Monday, December 8, 2014
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Blog post #5 Part II
My personal learning network has increased over the course of the semester. I have found a lot of new teacher blogs to follow thanks to our C4T assignments. I have also met a lot more people face to face doing tutoring time to meet requirements for other classes. I much prefer blogger to twitter or anything else when it comes to expanding my PLN. This may change as time goes on and I find myself needing specific information. For now, Blogger is my main tool for expanding my PLN and my knowledge.
C4T #4
For the Love of Teaching talked about the potential that every human/student has inside to be a learner. I commented:
Hey! I am in EDM310 at South Alabama! I love this post so much! I was once told that you should always treat people like they are as great as they can be which I firmly believe. People can tell when you believe in them and usually feel about their own abilities how their teachers/parents/friends feel about them. Thank you so much for sharing!
William Chamberlain talked very briefly about his students needing a large audience for their class blog. I commented:
Hey! I am in EDM310 at South Alabama! I totally agree! It benefits the students infinitely to have their ideas heard and critiqued by a large audience!
Hey! I am in EDM310 at South Alabama! I love this post so much! I was once told that you should always treat people like they are as great as they can be which I firmly believe. People can tell when you believe in them and usually feel about their own abilities how their teachers/parents/friends feel about them. Thank you so much for sharing!
William Chamberlain talked very briefly about his students needing a large audience for their class blog. I commented:
Hey! I am in EDM310 at South Alabama! I totally agree! It benefits the students infinitely to have their ideas heard and critiqued by a large audience!
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Blog Post #14
In this article Joel Klein talks about three changes he wishes he could "wave a wand" and make to our education system. I will discuss my opinion on each problem presented.
1. Pick from the Best
2. Seniority Distraction
3. Radical Change
1.Pick from the Best
In this portion of the interview Joel states some rather contradicting opinions. Joel believes that teaching could be made better if teachers were chosen from the top of their class, just like doctors and lawyers. Then he turns right around and says that teachers' performance in the classroom is enormously different from teacher to teacher. This would imply that while you may pick three people with a 4.0 GPA they would not perform at the same level. That being stated, should the GPA be the deciding factor or classroom performance? Mr. Klein never really answers this question. I personally believe it is more-so about classroom performance.
Joel also says that we need to change the way we reward teachers. The current system is to give any teacher who has made it a certain amount of time without being fired seniority. That leaves teachers with nothing to work toward after that. Once you have run/won the marathon, you tend to stop training. I do agree with this. Teachers should have the oportunity to advance once they are brought in. Goal oriented work places tend to reach higher standards than were originally set.
2.Seniority Distraction
Joel goes on to talk about how job security is too easily accessable in the teaching field. The way things are set up makes it hard to remove teachers who are no longer beneficial to keep around. He believes teachers should be tested often, just like doctors. This is certianly an idea to consider but you must also ask yourself who will administer these tests, what will they ask and who will grade them? What grade is too low? Will you test each teacher differently according to their subject or grade or will it be a standard across the board test? In my opinion, the way we teach is moving away from standardized testing so the way we choose teachers must move with it. That way of testing knowledge is becoming outdated so why would we update with an outdated method? This suggestion leaves me with more questions than answers.
3.Radical Change
Here Mr. Klein wraps it up with a talk about running schools more like businesses. Allowing the population to choose where they want to go to school, so that they are able to choose the best schooling. In the first paragraph he stated that "poor students" get stuck with "not always very effective, teachers" as opposed to the middle and upper class. He did not provide any data to back that up or give me any reason to believe what he is saying is true. From my personal experience with people in poverty, they go to the school that has a bus stop outside of their house. I do not believe that if the regulations were lifted that would change. Poverty is much more complex than that.
In conclusion it would be lovely if things were as simple as Mr. Klein makes them out to be but, alas, they are not. He seems rather inconsistant with his opinions. The only thing I can find in this article that even accredits him to have a worthy opinion on the matter is the fact that he has, "...run New York City's public school system for eight years..." and according to him the amount of time you have been working is irrelevant when it comes to your performance. I have only this post to evaluate the quality of his opinion. Therefore, the very few "solutions" he gave to the very broad "problems" he presented just aren't enough to convince me that in the event there was a magic wand to wave and make things change that he should be allowed to touch it.
This photo was brought to you by Pintrest.
1. Pick from the Best
2. Seniority Distraction
3. Radical Change
1.Pick from the Best
In this portion of the interview Joel states some rather contradicting opinions. Joel believes that teaching could be made better if teachers were chosen from the top of their class, just like doctors and lawyers. Then he turns right around and says that teachers' performance in the classroom is enormously different from teacher to teacher. This would imply that while you may pick three people with a 4.0 GPA they would not perform at the same level. That being stated, should the GPA be the deciding factor or classroom performance? Mr. Klein never really answers this question. I personally believe it is more-so about classroom performance.
Joel also says that we need to change the way we reward teachers. The current system is to give any teacher who has made it a certain amount of time without being fired seniority. That leaves teachers with nothing to work toward after that. Once you have run/won the marathon, you tend to stop training. I do agree with this. Teachers should have the oportunity to advance once they are brought in. Goal oriented work places tend to reach higher standards than were originally set.
2.Seniority Distraction
Joel goes on to talk about how job security is too easily accessable in the teaching field. The way things are set up makes it hard to remove teachers who are no longer beneficial to keep around. He believes teachers should be tested often, just like doctors. This is certianly an idea to consider but you must also ask yourself who will administer these tests, what will they ask and who will grade them? What grade is too low? Will you test each teacher differently according to their subject or grade or will it be a standard across the board test? In my opinion, the way we teach is moving away from standardized testing so the way we choose teachers must move with it. That way of testing knowledge is becoming outdated so why would we update with an outdated method? This suggestion leaves me with more questions than answers.
