Cyberbullying has become one of the biggest problems for people over the past few years. It happens in every age group, from early teens to adulthood, people are constantly being cyberstalked or bullied online. The tragedy of cyberbullying, is that too frequently it leads to teenagers committing suicide, and the victims parents usually don't have a clue of what led to such a drastic act (Jessica 2013). Social media has come a long way over the past ten years, especially with Facebook expanding exponentially every year, and with its growth comes more cases of cyberbullying. The main question is how do teachers and adults put a stop to it? How do we stop cyberbullying? I remember several years ago, when I was still living in New Jersey, there was a young man who was eighteen years old at the time, who was a very shy person. He indulged himself in music, and was actually the top violinist in the state at the time. I don't remember what college he was attending at the time, but he was constantly bullied online about his homosexuality. Eventually he committed suicide by jumping off the Tappan Zee Bridge. It was a very sad case, because he had a great relationship with his parents, who supported him in everything he pursued. Bullying has always been an issue inside schools ever since they were first created. The difference now, is that there is very little a person can do to fight back against cyberbullying. Many law enforcement agencies are starting to press criminal charges on people who harass others online, but again there's little they can do about it, because not all cyberbullying cases are immediately reported (Jessica 2013). School children have very easy access to all forms of technology, and educators have difficulty regulating the way they are used. I don't know of any cyberbullying cases in my school district, but I do know that Dare County has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to bullying of any sort. Being bullied physically by someone at school can usually be put to a stop, either by telling a teacher about it, or (I do agree with this to an extent) by fighting back. A person who is bullied online can't fight back or stand-up for themselves when there's little they can do to prevent the bully from harassing them. They can block them from accessing their social media account, ignore them or they can call the authorities. It is definitely an issue that has become more and more pronounced as technology has advanced. Technology has gotten to the point where has surpassed our culture and society in advancement, because there are many people in the world who do not know how to use technology responsibly.
Bibliography:
Jessica, "The Frightening Phenomenon of Cyberbullying" November 18, 2013. retrieved from: http://www.i-lawsuit.com/cyberbullying/
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Instruments I play.
As the title states this is more on instruments I play, and no I'm not trying to be smug or self-centered. This is more to show what can be done with these instruments. I've been playing bass guitar for about 4 years now, and I taught myself. I'm not the greatest at it, but I have a lot of fun with it. To me, a musician can do just about anything with a bass guitar from simply strumming a basic rhythm or to a more complex slap line. My favorite bassists range from Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, John Entwistle of The Who, Cliff Burton of Metallica and Les Claypool of Primus. They each have their own methods, but they're all extremely talented. The other instrument I play is the harmonica, been playing this since I was about seven. I still fiddle around with it, because it's easy to carry around and it doesn't take much to create a simple harp tune. John Popper of Blues Traveler is like the Jimi Hendrix of the harmonica. Here's a couple clips. Enjoy!!!
Primus-Lacquer Head
The Who-My Generation
Blues Traveler-Devil Went Down to Georgia
Primus-Lacquer Head
The Who-My Generation
Blues Traveler-Devil Went Down to Georgia
Chapter 12 Reflections
How would I go about getting the computers or technology ready for the students to use in a lesson plan? Obviously the first step would be to reserve either the computer lab or laptops if the school has them. I would first setup how the students are to back-up and save their work, either using an online source like Google Docs or even using a flash drive in case they don't have a reliable internet connection (Morrison and Lowther 2010). Also I would make sure that they name the file or document that would be easy for them to locate and remember, such as Metcalf Social Studies Project. Another step I would use significantly would be to bookmark specific Internet sites, which will help the students be able to locate sources much faster and more efficiently. I'd do this by posting the websites on the class Wiki or the class website for them to access.
The "computer part" of the lesson comes after I do a lecture on the topic and then explain the task or project that they are to complete using the computers. Secondly, I explain how they are to use the computers to complete their assignments. After these first two steps, I then allow the students to access the computers. Basically, I go over the topic, then state the objective of the assignment and explain how they are to use the computers. This is when computers become a part of a lesson I am teaching.
If my class only had access to three computers, it would be difficult to make sure that every student had equal access to them. Say for arguments sake the class size was twenty-one students, I would divide them into groups of three that way nine students are using the computers at one time. I would place time limits on these groups, so each group is able to have equal access on the computers. So in a class that's an hour long, the groups would have a twenty minute time limit for computer use. As for the students who aren't currently using the computers, I would give them other tasks related to the assignment. Such as researching various quotes from books or even provide worksheets for them to complete (Morrison and Lowther 2010).
Bibliography:
Morrison, G. and Lowther, D. Integrating Computer Technology into the Classroom Skills for the 21st Century. Pearson Education 2010. Boston, MA.
The "computer part" of the lesson comes after I do a lecture on the topic and then explain the task or project that they are to complete using the computers. Secondly, I explain how they are to use the computers to complete their assignments. After these first two steps, I then allow the students to access the computers. Basically, I go over the topic, then state the objective of the assignment and explain how they are to use the computers. This is when computers become a part of a lesson I am teaching.
If my class only had access to three computers, it would be difficult to make sure that every student had equal access to them. Say for arguments sake the class size was twenty-one students, I would divide them into groups of three that way nine students are using the computers at one time. I would place time limits on these groups, so each group is able to have equal access on the computers. So in a class that's an hour long, the groups would have a twenty minute time limit for computer use. As for the students who aren't currently using the computers, I would give them other tasks related to the assignment. Such as researching various quotes from books or even provide worksheets for them to complete (Morrison and Lowther 2010).
Bibliography:
Morrison, G. and Lowther, D. Integrating Computer Technology into the Classroom Skills for the 21st Century. Pearson Education 2010. Boston, MA.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Chapter 10 Reflections
When presenting material to a class, how do I know if they understand it? First off, my method of instruction does not in any way involve reading the lines from a textbook or reciting key concepts, I may as well put on a Phillip Glass album. Today I subbed for a fourth grade class who are currently reading the book My Side of the Mountain and the lesson today was being able to understand action verbs and key adjectives that are based on the main character's emotions. They had to create T-charts and write down proper words for each column. The way I would have integrated technology into this lesson would have been to have them create a chart on the computers in the lab, and then come up with a visual presentation demonstrating the various action verbs or emotional adjectives they listed. A useful program for this would have been Bubbl.us where they could create mind maps instead of T-charts. Visualizing the terms they listed will allow them to apply what they have learned and be able to remember it much easier as opposed to just simply memorizing it.
The way I can tell that students have misconceptions on key terms is by observing their application of the material learned whilst doing a project. Especially if it involves creating a proper visual of the lesson that was taught. Like in the class mentioned above, some of the students in the class didn't quite understand the concept of the main character running away from and trying to get on by himself. Now this isn't something that's applied everyday, my point is trying to understand the key concepts of the book. Why did he run away from home and how can they manage these thoughts with a graphic organizer? The book has so many different emotions going through the main characters head, he was very three dimensional, and it can be difficult for some kids to understand why these emotions are important. So with a graphic organizer they can list the various emotional adjectives in the book that are going through the main characters head and list them and try to visualize how and why these are important (Inspiration Software 2014).
