Managing and Grading

I have learned that a happy classroom is an engaging classroom. Teachers should worry about difficulities, MI's and engagement along with how and when to give feedback and "re-do's." This also taught us that some students have anxiety in enter high school and helped us figure out what to do to help ease this tension.

Ch. 10: Going Beyond the Classroom

Teachers should promote outside learning and individual accomplishments. School is just one building where learning COULD take place.
Getting outside and getting involved in the community/world around us is a big step in learning. It is never fun to be stuck in a stuffy classroom for six hours a day. I remember when taking a simple walk around town could be a great learning experience. My teacher would show us things in the town that we had no idea what they were and although we thought we were just going on a walk, we were learning. On page 180, Alexis wrote about reading poetry at Barnes and Nobles, this taught her public speaking skills and improved her writing. It was not in a “classroom” setting, but learning still occurred. It is great when teachers realize and compliment on the learning each individual does, even though their grades may not show growth. Possibly, getting out of the school atmosphere at least once a week will encourage growth and improvement in all areas of learning.

Ch. 9: When Things Go Wrong

“We don’t see being nice as a good thing in a new teacher—you need to establish your authority,” (Vance, pg. 167). You are not their friend.
There is a fine line between friend and foe. If you come off as a friend, you will constantly get the “sob” stories and when you decide to put your foot down, you will lose all respect of your students. You can be nice without being a pushover. Sometimes, rules are a good thing. I remember in high school, my math teacher was so nice, constantly pushing back tests and quizzes. But, one day she started taking points off for late work and became our enemy. If she would have established the rule from the get-go life would have been so much easier for the both of us. I need to find my authority and keep it strong!

Ch. 8: Teaching TeenagersWho re Still Learning English

On page 147, we find the importance of knowing our students. There is a reason why they are shy and timid.
I feel that the list that is giving is a great way to understand who our students are and what they have to offer. If we take the time to get to know our students, they will feel more comfortable and appreciate us more. I have never encountered this issue because everyone from Gorham has English as a first language, but I realize when I teach in Colorado, I will have to adapt to my surroundings. Singling people out usually causes them to be more shy, but showing that you care will get them to open up and be who they truly are.

Ch.7: Teaching Difficult Academic Material

It is important to stay away from the textbook when it is not needed and use the resources around us.
As teachers, we have to think on our feet and live for the moment. Sometimes students will enjoy reading from the textbook and other times, we must immerse them into the reality of the here and now. This thinking will better their knowledge. We could go on a treasure hunt in history, dig up fossils in science or have Shakespeare teach a class in English. All these supplements can add to the atmosphere and make learning more successful. Books are not the only way to learn!

Ch. 6: Motivation and Boredom

In this chapter, we learned that the best learning comes from passionate teaches who never let their students lag behind.
It doesn’t matter how weird or boring you are, but only how much you keep your classes attention. “If you have passion for teaching kids, it is easier to teach them, period” (Mahogany, pg. 104). I remember a teacher from high school that brought the class to life by introducing a boring topic in an interesting way. For example, we learned about Romeo and Juliet by watching him reenact the “ghetto” version. This made us think about the play in today’s life. This chapter emphasized the power of being passionate. Passion for a topic tends to breed success.

Ch. 5: Teaching to the Individual, Working With the Group

In this chapter, we discovered that group domination hurts the group as a whole. There should be no one person talking and leading.
On page 93, Tiffany explains the tension between working in a group with a boyfriend/girlfriend. They were the leaders and the rest of the group then shied away from speaking. We, as teachers, have to let everyone have a voice and this may cause us to separate friends, relationships and enemies. It seems like a daunting task to separate everyone, but I suppose in getting the best out of the group we must all work together and not dominate. Who learns when they never get the chance to speak?

chapter 4: Creating a Culture of Success

In this chapter we are enlightened on how to react to the variety of students we have, why does Vance have a hard time asking questions and how can I change that?
I was like Vance in high school; I never wanted to answer a question unless I was absolutely sure that I knew the answer. I was timid and this caused my 4th grade teacher test me for comprehension issues. She told my mom that I should be tested because I never raise my hand. From reading this chapter, I realized the importance of pushing our students. They have voices and must show them off. Vance was afraid of being wrong, so we should encourage people like him to speak up even if they may be wrong. After all, other people may be thinking the same think as he or she and if they speak up you can correct their questions and concerns about the subject.

chapter 3: Classroom Behavior

On page 39, Andres helps us feel the need to include all the student’s needs and how great they will react if they are involved in the decision making in the classroom.
I always liked being involved in my class as more than just a face. Having a voice is important to students. If they have a say in what they do, then they are more motivated to actually do work. If you put your foot down at the onset of the class, like Mrs. Austin, my mentor teacher, you receive respect, but if you tell students this is how it is going to be, they feel bullied. We should let their opinions matter as much as we want them to think ours matter.