3.Radical Change
Here Mr. Klein wraps it up with a talk about running schools more like businesses. Allowing the population to choose where they want to go to school, so that they are able to choose the best schooling. In the first paragraph he stated that "poor students" get stuck with "not always very effective, teachers" as opposed to the middle and upper class. He did not provide any data to back that up or give me any reason to believe what he is saying is true. From my personal experience with people in poverty, they go to the school that has a bus stop outside of their house. I do not believe that if the regulations were lifted that would change. Poverty is much more complex than that.
In conclusion it would be lovely if things were as simple as Mr. Klein makes them out to be but, alas, they are not. He seems rather inconsistant with his opinions. The only thing I can find in this article that even accredits him to have a worthy opinion on the matter is the fact that he has, "...run New York City's public school system for eight years..." and according to him the amount of time you have been working is irrelevant when it comes to your performance. I have only this post to evaluate the quality of his opinion. Therefore, the very few "solutions" he gave to the very broad "problems" he presented just aren't enough to convince me that in the event there was a magic wand to wave and make things change that he should be allowed to touch it.
This photo was brought to you by Pintrest.
C4K November
Tyler wrote a summary of how he made a print in art class. This was interesting because we had just done the same thing! I omplimented him on his print and his thorough instructions!
Wonga wrote about his science experiment, Energizer. He talked about how the experiment was supposed to go and how it actually went and we both agreed that Science is unpredicatable and unplannable!
Tyler also made a print but he used a different color and design. I told him that I think it kind of looks like Saturn and that I made one of a tree!
Wonga wrote about his science experiment, Energizer. He talked about how the experiment was supposed to go and how it actually went and we both agreed that Science is unpredicatable and unplannable!
Tyler also made a print but he used a different color and design. I told him that I think it kind of looks like Saturn and that I made one of a tree!
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Blog Post #13
Watch A Letter to Me
Watch What a Teacher Makes
What is your biggest fear about teaching? What is your biggest hope about teaching?
My biggest fear about teaching is that I will make a child hate school. What will I do if I have I don't know how to help a student? What if I respond the wrong way and they hate coming to my class and they hate learning my subject and I give them a bad taste in their mouth for learning in general. They say if a child has three bad teachers in a row the damage that is done can never be undone. I don't want to be one of those three. It's a huge responsibility to mold the minds of young children. I want to live up to the greatest.
My biggest hope about teaching is that no student will ever leave my grade level without feeling more intelligent and loved. I would like to meet those two major needs for my students. I believe everyone can be better and happier no matter what stage of life they are in and I hope to help them always be moving forward.
Watch What a Teacher Makes
What is your biggest fear about teaching? What is your biggest hope about teaching?
My biggest fear about teaching is that I will make a child hate school. What will I do if I have I don't know how to help a student? What if I respond the wrong way and they hate coming to my class and they hate learning my subject and I give them a bad taste in their mouth for learning in general. They say if a child has three bad teachers in a row the damage that is done can never be undone. I don't want to be one of those three. It's a huge responsibility to mold the minds of young children. I want to live up to the greatest.
My biggest hope about teaching is that no student will ever leave my grade level without feeling more intelligent and loved. I would like to meet those two major needs for my students. I believe everyone can be better and happier no matter what stage of life they are in and I hope to help them always be moving forward.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Project #10
This video was intended to last 7 minutes. It is slighty longer but a very interesting insight into the classroom of a 5th grade Math teacher!
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Blog Post #11
Brian Crosby, Back to the Future:
In Mr. Crosby's elementary class in Sparks Nevada every student has a laptop. With that kind of kid to computer ratio it would be crazy not to utilize that tool as much as possible! So, he does. One of the biggest advantages he has seen from this is the growth of the class blog's audience and their personal learning network! He set up a project so that it would included learning in Science and in English. His students released a balloon and watched it ascend on the computer! As it ascended they were asking to write their blog as if they were the balloon! This blog was viewed world-wide and the students were able to converse about class strategies and results! How amazing! So Mr. Crosby has taught us that Project based learning expands PLNs far beyond our expectations!
Paul Anderson, Blended Learning Cycle:
Paul talked about the five E's and QUIVERS
Five E's-engage, explore, expand, explain, and evaluate! These E's will help to make sure your class is intrigued with their learning. He also uses the fun acronym QUIVERS.
QU-questions; start by asking a question
I-investigate/inquiry; look for answers/further questions
V-video; present a video of yourself discussing the subject matter
E-elaborate; the video is just an intro to build from
R-reviews; make sure the students have enough of an understanding about the subject to discuss it or test on it
Mark Church, Making Thinking Visible:
Mr. Church's students were put into small groups. Each group was asked to express their topic(early human beginnings) with a headline that captures the essence of the puzzle. This challenges students to really think about and understand what they are trying to find answers to. They must sum up their entire discussion in one phrase. After some more studying they will update their phrase and look back at where their learning began.
Sam Pane, Building Comics:
Mr. Payne spends time making sure students know how to be safe, respectful and responsible on the internet. This is blatantly important. While kids may know a lot about navigating technology they don't always know how to do so in a safe way. Mr Payne Helped his students build a comic strip and write a narrative to go with it. Once it is finished they can post their's and view others' in the "gallery".
Dean Shareski, Project Based Learning:
Mr. Shareski reiterates how powerful project based learning is. He teaches us to always ask for feedback about your projects with questions like, "How could we make this better?" Project based learning is the most effective form of teaching. Students retain so much more information when they can connect what they learn with technology.
Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program.
This video shows us how to use PBL to improve public speaking skills. It gives kids a chance to chose how and what they learn. This sharpens their life skills such as cooperative learning, communication and creativity. It teaches us as teacher as well by allowing us to differentiate between the learning styles of our students and integrate it into our curriculum.
