I decided today to practice what I preach! Instead of a final exam my students will present a social/political movement through a multi-media platform. I banned powerpoint for this experience and am having them use a web 2.0 tool!
they have the choice of:
I had about 100% engagement (even students who are poor attenders and then don't do much any way couldn't help but get involved.)
I was impressed by the way they began exploring and manipulating their media. At the beginning of the year I couldn't get them to be creative, they just wanted to copy and get it over with. I feel that now, they are expressing themselves and competing to "the best."
I gave them their assignment on Thursday, Friday I showed them the media. They began working and exploring (and no laptops were stolen!)
It was a great teaching day! they were learning, having fun and expressing themselves.
It was really fun to watch them work. I can't wait until they present their presentation. I think I'll skype it with my webcam. Hopefully, Joe and/or Dave can be available to watch and comment.
Fun times @ E105!
Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
A blog comment by a fellow global learner said something to the effect of "if these kids are digital natives, why is it so hard to get them to participate."
Every second I'm not monitoring them they are using proxies to access myspace or looking at Youtube. But, having them set up a google doc document or comment on our bog is excruciating.
Part of my theory, when beginning this program, was that by using technology we would meet kids where they are to create a learning environment that is accessible and meaningful to them.
But they don't seem to get it. (Are we for once ahead of them?)
How long does it take for students to warm-up to blogs or other Web 2.0 things that we are offering them?
How long will it take for them to see it as useful...not a gimmick?
What is the ideal class size for teaching blogging and web 2.0 literacy?
Every second I'm not monitoring them they are using proxies to access myspace or looking at Youtube. But, having them set up a google doc document or comment on our bog is excruciating.
Part of my theory, when beginning this program, was that by using technology we would meet kids where they are to create a learning environment that is accessible and meaningful to them.
But they don't seem to get it. (Are we for once ahead of them?)
How long does it take for students to warm-up to blogs or other Web 2.0 things that we are offering them?
How long will it take for them to see it as useful...not a gimmick?
What is the ideal class size for teaching blogging and web 2.0 literacy?
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Night and Day
Today I ability grouped my students into different tables and gave them assignment that depended on that group. It was great. I Had them all read and as the class was reading I circulated giving instructions to each group.
Of course in the middle of my restructuring day I was observed....oh well...I feel great and can see some behavior and academic progress with my students!
Now to tackle technology....how do I ability group this? Some of my students are very dependent on me I'm not sure how to differentiate this (ironically one of my core beliefs is that technology is the great differentiator!)
Of course in the middle of my restructuring day I was observed....oh well...I feel great and can see some behavior and academic progress with my students!
Now to tackle technology....how do I ability group this? Some of my students are very dependent on me I'm not sure how to differentiate this (ironically one of my core beliefs is that technology is the great differentiator!)
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Reflection Day 5 --- Kill 'em with kindness
Old technology was my foe today! It took half of the period for my students to access their work on the network. For a split second I imagined how quiet my class would be if I just had them copying out of their textbooks! But, things finally were resolved and for fifteen minutes high schoolers worked in peace with a partner creating a newspaper that cited the causes of the American Civil War.
Poor kids I separated them....they had segregated themselves....language learners and native speakers. So, those language learners who could manage were paired with native speakers. I hope everyone learned a lot more than history!
I had a language learner breakthrough...I was catching myself saying small phrases or words in Spanish to give my students directions. I don't know if I was practicing my own Spanish, or if I wanted them to know I knew (somewhat) how to speak their language. However, I realized that these short conversations would help them in the long-run if I spoke to them in English. They are in mainstream classes the rest of the day, so they need to pick these small things up.
My literacy classes created captions for Civil Rights pictures based on what they were reading. I put the slide show together on Rockyou.com and then had them work on the captions. I typed them in during class....very quickly, I just found mistakes....this allowed them to read, write, speak and listen... It was a short activity, but I think it was very meaningful. Then, I had them comment on it in their blog. their comments were short, but had a lot more heart than they have previously had.
I am totally frustrated with a student that I have in literacy. This is my second year with him-sort of. He has major attendance issues, so much so that if I am late with attendance an attendance liason is calling 20 minutes into class. The worst part is, he has missed so much school he really doesn't know how to do school. So, he comes in and just sits there. I ask him to go ahead and open a book and he doesn't really realize he's supposed to read it. He just sits there until another student lets him copy. when the para asks if he needs help he says: "no 'cause she'll think I'm copying." It makes me want to scream I'm like "'c'mon M prove to me you're not lazy and you can do it." Praise doesn't work, sarcasm doesn't work. AGHHH I want him to get it and be successful but I don't know how between the attendance liason calling me twice a day to check attendance and this kids swaggering in late I've had it....for a teacher I have a short-fuse and this kid's shenanigans have got me going! What to do??? On a positive note, this year he brings paper to class....no pencil....but he has paper.
