There was one link that I immediately knew I would like to use in the future. The Knowing Poe website is an excellent resource that I would utilize if Poe were in the curriculum. I did a bit of exploring on the site and was very impressed with its extensive amount of content. There was an interactive game that taught me the various speculations about how Poe died (alcoholism, rabies, foul play, "congestion of the brain?"). I learned something from my brief foray into the content of the website, so I feel confident that my students would learn something too. The "It'll Be the Death of Me" game was reminiscent of a Choose Your Own Adventure book, which made it fun and educational at the same time. The site contained information about different points-of-view that Poe used in his writing, as well as an interactive timeline detailing Poe's life. The website also is a source for some of Poe's work that students can read online. I did not have time to go through all of the excellent interactive games and other fun resources on this website, but I would definitely like to use it in a future classroom. I was very impressed with this website.
The second website that I feel I may use in the future is Thinkfinity because it seemed like a user-friendly search engine for lesson plans. When I am low on creativity, I would like to use this website for some lesson plan inspiration. I ran a simple search on "Jane Eyre" to pique my curiosity, and received a handful of excellent lesson plans. Another search for "Anne Frank" yielded a lesson plan that involved blogging from the point of view of Anne Frank. The lesson plan acknowledged how previous teachers taught the book - either as a historical document or as a literary work, and the plan encouraged students to think of it in both ways. So I will most likely use this resource in the future as it provides comprehensive lesson plans.
References
Knowing Poe. (2002). Retrieved June 27, 2011 from http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/default_flash.asp
Thinkfinity. (2010). Retrieved June 27, 2011 from http://www.thinkfinity.org
Monday, June 27, 2011
Week 5 T2P
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| Akiane, Blossom Stage, 2007 |
If teachers can inspire students to complete projects that tap into their intrinsic motivation and emotions, then the students will have a more fulfilling learning experience than they would if the motivation was purely extrinsic. This is because when a student completes a project that involves higher order thinking (in other words, activities that require higher levels on Bloom's Taxonomy) with the sole motive to get a good grade, they narrow their focus. I believe that motivation and emotion should play large roles in learning. A tunnel-visioned view of learning eliminates possibilities for more complete learning experiences. That said, I believe that a "complete learning experience" involves some sort of emotional connection, or "hot cognition."
Intrinsic motivation is a force much stronger than extrinsic motivation in terms of higher-order thinking. Sugata Mitra's theory of learning suggests that students learn best in a "playground-like" atmosphere where they can naturally seek out fellow students with whom they learn best. I believe that Mitra's theory of learning relates to intrinsic motivation in that it relies on a student's innate desire to learn. This desire is what propels the learning process because it gives students a fulfilling feeling of pride in their work. Students gain emotional connection to a learning experience when they feel they have an active part in its unfolding. This is an intrinsic motivation (emotional fulfillment), so teachers must create projects and learning experiences where students can have an emotional attachment.
A Good Teacher...
A good teacher cares about his or her students by becoming familiar with their particular learning processes. This teacher understands that students come from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and the teacher should create a learning environment where these backgrounds do not impede the learning process. A good teacher creates space for students to learn. I do not mean this in a physical sense; rather, the teacher uses as little limitations as possible for their students. A good teacher understands that the fewer extrinsic motivations a student has, the more enriching the learning process is. Of course there must be some limitation, but a student should never feel entrapped by the question of, "Will I get a good grade, or not?" By constantly questioning whether or not the student will get a good grade, the student narrows his or her vision of "How to get there," there being the A grade. A good teacher must make grades as imperceptible as possible to the student. A good teacher constantly stretches the minds of his or her students. A good teacher should be like a personal trainer of the student mind, on the sidelines of the learning process and simultaneously nudging students to use their minds to their full capabilities. However, the good teacher should view the learning process as an event in which they can take part. There is always something more to be learned, and by expressing an avid desire to learn more, the teacher demonstrates to students that learning is boundless. The goal in mind is to create a desire in students to always learn more without a narrow-minded approach.
