn some things which might aid me in my teaching in the future, there are many things that can be done in the classroom with a computer or technological device.
Video
I was not amazed by the video because of what I have been seeing in the classroom these past weeks. Mr. Jennings will tell the students will open a PowerPoint and create a presentation on the planets. He told them to make an ad for each planet and try to sell it to someone. I am really impressed by what I am seeing there with those presentations. I do not believe, however, that the Wii is a learning tool in the classroom. I think it may be great to improve hand eye movement, but there should be a boundary in the schools. I believe there is other ways to stimulate the brain. I do agree with some of the things that can be done in schools with the use of technology, Parents should try and get all these things to become available to our students in our schools.
I did use some technology during the first lesson I taught. I looked up the websites previously when I was preparing my lesson on Roman Geography. I fould a fun interactive map that showed the Roman Empire and the growth throughout time. It went great with the lesson I was trying to teach. We have created a couple of PowerPoint's to assist with other lessons we did. I am having fun learning about the different ways that technology can be used in the classroom, it is amazing what the students know and the things they are able to do. The students in Mr. Jenning's class have done digital stories in the past. We wanted to do something like that with the students, but it looks like the time does not permit us to do it. I will continue to be observant and learn some things which might aid me in my teaching in the future, there are many things that can be done in the classroom with a computer or technological device.
Video
I was not amazed by the video because of what I have been seeing in the classroom these past weeks. Mr. Jennings will tell the students will open a PowerPoint and create a presentation on the planets. He told them to make an ad for each planet and try to sell it to someone. I am really impressed by what I am seeing there with those presentations. I do not believe, however, that the Wii is a learning tool in the classroom. I think it may be great to improve hand eye movement, but there should be a boundary in the schools. I believe there is other ways to stimulate the brain. I do agree with some of the things that can be done in schools with the use of technology, Parents should try and get all these things to become available to our students in our schools.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Field Experience 1
What? I am doing my field work right now for three weeks. I am working with Mr. Jennings at Edgemont Elementary in Provo. I have enjoyed my time observing so far. I have seen some great things during my time there so far; the classroom I am in is a technology room.
So what? The students in the class have a mac for every two students. They do a great amount with technology in the class. During the time we have been there we have not seen much use of the technology, however the teacher has explained some of the things that he did with them during the year. Some of the things have been fun to listen to. The teacher is good,but he seems to be way too chill for our good. I hope that I am able to see some techie things done in the classroom because of the setup he has there in his classroom. We are preparing for our digital stories in class; he showed us some of the digital stories the sixth grade students were able to do for an assignment. The class seemed to know what they were doing and the projects looked good. It made me start thinking about how I would use digital stories in my future classroom.
Now what? Right now I have planned to listen and observe in the classroom so that I will get some ideas for the future. I hope to see some things which will give me some ideas on how to use technology in the classroom. I will use digital stories in my room; just in noticing how these sixth grade students used their computers to make digital comic books. It will be fun especially when the students are able to do the work by themselves. Our teacher also has the students use the computer to look up word meanings and vocabulary. It kind of makes me think the teacher is lazy. but I do see how technology makes the teacher's job easier. I will use it with that in mind.
Video Do you teach or do you educate?
I definitely a future educator; this is why I decided to come back to school to get a job in education. I want to make a difference in the lives of my students. I hope that all teachers want to do the same thing. It is hard to think someone will take all the effort in being a teacher and not do it for the correct reasons. Education is much better than just learning the subjects in the classroom. It is a wonderful thing we all do for the children of the world.
So what? The students in the class have a mac for every two students. They do a great amount with technology in the class. During the time we have been there we have not seen much use of the technology, however the teacher has explained some of the things that he did with them during the year. Some of the things have been fun to listen to. The teacher is good,but he seems to be way too chill for our good. I hope that I am able to see some techie things done in the classroom because of the setup he has there in his classroom. We are preparing for our digital stories in class; he showed us some of the digital stories the sixth grade students were able to do for an assignment. The class seemed to know what they were doing and the projects looked good. It made me start thinking about how I would use digital stories in my future classroom.
Now what? Right now I have planned to listen and observe in the classroom so that I will get some ideas for the future. I hope to see some things which will give me some ideas on how to use technology in the classroom. I will use digital stories in my room; just in noticing how these sixth grade students used their computers to make digital comic books. It will be fun especially when the students are able to do the work by themselves. Our teacher also has the students use the computer to look up word meanings and vocabulary. It kind of makes me think the teacher is lazy. but I do see how technology makes the teacher's job easier. I will use it with that in mind.
Video Do you teach or do you educate?
I definitely a future educator; this is why I decided to come back to school to get a job in education. I want to make a difference in the lives of my students. I hope that all teachers want to do the same thing. It is hard to think someone will take all the effort in being a teacher and not do it for the correct reasons. Education is much better than just learning the subjects in the classroom. It is a wonderful thing we all do for the children of the world.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Digital Story 1
What? This week we learned about digital stories. I was interested in seeing what a digital story was because I had seen clips of them in other classes. They looked like they would be very difficult to do and that they would take a long time to accomplish. I learned that digital stories are stories that are told with pictures. They have tell a story that may be emotionally catching. Something that will catch attention yet teach about the chosen subject as well. I was glad to see that it is something that I will be able to do. I am still a little bit nervous about doing it, I feel that I do not have much experience in doing voice overs and movie clips. It will be interesting to see what we come up with.