I read something somewhere that said, "you can't like every kid, so sometimes you just have to focus on the color of their socks! 'hey those are great socks!'" I guess that I'm gonna have to pull a Dottie on him and like him so much ..... he'll want to work....
**Dottie is my mom. She used to manage the DQ in Commerce City and now she decorates cakes at the King Soopers. People lover her caring disposition so much, they show up at King Soopers just to visit with her! When I meet people they say: "your mom is the dairy queen lady, she's amazing!" Its probably from putting up with alcoholic parents, and my work-aholic dad her whole life.....maybe one day I'll truly learn how to "kill 'em with kindness" as she puts it. But, for now I'm gonna have to pay really close attention to their socks.
Poor kids I separated them....they had segregated themselves....language learners and native speakers. So, those language learners who could manage were paired with native speakers. I hope everyone learned a lot more than history!
I had a language learner breakthrough...I was catching myself saying small phrases or words in Spanish to give my students directions. I don't know if I was practicing my own Spanish, or if I wanted them to know I knew (somewhat) how to speak their language. However, I realized that these short conversations would help them in the long-run if I spoke to them in English. They are in mainstream classes the rest of the day, so they need to pick these small things up.
My literacy classes created captions for Civil Rights pictures based on what they were reading. I put the slide show together on Rockyou.com and then had them work on the captions. I typed them in during class....very quickly, I just found mistakes....this allowed them to read, write, speak and listen... It was a short activity, but I think it was very meaningful. Then, I had them comment on it in their blog. their comments were short, but had a lot more heart than they have previously had.
I am totally frustrated with a student that I have in literacy. This is my second year with him-sort of. He has major attendance issues, so much so that if I am late with attendance an attendance liason is calling 20 minutes into class. The worst part is, he has missed so much school he really doesn't know how to do school. So, he comes in and just sits there. I ask him to go ahead and open a book and he doesn't really realize he's supposed to read it. He just sits there until another student lets him copy. when the para asks if he needs help he says: "no 'cause she'll think I'm copying." It makes me want to scream I'm like "'c'mon M prove to me you're not lazy and you can do it." Praise doesn't work, sarcasm doesn't work. AGHHH I want him to get it and be successful but I don't know how between the attendance liason calling me twice a day to check attendance and this kids swaggering in late I've had it....for a teacher I have a short-fuse and this kid's shenanigans have got me going! What to do??? On a positive note, this year he brings paper to class....no pencil....but he has paper.
I read something somewhere that said, "you can't like every kid, so sometimes you just have to focus on the color of their socks! 'hey those are great socks!'" I guess that I'm gonna have to pull a Dottie on him and like him so much ..... he'll want to work....
**Dottie is my mom. She used to manage the DQ in Commerce City and now she decorates cakes at the King Soopers. People lover her caring disposition so much, they show up at King Soopers just to visit with her! When I meet people they say: "your mom is the dairy queen lady, she's amazing!" Its probably from putting up with alcoholic parents, and my work-aholic dad her whole life.....maybe one day I'll truly learn how to "kill 'em with kindness" as she puts it. But, for now I'm gonna have to pay really close attention to their socks.
Friday, August 10, 2007
slowing down to gear up
This was my final day in sessions with Darren. I am so inspired by watching amazing teachers do their thing. He finally brought everything full circle for me: connecting our content, pedagogy, and the technology. Seeing how he used technology to spark interest, to see the content in real life experiences and finally as a tool for students to present their learning!
It would be easy to get stuck in using technology for its surface level qualities. But, Darren has used to engage and motivate student learning.
This was an amazing experience for me and I am going to spend the weekend doing nothing with it! Hey-- we all have to have boundaries!! -- I need for this information to finish seeping in, and then on Monday or Tuesday I'm going to add to my Technology Personal Action Plan and find some way to make sure I'm not stuck at the surface level of all this!
It would be easy to get stuck in using technology for its surface level qualities. But, Darren has used to engage and motivate student learning.
This was an amazing experience for me and I am going to spend the weekend doing nothing with it! Hey-- we all have to have boundaries!! -- I need for this information to finish seeping in, and then on Monday or Tuesday I'm going to add to my Technology Personal Action Plan and find some way to make sure I'm not stuck at the surface level of all this!
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