Revised T2P
If students and the teacher participate in a reflective round-robin discussion based on material the teacher and students observed together, then both the teacher and the students will be able to have an engaging, opinion-driven conversation to reflect upon the material. The conversation should begin with a question that engages the student's critical thinking skills, and then the teacher should bounce the reactions back to other students. Since all of the students are expected to participate, it will be necessary for them to come up with ways to voice their opinions about the material. It is especially engaging for the students towards the end of the round-robin circle, because the answers they had prepared will most likely be articulated by earlier students. However, it will also keep the teacher on his or her toes to quickly pose opinion-generating questions of students.
According to Freire and Vicki Davis, teachers and students can almost share a position in the role of learning. The learning process should be ongoing for not only students, but also teachers, and the two parties should stimulate understanding by posing questions that cause critical thinking.
This relates back to my moral beliefs that teachers and students learn together. In this round-robin exercise, the teacher is acting as a "personal trainer" to the student's minds. Everyone's mind is in the game, teacher included. The job of the teacher is to pose questions based on student responses that will cause the students to think. The job of the students is to answer the questions to the best of their ability. Though the questions may be difficult, they are stretching the student's mind. Morally, the teacher should not position themselves in a role that suggests dictatorship to the students. Instead, the teacher should bring themselves to the most equal level in comparison to the student. This creates a level of comfort for students that opens up the door to new dimensions of learning. The fewer boundaries there are, the more likely a student is going to explore.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Technology for Students with Impairments: The Possibilites are Endless!
There are a great variety of technological tools that students with various impairments can use to aid in their learning experience. The field of technology continues to grow in ways that I never could have imagined. Technology is useful for exploring the world around us, connecting with others, and broadening the horizons of our intellect. As technology continues to make these exciting leaps and bounds, I anticipate that the tools for students with impairments will continue to become broader as well. Technology should be an enhancement to everyone's learning experiences because the possibilities it provides are seemingly endless.
For a student with an hearing impairment, visual aids are a wonderful alternative to providing learning experiences. Since these students may not be able to hear in-class lessons (or completely rely on lip-reading) I would recommend the use of the internet to gather more information. A class wiki is a wonderful way to post information that all students may need, hearing impaired or not. Schrum and Levin (2009) detail virtual field-trips in their book. This is a fun and interactive way for students with hearing impairments to learn about places around the world without having to rely on their ears. I would eventually like to try to use one of these virtual field-trips in my English class to demonstrate specific time periods of books (the world of Dickens, for example).
A student with low-vision may need their lessons supplemented by tools that they can hear or touch. The DAISY talking books are helpful for those who cannot read books comfortably. The Kindle and other e-readers are wonderful ways to store thousands of books, but they have been criticized for not attending to the needs of blind or low-vision readers. I would also recommend the use of Podcasts for students with low vision. There are thousands of podcasts that can supplement the in-classroom lessons I may give.
In the case of a student with a broken right arm I would recommend the speech recognition software for writing purposes (if they are right-handed). This way, students can simply speak into a microphone, and the computer will "translate" the speech and type it for the student. This will eliminate the struggle the student may have with pen-to-paper writing.
A student with autism may benefit from educational videos found on TeacherTube. I know that some people with autism feel uncomfortable with face-to-face communication, so if they can learn from videos of people instructing then it would be a good alternative. Autistic children also enjoy electronic games, according to my basic understanding. That being said, there are many educational games that these students can simultaneously learn from and enjoy.
Although all of the technological methods studied in our reading were most likely designed for students with impairments, I think that I could easily use them for ALL of my students in the future.
Resources
Schrum, L. & Levin, B.B. (2009). Leading 21st Century Schools: Harnessing Technology for Engagement and Achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Collaborative Online Projects
I.) Interactive Class Wiki Page for Peer Editing
I think that the Internet will be a great tool to utilize in my future classroom. One way that I would like to use it is to create a Wiki page for my classroom. On this Wiki, students will be able to post rough drafts of their papers for student critiquing. While I don't think students should edit the actual text of the paper themselves, I would encourage them to place online "sticky notes" on the corresponding area of concern. This Wiki will also contain a collection of links to valid websites that I would encourage my students to look at. Another great idea for the future English teacher, found on an informational website about Wikis, is: "A teacher could post words for students to expand into definitions" (EdTechTecacher, 2011). A simple list of vocabulary words can be included, and perhaps each student can be responsible for defining the word and using it in a sentence each week. The end product will be a list of words with accurate definitions and examples that each student contributed to.