Transcribing thoughts and brainstorming into written words can be difficult for some students, because many students nowadays are visual learners (Teacher Tap 2007). Therefore it is the duty of the educator to adapt to the way a student is able to learn, retain and apply information. Some people/students have an easier time typing out there thoughts on a computer screen, whereas some, like me, feel more comfortable with a pen and paper. There's nothing wrong with either method. In a student based classroom, the teacher needs to learn and adapt to a child's needs. All children are able to grasp the knowledge and material that is presented in the classroom, the best teachers are the ones who are able to figure out how to assist the students in being able to retain that information.
Bibliography:
Johnson, L. and Lamb, A. "Graphic Organizers" updated June 2007 on Teacher Tap. retrieved from: http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic73.htm
Inspiration Software "Teaching and Learning with Graphic Organizers" 2014. retrieved from: http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic73.htm
The way I can tell that students have misconceptions on key terms is by observing their application of the material learned whilst doing a project. Especially if it involves creating a proper visual of the lesson that was taught. Like in the class mentioned above, some of the students in the class didn't quite understand the concept of the main character running away from and trying to get on by himself. Now this isn't something that's applied everyday, my point is trying to understand the key concepts of the book. Why did he run away from home and how can they manage these thoughts with a graphic organizer? The book has so many different emotions going through the main characters head, he was very three dimensional, and it can be difficult for some kids to understand why these emotions are important. So with a graphic organizer they can list the various emotional adjectives in the book that are going through the main characters head and list them and try to visualize how and why these are important (Inspiration Software 2014).
Transcribing thoughts and brainstorming into written words can be difficult for some students, because many students nowadays are visual learners (Teacher Tap 2007). Therefore it is the duty of the educator to adapt to the way a student is able to learn, retain and apply information. Some people/students have an easier time typing out there thoughts on a computer screen, whereas some, like me, feel more comfortable with a pen and paper. There's nothing wrong with either method. In a student based classroom, the teacher needs to learn and adapt to a child's needs. All children are able to grasp the knowledge and material that is presented in the classroom, the best teachers are the ones who are able to figure out how to assist the students in being able to retain that information.
Bibliography:
Johnson, L. and Lamb, A. "Graphic Organizers" updated June 2007 on Teacher Tap. retrieved from: http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic73.htm
Inspiration Software "Teaching and Learning with Graphic Organizers" 2014. retrieved from: http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic73.htm
Friday, April 18, 2014
The Blues
Good evening all, anyways all through this semester whenever I'm working on school assignments, I always have music playing in the background. Music helps me organize my thoughts, even though some of the stuff I listen to is chaotic in its own way. But this past month I've gone back to some of the classics, the blues especially. I'm a huge rock'n roll fan, mostly heavy metal, but one has to return to the roots. The first metal band, Black Sabbath, was originally a blues band called Mother Earth, and their bassist Geezer Butler and lead guitarist, Tony Iommi were blues musicians. When you listen to Black Sabbath's early stuff, you can hear the blues influence, especially in the guitar solo's. The main difference at the time was the lyrics. Anyways during the 60's, there were several great blues bands and musicians who had a major influence on music. Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton of Cream, Paul Butterfield and even Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. Cream covered the song Born Under a Bad Sign by Albert King and Peter Green covered Gotta Good Mind to Give Up Livin' by BB King. The thing about the blues to me is that the guitars don't just simply play the music, they sing it. Growing up, my Grandpa would play his guitar every night before he went to bed, and it would put us all to sleep because it always so soothing. He once said to me that when you learn how to play a guitar well, it'll talk to you. When a guitar sings, it's the musician talking through his instrument. Enjoy!
Fleetwood Mac: Gotta Good Mind to Give Up Livin'
Led Zeppelin: Since I've Been Loving You
Jimi Hendrix: Red House
Stevie Ray Vaughan: Life by the Drop
Albert King: Born Under a Bad Sign
Muddy Waters: Champagne and Reefer
Fleetwood Mac: Gotta Good Mind to Give Up Livin'
Led Zeppelin: Since I've Been Loving You
Jimi Hendrix: Red House
Stevie Ray Vaughan: Life by the Drop
Albert King: Born Under a Bad Sign
Muddy Waters: Champagne and Reefer
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Chapter 11 Reflections
I believe that are many benefits to using educational software and it's come a long way in advancement since I was in school. Studies have shown "that the use of tutorials increased student learning in mathematics and science and resulted in more positive attitudes about these subject areas" (Morrison & Lowther 2010). I've witnessed many students getting actively involved in interactive tutorials at the schools I sub at. At Nags Head Elementary, they use a program called Education City that allows the students to play against each other and compete. This can increase a students ability in math and even improve mental math on the basic level. However, no educational program will ever replace the Socratic method of education.
A program I would use in my classroom would be Discovery Education because it has applications and programs designed for all levels of technology, from desktop to tablet. Also, it has online interactive textbooks that are filled with accurate information. The site also provides research based activities the teacher can use for his/her class. One teacher I know received a grant from Discovery, and started using it for her 6th Grade Social Studies class, and it's proven to be very effective. I observed her class one day, and the teacher assigned them a project based on Islam (they were going over the 3 major religions) and its impact on the world. Discovery Education provided the students with plenty of information to get started, and a helpful tool in getting them started with their research. It's a very easy site to navigate, it has whole chapters on each topic with interactive timelines and maps, I thought it was a great website for that class.
When I integrate an educational program into a lesson, I won't use it as the primary source of education, because a student can read and absorb the information provided, but it can't explain the motives behind the information. I would have my class research a topic and compare sources based on the writers motives or point of view. Then they would discuss the differences and try to understand why there are disparities (NC Essential Standards 2010). The class could use software to organize their information, i.e. Popplit.com, and then post it on the Internet so it's available for everyone to find.
Bibliography
Morrison, G. and Lowther, D.L. Integrating Computer Technology into the Classroom Skills for the 21st Century. 2010 Pearson Education Boston.
North Carolina Essential Standards 2010. North Carolina Department of Education.
Morrison, G. and Lowther, D.L. Integrating Computer Technology into the Classroom Skills for the 21st Century. 2010 Pearson Education Boston.
North Carolina Essential Standards 2010. North Carolina Department of Education.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Chapter 9 Reflections
In schools today, multimedia usage has expanded drastically, although there are some institutions who are still behind in technology (Hefling 2013). In my classroom, students can use computers to create different presentations of many types. They could create a mind map using Poppit.com which will allow them to present how they've brainstormed a topic and linked it to another or reach a conclusion on a thesis. Another application they could use would be Prezi, where they could create a slideshow presentation that can allow them to interact with the class while they present the material. Another way they could use multimedia would be to create and edit a video on a computer and download different effects and graphics off the Internet (Flanigen 2013). These items can also be used in a Powerpoint presentation, which is a staple for creating slideshow presentations. The problems with some of these programs is that some students don't have computers or Internet access at home, so they're only able to work on technology projects while at school. I would give the option of how they would like to present their material. The applications available for creating a multimedia presentation are almost limitless. Here's a list of some that I'm familiar with.
-Prezi to create slideshow presentations, available at prezi.com.
-Poppit to create interactive mind maps, available at poppit.com.
-Blogger for creating online blogs, available at blogger.com.
-Weebly for creating websites, available at weebly.com.
-Discovery Education for teacher presentations and interactive student projects and assignments, available at discoveryeducation.com.