My Contributions to the Class WebQuest Wiki

I added 3 different WebQuests that were not viewed by other practicum students yet. All the WebQuests are engaging and seemed fun and interesting as well as a great way of learning without realizing you are learning.
1) In the retelling section, I placed the story telling WebQuest. It has students looking back and realizing what a book can bring to the table. From this WebQuest, a student will read a book from the past and retell it in their own way. I found it interesting for me because I will be an English teacher in the future and want to incorporate something like this in one of my units/lessons in the future.
http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/storyteller/storyteller.htm
2) In the "well-done" introduction section, I placed the WebQuest on the Great Depression. This WebQuest posed questions right off and seemed intriguing. Would you survive without money? How would you feel if you had a dime and had to chose food, gas or a luxury item? This allows students to think about their lives in general and realize that they have all they really need. It would be great for history teacher to place their students in situations like this.
http://todaysteacher.com/TheGreatDepressionWebQuest/Introduction.htm
3) In the persuasion section, I placed the smoking WebQuest. This WebQuest would be great for a high school health teacher because it allows students to find risks, stats, and a way to persuade "Sydney" to stop smoking. I was drawn to it because of the graphics and for the fact that I don't want my students to start the horrible habit that I started years ago. Because its so hard to stop, if I knew the facts, I would have never started. This WebQuest totally hit home and I think it would be a great learning experience to indulge our students into it.
www.wsd1.org/sargentpark/webquest/third/htm

Copyright and Fair Use LR

Question 19 is interesting because it explains the difference between instructional use and “fun” use. Because a yearbook is not usually for instructional purposes, it is not a fair use option to put music in the background. On “class day” at my school we had a class video prepared and I’m pretty sure nobody in our class contacted the singers in the songs we played, and we played entire songs. So, from taking this quiz, I discovered we broke copyrights. In question 19, it further explains that a certain amount of a song could be permissible, but without permission a full song is breaking copyright laws, unless we obtain permission. I find this interesting, because there are so many people that just take stuff without knowing because they don’t ask permission. I want to emphasize to my students these laws so they don’t end up getting themselves in trouble because they simply did not know that they were in the wrong.

Copyright and Fair Use SR

Questions 4-9, 12, 14-15 and 19-20 surprised me, made me mad and forced me to read on. How can you ok something and then disapprove the same sort of question only rephrased in a different way? For instance, question 1, states burning a CD-ROM is a not violation, but in question 7 where the teacher makes copies for everyone, it is a violation…pretty interesting. Same thing for watching Disney movies, downloading music, but for some reason taking pictures as long as they are not Disney, it is acceptable. That gives us a lot to think about.

How to Help Someone Use a Computer...

I usually have to remind myself that I once had the same problem, when I was a beginner. I know have to learn how to ration with them through their problem in a criticize-free manner and use language that they can understand to the fullest without them thinking that I am undermining their capabilities. A rule that I need to learn to follow in teaching would be to not take the keyboard away because it is a crucial tool. Allowing the student to touch and see what they need to do, will make it possible for them to do it on their own without assistance.

I can use this information as a teacher, knowing that students can achieve when they are able to visualize what needs to be done and carry it out on their own. With a non-biased voice the explanation will ease tension and the learning experience will be a success, instead of a traumatizing moment.

http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/pagre/how-to-help.html

Web 2.0 Educator

I chose to follow Chris Betcher. He’s a teacher in Sydney, Australia and has over 20 years experience. He first specialized in art, but because of his interests in graphics and designs he drifted away from being your everyday art teacher. He now teaches ICT integration support that focuses on the teaching of computers, multimedia and webdesign. He enjoys sharing his technical knowledge with others and has spoken at numerous conferences around the world.