II.) What Would Mr. Rochester Blog About?
I think a fun project for students to collaborate together on would be creating a blog from the point of view of a character in a novel we read. I would ask students to make at least 5 blog posts from the perspective of a character who is not the main character (in other words - the same story from another character's eyes). So, for example we could read Mr. Rochester's blog ("Why did Jane leave me at the alter?!"). I would also ask students to place YouTube videos, pictures, or audio that might be relevant to the character's life. I think it's a fun and creative way to interpret literature. This activity is a good Synthesis exercise, from Bloom's Taxonomy. In order to re-write the story, the students must first have a firm understanding of what happened. I would encourage multiple students to work together to do this, probably in groups of 2 or 3.
References
EdTechTecacher. (2011). Wikis. Retrieved from here
I think that the Internet will be a great tool to utilize in my future classroom. One way that I would like to use it is to create a Wiki page for my classroom. On this Wiki, students will be able to post rough drafts of their papers for student critiquing. While I don't think students should edit the actual text of the paper themselves, I would encourage them to place online "sticky notes" on the corresponding area of concern. This Wiki will also contain a collection of links to valid websites that I would encourage my students to look at. Another great idea for the future English teacher, found on an informational website about Wikis, is: "A teacher could post words for students to expand into definitions" (EdTechTecacher, 2011). A simple list of vocabulary words can be included, and perhaps each student can be responsible for defining the word and using it in a sentence each week. The end product will be a list of words with accurate definitions and examples that each student contributed to.
II.) What Would Mr. Rochester Blog About?
I think a fun project for students to collaborate together on would be creating a blog from the point of view of a character in a novel we read. I would ask students to make at least 5 blog posts from the perspective of a character who is not the main character (in other words - the same story from another character's eyes). So, for example we could read Mr. Rochester's blog ("Why did Jane leave me at the alter?!"). I would also ask students to place YouTube videos, pictures, or audio that might be relevant to the character's life. I think it's a fun and creative way to interpret literature. This activity is a good Synthesis exercise, from Bloom's Taxonomy. In order to re-write the story, the students must first have a firm understanding of what happened. I would encourage multiple students to work together to do this, probably in groups of 2 or 3.
References
EdTechTecacher. (2011). Wikis. Retrieved from here
Monday, June 13, 2011
T2P Week 3 & 4
June 13, 2011 T2P
If students can engage in a teacher-monitored discourse about curricular content, then learning will occur because students will be able to consider their peers' opinions and either solidify or adapt their own opinions to their peers'. [Jean Piaget theorized that students reach a stage where critical thinking is possible after age 11, and teacher-monitored, healthy dispute can exercise the critical thinking muscles of the students [evidence].One exercise that I thought was interesting today in class was the Triad group exercise. We broke into the pre-determined groups to discuss the theorist that we all researched (Piaget, in this case). This was a bit uncomfortable to me because there were some heated discussions about what everyone took from the research. It seemed to me that everyone was getting a bit upset, and stepping on one another's toes. At this point, I noticed that GNA intervened and directed us into an environment where we could successfully hear everyone's points-of-view. After everyone put their ideas onto the table, another group member (who was not a participant in the argument) suggested a new metaphor. It was a great metaphor, and we all agreed that it was "perfect" for the situation. So, through a sticky disagreement, we came to one metaphor (or understanding of the theory) that we all agreed on. It almost seemed as if the rough patch was completely necessary in order to get to the end product.
I know that head-butting will occur in my future classrooms, as it's impossible for everybody to have the same opinion all the time. In some ways, I believe this is a good thing! Each participant had a reason for being so passionate about their stance. By ensuring that everyone's opinion was heard, GNA made fairness possible. I was not an active participant in the discussion about the metaphor, but listening to it enlightened me to my own perspective.
In the future, I would like to have students discuss their opinions in a safe environment. I don't think it will be easy to inspire them to discuss their opinions, since many people are more reserved (like me). However, I believe that everyone has an opinion somewhere deep down. I would like to engage students in activities that bring these opinions to light. For my specific case, these opinions will involve literary works. Literature is an excellent source from which one can derive opinions. I believe that this is because literature can be interpreted in an infinite number of ways. If each student can have their own opinion about the literature, then it can open up a Pandora's box of differing perspectives.
