Sunday, October 26, 2014
Blog Post #10
What can we learn from Mrs. Cassidy?
I believe that one thing that we can learn from Mrs. Cassidy is the importance of changing teaching techniques for the benefit of the student. Mrs. Cassidy knew that technology would greatly influence her children and educated herself on how to properly teach her students. I believe one problem we have with teaching is teachers who want to stay with the same teaching techniques because it is easier for them. The students should always be top priority and Mrs. Cassidy is a great example of that. Mrs. Cassidy has been teaching for a long time and continues to educate herself for the benefit for her students. As a future educator, I will do my best to keep myself educated on current technology in the classroom like Mrs. Cassidy.
Mrs. Cassidy spoke of her rules for online work. Two of her main rules were do not use your last name and do not post pictures of yourself. I completely agree with these rules. I also like how Mrs. Cassidy said on her class blog that she has websites that are safe for the students to go to from the blog. This is easier for younger students to understand when navigating online. Mrs. Cassidy discusses with her students what to click on and what not to click on so the students have a better understanding of what to do. Sometimes some things like "make sure you do not click on the flashing ads at the top of the page" are forgotten to be told to students because you assume they already know. You should never assume your students know something. As an effective teacher, you should always explain to your students what you want them to do. Another idea Mrs. Cassidy had was a class Facebook. This would be an easy way for students to communicate and parents to have more involvement. The problem with this is having students on Facebook and not being able to control what they write, share, and post. This would involve having to have a specific discussion about the do's and don'ts on Facebook and mostly likely having it more than once. You might also end up having to have the same conversation with a few parents. One way to go around this is to make sure comments and post must be approved before being shown on Facebook.
Lastly, I would like to say that people who are questioning blogging in the classroom should watch Mrs. Cassidy's class video. The students are very proud of their work and are excited to blog. It is so great to know that students are proud of what they've done and want everyone to see that. All students should have a chance to feel that way and Mrs. Cassidy provides them with that opportunity.
I believe that one thing that we can learn from Mrs. Cassidy is the importance of changing teaching techniques for the benefit of the student. Mrs. Cassidy knew that technology would greatly influence her children and educated herself on how to properly teach her students. I believe one problem we have with teaching is teachers who want to stay with the same teaching techniques because it is easier for them. The students should always be top priority and Mrs. Cassidy is a great example of that. Mrs. Cassidy has been teaching for a long time and continues to educate herself for the benefit for her students. As a future educator, I will do my best to keep myself educated on current technology in the classroom like Mrs. Cassidy.
Mrs. Cassidy spoke of her rules for online work. Two of her main rules were do not use your last name and do not post pictures of yourself. I completely agree with these rules. I also like how Mrs. Cassidy said on her class blog that she has websites that are safe for the students to go to from the blog. This is easier for younger students to understand when navigating online. Mrs. Cassidy discusses with her students what to click on and what not to click on so the students have a better understanding of what to do. Sometimes some things like "make sure you do not click on the flashing ads at the top of the page" are forgotten to be told to students because you assume they already know. You should never assume your students know something. As an effective teacher, you should always explain to your students what you want them to do. Another idea Mrs. Cassidy had was a class Facebook. This would be an easy way for students to communicate and parents to have more involvement. The problem with this is having students on Facebook and not being able to control what they write, share, and post. This would involve having to have a specific discussion about the do's and don'ts on Facebook and mostly likely having it more than once. You might also end up having to have the same conversation with a few parents. One way to go around this is to make sure comments and post must be approved before being shown on Facebook.
Lastly, I would like to say that people who are questioning blogging in the classroom should watch Mrs. Cassidy's class video. The students are very proud of their work and are excited to blog. It is so great to know that students are proud of what they've done and want everyone to see that. All students should have a chance to feel that way and Mrs. Cassidy provides them with that opportunity.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
C4K Summary for October
I was assigned for the second time to read the blog of Mirroz123. The blog that Mirroz123 wrote this time was "NOBODY'S GONNA CARE." In her blog post she wrote about how boys at her school were inappropriately touching girls at school. I explained to Mirroz123 that she needs to contact a teacher or principal when this situation happens because it is not okay. I offered to Mirroz123 some suggestions on how to help this situation and gave her the idea of creating a girl support group. I explained to Mirroz123, that if the girls made a promise to help one another when this situation happened and contact a teacher it would help them.
