Saturday, December 11, 2010
Wiki
For this assignment, I created a wiki that would be used in conjunction with a high school lesson on writing. I absolutely loved using this as a form of communication and an outlet for creativity in the classroom. This is definitely something that I would use in the classroom!
I think that wikis are great places for students to collaborate on assignments and it allows them space outside of the classroom to work. Students can be as creative and verbose as they like or as short as they like and a wiki allows them complete freedom to do so. I love that this is as much a student's space as it is the teachers, where they can modify and edit their own page. It will take some explicit teaching as to how to use a wiki, but I feel that students will pick it up quickly and use it well.
I think that wikis are great places for students to collaborate on assignments and it allows them space outside of the classroom to work. Students can be as creative and verbose as they like or as short as they like and a wiki allows them complete freedom to do so. I love that this is as much a student's space as it is the teachers, where they can modify and edit their own page. It will take some explicit teaching as to how to use a wiki, but I feel that students will pick it up quickly and use it well.
Most Important thing I learned
Throughout this semester I have learned about myriad technologies and ways to use them. From website creation to Google Documents and digital presentations, I feel confident using technology in the classroom.
No single one of these, however, is the most important piece that I have learned. The most important thing that I have learned through this class is how to find these things out on my own. Although it was not a subject in this course, I have learned how to use Google Earth. I am now able to manipulate the map into what I need for a lesson, record a lesson with voice-over, and upload it to the internet so that I can link it to my website. This is something that I never would have been able to accomplish before this course, however the course did not explicitly teach me how to do it.
As a direct result of this class, I feel much more confident using technology and seeing how I can manipulate it to work for me and my classroom! I know that I can and will use these tools to help me make lessons interesting and meaningful for my students.
No single one of these, however, is the most important piece that I have learned. The most important thing that I have learned through this class is how to find these things out on my own. Although it was not a subject in this course, I have learned how to use Google Earth. I am now able to manipulate the map into what I need for a lesson, record a lesson with voice-over, and upload it to the internet so that I can link it to my website. This is something that I never would have been able to accomplish before this course, however the course did not explicitly teach me how to do it.
As a direct result of this class, I feel much more confident using technology and seeing how I can manipulate it to work for me and my classroom! I know that I can and will use these tools to help me make lessons interesting and meaningful for my students.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The R.O.W.
One of my favorite comedians frequently refers to Americans' lack of interest or understanding in the R.O.W., or the Rest Of the World. As I was reading through the GLCEs for social studies tonight, I think I have figured out a possible explanation.
We don't teach it.
I searched through the document several times searching for something...anything, that discussed the culture or geography of another place independent of the U.S.A. I found plenty of topics about how resources abroad affect our economy and similar geopolitics, but very little about even where other countries are located.
Given the amount of technology that we have available to us in modern times, I think it is absolutely obvious that we should be using this to connect students to the "R.O.W".
We live in a global world that children should be learning about. With skype, blogs, youtube, google earth, email, facebook, and myriad other tools at our disposal, why are we still not focusing on global understanding?
We don't teach it.
I searched through the document several times searching for something...anything, that discussed the culture or geography of another place independent of the U.S.A. I found plenty of topics about how resources abroad affect our economy and similar geopolitics, but very little about even where other countries are located.
Given the amount of technology that we have available to us in modern times, I think it is absolutely obvious that we should be using this to connect students to the "R.O.W".
We live in a global world that children should be learning about. With skype, blogs, youtube, google earth, email, facebook, and myriad other tools at our disposal, why are we still not focusing on global understanding?
IEPs
Being a special education major, I hear a lot about IEPs, and in theory, they're great! In practice, however, I fear they are not quite so magical.
IEPs work when they fulfill their title, "individualized". It seems, however, that many IEP planning sessions try to fit the student to the IEP as opposed to fitting the IEP to the student. Through the grapevine, I have heard of a student with a physical impairment given more time on tests because... well? I don't know why. It seems that IEPs tend to have a general script that people follow when writing them, and the students are expected to fit into this script.
What happened to the individualized bit? The IEP should be designed to meet the needs of the student, not the "special ed." needs or the "autistic student" needs, because every student is different whether he/she has special needs or not.
IEPs work when they fulfill their title, "individualized". It seems, however, that many IEP planning sessions try to fit the student to the IEP as opposed to fitting the IEP to the student. Through the grapevine, I have heard of a student with a physical impairment given more time on tests because... well? I don't know why. It seems that IEPs tend to have a general script that people follow when writing them, and the students are expected to fit into this script.
What happened to the individualized bit? The IEP should be designed to meet the needs of the student, not the "special ed." needs or the "autistic student" needs, because every student is different whether he/she has special needs or not.
Homework vs. Busywork
When I think back on the homework I was required to complete during elementary and secondary school, there are very few that stand out to me as being very beneficial. I remember a lot of textbook reading and worksheets, and simple regurgitation.
If homework is not helping students to learn... what's the point? I am not saying that I don't think there is a point to homework, because I most certainly do. I am simply saying that we need to be more judicial about the homework we give out. Assignments that get children thinking and interacting in the community are great ways to help them learn! For instance, an assignment requiring students to learn about the economic system by interviewing their family about what why they buy the things they do at the grocery store may be much more beneficial than reading about cost-benefit ratios in a textbook.
Homework should be something that pushes children's thinking further, not finishing up whatever you ran out of time for in class or filling the formula for the amount of time a student should spend on homework every night.
It should also play upon the 'home' part of homework. Children's families can be a great resource for information on cultures, businesses, families, etc. Use these resources to your advantage through homework!
If homework is not helping students to learn... what's the point? I am not saying that I don't think there is a point to homework, because I most certainly do. I am simply saying that we need to be more judicial about the homework we give out. Assignments that get children thinking and interacting in the community are great ways to help them learn! For instance, an assignment requiring students to learn about the economic system by interviewing their family about what why they buy the things they do at the grocery store may be much more beneficial than reading about cost-benefit ratios in a textbook.
Homework should be something that pushes children's thinking further, not finishing up whatever you ran out of time for in class or filling the formula for the amount of time a student should spend on homework every night.
It should also play upon the 'home' part of homework. Children's families can be a great resource for information on cultures, businesses, families, etc. Use these resources to your advantage through homework!
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