June 20, 2011 T2P
If teachers and students nurture a peer-like relationship, rather than a hierarchical leader-over-controlled-learner relationship, then students can have an autonomous learning experience because they can be aware of the breadth of the learning experience when they can be an active participant in it. [Evidence] Vicki Davis does not believe that a teacher should always know everything, and therefore she and her students partake in a mutually-enhancing learning process. While a teacher must play the role of a facilitator, Davis attempts to almost eliminate the dichotomy between student-and-teacher when it comes to gaining knowledge. Student adopts the role of teacher and simultaneous learner, which gives them a sense of being autonomous, but still part of a collective relatedness to his or her peers. June 20, 2011 T2P, part II
If students and the teacher participate in a reflective round-robin discussion based on material the teacher and students observed together, then both the teacher and the students will be able to have an engaging, opinion-driven conversation to reflect upon the material. The conversation should begin with a question that engages the student's critical thinking skills, and then the teacher should bounce the reactions back to other students. Since all of the students are expected to participate, it will be necessary for them to come up with ways to voice their opinions about the material. It is especially engaging for the students towards the end of the round-robin circle, because the answers they had prepared will most likely be articulated by earlier students. However, it will also keep the teacher on his or her toes to quickly pose opinion-generating questions of students. According to Freire and Vicki Davis, teachers and students can almost share a position in the role of learning. The learning process should be ongoing for not only students, but also teachers, and the two parties should stimulate understanding by posing questions that cause critical thinking.Related Links for Today's Class
Week 3 Learning Theorists - 1
Explain why "consistency is key" within Skinner's work and Behavioral Learning.
This was labeled as a Q2, but I think it's more of an Analysis question. It asks me to "explain" why "consistency is key," so therefore I have to analyze the statement and apply it to Skinner's work.
I think that consistency is key because if the teacher does not maintain consistency, the learner will become confused and not understand the lesson. The schedules of reinforcement must remain consistent. The repetition is the reason the person learned the lesson in the first place, if we are in keeping with Skinner's theory.
How many ways can you use scaffolding to help students learn?
This is listed as a Q5, and I agree that this is correct. It asks me to think logically about what scaffolding is and apply it to a situation that may occur in real life.
I don't really understand this question. I interpreted scaffolding as being only one method to help students learn. Scaffolding provides the building blocks that help students "step up" into intelligence. I see them as steps on a staircase, with ultimate understanding being the top step. I suppose one could incorporate different kinds of activities for students who are at varying levels of development.
What are some considerations you need to make when planning a lesson for your students?
This is listed as a Q6. It definitely is a synthesis question, since it asks about a situation that may be used in real life. It is the synthesis of all of the information I learned about theories and ways of learning, and then applying it to a hypothetical situation.
One must consider the student's stage of development, when dealing with the Piagetian theories. Also the time it takes for a student to learn something, if applying the Skinner theories. Some students take longer to learn a lesson than others. Vygotsky is similar to Piaget. He would argue that students should incorporate hands-on learning.
This was labeled as a Q2, but I think it's more of an Analysis question. It asks me to "explain" why "consistency is key," so therefore I have to analyze the statement and apply it to Skinner's work.
I think that consistency is key because if the teacher does not maintain consistency, the learner will become confused and not understand the lesson. The schedules of reinforcement must remain consistent. The repetition is the reason the person learned the lesson in the first place, if we are in keeping with Skinner's theory.
How many ways can you use scaffolding to help students learn?
This is listed as a Q5, and I agree that this is correct. It asks me to think logically about what scaffolding is and apply it to a situation that may occur in real life.
I don't really understand this question. I interpreted scaffolding as being only one method to help students learn. Scaffolding provides the building blocks that help students "step up" into intelligence. I see them as steps on a staircase, with ultimate understanding being the top step. I suppose one could incorporate different kinds of activities for students who are at varying levels of development.
What are some considerations you need to make when planning a lesson for your students?
This is listed as a Q6. It definitely is a synthesis question, since it asks about a situation that may be used in real life. It is the synthesis of all of the information I learned about theories and ways of learning, and then applying it to a hypothetical situation.
