When I think of my classroom 5 years from now, I think of computers everywhere. I think that laptops will be integrated much more into student's everyday practices. I feel that everything will be posted (assignments, homework, etc) directly onto the Internet. Everything will be quick, fast, and efficient. Students will be increasingly adept with all things technological.
And that is what scares me. Though I feel that technology is a great tool that should be used, I am afraid that it will take over the classroom. No longer will students be required to read books, discuss in class, or turn in group projects. There will no growth or richness in teaching if technology become the center of everything.
I love to hold a book in my hand and turn the pages. I love seeing student's notes in the margin and pages turned down. I am not willing for that to go away, regardless of the greatness of technology.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Technology Project and She came in through the bathroom window
I am not very good with technology. I know that. My parents know that. My roommates certainly know that since they have to listen to my muffled cursing that undoubtedly goes on while working on my computer. But this class has taught me an exceptional amount about technology and the importance of having it within your classroom. I hope to make technology an integral part of my teaching.
For this final technology project, I wanted to put together a Power Point presentation on Walt Whitman. I choose Power Point because I have seen countless bad Power Point presentations in my time as a student. I wanted to be able to create something that had the needed information and was interesting to listen and watch. As such, along with the Power Point, I will use Smart Board technology in order to highlight particular sections of my presentation. Using the Smart Board will also captivate my students and give them the desire to watch and see what I am going to do. I also put in two Internet links. The first is a You Tube video. It is a brief, 2 minute clip from the film Dead Poet's Society. Within this scene the teacher is encouraging the student to recite poetry by using Walt Whitman as an aid. It is an incredibly powerful scene and gives a great introduction of Walt Whitman. I also included a audio link of Walt Whitman reading the poem "America". This will interest students greatly and will allow them to have a audible example of what Whitman sounded like.
The above paragraph clearly shows that I am becoming adept with using the Internet as a learning tool, especially when using Power Point. Throughout this entire course, I have learned about Smart Board, Web 3.0 tools, blogging, wikis, Google and it's accoutrement's, etc. I feel that there is so much more that I would like to be adept in, specifically the programs that come with every computer: Word, Power Point, and Excel. I feel that there is so much that I don't know about these programs. It would be fundamentally important to know these programs inside and out since I am going to have access to them as an educator. Also, I have some slight problem with box.net. It seems to never like me, but maybe this time :)!!!
For this final technology project, I wanted to put together a Power Point presentation on Walt Whitman. I choose Power Point because I have seen countless bad Power Point presentations in my time as a student. I wanted to be able to create something that had the needed information and was interesting to listen and watch. As such, along with the Power Point, I will use Smart Board technology in order to highlight particular sections of my presentation. Using the Smart Board will also captivate my students and give them the desire to watch and see what I am going to do. I also put in two Internet links. The first is a You Tube video. It is a brief, 2 minute clip from the film Dead Poet's Society. Within this scene the teacher is encouraging the student to recite poetry by using Walt Whitman as an aid. It is an incredibly powerful scene and gives a great introduction of Walt Whitman. I also included a audio link of Walt Whitman reading the poem "America". This will interest students greatly and will allow them to have a audible example of what Whitman sounded like.
The above paragraph clearly shows that I am becoming adept with using the Internet as a learning tool, especially when using Power Point. Throughout this entire course, I have learned about Smart Board, Web 3.0 tools, blogging, wikis, Google and it's accoutrement's, etc. I feel that there is so much more that I would like to be adept in, specifically the programs that come with every computer: Word, Power Point, and Excel. I feel that there is so much that I don't know about these programs. It would be fundamentally important to know these programs inside and out since I am going to have access to them as an educator. Also, I have some slight problem with box.net. It seems to never like me, but maybe this time :)!!!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Happenings in my classroom and Flowers
This semester has been challenging. I have had to stretch myself greatly, both academically and emotionally. My classroom, AP Juniors English at King's High School, has been amazing. My cooperating teacher is an absolute genius. She has taught me how to truly evaluate the things that I read, watch, and listen to. Everything has a purpose and a message behind it. As a member of society, you must always be cognitively aware of what is being put into your mind.
Last week, I was surprised while at King's. I was prepared to lead a short discussion on an article, but as I was discussing it with my cooperating teacher, she said, "Why don't you just take the class?" I was shocked and instantly nervous. In that moment, I almost wished that I wasn't there, that someone could have taken my spot and been the teacher. But then I realized that this moment was what I had been waiting for. This was my time to step in front of class and teach them something of importance. So I took a deep breath in, tried to calm my shaking knees, put a confident smile on my face, and walked to the front of the class. My class, if only for a moment.
Last week, I was surprised while at King's. I was prepared to lead a short discussion on an article, but as I was discussing it with my cooperating teacher, she said, "Why don't you just take the class?" I was shocked and instantly nervous. In that moment, I almost wished that I wasn't there, that someone could have taken my spot and been the teacher. But then I realized that this moment was what I had been waiting for. This was my time to step in front of class and teach them something of importance. So I took a deep breath in, tried to calm my shaking knees, put a confident smile on my face, and walked to the front of the class. My class, if only for a moment.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Panel question and I'll be there for you
1) How do you see technology continuing to change?