So what? Digital stories can be a great way of teaching a subject that may be hard to teach verbally or with any other form of instruction. The reason it would be a great is because a picture tells a thousand stories. I think anything students can look at will only help them to learn and understand better. It is good to show students visual aids to teach. If a student can learn by watching a movie, imagine how a student will learn watching nothing but facts about the subject they are trying to learn. I believe that a little effort can go a long way with students. It may take a lot of work to put a digital story together, but when it is all said and done the students will learn a great deal about the subject being taught. It brings emotions into learning, something that is hard to do otherwise. I felt some feelings toward the digital stories we saw in class, especially the one about Abraham Lincoln. Could there be any better way of teaching that particular subject? By actually hearing the address being read and seeing the pictures made the experience enjoyable for me. I learned a lot about that topic in the three minutes it played for.
Now what? I would like to say I will be a professional digital story creator, but I seem to take too long for things like that. I spend the whole unit making the thing and would still not have it done for the time I wanted to use it. I don't know how efficient it would be for me to try using it. I will borrow others, however, I do hope to use them because I see great learning potential in it. I will use the information we learn in class to better understand the creation process of a digital story, when I actually learn how to do one and if I am any good at it, I will use them in my future classrooms. If I was drawn into a story about Abraham Lincoln and learned so much in the minutes with that, I will surely use them in my classroom to show emotion and portray the use of feelings to aid in learning.
Video NASA Digital Story
I liked the digital story about NASA, I thought it was well prepared and had a lot of thought put into it. I did find myself thinking that the words were used too much in the story. I did like the part where he stopped talking and brought in Kennedy's speech. The flow of the audio went well with the pictures that were being presented. I liked it and I hope I will be able to do something compared to that in quality of work shown. I know more about the space program from watching this segment than my whole life of watching TV and listening to news and reading. It is affective and should be used in the classroom for sure.
So what? Digital stories can be a great way of teaching a subject that may be hard to teach verbally or with any other form of instruction. The reason it would be a great is because a picture tells a thousand stories. I think anything students can look at will only help them to learn and understand better. It is good to show students visual aids to teach. If a student can learn by watching a movie, imagine how a student will learn watching nothing but facts about the subject they are trying to learn. I believe that a little effort can go a long way with students. It may take a lot of work to put a digital story together, but when it is all said and done the students will learn a great deal about the subject being taught. It brings emotions into learning, something that is hard to do otherwise. I felt some feelings toward the digital stories we saw in class, especially the one about Abraham Lincoln. Could there be any better way of teaching that particular subject? By actually hearing the address being read and seeing the pictures made the experience enjoyable for me. I learned a lot about that topic in the three minutes it played for.
Now what? I would like to say I will be a professional digital story creator, but I seem to take too long for things like that. I spend the whole unit making the thing and would still not have it done for the time I wanted to use it. I don't know how efficient it would be for me to try using it. I will borrow others, however, I do hope to use them because I see great learning potential in it. I will use the information we learn in class to better understand the creation process of a digital story, when I actually learn how to do one and if I am any good at it, I will use them in my future classrooms. If I was drawn into a story about Abraham Lincoln and learned so much in the minutes with that, I will surely use them in my classroom to show emotion and portray the use of feelings to aid in learning.
Video NASA Digital Story
I liked the digital story about NASA, I thought it was well prepared and had a lot of thought put into it. I did find myself thinking that the words were used too much in the story. I did like the part where he stopped talking and brought in Kennedy's speech. The flow of the audio went well with the pictures that were being presented. I liked it and I hope I will be able to do something compared to that in quality of work shown. I know more about the space program from watching this segment than my whole life of watching TV and listening to news and reading. It is affective and should be used in the classroom for sure.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Podcast and vidcast
What?
A podcast is an audio file which can be downloaded to the Internet or placed on the computer with some sort of audio recording device. A vidcast is an mp4 or video based upload to the Internet. These tools can be used to show many different things on the website. They can be used to help explain what is trying to be shown on the Internet.
So what?
I have not really ever placed content on the Internet in the past. I was introduced to blogging and face book, which I have posted comments on here and there but never really did much of anything else with technology on the web. It is handy to use technology in the classroom to do anything that will make the classroom a better place for the students to learn. With podcasts a teacher could show the information in class on the web for the students who are not there during a class time, or that may have a question with the material explained. Parent would be able to see what is being taught in class. There would be no excuse for the students to not have the homework done.
Now what?
I don't know if I will be using it a lot in my classrooms. I don't know how I feel about children not getting work one because they missed the class time. If they don't take the opportunity to do the things that will get them the grade, then they should not ave parents have the information to get the work done for them. I believe in class participation in some degree. If I were to use podcast and vidcast, I would need to take the time for preparation and I would also need to make sure everything was exactly perfect each and everyday for all the parents to read. I don't know if it would be good to do that everyday, but I surely could do that some days of the year. It would be good to do for special projects that are worked on in class. I will us it some, but even Doc Waters has stopped doing it all the time. Great idea for someone who has all the time in the world, but the lesson plans still have to be created an lives have to be lived.
Video: Why let our students blog
I would like blogging if I could type faster and more efficiently. I like the idea of creating a journal for all the items that have been learned in class. It is hard to find the time to do it in a journal by writing. I guarantee that writing in a book would take much longer for me to get the information on the paper than for me to type it even though I am slow at typing. It is fun to read what is happening in the classroom from the students' perspectives. I like how it said that it broadens the classroom. It is great for reflection and fun. My wife reads her friend's blog an laughs every time doing it. Blogging is great for education, and all students need to take time to think about what they are learning in class everyday anyway.
A podcast is an audio file which can be downloaded to the Internet or placed on the computer with some sort of audio recording device. A vidcast is an mp4 or video based upload to the Internet. These tools can be used to show many different things on the website. They can be used to help explain what is trying to be shown on the Internet.
So what?
I have not really ever placed content on the Internet in the past. I was introduced to blogging and face book, which I have posted comments on here and there but never really did much of anything else with technology on the web. It is handy to use technology in the classroom to do anything that will make the classroom a better place for the students to learn. With podcasts a teacher could show the information in class on the web for the students who are not there during a class time, or that may have a question with the material explained. Parent would be able to see what is being taught in class. There would be no excuse for the students to not have the homework done.
