Assessment

Betty Ray’s article, Assessment Carnival: More Than Quizzes and Tests) discussed assessment.  It talks about teachers almost being a slave to tests.   Teachers are involved in testing with state exams or test material covered in the classroom.  Betty was trying to find ways to answer how can one use assessment to create learning, instead of trying to judge it?  Betty did some research and found some educators that would help here solve her problem.  Dan Meyer, Math teacher, believe, “Learning is not on a time line, so grading shouldn’t be either; grading should direct learning as it is really only feedback anyway; and you should be rewarded for putting in the effort to learn something you missed.”  Assessment can be tricky issue.  In my school district, we are discussing what grading scale we should use.  It is amazing to hear different teacher’s opinion on the subject.  Sometimes teachers in our meetings become very combative over the subject.  It is hard to please everyone when every teacher has their own individual idea how students should be assessed.

Egypt and the Internet

The article by Curt Hopkins (Dial-Up Provides Internet Access for Cut-Off Egypt) reminds me how lucky we are to live in the United States.  Also, it reminds me how powerful the Internet can be.  Over 90 percent of Egypt’s Internet access has been shut down.  If that happened in the United States I would be lost.  I am in some shape or form connected to the Internet for a majority of my day.  The Egyptian government deems the Internet so powerful that they decided to cut it off to hurt the civilians.  It is amazing to witness the resolve of the Egyptian people, and that we may be witnessing over the news a revolution taking place.  Who knows how this will end, but it definitely has my attention.

Technology Fundamentals

The article by Andrew Marcinek (The Importance of Digital Citizenship in Social Media) was an excellent read and reminded me to use caution when using technology in the classroom.  The beginning of article retells a scene in the movie Hoosiers.  The scene is the basketball team practicing the fundamentals of basketball.  He likens it students having a lot of technology available to them but not knowing how to use it responsibly.  This made me think about how I use technology in the classroom.  Sometimes I use certain technology with teaching students how to use it properly.  Technology can be used to bully students and cheat.  It is important that teachers take the extra time to explain how to use technology in a responsible way.  I know that we do not have a lot of time to teach things not in the curriculum, but sometimes it is necessary. 

Pop Culture

Gaetan Pappalardo wrote an article on using pop culture to inspire elementary students.  She writes about how she let one of her students write a story with Transformers in the story.  She wrote how the student was so excited that he could write a story with his favorite characters.  She goes on to write about how this particular student must have been told no when he previously asked if he could write about transformers.  Saying that he could not use Transformers in the story woul deflate his enthusiasm about the writing assignment.  Teachers need to get students interested in learning any way they can.  Allowing students to have input on some their assignments can really engage them in the subject matter.  This idea is great for students of all ages.  I try to engage students in the assignments any way I can.  In one assignment I use Neil Young’s song Southern Man and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s song Sweet Home Alabama.  These songs offer differ viewpoints on the South.  Although the songs are  very old students know Sweet Home Alabama (this could be due to Guitar Hero).  This gets students engaged in a writing assignment in history class.  Teachers should keep students interests in mind when creating assignments.

We are Lucky

Curt Hopkins article, Twitter Blocked in Egypt in Response to Massive Protests, reminded me what a great country we live.  Egypt’s government has blocked Twitter as a response to the Tunisian protests.  This reminded me how lucky we are to have a great job (even if it does not pay the best) in America.  Of course we have to follow standards, but we do have freedom to present lessons how we deem fit.  Technology is excellent for making learning fun – even Twitter.  Twitter does not seem like it is a great educational sources, but as time passes people find excellent ways to incorporate Twitter into the classrrom.  Twitter could be used to get students communicating about lessons presented outside of the classroom.  Twitter is easy to use and can be a great (and cool) tool for education. 

Technology Use

Should tech training be required for all current teachers?  Is the question to a poll on edutopia.org presented by Sara Ring.  I believe that all teachers should be trained to use technology in the classroom.  There are a lot of older teachers in my school district who are not keen on technology use in the classroom.  Whenever there is technology training sessions given, they are absent.  I know that people get stuck in their ways, but I have a hard time wraping my head around teachers refusal to ignore technology.  I do not understand why teachers would not want to improve their teaching skill so they truly become a master of the profession.  Teachers always encourage students to put their best foot forward – teachers should follow their own advice.  If technology training was mandatory maybe some teachers would change their views on its importance in the classroom.  I know funding is tight but there are ways around it.  In my school district, teachers can sign up to present a tutorial to fellow teachers on technology uses that they are proficient in.  Technology is moving at a fast rate and teachers need to keep up – after all teachers are life-long learners.

