Tuesday, December 2, 2008
My EDM 310 Blog Are Now Complete!
I enjoyed getting to know each and everyone of you! I hope you all have successful, fulfilling careers.
What I Learned in This Class
I learned cool ways to use Google, how to use excel, and about different sites and resources which will help me in my teaching career. One thing I hope to use in my classroom is blogging. I plan to teach lower elementary grades, and I would like to create a classroom blog on which I can post class pictures and classroom work for the parents to see and comment on.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Blogging
I chose to read Marlena Marsh's blog. She and I seem to have a similar view of blogging and its pros and cons. Blogs can definitely be a useful tool for a teacher in his/her classroom. I have enjoyed learning the different uses for blogs and learning how to use them.
Blogs are not difficult for students to use and therefore offer an excellent opportunity for students to learn and utilize their technological skills. Writing skills and critical thinking skills can be sharpened by students using blogs in the classroom. Teachers can assign their students classroom blog journals. They can post questions for the students' blog response, or use a blog to post classroom information. These are a few of the pros of blogging.
Though blogging does have its pros it also has its cons. Parents and teachers often are concerned about the safety of the students who use blogs, because they are open to whomever wishes to read them. There is a solution to this problem. A password can be set up so that only the people who have the password can access the blogs. Others are concerned with cyber bulling, which often takes place between the students themselves. Teachers can discourage this by penalizing the students who take part in these unkind actions.
Over all I feel that blogs have a lot to offer our students. Blogs offer a good opportunity to broaden our students computer use and prepare them for a life filled with technological machines. I look forward to using them in my classroom to better prepare my students for their future.
Blogs are not difficult for students to use and therefore offer an excellent opportunity for students to learn and utilize their technological skills. Writing skills and critical thinking skills can be sharpened by students using blogs in the classroom. Teachers can assign their students classroom blog journals. They can post questions for the students' blog response, or use a blog to post classroom information. These are a few of the pros of blogging.
Though blogging does have its pros it also has its cons. Parents and teachers often are concerned about the safety of the students who use blogs, because they are open to whomever wishes to read them. There is a solution to this problem. A password can be set up so that only the people who have the password can access the blogs. Others are concerned with cyber bulling, which often takes place between the students themselves. Teachers can discourage this by penalizing the students who take part in these unkind actions.
Over all I feel that blogs have a lot to offer our students. Blogs offer a good opportunity to broaden our students computer use and prepare them for a life filled with technological machines. I look forward to using them in my classroom to better prepare my students for their future.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Visit to ACCESS Lab
Keller, Crystal and I visited an ACCESS lab at Satsuma High School on November 17, 2008. Mrs. Jennifer Philips was the facilitator of the lab. She explained to us the difference between an ACCESS lab facilitator and an ACCESS teacher. Her job as an ACCESS facilitator intels keeping the students on task, emailing the teachers concerning the progress of the students and entering grades. The teacher of an ACCESS lab is responsible for teaching the class and grading the work turned in to him/her.
All students at the Satsuma High School are required to take at least one ACCESS class before graduating. ACCESS classes are offered in German, Latin, history, and creative writing. Ms Philips stated that the ACCESS classes are conducted much like a regular class. Students can do work they do not complete in class at home, but quizzes and test must be done in class. The ACCESS classes are designed for students to work at their on pace.
Each child is assigned a numbered computer and is expected to use it through out the semester. Ms Philips said that the students have done well staying disciplined and on course. If the students do not complete their class, it will be counted as a failure just like a regular class.
When working with languages the students hook up microphones to their computers. This allows the students to practice their language skills as the computer corrects them. When asked if the students like the ACCESS language classes, Ms Philips said that they seemed to like them and do well with them.
Korean Schools
SoYoung and I met last year. She has recently finished her work at the University of South Alabama and has gone home to Korea. I have been able to ask her some questions about the schools in Korea and have learned a lot of interesting things.
For elementary school age children the school schedule is a bit lighter, but they are still kept really busy. She said they study Taekwondo, music, English conversational skills, and arithmetic.
I asked SoYoung what the classroom schedules were like, and she said that Korean students go to school from 8:00am to 10:00pm Monday through Saturday. No wonder they are so smart! From what she said, it seems like they study most of the same things we do. She said that middle school and high school students have to study hard and prepare for college scholastic tests. Competition is high to get into a college, so it is important for them to study.
