Having the tools, and knowing how to use them

As the semester is coming to a close, I am able to reflect on this past semester. I have just finished making my thank you card for my host teacher. Tomorrow is my last observation, and I know it will be hard leaving. I have grown so much this semester, and I have built strong knowledge on effective ways to instruct a class. I have been given helpful strategies that I can implement in the classroom, and it is now just a matter of going through with them. I know that what I have learned will help me to become a stronger teacher. Now that I have been handed the techniques, it is my responsibility to know when he correct time in to present the strategies to the students. I have to be able to read the students to be able to decide when they need extra assistance. I want to allow my students to learn easily, and not get confused in the material. In order to do this, I need to relay creative ways to present the lessons that accommodates the students' learning preferences. My professors have handed me the knowledge on classroom management and how to instruct the students. It will soon be my turn to let the skills that I have gained shined through when I am student teaching and am in charge of the students in the classroom.

Technology can hep boost motivation for Social Studies in the classroom

I have recently discovered that my classroom does not have a textbook for social studies. I found it difficult to do a lesson in the class when there was no text to use as a reference. The host teacher told me they have not had a text for over 15 years. I was astounded by this fact. Social Studies is a staple in the curriculum, and not supplying a text makes the teacher as well as the students think that the subject doesn't need much attention.
I was reminded of this again in EDU 378. Kim said that she google images to make the social studies topic more interesting to the students. I think that this is a great solution to not having a text. The internet consists of numerous textbooks. If a teacher does not have textbooks, the internet should really be taken advantage of to make up for lack of resources in the subject. I want my students to continue to be enthused about Social Studies, and technology is the answer! I can create interactive lessons that include many visuals that the students can get interested in.

Digital Citizenship

Upon reading the article on digital citizenship, I found it both humorous and enlightening. It is true that with the demand for integrating technology in the classroom, the teacher must be a digital citizen at some level. The definition of digital citizenship is listed in the website as, "norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use." It is my duty as a teacher to know where it is helpful and necessary to place technology in the classroom. In some activities, technology can give academic support to those students that are struggling with the concepts. I should be able to decide to which students that support is needed.
The website discusses the nine areas that make up digital citizenship. It is crazy but completely true to see all the different areas that a person must be familiar with to be considered a digital citizen. To be a citizen, I need to know how to get access into the digital society (1). I also need to know how to buy and sell digitally (2), which is one of my strongest areas. I need to know how to communicate and exchange information (3). This will be very helpful to be familiar with as a teacher. It is good to be able to communicate with other staff members and parents to gain insight in the classroom. Digital Literacy is another element that assures the person is highly knowledgeable in technology, enough to be able to share the knowledge with others (4). I cannot possibly ask my students to use technology if I am not completely  comfortable with the tool. I also need to be aware of how to act with technology, and use the correct etiquette (5). There also lies the responsibility that goes along with the use of technology. I need to be are of the laws that lie within the digital society (6). This also ties in with the next element (7) of the digital rights and responsibilities. I also need to be aware of the physical and psychological risks of using digital technology (8). If I am exposing the students to computers, I need to consider how the bright screens and the noise will affect them. The last element included is the one that focuses on digital security (9). I need to be aware on how to protect my documents and computer against any viruses or spam.
Now that I have read the elements on how to be a digital citizen, I can say that I become alot closer to being a citizen throughout this semester. I am more aware of the digital tools that can be utilized in the classroom. I know the importance of reaching citizenship in the digital world. I know how much my students will benefit from my knowledge.
The website used for this post is found at http://digitalcitizenship.pbworks.com/w/page/17771708/FrontPage
Check it out!! =]

Small steps to using technology in the classroom

I just recently presented my social skills/social studies lesson to the students. I wanted to make sure that I included an aspect that the students would enjoy - and it would motivate them to learn more about the topic. I was doing a lesson on speaking Italian, because Italy is the unit that the students are focusing on in social studies. I decided to include a piece of technology in my lesson. For the audio aspect for differentiation, I chose to use my laptop and let the students listen to someone else speak Italian in an accent. The students really got a kick out of hearing someone that has an Italian background speak the language. The students were able to get a deeper look into the culture with this addition to the lesson. They were able to apply this knowledge and place more emphasis on their "accent" when they spoke the greetings back to me. The recording encouraged the students to put more effort into the activity. It was only a brief use of technology, but it was enough to show me the potential benefits it can being when implementing throughout the entire day in the classroom.