Now what?
I don't know if I will be using it a lot in my classrooms. I don't know how I feel about children not getting work one because they missed the class time. If they don't take the opportunity to do the things that will get them the grade, then they should not ave parents have the information to get the work done for them. I believe in class participation in some degree. If I were to use podcast and vidcast, I would need to take the time for preparation and I would also need to make sure everything was exactly perfect each and everyday for all the parents to read. I don't know if it would be good to do that everyday, but I surely could do that some days of the year. It would be good to do for special projects that are worked on in class. I will us it some, but even Doc Waters has stopped doing it all the time. Great idea for someone who has all the time in the world, but the lesson plans still have to be created an lives have to be lived.
Video: Why let our students blog
I would like blogging if I could type faster and more efficiently. I like the idea of creating a journal for all the items that have been learned in class. It is hard to find the time to do it in a journal by writing. I guarantee that writing in a book would take much longer for me to get the information on the paper than for me to type it even though I am slow at typing. It is fun to read what is happening in the classroom from the students' perspectives. I like how it said that it broadens the classroom. It is great for reflection and fun. My wife reads her friend's blog an laughs every time doing it. Blogging is great for education, and all students need to take time to think about what they are learning in class everyday anyway.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Webquest 2
What? We are still working on web quest this week. We are doing it as a group depending on the age of students we want to teach. We had a really hard time coming up with the area we wanted to study. We decided to do it on the Ancient Egyptians and how the writings and goings on influenced the way they lived. We decided to have the our students be farmers who are wanting to live in an area of Ancient Egypt. They would be required to take a journey back in time to study writings and ancient Egyptian lifestyles. Having taken the journey and learned about different cities, they will then have the chance to choose witch one of the cities they would want to be a part of. We would have a mock trial to determine which one was the best city and what factors helped them to determine the fact. It is still up in the air how the final project will look, but I think we have a good basis of study that the students will enjoy. I think they will learn a lot about the subject while creating some great learning as well.
So what? I think I may be repetitive about the rest of the blog. I really do enjoy the fact that there is an activity on the web which will engage our students in higher order thinking skills. I believe that a lot of that has been done away with in the schools. I think it will be great with the ever changing technology we are experiencing. Why not combine the two of them and also let the students enjoy learning? I think it will be fun for the students to do something to break up the monotony of everyday learning. It is fun, but it does provide a great learning process for the students to learn.
Now what? I have great ideas for me as a future teacher. I want to incorporate many things in the classroom that I am learning now in school. I want to do all I can with creative arts in the classroom. I want to do all I can with backwards design and primary sources. I am trying to learn how to do these things without really having an understanding of all the things that I will actually be doing in the classroom. I guess I am being a little naive about how it will actually be, but I know that web quest is one thing that will be done in the classroom. I feel it is a great way of presenting material without having to involve a lot of lecture time. It is a way the students will be able to open their minds to a greater learning and have fun doing it. By having my students do web quests I will know that they will learn a great deal more than me talking to them. Having them take a journey through web quests is an excellent source of learning. I will create many for my students of the future, they will have a good time doing them as well.
Video Twitter in the classroom.
I remember when we talked about using twitter in our classroom, I don' know what happened. I didn't quite understand why a teacher would use this method of teaching. I thought that it would be too distracting for a teacher to deal with, but I understand better now that I saw the video. It is just to combine what the students are interested in and the subject being taught. The teacher said it was to get the students engaged in the subjects being taught. I think it is a good idea to use the strengths of the students to get their attention. It is a great way of helping them to understand a subject. Why not use what we have?
So what? I think I may be repetitive about the rest of the blog. I really do enjoy the fact that there is an activity on the web which will engage our students in higher order thinking skills. I believe that a lot of that has been done away with in the schools. I think it will be great with the ever changing technology we are experiencing. Why not combine the two of them and also let the students enjoy learning? I think it will be fun for the students to do something to break up the monotony of everyday learning. It is fun, but it does provide a great learning process for the students to learn.
Now what? I have great ideas for me as a future teacher. I want to incorporate many things in the classroom that I am learning now in school. I want to do all I can with creative arts in the classroom. I want to do all I can with backwards design and primary sources. I am trying to learn how to do these things without really having an understanding of all the things that I will actually be doing in the classroom. I guess I am being a little naive about how it will actually be, but I know that web quest is one thing that will be done in the classroom. I feel it is a great way of presenting material without having to involve a lot of lecture time. It is a way the students will be able to open their minds to a greater learning and have fun doing it. By having my students do web quests I will know that they will learn a great deal more than me talking to them. Having them take a journey through web quests is an excellent source of learning. I will create many for my students of the future, they will have a good time doing them as well.
Video Twitter in the classroom.
I remember when we talked about using twitter in our classroom, I don' know what happened. I didn't quite understand why a teacher would use this method of teaching. I thought that it would be too distracting for a teacher to deal with, but I understand better now that I saw the video. It is just to combine what the students are interested in and the subject being taught. The teacher said it was to get the students engaged in the subjects being taught. I think it is a good idea to use the strengths of the students to get their attention. It is a great way of helping them to understand a subject. Why not use what we have?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Holiday Blog
I was not really sure what to write about this week given we missed classes and are still doing the same assignment. We are working on Web Quest, which is an online activity for students to engage in an explore. It can be a virtual tour through space and time to a series of worksheets and activities on a subject you as the teacher are trying to teach. It is different experience for students to take on during a class and a great way to keep attention while teaching simultaneously. Our group decided to do the sixth grade core about Egyptian civilization and how the writing has evolved and affected us today in our world.