Every school I've subbed at has a strict cell-phone policy mainly for the teachers and students safety. One problem that's arisen lately in the district I'm at are students using the Snapchat application, they're taking pictures of themselves during school and sending it to whomever they're chatting with through the program. Some pictures that students take or receive are innappropriate. Students even go so far as to take pictures of the faculty while they're not looking and post them on the internet without their knowledge. Videos of classrooms are posted on Youtube without the teachers consent, and in some extreme cases the teacher lost their job because of what they said in the video. Also with computers being used more often, many students use them to play games. Therefore the teacher has to monitor their use, and there's a new program one school just implemented where the teacher can see what a pupil is doing on the computer. They can then exit the student out of the program if it is not being used appropriately. There are some students who are speaking out against the restrictions on smartphones and tablets (Deruy 2013).
Bibliography:
Hefling, K. "80 percent of schools lack sufficient Internet" December 5, 2013 published by the Associated Press. Retrieved from: http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Family/2013/1205/80-percent-of-schools-lack-sufficient-Internet
Flanigen, R.L. "Multimedia Journalism Emphasizes Real World Skills" Printed February 6, 2013 as Digital Storytelling. Published online February 7, 2013 by Education Week. Retrieved from: http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2013/02/06/02video.h06.html
Deruy, E. "Students, Teachers Clash Over Internet in the Classroom" June 11, 2013 on Fusion.net. Retrieved from: http://fusion.net/american_dream/story/students-schools-stop-limiting-technology-11779
-Prezi to create slideshow presentations, available at prezi.com.
-Poppit to create interactive mind maps, available at poppit.com.
-Blogger for creating online blogs, available at blogger.com.
-Weebly for creating websites, available at weebly.com.
-Discovery Education for teacher presentations and interactive student projects and assignments, available at discoveryeducation.com.
Every school I've subbed at has a strict cell-phone policy mainly for the teachers and students safety. One problem that's arisen lately in the district I'm at are students using the Snapchat application, they're taking pictures of themselves during school and sending it to whomever they're chatting with through the program. Some pictures that students take or receive are innappropriate. Students even go so far as to take pictures of the faculty while they're not looking and post them on the internet without their knowledge. Videos of classrooms are posted on Youtube without the teachers consent, and in some extreme cases the teacher lost their job because of what they said in the video. Also with computers being used more often, many students use them to play games. Therefore the teacher has to monitor their use, and there's a new program one school just implemented where the teacher can see what a pupil is doing on the computer. They can then exit the student out of the program if it is not being used appropriately. There are some students who are speaking out against the restrictions on smartphones and tablets (Deruy 2013).
Bibliography:
Hefling, K. "80 percent of schools lack sufficient Internet" December 5, 2013 published by the Associated Press. Retrieved from: http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Family/2013/1205/80-percent-of-schools-lack-sufficient-Internet
Flanigen, R.L. "Multimedia Journalism Emphasizes Real World Skills" Printed February 6, 2013 as Digital Storytelling. Published online February 7, 2013 by Education Week. Retrieved from: http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2013/02/06/02video.h06.html
Deruy, E. "Students, Teachers Clash Over Internet in the Classroom" June 11, 2013 on Fusion.net. Retrieved from: http://fusion.net/american_dream/story/students-schools-stop-limiting-technology-11779
Cover Songs!!!
I was tooling around Youtube, looking up various songs and I remember that there were a couple great cover songs that were done by some of my favorite bands. So I figured I'd share them with everyone! The great thing about covers is that they help those bands who are starting up. They normally start off playing songs that are well known before playing anything original. There is a drawback to this, I've heard cover bands that are terrible who butchered a classic.
1. Pearl Jam Reign O'er Me, originally by The Who
2. Last Kiss by Pearl Jam originally by Wayne Cochran also covered by J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers.
3. House of the Rising Sun by The Animals originally by Leadbelly
4. Voodoo Child by Stevie Ray Vaughn originally by Jimi Hendrix
5. Man of Constant Sorrow by The Soggy Bottom Boys originally by Dick Burnet circa 1913
1. Pearl Jam Reign O'er Me, originally by The Who
2. Last Kiss by Pearl Jam originally by Wayne Cochran also covered by J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers.
3. House of the Rising Sun by The Animals originally by Leadbelly
4. Voodoo Child by Stevie Ray Vaughn originally by Jimi Hendrix
5. Man of Constant Sorrow by The Soggy Bottom Boys originally by Dick Burnet circa 1913
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Chapter 6 Reflections
I'll admit that I take my internet access at home for granted. When I first used the internet at age twelve, I didn't really think anything of it, because the school system didn't quite implement it yet. All I used it for at the time was for e-mailing my relatives. As I got older, I began to realize its potential for information, especially in high school and college. Now that I want to be a teacher, I have to think of ways for my students to effectively and appropriately use the internet. With the implementation of broadband connections and increasing availability, "free education has never been so accessible" (Myers 2011). So a students learning doesn't begin and end in the classroom, it's an occurence that is consistent with time. However, there are students who won't use the internet appropriately and as an educator, one needs to know how to prevent this. At the Dare County Alternative School, the students are each given a laptop to use. It's supposed to be used for schoolwork only, but most of them do play games on it or browse inappropriate content. Students are to use computers by following a school's Acceptable Use Policy (Morrison and Lowther, 2010). So the school implements a firewall that blocks websites based on their content and it also has a program that allows the teachers to view what the students are doing on their laptops without them knowing. Teachers are then able to take control of the laptop and exit out of the program or game that their playing. Unfortunately, some students know how to bypass the firewalls or they just simply log back into the game after the teacher closes it. I once had to take a students laptop away, because he kept playing music with vulgar lyrics after I warned him a couple times to turn it off. I use many different features on the Web, for example to take an online class at East Carolina University. I also use it for communication between friends and relatives via social networks or e-mail. Yet mainly, I use the internet for research and for keeping up to date on current events. There are many different tools and websites that I can use for each of these features, and when I become an educator I plan on using more features, such as creating a class website or Wiki.
Bibliography:
1. Morrison, G., & Lowther, D. (2010). Integrating computer technology into the classroom: skills for the 21st century . (4th Edition ed., p. 30). Pearson.
2. Myers, Courtney Boyd "How the Internet is Revolutionizing Education" May 14, 2011 thenextweb.com retrieved from: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2011/05/14/how-the-internet-is-revolutionizing-education/
Bibliography:
1. Morrison, G., & Lowther, D. (2010). Integrating computer technology into the classroom: skills for the 21st century . (4th Edition ed., p. 30). Pearson.