This week I was assigned to read the blog of CarolinetheCorgi. Caroline wrote a blog called What Should Students Get to Decide in School? about her thoughts on student restrictions in an English class. Caroline thinks that students should get to choose their own books to read for class. I explained to Caroline that some students will not push themselves to their full potential if they are given the opportunity to choose their own books. I suggested the idea that a teacher could provide the students with options of level appropriate books to read so that students do not feel pressured to read a book they will not enjoy. I told Caroline to do some research, write her ideas down, and bring them to her teacher. If she feels that strongly about the subject it would be a good idea for her to do some research and explain to her teacher her thoughts and have information to back them up.
This week I was assigned to the blog of Tammy in Scotland. Tammy's blog was called "Tammy's 5SC." Tammy wrote a short story about a place where a wedding was held. Imagery and detail were used to help the reader visualize the location Tammy was creating. I commented on Tammy's blog and complemented her on her great use of imagery. I explained to her why imagery and description are important to the reader. Tammy wrote well for a second grader and I wished her luck with her future writing.
This week I was assigned to the blog of Rowana at Pt England School. Rowana wrote a blog called "How do we stay safe from the sun" about the harmful effects the sun can cause. Rowana used scenarios to describe what would happen if you did not use sunscreen or wear protective wear. This helped the readers to better understand why Rowana felt that people needed to be more cautious around the sun. Rowana also offered suggestions on how to cover yourself and protect yourself from the sun. This blog really showed how passionate Rowana was about this subject. I commented to Rowana and explained to her that if she felt that strongly about the subject that she should be an example to others for awareness of the sun. I explained to her that if she is always setting an example then people she knows will begin to take the situation more seriously and that she should explain to her family and friends why it means so much to her. All together, Rowana had a good blog with an up-to-date topic.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Blog Post #9
What Can Teachers and Students Teach Us About Project Based Learning?
When looking for the best way to approach Project Based Learning there are three main things to look to; Other teachers, student's interest, and your own reflection. In the Youtube clip "High School Teachers Meet the Challenges of PBL Implementation" it is shown how working with other teachers will help you to better your lessons. When working with other teachers you can make sure you are meeting all the correct standards, share creative ideas, and talk about what worked and did not work. This will allow you to create a better lesson plan. In the video "Project-Based Learning for Teachers" Tony Vincent shares his idea that to have a good project it is important to understand project based learning, why we use it, and how to effectively use it. Some important steps that Tony Vincent shared are; having a purpose, crafting a driving question, creating a rubric, focus on the process, and meeting deadlines.In this video it is also shared that it is important to let your students have a voice and a choice in their learning to ensure students involvement. ASCD says that it is important how you introduce the topic to your students. In the article "Educational Leadership" it is said that you should allow your students a chance to brainstorm and provide your students with a topic that makes everyone want to be involved in discussion the topic. Based on the work from Pflug's blog titled "Project Based Learning in PE" to keep students interesting in their work you should provide activities that challenge them every day. During those activities it is important to apply teamwork skills, cover all standards, and play a direct role in students lives. In the video "What Motivates Students Today" by Suzanne Ball students were asked what motivated them. Students stayed around the same answer. That answer was that the children knew that to succeed in life they needed to maintain good grades in schools. Students want to do well, as a teacher you have to make them want to learn. The students also were asked what rewards worked for them. The children knew exactly what rewards they liked and what prompted them to do well. I think as an educator, we should never be afraid to just ask our children what they like because they know exactly what they want.
What can teachers and students teach us about project based learning?
Never be afraid to seek help from others and never be afraid to speak up about what you agree and do not agree with.