We are excited about the opportunity to take the students back in time to explore the ancient ruins and read the writings on the wall. They will learn to interpret writings and discuss how these writings were important to them and also how they are important to us today; is it possible for these writings to give us information which may aid in our society today? We haven't really got into the assignment much more than thoughts and how we will set everything up. I am excited for the web quest and I hope that I can learn how to do them well so that I can use them in my future classroom. It seems like an awesome way of teaching with strategy in mind, rather than trying to accomplish the same thing day in and day out all the time.
The class is fun and I see many possibilities to learn. I feel I will become a better teacher by just learning how to better my knowledge of technology and it's simple components. For now I will stay away from the hard and complicating items hoping to eventually know what is what and how to do it. Web quest is a great start I think!
Video for this week was Engaged Learning, I was interested in the video because it showed how the world is changing and how we can learn in different ways. I was interested because I wrote a paper recently about the change in average skills and learning in the classroom. Today our students are considered to be failing in our learning if they are not above average. In the past learning meant being able to even read after having a sixth grade education. I am intrigued by how many teachers will not step up to the plate of technology, yet still they teach the same things with same methods and resources as a traditional teacher would have twenty years prior. Technology bings engaged learning; something that students need to have to succeed in our world today.
We are excited about the opportunity to take the students back in time to explore the ancient ruins and read the writings on the wall. They will learn to interpret writings and discuss how these writings were important to them and also how they are important to us today; is it possible for these writings to give us information which may aid in our society today? We haven't really got into the assignment much more than thoughts and how we will set everything up. I am excited for the web quest and I hope that I can learn how to do them well so that I can use them in my future classroom. It seems like an awesome way of teaching with strategy in mind, rather than trying to accomplish the same thing day in and day out all the time.
The class is fun and I see many possibilities to learn. I feel I will become a better teacher by just learning how to better my knowledge of technology and it's simple components. For now I will stay away from the hard and complicating items hoping to eventually know what is what and how to do it. Web quest is a great start I think!
Video for this week was Engaged Learning, I was interested in the video because it showed how the world is changing and how we can learn in different ways. I was interested because I wrote a paper recently about the change in average skills and learning in the classroom. Today our students are considered to be failing in our learning if they are not above average. In the past learning meant being able to even read after having a sixth grade education. I am intrigued by how many teachers will not step up to the plate of technology, yet still they teach the same things with same methods and resources as a traditional teacher would have twenty years prior. Technology bings engaged learning; something that students need to have to succeed in our world today.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Webquest
What is web quest?
Web quest is a learning process that is created to send the students on a journey through some idea on the web that the teacher wants to be taught. We learned that we can create a web quest on the web in many different ways. We are going to do it with PowerPoint. We are assigned to do the project in teams, it will be a fun project to do. It is going to be very educational for those who will be reading it and it will be fun to do.
So what?
I believe the more things a teacher has under his or her belt to aid in the whole process the better. The web quest will be a great tool for the students. It will be fun to see how something I create can help the students to learn. It is not the same way of learning either, if a child can get the same information out of a textbook then how could a web quest not be a good idea. Plus the students can see that I could do something cool on the web that is helping with learning. The parents would be able to view what I have put there as well, they will be impressed that I am using technology in the classroom. I think it is a great idea for the students to have fun, but still be able to learn with deeper thinking skills.
Now what?
I will work to create many different web quests that I could incorporate into the curriculum. I think it is a great idea for the students to interact with some great adventures, and to think the adventures are created by me. I will learn how to implement all these things into my future teaching, by doing so I will be a cut above the rest of the teachers out there. I am glad to be in school and be able to learn many things I didn't know what to do before I started taking classes. I am learning a lot about technology that will aid in the classroom.
Video; Surface Computing
I think of the Tom Cruise movie when he touches the screen and drags items on the screen to another screen. This movie was supposed to be set in the way far future. It is amazing how it is even possible to have the things they do. This just blew my mind. Is it for real? I think that by placing a device on the screen and instantly syncing it by dragging pictures into it could never be possible. I have not seen a device like this in the stores, it said it would be by 2007. It is bizarre how technology can come so far and then what seems to be a movie comes to life for our daily use, Amazing!!
Web quest is a learning process that is created to send the students on a journey through some idea on the web that the teacher wants to be taught. We learned that we can create a web quest on the web in many different ways. We are going to do it with PowerPoint. We are assigned to do the project in teams, it will be a fun project to do. It is going to be very educational for those who will be reading it and it will be fun to do.
So what?
I believe the more things a teacher has under his or her belt to aid in the whole process the better. The web quest will be a great tool for the students. It will be fun to see how something I create can help the students to learn. It is not the same way of learning either, if a child can get the same information out of a textbook then how could a web quest not be a good idea. Plus the students can see that I could do something cool on the web that is helping with learning. The parents would be able to view what I have put there as well, they will be impressed that I am using technology in the classroom. I think it is a great idea for the students to have fun, but still be able to learn with deeper thinking skills.
Now what?
I will work to create many different web quests that I could incorporate into the curriculum. I think it is a great idea for the students to interact with some great adventures, and to think the adventures are created by me. I will learn how to implement all these things into my future teaching, by doing so I will be a cut above the rest of the teachers out there. I am glad to be in school and be able to learn many things I didn't know what to do before I started taking classes. I am learning a lot about technology that will aid in the classroom.