In Mr. Crosby's elementary class in Sparks Nevada every student has a laptop. With that kind of kid to computer ratio it would be crazy not to utilize that tool as much as possible! So, he does. One of the biggest advantages he has seen from this is the growth of the class blog's audience and their personal learning network! He set up a project so that it would included learning in Science and in English. His students released a balloon and watched it ascend on the computer! As it ascended they were asking to write their blog as if they were the balloon! This blog was viewed world-wide and the students were able to converse about class strategies and results! How amazing! So Mr. Crosby has taught us that Project based learning expands PLNs far beyond our expectations!
Paul Anderson, Blended Learning Cycle:
Paul talked about the five E's and QUIVERS
Five E's-engage, explore, expand, explain, and evaluate! These E's will help to make sure your class is intrigued with their learning. He also uses the fun acronym QUIVERS.
QU-questions; start by asking a question
I-investigate/inquiry; look for answers/further questions
V-video; present a video of yourself discussing the subject matter
E-elaborate; the video is just an intro to build from
R-reviews; make sure the students have enough of an understanding about the subject to discuss it or test on it
Mark Church, Making Thinking Visible:
Mr. Church's students were put into small groups. Each group was asked to express their topic(early human beginnings) with a headline that captures the essence of the puzzle. This challenges students to really think about and understand what they are trying to find answers to. They must sum up their entire discussion in one phrase. After some more studying they will update their phrase and look back at where their learning began.
Sam Pane, Building Comics:
Mr. Payne spends time making sure students know how to be safe, respectful and responsible on the internet. This is blatantly important. While kids may know a lot about navigating technology they don't always know how to do so in a safe way. Mr Payne Helped his students build a comic strip and write a narrative to go with it. Once it is finished they can post their's and view others' in the "gallery".
Dean Shareski, Project Based Learning:
Mr. Shareski reiterates how powerful project based learning is. He teaches us to always ask for feedback about your projects with questions like, "How could we make this better?" Project based learning is the most effective form of teaching. Students retain so much more information when they can connect what they learn with technology.
Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program.
This video shows us how to use PBL to improve public speaking skills. It gives kids a chance to chose how and what they learn. This sharpens their life skills such as cooperative learning, communication and creativity. It teaches us as teacher as well by allowing us to differentiate between the learning styles of our students and integrate it into our curriculum.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Blog Post #10
Ms Kathy Cassidy is a 1st grade teacher in Canada who took the time ti interview and give us some pointers on using technology in the classroom. Ms. Cassidy has been using technology in the classroom for about 10 years now. She primarily uses a classroom webpage, a class blog and skype in her classroom. Here are some answers to some of the questions many people ask about technology usage in the classroom:
What resources do you use to get started? Kathy received some grants and utilized professional development classes. Both of these are good resources for financial support and for help in expanding your personal knowledge about using technology.
Who benefits from this? Parents are able to keep up with their children's progress. Kids get to use what they already love to do their learning and also gain very important skills such as safely using the internet and collaborative learning. So in short, EVERYONE BENEFITS!
Why use the internet? Students have an unlimited audience and a constantly growing PLN.
Why be technologically literate? Technology is not going away! You can learn about technology the same way you are teaching, through a PLN! Search blogs, skype, Twitter and any other website that sparks your interest then turn around and apply it in the classroom! Learn and teach!
How often should I use it? Your time availability will depend on how many students you have. Use it once a day or once a week, just use it! The more you do the faster you will get and the more time you will have to learn new things with the technology.
I would like to set up a class webpage with safe links to permissable webpages. I will certainly use a class blog to display my students' works to the world. If I run into the issue of not knowing enough I will expand my PLN on Twitter and Blogger and I will attend professional developement classes. I will teach my students technology and they will teach me technology and we will show the world what we have learned!
I have provided links to the video interviews if you would care to view them yourself!
1st interview
2nd interview
3rd interview
What resources do you use to get started? Kathy received some grants and utilized professional development classes. Both of these are good resources for financial support and for help in expanding your personal knowledge about using technology.
Who benefits from this? Parents are able to keep up with their children's progress. Kids get to use what they already love to do their learning and also gain very important skills such as safely using the internet and collaborative learning. So in short, EVERYONE BENEFITS!
Why use the internet? Students have an unlimited audience and a constantly growing PLN.
Why be technologically literate? Technology is not going away! You can learn about technology the same way you are teaching, through a PLN! Search blogs, skype, Twitter and any other website that sparks your interest then turn around and apply it in the classroom! Learn and teach!
How often should I use it? Your time availability will depend on how many students you have. Use it once a day or once a week, just use it! The more you do the faster you will get and the more time you will have to learn new things with the technology.
I would like to set up a class webpage with safe links to permissable webpages. I will certainly use a class blog to display my students' works to the world. If I run into the issue of not knowing enough I will expand my PLN on Twitter and Blogger and I will attend professional developement classes. I will teach my students technology and they will teach me technology and we will show the world what we have learned!
I have provided links to the video interviews if you would care to view them yourself!
1st interview
2nd interview
3rd interview
C4K October
Raeylne's blog post was about dealing with rude people in the world. Sometimes it is tempting to be rude back. I left her a comment encouraging her to stay strong and continue to be nice even when it is hard! Raelyne's post was very cool because it is about problems you face in everyday life!
David's blog post was a theory, or prediction, about a book the teacher assigned. He had a pretty great theory about a grandpa with a gold fish that never dies! I left a theory of my own about a princess kissing a goldfish and what it turns in to! This post was very fun and creative!
Madisyn' blog post was a description of a picture she was looking at. It was a picture of a wedding with a horse a carriage and flowers! She mentions that upon looking at the photo she thinks that she might like to be a bride too! I left her a comment tell her how well she did describing it and that I hope there is a carriage at me wedding too! This was a good example of art and technology in the classroom!
