Surface Computing-Not just For Election Night Anymore

Video Response:

     Move over NBC... 

Surface computing will be an amazing tool to use in businesses and schools before too long.  The computers have made advances that will intrigue students and help their technological skills stay up to date at young ages.  Students love to learn new things.  Surface computing will capture their interest and keep them invested in any learning task.  Just the fact that the digital pictures could be transfered without a usb cord!  The progress has been phenomenal.  From here...who knows, maybe the computer system from Minority Report will be in my classroom before too long.

Any Web-Quest-ions???

     Web quests are cool.  That's all there is to it.  As we learned how to create a web-quest in class on Thursday,  I couldn't help but wonder about so many topics we could use to create web-quests.  The possibilities are endless.  We pulled together as a team and decided to create a web-quest on what we would want students to learn about healthy eating.  The resources on the web are amazing.  We chose a website that the government sponsors called mypyramid.gov.  It is a site that will teach students about healthy eating and will be a site that students will want to access and return to in their own spare time.  We are fortunate to have so many options at our fingertips.   This is a tool that I will use in my class for sure.

     I am excited to look at other examples of web-quests.  I'm sure that it will help me gain ideas of many different options.  Students love to use technology and if they are learning at the same time it is a win-win.  I do wonder if this is something that a teacher can require for homework or would it need to be done in class.  I will have to see what the computer accessibility is and what a teacher can expect in this regard.  Times are changing and I hope that we will have students who all have computer access in their home.

     I saw how quickly a team can work together  and create a web-quest.  We are still working on ours, but we've made significant progress in a short time.  I love the creativity of technology and I find it so enjoyable.  My desire is to get very good at creating web-quests, so that when an idea comes, I can create one quickly and efficiently and use it often in my classroom.

       

     

Websites complete... onto Podcasts and Vidcasts!

     Is it normal to be completely obsessed with tweaking and maintaining a web-site?  I have had a great week making sure my website was in tip top shape.  No human error allowed, after-all, my students deserve the best!!  

     Now, it is time to move onto the amazing creation of the PODCAST and VIDCAST!

This is somewhat a new adventure for me.  I have been the recipient of both podcast and vidcast instruction, but to create such a production is a new adventure.  I am excited to record lessons for once without typing.  This may revolutionize my classroom, who knows.  After recording our first micro-lesson, our team was absolutely thrilled at the success.  This is a creation that will be long remembered.  Our team (pod) is creating a lesson that most children would find beneficial while learning their times tables in grade school.  The podcast will be an amazing asset to lessons which are in need of repetitive practice.  We have chosen to record the times tables with melodies.  This is a common method used in the classroom, but to record this for a podcast would make it possible for repetitive practice with accurate help and eliminate the guesswork while at home.  

     One of the most amazing things about the pod and vid-casts, is the help they offer students with learning disabilities.  Children who are ill for long periods of time would still be able to maintain some form of formal education with this technology.  Children with hearing problems or even language barriers could be helped with the ability to go back and catch what they need.  I would like to find out how much this is used in the blind schools for instruction at home.  This is something I will keep in mind for my classroom in the future.

     It takes a bit of bravery to record our voices.  Hopefully we will get used to it quick enough, because the benefits far outweigh the worries.  As we make this a routine, it could become a digital library of  information that could be recorded to help students for years to come.  I could see it used for instruction, stories, repetitive exercises, reminders, and the clarification of new concepts.  I'm sure this list will grow and I look forward to increasing my expectations as we expand on the possibilities.

 

Video:  To Blog or Not to Blog?

     For children to be excited about learning we need to find avenues of intrigue.  Children are intrigued with technology.  This is an amazing benefit to our society.  Children are reading more than ever. They are learning hand eye coordination and accessing educational lessons in a way that facilitates learning in their free time.   For children to blog and learn  about communication, literacy, ownership, sharing, collaboration, discussion, empowerment, interaction, motivation, participation, engagement (adorable pic), excitement, conversation, creativity, reflection, while extending the walls of the classroom, giving students a voice, and audience, and learning environment, while open 24/7, in addition to giving them the digital skills for their futures, we can embrace the message, "Write to learn, Blog to learn".  It is what we desire.  It is what children desire.  We are fortunate to have such a tool that brings the intrigue of the children and the desires of adults together.  This is the time, technology is the way, and our future is why.   

     

    

 

Video: Dewey Decimal

Finally someone has the right idea!!  This video is something I will watch just for enjoyment and I'm sure everyone who watches it feels the same way.  You know you've found a nugget of awesomeness when you not only want to replay it right away but also show all your friends as well!  I had half the song memorized by the time it was over and couldn't get it out of my head after that!  All this and educational too...whoa, I almost forgot!  Nobody's going to fear fractions anymore.  Now fractions are the sweetest gig. 

GOOGLEMANIA!!

     Is it just me or was it a Googlefest this week?  Our team had a blast on Google docs, we even came to school on Friday!  We put together our presentation on Piaget for Ed Psyc. on Google docs and did it in a fraction of the time!  Speaking of fractions...Yo Dewey!  But before we go there again...So, we put together an awesome presentation and still had time to study for the bell quiz!    And speaking of the  google explosion, we now can offer a powerpoint made with synergy!  Our pod put together the first google presentation that I' m sure will be the oldest child of a larggggge family.  It was so easy to create and fun too.  This was a great week for us and google.  

