I just have to share this picture. This was taken on a day I brought my little man to campus with me. We were in the emergency room very late the night before and apparently he needed just a bit more sleep.
Friday, March 25, 2011
What Life is Like When Your Mom is a Full-Time University Student
I just have to share this picture. This was taken on a day I brought my little man to campus with me. We were in the emergency room very late the night before and apparently he needed just a bit more sleep.
It's Okay to Celebrate
As we get closer to graduating the overwhelming sense of uncertainty of employment seems to be taking over the feeling and energy on campus. I for one seem to be getting swept up in this very negative thinking. I am finding it very hard not to, especially with all the media coverage of budget shortages and potential layoffs.
When speaking to my mom earlier this week she said something that challenged me to think in a different way. This should be a time of celebration. I have worked very hard for this and I should be embracing the joy and sense of accomplishment. Yes the employment situation is not what I would like it to be, but I can't change that. what I can change is what I chose to give my attention to..... and right now I want to CELEBRATE!
When speaking to my mom earlier this week she said something that challenged me to think in a different way. This should be a time of celebration. I have worked very hard for this and I should be embracing the joy and sense of accomplishment. Yes the employment situation is not what I would like it to be, but I can't change that. what I can change is what I chose to give my attention to..... and right now I want to CELEBRATE!
March 25 Class Reflection
Another great class full of new ideas and stimulating conversation!
This question was asked today after a presentation on using the SMART Board for math,
"How is this technology changing the way we teach?"
This question was something that generated a lot of conversation, and this conversation certainly could have taken our entire class time.
....and since this is my space I want to say what I think.
It is regularly mentioned in class and in the reading I am doing for my inquiry project that we ask this type of question, and I absolutely agree with that. However that being said I don't think we need to be overly critical of our practices if we are using technology just for the purpose of simplifying a task or lesson. For example ,as it was mentioned with the SMART Board lessons today, the infinite cloning feature would be easier than fussing with drawing the shapes and takes significantly less time.
I don't think we need to be too hard on our-self when we use technology to this extent, especially as beginning teachers. I am not at all saying that we only should be using technology like this. Of course we should be working to use technology is a more meaningful, just like anything else we do in the classroom.
Being new to "this side" of education I wonder if all new innovations were net with such resistance. Perhaps it is just the ones that challenge and disrupt our ways of thinking.
This question was asked today after a presentation on using the SMART Board for math,
"How is this technology changing the way we teach?"
This question was something that generated a lot of conversation, and this conversation certainly could have taken our entire class time.
....and since this is my space I want to say what I think.
It is regularly mentioned in class and in the reading I am doing for my inquiry project that we ask this type of question, and I absolutely agree with that. However that being said I don't think we need to be overly critical of our practices if we are using technology just for the purpose of simplifying a task or lesson. For example ,as it was mentioned with the SMART Board lessons today, the infinite cloning feature would be easier than fussing with drawing the shapes and takes significantly less time.
I don't think we need to be too hard on our-self when we use technology to this extent, especially as beginning teachers. I am not at all saying that we only should be using technology like this. Of course we should be working to use technology is a more meaningful, just like anything else we do in the classroom.
Being new to "this side" of education I wonder if all new innovations were net with such resistance. Perhaps it is just the ones that challenge and disrupt our ways of thinking.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Student Showcases
Extranormal- Only limited by your imagination
• Limited use is Free. Educators can get free access to more features.
• Children should be closely supervised because students can view other videos and topics may be inappropriate.
• Will not get the audio of it words are spelt wrong.
Other programs
• Goanimate
• Animoto
Garage Band
The first thing I think about when I think about Garage Band is the potential for a school that has the program but no traditional instruments.
I am glad Tim asked if we felt empowered, because I did. I think perhaps it’s because I consider myself a “digital resident” I would feel more confident about becoming familiar with this program opposed to what we would consider a traditional instrument.
Podcasting
Vimeo- Alternative to YouTube
PodBean- Podcast publishing site
PodOmantic- Podcast publishing site
I have been listening to podcast for awhile now, but I didn’t really think about making my own.
I think there is great potential to for podcast is schools.
