Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Does our funding reflect our priorities?
This article by Morgan states one of my biggest budget cut fears. They are cutting programs that are easily excessible and cheap to fund. Reading is Fundamental (RIF) is one of the programs my school was going to try this year! http://oomscholasticblog.com/2011/07/does-our-funding-reflect-our-priorities.html
Monday, July 25, 2011
10 Common Challenges Facing Educators
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/07/10-common-challenges-facing-educators.html
This slideshow maps out what teachers face with technology. I was looking through the sites presented and realized that I only recognized about half of them. There are so many resources out there! Where do I start? Which ones are the good ones?
This slideshow maps out what teachers face with technology. I was looking through the sites presented and realized that I only recognized about half of them. There are so many resources out there! Where do I start? Which ones are the good ones?
Does technology have a role to play in early childhood education?
I subscribe to ExchangeEveryDay and I came across the article "Families and Technology". http://www.childcareexchange.com/eed/issue.php?id=2826 There was also a controversial article wrote about this article also, entitled "Technology and Young Children". http://www.childcareexchange.com/eed/view/2842/ The 2nd article talks about creativity being taken away from children who use technology. The author states that children are not understanding how the technology works. What are your thoughts about the articles?
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
"Curriculum 21" Thoughts
While reading the book "Curriculum 21" by Heidi Hayes Jacobs, I came across a few things that caught my attention so far.
- in the "Upgrading Assessment Types" (p.21-26), I liked how she included step-by-step ideas for upgrading. As a staff, I hope we can start the process during staff meetings to find assessment replacements. With concern to step 2, we do not have any IT members. We have a parent volunteer come in to help when he is available. The principal and I are learning about what we do have available and researching new sources.
- "Shedding unneccessary studies..." (p.21): Looking at the textbooks we have provided to us, the subjects are divided harshly. Any elementry level ideas how to combine Social Studies topics?
- I need to get new maps for my classroom for the students to use. When I came in all I had a was globe and the "Mercator Projection" on a pull-down screen. Good thing we just got Smartboards for our classrooms!!!
- I like the suggestion posed on page 40. Replacing the traditional state history teaching with "(1) focus your state's history on it's role in the larger American history narrative; (2) make the state's perspective more personal by using a case study model and the Internet to interview students in other parts of the state; (3) keep an ongoing view of global connections and relationships as a constant in both local and national history." (Jacobs, 40)
-With concern to the topic of upgrading curriculum, I noticed in my science textbooks that more emphasis is put on life science than physical science. When working on our accreditation as a whole staff, we asked "Who is teaching about magnets or push/pull or balls and ramps?" It was found out that those topics were at the end of the science book and there wasn't time in the school year to cover them. We have discussed how to cover all of the topics more efficiently so that every necessary topic gets covered.
-As stated on the book on page 47, there is a significant gap in K-12 curriculum. We also noticed this during our Accreditation process.
- For all subject areas, not just Language Arts, I incorporated more presentation skills into lessons. My 1st & 2nd graders performed readers' theaters, introduced books to others, and taught lessons to each other.
-Does anyone know of good Webquest sites for younger elementary levels?
-When we received test results back on our students this past year, we noticed that they received lowers scores on "reasoning". While discussing with other teachers, they honestly stated that it is difficult for them to teach the "problem-solving" sections in the Math curriculum and still get to all of the content for the school year. This school year, my goal is to put more emphasis on problem-solving because I beleive that the students will be able to connect to the content better than just memorizing what they need to know.
- in the "Upgrading Assessment Types" (p.21-26), I liked how she included step-by-step ideas for upgrading. As a staff, I hope we can start the process during staff meetings to find assessment replacements. With concern to step 2, we do not have any IT members. We have a parent volunteer come in to help when he is available. The principal and I are learning about what we do have available and researching new sources.
- "Shedding unneccessary studies..." (p.21): Looking at the textbooks we have provided to us, the subjects are divided harshly. Any elementry level ideas how to combine Social Studies topics?