     I have often wondered if I was going to have the time when I was a teacher to pull power points together.  This has solved my problem completely.  When you are able to put teamwork into the equation, it makes hard things easy and fun...as we found out on Friday.  I am excited to see what the possibilties in the classroom with be.  I will absolutely continue to play around and explore the possibilities.  One of my goals while I am still in the program will be to add to my collection of images and clipart so that I will have quick access to an assortment of pictures.  Pictures have a way of communicating what text cannot.  I believe the picture on the homepage on my second grade site  says "we are going to have a good time in this classroom."  I thought about posting a darling picture of colored pencils but decided to save it for a different post.  Although the pencils were colorful and appropriate for a second grade page I think they looked also stiff and sharp!  Not the first impression I want people to get.  Cute cupcakes with sweet school yummies on top says "you won't hunger for knowledge and fun in my class." 

     So how do we make sure that we are collecting the right images for our google presentations?  We can make careful choices and find images that speak to the viewer.  I will never forget when my 6th grade teacher shared the presentation of her travels in Europe.  She showed us all the famous sites with enthusiasm and I've wanted to go there ever since.  Visual Presentations can have a great impact on a child's education.  I will choose images that are moving and send a powerful message. This can be an effective tool in the classroom.  Another great idea...students can create their own presentations on any subject and share what they've learned.  I'm loving google more and more!! Save Now  

Technology is Exciting!

     This week was exciting because we learned how to save so much time by working on Google Documents.  Our time is precious and we will be limited with our time in making our amazing creations.  This will allow for collaborative work to come together in a more time effective manner as we work as team teachers. 

      I am also excited to create my 'Get to know you' letter for parents.  This is great practice and will be fun to see how it turns out.  I always appreciate learning about my children's teachers.  I am excited to work with parents and the more contact we have the better.  Introductions are important and this will help with first impressions and the beginning of a great year.  

     I loved the blend of similarities of the Edel classes and a common thread they all have is their promotion of teaching and using technology in the classroom.  Our first assignment in Social Studies Methods was exclusively researching on the web, and it is innovative to anticipate how this skill to utilize technology will enhance our future lessons.  Children need to feel that they are learning something new.  It helps them look forward to progressing and invites their enthusiasm.  When this occurs the children will learn what we teach and thrive exponentially.

     Video Response:

     The video "Pay Attention" was an attention grabber!  It is amazing how far our country has come.  It is mandatory that we utilize technology in the classroom.  It is no longer optional.  Students want to learn and they will be enthusiastic about learning if we synergize our efforts and teach what we want , but teach how they want.  I will look to see what my students enjoy doing in their free time. I will incorporate what they enjoy playing into their lessons and academics.  This is worth the challenge and will invigorate the learning process for us all.  It is exciting... I love a challenge!!

An ideal second grade classroom in my mind is...
A place of UNDERSTANDING.
A place of SYNERGY.
A place of GROWTH.
In preparation I will set up the classroom to be clean, organized, and efficient with eye catching decorations that will show the children that we will have a productive year in a fun way . I will correlate with the core standard lessons for the day by working with the administration and team teachers, who are energetic and on task, so that we will have the full benefits of a complete support team. I will plan on transitions so the students will have the ability to change settings to prevent a lack of focus. After setting up the classroom and preparing well designed lesson plans, I imagine the beginning of the new school year will begin with...
Our classroom being a place where students will find acceptance and understanding. We will set up our class goals together so that each student will be a contributor and will feel invested. Students will come with diverse personalities and experiences. I will encourage group work and patience for others. Energetic students and shy students will all find a way to shine in our classroom. I will help the students understand that everyone has valid ideas. Every student will be given the opportunity to be a contributor. The students will build each other up so that each student will feel safe in our class environment. Each student will be given the opportunity to lead and teach in appropriate ways. I will work with parents and encourage an open door policy.
Our classroom will be a place where we will synergize effectively so that optimal learning will occur. I will watch for differences and adjust each lesson to engage the enthusiasm of the students. We will work together to build an effective year of learning for the group as a whole. This will be different each year and will be determined by the choices and the personalities of the members of each class. Students need to make choices and will be invested in their educational experience far more when they are given options.
Our classroom will be a place of exponential growth. The students will grow academically and socially. We will make sure each child will have their questions answered and that their test results will show significant improvement. The students will feel the progress with a sense of satisfaction at the end of the school year. I will use as much technology as the funding allows. I hope to use student laptops, smartboards, podcasts, skype, and digital cameras. They will be amazed at the progress they have made and how far they have come as individuals and as a class.

Video Response:
Techwatch by eschool news was informative and interesting. I personally would not like to see internet providers charge more for those who use the internet more frequently but we will see alot of changes in the future regulating internet usage in many ways. Interface by microsoft was awesome and will be fun to use in a classroom. Sandra Day O'Connor is also on the right track with her project. I will download Our Courts as soon as possible. I would like to be very familiar with this so I can use it in the classroom.