Video; Surface Computing
I think of the Tom Cruise movie when he touches the screen and drags items on the screen to another screen. This movie was supposed to be set in the way far future. It is amazing how it is even possible to have the things they do. This just blew my mind. Is it for real? I think that by placing a device on the screen and instantly syncing it by dragging pictures into it could never be possible. I have not seen a device like this in the stores, it said it would be by 2007. It is bizarre how technology can come so far and then what seems to be a movie comes to life for our daily use, Amazing!!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Video; How not to use PowerPoint
I thought this was a hilarious video this week. The gentleman was not too far off base either, there are so many people using PowerPoint to tell the whole story. I think this is why the slides are only so big. If they were any bigger the rest of us looking at the presentation would go nuts with all the information being presented. I attended a job presentation which had so many different data slides that I seriously had to go outside and let my eyes rest for a time. I am a slow reader as well, so the slide would pass to the next one without me having read all the information on the slide; it kind of made me feel stupid. I think PowerPoint is a great tool for showing information, however, the information needs to be presented in a simple manner. PowerPoint is not to show how smart we are, it is to show how we can utilize a tool to help us be a better teacher or whatever career we choose to follow. I enjoy using the tool for my own personal use at home, and I plan on using PowerPoint to show information to parents during parent teacher conferences, showing students lectures, etc. The video was entertaining yet still very interesting.
My Beliefs
Though at times it may seem I do not enjoy technology, or maybe that I don't want to use it in my classroom as a resource. I might seem a little old fashioned about the way I want to teach. It may be because I am uneducated on the matter, but I do think students need to understand technology and incorporate it in their lives. I believe that a child needs to know how to use the Internet and all it's tools, I believe that students need to know what the world expects of them, thy need to develop skills which will aid in a successful life of learning. In order to accomplish these things a child needs to be able to: blog, run a word processor, create a face book page, use the Internet as a search tool, use a spreadsheet, know how to use a handheld device, etc. There are endless ways for a child to learn from the world of technology. If the teacher does not allow technology in the classroom, the students will try and use it anyway or maybe not even come to class at all. I believe there is still a need for balance in schools, technology should be used as a tool and should be used to make the teacher a better teacher. I do not believe technology should replace the teacher, nor do I think that should ever be the case. I believe a student should come to class everyday willing to learn; that same child should not be using a phone or even a handheld to learn unless the teacher specifically grants that option. Children do not need to spend time in classes with great instruction texting and browsing the Internet.
I do not believe in the new WWW; meaning whatever,whenever, and wherever. I am old fashioned in this case because the use of technology is out of control in many areas of education. I think a child is not able to understand everything the Internet offers them. I have seen students playing with phones, trying to understand the device and it's functions and the lesson is never heard. I have seen this in the college courses i am taking now. If these people are anything like me then the whole educational experience is for naught. I do not want my students to be this way. I hope that sixth graders are not trying to bring gadgets into the classroom, if so then I guess I am being a little naive. i believe that there is a time and a place for everything. I believe the reason I am here learning to be a teacher is to help me integrate technology into the classroom as a tool not as a sole source of ecucation. I know I am learning great things to aid in the learning processes of children, and I know I will have many things to help me in my instruction. Technology is one of the tools I believe in using in the classroom to help my students learn, not to teach my students all they need to know.
I do not believe in the new WWW; meaning whatever,whenever, and wherever. I am old fashioned in this case because the use of technology is out of control in many areas of education. I think a child is not able to understand everything the Internet offers them. I have seen students playing with phones, trying to understand the device and it's functions and the lesson is never heard. I have seen this in the college courses i am taking now. If these people are anything like me then the whole educational experience is for naught. I do not want my students to be this way. I hope that sixth graders are not trying to bring gadgets into the classroom, if so then I guess I am being a little naive. i believe that there is a time and a place for everything. I believe the reason I am here learning to be a teacher is to help me integrate technology into the classroom as a tool not as a sole source of ecucation. I know I am learning great things to aid in the learning processes of children, and I know I will have many things to help me in my instruction. Technology is one of the tools I believe in using in the classroom to help my students learn, not to teach my students all they need to know.
Lessons Learned
What lessons have I learned from the reading this week in class? I understand the great importance of having students use technology in the classroom as a resource for greater learning. I also realize that I will need to be prepared for the future of technological advance. The world of technology is not going to be the same in two years as it is now. The things that are happening now are just opening the door to greater things. I understand that to teach I must be prepared for it because I will be the one who shares what I know with the rest of the world, or at least children in my future classes. I know much more is being required to become teacher and that the demands of teachers are more now than ever before so i can' say I have not been ready for it or that it has come all at once. I guess I learned so much last semester that this is not new to me anymore. I don't feel the information really gave me any new information to process. I am excited about the future of education, but I am also scared because of the unknown.
I was glad to see that there is a NET Standards for educators because of all that is required in making education a success. If a teacher is not prepared for the future and has no desire to learn something different, he or she is going to hate teaching using the old methods without integrating technology into their classrooms. I have learned that I need to better my knowledge of many different technologies. Many things on the survey was pre-novice and many showed that I had next to little knowledge of computer skills. The survey showed me that integration was definitely an option for me and I have not even finished school yet. The difference between me and those who don't want to learn is that I want to learn and I know technology is most definitely needed in the classroom. I wonder where I have been all this time since I have been in school; why haven't I learned these things in life like the students I will be teaching knw them? I don't consider myself from a different age, but maybe I really don't know much. It makes the task of teaching even more daunting than I had ever imagined. I guess there is one thing I have learned by reading the information; I have learned that I need to work harder at being the kind of teacher everyone wants their child to have. I need to be a teacher who is cool because I know how to manage computers and could call myself knowledgable about tehnology, and I know how to mangage the students in the room as well.
