The Georgia standards website is very user friendly. I was able to quickly navigate to the ELA website. I was amazed at all of the resources that are listed. Many of them are just links to other websites, but nonetheless are very helpful. The links are resources that could be used to help in making lessons. This would be great to use if you have students with learning disabilities or ELL’s, as the GPS website offers resources for those students. The Cobb County website was very informative, however, I did not see many techonology resources listed that I would use in my class. Most of what is listed are basic instructions. The Cherokee County website was a bit more informative, but mainly consisted of policy guidelines for technology and computer maintenance tips. I looked on the Fulton County website and was more impressed with theirs. they had more information available about what kind of technology is used in the classroom and the standards that go with them.
Dr. Tyson’s message
I was blown away by the videos that were created by the students at Mabry Middle. They were so well done! I hate to say it, but I wouldn’t have expected such wonderful videos from middle schoolers. My view has definitely changed after seeing this message. What I really took away from Dr. Tyson’s address was that education must look at “the bigger picture,” and allow our students to look around, beyond themselves and try to make a difference in our world. In the English classroom, I think allowing students to focus on world literacy (what is the literacy rate in third world countries? how does this affect the country as a whole?) would be a great way to get the students thinking beyond the class. The conclusions and lessons that the Mabry students learned seem invaluable, and often never paid much attention to by fellow kids their age. I also noticed how motivated and excited the students seemed. they really felt proud of what they had done, and were learning at the same time. I would be very open to having similar video projects in my own classroom.
Poetry reading podcast June 24, 2010
I have always thought that poetry is better when read aloud. The words take on their own identity, and the meter and alliteration can be heard, instead of seen. The podcast that I have found takes classic poems, both British and American poets, and reads them with some feeling. The speaker can be a bit overly dramatic, and his British accent is very polished, but he is able to convey a feeling about the texts because he puts so much passion into his reading. I would certainly use something like this in my classroom, but maybe not him personally. I did laugh a bit at how dramatic he read. I’m sure the students would too! I have heard other poems, especially ballads such as “The Lady of Shalott,” read aloud, and have always had a better experience than when reading it alone. http://classicpoetryaloud.podomatic.com/
Brugge, Belgium June 15, 2010
With the encyclopedia book, the history of Brugge, Belgium is limited to just the history. While it is detailed, it is only about how the town came to be. Online Britannica does give a history, but it is less detailed than both Wikipedia and the book. There are only three pics to look at and not much information about the geography, population, or places of interest. Wikipedia has all of this AND more. It gives a lengthy history, plenty of beautiful pictures, and includes population numbers. The list of famous people from Brugge is also much longer than the online Britannica. If I had a student who was doing a research project on Brugge, Belgium, Wikipedia would be their most resourceful site because of the detailed amount of information available.
Wikis
Before reading this chapter about Wikipedia, I was under the impression that site was not a reliable information source for students because the information had not been “fact checked.” I knew that anyone could add information, but did not know that teams of editors monitor what is added, and correct quickly was it incorrect. I have always been impressed by Wikipedia however, because of the vast amount of information available. It is my go to source to find information quickly. I am comforted by the book’s claim that Steve Jobs says that Wikipedia is one of the most reliable encyclopedias. I also agree that is teachers who do allow their students to cite Wikipedia should do some fact checking on the information used.
I have used a wiki in a previous class for a group project. I found it very easy to use and was thankful that a group project could be done without having to set up a time for everyone to meet. Wikis in the classroom are great ways for students to learn editing skills, as well as collaboration. They can learn from what others post because sharing is made so easy.
with Google docs, I am a huge proponent of using this in the classroom. I worked as an AVID tutor this past year in a high school class where the teacher had students use google docs to submit assignments. each student had a gmail account that was linked to the class, so it was safe and only available for the teacher. She stressed to me how great it was for students to use the site for editing, emailing assignments from a home email to gmail so that they can work on them at school (no more “I left my flashdrive at home…” excuses). I definitely plan to use this in my classroom.