2) How vital is technology within the classroom?
3) What are some upcoming technology items that can be used within the classroom?
4) How can we bring technology into the homes of students, especially those who live in a lower income?
5) Where can educators find out information about new technology?
6) Where can we find information about grants?
2) How vital is technology within the classroom?
3) What are some upcoming technology items that can be used within the classroom?
4) How can we bring technology into the homes of students, especially those who live in a lower income?
5) Where can educators find out information about new technology?
6) Where can we find information about grants?
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Productivity software and unchained melody
I realized that I forgot to do a blog for the productivity software class period. When it comes to my students, sadly, many of them will teach me things about Word, Powerpoint, Excel, etc. I think that I would like to enroll in some kind of class before I begin teaching in order to learn all the little tricks that are within each program. That way, I would be able to introduce them and have students use them whenever I had an assignment. I think that productivity software is extremely important and that it is vital for students and teachers to use these programs to the best of their ability.
SmartBoard presentation and smiling like you mean it
My SmartBoard presentation is going to be on simple punctuation for a 7th to 9th grade level.
The specefic standards that the activity will fulfill are found within the GLE or grade level expectations for 7th grade.
Writing GLE 1.1.1: Analyzes and selects effective strategies for
generating ideas and planning writing.
Writing GLE 1.2.1: Anayzes task and composes multiple drafts when
appropriate.
Writing GLE 1.3.1: Revises text, including changes in words, sentences,
paragraphs, and ideas.
Writing GLE 1.4.1: Edits for convention.
After I, as the teacher, presented the SmartBoard presentation, I would have students write a paper using the only the punctuation that we had gone over. The students would have to follow each one of the GlE's in order to make a final crisp paper.
Activity plan:
1) Description of activity: In this SmartBoard presentation, students will be introduced to periods, question marks, and exclamation points. They will be shown example of the punctuation being used in sentences, and then they will come up and write their own on the board. Students will also get to use this practice in order to fill in the correct punctuation within a paragraph. Students will have to interact directly with the board several times. They will use the eraser and the key board abilities of the board also.
2) Preparation for the activity: I had to acclimate myself to the presentation in order to have a concise and well-planned lesson. I also had to relearn how to turn script into text and how to use the eraser. I, myself, had to become comfortable with the board in order to get my lesson across. Also, I had to decide what my follow-up assingment would be for the class.
3) How learning will be assessed: Within the SmartBoard lesson, there is one instance when the students will be assessed, and that is when they have to put punctuation into a blank paragraph. Because of this, I would have a follow-up essay assignment in which the students would have to demonstrate their ability to use the punctuation.
I believe that the SmartBoard would be a great asset to any classroom, and specifically my own. It instantly catches students attention because it is so much more interactive, compared to just discussion or lecture. Student are able to come to the board and touch it themselves, which is something they have never really experienced before. Students, especially those who learn visually, would be much more educationally engaged within the lesson. There are many diverse needs that my students are going to have and the SmartBoard can help with many of them. It give students something to concentrate on, it reads large enough that those who are visually impaired would be able to see all the information, etc. The SmartBoard would help in any classroom at any school.
The specefic standards that the activity will fulfill are found within the GLE or grade level expectations for 7th grade.
Writing GLE 1.1.1: Analyzes and selects effective strategies for
generating ideas and planning writing.
Writing GLE 1.2.1: Anayzes task and composes multiple drafts when
appropriate.
Writing GLE 1.3.1: Revises text, including changes in words, sentences,
paragraphs, and ideas.
Writing GLE 1.4.1: Edits for convention.
After I, as the teacher, presented the SmartBoard presentation, I would have students write a paper using the only the punctuation that we had gone over. The students would have to follow each one of the GlE's in order to make a final crisp paper.
Activity plan:
1) Description of activity: In this SmartBoard presentation, students will be introduced to periods, question marks, and exclamation points. They will be shown example of the punctuation being used in sentences, and then they will come up and write their own on the board. Students will also get to use this practice in order to fill in the correct punctuation within a paragraph. Students will have to interact directly with the board several times. They will use the eraser and the key board abilities of the board also.
2) Preparation for the activity: I had to acclimate myself to the presentation in order to have a concise and well-planned lesson. I also had to relearn how to turn script into text and how to use the eraser. I, myself, had to become comfortable with the board in order to get my lesson across. Also, I had to decide what my follow-up assingment would be for the class.
3) How learning will be assessed: Within the SmartBoard lesson, there is one instance when the students will be assessed, and that is when they have to put punctuation into a blank paragraph. Because of this, I would have a follow-up essay assignment in which the students would have to demonstrate their ability to use the punctuation.
I believe that the SmartBoard would be a great asset to any classroom, and specifically my own. It instantly catches students attention because it is so much more interactive, compared to just discussion or lecture. Student are able to come to the board and touch it themselves, which is something they have never really experienced before. Students, especially those who learn visually, would be much more educationally engaged within the lesson. There are many diverse needs that my students are going to have and the SmartBoard can help with many of them. It give students something to concentrate on, it reads large enough that those who are visually impaired would be able to see all the information, etc. The SmartBoard would help in any classroom at any school.
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