I was glad to see that there is a NET Standards for educators because of all that is required in making education a success. If a teacher is not prepared for the future and has no desire to learn something different, he or she is going to hate teaching using the old methods without integrating technology into their classrooms. I have learned that I need to better my knowledge of many different technologies. Many things on the survey was pre-novice and many showed that I had next to little knowledge of computer skills. The survey showed me that integration was definitely an option for me and I have not even finished school yet. The difference between me and those who don't want to learn is that I want to learn and I know technology is most definitely needed in the classroom. I wonder where I have been all this time since I have been in school; why haven't I learned these things in life like the students I will be teaching knw them? I don't consider myself from a different age, but maybe I really don't know much. It makes the task of teaching even more daunting than I had ever imagined. I guess there is one thing I have learned by reading the information; I have learned that I need to work harder at being the kind of teacher everyone wants their child to have. I need to be a teacher who is cool because I know how to manage computers and could call myself knowledgable about tehnology, and I know how to mangage the students in the room as well.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What were your strength/weaknesses according to the UNI survey and NET Standards?During my time studying the content of the NET Standards and taking the UNI Survey, I realized I was a novice at most of the items presented. I noticed that if left to me,I would not be able to accomplish many things having to do with technology and computer based programs. I am OK with word processing if I am not needing to do anything too complicated,however, if I were given enough time with a word processor I could figure out about anything. I noticed that I have little to no experience with ethics or human issues with computer technology, I would not know where to begin if someone asked me what it meant. I am not very experienced with digital systems either, but again I could learn if I had enough time to do so. I have taken a class on excel, but it was a beginning class. I worked with it recently on an assignment and I realized I know nothing about it. Pretty much most of my knowledge has come from hands on experience and the things I have learned in Doc Water's classes.
I want to make a goal to be a technology based teacher in all facets, and use technology as a curriculum implemented tool. I don't want to be one of the teachers who uses nothing but the projector to present lectures. I want to be a teacher who can give the lecture and say, "if anyone wants to have the notes, they are on the Internet". This will mean I will need to know create a website, it will also mean I will need to know how to post information on the web. I want to be a teacher who can show a student how to implement technology into studies rather than be a teacher who is always asking, "what does that mean", and having students show me what's up. I am not to the point where I want all information in the classroom to be digital or on the Internet, but I do want the resources to be available to my students and I want to be the one to give it to them. I want to use the Internet as resources in all my subjects I am teaching. A student will learn much better in the future by having access to many different technologies to help them to learn. If I will be able to use technology to assess my students, I will have a much quicker transition into teaching content assessed. I am glad that grading is done online already in many schools, it just makes the information readily available to all who need to access it. I feel I need a little more information about how to implement grading into my personal teaching practices.
After having mentioned two things that I am not so good at or that I have little information about; I would like to take some additional classes or workshops on how to run excel or another spreadsheet program, and how to use a current grading system used by many schools in the area. If I could learn these two things right now, I think I could feel more comfortable about entering into a realm of personal undiscovered technological talent along with trying to be successful my fist year. I feel that I am not prepared to enter into a school yet. If I could get more help with these items, I know I will feel more prepared as a teacher. I would take a class on how to integrate tecnology into the classroom with many different subjents of teaching. For example, I would love to find a great program for math. I feel that math is boring in schools. If I were to implement a different technological activity each day into my math program, my students will learn to love learning math.
I want to make a goal to be a technology based teacher in all facets, and use technology as a curriculum implemented tool. I don't want to be one of the teachers who uses nothing but the projector to present lectures. I want to be a teacher who can give the lecture and say, "if anyone wants to have the notes, they are on the Internet". This will mean I will need to know create a website, it will also mean I will need to know how to post information on the web. I want to be a teacher who can show a student how to implement technology into studies rather than be a teacher who is always asking, "what does that mean", and having students show me what's up. I am not to the point where I want all information in the classroom to be digital or on the Internet, but I do want the resources to be available to my students and I want to be the one to give it to them. I want to use the Internet as resources in all my subjects I am teaching. A student will learn much better in the future by having access to many different technologies to help them to learn. If I will be able to use technology to assess my students, I will have a much quicker transition into teaching content assessed. I am glad that grading is done online already in many schools, it just makes the information readily available to all who need to access it. I feel I need a little more information about how to implement grading into my personal teaching practices.
After having mentioned two things that I am not so good at or that I have little information about; I would like to take some additional classes or workshops on how to run excel or another spreadsheet program, and how to use a current grading system used by many schools in the area. If I could learn these two things right now, I think I could feel more comfortable about entering into a realm of personal undiscovered technological talent along with trying to be successful my fist year. I feel that I am not prepared to enter into a school yet. If I could get more help with these items, I know I will feel more prepared as a teacher. I would take a class on how to integrate tecnology into the classroom with many different subjents of teaching. For example, I would love to find a great program for math. I feel that math is boring in schools. If I were to implement a different technological activity each day into my math program, my students will learn to love learning math.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Google Part 2
What was taught in computer tech class this week? We are learning about google sites this week in the classroom. In class we went over google sites and how to create one. We named the site whatever we thought would be appropriate for a school teacher's web site, we were asked to have six pages with different information on each page. We could set each page up by either having a web page, a file cabinet, an announcements page, and list page, I named my classroom website torgdman sixth grade. We could arrange the pages how we wanted as long as all the content assigned was placed in them. I made clouds as the background, I don't know ho that will be as a teacher, it might have to be changed sometime.
So What? I was a little lost when we stated talking about links and how to link one thing to another within a website. Google sites are new to me, it is not something I have ever seen or even dealt with. I always had in mind that creating a website was a hard thing to do. My brother in law created my web page for my hardwood flooring company and he took about a month to finish it. I didn't now before this week that creating a web page and posting things on the Internet could be so easily done. It is awesome how technology has come right to our font doors, allowing all who want to view to be able to post information to all the world can do so. We did information flyers and brochures last semester in computer class, but paper is not even really needed anymore. A teacher can show any information about the classroom on the web. I started college again after waiting ten years to make my return, and I was surprised to see how much education on the college level has also changed. If I need to know any information about the class, or about what assignment is due, I can look online and find the answer. I think education is just going to get better students know way too much, so why shouldn't we know way too much?
