Blogging and My Career

How does what you learned this week relate to your career plans?

Last week we had to create a blog. I was not very enthusiastic about it. I am not even on face book. I don't really know what twitter is and I didn't know what a blog was until I started this class. Since I have been utilizing my blog I have come to the conclusion that it can be a great resource for me to use in the classroom. I am still learning how to manipulate my blog and I am excited when I have time to play with it to see what all I can do. This is why I chose Blogging as my group project. I know a little about it and I want to learn more and become more familiar with it.

I think that it is a great idea for a classroom teacher to have a class blog. When I get my own classroom that is what I intend to do. A lot of teachers take the time to prepare a newsletter to send home to the parents. Why not have your blog as your newsletter. Parents can access it to see what their children are learning and they can post any questions that they may have. This would be a good place to post homework assignments and any reminders that need to be made. On my blog I would have websites that the children could go on in order to strengthen the skills that we are focusing on for the week. I would even post websites and/or post videos to help the parents. Things like tips on how to encourage your children to do well in school, and why it is important for your child to get a good night’s rest. I also think that it would be great to post photographs and video of events in the classroom so that parents who do not have the luxury to come to class in person can still be included in the experience.

Parent teacher relationship is important in order to help each student succeed and I believe that through blogging it would help to bridge the gap.

Group Collaboration and Problem-solving

Creating a blog is still very new to me, so I am still kind of slow at it. I do enjoy reading about people and a little bit about them personally. I noticed some people did not post their personal information, I can understand that. I am a private person and I was a little apprehensive at first but I am glad I did. It made me feel like I could really relate to some people and it made me feel more at ease with this class. Ever since I have been taking online classes we have had to participate in DB. A blog is much more personal and it creates a better learning environment. Not only can I read what other people have posted I can read what the instructor has posted in response and it is often helpful to me. I was also glad to read that I was not the only one who was not real familiar with technology. I was also glad to read that there were some who were pretty good at it, those will be the people who I can maybe ask when I am stuck. I guess reading the other peoples posts is good because I enjoy it but bad because I want to read them and keep up with all of them but it is so time consuming. I wonder if there is a way to do a sort of blog that is like a live chat? That would be interesting.

Blog 2

   I would say that I am one who believes in student-centered teaching.  It seems that teachers of the past have been teacher-centered teaching. This gives you the knowledge of who knows the information and who does not.  I prefer to have the learning centered on the students through discussion and interacting in different activities the children actually learn and experience different thoughts that may have never crossed their mind before. Often times the help of a peer is more effective and more welcomed by the other student.

   In teaching we all have guidelines and certain material that has to be taught.  I want to teach the material that needs to be taught but I do not want to be afraid to try new things and add my own spin on it. I hope to make the learning experience fun, engaging and memorable. Technology is a great way to do this especially since so many of our children are familiar with it and it is what keeps them occupied in their free time, computers, games and electronic toys.

   I do know one thing without a doubt that in order to have a well-balanced classroom you must first create a community learning environment.  I used to always think that it was classroom management but it is so much more.  In order to create this type of environment I will make sure the children know exactly what is expected of them as far as their assignments go and their behavior as well. I will get to know my students and let them get to know me on a personal level which can be done through fun games.  I will always encourage my students to go beyond what they have to do. High expectations are something that will create responsible and confident young children.  The children will know that I truly care about them and that we are a family in the classroom. We are all here to help each other to learn, to succeed and to grow. Creating this type of environment will take time but once we have accomplished that the rest will be much easier and the results will be so much more rewarding for me as well as the students.  After all if we are not in the teaching profession to make a positive influence and make a difference in children’s lives than what are we doing? 

Tutorial Questions

   Learner-Centered learning environment first takes in consideration each students background knowledge, their interests, and their social and cultural values.  This way the teacher can have a better understanding why the learner may answer in a certain way and the teacher may have the knowledge to direct them in the right way.  We lean new material and base it on what we already know.  In working with children at the age of 5-7 you must try to think how they would when teaching and giving instruction.
   Once when I was in the classroom the children were to draw a picture of the Mayflower. When one boy brought his completed picture to the teacher she asked him to put water under his boat. I watched as the boy proceeded to the sink to " put water under the boat." We stopped him and explained what we meant and he then understood. Through experience you realize how to better explain exactly what you expect so that there is less confusion.