SoYoung told me she felt like the students got worn out with the long hours they had to put into school. In their free time Korean students study. All of their schools are private schools, and they are expensive. There is a lot of pressure for the students to do well. She said that the average family often can not afford to send their kids to school because of the cost.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
"The South In Black and White"
The South In Black and White, 2006-10-26, is a pod cast which spoke about a southern culture class which is being offered at Hayti Heritage Center. Hayti Heritage Center is an old, black, southern church in North Carolina.
The class is going to feature southern story telling, spirituals, and blues. Some controversial topics will be discussed by the class. The purpose of this class is to unify the participants by helping them come to a better understanding of each other and what shaped their views. Race will be discussed. Goals to improve racial issues will be discussed and each member will learn about the other members. They will be encouraged to share their points of view and will be given an opportunity to see how their points of view has shaped them into who they are today.
The Duke Lacrosse burning of a cross was mentioned in this pod cast. It was mentioned that even this situation is an opportunity to encourage learning. As teachers we can use the disheartening things around us as another way to foster our student's learning. This cross burning could be used as an opening to a history class which may be studying southern history and the oppression of the our African American brothers and sisters. It could be used as a discussion topic or a writing assignment. The purpose of using this incident is to bring history closer for the students, to help them discover why people do things like that, what it symbolizes, and what we as a society need to work on to discourage such feelings.
The class is going to feature southern story telling, spirituals, and blues. Some controversial topics will be discussed by the class. The purpose of this class is to unify the participants by helping them come to a better understanding of each other and what shaped their views. Race will be discussed. Goals to improve racial issues will be discussed and each member will learn about the other members. They will be encouraged to share their points of view and will be given an opportunity to see how their points of view has shaped them into who they are today.
The Duke Lacrosse burning of a cross was mentioned in this pod cast. It was mentioned that even this situation is an opportunity to encourage learning. As teachers we can use the disheartening things around us as another way to foster our student's learning. This cross burning could be used as an opening to a history class which may be studying southern history and the oppression of the our African American brothers and sisters. It could be used as a discussion topic or a writing assignment. The purpose of using this incident is to bring history closer for the students, to help them discover why people do things like that, what it symbolizes, and what we as a society need to work on to discourage such feelings.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
!Caution! This May Not Be Appropriate For Kids
Protect Our Children!
I watched a disturbing podcast today called Broken (HIV Education Film From South Africa). Often people hear of horrible things that happen to children all over the world but never do anything to stop it. Is that how it should be?
While watching this podcast I thought about the children I hope to have, my future students and the children who are so special to me. I thought, what would I do if someone harmed the children I love?
This podcast was acted out by Children. It is a story of an innocent girl being rapped by her father. What happened in a few moments would leave the girl forever scarred.
What can parents do to protect their children? Parents can teach their children not to go places alone with people their family does not trust. Children need to be cautious and to look for signs of danger. Parents can put in place a certain phrase or word the child can say on the phone whenever they feel in danger, so the parent can take action. Parents should make sure to know the friends their kids hang out with. Parents should not be afraid to call their children and find out where they are and who they are with. Of course no parent wants to cause their children to live in fear, but it is important for parents to train their children to be aware of the people around them.
In cases where one parent is suspected of abusive behavior, the other parent should do everything possible to protect the child from being alone with that parent. The child
should be trained to alert a trusted parent anytime the other parent is behaving in an
inappropriate manner toward them.
After clicking on the link below, scroll down until you reach CDS on itunes. Click there.
Look for Broken (HIV Education Film From South Africa).
Click to view Broken
I watched a disturbing podcast today called Broken (HIV Education Film From South Africa). Often people hear of horrible things that happen to children all over the world but never do anything to stop it. Is that how it should be?
While watching this podcast I thought about the children I hope to have, my future students and the children who are so special to me. I thought, what would I do if someone harmed the children I love?
This podcast was acted out by Children. It is a story of an innocent girl being rapped by her father. What happened in a few moments would leave the girl forever scarred.
What can parents do to protect their children? Parents can teach their children not to go places alone with people their family does not trust. Children need to be cautious and to look for signs of danger. Parents can put in place a certain phrase or word the child can say on the phone whenever they feel in danger, so the parent can take action. Parents should make sure to know the friends their kids hang out with. Parents should not be afraid to call their children and find out where they are and who they are with. Of course no parent wants to cause their children to live in fear, but it is important for parents to train their children to be aware of the people around them.