When looking for the best way to approach Project Based Learning there are three main things to look to; Other teachers, student's interest, and your own reflection. In the Youtube clip "High School Teachers Meet the Challenges of PBL Implementation" it is shown how working with other teachers will help you to better your lessons. When working with other teachers you can make sure you are meeting all the correct standards, share creative ideas, and talk about what worked and did not work. This will allow you to create a better lesson plan. In the video "Project-Based Learning for Teachers" Tony Vincent shares his idea that to have a good project it is important to understand project based learning, why we use it, and how to effectively use it. Some important steps that Tony Vincent shared are; having a purpose, crafting a driving question, creating a rubric, focus on the process, and meeting deadlines.In this video it is also shared that it is important to let your students have a voice and a choice in their learning to ensure students involvement. ASCD says that it is important how you introduce the topic to your students. In the article "Educational Leadership" it is said that you should allow your students a chance to brainstorm and provide your students with a topic that makes everyone want to be involved in discussion the topic. Based on the work from Pflug's blog titled "Project Based Learning in PE" to keep students interesting in their work you should provide activities that challenge them every day. During those activities it is important to apply teamwork skills, cover all standards, and play a direct role in students lives. In the video "What Motivates Students Today" by Suzanne Ball students were asked what motivated them. Students stayed around the same answer. That answer was that the children knew that to succeed in life they needed to maintain good grades in schools. Students want to do well, as a teacher you have to make them want to learn. The students also were asked what rewards worked for them. The children knew exactly what rewards they liked and what prompted them to do well. I think as an educator, we should never be afraid to just ask our children what they like because they know exactly what they want.
What can teachers and students teach us about project based learning?
Never be afraid to seek help from others and never be afraid to speak up about what you agree and do not agree with.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Monday, October 13, 2014
Implications and Teaching Opportunities for Camera Use in Teaching and Learning
Part A
Every day technology is becoming more advance. From the statistics given by Zogby Analytics it is clear to see that. In schools, technology is being used way more than it ever has. From personal experience, I've seen several elementary teachers use their phones in the classroom. How much is too much? Students use technology to research topics, write papers, and create presentations. It is very important, but are we watching everything they do? Are our students playing games instead of learning? Cell phones and technology can help open a classroom to many opportunities, but it can also lead to distraction.
What would you think if you walked into a classroom and saw everyone, including the teacher, on the cell phone or a tablet? Do you think they are all working on what they are supposed to? Cell phones and tablets can be a big distraction in the classroom. Some students may not be able to concentrate on all their work and try to spend most of their time with technology. This is definitely something that needs to be observed and moderated.
Part B
•Students will use tablet/smart phone and take pictures of things in nature they see outside and describe them. •Students can use tablet/smart phone to take pictures of books they are reading and create a presentation. •Take pictures and students and compare/contrast •Create videos of students acting out book/play •Create a movie made by the students (creative writing)
Every day technology is becoming more advance. From the statistics given by Zogby Analytics it is clear to see that. In schools, technology is being used way more than it ever has. From personal experience, I've seen several elementary teachers use their phones in the classroom. How much is too much? Students use technology to research topics, write papers, and create presentations. It is very important, but are we watching everything they do? Are our students playing games instead of learning? Cell phones and technology can help open a classroom to many opportunities, but it can also lead to distraction.
What would you think if you walked into a classroom and saw everyone, including the teacher, on the cell phone or a tablet? Do you think they are all working on what they are supposed to? Cell phones and tablets can be a big distraction in the classroom. Some students may not be able to concentrate on all their work and try to spend most of their time with technology. This is definitely something that needs to be observed and moderated.
Part B
•Students will use tablet/smart phone and take pictures of things in nature they see outside and describe them. •Students can use tablet/smart phone to take pictures of books they are reading and create a presentation. •Take pictures and students and compare/contrast •Create videos of students acting out book/play •Create a movie made by the students (creative writing)
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Blog Post #8
What can we learn about teaching and learning from Randy Pausch?
In the video Randy Pausch's Last Lecture, Randy gave an amazing lecture. From this video alone I can tell that Randy is a very determined and inspiring person. What can we learn from Randy? NEVER GIVE UP. Every story Randy told he ran into a "brick wall." Randy used that brick wall to prove to himself and everyone else how badly he wanted to achieve his goal. As a teacher, you will always run into obstacles and it is important for yourself and your students that you overcome those obstacles. As a learner, you need to be open to accept that you will hit a "brick wall" but you must learn to find a way to get to your goal. Any experience, good or bad, is a learning experience. I hope that as an educator I have Randy's determination when I run into "brick walls."
In the video Randy Pausch's Last Lecture, Randy gave an amazing lecture. From this video alone I can tell that Randy is a very determined and inspiring person. What can we learn from Randy? NEVER GIVE UP. Every story Randy told he ran into a "brick wall." Randy used that brick wall to prove to himself and everyone else how badly he wanted to achieve his goal. As a teacher, you will always run into obstacles and it is important for yourself and your students that you overcome those obstacles. As a learner, you need to be open to accept that you will hit a "brick wall" but you must learn to find a way to get to your goal. Any experience, good or bad, is a learning experience. I hope that as an educator I have Randy's determination when I run into "brick walls."