Rosalina's blog was about her worksheet she is doing in class on cardinal directions. Her teacher's aide is helping them learn this standard! My commented telling her how much I love maps and traveling and how essential knowing the cardinal directions are!
David's blog post was a theory, or prediction, about a book the teacher assigned. He had a pretty great theory about a grandpa with a gold fish that never dies! I left a theory of my own about a princess kissing a goldfish and what it turns in to! This post was very fun and creative!
Madisyn' blog post was a description of a picture she was looking at. It was a picture of a wedding with a horse a carriage and flowers! She mentions that upon looking at the photo she thinks that she might like to be a bride too! I left her a comment tell her how well she did describing it and that I hope there is a carriage at me wedding too! This was a good example of art and technology in the classroom!
Rosalina's blog was about her worksheet she is doing in class on cardinal directions. Her teacher's aide is helping them learn this standard! My commented telling her how much I love maps and traveling and how essential knowing the cardinal directions are!
C4T Jenny
In Jenny's first blog she embeded a video that talks about dying and regrets. Jenny took her family to live abroad in London. Her time is almost up and she reviews the things she and her family have learned over the course of their time. Needless to say, their time in London is not time the Jenny will regret! My comment was about how important I think it is for children to travel and understand/love othe cultures. I find it hard to regret time spent with the people you love! Check out her blog and my comment here here!
In the second blog Jenny talked about "green-lighting" ideas and how unnecessary it is in our day and time. Homemade videos go viral everyday and none of them were green-lighted before they were posted. I commented and told her that I love the post. It was very interesting, exciting and true. Jenny posted a link to a very interesting video that talks about how those videos go viral. Check it out at Greenlighting
In the second blog Jenny talked about "green-lighting" ideas and how unnecessary it is in our day and time. Homemade videos go viral everyday and none of them were green-lighted before they were posted. I commented and told her that I love the post. It was very interesting, exciting and true. Jenny posted a link to a very interesting video that talks about how those videos go viral. Check it out at Greenlighting
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Blog Post #9
So, what does project based learning involve? Project Based Learning involves seven key components:
1. Need to know:
-entry event(anything that gets students attention such as videos, pictures, etc.)
2.A driving question:
-cause a "brainstorm"(allow them to discuss in the classroom)
3.Student voice and choice
-ask them open ended questions(give them the option of proposing their own solutions and researching them to see how they stand)
4.21 Century Skills
-collaboration, communication, critical thinking, technology use
5.Inquiry and Innovation
-don't stop asking questions(allow one question to lead you to the next)
6.Feedback and revision
-allow them to critique one another
7.A Publicly Presented Product
-exhibition night, show-and-tell, whatever works best for you and the children
You have to know what motivates your students to do well. You don't, however, have to be a mind reader! Other teachers are good resources but why not ask your students directly? Check out this video of kids answering that exact question! Motivation and Reward Systems
Project based learning is obviously a far superior approach to teaching than lecturing. It's more fun and effective for students and teachers alike. But, it isn't the way teachers learned. We didn't have these awesome technology tools or this manner of teaching and it is very foreign to us. No need to fear! This website provides you with ten different sites to help you get started!
What does project based learning lead to? In North Liberty High School solved the "watery ketchup" problem by designing a new ketschup bottle cap! Project based learning DOES effect the community if you allow it to! Teachers are no longer need to lead, we are needed to guide. Guide the kids to their own unique potential with project based learning!
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Blog Post 8
Source: pintrest.comThere is a lot to be learned from Randy Pausch's Last Lecture He speaks about childhood dreams and how to achieve them while helping others achieve their's along the way. Childhood dreams are too often forgotten. I have always thought it a good exercise to write them down. I have my top five goals/priorities written on a piece of paper and taped to the back of my door so that everyday before I leave the house I will see them. I think knowing what your desired destination is makes mapping out the trip a lot easier. It is good to have plans but when it comes to dreams Randy Pausch teaches us that they don't ever happen the way we thought they might.
Source: pintrest.comYou have to be flexible and durable to overcomes the challenges between you and your dreams. Trials will always arise. Trials are simply misunderstood opportunities. They are the opportunity to show the world that you really and truly want to overcome. Accomplishments are born out of hardship. If there was nothing to work through then it wouldn't be an accomplishment it would just be a circumstance, a road side stop. It's when you have to work for it that it begins to be valuable. If you'll notice, no one is ever commended for breathing. It's something that comes naturally and requires no extra thought to do. However, when some experiences an asthma attack, then breathing becomes an accomplishment. It becomes something that is no longer easy to do and is therefore admirable. That is what I got from Randy Pausch's last lecture. Chew on that for awhile!
Source: pintrest.com
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Blog Post #7
These days technology seems to run our social lives. With apps like Spotify, Skype, Facetime and many more we should never be bored again. Having apps like this outside of the classroom is fun. But, having apps like this inside the classroom is not only fun but extremely beneficial!
With audio recordings you can let your kids record themselves reading aloud so they can listen to themselves and see if there were errors. You can access library websites to get audio for the kids so that even on their own they can experience someone reading to them. Technology allows us to take learning to a new, fun level! It is important that we learn to use it properly so that we get the full use of it. Here are the sources I learned to utilize technology with:
QR Codes
iPad Reading Center
Poplet Reading Center
Library Center
In order to be a teacher we have to remain a student. We are all learners! We all have things we can learn from one another. There is always someone with the answer is the student. You should always encourage an environment of respect so that everyone gets a chance to show what they know. They just may know something you don't!
provided by blog.florent.com
With audio recordings you can let your kids record themselves reading aloud so they can listen to themselves and see if there were errors. You can access library websites to get audio for the kids so that even on their own they can experience someone reading to them. Technology allows us to take learning to a new, fun level! It is important that we learn to use it properly so that we get the full use of it. Here are the sources I learned to utilize technology with:
QR Codes
iPad Reading Center
Poplet Reading Center
Library Center
In order to be a teacher we have to remain a student. We are all learners! We all have things we can learn from one another. There is always someone with the answer is the student. You should always encourage an environment of respect so that everyone gets a chance to show what they know. They just may know something you don't!
provided by blog.florent.com
Project #13
This lesson provided by:
Author: Courtney Lawson
Organization: 0
Lesson Plan ID: 33543
Title: Map Drawing
Overview/Annotation: We will have several "stations" for the groups(4 per group) to go to learn map vocabulary, search for specific maps assigned to them and provide a picture of the map for the class to see and finally draw a map of their own with a legend.
