Sunday, July 31, 2011
Week Four Wimba
Think Out Loud Blog #2
My link to my AR project is
http://web.me.com/tonnechebrown/Tonneche_Browns_Action_Research/Literature_Review.html
Any help is appreciated.
Comment to Elaine- Week 4
My respond:
Elaine keep being the spark that those youths need. Never feel that your work is not appreciate. You are a jewel. Keep pushing your work will pay out in a big way.
Comment To Kelly-Week 4
Love this concept and the last line says it all. As teachers, we must think of the classroom as a whole and not them against us. We must always put the needs of our student a priority. No matter what the ultimate goal is to prepare them for the world.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Week Four Reading
wk4-2 Discussion Board Quickies: my dream teaching/presentation environment
wk4-1 Discussion Board Quickies: my dream teaching/presentation environment
Sunday, July 24, 2011
wk3-3 Discussion Deeper: Video Use in Education
Excel 2010 Tutorial: Creating a Basic Worksheet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtTTTy_Nu6s&feature=related
Love using these to help introduce a unit for my classes.
Flocabulary Hip Hop In The Classroom
http://www.flocabulary.com/
Great for cross curriculum teaching.
Technology Teacher
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-technology-teacher/id271883259
Never used this site before but plan to use it to help support technology use in my classroom.
Microsoft FrontPage tutorial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap_O1mG_hM4&feature=related
Love using this to introduce my students to Frontpage.
Think Outloud No. 1
Friday, July 22, 2011
Week Three Wimba
I know that whatever is next is up to me. My struggle will not over shadow my success.
Comment to Traci -Week 3
My respond:
I agree with you 100% the lack of buy-in and full participation can kill any program.
Comment to Elaine _ Week 3
My most popular saying at work was that, “Sometimes the Motivator Needs Motivating.” The passage taken from the online article sums up that resistance too change has to do with a scope of many variables. It would be truly difficult to really and respectfully answer the above question. The answer will be different for each educator as it will for each company. Finding a way to motivate those who are resistant is key too resolving the issue.
My respond:
I agree that resistant is due to many variables and every teacher's story is different. Love the article.
Wk3-2 Discussion Board Quickies: Difficulties starting new programs/breaking the norm
Topic #2: Why do you think educators are so resistant to change, especially when it comes to technology? How do other institutions, such as business, deal with technological change?
Change is hard in any aspect. Fear of the unknown, failure and sometimes fear of success holds us back. The use of technology today by our students makes many teachers fear that the students know more about technology than they do.
Comfort is another reason teachers resist change. Teachers have become so comfortable with the way they have been doing things that they don't want to change.
Wk3-1 Discussion Board Quickies: Difficulties starting new programs/breaking the norm
Topic #1: Briefly share any experiences you’ve had when you’ve had a part in introducing a new program or a new way to do things at your job site. Please share any triumphs or frustrations you’ve had trying to improve the system or when you’ve pioneered or piloted some outside the norm.
I was lead teacher for our school Enhancing Education Through Technology (E2T2) Grant. The grant was put in place to provide new technology equipment and training for our core subjects’ teachers (English, Math, Science and History) in grades 9-12. Getting the equipment was fun but implementing the use of it was a struggle. The veteran teachers were use to their way of teaching and were not up for something new. We hire a tech facilitator to help ease some of the discomfort. We had extensive and on-going professional development to ensure that each teacher was properly trained. Eventually all the teachers ready a certain level of comfort and begin incorporate technology into their daily routine.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Week Three Reading
It is important to acknowledge all parts involve in a piece. The more you show appreciation for the whole group the more successful your project will be. If you tend to make every part count and special, you will get the most out of your group.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Week Two Wimba
What moves me most about Chapter 1 is the following:
I so remember the 9-dot puzzle. It took me a moment to remember that the answer was not just going around the perimeter of the dots. It also made me think of a discussion I had with a fellow teacher not to long ago. She had never played the game dots. When you just place dots all over the paper and who ever can make the most boxes wins. I was so tickled that I could teacher her that game.
I like the way to “practice” the it’s “all invented”. I never thought about my thinking process in this way before.
What assumption am I making?
That I haven’t yet invented.
That would give me other choices?
Then
What might I now invent?
That I haven’t yet invented,
That would give me other choices?
We have to be willing to think differently. When everyone thinks a like, then conversations are boring, nothing new can occur, and nothing exciting can ever occur. In going through the process and asking questions allows for more meaningful conversations. In this society, we are in need of problem solvers, children who can think before they act, and understand how to think for themselves.
What moves me most about Chapter 2 is the following:
The chapter discusses the universe of possibility. Having the ability to give, create new ideas, and being a contributor. It further discusses the emotions such as joy, grace, wholeness, and passion. I am not a parent, but I can relate to watching the Olympics, understanding the life of Nelson Mandela, and seeing the fall of the Berlin Wall. The universe of possibility makes me reflect on the book The Secret. It discusses how you put out energy into the universe and receive back the energy positive or negative that you put out. Nelson Mandela continued to think beyond his confinement and was mentally free to imagine a life without Apartheid and eventually became physically free.
