Saturday, May 10, 2008
Math is a Passion
You have to watch this video. Show it to your students, your colleagues, your friends and neighbors. This video shows that math is not the horrible subject that everyone tries so hard to avoid. It can be so much fun.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Do you believe?
No, I don't mean in Santa Claus! I was working with a teacher over the past few months on a project that incorporated her creative writing classes and technology. How, you ask? Well, let me explain.
Oh, about 50 years ago a guy you may know Edward R. Murrow was producing a show called SEE IT NOW on CBS. Murrow was definitely interested in the common person perspective and he started a program called "This I Believe" on public radio in the United States. The results were amazing. Now, I wasn't around in those years, but I have listened to so many of the archived recordings I have lost count. Some are inspiring; others are not. Some are academic; others are not. It doesn't really matter the theme of each recording, the listener could literally hear into the heart of people, to see a side of them that you would never see. This I Believe was something special.
Now, time travel to 2008 and see how that can work in the classroom. As teachers we all want our students to write and write well. I remember my English teachers telling my class to write and giving us different themes or topics to write about. I wrote, as did our class, and the teacher marked it, returned it and I looked at the mark and then what happened? You're right...it ended up in the trash can or at the bottom of my locker. But that was a long time ago as well.
Now...Students are given a writing assignment to write abut something they are passionate about(their theme or topic). They are then told that they will be recording their writing to be published on a website/blog/wiki(not the trash can or locker).
In the project I am currently working on, the students have been working hard to create writing pieces that are well-written and having them record their own voice is adding a whole new dimension for them and the teacher. The project is breathing new life into creative writing. Is there an impact on student achievement? I can't tell that. What I can tell is that there is an increase in student engagement and that I believe will lead us to the path all teachers and administrators want; increased achievement.
Oh, about 50 years ago a guy you may know Edward R. Murrow was producing a show called SEE IT NOW on CBS. Murrow was definitely interested in the common person perspective and he started a program called "This I Believe" on public radio in the United States. The results were amazing. Now, I wasn't around in those years, but I have listened to so many of the archived recordings I have lost count. Some are inspiring; others are not. Some are academic; others are not. It doesn't really matter the theme of each recording, the listener could literally hear into the heart of people, to see a side of them that you would never see. This I Believe was something special.
Now, time travel to 2008 and see how that can work in the classroom. As teachers we all want our students to write and write well. I remember my English teachers telling my class to write and giving us different themes or topics to write about. I wrote, as did our class, and the teacher marked it, returned it and I looked at the mark and then what happened? You're right...it ended up in the trash can or at the bottom of my locker. But that was a long time ago as well.
Now...Students are given a writing assignment to write abut something they are passionate about(their theme or topic). They are then told that they will be recording their writing to be published on a website/blog/wiki(not the trash can or locker).
In the project I am currently working on, the students have been working hard to create writing pieces that are well-written and having them record their own voice is adding a whole new dimension for them and the teacher. The project is breathing new life into creative writing. Is there an impact on student achievement? I can't tell that. What I can tell is that there is an increase in student engagement and that I believe will lead us to the path all teachers and administrators want; increased achievement.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Have you seen Alice today?
I'm a bit off on my making connections theme, but just bare with me for a minute. I have been working with gifted students over the last year and there is one student who is interested in animation and all that goes with it. Now, I am the first to admit that my understanding of animation software is minimal, but what I do know is that my district has none! We have worked with some free software to kind of get the process started. We tried Pivot Stickfigure Animator and that was fun for about an hour.
Over time we worked on a few other areas and then along came Alice. Who is Alice? Well, it is more like 'what is Alice?' According to the Alice website it is...an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. Alice is a teaching tool for introductory computing. It uses 3D graphics and a drag-and-drop interface to facilitate a more engaging, less frustrating first programming experience..
Well this would seem like a Eureka moment. A gift from Carnegie Mellon University Alice seems like the answer we were looking for. No it is not the top end of animation software. For students looking to get their 'feet wet' as it were; this may just be it.
I have talked to teachers who work with students with learning disabilities and they think the program would offer something different into the curriculum. I even spoke to a teacher yesterday who was so keen on the program she immediately asked for it to meet the needs of a highly gifted student who was struggling in all aspects of school life. This was exactly what he needed I was told.
Is there an educational use for Alice? YOU BET!
Over time we worked on a few other areas and then along came Alice. Who is Alice? Well, it is more like 'what is Alice?' According to the Alice website it is...an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. Alice is a teaching tool for introductory computing. It uses 3D graphics and a drag-and-drop interface to facilitate a more engaging, less frustrating first programming experience..
Well this would seem like a Eureka moment. A gift from Carnegie Mellon University Alice seems like the answer we were looking for. No it is not the top end of animation software. For students looking to get their 'feet wet' as it were; this may just be it.
I have talked to teachers who work with students with learning disabilities and they think the program would offer something different into the curriculum. I even spoke to a teacher yesterday who was so keen on the program she immediately asked for it to meet the needs of a highly gifted student who was struggling in all aspects of school life. This was exactly what he needed I was told.
Is there an educational use for Alice? YOU BET!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Back from the edge...
Wow....Months have gone by since my last post. I have been so busy completing my graduate studies that I have not had the opportunity to post at all. Plus, I have been thinking about what would make a good post. There has been something on my mind about technology and learning lately and I have not been able to bring it out; but now I think I know.
In my current teaching position I have the enviable job of being able to work at finding best-practice ideas to incorporate technology into the classroom. It is a challenge at time and often gets hung up on technology. Why?
There are always problems...classrooms with limited technology; limited support; fear of the unknown; fearing of losing control of the classroom; lack of software, etc. the list could literally go on and on.
Really, it's not about any of that in my opinion. I had the opportunity to talk to a fellow traveler in tech integration today and he brought out what I have been thinking, the focus needs to be not on the problems, but the kids. Students are the reason we are here. They are so different today than my generation, which is only really a generation removed. I look at my own children. They get technology. Really, they just get it.
Teachers sometimes do not. Technology is not about writing notes on a computer or creating a PowerPoint that has lots of glitz. It's about bringing the new world to them. Allowing them to be global citizens, making contacts through global connections; understanding cultures through interaction, not memorization.
This is where we need to move. It's not about the latest software or hardware; it's about creating global citizens able to live in a global society. The question is, where do we begin in the classroom?
In my current teaching position I have the enviable job of being able to work at finding best-practice ideas to incorporate technology into the classroom. It is a challenge at time and often gets hung up on technology. Why?
There are always problems...classrooms with limited technology; limited support; fear of the unknown; fearing of losing control of the classroom; lack of software, etc. the list could literally go on and on.
Really, it's not about any of that in my opinion. I had the opportunity to talk to a fellow traveler in tech integration today and he brought out what I have been thinking, the focus needs to be not on the problems, but the kids. Students are the reason we are here. They are so different today than my generation, which is only really a generation removed. I look at my own children. They get technology. Really, they just get it.
Teachers sometimes do not. Technology is not about writing notes on a computer or creating a PowerPoint that has lots of glitz. It's about bringing the new world to them. Allowing them to be global citizens, making contacts through global connections; understanding cultures through interaction, not memorization.
This is where we need to move. It's not about the latest software or hardware; it's about creating global citizens able to live in a global society. The question is, where do we begin in the classroom?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
