Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Blog Assignment #10
What I learned from Sir Ken Robinson
There are two types of people in this world: People who enjoy what they do and endure it and people who love what they do and speak to their authentic selves.
Education keeps people from their natural talents. Talents must be searched for because they will not be lying on the surface. In education we need change. We need a revolution - it needs to be transformed into something else. Abraham Lincoln is quoted saying "We must rise with the occasion; not to it". I like this quote because he is saying we must be engaged. Ken points out that most teenagers don't wear watches because adults grew up in a time when if you needed something you wore it. Kids these days are growing up in a digitized world - the time is everywhere. Life is not linear it is organic. By linear, Ken means we are on a track that we follow and if we follow it correctly we end up set for the rest of our life. By organic, Ken means we create our lives symbiotically as we explore our talents in relation to circumstances they help to create for us. He says the pentacle for education is getting into college, although not everyone needs to go to college. The heart of the challenge is to reconstitute our sense of ability and of intelligence. He discusses the fact that parents are competitive and kindergarteners are being interviewed these days. It is a bit ridiculous that such young children have to compete for a place in kindergarten. Human talent is tremendously diverse. People are often good at things that they don't really care for. Passion is to love the things you are good at. Ken says that we need to understand that learning is an organic process. The outcome cannot be predicted.
Lesson Plan Project #15
In this lesson, second graders will learn about the components of a habitat. The students will create a drawing of the habitat they would like to visit and present their creation to the class. The student will have to clearly identify the habitat chosen and state why they would like to visit this habitat. The students will play fun and interactive educational games online that will reinforce the components of habitats. The students will also become familiar with a poem about habitats. Clink the link below to take you to the Animal Habitats Google Site:
Project base learning Project 15
Monday, March 24, 2014
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Blog Assignment #9
Little kids.. Big potential
In Ms. Cassidy's video called Little Kids...Big Potential her first graders use blogs, webpages, wikis, video, Skype and Nintendo DS to share, collaborate and learn in their classroom. I was completely shocked after watching these first graders and learning how technologically literate they were. This was absolutely amazing because when I was in first grade I did not have this advantage. These children were so excited about blogging and becoming better writers. They were educated on how to properly comment on other people's blogs and knew not to say mean things. They even used Skype to talk to other classrooms and experts. Ms. Cassidy's class is an amazing example on how to use technology successfully in your classroom. This inspiring video made me realize as a future educator I have to always incorporate new teaching techniques in my lesson plans and take advantage of technology.
Skype interview with Mrs. Cassidy
The first interview video I watched talked about how Ms. Cassidy got so involved into technology. She said ten years ago she was given five computers in her classroom and she started on her technology journey. She was able to get some release time and funding to assist her in this journey. She started to work on web pages and get involved in blogging. Her journey turned out to be a wonderful success because she now has a tremendous support system behind her. Ms. Cassidy states, "Technology is not going to go away, it is here to stay." She believes that every teacher needs to be technological literate to be adequate for students. She leaves off with the statement that "We have to keep learning." We have to stay in touch with technology and find out what way works best for us. In the second interview Ms. Cassidy tells people where to begin with technology. She says to begin with what your interested in. For example, if videos interest you then sign up for a YouTube account. Everybody is different and their is no specific method to follow. You simply have to find out what way works best for you and keep exploring till you find that method. The last interview video that I watched involved the EDM310 students asking Ms. Cassidy questions. One of the first questions was asked by a physical education major who asked, "How often do you use blogging in your classroom?" She answers by saying it depends on the time of year, but typically twice a week. Another question was "Do you fear that access to the internet increases cheating?" Ms. Cassidy said she does not feel like this is an issue. She says the educator needs to ask specific questions so cheating is not possible. However, she also states that the internet helps you to collaborate and "piggy-back" off of others work. This is not cheating and is actually beneficial. The questions that the students asked were great and Ms. Cassidy answered them very efficiently.
After watching each individual video I really learned a lot from Ms. Cassidy. She really puts a lot of time and effort into her lesson plans for her students. Being an educator is not always easy, but it is well worth it. She really makes a great point when she states that technology is never going away and we need to learn how to use it. This statement could not be more true and she does a great job in her classroom. I still cannot get over how much her students use technology and they are only first graders. Ms. Cassidy is a very motivational person and her hard work clearly inspires education systems worldwide. I look forward to using technology in my classroom and I will definitely be a blogging teacher. I want to allow my students to sample as many technological tools as possible. I want my students to be technologically literate so they will be better prepared for the real world.
In Ms. Cassidy's video called Little Kids...Big Potential her first graders use blogs, webpages, wikis, video, Skype and Nintendo DS to share, collaborate and learn in their classroom. I was completely shocked after watching these first graders and learning how technologically literate they were. This was absolutely amazing because when I was in first grade I did not have this advantage. These children were so excited about blogging and becoming better writers. They were educated on how to properly comment on other people's blogs and knew not to say mean things. They even used Skype to talk to other classrooms and experts. Ms. Cassidy's class is an amazing example on how to use technology successfully in your classroom. This inspiring video made me realize as a future educator I have to always incorporate new teaching techniques in my lesson plans and take advantage of technology.