In his blog entitled, “So What Should We Be Amazed By?” he emphasizes the fact that we are too impressed with the little things in life. We should not be so excited when a new word processor comes out or they update AOL, instead we should be amazed by how fast our students learn and grow. Without the ability to teach them finer technological skills, our students will fall behind. We must be inactive and engaging in order to “amaze” them and ourselves all the time. Earlier, he blogged about a visitor coming to his school in the blog entitled, “Seeing with Different Eyes.” This blog focused on the visit of a teacher from a school in South Africa. He and she both taught the same type of students in the same type of school, but the input was beneficial. On her arrival, he toured her through the school and discovered that the teachers that he was working with have not always been teachers. He showed how seeing through other people’s eyes and perspectives were important. For example, a math teacher may have been an accountant before and an English teacher a newspaper editor. All of his insight brought forth a sense of “new” to my teaching style. One does not always have to do what they have always done.

Technology is really important to Betcher because he wants to make learning more interesting, relevant, fun and engaging to his students. He wants them to know how technology can support them without driving them crazy. So each day he blogs and thinks about how he could possible accommodate his 21st century learners. I hope to continue reading his blog and keep up to date on his new technology insight on how to make the learning experience less of a hassle. Teachers now need to have computer smarts because their students are learning at an earlier age and must keep the learning moving forward instead of completely dying out.

Type I and Type II Technology

In my opinion, a type I application is one that is taught the same way each time, whereas a type II application brings new and better ways of teaching each time. Type I is like driving a car, first you put your seatbelt on, then you turn the key in the ignition, finally you take off to you destination (it’s the same every time). But, Type II is when there is an accident on your normal route and you have to adjust. It could be a new experience (a way you’ve never been), spontaneous and ultimately an adventure to get to where your heading on time. One should not always do what they have always done (Type I), instead they should switch it up and live on the edge of their pants (Type II).

Type I
1) A slideshow can be used over and over again to provide the same concept on a topic. They are created with almost no thinking involved.
2) In an accounting class, students are taught to just place a number from their text into the spreadsheet. They get nothing except busywork and the sense of repetition.
3) A webpage for a class, in which the teacher just has to update it each year.

Type II
1) A Wiki- used in EDU 221 and EDU 101 to keep students and professor on track and organized. A wiki gives us the opportunity for edits when needed and is always available so that we can keep on track all the time.
2) Blogs-a way to be interactive without having to speak or be present. This a student’s way of expressing feeling and knowledge to the class and is more high-tech than just a journal. These are online, published works of art.
3) iMovie- is a way to get involvement and know that there was effort placed forward. A movie comes out different every time, so, it is not the same concept used over and over again.

My MEL Experiences

• Student/Teacher Relationship: In High School, we had to participate in an art or music class for a least a semester. I never found myself artistic. Mr. Graham showed me that everyone has a creative side. He encouraged me to produce my best work throughout ceramics senior year and his attitude and relationship towards all of his students’ led to my love for the course. At the end of the semester, he entered one of my works into a local art show and I ended up winning first place. The teacher/student relationship can lead to either success or a struggle. Now, we still keep in contact and our friends on facebook. Mr. Graham showed me that I am an artist; I just needed the right guidance and relationship to bring it out and let it bloom.

• Autonomy: During sophomore year in high school, Mr. Hamel, my favorite English teacher, gave us the assignment of compiling all of writing works together into a book for a final grade. He did not tell us how it had to be done or what order they needed to be placed or even how each page and cover appeared, instead he gave us choices. Choices encouraged us to work the way we wanted which gave us the “want” to make the best book we could. Our two choices was to either compile all of our stories or work together in a group and find the best story from each student in the class under the specific titles we had, which were seven (Superhero, Midnight, Curses, Trips, etc). I then choice to work solo and place all my stories in order from what they were written. Choices allow students to find the working style they excel at to produce their best work almost effortlessly.

• Hands-On: Science is often-times hands-on anyhow, but I remember the time Mrs. Benoit took us outside and put us in a circle in the high school parking lot and elected one student to be the nucleus, this student stood in the middle of the circle. We then were assigned to either be positively charged (protons), or negatively charged (neutrons). The protons ran around the circle at a fast pace whereas the neutrons were lazy and just stood still. The protons and neutrons then formed new groups and separated. This showed the growth process of cells. I mean, she could have just drawn the process on the board and had us sit and observe, but most of us still remember this process because of the interaction that took place. Throughout the years we got used to Mrs. Benoit’s hands-on approach and were excited to know how each piece actually worked after reading for homework.