2. Myers, Courtney Boyd "How the Internet is Revolutionizing Education" May 14, 2011 thenextweb.com retrieved from: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2011/05/14/how-the-internet-is-revolutionizing-education/
Chapter 4 Reflections
Thus far this semester I've researched and learned about many different educational software and tools that can be used in the classroom effectively. One question that can pop into a teacher's mind is how to know which program will be more effective in their classroom. It'll obviously depend on what the subject material is, like a history class won't use graphic design software too much. So the program I would choose for my class would most definately be word processing. Word processing programs such as Microsoft Word helps students save time, enhances document appearance, allows sharing of documents and allows collaboration of documents (Roblyer and Doering 2010). For a liberal arts class, this is a great tool for students, because they are able to submit organized and presentable papers. It doesn't necessarily mean the paper was well written, but the program does allow it to be shared easier for peer review. There are other programs I would use such as, spreadsheets and presentational, but not all students have access to them outside of school because of the programs cost. A written report would be easier for a student to work on. I believe it's important for students to learn how to use these programs at an early age, because it'll allow them to get familiar with the software. Every program has multiple functions, and it can be overwhelming for anybody to learn how to use something on short notice. Teach students the basic functions of those programs, allow them to experiment, that way they're able to use it more effectively later on during their education or even during their careers. Mary Beth Hertz, a K-8 technology teacher in Philadelphia, says that fourth graders should be developing basic computer skills, such as typing, word processing and presentations (Hertz 2011). So how would a teacher further their development? I honestly doubt the average elemtary grade student uses word processing programs or presentational progams during their summer break, so they most likely need to be re-familiarized with some computer functions every year. I don't believe that technology can improve a students standardized test scores, because technology is an educational tool, not the provider. I do believe that it can assist the students in their education, which has the potential to improve their test scores. Technology allows us to get away from the traditional teacher based education, where all they do is read from a textbook. A recent study suggests that a blended learning program, a mixture of traditional classroom with technology based, does help a student improve basic algebra skills (Sheridan 2013). I can't help but wonder what would a technology-only based classroom be like? What kind of results would they get from that?
Bibliography:
1. Roblyer, M.D. and Doering, A.H. "The Impact of Word Processing in Education" July 20, 2010 Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall retrieved from: http://www.education.com/reference/article/impact-word-processing-education/
2. Hertz, Mary Beth "Great Tech Expectations: What Should Elementary Students Be Able to Do and When?" July 13, 2011 George Lucas Educational Foundation. retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/elementary-technology-skills-mary-beth-hertz
3. Sheridan, Kelly "Blended Learning Improves Test Skills: Study" August 13, 2013 Information Week. retrieved from: http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-devices/blended-learning-improves-test-scores-study/d/d-id/1111129?
Bibliography:
1. Roblyer, M.D. and Doering, A.H. "The Impact of Word Processing in Education" July 20, 2010 Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall retrieved from: http://www.education.com/reference/article/impact-word-processing-education/
2. Hertz, Mary Beth "Great Tech Expectations: What Should Elementary Students Be Able to Do and When?" July 13, 2011 George Lucas Educational Foundation. retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/elementary-technology-skills-mary-beth-hertz
3. Sheridan, Kelly "Blended Learning Improves Test Skills: Study" August 13, 2013 Information Week. retrieved from: http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-devices/blended-learning-improves-test-scores-study/d/d-id/1111129?
Monday, March 24, 2014
Mmmmm Delicious...
When searching for educational sites on the internet, I was amazed at the amount of material that popped when I simply typed in "educational websites" on Google. The problem with this is that one has to check on the items that pop up in order to make sure that they are legitimate educational sites. When I first started using the internet as a source, my instructors told me the only sites you could rely on at the time were the ones that ended with either .net, .gov or .edu. Yet as time progressed the internet grew exponentially, so it was inevitable that websites ending in .com could become reliable sources. This can be a challenge for a teacher, because they don't want to use material that is incorrect. Textbooks are known for having inaccurate and inconsistent information, so it's a certainty that the internet will have information that is erroneous. Therefore it's easy to find educational sites, but it can be difficult to find ones that are reliable. For example, Wikipedia.com is a great website to find sources, but it is not to be used as a source itself. I did find some websites that claimed to be educational only to end up being a retail site for educational products. When I was researching products to assist children with special needs, I found more websites to sell the products as opposed to ones that offered any serious information on the items. I believe the Web 2.0 sites are great, because before these websites were created, Microsoft pretty much had a monopoly over word processing and presentational programs through Microsoft Office. The disadvantage to their programs is the cost, it's outrageous. So the Web 2.0 sites such as Prezi, Piazza, and Googledocs are great for people who don't have the money to purchase the software. There is one catch to those websites though, one does need to have a reliable internet connection, because if the web goes down, then they can't access those websites. The sites I picked weren't listed on anyone else's Delicious page, probably because I was looking for educational websites that were relevant to my topic of study, social studies. So the CNN Student News page is important for this subject, because it deals with current events. What I liked about the websites I picked is that they encompass everything, I know Youtube may not be the best one, but it's great for finding tutorials and documentaries on certain topics. There are many different history and science documentaries listed on that website, that's why it's a valuable tool. Also when it comes to finding primary sources the internet is invaluable, because there are many websites that contain public documents for people to freely view. These can be notes from a government meeting or a Civil War soldier's letter to his mother. I would never entirely rely on the internet to be the educational focus of my classroom, but it will definately be an invaluable tool. It can help students become more engaged in the current topic, especially in a student centred classroom.
Bibliography:
Mitra, Sugata "The internet can harm, but can also be a child's best tool for learning." The Observer Saturday November 2, 2013. retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/03/child-safety-internet-web-access
Bibliography:
Mitra, Sugata "The internet can harm, but can also be a child's best tool for learning." The Observer Saturday November 2, 2013. retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/03/child-safety-internet-web-access
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Random thing stuck in my head.
I got called in to sub quite a bit this past week, and for whatever reason I keep getting this random song stuck in my head. Especially after one day when some kid tried figuring what kind of music I like. He kept playing rap and pop songs, which I honestly cannot stand. It also reminded me of a conversation I recently had with a coworker about how shows like "American Idol" and "America's Got Talent" are ruining the next generation of musicians. Dave Grohl, the lead singer/frontman of Foo Fighters and the former drummer of Nirvana, said the same exact thing (I'll find the quote he had). The main reason is because people are getting their dreams shattered by going up in front of the judging panel only to have them say that they're terrible at singing. Some of greatest bands got their roots in someone's garage, they didn't sound good at first, but they got better with practice and then they got recognition and some of them became the most influential bands of their time. Dimebag Darrel was the lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Pantera, when they first started, he didn't even know how to play the guitar, but he's considered one of the best guitar soloists of all time! The Beatles only knew one chord when they first started, and 50 years later, people still talk about how great they were. The beauty of music is that you create what comes to mind, that's what makes all music unique. Beethoven went deaf, but he still continued to compose music, Ray Charles was blind, but that didn't stop him. I guess my point with all this is that the only barriers to creativity is the individuals own mind. I went to high school with the band The Lumineers, I don't like their music, but how they got started is a perfect example on what I'm talking about. Anyways here's the song I keep getting stuck with. Nine Inch Nails: Terrible Lie.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Chapter 5 Reflections
So here we are Chapter 5 and my reflections...
1. How can I get students to ask questions about the research they are conducting?
It all depends on the kinds of questions that need to be asked and what the research is all about. This is all critical thinking starting with the most basic of questions, "Why is this important for me to know?" So say we were doing a project on the 2012 Presidential Election, definately an important event that affects everyone. My students would start off creating questions for themselves such as, "What does each candidate stand for and what issues are important to me?" This can also be done with the local elections for the students to learn about how governments decisions affect society, and at the neighborhood level, the students could also come up with questions for the various candidates. This is a case where the research and analysis effects the students and possibly even the school. Not only would this help students ask questions on their research, but an educational environment based on this project would also come to fruition. One that could involve the entire school and the community. Developing a research project and objectives is difficult, especially when trying to create an environment where the student that learning is necessary (De Marzio, Grinberg and Laverty 2006)
2. How can I teach my students to solve problems?
I found a strategy for problem solving at Teachervision.com and it has a list of steps to take.
1. Understand the problem. I would present the material to the students and identify the problem that they are to solve. During this step I would make sure that they understand why this is important to them and how it'll help in their education. Also on how it relates to the subject I'm teaching.