   Learner-Centered Activity
At the beginning of the year a fun way to get to know your children is through an activity that not only gives you knowledge about them as a person it also shows listening skills and reviews shapes and colors. Give each child a piece of white paper, crayons and a pencil. Instruct the students that they will use their listening skills to create a pumpkin, starting with their orange crayon. (The rest will be drawn with a pencil until the end when they color)
1. If you have
One sibling draw a round pumpkin
No sibling draw a pumpkin with two bumps
More than one sibling draw a pumpkin with three bumps
(you may need to demonstrate the first one)

2. If you went
to this school last year draw triangle eyes
to a different school in Nc draw square eyes
to a different school out of state draw circle eyes

3. If you have
One pet draw a square nose
No pet draw a triangle nose
More than one pet draw a circle nose

4. If you share a bedroom draw a smile mouth
If you have your own bedroom draw a zig zag mouth

5. If you like spending time
Doing art color your eyes black
Playing sports color your eyes blue
Watching TV color your eyes green

6. Favorite desert
Cookie color your nose yellow
Cake color your nose orange
Ice cream color your nose red

7. If you liked this activity color your mouth purple
If it was just ok color your mouth white
It would be nice to already have made yours that way when everyone has completed you can all share.

   The elements knowledge-centered instruction child first start out with a well thought out lesson of what will be taught. How will it be taught and how will it be put together.  Through knowledge-centered instruction the goal is to not "teach to the test" and just have students to memorize but to help them to have an understanding of what has been taught.  In a way that they can take that knowledge and apply it in different ways.Keeping the children in engaging activities will help them to develop a more in depth understanding.  In  this type learning the skills and activities need to be meaning full and to be connected in a way that is beneficial to the student.

  Two types of assessment in assessment -centered instruction are Formative and Summative assessment.  Bother are important and they work together to create a better learning environment. A Formative assessment encourages reflection and growth with in the student as well as the teacher.  Through  these type assessments students learn over time problem solving skills.  It also benefits the instructor by showing ways they can improve their teaching.  A summative assessment is finding out what the student has learned, usually through standardized testing.

   Community centerdness is mopritant to student learning, it is the key to creating a great classroom environment.  There are high expectations that are clear form the beginning.  The students have an understanding that they are valued not only by their instructor but also by their peers.  Through community-centered learning students are not afraid to ask questions and the floor is always open to constructive discussion.

   In doing our writing assignment about winter with first graders, we first make a circle map on the SMART Board discussing what we already know about winter.  Then we read a story about winter.  After the story we then talk about what was the same and what was the new information, adding this to our circle map.  Finally I demonstrate how to complete the writing assignment. I remind the children that they may use their dictionary or the word wall to help them spell. I also tell them to get out their sentence mechanics picture so they can fefer back to it when writing there sentences.  This is a community-centered activity because we all share information, I demonstrate exactly what needs to be done and remind them of helpful tools that they may use.  I also will encourage them to write like almost 2nd graders, letting them know that I have high standards for their writing assignment.

   When i am in the classroom with the students I make sure they are clear on what they are to do.  I make it a point to encourage them to go above and beyond what they have to do. The students are still working on becoming self-evaluative. I am guilty of not always taking the time that it requires in order to create children who are self learners.  In the long run the more time that I take up front in focusing on community and knowledge learning the better results we will have in the end.  it may take us longer to get to that point but we will finish off with a bang.

Goals

My goals for this class are to at least become computer literate. I think that technology is important in order to be a successful teacher. In the school I work at every classroom has a smart board and it is amazing. It is also sad that many teachers do not use them or know how. I do not know how to blog, make a power point, utilize a spreadsheet. I basically know how to use e-mail and how to search the Internet. Power points will be helpful to know how to make for the classroom. Also spreadsheets even for personal use would be nice. I guess it is about time I catch up with the rest of the world. I am looking forward to learning new things and I hope that I do not get lost on the way.