Content Standard(s): SS2010(2) Living and Working Together in State and Nation 6. Identify states, continents, oceans, and the equator using maps, globes, and technology.
Local/National Standards:
Primary Learning Objective(s): Their legible map
Additional Learning Objective(s):
Approximate Duration of the Lesson: 31 to 60 Minutes
Materials and Equipment: Large blank paper to draw maps on
Markers to draw map with
stickers to use on map and in legend
Technology Resources Needed: computer
Background/Preparation: Prepare map vocab worksheet
make a list of the continents and assign them to groups
assign groups
Procedures/Activities: Station 1: Whole class at this station all at once. Push group member's desks together and provide them each with one vocab worksheet and make sure they each have their social studies books and/or dictionary to look up meaning of each word.
Station 2: Each group will get one iPad and be assigned their continent where they will looks up photos of the continent and save the picture in the project file on the iPad(labeled Map Project Continent photo) and name the photo the name of the continent.
Station3: Everyone will be provided with their own sheet of paper and markers to share amongst their group and have to draw a map of any place(real or imaginary) with a legend
Attachments:**Some files will display in a new window. Others will prompt you to download.
Assessment Strategies:
Extension:
Remediation:
Each area below is a direct link to general teaching strategies/classroom accommodations for students with identified learning and/or behavior problems such as: reading or math performance below grade level; test or classroom assignments/quizzes at a failing level; failure to complete assignments independently; difficulty with short-term memory, abstract concepts, staying on task, or following directions; poor peer interaction or temper tantrums, and other learning or behavior problems.
Presentation of Material
Environment
Time Demands
Materials
Attention
Using Groups and Peers
Assisting the Reluctant Starter
Dealing with Inappropriate Behavior
Be sure to check the student's IEP for specific accommodations.
Variations Submitted by ALEX Users:
Author: Courtney Lawson
Organization: 0
Lesson Plan ID: 33543
Title: Map Drawing
Overview/Annotation: We will have several "stations" for the groups(4 per group) to go to learn map vocabulary, search for specific maps assigned to them and provide a picture of the map for the class to see and finally draw a map of their own with a legend.
Content Standard(s): SS2010(2) Living and Working Together in State and Nation 6. Identify states, continents, oceans, and the equator using maps, globes, and technology.
Local/National Standards:
Primary Learning Objective(s): Their legible map
Additional Learning Objective(s):
Approximate Duration of the Lesson: 31 to 60 Minutes
Materials and Equipment: Large blank paper to draw maps on
Markers to draw map with
stickers to use on map and in legend
Technology Resources Needed: computer
Background/Preparation: Prepare map vocab worksheet
make a list of the continents and assign them to groups
assign groups
Procedures/Activities: Station 1: Whole class at this station all at once. Push group member's desks together and provide them each with one vocab worksheet and make sure they each have their social studies books and/or dictionary to look up meaning of each word.
Station 2: Each group will get one iPad and be assigned their continent where they will looks up photos of the continent and save the picture in the project file on the iPad(labeled Map Project Continent photo) and name the photo the name of the continent.
Station3: Everyone will be provided with their own sheet of paper and markers to share amongst their group and have to draw a map of any place(real or imaginary) with a legend
Attachments:**Some files will display in a new window. Others will prompt you to download.
Assessment Strategies:
Extension:
Remediation:
Each area below is a direct link to general teaching strategies/classroom accommodations for students with identified learning and/or behavior problems such as: reading or math performance below grade level; test or classroom assignments/quizzes at a failing level; failure to complete assignments independently; difficulty with short-term memory, abstract concepts, staying on task, or following directions; poor peer interaction or temper tantrums, and other learning or behavior problems.
Presentation of Material
Environment
Time Demands
Materials
Attention
Using Groups and Peers
Assisting the Reluctant Starter
Dealing with Inappropriate Behavior
Be sure to check the student's IEP for specific accommodations.
Variations Submitted by ALEX Users:
Sunday, September 28, 2014
C4K
One blog I posted on was Nikita's who lives in Auckland, NZ! Her most recent blog was a video(many of them are videos) of her and some friends dancing and lip syncing to Ugly Heart!
Here is what I told her:
Courtney Lawson said...
Hi Nikita! I am very impressed with your video! It brought a smile to my face! I love the song too! Now every time it plays on the radio I will think of your video! My favorite part was how you involved so many people in it! I will be visiting your blog from now on! Keep learning!
Another blog I posted on was Jaea in Madame Thomas's class. Her post was entitled Stupid Beef where she talked about losing her great grandmother to death briefly and not allowing anger to control your decisions. She was very sad about the loss but used it to challenge other to remember that life is fragile and too short for anger.
Here is the comment I left her:
Courtney Lawson (Guest)
September 21, 2014 at 11:33 PM
I think a this is a good post for a couple of reasons. Everyone has to face these trials at some point or another in life. It is not easy. I like the topic. I like the questions it raises. You may want to check the GRAMMAR once more. Other than that I like the post!
My most recent comment was for Alison in Mrs. Greer's class. She wrote about doing her homework, being home alone and asking her mom to buy her some peppers!