2. Describe any barriers. What this would entail is what is creating the problem and what is and can prevent it from being solved. For example, would the results be biased or inaccurate?
3. Identify various solutions. This would be where the class will research the problem and possible solutions that have been presented for it. They would discuss and determine which solutions are plausible and which ones are not. The students would be engaged in classroom discussions after doing their research on the computers. After they decide what solutions to put into play, they then test each idea.
4. Try out a solution. What I would do in my class would to divide them all into groups and assign them the various solutions that were decided upon. They would then test them out either through experiments or scenario's, and then report on their results. During this stage, the students would also discuss why a solution worked or didn't work, or what could have made one better than the other.
5. Evaluate the results. During this period, the students would then present their findings and compare results with the various solutions that were attempted. They would then decide upon what solution came up with the best results and then report on it. "The key consideration for this portion of the problem solving process is not how to present the findings, but rather what to present." (Lowther and Morrison 2010).
3. I've never used an inquiry-based approach, much less computers-so how is a teacher supposed to do both of these at one time?
An inquiry based approach is what I plan on using at all times when I become a teacher, it's essentially the Socratic Method where the students are as engaged with the material along with the teacher. The use of computers allow this method to be used easier, because in a traditional classroom the teacher is the sole source of information where the students listen and retain that information (Educational Broadcasting Sytem 2004). Years ago before computers were first used as an educational tool, the main source of information for the students was the teachers and whatever books were around on their subject material. Yet the students most likely assumed the teachers read all those books, so therefore knew the subject material inside and out. The advantage of having so much information at one's disposal on the computer is that it is a nearly limitless amount of information and knowledge that the students can grasp. Therefore when a teacher presents a problem or an objective the pupil can then inquire on the subject material with the teacher's guidance. This is a major advantage compared to the traditional teacher-centered classroom because the students not only gain knowledge but they also learn to use it and develop life skills. Therefore they gain wisdom, which is quite possibly the highest achievement a teacher can accomplish with his/her students.
Bibliography:
1. Morrison, G. and Lowther, D. (2010) Integrating Computer Technology into the Classroom: Skills for the 21st Century. (4th Edition, page 140). Pearson
2. Laverty, M., De Marzio, M. and Grinberg, J. (2006) Common Questions and Disparate Voices: A Philosophical Conversation on Education. (Custom Edition for Montclair State University page 51) Pearson.
3. Fredericks, A. (2005) The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Teacher. Penguin Group
https://www.teachervision.com/problem-solving/teaching-methods/48451.html
4. Thirteen.org (2004) Workshop: Inquiry Based Learning. Educational Broadcasting System
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html
1. How can I get students to ask questions about the research they are conducting?
It all depends on the kinds of questions that need to be asked and what the research is all about. This is all critical thinking starting with the most basic of questions, "Why is this important for me to know?" So say we were doing a project on the 2012 Presidential Election, definately an important event that affects everyone. My students would start off creating questions for themselves such as, "What does each candidate stand for and what issues are important to me?" This can also be done with the local elections for the students to learn about how governments decisions affect society, and at the neighborhood level, the students could also come up with questions for the various candidates. This is a case where the research and analysis effects the students and possibly even the school. Not only would this help students ask questions on their research, but an educational environment based on this project would also come to fruition. One that could involve the entire school and the community. Developing a research project and objectives is difficult, especially when trying to create an environment where the student that learning is necessary (De Marzio, Grinberg and Laverty 2006)
2. How can I teach my students to solve problems?
I found a strategy for problem solving at Teachervision.com and it has a list of steps to take.
1. Understand the problem. I would present the material to the students and identify the problem that they are to solve. During this step I would make sure that they understand why this is important to them and how it'll help in their education. Also on how it relates to the subject I'm teaching.
2. Describe any barriers. What this would entail is what is creating the problem and what is and can prevent it from being solved. For example, would the results be biased or inaccurate?
3. Identify various solutions. This would be where the class will research the problem and possible solutions that have been presented for it. They would discuss and determine which solutions are plausible and which ones are not. The students would be engaged in classroom discussions after doing their research on the computers. After they decide what solutions to put into play, they then test each idea.
4. Try out a solution. What I would do in my class would to divide them all into groups and assign them the various solutions that were decided upon. They would then test them out either through experiments or scenario's, and then report on their results. During this stage, the students would also discuss why a solution worked or didn't work, or what could have made one better than the other.
5. Evaluate the results. During this period, the students would then present their findings and compare results with the various solutions that were attempted. They would then decide upon what solution came up with the best results and then report on it. "The key consideration for this portion of the problem solving process is not how to present the findings, but rather what to present." (Lowther and Morrison 2010).
3. I've never used an inquiry-based approach, much less computers-so how is a teacher supposed to do both of these at one time?
An inquiry based approach is what I plan on using at all times when I become a teacher, it's essentially the Socratic Method where the students are as engaged with the material along with the teacher. The use of computers allow this method to be used easier, because in a traditional classroom the teacher is the sole source of information where the students listen and retain that information (Educational Broadcasting Sytem 2004). Years ago before computers were first used as an educational tool, the main source of information for the students was the teachers and whatever books were around on their subject material. Yet the students most likely assumed the teachers read all those books, so therefore knew the subject material inside and out. The advantage of having so much information at one's disposal on the computer is that it is a nearly limitless amount of information and knowledge that the students can grasp. Therefore when a teacher presents a problem or an objective the pupil can then inquire on the subject material with the teacher's guidance. This is a major advantage compared to the traditional teacher-centered classroom because the students not only gain knowledge but they also learn to use it and develop life skills. Therefore they gain wisdom, which is quite possibly the highest achievement a teacher can accomplish with his/her students.
Bibliography:
1. Morrison, G. and Lowther, D. (2010) Integrating Computer Technology into the Classroom: Skills for the 21st Century. (4th Edition, page 140). Pearson
2. Laverty, M., De Marzio, M. and Grinberg, J. (2006) Common Questions and Disparate Voices: A Philosophical Conversation on Education. (Custom Edition for Montclair State University page 51) Pearson.
3. Fredericks, A. (2005) The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Teacher. Penguin Group
https://www.teachervision.com/problem-solving/teaching-methods/48451.html
4. Thirteen.org (2004) Workshop: Inquiry Based Learning. Educational Broadcasting System
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Yes I know, I've been lazy...
Yesterday in school, some of students in the class I was subbing for was doing a project on heroin. I guess because of the recent death of Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Now the teacher had a bulletin board with him on it the word genius was used to describe him. I thought "Hmm, if he was a genius, then shouldn't he have known the effects of heroin before he overdosed?" I know this is a naive question, but I seriously can't understand why the word "genius" was put next to "drug addict." So it got me thinking about the various actors and musicians who died of drug overdose. So I asked them if they ever heard of Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, or even Chris Farley? They said no to each and every one of them, I was somewhat shocked I might add. So here's some stuff I grew up watching and listening to. ENJOY!!!
Alice in Chains, Down in a Hole. RIP Layne Staley (1967-2002)
Nirvana, Where Did You Sleep Last Night? RIP Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)
And of course, the sad clown himself, Chris Farley. (1964-1997)
IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!
Alice in Chains, Down in a Hole. RIP Layne Staley (1967-2002)
Nirvana, Where Did You Sleep Last Night? RIP Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)
And of course, the sad clown himself, Chris Farley. (1964-1997)
IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!