In cases where one parent is suspected of abusive behavior, the other parent should do everything possible to protect the child from being alone with that parent. The child
should be trained to alert a trusted parent anytime the other parent is behaving in an
inappropriate manner toward them.
After clicking on the link below, scroll down until you reach CDS on itunes. Click there.
Look for Broken (HIV Education Film From South Africa).
Click to view Broken
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
EDM 310's First Podcast Production and Its Critique
On October 16 the EDM 130 class produced our first pod casts. The class was grouped in groups of three. Each group was assigned a topic to research and present that night.I was nervous about presenting the material in front of my class, but the thought of our first podcast being put on the web for anyone to hear was even more intimidating. My group, which discussed blogs and their usefulness in the classroom, was selected to go first. When we started our voices were a bit shaky, but as time went on we warmed up and became more at ease. Dr. Strange told us we did a good job for our first time but that I would need to learn to talk louder.
Our class produced about seven podcast in all that night. Some were longer than others, and each was unique in its own way. We could have improved our pod casts by shortening some of the presentations, adding more interesting information to some and rehearsing what we were going to say more. Over all, I think our class did well.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
"Mathematices with Technology" and "Thinking Mathematically"
Mathematics with Technology and Thinking Mathematically were both presented by Judy Chanler, who is a technology integration specialist, a mathematics teacher and a math mentor/trainer. Ms. Chanler in the first podcast, Mathematics with Technology explains the importance of the use of technology in the classroom for a higher rate of student success. She encourages teachers not to be frightened by technology but to utilize it. Technology not only provides opportunities for students to learn in different ways but also peaks their interest to the subject through using popular technology. This technology program opens up math to its users by offering: engaging tools, example problems, offers enhanced communication, and collaboration.
Judy Chanler follows the first podcast with the sequel, Thinking Mathematically. In this podcast she discusses the tactics most textbooks use to present the material to the students. They present the material in lesson after lesson using only examples to help the students learn. Many students have trouble following this type of math learning method, though some succeed often times by memorizing the steps but not actually understanding the method. Ms Chanler addresses this problem by offering a solution,. The students must be taught to think mathematically. Learning to think mathematically is achieved by the teacher asking the students questions and providing technological visual aids. Ms Chanler says, " students learn to think mathematically, and they are learning when they explore, connect ideas, investigate, observe patterns, play what if, conjecture, argue, prove, model , reply and reflect."
I am not sure that this particular software will be useful to me because my major is in elementary education , but it sounds like it is very useful to teachers teaching algebra and geometry. The software that Ms. Chanler speaks so highly of is free and can be downloaded from Geogabra.org. Though I cannot use this particular software, I can incorporate mathematical thinking by utilizing the methods described above.
Listening to podcasts from experienced teachers who have incorporated new tools successfully into their classrooms encourages me as a beginning teacher to step out and look for ways to incorporate new tools in my future classroom. By using technology I have an avenue to stay abreast of new and effective ways to improve my effectiveness as a teacher and improve the learning of my students.
Judy Chanler follows the first podcast with the sequel, Thinking Mathematically. In this podcast she discusses the tactics most textbooks use to present the material to the students. They present the material in lesson after lesson using only examples to help the students learn. Many students have trouble following this type of math learning method, though some succeed often times by memorizing the steps but not actually understanding the method. Ms Chanler addresses this problem by offering a solution,. The students must be taught to think mathematically. Learning to think mathematically is achieved by the teacher asking the students questions and providing technological visual aids. Ms Chanler says, " students learn to think mathematically, and they are learning when they explore, connect ideas, investigate, observe patterns, play what if, conjecture, argue, prove, model , reply and reflect."
I am not sure that this particular software will be useful to me because my major is in elementary education , but it sounds like it is very useful to teachers teaching algebra and geometry. The software that Ms. Chanler speaks so highly of is free and can be downloaded from Geogabra.org. Though I cannot use this particular software, I can incorporate mathematical thinking by utilizing the methods described above.