Now what? I'm going to first, finish the assignment on my web page so I can remember how to do this stuff in the future. I want to do a web page in the future with my classroom. My wife teaches 3rd grade this year, and she says she has a website. I don't think she uses it the way I am planning on using mine in the future. I plan on using a calendar o map out all assignments due for each day they are assigned. i also plan on using the web page for all announcements I want my students and the parents to read. I will give information on resources that will aid students in homework or help them to understand the lesson better. I will post study guides on the web just in case a student needs it last minute, or he or she has forgotten it at school. I will sure love to implement the google sites in my future classroom. It is easy to manage, we did this all in class time. If I am able to learn it in two hours my students will surely know how to do all these things I am learning in two years. I can tell my brother in law that I do not need his help to create a web page anymore. I am excited to teach school with all the things I am learning now. I will use all the things I am learning to make myself a better teacher.
Video, Do schools kill creativity?
I was asked in an interview to get into the program, if I thought that the arts were important in our schools today. I think arts allow the mind to create, I also think that we learn more with creativity than we all know. I thought this video was hilarious, and very interesting. He was trying to be funny,but he brought out some good points. Degrees are not worth anything, because of the academic inflation, he said intelligence is dynamic. Creativity comes from the different ways of seeing things. In schools technology seems to be taking over, which is not a bad thing, but we cannot take arts out of the curriculum because we can't destroy the different ways the children of today see things. Hands on art brings creativity, and creativity brings greater learning. It was a good video and I enjoyed listening to it. I do think that twenty minutes is a long video to reflect on for just one or two paragraphs. It is our job to help children make something out of their own lives.
So What? I was a little lost when we stated talking about links and how to link one thing to another within a website. Google sites are new to me, it is not something I have ever seen or even dealt with. I always had in mind that creating a website was a hard thing to do. My brother in law created my web page for my hardwood flooring company and he took about a month to finish it. I didn't now before this week that creating a web page and posting things on the Internet could be so easily done. It is awesome how technology has come right to our font doors, allowing all who want to view to be able to post information to all the world can do so. We did information flyers and brochures last semester in computer class, but paper is not even really needed anymore. A teacher can show any information about the classroom on the web. I started college again after waiting ten years to make my return, and I was surprised to see how much education on the college level has also changed. If I need to know any information about the class, or about what assignment is due, I can look online and find the answer. I think education is just going to get better students know way too much, so why shouldn't we know way too much?
Now what? I'm going to first, finish the assignment on my web page so I can remember how to do this stuff in the future. I want to do a web page in the future with my classroom. My wife teaches 3rd grade this year, and she says she has a website. I don't think she uses it the way I am planning on using mine in the future. I plan on using a calendar o map out all assignments due for each day they are assigned. i also plan on using the web page for all announcements I want my students and the parents to read. I will give information on resources that will aid students in homework or help them to understand the lesson better. I will post study guides on the web just in case a student needs it last minute, or he or she has forgotten it at school. I will sure love to implement the google sites in my future classroom. It is easy to manage, we did this all in class time. If I am able to learn it in two hours my students will surely know how to do all these things I am learning in two years. I can tell my brother in law that I do not need his help to create a web page anymore. I am excited to teach school with all the things I am learning now. I will use all the things I am learning to make myself a better teacher.
Video, Do schools kill creativity?
I was asked in an interview to get into the program, if I thought that the arts were important in our schools today. I think arts allow the mind to create, I also think that we learn more with creativity than we all know. I thought this video was hilarious, and very interesting. He was trying to be funny,but he brought out some good points. Degrees are not worth anything, because of the academic inflation, he said intelligence is dynamic. Creativity comes from the different ways of seeing things. In schools technology seems to be taking over, which is not a bad thing, but we cannot take arts out of the curriculum because we can't destroy the different ways the children of today see things. Hands on art brings creativity, and creativity brings greater learning. It was a good video and I enjoyed listening to it. I do think that twenty minutes is a long video to reflect on for just one or two paragraphs. It is our job to help children make something out of their own lives.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Google Part 1
What? We are learning about google. This week we are learning how to work with google docs ad presentations. This means we are learning how to create documents and view the over the web without having or needing a program running on your computer. All information is saved on the google mainframe.
So what? I am being a little redundant with this blog because I had the same assignment last semester. I think that google docs are great, and I do have more experience with them this time than I did last semester. The reason I know more now is because I do like it so much. I used Google Docs all the time for everything I could think of to use it. I taught my daughter how to use Google Docs. I like all the things I can do to share with others. One thing that makes me a little frustrated is the compatibility issue with other programs. It is also not reliable with the printer. I will finish a document and print it and it is all different from what the document said it would be. I have had to print preview and fix before I print. I guess it is worth it when I don't have to save it and carry a zip drive with me all the time. I am a fan of google and all it has to offer.
Now what? I do hope that google works out some of the quirks with the programs and printing compatibility. I will use google I am not a fan of blogging, but I am sure that blogging with blogger is better because it is a google based program. I will use google docs and presentations to assist me in my teaching. I will try and use them for my sixth graders and use them for writing and sharing activities. I am excited to see what I can do with google in the future.
Video I had ever heard the speech that The President gave a while back. I was interested in what was said. He was talking to all the students and pleading with them to be better and strive to learn. Education is not an interest to many of our students today. I am glad the President is making a stand to get the education in the nation built up with more incentive for the learning. The video was long, but I am a slow typist so I could listen while I typed. I liked it a lot.