This is my comment to her:
Courtney Lawson (Guest)
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
September 28, 2014 at 9:33 PM
I like the way the story flows. I like how you talked about your whole afternoon instead of just one part of it. Check your GRAMMAR one more time. This post is rad! Keep writing
Here is what I told her:
Courtney Lawson said...
Hi Nikita! I am very impressed with your video! It brought a smile to my face! I love the song too! Now every time it plays on the radio I will think of your video! My favorite part was how you involved so many people in it! I will be visiting your blog from now on! Keep learning!
Another blog I posted on was Jaea in Madame Thomas's class. Her post was entitled Stupid Beef where she talked about losing her great grandmother to death briefly and not allowing anger to control your decisions. She was very sad about the loss but used it to challenge other to remember that life is fragile and too short for anger.
Here is the comment I left her:
Courtney Lawson (Guest)
September 21, 2014 at 11:33 PM
I think a this is a good post for a couple of reasons. Everyone has to face these trials at some point or another in life. It is not easy. I like the topic. I like the questions it raises. You may want to check the GRAMMAR once more. Other than that I like the post!
My most recent comment was for Alison in Mrs. Greer's class. She wrote about doing her homework, being home alone and asking her mom to buy her some peppers!
This is my comment to her:
Courtney Lawson (Guest)
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
September 28, 2014 at 9:33 PM
I like the way the story flows. I like how you talked about your whole afternoon instead of just one part of it. Check your GRAMMAR one more time. This post is rad! Keep writing
Blog Post 6
This week we were assigned 7 videos to watch. Each video was an interview with Baldwin County 3rd grade teacher Anthony Capps. We were asked to display what we learned from these videos in Blog Post 6 so I have provided below a copy of the notes I took while watching.
Project Based Learning
What makes a project a good project?
1)content driven- it requires students to use the content that you need them to learn
2)authentic audience- everyone performs better for an audience, give the kids
3)student interest- pick projects they will enjoy
4)involve community- helps them relate it to everyday life, adds value
Never limit your students with your expectations. Keep an open mind and go with the flow. Einstein once said, "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life thinking that it is stupid."
Everyone wins with project based learning. It's a phenomenal method for teachers. It's a fun method for students. It's an effective method for administrators. Students can get excited about the work they do because they know what it accomplishes. No more busy work! Just remember when you are planning that you are planning for four layers: the year, the unit, the week and finally, the day!
Here are some of the tools recommended by both Dr. Strange and Anthony Capps along with their pruposes:
Icurio:
-allows students to safely search internet for educational uses
-teaches virtual organization
Discovery Ed:
-enhances learning in all topics with videos about the topic
Before you go take a quick glance at the list of tips to future educators provided by Dr. Strange and Anthony Capps!
-be a learner
-don't separate work and play, teaching becomes your job and your hobby
-be flexible
-goal is 100% engagement
-audiences provide great opportunities for reflection
All videos by John Strange can be found in his youtube channel !
This picture made possible by TheTeacherGarden Sunday, September 21, 2014
Blog Post #5 My PLN
Having a Personal Learning Network(PLN) is a new concept for me. This will be my first time establishing a PLN. Most of the people who make up my network are professors from the University of South Alabama and some people from ARI and AMSTI that I have met through work. I use Twitter to keep up with them. I look forward to building further and I am very excited to see what I gain from my PLN!
I learn a lot about teaching on twitter but there are many other forms of social media to choose from!
This photo is brought to you by pintrest.com
I learn a lot about teaching on twitter but there are many other forms of social media to choose from!
This photo is brought to you by pintrest.com
Thursday, September 18, 2014
C4T #1
In Teacher Tom's blog post Who's With Me? he discusses the problems with formal education for children these days. He believes and practices what is known as play-based learning. For preschoolers being able to play and move around is essential to the learning process. It usually makes a good foundation to start K-12 education process on too. It is becoming less and less of an effective foundation as kindergarten becomes less and less of a play-based learning area. Obama wants to remove the right to run a play based system not only from K-12 but from preschool as well. As a preschool teacher, parent or student you may think that your input will be taken into consideration when shaping the Common Core but you would be wrong. That is what's wrong with the Common Core today. There are too many people who are not teachers/parents/students making decisions on how we teachers/parents/students should conduct our learning processes.
My comment to him was:
In his blog post My Secrets to Lesson Planning Teacher Tom discusses his lack of use of the formal lesson plan. As a PreK teacher in a play-based learning environment it seems somewhat impossible to plan a lesson. How can a teacher possibly know what a child will learn the next day? We aren't fortune tellers(most of us, anyway). Sometimes lesson planning looks different than that, though. Planning a lesson entails more than just steering a young person's mind. It can be said that making sure you have all of the supplies you need present and accessible is lesson planning. Teacher Tom shows pictures of his supplies and their organization and challenges others to get their's in order too.
My comment to him will be updated once he allows it to show up on his blog!
My comment to him was:
In his blog post My Secrets to Lesson Planning Teacher Tom discusses his lack of use of the formal lesson plan. As a PreK teacher in a play-based learning environment it seems somewhat impossible to plan a lesson. How can a teacher possibly know what a child will learn the next day? We aren't fortune tellers(most of us, anyway). Sometimes lesson planning looks different than that, though. Planning a lesson entails more than just steering a young person's mind. It can be said that making sure you have all of the supplies you need present and accessible is lesson planning. Teacher Tom shows pictures of his supplies and their organization and challenges others to get their's in order too.
