Assignment #5

PowerPoint can be used as a powerful tool in any classroom setting as long as the teacher is aware of the possibilities and limitations of the program. It can be used to address many of the multiple Intelligences, such as the visual learner, and the audio learner. When using powerpoint it is important to remember that it is an outline for your lesson not a replacement for a teacher. It can be used for an agenda for the day or as main ideas in a lesson. It can help students with note taking and staying focused. Powerpoint is also an organization tool in which you can save lesson plans for future review.

Bloom’s taxonomy is a great way for teachers to make sure their test questions are encouraging the children to access all the levels of understanding with any subject or project. In the reading is stated that many tests only hit upon the lowest point of understanding. Bloom called this Knowledge, the ability to recall information that has most likely been memorized. His areas of understanding goes from Knowledge, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and finally to Evaluation. I would have to agree that when students truly understand information they should be at the evaluation level and be able to debate the issue or idea. This is the level I aim to teach at. I want my students to comprehend and implement the information into their own lives.

Assignment #4

Teaching students how to gather data and be able to understand and use that data are difficult tasks. As a person who is inclined to search for the connections between these two I find it hard to instill this type of curiosity in children who do not already possess a natural instinct to do so. The nature trips out to the creeks are a great way to show these children the environment that surrounds them. Being able to use computers to organize their finding on these trips is a wonderful tool. Data is empty without organization and computers help us compare and learn from our findings. The type of mapping outline this author uses to help the children with their data is a tool that will help them not only in science but in all areas of their life. Teaching cause and effect is a major goal for teachers especially for the 6th grade age group. I am a visual learner and using mapping would help me to visualize the information and make the necessary connections to understand the experiment.

Assignments Blog #3

Oh, the Changes we’ve seen (Page 2)I can relate to how much has changed since 1976 because that is when I was born. I am a bit older than the average student nowadays and I do not have the same technology background as younger students. For one thing I did not have the use of the internet for writing papers in high school. Most of my papers were handwritten until I returned to school three years ago. (Page 3-4) I also can identify with this article that technology has its place in education but I don’t feel that it can replace group learning and one-on –one contact between teacher and student. I also can relate to using computers as a learning tool for areas that students are having a particular hard time with, because I am one of those students. I have learning disabilities and for me the computer has given me confidence I lacked as a youngster. Spelling has always been my weak point and with spell check and numerous spelling activities on the computer I have been able to write as I think. Before I would have to use only the words knew how to spell to express myself but not I feel free to use any word that comes to mind, I know the computer will make any corrections easier for me than in the past. (P 6-7) I really like all the interactive programs there are out there. I think using the real life scenarios is a wonderful tool. If students can see the outcome of their choices they are more likely to plan out (problem solve) each action. On Line Supplement. (P 7) Understanding that people need to become life long learners is a motto that I follow and hope to instill in the children in my classroom. Having technology become apart of this is important because learning throughout life , school into occupation, is a necessary component to instill in each individual. If we stop learning we stop growing, and with out grown the future would become very bleak. Also the idea of the two year classroom is very interesting. Many beneficial components occur when a student is able to transform into a mentor. Personal growth and self esteem are just two of the areas that would be positively affected. (P 9) I am interested to learn more about the ITC. I guess this reconfirms the idea behind this article. I am able to get information from the computer but now I look forward to going into class to discuss this article with my class. Information plus a classroom equal a well balanced education.
I have learned how to make a newsletter and that it is not as confusing as it originally sounded. I also learned how to use Rubistar and how much this tool will be beneficial to me as a teacher. (I know that I will need all the help I can get, especially in those first crucial years)

Assignments › Blog #2

I have been able to view and explore many new teaching tools this week. One of which was a website called Blackflip which I can see immediately how valuable it can be to me as a future teacher. Instead of letting the children “surf” the web I can have an approved list of sites that are relevant to the task at hand and therefore keep the children on track. In the reading assignment “Teaching Understanding” I was able to see many benefits that technology can bring to the learning experience. I can see how being able to look up reading material for different reading levels will directly effect and benefit a Special Education classroom. With having many different grades and levels of learning in the same classroom these tools will make is easier for me to fulfill all the different levels at the same time. The information about Netiquette I found especially interesting. I have used the internet in a work environment in the past so a lot of the information was not new to me but I have had many other people I come in contact with unaware of some of these rules. I did not know that chain mail was illegal (annoying yes but not illegal). Sometimes people forget how important Netiquette can be I will use the guidelines in all future email responses in school and in work situations. All in all this week I have learned a bit more about all the tools I will have access to in my future career as a teacher and some information that will also help me in my academic career.