Just Get Out There

Andrew Marcinek wrote an excellent article on excuses.  He described how he was creating excuses in his mind that would allow him to be okay without going for a run.  Around this time a person told Andrew to just go out and go for a run.  At that moment it clarity hit Andrew.  The person was right – just do it.  During his run, Andrew thought of all the excuse he hears from students and other teachers.  Reading this article made me think about excuses I make in my life.  I always tell my students that in life there are people who do it and people who don’t.  Sometimes I do not practice what I preach (what can I say – Iam only human).  One of my many new years resolution was to stop making excuses.  It is much easier to do whatever task you want to get done, and the sense of accomplishment is wonderful.  This article is inspiring me to keep up with my resolutions to benefit myself and my students.  

Students Taking Pride

I just read "Middle School Students Taking Pride in STEM Innovations.  Betty Ray described  a lesson she used and put in a contest.  The class Ms. Ray teaches is MESA (Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement club).  She encoraged students to create a video and explain an idea they have to STEM.   She believed that students really enjoyed the opportunity to think creatively and put their best foot forward.  I believe using technology in the classroom can really engage students when used properly.  Also, giving students an opportunity to use their own ideas gives them a sense of ownership.  I believe that teachers can learn a lot from each other’s success stories.  Also, I believe that teachers can learn a lot from sharing unsuccessful stories as well.  I just wish people would share their negative experiences more often.  There is a lot one could learn from a mistake.

Edutopia: Technology Uses

I just read an article titled, "Seven Tech Integration Lesson Plans: Let the Voting Begin!, written by Mary Hertz. I am always looking for creative ideas to incorporate technology into the classroom.  Coming up with ideas from scratch is a time consuming process.  We all know that as teachers we are strapped for time.  I enjoy learning about new ideas for the classroom.  The article covers all grades which is a great source for everyone.  One lesson that I thought was excellent was creating a video.  Students could create a 30 second video depicting a key term.  This idea will definitely help students store information into their long term memory.  The only problem is that technology in my school is barely existent.  One way to solve this problem is having students bring in their own technology.  One of my favorite directors, Park Chan-Wook, just completed a 30 minute short film using his Iphone.  It is an exciting time for technology.

Badass Digest: Blow Out

I am very excited about Brian DePalma's Blow Out coming to Blu-Ray later this year.  I am huge DePalma fan, and Blow Out is my favorite of his films.  Also, this is one of Travolta's best performances of his career (in my opinion) - right up there with his performance in Pulp Fiction.  The disc is coming out through the Criterion Collection which puts out the best special features to their discs.  One of the special features includes Pauline Kael's original review of the film.  I really enjoy reading Kael's reviews on films so I am very excited for this.  Another feature is new a interview with Mr. DePalma - a nerd can never get enough information on certain topics.  DePalma is an auteur in every sense of the word.  Hopefully, I will have a new high definition television before this comes out.

Edutopia: New Years Teaching Resolution

I just read the article written by Elena Aguilar (Teachers: What Are Your Intentions for the New Year?).  It reminds me that we are only a couple months into the new year, and I am already starting to stray from my goals.  My main goal was to improve students studying techniques and improve their writing.  I believe that the seventh grade students that I teach do not have proper studying techniques.  Their writing skills are really poor, and I really believe in writing across the curriculum.  On the first day back from break I incorporated a writing assignment into my social studies class, but since then I have been back to my old ways of teaching.  I think that I get stressed out because I am constantly worrying about teaching the standards.  They can be overwhelming at times.  I strongly believe that students need to effectively communicate their thoughts in a clear and concise manner through writing.  The students are growing up in a digital world, and I believe that students writing skills are diminishing because of this.  It is up to teachers to motivate students to learn.  Ms. Aguilar's writing piece reminds me to stay focused on my goals and to create small short term goals.  This will help me reach my ultimate goal one step at a time.

Read Write Web: Sarah Palin

I just read the article, Wikileaks Calls for Sarah Palin's Arrest, and it stirred up some thoughts.  The article describes how Wikileaks spokesperson, Julien Assange, believes that Palin should be arrested for her web-site. It is hard to believe the stance taken by Wikileaks, but that is another story.  It made think about Mrs. Palin possibly becoming President of the United States - the thought is scary.

I believe that Sarah has the right to put whatever she wants on her web-site.  Is her web-site offensive - I believe it is (but she has the right to post whatever she wants to on the Internet).  I do not think that her site provoked the maniac, Jared Loughner, to shoot Gabrielle Giffords and the others.  But, I have a problem with her statement about the whole situation.  A while back, Palin was very angry with David Letterman because he made a joke about her daughter.  Palin publicly bashed Letterman for his comments.  What if the tables were turned - what if someone put a cross-hair over her daughter's name?  I believe that she would have a fit of rage.  Her response to the shooting was 8 minutes of saying that the shooting of Gabrielle was a tragedy and a do not blame me speech.  Take some responsibility Mrs. Palin.  If she put some thought into the situation as a whole, maybe she would realize that the rhetoric on her site is too heated.  Maybe she would have realized that the whole cross-hairs situation is not the best idea, and maybe we should take a look at our gun policy.  That would take thought and compassion - two characteristics for a presidential candidate.

Welcome

I am very excited to get this course started!