C4T #2
In Jennifer Ferguson's blog "InfoWhelm and information fluency" Jenifer posted a video about how much digital output there is every year. It brings you the question of teaching your students. Do you teach them lifelong lessons? Do you teach them how to have fluent skills regarding technology? This video really makes you think about how you will use technology for your own students. I shared with Jenifer the questions that came to mind for me while watching this video and thanked her for sharing something so interesting and engaging.
Jennifer Ferguson wrote a blog titled "The Learning Journey of Connected Coaching." In this blog, Jennifer wrote about the struggles she faced while going through connected coaching. Jennifer was very determined to complete her goal. Sometimes, she fell short of how much effort she wanted to put in but she never let anything get in her way. At the end of her blog, Jennifer wrote questions with her answers to show that she was qualified for connected coaching. I wrote to Jennifer explaining to her that I was inspired by her determination for her goal. Many people find it hard to choose work over life,but when you are in the education field it is important to make work your life. I hope that in my journey to become an educator, I can have the same determination as Jennifer.
Jennifer Ferguson wrote a blog titled "The Learning Journey of Connected Coaching." In this blog, Jennifer wrote about the struggles she faced while going through connected coaching. Jennifer was very determined to complete her goal. Sometimes, she fell short of how much effort she wanted to put in but she never let anything get in her way. At the end of her blog, Jennifer wrote questions with her answers to show that she was qualified for connected coaching. I wrote to Jennifer explaining to her that I was inspired by her determination for her goal. Many people find it hard to choose work over life,but when you are in the education field it is important to make work your life. I hope that in my journey to become an educator, I can have the same determination as Jennifer.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Blog Post #7
How do we all become learners?
1:Project Based Learning is becoming more and more important in schools every year. I hope to frequently involve PBL in my future classroom. Currently I am still in school acquiring the knowledge necessary to use PBL in an effective way. I believe that I will be able to appropriately use PBL in my classroom because I am excited about the material, I am organized, I am willing to accept suggestions, and I will do the research necessary to find the best project for my students.Although I may have some skills for teaching project based learning I am not quite prepared. I will need to work on my procrastination, on making myself knowledgeable on popular technology used in classrooms, and learn to make a complete and correct lesson plan. In the next year and a half before I graduate I need to educate myself in several areas to better understand how to accurately use project based learning with my students. I would like to build up my PLN which I have based around PBL. The more research I do to build up my PLN, the more I will find out about project based learning. Getting familiarized with popular technology and websites will allow me to find better activities for my students and be able to create better activities. Ultimately, I need to educate myself better with project based learning and understand the process of creating an effective lesson plan.
2: Summarize what you've learned
How to make an audio QR code
In this video I learned about audio QR codes. It is an easy way to record yourself and provide a code for people to use and listen to your recording. You start by going to record mp3 and making a recording of your choosing. Next, you will copy the URL given to you from the website and go to a QR code generator.From the generation page you can choose multiple ways to create your QR code. In this video, URL was chosen. You will paste in your URL in the shown area and a QR code will be created for your use. This is a great resource for teachers. Teachers could record themselves reading a book and give the students the QR code. Students can use parents phone to scan the code and hear the book and follow along.
iPad in the reading center
In this video I learned of a fun activity that involves students using iPads in the reading center. Ginger Tuck shared her idea of using iPads as a learning tool for the students. The children can record themselves reading then play it back and follow along in the book. This will help students identify their mistakes and help them correct their flaws.
Poplet as a center
In this video Ginger Tuck explained how students can use poplet as an activity in class.Students can use poplet to create an idea web. Student adds in pictures, phrases, and sentences. This allows for students to practice their typing skills while learning more about the topic of their lesson. This activity is great for many lessons and subjects. Students could use poplet for learning about a specific animal or understanding a book.
Alabama Virtual Library as a Kindergarten Center
In the video I learned about the Alabama Virtual Library and that it is an easily accessible app. This app can be used a search tool in the classroom. In the app, you are provided with pictures, audio clips, and videos to help you with your search. This will be a safe and useful resource to use in the classroom.