My comment to him will be updated once he allows it to show up on his blog!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Project 15
Sphere: This is a great search engine for blog searching. You do, however, have to sign up for it which is kind of a pain in the rear.
sphere.com
AllTheWeb: This one is owned by Yahoo and they share a database. But, Yahoo presents the results in the same way that google does while AllTheWeb presents them a little differently. I would rather use Google.
alltheweb.com
GigaBlast: This is better than Google at narrowing searches down to specifics.
gigablast.com
Alexa Internet: This one is an Amazon company. This one is good for business comparison.
alexa.com
Lycos: This one is ideal for searching entertainment information.
lycos.com
Excite: This site is used for travel option comparisons. It is faster than searching through Google.
excite.com
Yahoo! Search: This site is second to Google in the rankings and in my heart. It works very much the same, however.
yahoo.com
Bing Search: This is Microsoft's contribution to the search engine industry. It presents information differently than google but it's basically the same information.
bing.com
sphere.com
AllTheWeb: This one is owned by Yahoo and they share a database. But, Yahoo presents the results in the same way that google does while AllTheWeb presents them a little differently. I would rather use Google.
alltheweb.com
GigaBlast: This is better than Google at narrowing searches down to specifics.
gigablast.com
Alexa Internet: This one is an Amazon company. This one is good for business comparison.
alexa.com
Lycos: This one is ideal for searching entertainment information.
lycos.com
Excite: This site is used for travel option comparisons. It is faster than searching through Google.
excite.com
Yahoo! Search: This site is second to Google in the rankings and in my heart. It works very much the same, however.
yahoo.com
Bing Search: This is Microsoft's contribution to the search engine industry. It presents information differently than google but it's basically the same information.
bing.com
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Blog Post 4
This photo was found on buzzfeed.com
I never really thought about the impact that asking questions has in the classroom. Asking questions models good thinking skills to your students and really good questions keep your students thinking long after they have been asked. Here are three different types of questions to ask your students.
1)Closed questions: These are questions that only have a certain number of correct answers. This type of question allows you to assess where your students are comprehension-wise. How well do they retain what they've learned?
2)Open questions: These questions have infinite answers and encourage class discussion. This allows students to think without limitation.
3)Managerial questions: These questions just confirm the the students understand what is expected of them in an assignment and that they have the necessary tools to complete it.
Asking the right questions is only half of the battle, though. You must know how to respond too. Give the students time to think and always show that you are interested in what they have to say. You can always asks students to respond not only to your questions but also to one another's questions. Always think about your questions/response before hand. Treat them as part of the lesson plan because that's exactly what they are!
Sources:
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/strategies/Pages/asking-questions.aspx
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Blog Post 3 Peer Editing
Peer editing is a fantastic topic for teachers. Many of us have heard about peer editing over and over but practice makes perfect and as a teacher you can never be too good at editing! When done correctly, everyone benefits from peer editing. Learning to receive correction graciously is very important. Learning to give correction tactfully and respectfully is infinitely valuable.
If you have never peer edited before don't let it intimidate you. As long as you remember the three steps to successful editing you will be able to help your fellow classmate without fear of harming their self esteem!
1. Compliments! It is always nice to start off with the good news. There is always something nice that can be said. Maybe they had an interesting topic. Perhaps they used a lot fun images or a spectacular vocabulary. What ever you choose to brag on, make it genuine and let the writer know that you are on their side.
2. Suggestions! George Bernard Shaw once said, "If I have an apple and you have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." Long statement short, sharing ideas only gives you more ideas and you can never have too many!
3. Corrections! It happens to the best of us. We all make mistakes ranging from grammar to spelling to pragmatics and on. Gently draw attention to the error. You are doing this to help your peer. Often times if there is an error in the blog it discredits everything else that was said. This should always been done in a tactful way! You are going to be a teacher. You cannot be hateful toward anyone you correct in the classroom and you cannot be hateful toward anyone you correct in EDM310. It's good practice.
These are the tools you need to be successful in peer editing! I hope you enjoyed my post!
This photo made possible by newyorker.tumblr.com
If you have never peer edited before don't let it intimidate you. As long as you remember the three steps to successful editing you will be able to help your fellow classmate without fear of harming their self esteem!
1. Compliments! It is always nice to start off with the good news. There is always something nice that can be said. Maybe they had an interesting topic. Perhaps they used a lot fun images or a spectacular vocabulary. What ever you choose to brag on, make it genuine and let the writer know that you are on their side.
2. Suggestions! George Bernard Shaw once said, "If I have an apple and you have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." Long statement short, sharing ideas only gives you more ideas and you can never have too many!
3. Corrections! It happens to the best of us. We all make mistakes ranging from grammar to spelling to pragmatics and on. Gently draw attention to the error. You are doing this to help your peer. Often times if there is an error in the blog it discredits everything else that was said. This should always been done in a tactful way! You are going to be a teacher. You cannot be hateful toward anyone you correct in the classroom and you cannot be hateful toward anyone you correct in EDM310. It's good practice.
These are the tools you need to be successful in peer editing! I hope you enjoyed my post!
This photo made possible by newyorker.tumblr.com
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Blog Post 2: What will Teaching be Like in the 21st Century?
Mr. Dancealot
The central message of the video Mr. Dancealot is that bad teaching results in bad test scores. Mr. Dancealot read his lesson straight off of the slides. He did not allow for interaction. He did not answer questions. So, when he tested them on the material they were just as confused, if not more-so, than they were before they took to class. The author showed this by demonstrating the teaching style and the average learning style before making it known that the students were clueless. Personally, I am a visual leaner. I like to see how things work rather than just hear about them. I also agree with teacher/student interaction. I have been in classes like Mr. Dancealot's class and performed poorly. I wholeheartedly agree with the author of this movie. Sub par teaching yields sub par learning.