Lessons of Chapter 2
1. How do I plan an integrated lesson that will work with my students?
With every curriculum and lesson plan, the teacher needs to think of what will and will not work with their students. The "NteQ Model" (Morrison and Lowther, 2010) provides a guideline as to how to setup an integrated lesson plan. I guess it would all depend on the subject material as to how I would setup a lesson plan to integrate technology skills, therefore the teacher has to plan ahead to determine when technology is a useful part of the lesson. Being a History major, I've had to do a number of research papers and projects, which inevitably resulted in extensive use of computers to locate proper sources for my topic. I would use technology in a curriculum to be used as a source of information or to assist in locating sources. Jstor is a great site that many universities use to publish various articles and thesis writings from professors and grad students alike, it's basically an online library that has material on almost every topic. I would use this as a way to teach my students how to organize and compare sources based on the writers perspectives. This would also be a great way to educate them on figuring out whether or not a source is actually credible. One could also use the internet to post your entire lesson plan and schedule on a site where your students can easily access it.
2. Why do I need objectives to help with my planning and lesson development?
When creating a lesson plan or a curriculum, I would assume that the teacher has a goal in mind as well as objectives in order to reach that goal. When talking to students about history, they always ask me, "Why do I need to know this?" It's a valid question that educators need to ask themselves before setting the standards and developing a classroom goal. "Although students come into classrooms with their own achievement goals, their goals also are influenced by teachers’ goals." (Brem, Duggan, and Hussman 2005). What this means is that the teacher provides motivation to students who would possibly only do mediocre work, so the teacher tries to set a goal for the students.
3. How can I encourage my students to engage in the processing of information?
This is a tricky question for me, because it's hard to get students to process historical information and facts. History can be taught by not being purely Sophist, so the teacher has to be creative when using the Socratic Method when discussing the Civil War (De Marzio, Grinberg, and Laverty 2006). It's boring to pour over countless diagrams and information that seems pointless to some people. Technology can help with this, because a student can look up specific information by simply typing it in.
4. Do I have to use a different lesson plan when I want my students to use computers?
No, a lesson plan should be flexible and quite frankly it has to be just in case something in schedule changes (snow day) or even when the class is having a hard time with a certain aspect of a topic. A lesson can still be taught while integrating technology; the teacher could decide to do a Powerpoint presentation at the last minute and still cover what was planned. I do believe that this does have an issue with teachers relying on the computer to provide the lesson. Computers are not to be used to provide education, they are an educational tool (Lowther and Morrison, 2010).
5. What is the relationship between objectives and computer functions?
The relationship between objectives and computer functions all depends on what the lesson plan has created. There could be some classes that'll be more computer based to do research, word-processing, or presentations whereas others may be more traditional. It really is up to the instructor on how he/she wants their students to use technology in regards to educational purposes.
6. Can you use a computer for every objective or lesson?
This question reminds me of the movie "The Matrix," because the characters could learn anything and everything off of the supercomputer. I remember one scene where the woman had to learn how to fly a helicopter, so the operator loaded a disc into her, for lack of a better word, brain and literally uploaded all the information on the chopper. Can it be done? I believe it could, but I also feel that it would take away from mental stimulation and traditional classrooom experience. Students and teachers can communicate via the internet, but that takes away from having a full on eye-to-eye conversation where you can read someone's emotion or see their reaction upon learning something valuable. One school I sub at in Dare County seems to base its entire curriculum on Apex Learning which is mostly on the computer. I don't know the reason why, maybe it's to help these students learn at a more comfortable pace, but in my opinion it takes away the teacher's role. If a teacher becomes less involved with the actual instruction of the student, then their purpose as a mentor or a role model is diminished, because the student is getting their information from a screen instead of from human interaction. To me this degrades the classroom setting, and it is something that I hope never fully comes to pass.
Bibliography:
1. Morrison, G., & Lowther, D. (2010). Integrating computer technology into the classroom: skills for the 21st century . (4th Edition ed., p. 30, Chapter 2). Pearson.
2. Laverty, M., De Marzio, D. & Grinberg, J. (2006). Common Questions & Disparate Voices: A Philosophical Conversation on Education. (Custom Edition for Montclair State University) Pearson
3. Husman, J., Brem, S. & Duggan, M.A. (2005). Student Goal Orientation and Formative Assessment. Academic Exchange Quarterly 2005, University of Arizona.
http://www.rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/5oct3047l5.htm
With every curriculum and lesson plan, the teacher needs to think of what will and will not work with their students. The "NteQ Model" (Morrison and Lowther, 2010) provides a guideline as to how to setup an integrated lesson plan. I guess it would all depend on the subject material as to how I would setup a lesson plan to integrate technology skills, therefore the teacher has to plan ahead to determine when technology is a useful part of the lesson. Being a History major, I've had to do a number of research papers and projects, which inevitably resulted in extensive use of computers to locate proper sources for my topic. I would use technology in a curriculum to be used as a source of information or to assist in locating sources. Jstor is a great site that many universities use to publish various articles and thesis writings from professors and grad students alike, it's basically an online library that has material on almost every topic. I would use this as a way to teach my students how to organize and compare sources based on the writers perspectives. This would also be a great way to educate them on figuring out whether or not a source is actually credible. One could also use the internet to post your entire lesson plan and schedule on a site where your students can easily access it.
2. Why do I need objectives to help with my planning and lesson development?
When creating a lesson plan or a curriculum, I would assume that the teacher has a goal in mind as well as objectives in order to reach that goal. When talking to students about history, they always ask me, "Why do I need to know this?" It's a valid question that educators need to ask themselves before setting the standards and developing a classroom goal. "Although students come into classrooms with their own achievement goals, their goals also are influenced by teachers’ goals." (Brem, Duggan, and Hussman 2005). What this means is that the teacher provides motivation to students who would possibly only do mediocre work, so the teacher tries to set a goal for the students.
3. How can I encourage my students to engage in the processing of information?
This is a tricky question for me, because it's hard to get students to process historical information and facts. History can be taught by not being purely Sophist, so the teacher has to be creative when using the Socratic Method when discussing the Civil War (De Marzio, Grinberg, and Laverty 2006). It's boring to pour over countless diagrams and information that seems pointless to some people. Technology can help with this, because a student can look up specific information by simply typing it in.
4. Do I have to use a different lesson plan when I want my students to use computers?
No, a lesson plan should be flexible and quite frankly it has to be just in case something in schedule changes (snow day) or even when the class is having a hard time with a certain aspect of a topic. A lesson can still be taught while integrating technology; the teacher could decide to do a Powerpoint presentation at the last minute and still cover what was planned. I do believe that this does have an issue with teachers relying on the computer to provide the lesson. Computers are not to be used to provide education, they are an educational tool (Lowther and Morrison, 2010).
5. What is the relationship between objectives and computer functions?
The relationship between objectives and computer functions all depends on what the lesson plan has created. There could be some classes that'll be more computer based to do research, word-processing, or presentations whereas others may be more traditional. It really is up to the instructor on how he/she wants their students to use technology in regards to educational purposes.