• Connections: Mr. Hamel always found a way to connect our assignments to something fun and exciting. His lessons usually related back to what interested us at the moment whether it is a relationship, a sports team, a movie, a fight we may have just encountered with our parents, etc. I’ll never forget when he came in one day dressed in baggy jeans and white t-shirt with a gold chain and a hat turned to the side. He turned on his CD player and began to rap along with the beat. His rap was focus on these two kids who really, really liked each other, but their parents didn’t get along because one was rich and lived on the “good” side of town and the other lived in the ghetto. Eventually, the guy killed himself because he couldn’t live without the rich girl whom he loved and always would. This was his way of connecting us to Romeo and Juliet. All of us paid attention because it seemed like it was happening right now and was something that would happen. If he began the lesson by telling us we were going to read about something that was written in the late 1500s, none of us would be interested, but how he incorporated the “new” we got interested because we could relate. He showed that reading Shakespeare could actually be fun!

•Helping Students Succeed: Mrs. Gagnon (G) was both my math teacher and my soccer coach. She was very hard on all of her students and team members. If you were late to class, you went to the office and if you were late to practice, you stayed later. Time was an important concept to her. Being on time, meant you respected her. She may have been tough and unruly at times, but through her harsh lessons, she taught us how to be better individuals. If you respected her, she’d respect you. She was the type of person that at first you would be afraid to ask her a question, but at the end of the quarter or the season, you’d be joking and laughing. Over the four years she coached and taught me, she became a friend and made me a better more respectful person. Help comes out of the woodwork, even if you don’t know it’s there, it’s blind at times, like miracles.

Learning Styles Inventory Results

Style Scores:
Style Scores
Visual 11
Social 12
Physical 13
Aural 9
Verbal 17
Solitary 15
Logical 5


These seven scores did not surprise me at all. I am not good with math or numbers, therefore my logic MI is low. The two highest scores being verbal and solitary show that I enjoy reading, writing and language in general as well as being alone. (learning-styles-online.com) accurately showed my MI and gave me an outlook on where I need growth. All I can say is thank God I'm not concentrating in mathematics! I think my scores reflect me as the person I am very correctly.

What's a WebQuest?

Jan. 21st 8:12AM

A WebQuest is a journey to build educational knowledge through technology aspects through computers, videos, cameras, webcasting, etc. These allow us to grow and keep in touch with people elsewhere.

Jan. 21st 8:52 AM

A WebQuest is a quest to find something bigger than a pencil. Instead, it is a quest for growth and knowledge through technical insertion, like garage band, imovie and such.

Jan. 25th 12:57

A WebQUest is a journey to expand knowledge using technology such as: iMovie, Comic Life, and Garage Band. In exploring what a WebQuest is we must first know what each of these technical aspects of computing include. Therefore, we are working in groups to WebQuest MEL.

Jan. 28th 9:07

A webquest is quest for knowledge using outside teachnical uses. Our webquest was to further our knowledge and the knowledge of our audience on what the "MEL" model suggested.

Chapter #2: Respect, Liking, Trust and Fairness

Does a teacher need a pet? Should his or her favorites be known? On page 22 of Fires in the Bathroom, we encounter sticky situations like these.

I believe if a teacher has a favorite student, it should stay private and should not affect grades and discipline. When a “pet” is known he or she may become a slacker and that is not breeding respect in the classroom. Instead, it teaches students that if they are liked they are then better than the rest, they have power. A teacher should not want their students to have more power than they themselves endure. Besides, students don’t like their peers to know that they are “pets,” they could end up getting bullied, teased and etc.

Chapter #1: Knowing Students Well

On page one of Fires in the Bathroom, where Tiffany conveys the fact that teachers should not force themselves to make a connection with their students’ was something I could really relate to.

Teachers do not know everything and have not been through everything each student faces, so they should not try to soothe them by saying, “I understand” when clearly they don’t. One of my teacher’s in high school was just like the teacher Tiffany described and came off more fake then anything because she could relate to my dad’s drinking problem, my parent’s divorce, my grandfather’s stroke, my grades slipping, etc. Teachers should help, but not make their students’ problems feel small because God-forbid they can relate. Sometimes it’s nice to just get a hug or to know that they have a listening ear there to guide you.