Painted my Lora Zombie, provided by Chantelle Zimms via pintrest.com
Teaching in the 21st Century
1. teaching skills, not facts
2. kids already have access to infinite info
3. kids have unlimited access to tools
4. kids have limited access to instructions on how to use the tools and what information is legit
5. as the criteria children need to succeed in our world changes, the knowledge we provide them with must change too
According to Roberts, teaching in the 21st century is not about supplying facts, data, theories or formulas. Teaching is about providing students with the ability to find these things on their own as well as apply them to their everyday lives. In a world where access to tools and information is unlimited it is a teacher's job to give students the information they will need to properly use these tools and to independently sift through the information given to them. In this century the internet is a very powerful tool. It can hurt you or help you. As a teacher it is my responsibility to make sure they know how to use it in such a way that it is the latter. This may not change what I teach as much as it changes how I teach.
Found on instagrad.com
The Networked Student
1. address upcoming problem
2. apply to life
3. agree with proposed solution
It seems to me that information sifting will be a big problem in the 21st century. We all know those friends we have who believe anything they read on the internet. We all really wish they could differentiate between information displayed by a reliable source and some uneducated jack-wad with access to a computer. It annoys us that they cannot decide for themselves what information should be retained and what information should be placed directly in file thirteen. In this century it is debilitating to not be able to use computers proficiently and the internet professionally. No one has time to teach you once you are out in the job market. So, it would seem the only solution is to teach it in school. It is as vital as knowing how to write your name. It makes you marketable, valuable and self-sufficient. I think it is very important to teach kids to work as a unit and to use what they will be handed to work with.
Provided by Carrie Best on pintrest.com
Edutopia
Davis' thesis: If you can empower the students to learn you are going to have a better classroom.
My argument: I think empowerment may look different for different age groups but I agree.
Provided by spit-black.tumblur.com
Who's Ahead in the Learning Race?
It is a learning race, therefore whoever is most willing to learn is still in the race. It is 2014 so the tools being used are technology based. Clearly the tools used in the elementary classroom are different than they were when I was an elementary student. If the question was, "Who's ahead in the Technology Race?" the answer would be current elementary students because that is what is taught to them. If the question was, "Who's ahead in the Cursive Handwriting Race?" the answer would be undergraduate and graduate students because that was taught to us. The question, however, is, "Who's ahead in the Learning Race?" You can never finish the learning race and you can never necessarily be ahead in the learning race. If you said someone was ahead you would have to place value on different types of knowledge. I don't know anyone prepared to do that. As long as we are running(learning) it will all work out.
Provided by Stephanie Blake via pintrest.com
Flipping the Classroom
Flipping the classroom means to bring more online teaching/learning to the students. I think it is an effective means of learning for some people and it covers the bases of learning types more efficiently than lecture alone.
Provided by gregorymancusco.com
The central message of the video Mr. Dancealot is that bad teaching results in bad test scores. Mr. Dancealot read his lesson straight off of the slides. He did not allow for interaction. He did not answer questions. So, when he tested them on the material they were just as confused, if not more-so, than they were before they took to class. The author showed this by demonstrating the teaching style and the average learning style before making it known that the students were clueless. Personally, I am a visual leaner. I like to see how things work rather than just hear about them. I also agree with teacher/student interaction. I have been in classes like Mr. Dancealot's class and performed poorly. I wholeheartedly agree with the author of this movie. Sub par teaching yields sub par learning.
Painted my Lora Zombie, provided by Chantelle Zimms via pintrest.com
Teaching in the 21st Century
1. teaching skills, not facts
2. kids already have access to infinite info
3. kids have unlimited access to tools
4. kids have limited access to instructions on how to use the tools and what information is legit
5. as the criteria children need to succeed in our world changes, the knowledge we provide them with must change too
According to Roberts, teaching in the 21st century is not about supplying facts, data, theories or formulas. Teaching is about providing students with the ability to find these things on their own as well as apply them to their everyday lives. In a world where access to tools and information is unlimited it is a teacher's job to give students the information they will need to properly use these tools and to independently sift through the information given to them. In this century the internet is a very powerful tool. It can hurt you or help you. As a teacher it is my responsibility to make sure they know how to use it in such a way that it is the latter. This may not change what I teach as much as it changes how I teach.
Found on instagrad.com
The Networked Student
1. address upcoming problem
2. apply to life
3. agree with proposed solution
It seems to me that information sifting will be a big problem in the 21st century. We all know those friends we have who believe anything they read on the internet. We all really wish they could differentiate between information displayed by a reliable source and some uneducated jack-wad with access to a computer. It annoys us that they cannot decide for themselves what information should be retained and what information should be placed directly in file thirteen. In this century it is debilitating to not be able to use computers proficiently and the internet professionally. No one has time to teach you once you are out in the job market. So, it would seem the only solution is to teach it in school. It is as vital as knowing how to write your name. It makes you marketable, valuable and self-sufficient. I think it is very important to teach kids to work as a unit and to use what they will be handed to work with.
Provided by Carrie Best on pintrest.com
Edutopia
Davis' thesis: If you can empower the students to learn you are going to have a better classroom.
My argument: I think empowerment may look different for different age groups but I agree.
Provided by spit-black.tumblur.com
Who's Ahead in the Learning Race?
It is a learning race, therefore whoever is most willing to learn is still in the race. It is 2014 so the tools being used are technology based. Clearly the tools used in the elementary classroom are different than they were when I was an elementary student. If the question was, "Who's ahead in the Technology Race?" the answer would be current elementary students because that is what is taught to them. If the question was, "Who's ahead in the Cursive Handwriting Race?" the answer would be undergraduate and graduate students because that was taught to us. The question, however, is, "Who's ahead in the Learning Race?" You can never finish the learning race and you can never necessarily be ahead in the learning race. If you said someone was ahead you would have to place value on different types of knowledge. I don't know anyone prepared to do that. As long as we are running(learning) it will all work out.
Provided by Stephanie Blake via pintrest.com
Flipping the Classroom
Flipping the classroom means to bring more online teaching/learning to the students. I think it is an effective means of learning for some people and it covers the bases of learning types more efficiently than lecture alone.
Provided by gregorymancusco.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)