6. Can you use a computer for every objective or lesson?
This question reminds me of the movie "The Matrix," because the characters could learn anything and everything off of the supercomputer. I remember one scene where the woman had to learn how to fly a helicopter, so the operator loaded a disc into her, for lack of a better word, brain and literally uploaded all the information on the chopper. Can it be done? I believe it could, but I also feel that it would take away from mental stimulation and traditional classrooom experience. Students and teachers can communicate via the internet, but that takes away from having a full on eye-to-eye conversation where you can read someone's emotion or see their reaction upon learning something valuable. One school I sub at in Dare County seems to base its entire curriculum on Apex Learning which is mostly on the computer. I don't know the reason why, maybe it's to help these students learn at a more comfortable pace, but in my opinion it takes away the teacher's role. If a teacher becomes less involved with the actual instruction of the student, then their purpose as a mentor or a role model is diminished, because the student is getting their information from a screen instead of from human interaction. To me this degrades the classroom setting, and it is something that I hope never fully comes to pass.
Bibliography:
1. Morrison, G., & Lowther, D. (2010). Integrating computer technology into the classroom: skills for the 21st century . (4th Edition ed., p. 30, Chapter 2). Pearson.
2. Laverty, M., De Marzio, D. & Grinberg, J. (2006). Common Questions & Disparate Voices: A Philosophical Conversation on Education. (Custom Edition for Montclair State University) Pearson
3. Husman, J., Brem, S. & Duggan, M.A. (2005). Student Goal Orientation and Formative Assessment. Academic Exchange Quarterly 2005, University of Arizona.
http://www.rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/5oct3047l5.htm
Friday, February 7, 2014
Lesson's from a comic.
Growing up, I was always a huge fan of Calvin and Hobbes, but who isn't? The best way for me to describe Calvin is by comparing him to Holden Caulfield from J.D. Salinger's, The Catcher in the Rye. There is a big difference in age between Calvin and Holden, but when you consider their personalities, they are eerily similar. Calvin is only 6 years old, but he's incredibly smart for his age and full of life. He hasn't quite realized what the real world is all about, because most of the comics he's in are written through his perspective of reality. Whereas, Mr. Caulfield is a coming of age 16 year old, who's been kicked out of several colleges. It's not that he wasn't a smart person, it was almost as if he refused to jump on the bandwagon, and become an ordinary successful person. He may be portrayed as very cynical, but what if he's just another young man who's lost his innocence by being exposed to what real life is all about? Would it be wrong to consider that perhaps his during childhood, he was very "Calvinesque?" It really is hard not to speculate this, considering that there really is no concrete evidence to support this claim. Holden was created long before Bill Watterson sketched up the first Calvin and Hobbes strip.
Anyways, my point with all this is their reaction to education, Holden refused to do well in school because he wasn't exactly sure why he was doing it, like what was the purpose of it? Calvin had the same approach, but most people speculate that it was mainly due to the fact that he was bored with school and that they weren't doing anything to mentally stimulate him. As if they were going at too slow of a pace for him. Now the tragedy of this is that this does occur everyday in our modern school system. A few months ago, I received my substitute teacher's certification for the state of North Carolina, with the goal to ultimately receive my full certification. Now I've only had 2 sub days since being approved, so I know I don't have much in the way of experience. Yet I have taken several courses on education, and there was one class I took that stood out to me. It was Educational Philosophy, my professor was Dr. Tyson Lewis, who was probably about early to mid 30's when I took this class, so he was relatively young to have a PHD. The reason why this class affected me so much was because we didn't just talk about how to educate a student, we looked at multiple methods on how to effectively educate a child. We went as far back as Socrates all the way to Michel Foucault with his Panopticon theory. We discussed all methods, their pro's and con's, and how they would interact with our modern society. Now every teaching method has it's positive aspects, like Rousseau, teaching a child based on necessity and their willingness to learn.
The main lesson I got out of this class was that every child learns in their own unique way, and that many teachers throughout history have developed methods to address the pupils needs. My first sub call was at one of the smaller schools in the county (I will not post the name of any school that I have been to, nor will I give out teacher's names). These kids were 7th grade to high school seniors, and they needed more of a one on one approach or even a slower pace to learn the required material. Now this school has a reputation for having horrible students behavior wise, but what school doesn't? This rumor causes disparity amongst the community, and the school has a hard time finding substitutes who are willing to work there. This was my first "teaching" experience, and I honestly found the students to be wonderful. Sure, they needed some extra guidance, they weren't challenged in any way, they just need the motivation to do the work. And someone has to be willing to give them that extra attention. Same thing happened today, I got called in to sub at one of the local middle schools, and it was for a student mentor. So I accompanied this student to all her classes throughout the day. She was a very smart person, she just had no interest in any of the classes. Yet she's a talented artist, so she spends most of her time in class doodling. Why should a teacher try and hinder a natural talent? If she needs one on one education, then let her learn the material her way. Have her illustrate something that relates to a history lesson, or science, etc. Could Calvin's teacher have used a similar approach with him? Allow him to learn his own way? Figure out how to apply a lesson to something that interests him. Try to expand that imagination he has to include the course material. Try to relate Magellan's expeditions to Spaceman Spiff's explorations.
I know this is easier said than done, but a teacher who strictly sticks to a curriculum is going to have a hard time keeping his/her students interested. The best teacher's I've had were the one's who tried to get through to the kids, who were interested in their hobbies.
Anyways, my point with all this is their reaction to education, Holden refused to do well in school because he wasn't exactly sure why he was doing it, like what was the purpose of it? Calvin had the same approach, but most people speculate that it was mainly due to the fact that he was bored with school and that they weren't doing anything to mentally stimulate him. As if they were going at too slow of a pace for him. Now the tragedy of this is that this does occur everyday in our modern school system. A few months ago, I received my substitute teacher's certification for the state of North Carolina, with the goal to ultimately receive my full certification. Now I've only had 2 sub days since being approved, so I know I don't have much in the way of experience. Yet I have taken several courses on education, and there was one class I took that stood out to me. It was Educational Philosophy, my professor was Dr. Tyson Lewis, who was probably about early to mid 30's when I took this class, so he was relatively young to have a PHD. The reason why this class affected me so much was because we didn't just talk about how to educate a student, we looked at multiple methods on how to effectively educate a child. We went as far back as Socrates all the way to Michel Foucault with his Panopticon theory. We discussed all methods, their pro's and con's, and how they would interact with our modern society. Now every teaching method has it's positive aspects, like Rousseau, teaching a child based on necessity and their willingness to learn.
The main lesson I got out of this class was that every child learns in their own unique way, and that many teachers throughout history have developed methods to address the pupils needs. My first sub call was at one of the smaller schools in the county (I will not post the name of any school that I have been to, nor will I give out teacher's names). These kids were 7th grade to high school seniors, and they needed more of a one on one approach or even a slower pace to learn the required material. Now this school has a reputation for having horrible students behavior wise, but what school doesn't? This rumor causes disparity amongst the community, and the school has a hard time finding substitutes who are willing to work there. This was my first "teaching" experience, and I honestly found the students to be wonderful. Sure, they needed some extra guidance, they weren't challenged in any way, they just need the motivation to do the work. And someone has to be willing to give them that extra attention. Same thing happened today, I got called in to sub at one of the local middle schools, and it was for a student mentor. So I accompanied this student to all her classes throughout the day. She was a very smart person, she just had no interest in any of the classes. Yet she's a talented artist, so she spends most of her time in class doodling. Why should a teacher try and hinder a natural talent? If she needs one on one education, then let her learn the material her way. Have her illustrate something that relates to a history lesson, or science, etc. Could Calvin's teacher have used a similar approach with him? Allow him to learn his own way? Figure out how to apply a lesson to something that interests him. Try to expand that imagination he has to include the course material. Try to relate Magellan's expeditions to Spaceman Spiff's explorations.