So what? I am being a little redundant with this blog because I had the same assignment last semester. I think that google docs are great, and I do have more experience with them this time than I did last semester. The reason I know more now is because I do like it so much. I used Google Docs all the time for everything I could think of to use it. I taught my daughter how to use Google Docs. I like all the things I can do to share with others. One thing that makes me a little frustrated is the compatibility issue with other programs. It is also not reliable with the printer. I will finish a document and print it and it is all different from what the document said it would be. I have had to print preview and fix before I print. I guess it is worth it when I don't have to save it and carry a zip drive with me all the time. I am a fan of google and all it has to offer.
Now what? I do hope that google works out some of the quirks with the programs and printing compatibility. I will use google I am not a fan of blogging, but I am sure that blogging with blogger is better because it is a google based program. I will use google docs and presentations to assist me in my teaching. I will try and use them for my sixth graders and use them for writing and sharing activities. I am excited to see what I can do with google in the future.
Video I had ever heard the speech that The President gave a while back. I was interested in what was said. He was talking to all the students and pleading with them to be better and strive to learn. Education is not an interest to many of our students today. I am glad the President is making a stand to get the education in the nation built up with more incentive for the learning. The video was long, but I am a slow typist so I could listen while I typed. I liked it a lot.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
My Ideal Classroom
My ideal classroom would be a classroom that is well organized. It would look similar to a sketch drawn here;
The layout would be 5 groups of six desks bundled together in the center of the room. Along one of the walls we would have the media center with at least 5 computers, preferably Macs, but any would work really. I would have a Smartboard hanging on the wall above the instruction center. It has to be a Smartboard because I am a horrible scriptorian. It is legible, however, I would be so much cooler if I had a Smartboard. I could also watch videos and all the other things that I plan on doing with technology. The room will be set up for the techie of all techies. The classroom is going to be different in two years, so I need to start preparing now for that time. Technology needs to be present in the classroom, so I hope it will be possible for the classroom to have the computers in the room. When the students need to look up some information for a certain subject, they could do that there. Also, I would love to have the computers there for activities when a student completes an assignment early. I will have a good library of interactive learning tools they will be able to use there. I will also convert the Media Center to a Listening Center for reading or reading comprehension.
I want to have a large area for teacher reading, or Share Reading. It would be cool if I could have a rug of some sort on the floor there. In the corner there will be pillows or something comfortable to sit on. It will be a great area for group interaction. It will also be a great place for inside recess on those horrid days we can't go outside. The room needs to be big, because I need a lot of space for the ideas that are on the sketch. I am getting excited just thinking about how things Will look in the classroom. I would even give up some of my space in the teacher corner to make some of these things happen.
In the other corner opposite the teacher corner is a reading outpost. I call it this because I will construct a little shack for a reading corner. The kids won't want to do anything other that read because it Will be so cool. Well, that is if the computers won't take over. There are only going to be five of those so the reading post will be an option for all as well during extra time. The other wall will have many books to choose from. I hope to start a library so some day it will need to be a large bookcase that goes all the way across the wall.
Then comes the Math Center. It is going to be the place where all the math for the day will be displayed. It will have brainteasers,sample math problems, harder math problems from upcoming lessons, and many other things that will keep the students learning math. I know the layout and it will be a classroom ready to learn. All of my students will have a learning experience there.
Do you believe in me? I remember this video from the first time I watched it. I didn't like it very much the first time. It was kind of annoying hearing the kid say the same thing over and over. this time I was interested a little bit more because I was able to recognize how important we are in the lives of these students. We as teachers are going to have a big load on our shoulders to guide our students through life. The students are trusting towards us to help them and teach them, do we trust them enough to help them.
The layout would be 5 groups of six desks bundled together in the center of the room. Along one of the walls we would have the media center with at least 5 computers, preferably Macs, but any would work really. I would have a Smartboard hanging on the wall above the instruction center. It has to be a Smartboard because I am a horrible scriptorian. It is legible, however, I would be so much cooler if I had a Smartboard. I could also watch videos and all the other things that I plan on doing with technology. The room will be set up for the techie of all techies. The classroom is going to be different in two years, so I need to start preparing now for that time. Technology needs to be present in the classroom, so I hope it will be possible for the classroom to have the computers in the room. When the students need to look up some information for a certain subject, they could do that there. Also, I would love to have the computers there for activities when a student completes an assignment early. I will have a good library of interactive learning tools they will be able to use there. I will also convert the Media Center to a Listening Center for reading or reading comprehension.
I want to have a large area for teacher reading, or Share Reading. It would be cool if I could have a rug of some sort on the floor there. In the corner there will be pillows or something comfortable to sit on. It will be a great area for group interaction. It will also be a great place for inside recess on those horrid days we can't go outside. The room needs to be big, because I need a lot of space for the ideas that are on the sketch. I am getting excited just thinking about how things Will look in the classroom. I would even give up some of my space in the teacher corner to make some of these things happen.
In the other corner opposite the teacher corner is a reading outpost. I call it this because I will construct a little shack for a reading corner. The kids won't want to do anything other that read because it Will be so cool. Well, that is if the computers won't take over. There are only going to be five of those so the reading post will be an option for all as well during extra time. The other wall will have many books to choose from. I hope to start a library so some day it will need to be a large bookcase that goes all the way across the wall.
Then comes the Math Center. It is going to be the place where all the math for the day will be displayed. It will have brainteasers,sample math problems, harder math problems from upcoming lessons, and many other things that will keep the students learning math. I know the layout and it will be a classroom ready to learn. All of my students will have a learning experience there.
Do you believe in me? I remember this video from the first time I watched it. I didn't like it very much the first time. It was kind of annoying hearing the kid say the same thing over and over. this time I was interested a little bit more because I was able to recognize how important we are in the lives of these students. We as teachers are going to have a big load on our shoulders to guide our students through life. The students are trusting towards us to help them and teach them, do we trust them enough to help them.
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