Making students' work matter by making it public

Over the past week, I have been creating projects that were required to be posted on youtube. I had never seen the point of posting things on youtube. I did not think a lot of the videos were appropriate, and the only reason I ever went on the site was to listen to music videos. I am now becoming more enlightened on the website, and how it can be useful to have in the classroom. I have seen videos in Kim K's class in which students created a video of displaying the different designs that can be made from Tanograms. The students' voices were heard as they read the story that went along with the animals they made with the geometric shapes. I was stunned to see the variety of the animals the students were able to design. After the video was over, it got me thinking about how proud those students must have been after watching their video on the computer screen. They were aware that others would be watching their video, and it pushed them to do their best on this project.
I endured similar feelings this past week while doing my read aloud and my iMovie. I was aware that others would have the ability to view my videos on youtube, and it made me want to do my best. I did not want to present anything less than my highest quality to the public. I was conscientious on how I was going to sound, or look. It made me double think how things were going to go. Considering all aspects of the presentation are things that all students should do when they are completing a project to ensure the highest quality.
I also like that it involves getting the students experience with technology. I had never posted a video on youtube, so it was a good learning experience for me. I gained knowledge on how to make my work public, so that I will be familiar with doing it in the future. I think that this is a simple solution that teachers could incorporate with projects to make students more concerned with the work that they do. Just this little step shows them that someone cares about them and the work that they are doing. No students' work should go unnoticed.

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives

I have been learning about virtual manipulatives that are available online for teachers to use in the classroom. I think that this is a great solution to some classroom that do not have a wide variety of learning tools, but yet it has a computer. The website that Kim K showed the class was very enlightening. It is great because there is such a wide variety of different equipment  for algebra, geometry, numbers and operations and more! Our topic is geometry, so we looked at tangrams, tessellations, and geoboards. It is a great alternative for classrooms that have the money to buy all these maipulatives as well because it is less hassle. All of the tools are on one website, instead of having to get one out at a time. The students will also have an easier time getting interested in the lesson because technology is incorporated into it. I think this is a great new way to get the students enthused about learning math, while at the same time giving them an easier activity because they have a variety of manipulatives right in front of them. It just goes to show that there are so many resources out there, which gives me more reason to "come to the edge" and explore what technology has to offer to broaden my teaching techniques.
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/topic_t_3.html

Academic Networking is the New Social Networking for the classroom

The article on edutopia.org supplies an article elaborating on the benefits that networking can bring to the classroom. It is a great way to bring the students together through technology so that they can collaborate and share ideas and resources that they come across. A concept that we learn in our EDU classes is that the students do not only learn from the teacher, but they learn from eachother as well.
"We need to teach students how to be effective collaborators in that world, how to interact with people around them, how to be engaged, informed twenty-first-century citizens." This is a quote found in the article that describes the goal of academic networking. Students need to learn how to use each other as a stepping stone to gaining more knowledge on a variety of topics. When people think of networking, the sites Facebook and Twitter come to mind, but that is more for social interaction than academic. The article mentions the website, Delicious, which allows the students to share with each other resources that they use to help them with projects and other assignments. This reminds me a lot of what our Block has on Facebook, even though the idea is to veer away from that site. We use that page as a resource for when one of us gets into a bind and we need support and ideas. Students should have access to something like this to make them stronger students. 
If a website like this is integrated into the curriculum, it will require supervision from the teacher to make sure the students use the networking appropriately. This is where the concepts we have been learning in Kim K's class some in handy. We need to explain what we as the teacher expect from the students when they are on the site. Make our demands short and simple so that there is no confusion in the classroom. I think the effort needed is worth it because the students can really benefit from having access to a networking website.