It discusses survival-thinking and scarcity-thinking. Survival-thinking makes me think of all the people who feel like they have to sell drugs, rob, steal, move back in with their parents, or staying in a broken marriage. People feel like they have to steal or sell drugs because they don’t have options in life to improve their quality of life. In the tough economy people move back home to save money and get emotional support due to the inability to find a job. Parents are staying in broken marriages to financially stay afloat or protect the emotional state of their children. Scarcity-thinking is in relation to the natural resources available in certain areas. I would also think it might now refer to the scarcity of jobs in this tough economic time.
What moves me most about Chapter 3 is the following:
The practice of giving an A and being present in the universe of possibility intrigues me.
When the author discusses giving all students an A with a stipulation as to why they deserve it, it makes me remember a time a teacher gave us all A’s. We were told it was ours to lose. That there were certain expectations and as long as we completed all activities and gave extreme effort at the end you would have an A. I think that process works well in a college and even high school class (depending on the course). I have to say it was one of the most relaxing atmospheres for learning. The course was a great experience. There were four of us that because close and challenged each other for the next years to come and took that professor for as many courses as possible. Sometimes having a great learning experience trumps the final grade. I love the letter from the Taiwanese student about being a 68 and now an A. So many people view themselves as a number. When you finally release others view of you and give yourself a fair chance, you can be successful and build your own self worth.
What moves me most about Chapter 4 is the following:
I think in today’s society there are so many families who don’t have meaningful communication at dinner or any other time of the day. So many children equate being successful with earning money and if they did a good or bad job. I think that the concept of contribution builds up the spirit. As a teacher I may not have all children in my class on grade level. However, I know that they have all shown growth academically and personally. I know that the student who was sent to the office every day of Kindergarten only spent 6 days in the office this past year. I know that my student whose father was in Japan during the tsunami was comforted when the class researched the tsunami and showed support. In life there are contributions we make in the lives of others that cannot be measured. Being able to pour into the life of another is immeasurable yet the feeling of being able to contribute is priceless.
My Respond:
Melissa, I like how you took the reading and analyzed it chapter by chapter. Seeing how others viewed the reading brought a totally different outlook for me. Thanks for sharing and giving me perspective.
wk2-3 Discussion Deeper: Podcasts in Education
Teaching with Technology
This is a site that publishes podcast on topics such as creating a website using Google and other great educational topics.
http://powertolearn.typepad.com/teaching_with_technology/
Consumerism Commentary
This site publishes podcast on topics relating to varies finance literacy topics. It is a great to use in accounting and other business classes.
http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/pod/
The Week In Rap
The Week in Rap is a weekly summary of news headlines in the form of a short rap video.
SMARTBoard Lessons Podcast
This sight is great for those teachers who need ideas and support on the SmartBoard.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Free Topic-Thinking outside of the box:
Thinking outside the box is allowing your imagination to flow and run wild. it is the birthplace of creativity. Most of the time the fear of being different or even being wrong keeps us from thinking outside of the box. Thinking outside the box and allowing ourself to fail will in turn help us to grow. Knowing that there make be options other than the norm and exploring those options is thinking outside the box. Being confident and knowing that failure can equal to success will invent out of the box thinking.
wk2-2 Discussion Board Quickies: CD Ownership, Music Sharing or Spontaneous Listening
Topic #2: Pick one topic to respond to:
a. Do you remember the first song/artist that touched you on an emotional level, not just a catchy tune, but something that sank in under the skin?
The first song that really touch my soul would be New Edition's "Jealous Girl". I was around the 7th Grade and I had just bee dumped by my boyfriend. We were at a school dance and that song came on. He begin dancing with another girl (one of my friend none the less) and I was crushed. I never let it showed I danced all night. How tragic, but I still listen to that and remember my first heartbreak. I love the song now.
wk2-1 Discussion Board Quickies: CD Ownership, Music Sharing or Spontaneous Listening
My is a great escape for me. I love listening to music. I'm usually listening to in my car, at home, while exercising and even in my classroom.
I am a mp3 freak. Itune is the best and I do support the artist by purchasing the track I want. Itune just allow me to purchase the track I want and not the whole CD.
Comment to Traci -Week 2
It has been quite a journey to gain access to this book. After several attempts to download it, without success, I had to download an audio version in order to complete this assignment. I am not sure if this is a blessing or a curse, but I will persevere!
My Respond:
agree that the author is making the reader think and reflect on their opportunity. It also allows us to think and reflect on the opportunity we present to their students. Praising a mistake and learning from it what an awesome concept.
Hope you can download your book soon.
Reading one- The Art of Possibilities
Training the students to embrace their mistakes and learn or create from them will truly open up to an awesome learning environment. The author’s idea of actually celebrating and valuing mistakes was very impressive. In most class, students are given a bad grade for their mistakes how refreshing it would be to allow the student to embrace that mistake and learning from it.
Giving an A, what a concept? I was inspiring by the letters Ben Zander’s students wrote. This truly shows how one’s outlook on people and situations can change the outcomes and our emotions. By giving an A, you show concern, faith and respect to each students. No matter what the outcome, if they learn a lesson they should have an A attitude.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Week One Wimba
Free Topic- Fair Use
Comment to Brandi - Week One
Week One DQ1
Topic #1: Briefly share an experience about using media (visual and/or auditory) in class or during a presentation, focus your comment on any work-arounds or solutions you used when the tech wasn’t quite working or when the tech wasn’t adequate to do what you had originally planned.