- I need to get new maps for my classroom for the students to use. When I came in all I had a was globe and the "Mercator Projection" on a pull-down screen. Good thing we just got Smartboards for our classrooms!!!
- I like the suggestion posed on page 40. Replacing the traditional state history teaching with "(1) focus your state's history on it's role in the larger American history narrative; (2) make the state's perspective more personal by using a case study model and the Internet to interview students in other parts of the state; (3) keep an ongoing view of global connections and relationships as a constant in both local and national history." (Jacobs, 40)
-With concern to the topic of upgrading curriculum, I noticed in my science textbooks that more emphasis is put on life science than physical science. When working on our accreditation as a whole staff, we asked "Who is teaching about magnets or push/pull or balls and ramps?" It was found out that those topics were at the end of the science book and there wasn't time in the school year to cover them. We have discussed how to cover all of the topics more efficiently so that every necessary topic gets covered.
-As stated on the book on page 47, there is a significant gap in K-12 curriculum. We also noticed this during our Accreditation process.
- For all subject areas, not just Language Arts, I incorporated more presentation skills into lessons. My 1st & 2nd graders performed readers' theaters, introduced books to others, and taught lessons to each other.
-Does anyone know of good Webquest sites for younger elementary levels?
-When we received test results back on our students this past year, we noticed that they received lowers scores on "reasoning". While discussing with other teachers, they honestly stated that it is difficult for them to teach the "problem-solving" sections in the Math curriculum and still get to all of the content for the school year. This school year, my goal is to put more emphasis on problem-solving because I beleive that the students will be able to connect to the content better than just memorizing what they need to know.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Unable to post on other's Blogs - Janel
We did a "Bedtime Stories" idea. Students and parents came in their pajamas. The LMC was full of bean bags and comfy chairs. Families donated new/gently used pajamas for the local children's-help center. Families could either read as a family or teachers were spread around the media center willing to read to the families. Another thing we did was a book exchange. Families brought in books and the Literacy Teacher showed them different methods/questions to use when reading with their child.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
21st Century Skills: Learning For Life in Our Times
As I sifted through the book so far I came across a few things that caught my attention.
1. I never knew there a was name for the technical areas (STEM - science, technology, engineering, mathematics). At the public school I taught at them emphasized Reading & Math, but what about the other 3 subjects in STEM? We aren't helping our students by focusing on only 2 subjects. (pg. 24)
2. I really like the slogan that Tay Lai Ling stated on page 37: "Teach Less, Learn More". I believe the "coaching model" will be a wonderful asset to the way students learn.
3. I'm interesting in checking out the learning materials available from Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR) (pg. 80) I would like to know what is available for grades 1-2.
4. I would also like to research the Oracle Education Foundation (pg. 82), to see what professional development programs they offer and if they would be beneficial for the staff at my school.
1. I never knew there a was name for the technical areas (STEM - science, technology, engineering, mathematics). At the public school I taught at them emphasized Reading & Math, but what about the other 3 subjects in STEM? We aren't helping our students by focusing on only 2 subjects. (pg. 24)
2. I really like the slogan that Tay Lai Ling stated on page 37: "Teach Less, Learn More". I believe the "coaching model" will be a wonderful asset to the way students learn.
3. I'm interesting in checking out the learning materials available from Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR) (pg. 80) I would like to know what is available for grades 1-2.
4. I would also like to research the Oracle Education Foundation (pg. 82), to see what professional development programs they offer and if they would be beneficial for the staff at my school.
Facebook in the Classroom
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/07/three-ways-to-create-fake-facebook.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
This site describes how to use Facebook to create a character profile from a book that is read in class. This will help students use what they know (Facebook) to connect with the book/character is a more personal manner. I like it :)
This site describes how to use Facebook to create a character profile from a book that is read in class. This will help students use what they know (Facebook) to connect with the book/character is a more personal manner. I like it :)
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