Listening to podcasts from experienced teachers who have incorporated new tools successfully into their classrooms encourages me as a beginning teacher to step out and look for ways to incorporate new tools in my future classroom. By using technology I have an avenue to stay abreast of new and effective ways to improve my effectiveness as a teacher and improve the learning of my students.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Growth vs.Fixed Mindsets in Learning
The Growth vs. Fixed Mindsets in Learning podcast presented by professor of psychology, Carol Dweck was truly interesting. As explained by professor Dweck, the growth mindset is the belief that throughout a person's life they can become smarter. She related the growth mindset to body building. When someone learns new things they are strengthening their brain by using it. The fixed mindset, however, is the belief that a person is born with a fixed I Q, and they cannot get any smarter.
Carol Dweck has written a book and been a part of conducting studies on the growth mindset. In one study, two groups of students attended an 8 week session workshop. The first group of students were taught the growth mindset and study skills. The second group was taught only study skills. The teachers who taught the students during regular hours were not told which students participated in which group. The teachers said they had no trouble pointing out which students were placed in the growth mindset and study skills class. They also said the grades of the students in the first group improved, but the students in the second group who receive only study skills showed no grade improvement. A reason given for this is that the students in the first group learned how to learn from their mistakes and learned how to apply the method to their work, where as the students for the second group merely learned study skills.
As a teacher I hope to spur my students forward by teaching them that learning will help them to become smarter, more successful students. When students are told they can become smarter throughout their lifetime by studying and challenging their minds, I believe it will encourage them to work harder in their studies. Utilizing the growth mindset in my teaching career will enable me to become the best teachers I can be.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
A Helpful Classroom Tool
Every time I see or listen to a podcast I am again impressed with their educational usefulness. I recently watched a podcast about the Energy Flow in the Coral Reef. This podcast introduced terms such as herbivores, carnivores, photosynthesis, and chloroplasts. An explanation of the life cycle and photosynthesis is presented in a simple but interesting way. The person who watches this learns the important interdependence of each member of the coral reef. Energy is obtained from the sun by plants which are eaten by herbivores. Herbivores are then eaten by carnivores. Carnivores are eaten by other carnivores or die of old age and then are eaten by scavengers and decomposers. The herbivores keep the underwater plant population in check, and the carnavors keep the herbivors population in check. Each member works together for the good of the whole.
In my classroom when we study the life cycle and photosynthesis I could let my students watch the Energy Flow in the Coral Reef. Watching it would help them understand a coral reef and the importance of each member for the existence of the reef as well as the role the life cycle and photosynthesis play in that existence.
We could also discuss how in our class or at home we each have to do our part to make our class and homes run smoothly just like the members in the coral reef. If each student participates in class and shares during discussion time they are contributing to the learning of the entire class. When they are at home and they do their chores they are sharing in the household work load and are helping their home to run more smoothly.
In my classroom when we study the life cycle and photosynthesis I could let my students watch the Energy Flow in the Coral Reef. Watching it would help them understand a coral reef and the importance of each member for the existence of the reef as well as the role the life cycle and photosynthesis play in that existence.
We could also discuss how in our class or at home we each have to do our part to make our class and homes run smoothly just like the members in the coral reef. If each student participates in class and shares during discussion time they are contributing to the learning of the entire class. When they are at home and they do their chores they are sharing in the household work load and are helping their home to run more smoothly.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Mr. Sullivan's Presentation
Last week Mr. Sullivan came to are night class and spoke to us about different handicaps people have. He shared with us some types of technology that have been created to help people with handicaps compensate. He also taught our class how to make our blogs handicap accessible.
Mr. Sullivan's presentation opened my eyes to aspects of the life of a person with handicaps which I had never thought of. He brought a computer to class that had no screen. The computer had a keyboard, a braille pad and speakers. A person having vision problems could use this device to search the web and work on anything a regular computer could work on. The computer would read what a person with out vision problems could see. The braille pad was created so that it would receive a message and convert the message into braille for the user to read. The computer was amazing!
Mr. Sullivan's presentation opened my eyes to aspects of the life of a person with handicaps which I had never thought of. He brought a computer to class that had no screen. The computer had a keyboard, a braille pad and speakers. A person having vision problems could use this device to search the web and work on anything a regular computer could work on. The computer would read what a person with out vision problems could see. The braille pad was created so that it would receive a message and convert the message into braille for the user to read. The computer was amazing!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Alabama Virtual Library
The Alabama Virtual Library is an online library which house magazines, journals, and newspaper articles. The Virtual Library is accessible by all Alabama's citizens. To access this online Library a citizen of Alabama need only go to their public library and ask to get a home access card for the Alabama Virtual Library.