The first interview video I watched talked about how Ms. Cassidy got so involved into technology. She said ten years ago she was given five computers in her classroom and she started on her technology journey. She was able to get some release time and funding to assist her in this journey. She started to work on web pages and get involved in blogging. Her journey turned out to be a wonderful success because she now has a tremendous support system behind her. Ms. Cassidy states, "Technology is not going to go away, it is here to stay." She believes that every teacher needs to be technological literate to be adequate for students. She leaves off with the statement that "We have to keep learning." We have to stay in touch with technology and find out what way works best for us. In the second interview Ms. Cassidy tells people where to begin with technology. She says to begin with what your interested in. For example, if videos interest you then sign up for a YouTube account. Everybody is different and their is no specific method to follow. You simply have to find out what way works best for you and keep exploring till you find that method. The last interview video that I watched involved the EDM310 students asking Ms. Cassidy questions. One of the first questions was asked by a physical education major who asked, "How often do you use blogging in your classroom?" She answers by saying it depends on the time of year, but typically twice a week. Another question was "Do you fear that access to the internet increases cheating?" Ms. Cassidy said she does not feel like this is an issue. She says the educator needs to ask specific questions so cheating is not possible. However, she also states that the internet helps you to collaborate and "piggy-back" off of others work. This is not cheating and is actually beneficial. The questions that the students asked were great and Ms. Cassidy answered them very efficiently.
After watching each individual video I really learned a lot from Ms. Cassidy. She really puts a lot of time and effort into her lesson plans for her students. Being an educator is not always easy, but it is well worth it. She really makes a great point when she states that technology is never going away and we need to learn how to use it. This statement could not be more true and she does a great job in her classroom. I still cannot get over how much her students use technology and they are only first graders. Ms. Cassidy is a very motivational person and her hard work clearly inspires education systems worldwide. I look forward to using technology in my classroom and I will definitely be a blogging teacher. I want to allow my students to sample as many technological tools as possible. I want my students to be technologically literate so they will be better prepared for the real world.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
C4T #2
C4T #2, comment 1:
For my C4T#2, I was assigned to a teacher’s blog called “Concrete Classroom”. The author of this blog is Mike Kaechele from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mike is a concrete artist turned teacher and a certified new tech trainer for Project Based Learning. The post I decided to comment on was his “New Rule”.
When Mike developed this new rule him and the students were still getting to know one another, but he felt something needed to be done immediately. He had a problem with his students constantly asking him for permission to the restrooms or to get a drink. He informed his students that he did not like this at all and that if they have to go to the restroom or need a drink, to go ahead and do so. Mike believes in trust, respect, and responsibility with his high school students.
Comment 1:
To begin with, I really enjoyed reading this blog post. I think the new rule for Mike’s classroom will be helpful in many ways. It will help develop better trust and respect with his students. When I was a grade school student, my teachers never had a rule like this. I really wish they did. Asking to go to the restroom or to get a drink actually took up time from teaching and learning. I agree that it would save a lot of trouble by letting the students go to the restroom by themselves. I am considering adopting this rule for my future classroom. I thanked Mike for sharing.
C4T #2, comment 2:
The next blog post of Michael Kaechele that I commented on was the “Dark side of MLK”. Michael discussed how he was assigned to a group during orientation. He likes to introduce himself and the class with some research. Michael had the students to look at the site http://www.martinlutherking.org/ . Next, he had them answer questions on a google form. Some students took it seriously and some just answered quickly. Some groups questioned the validity of the information.
These groups were asked to find evidence that this information was “fake”. Students began to evaluate the sources and soon found out that the site was created by StormFront, a white supremacist group. They also looked up one of the experts and discovered he was a former Grand Wizard of the KKK. This new found information led to a class discussion about bias. Students thought this site of information was legit and were very surprised. Michael left his students with the thought that they should doubt and test everything. He told them, “If your mother says she loves you, ask for her sources.” At the beginning of the year, Michael likes to set a tone of critical thinking and questioning in his classroom.
Comment 2: I really enjoyed reading Michael’s post. It teaches a valuable lesson to not believe everything you read or see on the internet. I will be sure to share this concept with my students in the future. Validity is really important when it comes to information. It is always a good idea to research anything you find online before using it. I liked Michaels what he left his students with: “If your mother says she loves you, ask for her sources.” I thought it was very humorous. To conclude my response, I thanked Michael for sharing this post.
For my C4T#2, I was assigned to a teacher’s blog called “Concrete Classroom”. The author of this blog is Mike Kaechele from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mike is a concrete artist turned teacher and a certified new tech trainer for Project Based Learning. The post I decided to comment on was his “New Rule”.
When Mike developed this new rule him and the students were still getting to know one another, but he felt something needed to be done immediately. He had a problem with his students constantly asking him for permission to the restrooms or to get a drink. He informed his students that he did not like this at all and that if they have to go to the restroom or need a drink, to go ahead and do so. Mike believes in trust, respect, and responsibility with his high school students.