Be careful about what you put on social networks

I finished reading an article on the latest eschoolnews website. The article was about instances where teachers were suspended/fired because of what they were posting on Facebook and other social networks. It is always said that once something is posted on the internet, it is there forever. Teacher are the role models for the students. As a future teacher, I need to be conscientious as to what I put on Facebook now. At any interview I go into, they can pull up my page and look into my social life. One tiny slip up could cost me the job. With little openings as there is in the teaching profession, I need to make the interviews that i do get for a job to be perfect. I can set my privacy settings, but that only helps so much. If there is something that I do not want the entire world to know, then i should not post it online.
A teacher in Pennsylvania was posting comments concerning her students that was very rude. She was saying that her students were, "frightfully dim, whiny, utterly loathsome." A teacher has no right to degrade her students, especially when it is made public for everyone to see. The article mentions that the students were scared to have this woman as their teacher because of the remarks that she would make about her students. A teacher needs to be welcoming to the students and create a community in the classroom. I can not believe that a teacher can be so blind that she can post a rude remark like that online where everyone can see it. I want my students to enjoy being in my classroom. I want them to trust me and build a strong bond. If the teacher does not have a strong relationship with the students, then there will be lots of academic potential that the students have that will never be noticed. I want my students to open up to me so I can really get to know them. I need to learn their learning preferences to help them be the best they can be.

Visiting West Hill School in Syracuse

Before going to the school, I was very nervous. I was going to a new classroom, with a new teacher. I had just gotten over this struggle a few weeks ago, and now I was being asked to do it again. It turned out to be a great experience though! I could not believe the classroom. The room was filled with color. Posters were everywhere. It was something so different than what I experienced in my host teacher's classroom. One of the big things that popped out to me was the 5 mac laptops located in the corner for the students to use. I was so shocked to see this. I just began to think of all the benefits that the students must get from having so many resources available for them to use in the classroom. The students can take part in interactive learning activities on the computer. There are so many learning issues that can be addressed so much simpler by having the computers in the room for the students to use. The technology proves that the teacher is willing to integrate technology into the classroom to bring improvements to the students' knowledge. Students that need modifications in a lesson can go over to the laptop and it will suffice their difficulty. The teacher can present a new way of teaching that will engage the students at a whole new level.
The students were very well behaved. I was pleased with how well they listened to directions. They were eager to participate in the activity that i had prepared for them. It just felt like because the students were in an environment that  encouraged interactive learning, it played a role in how the students viewed school. The attitude that the students had benefited the way they performed in the classroom. The experience in a different classroom than what I am used to was very beneficial. I now have knowledge in different classroom management and techniques that I can someday use in my own classroom. =]

Finally starting to get the BIG picture.. talking about SMART Board!!

I was able to see my host teacher's aid use a SMART Board in her classroom to get the students engaged in a math lesson. The teacher displayed an interesting way to portray the concept of place value. The concept was given that the ones house goes over to their neighbors, the tens house, if they need to borrow something. The tens would do the same to their neighbor, the hundreds. It was a neat way to present the idea to the students. The teacher found a way to use a different format in order to engage the students in a way that they had not had the chance to do yet. The teacher needs to always be thinking about different ways to present the information to the class that is going to catch their attention. the students loved getting up and using the pen and eraser feature on the SMART Board. There was one student that usually has trouble with the concept of borrowing and trading when it comes to subtraction, but he showed such an improvement while working with this new type of technology. This experience gave me the insight that let me know that differentiation in the lesson formats along with implementing technology, can bring many benefits to the students and teacher.

Technology in the classroom

I was very pleased to see technology in the classroom. I went with a group of students that were taking the math test in a separate room because they required assistance with the questions. The teacher's aid had a SMART Board in the classroom. The teacher's aid presented the same questions that were on the the student's test on the SMART Board. The students were given a better visual this way because the problems on the test paper are so small and crowded together. The teacher used the writing tool feature to write the problems, and used a different color to show the trading done in subtraction. The students were able to get a better visual of the problems to give them support in getting the problem set up to solve. Once the students were at a better understanding of the problem, they were able to complete it much easier.
I was happy to see that there are technology teaching tools available in the school building. Students should have access and be exposed to tools like the SMART Board. The students can look at a problem in a different way, which help differentiate the learning techniques that they are used to seeing. I hope to see more technology be involved in the classroom in the upcoming weeks in the classroom.

My first classroom observation!

