Sunday, September 28, 2014

Project #8: Book Trailer

Blog Post #6

What I Learned From Conversations With Anthony Capps

Video #1 and #2 Project Based Learning Part 1 and 2: The first two videos discussed project based learning and how it works in the classroom. It was interesting to hear how the students enjoyed using the projects to learn and how engaged they were in they learning process. I learned that part of the reason they were so engaged was because peer review was an essential part of the process. Allowing them to review the work helped the students have an investment in how the projects turn out. I also learned that project based learning is effective because students are allowed choice. Having a choice makes them excited to learn. When the students have a choice they also take pride and ownership in their project.

Video #3 icurio: In the third video I learned about icurio and how it can be used in the classroom. Icurio is a search engine that is safe for all students to use. The results from a search are filtered to allow only relevant content that does not have anything questionable. The search engine includes a feature that gives students a chance to practice virtual organization. They can drag and drop information they are working on into folders they have created for later use.

Video #4 Discovery Education: In this video I learned about Discovery Education. This program gives students and teachers a chance to add another component to text. For example, a teacher can show students pictures to accompany a text they are reading. Students can also use the program to find video information on a project they are researching.

Video #5 The Anthony-Strange Tips for Teachers: In this video on tips for teachers, I learned that as a future teacher, I need to be able to think on my feet. Project and lessons that I create will not always go as planned and I need to be able to adjust the plan on the fly. I also learned that a teacher must be a lifelong learner. We will never know everything and we must have a passion to want to continue to learn. Teachers need to allow for time for reflection. This gives you a chance to change things that might have not worked well in a lesson. Finally, I learned that we need to think of ways that will motivate all students to learn.

Video #6 Use Tech-Don't Teach It: In the sixth video, I learned that is important to scaffold the use of technology in your lessons so the students have a chance to practice a particular program or search engine. The biggest message I learned from this particular conversation is to have students use the technology and do not just teach it to them. They need the skills for later on in life.

Video #7 Additional Thoughts about Lessons: The final video contained a last thought about teaching. This thought that lessons should contain four layers. The first is what you will cover in a year. The second is what you will cover in a single unit. The third is what will be covered in a week and finally what you will cover in a single day.

Overall, the videos taught me a great deal about how to implement project based learning in the classroom and the wonderful results you will see in the students when you implement this type of teaching. It also gave me insight as to what a teacher might expect in the classroom and gave some wonderful tips on how to be a successful teacher.
boy and girl holding a large pencil

Saturday, September 27, 2014

C4KSummary for September

C4K Post #1:
My first C4K post was to Efilona in New Zealand. Her post was a drawing of a mascot for the New Zealand Common Wealth Games. She explained why she drew it with a Wiki face. This is the first people to inhabit New Zealand. For my comment, I told her I loved her drawing and that the Wiki face encouraged me to find out more information about the topic.

C4K Post #2:
For my second C4K post, I was under the impression that we were to do both posts in the same week to the same student so I again posted to Efilona. This post was about her weekend and how she went to the mall and saw the movie Frozen. I explained to her that I also have seen Frozen and that she keep up the good work with her blog.


C4K Post #3:
For my last C4K post of the month I had Sean. His blog is all about baseball. He recapped the current playoff situation in the latest post. I couldn't help but comment about my favorite team, the Yankees and of Jeter retiring. I also told him good job and good luck to his playoff team.
purple and blue circle with the word blog in it

Friday, September 19, 2014

Blog Post #5

PLN Summary


man with lines connecting his topics to himself
I have never heard of the concept of PLNs before this class, but as I began looking through the text and videos on the subject, I realized how valuable this networking could be.  PLNs or Personal Learning Networks are the resources and people you gather and use to ask questions, collaborate with, and learn from.  Using tools such as Twitter or following blogs on a topic of interest is a great way to find other educators from around the country or the world.  This gives you the chance to discover new ways to improve your classroom.
I have begun working on my own PLN.  I looked into using Netvibes and I have loved it.  Here I have begun to organize all of the information I find.  My Twitter feed is front in center, which allows me to quickly see all the tweets from the educators I have started to follow.  I have also added an RSS feed of Edutopia.  I am looking forward to finding more resources and people to add to my PLN and continuing my education journey.

screenshot of the dashboard of my personal Netvibes account

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Project #15: Search Engines

For this project, we were required to find eight search engines other than Google and provide a review for each one.  Below are the sites that I found to be useful.

1)  Wolfram Alpha is a search engine that allows you to ask a question and than computes an actual answer.  This is better than a regular search engine, because you do not have to sift through pages that may have a word or two that was in your original search.  This site would give students quick facts for research or could help them solve math problems.

2) Internet Public Library is a search engine that searches for resources through subjects.  This site gives you the peace of mind that all of your sources will be reliable.  Internet Public Library would be good for students to use when researching topics.

3) Blog Search Engine allows you to search through blogs based on a single search term.  This site seems very basic, but since blogs can contain information and resources for teaching having a search engine for only blogs is a great idea.

4) NewsLookUp provides credible news stories from around the world.  You can search a topic or use one of their options to find local, national, or world headlines.  There is also an option to search through the sites pre chosen topics.  This search engine is a beneficial resource for any one who wants to stay up to date on news and to find news articles for use in the classroom.