How to use and build a board in DE for a project based lesson
In this video I learned how to create a board in Discovery Education. This is a simple project that can be used in most grades. A student will follow the steps necessary to create a new board. Next you type in your title. From this point you can add in photos, phrases, sentences, and facts about your topic. Students can also get the information they need for their board from the Discovery Education website.
Students sharing board builder 1 & 2
In this video I saw boards created by students at Gulf Shores Elementary.This video showed me that boards are something that are easy, fun, and informative to students. This will be a great tool to use in my future classroom for PBL.
Using iMovie in kindergarten
In this video I learned that you should never underestimate the minds of your students. Kindergarten students are capable of using iMovie to create book trailers in class. This is great for students to help them understand books and their main ideas while having fun.
We all become learners
In this video I learned that I will always be learning as a teacher. No matter what grade you are teaching you will be amazed at what your students know and what they can teach you. Being a teacher means always being a learner.
1:Project Based Learning is becoming more and more important in schools every year. I hope to frequently involve PBL in my future classroom. Currently I am still in school acquiring the knowledge necessary to use PBL in an effective way. I believe that I will be able to appropriately use PBL in my classroom because I am excited about the material, I am organized, I am willing to accept suggestions, and I will do the research necessary to find the best project for my students.Although I may have some skills for teaching project based learning I am not quite prepared. I will need to work on my procrastination, on making myself knowledgeable on popular technology used in classrooms, and learn to make a complete and correct lesson plan. In the next year and a half before I graduate I need to educate myself in several areas to better understand how to accurately use project based learning with my students. I would like to build up my PLN which I have based around PBL. The more research I do to build up my PLN, the more I will find out about project based learning. Getting familiarized with popular technology and websites will allow me to find better activities for my students and be able to create better activities. Ultimately, I need to educate myself better with project based learning and understand the process of creating an effective lesson plan.
2: Summarize what you've learned
How to make an audio QR code
In this video I learned about audio QR codes. It is an easy way to record yourself and provide a code for people to use and listen to your recording. You start by going to record mp3 and making a recording of your choosing. Next, you will copy the URL given to you from the website and go to a QR code generator.From the generation page you can choose multiple ways to create your QR code. In this video, URL was chosen. You will paste in your URL in the shown area and a QR code will be created for your use. This is a great resource for teachers. Teachers could record themselves reading a book and give the students the QR code. Students can use parents phone to scan the code and hear the book and follow along.
iPad in the reading center
In this video I learned of a fun activity that involves students using iPads in the reading center. Ginger Tuck shared her idea of using iPads as a learning tool for the students. The children can record themselves reading then play it back and follow along in the book. This will help students identify their mistakes and help them correct their flaws.
Poplet as a center
In this video Ginger Tuck explained how students can use poplet as an activity in class.Students can use poplet to create an idea web. Student adds in pictures, phrases, and sentences. This allows for students to practice their typing skills while learning more about the topic of their lesson. This activity is great for many lessons and subjects. Students could use poplet for learning about a specific animal or understanding a book.
Alabama Virtual Library as a Kindergarten Center
In the video I learned about the Alabama Virtual Library and that it is an easily accessible app. This app can be used a search tool in the classroom. In the app, you are provided with pictures, audio clips, and videos to help you with your search. This will be a safe and useful resource to use in the classroom.
How to use and build a board in DE for a project based lesson
In this video I learned how to create a board in Discovery Education. This is a simple project that can be used in most grades. A student will follow the steps necessary to create a new board. Next you type in your title. From this point you can add in photos, phrases, sentences, and facts about your topic. Students can also get the information they need for their board from the Discovery Education website.
Students sharing board builder 1 & 2
In this video I saw boards created by students at Gulf Shores Elementary.This video showed me that boards are something that are easy, fun, and informative to students. This will be a great tool to use in my future classroom for PBL.
Using iMovie in kindergarten
In this video I learned that you should never underestimate the minds of your students. Kindergarten students are capable of using iMovie to create book trailers in class. This is great for students to help them understand books and their main ideas while having fun.
We all become learners
In this video I learned that I will always be learning as a teacher. No matter what grade you are teaching you will be amazed at what your students know and what they can teach you. Being a teacher means always being a learner.
Project#13 Project Based Learning Plan #1
For this assignment Jessica, Makia, and I created a science lesson on the solar system. If you would like to check it out, the links are below!
Lesson Plan!
Rubric!
Calendar!
Lesson Plan!
Rubric!
Calendar!
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