I completed my first week in the classroom. I was so excited to get in there, and really see the concepts and strategies that I have been learning about in my block classes. I was given the chance to really play a role in the classroom. The third grade teacher welcomed me and made me feel comfortable in the class. I get to be a part of writing, math, social studies, and sometimes story time!
I was able to walk around the room during writing time and watch the students as they were in deep thought. It was my job to circle any words that were misspelled. If the word was a word that was on the word wall, I would draw a line and have the student write the word correctly as it corresponds to the wall. There was an overhead projector that the teacher would use to display her example of the writing activity, and then it would be the student's assignment to do an entry in their notebooks that revolved around the same topic as the teacher's. Using a projector that blew up the teacher's response was helpful because it gave the students better view of the example so that they would understand what their entry should look like.
During math, the students would group up into 3 groups into the corner of the room. This was neat because I could see differentiated learning happening, which I have been learning about a lot in Kim R's class. I worked with one student, and the teacher would supervise the larger group working in pairs, and the classroom aid would have a small group of about 5 students. The students were able to work with others that were at the same level as them. I had to modify the subtraction lesson by minimizing the problems to only 2 or 3 digit numbers, while some other students were doing 4. I would have to keep the student on task because he would have trouble paying attention to the problems.
The social studies lesson consisted of reading different article in the school newsletter. This was a great activity that combined reading with learning different events occurring. The students would take turns reading the articles aloud as they sat on the rug in a circle. The teacher would hold a discussion after each article and ask productive questions to help guide the students' thinking.
I did notice that there was minimal technology used in the classroom. I am aware that the school district is limited with what they can afford with the budget. There is a computer in the room, but all I have seen it used for is to send in the daily class attendance. I hope that there is a way for the teacher to integrate some more in the classroom if possible. Now that I know the benefits it can bring to the students, it would be a shame to have the students miss out on all that potential success.

New Technical Skills!!! =]

I have been becoming more fluent with the different websites we are asked to explore for this course. I actually feel my confidence level rising, which is new for me! I feel that I have a grasp on what to do for at least the project 1, and the essay. I have been enjoying looking through at the different websites that are available for teachers to use in their classroom. I love the different creative websites that the students can have the option of exploring. The Odosketch was the website that I really loved because I was able to look at my thought process while I designed my picture. I think having the ability to see the student's thought process while they draw would be helpful in giving me a better outlook on their cognitive skills. Many websites can make certain routines in the classroom alot easier. The Google Reader is neat because it keeps track of what books each students reads, and gives the option to let the students share with one another about their reading. The random name picker is also neat because it mixes up names and picks one. This would be great for when the teacher needs someone to run an errand, or be a helper.

Week 5 Reading Reflection

The more I read these articles on technology in the classroom, the more I am enlightened on the serious gap between the teachers and the students in the classroom as a result of technology. The students are not grasping the material being presented to them because it is not being done the right way. We as teachers, need to find the most appropriate route to present our lessons in a way that the students are interested and motivated to continue to learn more about the topic. The traditional way of teaching in which the teacher lectures the entire class is not productive. The students need to continue to be interactive with the lesson.

Marc Prensky does a second article as a follow up to his first article concerning the "Digital Natives" that I found interesting. The students are growing up surrounded by technology, and there is nothing the teachers can do to stop their infatuation with it. The students of today have found something that they really enjoy because of the changing society, and they seem to be pretty stuck on it. The teachers can try to ignore this fact and continue with their usual techniques in the classroom, but it will probably not be the most productive choice.

Prensky brings up the topic of video games and the children's obsession with them. Students will become interested with an attractive learning environment, so why not make the classroom more attractive to them by implementing digital games in the classroom? Students that are raised around technology have a different cognitive process based off of their experiences with technology. The teacher should accommodate this different way of thinking by introducing digital learning games to the lessons. The article discusses that the short attentions spans that children have would not be a problem if lessons incorporated technology because the students would be exposed to something new and interesting that they are not used to. The students will have the chance to have an interactive activity in which they can focus their attention on. The Digital Natives that the students are named, are choosing to not put attention in the classroom because it is not interesting. The students are bored with the traditional tool and need something new to spark their enthusiasm with learning in the classroom again.