Glee. June 10, 2010
This has become my new favorite show. For the first half of the season, I had no interest. I would try to watch it, but couldn’t catch up with the plot. And so, when I had some free time this past Christmas, I watched all of the episodes online. The music blew me away! While the plot lines have come and gone (when plot lines are just dropped, I get annoyed), the music has stayed the same, and keeps getting better in my opinion. There is no denying that Lea Michele (Rachel) is the star singer, but I’m glad that the other characters have had their opportunities to sing more. Not only are the students really talented, but so is their teacher. Matthew Morrison is amazing and my new celebrity crush 🙂 It is so hard to pick my favorite performance from this season! For now, I will go with something upbeat and full of dancing. Their rendition of “Bad Romance” is one that I watched more than once online!
Madeira Beach, Tampa, Florida
My family has been going to Madeira Beach, Tampa, Florida for vacation since I was 3 years old. Really, my history with this area goes back to the early 1950’s. My great-grandparents, the Ostroms, had made their fortune in Minnesota and dreamed of living somewhere that was like summer all year long. Both came from Sweden, and had grown tired of almost daily cold weather. They sold all they had and bought a resort on Treasure Island, near Madeira Beach. They ran the resort,called Cypress Village, along with my great-uncle. He lived in a condo in Madeira Beach, which is where we now stay. My great-grandparents and great uncle have since died. The resort was sold, but the condo was kept. It is a small beach town with a good mix of tourists, usually Canadians, and the New Yorkers who have retired to sunny Florida after living in the fast paced NYC. There are also the occasional tourists from the UK as well. The Canadians and UK citizens are the easiest to spot. They are usually quite pale, and the men are brave enough to wear the ever revealing and mostly horrifying speedo. They are always very friendly and seem very happy. I would assume this is when they get the most vitamin D from the sun. Perhaps this is why they are so friendly? And then there is the New Yorker turned Floridian, usually wearing a Yankees or Mets baseball cap (depending on their loyalties). When sitting by the pool in the breezy afternoon, their conversations are the easiest to pick up on. The locals are the best. The Panama Jacks and Janes, who walk the beach unafraid of the sun, as it seems their leathery skin cannot take any more tanning. This city is like a second home to me, as this Atlantan joins the rest of the people of Madeira in their love of the Gulf of Mexico.
Thoughts on Weblogs and chapters 1-3
I will admit that when I first heard about this class, a bit of fear overcame me. As my family and friends can attest, I am not skilled in understanding technology. I like to refer to it as “techonologically challenged.” However, this doesn’t mean that I can’t learn how to do something such as create a blog or wiki. I grew up as the only girl, with two brothers and a dad who were all techonology savvy. I relied on them when I had a computer problem or plugging the dvd player into the right inputs on the tv (I’m not even sure “input’ is the correct word…see what I mean?). My mom is like me, and together, we have spent many times trying to understand a techonology problem being explained to us my one of the males in my family.
I have always wanted to create a blog. I enjoy reading other blogs, and am always intrigued by how well some of them write. I’ve done Facebook since I was a Freshman in college, but have grown tired of that. Before Facebook, I had a Xanga account (like a myspace, but without as much personal info…my parents thought it was safer, and they were probably right). The xanga was much like a blog in that it was a place where you could write and then comment on other people’s postings.
My trepidation with the blog was the actual creating part. I was amazed however, at how easy it was to make my own blog! Now that I am a “blogger,” I see even more how nicely a blog would fit into a classroom environment. With my job this past year, I was a tutor in both a middle and high school. The high school teacher especially relied on her class blog. I realized it acts as a type of accountability, because the student is responsible for checking the blog. Should they miss a class, they can then be responsible for knowing what happened on that day in class by checking the posted agenda. The blog is also good for parents, because they can know what their child has been doing in class and when upcoming tests are going to be, as well as if their child has any homework or not.
I really am amazed at how far we have come with techonology.
my first blog post ever June 8, 2010
I am now a blogger. I have been meaning to join the blogosphere sooner, but procrastination and the lack of blog knowledge has kept me from doing so. But alas, I am here and ready to write.
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