Entry #9 - Caught on Video - article

This article helped me to think outside the box when it comes to traditional classrooms and assessments. I have always thought videos have a place in the classroom. I used a video camera when I taught 7th grade for my students to communicate with their pen pals in my mother's 7th grade class. They had already been writing letters and exchanged emails or IM addresses; this was just another way to let one class know what the other was learning. These new flip cameras would make that process even simpler by foregoing the taping, rewinding, etc and instead editing the material on the computer and sending by email or posting the videos to a blog. That would have made my class project so much easier and faster, not to mention better quality. Of course, I can think of one draw back and that is the economic one. The cost associated with providing students cameras and computers would be great, not to mention the availability of computers to the parents who would want to view these videos at home. I continue to question my own traditional view of grading and assessment. I like how this author put it: not "how are you doing", but "what are you doing." That is what our assessments of students should be focused on.

Entry #8 - Smartboard presentation

After using the smart board in an educational setting, I can see both its uses and distractions. If it is not lined up correctly or gets a gliche in any way, a teacher can waste valuable time fixing the problem. I think if I had one in my classroom, I would have to do a lot of practicing on it to avoid any of those mishaps. I do see, however, how it can help draw the students into the lessons and encourage them to actively participate.

Assignment 3 - Smart board presentation

in my presentation, I will be showing some review exercises from a site called gamequarium. These can be used following grammar lessons to review skills learned. The NETS standards for teachers covered are:
1. Design or adapt relevent learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
2. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.

The NETS standards covered for students are:
1. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
2. Understand and use technology systems.

This website could be used on individual computers, but the likelihood of every student having a computer or staying on task is slim. Since it is done on a Smart board as a unified class, this activity in particular can improve student learning, because it gives them a "hands-on" approach to English which can typically be boring for most students. Since it allows them to actively participate in reviewing concepts, it is more likely those concepts will stick. Other activities done on Smartboards can have the same effects of solidifying material into students' memory banks.

reflection 5 - great lesson plans

check this out!
In my teaching exprience in middle school, I found that my students responded to learning when they were active. Middle school students do not get recess, but still have lots of energy to let loose. If they have to sit in chairs and listen to a teacher for an hour, they will either go to sleep or use their energy chatting with their friends. I tried as much as I could to integrate movement into my lessons, but often times was at a loss for what to do with grammar. This website (if you scroll down a bit) offers many different suggestions for grammar, literature, and writing activities that have the students moving around the classroom. I am so thankful for someone taking the time to write their ideas down for the rest of us who lack the mental creativity. :)

Reflection 4 - cool art site for kids

At my son's school, they have art docents for each classroom, and this year the art docent for third grade had a great idea to post their work online. They sent home a permission form for the parents to sign and information for how to register for the site. Now whenever he completes an art project, the docent takes a pic of it, uploads it to the site, and we get an email letting us know there is new art posted. When we go onto Caleb's site we can make comments for each piece of art, and he can read those comments any time he logs on. It's a great idea to help them see importance in their creativity and to feel successful at it (especially for him since his parents are extremely unartistic). The website is called Artsonia.com.
Here is the link for his personal account:
Caleb's artsonia

comments on other sites

Loree's site

Tammy's site

Anna's site

Liliya's site

Annie's site

Reflection 3 (my kids and technology)

Tonight while eating ice cream after my middle son's music program, my oldest heard us talking about computer viruses. We explained to him how a computer gets "sick" and that some viruses are so bad, your computer won't work any more. He really seemed to understand and will now be on the look out for suspicious emails. This conversation is not the first we have had with him. He is very interested in technology and has picked up on the lingo quickly. My husband and I laugh at times when we are talking to our children about iphones and apps to put on them, Nintendo DS (which he desperately wants), or any other type of technology in our house. It's a whole new generation!