5) Kids Click is a search engine that is safe for children to use.  Kids Click was designed by librarians and has the ability to search on your own, search by a  pre chosen topic, or pick a group of numbers from the dewey decimal system to find out what subjects are found in those numbers.  This site is a great resource for the classroom.  It is a site teachers will know their students are getting reliable resources and the unwanted information is filtered out.

6) Bing Maps is a really fun search engine.  It allows you to find any location and provides you with either a standard map of the area or a bird's eye view.  The bird's eye view can provide you a street level view of the location.  This site would allow a teacher to show students different locations around the world.

7) iSEEK Education is a wonderful search engine.  This site gives you search results that editor reviewed.  It also provides results that are from trusted sites such as universities.  After the site has given a result, it has several tabs on the left hand side that allow you to filter the results based on subject, grade, and more.  This search engine would work very well for a student looking to find good sources for a project or for a teacher who needs resources for the classroom.

8) History Engine is a really interesting search engine.  Its content is provided by students who have used primary sources from history to create factual articles.  While the content is written by students, all articles are reviewed by archivists and professors.  This site would allow students, professors, and the general public to use a fresh set of resources for research.  It also allows teachers the chance to have a more collaborative approach toward teaching history.
man searching a large book for results

C4T#1 Summary

C4T#1 Summary
student with science lab materials

For my first teacher, I was assigned to Mr. Darren Fix.  He is a middle school science teacher that has created a blog called ScienceFix.  He presents really great ideas for engaging students about science from a hands on prospective.

The first post was called "Melting Rates."  The post investigated an experiment using two blocks at different temperatures.  On top of each block is a piece of ice.  One melts at a faster rate than the other.  Surprisingly, the ice on the cold block melts faster than the ice on the room temperature block.  This experiment leads to a discussion on heat energy.  Mr. Fix also posted a video to go along with his description to show a teacher how the experiment is done.  My response was that I felt the experiment was a great way to start a conversation.  I also felt that using an experiment leaves a better impression on a student and gives them a more concrete way of understanding a particular topic.

The second post I commented on was called "Scientific Method Box."  Once again, his post was accompanied by a video.  In it, he had a cube with six sides.  We are encouraged to look at five sides and make observations about them.  The sixth side is covered up and we are to use our observations to form a hypothesis about what the unknown side looks like.  Mr. Fix shows us a side that meets our hypothesis, but he also shows us a side that does not.  This encourages students to notice that we do not always come up with the right hypothesis and that can lead to new questions and discoveries.  I commented that I really liked this idea.  It is a great way to have students think about and use the scientific method before you even teach about it.  I also felt that engaging and giving the students a hands on lesson would be more beneficial in understanding the topic than only a lecture.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Blog Post #4

What do We Need to Know About Asking Questions to be an Effective Teacher?

How to ask questions in the classroom seemed like a straight forward question to me until I began doing some research.  Ben Johnson brought up some points in his article "The Right Way to Ask a Question" that really made me think about what it means to question a student.  Johnson discussed the fact that students become disengaged with the teacher after they ask a question and call on a particular student.  When a student knows a right answer is given, they will possibly check out instead of remaining in engaged about the right answer that is being given.  To correct this, Johnson suggested using a random selection process that would keep the students interested in the question being asked.  If they know they will still have a chance to be called upon to answer, they are more willing to participate in the answering process.  The concept of asking a question and only calling on a student with a hand raised seemed like a normal part of the questioning process, but understanding the need to keep students engaged has me looking at the process in a different light.

As I continued to read, I found Maryellen Weimer's blogpost entitled "Three Ways to Ask Better Questions in the Classroom" extremely thought provoking.  Weimer encourages teachers to look at asking questions as a way to teach students how to ask effective questions of their own. This is a new idea to me.  I was one of the people who thought asking questions was to just to see if a student understands the content.  She encourages teachers to plan for the questions they will use in class giving them the chance to refine and make clear what they want to ask.  She also says to"play with the questions", giving all the students a chance to answer by writing down their answer and discussing the question at a later time. This was an idea I thought would be a great way to show students that effective questions take time to think about and answer.  Finally, Weimer made a great point by saying that preserving good questions that students ask show that a teacher values the questions asked.

As a teacher, asking questions has way more importance than just gaining insight to what a student understands.  It goes beyond that by encouraging students to use higher thinking and to teaching them how to use effective questioning in their everyday life.  As teachers, if we use some of these suggestions in our questioning processes, we will be giving our students a step up as they learn.
happy kids asking questions


Thursday, September 4, 2014

Blog Post #3

Summary of Peer Editing

symbols needed for editingWhen it comes to editing a peer's work I learned several ways to make the process effective and useful. To begin with peer editing is the process of working with someone around your age or perhaps in your class to improve or revise their writing. When it comes to the process of editing it is important to remember to stay positive when giving critiques of someone else's work. It is always hard for someone to hear their work needs to be changed or fixed and being positive will make the peer more willing to listen to your remarks. As the editor, make sure to give compliments by starting with the things you liked about the work. For example, you may think they have a great thesis or you like the way they organize their writing. Finding things that are done well makes telling someone about things that need to be changed easier. Next, make sure to give specific suggestions. No one can benefit from vague ideas like you are lacking details. Instead suggest ideas for adding specific details in the paragraph. Finally, as the editor, you want to make corrections. Look for things like spelling errors or punctuation errors as well as sentence structure problems. If you follow all of these steps, you will become a very effective peer editor.