One must consider the student's stage of development, when dealing with the Piagetian theories. Also the time it takes for a student to learn something, if applying the Skinner theories. Some students take longer to learn a lesson than others. Vygotsky is similar to Piaget. He would argue that students should incorporate hands-on learning.
Monday, June 6, 2011
T2P Week Two
If teachers promote critical thinking in students, as opposed to passively accepting everything they have learned or will learn, then learning will occur because students will uncover their personal opinions and why they have them.
Today in class, I liked how GNA used examples of teachers that use different methods to teach their lessons. I did not like the teacher who was using "Whole Brain Learning," because it reminded me of automatons rather than children. I instantly wondered why there was no portion of video footage that shows the kids actually using and applying the lessons they supposedly learned. However, I did enjoy the example from The Dead Poet's Society because it goes along with my T2P statement concerning critical thinking. Personally, I find it extremely difficult to read pieces of writing critically. I am so used to reading passively and accepting, so I would like to improve upon this before I become a teacher. I would also like to teach my future students how to do this. I think that we are learning how to do this in class as we develop our T2P statements. They cause us to think about particular issues, form an opinion about them, and then back them up with reasoning.
We also drew updated versions of our concept maps and compared and contrasted with the ones we drew on Friday. This gives a visual diagram of what we are learning about learning. It was very difficult for me to participate in this activity on Friday because I simply didn't understand the organization of the map. Today was much better because my group organized the sub-categories of learning a bit better. I think this was a good activity because it shows how our knowledge is ever-changing, and therefore we must change our output to parallel this.
The BB video explained all of the spheres of life that impact a student and a teacher. I liked that we watched this video and learned about the many facets that humans develop over a lifetime. As a (hopefully) future teacher of young adults, I learned a bit about the struggles that students will be enduring while I know them. I am sure that I too will be coming to a better understanding of my "master status" at the same time, and this will naturally affect my view of life. I will try to create an environment that fosters growth for teenagers as they are trying to understand more about themselves. I will do this by not favoring certain passions over others (as was exemplified by schools promoting band over skateboarders). However, I must bear in mind that some facets are off-limits, and I must not overstep my boundaries.
The discussions we had about the articles that we read for our homework mostly helped me understand the pedestal on which teachers stand when it comes to lessons of morality. Our actions and the way we "run" our class greatly impact the students, whether the students, or I, am aware of it or not. However, Hansen (1995) argues that one must not become too preoccupied with being "morally correct" teachers, as this will only lead to failure to uphold every "rule."
holidays.slides.kaboose.com
Today in class, I liked how GNA used examples of teachers that use different methods to teach their lessons. I did not like the teacher who was using "Whole Brain Learning," because it reminded me of automatons rather than children. I instantly wondered why there was no portion of video footage that shows the kids actually using and applying the lessons they supposedly learned. However, I did enjoy the example from The Dead Poet's Society because it goes along with my T2P statement concerning critical thinking. Personally, I find it extremely difficult to read pieces of writing critically. I am so used to reading passively and accepting, so I would like to improve upon this before I become a teacher. I would also like to teach my future students how to do this. I think that we are learning how to do this in class as we develop our T2P statements. They cause us to think about particular issues, form an opinion about them, and then back them up with reasoning.
We also drew updated versions of our concept maps and compared and contrasted with the ones we drew on Friday. This gives a visual diagram of what we are learning about learning. It was very difficult for me to participate in this activity on Friday because I simply didn't understand the organization of the map. Today was much better because my group organized the sub-categories of learning a bit better. I think this was a good activity because it shows how our knowledge is ever-changing, and therefore we must change our output to parallel this.
The BB video explained all of the spheres of life that impact a student and a teacher. I liked that we watched this video and learned about the many facets that humans develop over a lifetime. As a (hopefully) future teacher of young adults, I learned a bit about the struggles that students will be enduring while I know them. I am sure that I too will be coming to a better understanding of my "master status" at the same time, and this will naturally affect my view of life. I will try to create an environment that fosters growth for teenagers as they are trying to understand more about themselves. I will do this by not favoring certain passions over others (as was exemplified by schools promoting band over skateboarders). However, I must bear in mind that some facets are off-limits, and I must not overstep my boundaries.