This site is especially useful for students. They can access the site from home whenever they need to and find the articles needed to do their assignments. Students from secondary school to college can utilize this wonderful tool to help them be more successful students.
This site is especially useful for students. They can access the site from home whenever they need to and find the articles needed to do their assignments. Students from secondary school to college can utilize this wonderful tool to help them be more successful students.
Wow! This Is Really Cool!
Two great podcast to check out are The Edible School and A Night in the Global Village. Both of these podcast encourage educators to tie education to the everyday world. In a school which is featured in The Edible School they combined math, art, history and science to form a combined class. They used these subjects together to teach the children the material in creative ways. On the video an example is shown of a class studying circles. They took a trip to see how a water wheel works and then made their own water wheels. The children competed to see which water wheel worked the best. The excitement among the students about learning was quite evident.
In A Night in the Global Village, students visit the Heifer Ranch. At the ranch the children are given a tour and get to see what poverty level homes look like in Guatemala, Zimbabwe, Thailand, a refuge camp and a generic urban slum. After the tour the children are taken to a large room and assigned a country. They will stay the night in the dwelling that represents the country they become a part of and will experience a small part of what it would be like to live in that country. They have to trade with each other for food, find fuel for their cooking fire and do chores. This experience helped the children to have empathy for people who have less than they have.
These podcast open up many ideas for each teachers to explore and implement into their class. These ideas when implemented by a teacher offer students a chance to get excited and motivated about their education. In The Edible School they tell teachers that combining subjects and involving hands on activities does take more time but it is worth it.
The podcast presented here and others like them offer new ideas and helpful information to keep teachers fresh and excited about teaching. Educational podcast such as these provide information in an easily accessible form. A teacher can type in a title on itunes.com and choose from a list of podcast available on the topic entered.
click here to visit itunes
In A Night in the Global Village, students visit the Heifer Ranch. At the ranch the children are given a tour and get to see what poverty level homes look like in Guatemala, Zimbabwe, Thailand, a refuge camp and a generic urban slum. After the tour the children are taken to a large room and assigned a country. They will stay the night in the dwelling that represents the country they become a part of and will experience a small part of what it would be like to live in that country. They have to trade with each other for food, find fuel for their cooking fire and do chores. This experience helped the children to have empathy for people who have less than they have.
These podcast open up many ideas for each teachers to explore and implement into their class. These ideas when implemented by a teacher offer students a chance to get excited and motivated about their education. In The Edible School they tell teachers that combining subjects and involving hands on activities does take more time but it is worth it.
The podcast presented here and others like them offer new ideas and helpful information to keep teachers fresh and excited about teaching. Educational podcast such as these provide information in an easily accessible form. A teacher can type in a title on itunes.com and choose from a list of podcast available on the topic entered.
click here to visit itunes
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
A Little About Podcasts
The first podcast was called Connect Learning. This podcast was done in a seminar setting for a group of Library Media Specialist. They shared their views and different uses for podcasts. One lady in the audience mentioned that a student in her school uses a podcast to share a rap song he wrote for his biology class. The song helped him to learn the information and helped his classmates as well.
The second Podcst,called Kidcast, had only one moderator. He gave some great examples of how podcast could be used to help students learn to make educated decisions. A teacher could assign an ethical issue and ask the students to research, analysis and respond to it.
Ed Teck Talk was the name of another podcast. Their focus is to encourage parents to partner with teachers in order to support students. On this podcast there were four people which shared the speaking time. Each one of the members broadcasted from a different part of the country. SMART Board Lessons carries a similar theme to Ed Teck Talk except that their focus is on teachers communication with one another.
Mac Break Weekly is a podcast featuring four men who talked about various things of importance to them. They talked about cameras and the stock market. This podcast was rather layed back. Catch Fly was a podcast which incorporated video as well as sound. The moderator presented The Calument Travelite Kit which is a photography kit. This podcast was helpful in that it showed the viewer how to use the products and gave them some feed back on the quality of the product.
The second Podcst,called Kidcast, had only one moderator. He gave some great examples of how podcast could be used to help students learn to make educated decisions. A teacher could assign an ethical issue and ask the students to research, analysis and respond to it.
Ed Teck Talk was the name of another podcast. Their focus is to encourage parents to partner with teachers in order to support students. On this podcast there were four people which shared the speaking time. Each one of the members broadcasted from a different part of the country. SMART Board Lessons carries a similar theme to Ed Teck Talk except that their focus is on teachers communication with one another.
