Goal Setting

 While going to school to become a teacher, sometimes we become so involved in our studies, we forget why we wanted to teach in the first place. I loved this chapter because it really made me take a step back and daydream about my future classroom. While writing about how I visualize my classroom and about my future goals, it reminded me about why I am becoming a teacher. I liked getting a chance to brainstorm about how my class would look, feel and help my students learn. Setting goals was also a really great part of that chapter because it helped me remember that I am not just doing this for a paycheck, but to help students learn and thrive. The goal setting helped me set my goals and HOW I would achieve them.

Spreadsheets

The lesson plan that I chose to review was “Volcano Spreadsheets”. This lesson plan was intended for students to not only learn about volcanoes, but to turn what they learned into data on spreadsheets. This teacher had her class split into groups and find information about a few chosen volcanoes. They then, with the use of the Internet, researched those volcanoes to find specific information such as height, location, etc. After they gathered that information, the class as a whole entered their data onto a spreadsheet. That spreadsheet data then could be turned into graphs to help answer questions such as what the tallest volcano was or the difference between the shortest and tallest volcano. Ideally, I would like to be teaching in a first or second grade classroom. To make this fit the needs of students a little younger, I would make the data they need to collect a little simpler and a little more accessible. For example, instead of having students research volcanoes, they could collect data that they can find in the classroom or in books. The data they would collect would also be simpler and more age appropriate (i.e. smaller numbers).

Jigsaw Puzzle

The jigsaw method is a great way to help students learn about a new subject with the help of their peers. If I had only 5 computers in my classroom, and I needed students to do learn on a subject as a group, a jigsaw method would be a great way to do this. The way I would do this is, I would split the class into teams of 5. Every student would have a category to learn and become an “expertise” on to teach the rest of their group. I would have all the “experts” (the students with the same category) get in groups to do research on their subject together. The groups can then take turns at “stations”, including the classroom computers, library (computers and books), classroom text books, and even a station could be with the teacher to talk about the subject. After adequate time to do their research, they will come back into their “jigsaw” groups to present what they have learned. The jigsaw method would be a fun way to switch things up in a classroom instead of students just listening to a teacher lecture. A lot of students would enjoy the opportunity to become an expert and teach it to their peers. It would give them an opportunity to research in many different ways and may improve what they learn. A disadvantage might be the plethora of information that students would have to sift through to find what points a teacher wants them to learn. A way to solve this disadvantage would be to give students “guides” and hints at to what quiz/test questions may be so they do research in the right area and teach their peers what they need to know. Another disadvantage may be if students don’t get along or if one student doesn’t participate as much, and does not help his or her fellow classmates learn.

Netiquette

Creative Techologies

        It was very cool to see all the new technologies coming out that can be used in the modern classroom. The one technology I could see myself using the most was the computer table. I could see it being easily used by the elementary age classroom. Not only would it make school more fun but it would also give me, the teacher, a wider variety of tools for my students to learn. I could picture it in the classroom to be used for students to do math games or reading games and be able to do them as a group. I could see them using it as a tool to explore things like social studies, look up maps, and do research.

"Reflections of Assistive Technologies."

            First, I must say, this video was quite the eye opener. It was very impressive to see all these students and professionals succeed even with what most of us would think as life-stopping disabilities. These examples show that anyone can exceed with given the right tools.
           Jessie was one of the examples with learning disabilities. I love how her mother was her biggest cheerleader and believed in her. Her use of voice recognition to type was a very smart way for her to excel in her schoolwork. It was very cool to see Randy working in a professional workplace even with his disability. He was able to use screen reader software and speech synthesizer that would read text out loud to him to help him do his job everyday. Todd's technology that he used as a quadriplegic in the work place was quite impressive. He is only able to use his mouth so he uses it to control his computer with "puffs" and moving his mouthpiece around. I can imagine being paralyzed can be disabling for anyone but he doesn't let that get in the way of his career. Nate used old fashioned techniques to get past his learning disability. He used tutors and good-ol perseverance. Jessie, who is in a wheel chair also has determination through her disability of being a little person and being in a wheelchair in a world not meant for the everyday person with disabilities.
             These videos are something I can take into the workplace with me and apply it to my students, whether they have major disabilities or not. Every one of my students will learn differently and it is up to me as a teacher to help them learn in their unique way. There isn't a "one size fits all"! With some students, I may have to use assistive technologies like these to help them succeed. As a teacher it's up to me to introduce them to these tools and show how they can be used to help them excel.

Everything worth knowing: How can we tell who is smart and dumb?

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live it's whole life believing it is stupid."- Albert Einstein

       In a classroom there are no "smart" students and "dumb" students. We all know that everyone learns differently and at different paces. There is not one correct way to "learn" something. I, myself am a "hands on" learner. I don't learn by hearing or reading something. I learn from actually doing tasks. This is an approach all teachers must take. There are no "dumb" students. If students aren't catching on to a lesson, its time to take a different approach. All students will learn if they are taught in a way that they understand and in a way that will interest them.