The discussions we had about the articles that we read for our homework mostly helped me understand the pedestal on which teachers stand when it comes to lessons of morality. Our actions and the way we "run" our class greatly impact the students, whether the students, or I, am aware of it or not. However, Hansen (1995) argues that one must not become too preoccupied with being "morally correct" teachers, as this will only lead to failure to uphold every "rule."
holidays.slides.kaboose.com
T2P Week One
I stayed engaged and mentally "with it" for the entire day, which I admire in a teacher's orchestration of class. I think the reason was that we flowed from activity to activity. GNA also used the variable-interval schedule of reinforcement (something I learned in the Goodman work), which caused me to be vigilant about my thinking. I knew I could be called on, so my mind was forced to think critically about my response. Also, though, I had to pay attention to my classmate's responses.
The assessment system is awesome because it takes away pressure. I find that I learn better when there is less pressure. For example, reading for pleasure and reading for a school project are entirely different experiences for me, even if the book is the same.The lack of constraints causes me to lose the stigmatized though of what a "good student" would do, and just relax! When I'm relaxed, my mind is open and more likely to be critical. So I think this will translate well to my learning experience in this class.
I felt myself learning about teamwork and collaboration, which is new for me because I am very solitary. My group was told to work together to solve a problem and we did it. This opens up a world of different opinions and thoughts. It is like looking at something through someone else's perspective.
I noticed how GNA made sure that every person had "clarity" about each task. Many times in school, I would be assigned a task but fail to understand it. As a shy person, I failed to go out and gain clarity. As a result, I completed tasks incorrectly or poorly. I would like to implement this habit in my future classroom.
After learning the variables of learning, we were asked to apply them to our own lives and past experiences. This helped me put it in my own context and solidify the theory.
I gained a better sense of community with my peers today. GNA made an attempt to know everyone by asking what we had for breakfast. It was a fun way to highlight our similarities and break the ice.
If the in-class schedule allows for constant change in presentation modes, then both the teacher and learners will experience a high-level of energy and motivation throughout the day because both participants are learning in different ways, rather than a droning presentation which allows for mental drifting.
The assessment system is awesome because it takes away pressure. I find that I learn better when there is less pressure. For example, reading for pleasure and reading for a school project are entirely different experiences for me, even if the book is the same.The lack of constraints causes me to lose the stigmatized though of what a "good student" would do, and just relax! When I'm relaxed, my mind is open and more likely to be critical. So I think this will translate well to my learning experience in this class.
I felt myself learning about teamwork and collaboration, which is new for me because I am very solitary. My group was told to work together to solve a problem and we did it. This opens up a world of different opinions and thoughts. It is like looking at something through someone else's perspective.
I noticed how GNA made sure that every person had "clarity" about each task. Many times in school, I would be assigned a task but fail to understand it. As a shy person, I failed to go out and gain clarity. As a result, I completed tasks incorrectly or poorly. I would like to implement this habit in my future classroom.
After learning the variables of learning, we were asked to apply them to our own lives and past experiences. This helped me put it in my own context and solidify the theory.
I gained a better sense of community with my peers today. GNA made an attempt to know everyone by asking what we had for breakfast. It was a fun way to highlight our similarities and break the ice.
If the in-class schedule allows for constant change in presentation modes, then both the teacher and learners will experience a high-level of energy and motivation throughout the day because both participants are learning in different ways, rather than a droning presentation which allows for mental drifting.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Instructional Models Comparisons
The four instructional models present a vast array of ways that students can utilize the internet to enhance their learning experience. As for similarities, I noticed that the Internet Workshop and Internet Inquiry promote student research. Both would allow students to use search engines to find more information. It would teach students how to gather information from the internet, how to scope out good sources, and hopefully to cite properly. Internet Inquiry is a bit more open-ended than Internet Workshop, since teachers decide for the students what they will be searching for in Workshop.
I saw the Webquest as being markedly different than any of the other Models. I perceived it as basically an online rubric for students, from which they take the instructions to do a research project. The Internet Project was different than the other three Models because it limits the information type. However, it is a bit more hands-on for students, and uses the "real world" for information-gathering rather than being online the entire time.