I know this is easier said than done, but a teacher who strictly sticks to a curriculum is going to have a hard time keeping his/her students interested. The best teacher's I've had were the one's who tried to get through to the kids, who were interested in their hobbies.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 basically gave us the layout of current technology that was being widely used in the classroom and everyday life. It was an important chapter because it gave an insight as to the pro's and cons of every instrument. One question that was brought up, is it important to learn about different technology tools when they're constantly changing? Absolutely, especially with how every year something gets updated or a completely new item comes out. With the advent of mobile technology, vast amounts of information became readily available to people. When wireless internet became affordable and easily accessible to people, internet access skyrocketed in all sectors. This is a great benefit to education, because now a student will have unlimited access to information relatable to the current topic they're working on. So it became important for everybody to understand wireless connection and the potential it has. I'll admit, I love my laptop computer and easily mobile it can be. I haven't been sold on tablets yet, because they can be limited as to what you can do with them. Sure, they may be easier to carry around, but when it comes to word processing, it doesn't quite fit the bill for me.
Desktop computers do have more powerful hardware than mobile devices, and there's no time limit on a battery running low or even risking a laptop overheating. Desktops, I believe, are more practical when it comes to serious functions, such as graphic design and photo-shop. Laptops have become more powerful over the past 10 years, but you can't upgrade their hardware like you can a desktop. With a desktop you can add more memory or a better graphics card, but with a laptop, you're limited to what it came with. Also cost efficiency, laptops end up costing more than desktops because they're specially designed to be mobile. The hardware is physically smaller to make it portable, which makes the prices higher and more expensive to get service done to it. Whereas with a desktop, you can get more for your money, because the hardware isn't designed to be mobile. Also, you damage a laptops monitor, you can't replace it. You have to buy a whole new unit. So cost-wise, laptops are much more expensive.
Obviously before purchasing new computers or pieces of equipment, one has to determine what it is they will be used for and if they will be able to perform those tasks sufficiently. For example, PDA's are great mobile devices, but there's only so much they can do. They can get internet access, and limited word processing, but are they effective in helping a student complete a project? PDA's are indeed cheaper than laptops, but students will be able to work on projects much easier and be able to multitask with a mobile PC.
Technology has its pro's and cons, more than what the book lists. It is up to the school system to determine whether or not a piece of technology will benefit the children's educational process. Unfortunately, a lot of school systems are behind technologically, so many children are not developing the necessary computer skills needed in our Digital Age. Hopefully as time progresses, these items will become more affordable and readily available for these schools so every child can learn these valuable skills.
Desktop computers do have more powerful hardware than mobile devices, and there's no time limit on a battery running low or even risking a laptop overheating. Desktops, I believe, are more practical when it comes to serious functions, such as graphic design and photo-shop. Laptops have become more powerful over the past 10 years, but you can't upgrade their hardware like you can a desktop. With a desktop you can add more memory or a better graphics card, but with a laptop, you're limited to what it came with. Also cost efficiency, laptops end up costing more than desktops because they're specially designed to be mobile. The hardware is physically smaller to make it portable, which makes the prices higher and more expensive to get service done to it. Whereas with a desktop, you can get more for your money, because the hardware isn't designed to be mobile. Also, you damage a laptops monitor, you can't replace it. You have to buy a whole new unit. So cost-wise, laptops are much more expensive.
Obviously before purchasing new computers or pieces of equipment, one has to determine what it is they will be used for and if they will be able to perform those tasks sufficiently. For example, PDA's are great mobile devices, but there's only so much they can do. They can get internet access, and limited word processing, but are they effective in helping a student complete a project? PDA's are indeed cheaper than laptops, but students will be able to work on projects much easier and be able to multitask with a mobile PC.
Technology has its pro's and cons, more than what the book lists. It is up to the school system to determine whether or not a piece of technology will benefit the children's educational process. Unfortunately, a lot of school systems are behind technologically, so many children are not developing the necessary computer skills needed in our Digital Age. Hopefully as time progresses, these items will become more affordable and readily available for these schools so every child can learn these valuable skills.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Since I'm a huge fan of music.
Good evening! Since we got about 6 inches of snow here on the Outer Banks, I figured I'd share some good music. This is a cover of Satisfied Mind by Eilen Jewell, this is by far the best version of this song I've ever heard.
Eilen Jewell-Satisfied Mind
Eilen Jewell-Satisfied Mind
What I know Chapter 1
Technology is a wonderful thing, especially when at the press of a button or a swipe of a screen, one can have an entire world of knowledge in their hands. I remember growing up when the internet really started kicking off in the mid-1990's, the elementary school I was attending at the time started using computers to replace the Dewey Decimal System. You could simply type in a book's title to see if the school library carried it and whether or not it was checked out. They didn't start using the internet as an educational tool until a few years later when the school system started getting internet access. I don't know if they were up to date on keeping the district technology adept, but it was a big change for many people. I think the first time I ever used a computer as a source of information wasn't through the internet, it was through Microsoft Encarta. At the time I thought it was amazing how someone could type in a topic and you'd find a very in depth and comprehensive article on it. The problem with Encarta is that it didn't have up to date information, so you never knew if something was changed after it was updated. Encarta was greatly used for several years for classroom inquiries, until the internet made it obsolete. When I become a social studies teacher, the best source of up to date information on current events and such will be the internet. This will help students stay informed on the important issues in their life and the world around them. Can this be used to teach them real life skills? Yes it can, I believe that one of the most important skills a student can learn just from some sorting all this information will be the ability to think critically. When they read an article, they can determine whether or not it affects them or if the article is true or false. That is one of the disadvantages to the internet and it's information overload, one has to be able to determine whether an article is accurate or not.
I had a history teacher in high school who started every new topic with a 45 minute Powerpoint presentation. They weren't boring, they had music, short video's, and all sorts of effects. It definitely kept your attention. Thankfully he wasn't one of those teachers who lectured while he clicked the mouse to change slides. To make these Powerpoints, they definitely took a lot of time, but he enjoyed doing it. He taught us how to implement technology in our research and presentations as well.
Nowadays, technology is so readily available to students of all ages that I see no problem with providing each of them a laptop. I understand there are some districts that lack the proper funding. Having the necessary skills with technology are invaluable to anyone's development because most jobs require you to have basic computer skills. Almost 80% of New York City high school graduates barely possess the necessary skills to attend college level courses. If a student can barely read or write, then how can they have basic computer skills to find a job?
I had a history teacher in high school who started every new topic with a 45 minute Powerpoint presentation. They weren't boring, they had music, short video's, and all sorts of effects. It definitely kept your attention. Thankfully he wasn't one of those teachers who lectured while he clicked the mouse to change slides. To make these Powerpoints, they definitely took a lot of time, but he enjoyed doing it. He taught us how to implement technology in our research and presentations as well.
Nowadays, technology is so readily available to students of all ages that I see no problem with providing each of them a laptop. I understand there are some districts that lack the proper funding. Having the necessary skills with technology are invaluable to anyone's development because most jobs require you to have basic computer skills. Almost 80% of New York City high school graduates barely possess the necessary skills to attend college level courses. If a student can barely read or write, then how can they have basic computer skills to find a job?
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