*Digital Resident- I first heard this phrase from Alec Couros who was a keynote speaker at WestCAST (Brandon). This is a phased used as an alternative to Digital natives and digital immigrants.
• Limited use is Free. Educators can get free access to more features.
• Children should be closely supervised because students can view other videos and topics may be inappropriate.
• Will not get the audio of it words are spelt wrong.
Other programs
• Goanimate
• Animoto
Garage Band
The first thing I think about when I think about Garage Band is the potential for a school that has the program but no traditional instruments.
I am glad Tim asked if we felt empowered, because I did. I think perhaps it’s because I consider myself a “digital resident” I would feel more confident about becoming familiar with this program opposed to what we would consider a traditional instrument.
Podcasting
Vimeo- Alternative to YouTube
PodBean- Podcast publishing site
PodOmantic- Podcast publishing site
I have been listening to podcast for awhile now, but I didn’t really think about making my own.
I think there is great potential to for podcast is schools.
*Digital Resident- I first heard this phrase from Alec Couros who was a keynote speaker at WestCAST (Brandon). This is a phased used as an alternative to Digital natives and digital immigrants.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Calgary Catholic Presentation
It was a great way to spend a Friday morning. It was one of those classes that just flew by. It was a morning of great ideas, questions, and discussions.
*The first big idea was perhaps what being on task looks like has changed. Coincidently this was something I was thinking about last night as I sat in an ESA meeting and a few of our members used their phones to follow along with a document we were discussing. My first instinct was to think they were being rude by using their phone in the middle of the meeting. I quickly realized what they were doing. I really like the way Erin commentated on this on twitter “Redefining "on task" requires us to challenge social norms some may see typing/tweeting/blogging in a presentation as inconsiderate.”
I have to say I felt self-conscious when I was on Twitter during the presentation even though it was encouraged. When I was at WestCAST they keynote speaker also encouraged us to use Twitter during the presentation and I have to my friends and I that were following the conversation on Twitter with our laptops and cellphones received some dirty looks.
As a follow up note to myself I need to spend some time examining the links on the class website. As part of the group task I was looking at the instruction links and heard some great feedback from my group members looking at the other links.
*Another idea that has stuck with me throughout the day was the quote “The way people learn is as unique as their finger print.”
I have some beginning experience working with UDL and I am very excited about the three classes we will have in our Inclusive Practices class when we will have a more detail presentation.
*A worry I am left with after the presentation is about the legal issue with using videos in class. We are encouraged to use images, videos, and audio clips to meet the diverse learning needs of our students; however, I am concerned about breaking copyright laws. I know there isn’t an easy answer and I know teachers are breaking these laws every day in every school but this is another thing that I will worry about as a beginning teacher.
Thank you to the Calgary Catholic team!
*The first big idea was perhaps what being on task looks like has changed. Coincidently this was something I was thinking about last night as I sat in an ESA meeting and a few of our members used their phones to follow along with a document we were discussing. My first instinct was to think they were being rude by using their phone in the middle of the meeting. I quickly realized what they were doing. I really like the way Erin commentated on this on twitter “Redefining "on task" requires us to challenge social norms some may see typing/tweeting/blogging in a presentation as inconsiderate.”
I have to say I felt self-conscious when I was on Twitter during the presentation even though it was encouraged. When I was at WestCAST they keynote speaker also encouraged us to use Twitter during the presentation and I have to my friends and I that were following the conversation on Twitter with our laptops and cellphones received some dirty looks.
As a follow up note to myself I need to spend some time examining the links on the class website. As part of the group task I was looking at the instruction links and heard some great feedback from my group members looking at the other links.
*Another idea that has stuck with me throughout the day was the quote “The way people learn is as unique as their finger print.”
I have some beginning experience working with UDL and I am very excited about the three classes we will have in our Inclusive Practices class when we will have a more detail presentation.
*A worry I am left with after the presentation is about the legal issue with using videos in class. We are encouraged to use images, videos, and audio clips to meet the diverse learning needs of our students; however, I am concerned about breaking copyright laws. I know there isn’t an easy answer and I know teachers are breaking these laws every day in every school but this is another thing that I will worry about as a beginning teacher.
Thank you to the Calgary Catholic team!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)