I don't have a cooperating teacher at this time. However, in the future I would be interested to use the internet workshop in my class. I think it would help students become comfortable with using the Internet to gather information. With my particular discipline (English), students might gather a wealth of information mostly regarding the context of particular pieces of literature. There are also a lot of articles online that provide different perspectives about pieces of literature, so that will open up a new way of perceiving works of literature. I had a good time exploring different WebQuests that were set up for various pieces of literature, such as The Great Gatsby. Some of the projects were really fun (such as writing a magazine from the perspective of a 20's journalist), and I would certainly like to use them someday in my classroom. I would employ the Internet Workshop in my classroom. As Leu (2002) stated, "Is your class reading the works of an important author (or illustrator) in the world of children’s literature? You can easily have an Internet Workshop session on that person. Locate the author’s home page on the Internet and invite students to search for two or three important ideas about the person’s life to share at the workshop session." The Internet Workshop opens up students to a wealth of information to supplement the in-class lessons.
Citation: Leu, D.J., Jr. (2002, February). Internet Workshop: Making time for literacy [Exploring Literacy on the Internet department]. The Reading Teacher, 55(5). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=/electronic/RT/2-02_Column/index.html
I saw the Webquest as being markedly different than any of the other Models. I perceived it as basically an online rubric for students, from which they take the instructions to do a research project. The Internet Project was different than the other three Models because it limits the information type. However, it is a bit more hands-on for students, and uses the "real world" for information-gathering rather than being online the entire time.
I don't have a cooperating teacher at this time. However, in the future I would be interested to use the internet workshop in my class. I think it would help students become comfortable with using the Internet to gather information. With my particular discipline (English), students might gather a wealth of information mostly regarding the context of particular pieces of literature. There are also a lot of articles online that provide different perspectives about pieces of literature, so that will open up a new way of perceiving works of literature. I had a good time exploring different WebQuests that were set up for various pieces of literature, such as The Great Gatsby. Some of the projects were really fun (such as writing a magazine from the perspective of a 20's journalist), and I would certainly like to use them someday in my classroom. I would employ the Internet Workshop in my classroom. As Leu (2002) stated, "Is your class reading the works of an important author (or illustrator) in the world of children’s literature? You can easily have an Internet Workshop session on that person. Locate the author’s home page on the Internet and invite students to search for two or three important ideas about the person’s life to share at the workshop session." The Internet Workshop opens up students to a wealth of information to supplement the in-class lessons.
Citation: Leu, D.J., Jr. (2002, February). Internet Workshop: Making time for literacy [Exploring Literacy on the Internet department]. The Reading Teacher, 55(5). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=/electronic/RT/2-02_Column/index.html
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Three Resources I Plan to Utilize
Hamlet, Facebook Style
I found this web site and immediately knew I would like to use it later for my teaching. I would use it after my class covered Hamlet, since it's relatively small. It is just a series of Facebook statuses, activities, and photos that tell the story of Hamlet. Students can relate to Facebook, as it is a highly popular form of social networking. It takes an important play like Hamlet and "translates" it into terms that kids can relate to. Not only that, but it is also humorous. People sometimes learn by relating lessons to their own lives, and this achieves this wonderfully. Students can develop competency in the English spectrum by solidifying their understand of Hamlet - an oftentimes daunting and overwhelming play. "Good teachers" use strategies to impart knowledge by breaking it down into terms that students can easily understand.
Grammar Cheat Sheet
I know it seems backwards to promote "cheating," per se, but I think it is important for students to know that if they are iffy about certain grammatical rules, it's okay to look them up! I would print out this sheet and pass it out to students at the beginning of the year, in conjunction with a basic grammar lesson. Then I would make a point to remind students to constantly look back at it while writing papers. While most students should have learned these rules, I have noticed time and again that students (even college-aged!) forgo these basic guidelines. Perhaps they never knew how to properly apply them. So, I would encourage students to use the guidelines and track their progress with them (after pinpointing their individual weaknesses). This takes into account that people learn by trial-and-error. This demonstrates that "good teachers" leave some wiggle room for students to learn, especially when they are applying it to their work. By trial-and-error, students will become competent in basic grammar rules that oftentimes go overlooked.