Some teachers are scared that introducing digital learning games in the classroom will not be as beneficial as they seem, but they are quite mistaken. Some learning games do have bad reputations, but that is at fault of the game itself, not the learning benefits. Digital games are engaging and get the students yearning to learn. The techniques that the teachers are using now are not too helpful for the students, so it would not hurt to try something new. The students are excited to incorporate this type of learning tool because it is something they are very familiar with, which makes them more comfortable. Digital learning games can bring improvements in math, vocabulary, and ELA skills. Teachers need to be more open with incorporating technology tools like digital learning games in the classroom because the students are in need for something new and interactive to make them more interested in learning.

How can Blogger help my classroom?

     Blogger can be very helpful in the classroom. Some teachers may veer away from it because it it may seem intimidating, but the benefits are great! Blogging can help the students express and reflect in ways that maybe they can not on paper. Blog can be used as a tool to type up reflections on a specific reading. Blog can be useful for an ELA activity in the classroom. The students can relate to certain content and discuss it in their blog website. The students can then share their ideas with the other students. Blog can act as a great communication builder by letting the students explore each others ideas and opinions. The Blog can also be a great tool in a creative writing activity. The students can have the ability to write about whatever topic they choose and just let their imagination run wild.
     Teachers can also use blog to view the student's work in a more productive way. If I was the teacher, I could have an easier time overlooking my student's progress with their assigned readings. I could easily get access to their writing without having to scrummage through all my papers to find a certain student's paper. Blogger enables the teacher to keep an organized file of the student's classwork. I know that the students would enjoy working with Blogger because they are familiar with technology and by integrating technology in the classwork, the student may find more interest in their assignments.

What I have been learning this past week...

     I reviewed the discussion of, "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants," by Marc Prensky that I found interesting. Prensky goes on to discuss the obstacle that teachers now are having with their students. The students of this generation are more exposed to technology than the teachers, which makes them the "Natives" to technology. Teachers are the Immigrants because they are entering the new generation of technology with little knowledge on how to cope with it in the classroom. The difference in knowledge causes many problems in the teacher's methods used in the classroom. Prensky mentions that there the teachers and students speak a different "language" because of the difference in skills. The teachers are more adapt to taking the lesson slow and using step-by-step examples. While on the other hand, the students are used to fast pace instruction as a result of high speed technology.The teachers are not fond of the idea of changing their methods to conform to the changing society. It is a big step to take, but it is one that is necessary. Teachers are scared to learn new methods and replace what they have relied on for so long. I was the same way in the beginning of my EDU 315 class, but I am slowly realizing the benefits that technology can bring to the student's academic accomplishments. I do not want to stand in the way of the student's learning processes by being afraid to incorporate new technology into the classroom. Prensky does an excellent job in displaying the gap between teachers and students, and what needs to happen in the classroom to lessen that gap. 
     I have finally begun to really feel comfortable with Blogger and the some other websites. Technology can be pretty scary at first, but once I began to familiarize myself with the tools, I felt more at ease. The websites that I have just begun to play with are the Storybird and Little Bird Tales. I think that these two websites are a great way to let the students open up their imagination. The Storybird website I liked the best because I could look at the pictures and make them mean whatever I wanted. The Little Bird Tales has an interesting feature of the option to add narration. I think that this feature would help the students with their reading skills in the classroom. Some students may get nervous talking out loud in class, but with this website they could present their story to the class without feeling anxiety. Students are also able to work on their writing skills with both websites. I think that by implementing these kinds of websites into the classroom, the students can improve their reading and writing skills in a new and interesting way.

About ME

• My First name
 Casondra

• Four adjectives that describe me
Caring, determined, organized, conservative

• My Siblings
I have one sister, Chelsea, who is 2 years younger than me

• Lover of
Cats, food, thrift stores

• Who feels
stressed (to the max!), thankful for my wonderful friends and family, intimidated about the semester ahead of me

• Who fears
being alone, driving in the snow, being in debt after college

• I would like to see
Eiffel Tower in Paris, Italy (again!), end of a rainbow

• Resident of
State Route 38, Moravia, New York

• My profession
Recreation Day Camp

• My last name
Hagin

First Post!!!

I have never used Blogger before, so I am pretty nervous about this project. I know that it will be helpful in my teaching career, but I am still worried I will not do it right. There are so many different displays and choices. I hope that I learn how to use all the different parts so I do well. I hope my followers will bear with me while I still adjust to this new website. I hope that soon I will learn how to run it, and make it FANTASTIC! .... enjoy! =]