Mac Break Weekly is a podcast featuring four men who talked about various things of importance to them. They talked about cameras and the stock market. This podcast was rather layed back. Catch Fly was a podcast which incorporated video as well as sound. The moderator presented The Calument Travelite Kit which is a photography kit. This podcast was helpful in that it showed the viewer how to use the products and gave them some feed back on the quality of the product.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Randie Pausch's Last Lecture
"Last Lecture"
Mr. Pausch's lecture had three main points "Really achieving your childhood dreams, enabling the dreams of others, and lessons learned." His speech has touched many more people than were in the stadium that day. The speech has gone out over the Internet, the TV and has been written about all over the nation and even around the world. The over all point I noticed in the speech was for a person to live life to the best of their ability.
He spoke about the importance of childhood dreams and their fulfillment. Even if a person does not accomplish their childhood dreams they can learn from them. Mr. Pausch mentioned one dream that was not fulfilled, his dream to play professional football. He said when he played football in school he learned several lessons from his coaches. One lesson was to not over look the basics and their importance. He learned how to accept criticism and learn from it.
The "brick wall" idea was mentioned several times. In essence he was saying when life gets rough and things do not turn out like you hoped, keep trying and never give up. Mr. Pausch said that difficulties come along to eliminate the people who do not want to reach their dreams bad enough.
He encouraged people to help others realize their dreams and encourage them to reach them. Mr. Pausch also encouraged people not to be afraid to try new things. They could turn out to be wonderful.
To View Randie Pausch's Last Lecture Click Here
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Working With Blogs in the Classroom
Mr.Fisher who teaches in Canada and Mrs. Meeler who is a teacher in Atlanta are the main teachers featured in the " Blogs in the Classroom" article. Mrs.Meeler shares the positive effects the blog has had on her students' writing. She mentions in the article that her students work harder on their writing for their blogs since they know other students will be reading it. Mr. Fisher noticed the students feel they have more of a voice and can express their opinions on their blogs. He stresses that blogs are more than just a place teachers can have their student journal.They are an open window to learning.
The article also covers the wide variety of ways teachers can utilize blogs in the classroom. Blogs are indeed wonderful tools, but as the article suggests, teachers have to be conscious of the remarks left by other students. In the article the teachers shared some instances when they had to remove some remarks from the blogs.
Visit Working With Blogs
International Teachers blogs In The Classroom
"Wikis and Blogs for the Classroom" shares how Asian classrooms are using blogs and wikis. This article covers what wikis and blogs are, their uses in the classroom and precautions that should be taken if a school plans to use these tools in their classroom. In the article the writer states that one of the reasons for using blogs and wikis is because they can be created and maintained by the user.
A wiki is a website that can be used collectively by students. One student can write a story and others can add to it and edit it. There are many ways a teacher can utilize a wiki. They can post videos on the website and have the students write reviews,have collaborative student writings,and have essay writing practice for tests.
A blog is a website where the student can post writings and links. Visitors to the blog can read and post comments. Teachers can use blogs as a way to encourage discussions in the classrooms,or have students post journal entries.
Visit Wikis and Blogs
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Blogs Help Parents Connect with Their Kids
In Needham, Massachusetts many Parents can view blogs set up by their children's teachers and keep up with the daily school activities. The blogs help the parents open up conversations with their children at home. One of the teachers in the article states that the more the parents see and understand what the teacher is trying to do in the classroom the more support the parents will provide. This article also addresses the need for teachers and students to use caution when posting on blogs. It stresses the importance of maintaining each students privacy. Some schools censor comments and only allow members to access the blogs. The Boston Globe published this article which was written by Dominic Chavez.
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2006/09/07/teachers_take_bulletin_boards_online/
In Needham, Massachusetts many Parents can view blogs set up by their children's teachers and keep up with the daily school activities. The blogs help the parents open up conversations with their children at home. One of the teachers in the article states that the more the parents see and understand what the teacher is trying to do in the classroom the more support the parents will provide. This article also addresses the need for teachers and students to use caution when posting on blogs. It stresses the importance of maintaining each students privacy. Some schools censor comments and only allow members to access the blogs. The Boston Globe published this article which was written by Dominic Chavez.