Comment 1:
To begin with, I really enjoyed reading this blog post. I think the new rule for Mike’s classroom will be helpful in many ways. It will help develop better trust and respect with his students. When I was a grade school student, my teachers never had a rule like this. I really wish they did. Asking to go to the restroom or to get a drink actually took up time from teaching and learning. I agree that it would save a lot of trouble by letting the students go to the restroom by themselves. I am considering adopting this rule for my future classroom. I thanked Mike for sharing.
C4T #2, comment 2:
These groups were asked to find evidence that this information was “fake”. Students began to evaluate the sources and soon found out that the site was created by StormFront, a white supremacist group. They also looked up one of the experts and discovered he was a former Grand Wizard of the KKK. This new found information led to a class discussion about bias. Students thought this site of information was legit and were very surprised. Michael left his students with the thought that they should doubt and test everything. He told them, “If your mother says she loves you, ask for her sources.” At the beginning of the year, Michael likes to set a tone of critical thinking and questioning in his classroom.
Comment 2: I really enjoyed reading Michael’s post. It teaches a valuable lesson to not believe everything you read or see on the internet. I will be sure to share this concept with my students in the future. Validity is really important when it comes to information. It is always a good idea to research anything you find online before using it. I liked Michaels what he left his students with: “If your mother says she loves you, ask for her sources.” I thought it was very humorous. To conclude my response, I thanked Michael for sharing this post.
Lesson Plan Project #14
This weeks project was to do an individual project-based learning lesson plan. My lesson Plan is for students to research and create a Google Slide on a previous President of the United States This lesson plan is geared toward 2nd grade history students and can be viewed in the link below.
Project based lesson plan Project 14
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
Blog Assignment #8
Teachers start by creating a class, I titled mine Math, then they invite students to this class using their email or Khan ID. The students can also join the class by using a code given to the teacher upon creation of the class. Once the students are part of the class they can start by completing practice worksheet and taking pretests on a number of topics. Khan automatically generated the first few for the class I created, such as, reading line charts, reading bar charts etc.. The students then complete the short tests as extra practice on that topic. When taking the test the site even offers them a scratch pad. As a teacher you can then see the results of each child's work. This gives you a better understanding of what each child is struggling with individually as well as what they struggle with as a whole. You can then focus your lessons around these problems to help your students better understand.
I think this kind of site is an excellent tool to use in any classroom setting. It allows the teachers to give students extra work, a way to practice on their own time, and a way to gauge their knowledge. It also allows the students to focus on a particular topic they may have been struggling with. You could use this site with any grade level or subject and it be beneficial. I think that as educators we have a responsibility to try every outlet available to us. This site may not work in every classroom and in every subject, but it may work in just one. In my opinion, one is enough. If I can engage one more student by using this tool or any other for that matter, I think I have upheld my responsibility as a teacher. I want every student sitting in front of me, every year, to leave my classroom knowing they are the best they can be. If it takes hundreds of trial and errors on my part, and numerous late nights changing lesson plans because something did not work, then so be it. Teaching children and helping them understand and grow as people is my passion and I will use this tool, as well as all the others I can get my hands on to make sure it happens!
Sunday, March 2, 2014
C4K February Summary
Will K.'s Blog
Week 1, Will:
Will is a 4th grade student in from Mrs. Geldes class in Nebraska. This week Will explained and showed how to add fractions with unlike denominators. Will used very specific directions and also had pictures demonstrating the steps. It is great when a child knows a subject so well they can teach others, and include technology!
Tyson's Blog
Week 2, Tyson:
Tyson is a student in Ms Scott Lindsey's class. Tyson's informative post is directions on how to fail in minecraft. I had never heard of Minecraft before Tyson's post and I assured him I would give it a try now that I knew what to avoid. In three simple instructions Tyson shows personality and sarcasm, it is a great thing to see in a young child.
Will K.'s Blog
Week 3, Will:
Will is a 4th grade student in from Mrs. Geldes class in Nebraska. This week Will learned about birthstones. His birthday is in January and birthstone is garnet. He used an avatar video to discuss celebrities with his birthday, the cost of garnet, and the story behind the stone.
Dalton's Blog
Week 4, Dalton:
Dalton is in 7th grade at Bode Middle School in St. Joseph, MO. This week Dalton's assignment was to write a poem based on a paint color chip. He then picked his favorite color, started drafting and made a final draft.
Week 1, Will:
Tyson's Blog
Week 2, Tyson:
Will K.'s Blog
Week 3, Will:
Dalton's Blog
Week 4, Dalton:
Project #13 Lesson Plan
This week we were assigned to make a group lesson plan. This group consisted of Brittany Sparks, Meagan McRae, and myself. We chose second grade science. Our topic was The Solar System. Below is a link to our Lesson Plan:
Project Based Learning Lesson Plan #1
Project Based Learning Lesson Plan #1
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