Wuthering Heights PBS movie
One of my favorite things to do is watch a movie version of a book after reading it. I like to compare my internal perception of the book with the way that movie-makers see it. It also helps to get a better sense of the time period in which the book takes place: the clothing, the hairstyles, the settings, the mannerisms, etc. I always enjoyed watching videos in class because it was a break from the "norm." My cousin recently read Wuthering Heights in her senior English class, and completely denounced it (much to my chagrin). I told her to watch the movie version, certain she would love it. I'm not sure if she watched it (most likely not), but I do believe she would gain a better appreciation for Bronte's masterpiece if she did. I won't be able to show my students movies for every single piece of literature we read in a year, but I will choose one that I think they will most likely struggle with. A "good teacher" employs different ways to understand a lesson. When viewing a movie, students can better understand what they read. Perhaps they didn't understand a section of the book; seeing it on screen will help them think, "Ohh, so that's what happened at that part!" It's also important to ask the students if they agree with the way the movie was made: should the filmmaker have left out parts that the students believed were integral? Why? Watching a movie sparks the interest of students, especially the ones who learn well by seeing things. Movies provoke emotions better in some people. Students will feel anger for characters, sadness, empathy, love. If the students don't do so well acquiring these emotions through reading, it will help them while viewing. It also gives students a more solid understanding of a particular piece of literature, so that will contribute to their competency.
I found this web site and immediately knew I would like to use it later for my teaching. I would use it after my class covered Hamlet, since it's relatively small. It is just a series of Facebook statuses, activities, and photos that tell the story of Hamlet. Students can relate to Facebook, as it is a highly popular form of social networking. It takes an important play like Hamlet and "translates" it into terms that kids can relate to. Not only that, but it is also humorous. People sometimes learn by relating lessons to their own lives, and this achieves this wonderfully. Students can develop competency in the English spectrum by solidifying their understand of Hamlet - an oftentimes daunting and overwhelming play. "Good teachers" use strategies to impart knowledge by breaking it down into terms that students can easily understand.
Grammar Cheat Sheet
I know it seems backwards to promote "cheating," per se, but I think it is important for students to know that if they are iffy about certain grammatical rules, it's okay to look them up! I would print out this sheet and pass it out to students at the beginning of the year, in conjunction with a basic grammar lesson. Then I would make a point to remind students to constantly look back at it while writing papers. While most students should have learned these rules, I have noticed time and again that students (even college-aged!) forgo these basic guidelines. Perhaps they never knew how to properly apply them. So, I would encourage students to use the guidelines and track their progress with them (after pinpointing their individual weaknesses). This takes into account that people learn by trial-and-error. This demonstrates that "good teachers" leave some wiggle room for students to learn, especially when they are applying it to their work. By trial-and-error, students will become competent in basic grammar rules that oftentimes go overlooked.
Wuthering Heights PBS movie
One of my favorite things to do is watch a movie version of a book after reading it. I like to compare my internal perception of the book with the way that movie-makers see it. It also helps to get a better sense of the time period in which the book takes place: the clothing, the hairstyles, the settings, the mannerisms, etc. I always enjoyed watching videos in class because it was a break from the "norm." My cousin recently read Wuthering Heights in her senior English class, and completely denounced it (much to my chagrin). I told her to watch the movie version, certain she would love it. I'm not sure if she watched it (most likely not), but I do believe she would gain a better appreciation for Bronte's masterpiece if she did. I won't be able to show my students movies for every single piece of literature we read in a year, but I will choose one that I think they will most likely struggle with. A "good teacher" employs different ways to understand a lesson. When viewing a movie, students can better understand what they read. Perhaps they didn't understand a section of the book; seeing it on screen will help them think, "Ohh, so that's what happened at that part!" It's also important to ask the students if they agree with the way the movie was made: should the filmmaker have left out parts that the students believed were integral? Why? Watching a movie sparks the interest of students, especially the ones who learn well by seeing things. Movies provoke emotions better in some people. Students will feel anger for characters, sadness, empathy, love. If the students don't do so well acquiring these emotions through reading, it will help them while viewing. It also gives students a more solid understanding of a particular piece of literature, so that will contribute to their competency.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
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