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2006/09/07/teachers_take_bulletin_boards_online/
Blogging in The Classroom
Marisa L. Dudiak, right, and Catherine Poling
Marisa L. Dudiak, right, and Catherine Poling
The first article I found was written by Jeffrey Selingo and published by The New York Times. In this article two teachers from Frederick County, Maryland share their success stories of blogging in the classroom. Mrs Dudiak who teaches second grade was the first to be featured in this article. She used the blogs as an online journal for her students. She said that blogging helped her quieter student express themselves and be more involved in the class. Mrs. Poling who teaches third grade said that online blogs were easier to grade and respond to than a hand written journals.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
About Access
Access is a program created by the Alabama Department of Education to provide better education opportunities for students. If a school in Alabama does not have a teacher for certain classes the students can be educated through Access. This program incorporates certified Alabama teachers from other schools through out Alabama to teach the students via the web.
The funding for Access was set up via Act #2005-173 which was passed by the Alabama Legislature. The initial goal was to have 12 pilot schools which would broadcast the classes. In order for the other schools to receive the information, 50% of Alabama's high schools would develop increased connectivity. The increase in connectivity would allow the connection to the IVC labs, which are web-based and interactive videoconferencing labs. Access will help provide a variety of better quality classes for the children of Alabama.
Access is a program created by the Alabama Department of Education to provide better education opportunities for students. If a school in Alabama does not have a teacher for certain classes the students can be educated through Access. This program incorporates certified Alabama teachers from other schools through out Alabama to teach the students via the web.
The funding for Access was set up via Act #2005-173 which was passed by the Alabama Legislature. The initial goal was to have 12 pilot schools which would broadcast the classes. In order for the other schools to receive the information, 50% of Alabama's high schools would develop increased connectivity. The increase in connectivity would allow the connection to the IVC labs, which are web-based and interactive videoconferencing labs. Access will help provide a variety of better quality classes for the children of Alabama.
About Alex
Alex is an excellent website setup by the state of Alabama. The links offered on Alex are: Lesson Plans, Web Links, Professional Learning, Distance learning, Search and Help. This site is not only accessible to teachers but students and the general public as well.
My favorite link is the Lesson Plans link, since it will be helpful to me in my teaching career. Under the Lesson Plans link, Alex offers the user the option to write their own lesson plans or use plans written by other teachers. The user can set up their own personal area under Personal Workspace. There they can write, store and submit their own lesson plans. The link called Courses Study allows the user to click on the subject they teach and look at the learning requirements for that subject. The Professional Learning link provides an opportunity to visit the Alabama Department of Education Website, where the user can access all types of helpful information. Distance Learning is a link that opens the door to Access which is an amazing opportunity for students to receive a broader education over the web.
Alex is an excellent website setup by the state of Alabama. The links offered on Alex are: Lesson Plans, Web Links, Professional Learning, Distance learning, Search and Help. This site is not only accessible to teachers but students and the general public as well.
My favorite link is the Lesson Plans link, since it will be helpful to me in my teaching career. Under the Lesson Plans link, Alex offers the user the option to write their own lesson plans or use plans written by other teachers. The user can set up their own personal area under Personal Workspace. There they can write, store and submit their own lesson plans. The link called Courses Study allows the user to click on the subject they teach and look at the learning requirements for that subject. The Professional Learning link provides an opportunity to visit the Alabama Department of Education Website, where the user can access all types of helpful information. Distance Learning is a link that opens the door to Access which is an amazing opportunity for students to receive a broader education over the web.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Hey,
In my presentation about myself I plan to share some pictures from my childhood in Haiti. My family lived in Haiti for twelve years as missionaries. I will have some pictures of me horseback riding and some pictures of me with my family and friends.
The presentation will tell you more about my personality and interests. About my likes, dislike, work and my major. I hope it will be interesting:)
Joye
In my presentation about myself I plan to share some pictures from my childhood in Haiti. My family lived in Haiti for twelve years as missionaries. I will have some pictures of me horseback riding and some pictures of me with my family and friends.
The presentation will tell you more about my personality and interests. About my likes, dislike, work and my major. I hope it will be interesting:)
Joye
Friday, August 22, 2008
Hi Y'all :)
Hi,
My name is Joye and I am from Mississippi. I chose to attend the University of South Alabama because I really like the Education program and it is not too far from my house. Also, some of my friends attend South.
To tell you something about myself, I like to go horseback riding and spend time with family and friends. My favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice and my favorite type of music is contemporary Christian.
Joye:)
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