My new granddaughter Gwenli and her cute mom, Paula.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Best Methods for the Use of Blogs in the Classroom
Blogging in the classroom can be a powerful and effective technology tool for students and teachers. A blog which is sometimes called a weblog is a tool allowing instant publishing of text, artwork, links to other blogs or web sites, and other content. The postings that are entered are text entries similar to a journal which include a posting date and can be commented on by classmates and the teacher. The following are some of the benefits and downsides of using a blog in the classroom.
Benefits of blogging;
• Blogs are easy to use and require minimal technical knowledge. They are easily created and maintained.
• Blogs are convenient and accessible from home or the school computer lab
• Blogs are a convenient tool for communicating with students
• Educationally, blogs are motivating to students, especially to those who might not become participants in the classroom,
• Blogs provide excellent opportunities for students to read and write
• It provides a forum for collaboration where students and teachers can work to further develop writing. Teachers can offer tips, students can receive peer feedback, and cooperative research projects are possible.
• The blog allows for the teacher to mentor and scaffold students
• A classroom blog can aid in management as it is used to inform students of class requirements, post handouts and homework assignments, and act as a question and answer box.
• The blog can be a great tool for communicating with and informing parents of procedures and obtaining permission
• A class blog opens the way for discussion of topics outside of the classroom where students who are too shy to speak out in class can share their thoughts. It allows students to be reactive and reflective.
• Blogs are a great place to organize student work into a digital portfolio.
• Knowing their work will be published, spurs students on to do their best.
• Students can share information and ideas and read what others think.
• The teacher can read what the students think about the class and content, and writers can share their writings with people outside of the class
• A blog opens up networking opportunities with teachers and students across the country or even across the world. A whole new vista for gaining knowledge and information is available.
• The blog is a forum for building enthusiasm for learning as a student learns something new and wishes to share it with everyone.
• Blogs give students ownership and authenticity over their own learning.
• Blogging helps students see their work as interconnected with other subjects and helps them to organize their learning.
• Regular blogging can foster the development of writing and research skills and teach a variety of skills
Disadvantages of Blogs:
• Rules must be clear and enforced
• Blogs take time to keep updated
• Students may blog about things unrelated to the class
• Students without a computer at home are at a disadvantage
• Be sure to follow district Acceptable Use Policies and get permission from parents
• Students must be trained on acceptable use regarding access, privacy, security, and free expression.
• Students must never be defamatory, libelous, or infringe on the rights of others
• Blogs need to be updated regularly or students will lose interest
• Be careful the blog does not get off- track from its intended course
• The teacher must monitor to make sure it is always appropriate
• You may not want others outside of the class to be able to access your blog
Tips for How to Use the Blog:
Elementary Ed
• Begin simply by posting class information and assignments and deadlines. This will get the students to regularly check the blog.
• The instructor should work on the blog at first by adding links to interesting sites about class topics. It will set the tone for the students to realize what is expected.
• Have students explore other blogs to get an idea of what their class will be doing. This will foster reading and critical thinking and they will learn much about writing posts and responding to posts.
• Create a reason for the students to write. Have them write about a current event, a writing assignment, or something that they are studying in one of their subjects
• Encourage interaction and the reading of each other’s posts.
• Be sure to address any negative issues immediately. Bullying is especially unacceptable
Secondary Ed
• First model how you want students to write or respond to someone else’s writing, and make your presence known so they will stay in check
• Create a purpose and tie it to an instructional objective.
• Set up a discussion focusing on one or two essential questions at a time with a time period and cut-off date for posts.
• Everyone should be required to participate so that the blog does not get abandoned and die and so that everyone will have a place to be heard.
References
ClassPress is a commercial blogging site where no one outside your class can view or participate without your permission. This might be worth looking into.
ClassPress.com - Classroom blogging
cmiseval@dtwd.wa.gov.au
www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47
Academic VoIP Blog for Elementary Schools
http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/blogonlineclass/index.htm
Kimberly White's EDM310 Blog
Benefits of blogging;
• Blogs are easy to use and require minimal technical knowledge. They are easily created and maintained.
• Blogs are convenient and accessible from home or the school computer lab
• Blogs are a convenient tool for communicating with students
• Educationally, blogs are motivating to students, especially to those who might not become participants in the classroom,
• Blogs provide excellent opportunities for students to read and write
• It provides a forum for collaboration where students and teachers can work to further develop writing. Teachers can offer tips, students can receive peer feedback, and cooperative research projects are possible.
• The blog allows for the teacher to mentor and scaffold students
• A classroom blog can aid in management as it is used to inform students of class requirements, post handouts and homework assignments, and act as a question and answer box.
• The blog can be a great tool for communicating with and informing parents of procedures and obtaining permission
• A class blog opens the way for discussion of topics outside of the classroom where students who are too shy to speak out in class can share their thoughts. It allows students to be reactive and reflective.
• Blogs are a great place to organize student work into a digital portfolio.
• Knowing their work will be published, spurs students on to do their best.
• Students can share information and ideas and read what others think.
• The teacher can read what the students think about the class and content, and writers can share their writings with people outside of the class
• A blog opens up networking opportunities with teachers and students across the country or even across the world. A whole new vista for gaining knowledge and information is available.
• The blog is a forum for building enthusiasm for learning as a student learns something new and wishes to share it with everyone.
• Blogs give students ownership and authenticity over their own learning.
• Blogging helps students see their work as interconnected with other subjects and helps them to organize their learning.
• Regular blogging can foster the development of writing and research skills and teach a variety of skills
Disadvantages of Blogs:
• Rules must be clear and enforced
• Blogs take time to keep updated
• Students may blog about things unrelated to the class
• Students without a computer at home are at a disadvantage
• Be sure to follow district Acceptable Use Policies and get permission from parents
• Students must be trained on acceptable use regarding access, privacy, security, and free expression.
• Students must never be defamatory, libelous, or infringe on the rights of others
• Blogs need to be updated regularly or students will lose interest
• Be careful the blog does not get off- track from its intended course
• The teacher must monitor to make sure it is always appropriate
• You may not want others outside of the class to be able to access your blog
Tips for How to Use the Blog:
Elementary Ed
• Begin simply by posting class information and assignments and deadlines. This will get the students to regularly check the blog.
• The instructor should work on the blog at first by adding links to interesting sites about class topics. It will set the tone for the students to realize what is expected.
• Have students explore other blogs to get an idea of what their class will be doing. This will foster reading and critical thinking and they will learn much about writing posts and responding to posts.
• Create a reason for the students to write. Have them write about a current event, a writing assignment, or something that they are studying in one of their subjects
• Encourage interaction and the reading of each other’s posts.
• Be sure to address any negative issues immediately. Bullying is especially unacceptable
Secondary Ed
• First model how you want students to write or respond to someone else’s writing, and make your presence known so they will stay in check
• Create a purpose and tie it to an instructional objective.
• Set up a discussion focusing on one or two essential questions at a time with a time period and cut-off date for posts.
• Everyone should be required to participate so that the blog does not get abandoned and die and so that everyone will have a place to be heard.
References
ClassPress is a commercial blogging site where no one outside your class can view or participate without your permission. This might be worth looking into.
ClassPress.com - Classroom blogging
cmiseval@dtwd.wa.gov.au
www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47
Academic VoIP Blog for Elementary Schools
http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/blogonlineclass/index.htm
Kimberly White's EDM310 Blog
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Learn Something New
Week 11 continued: 11/2/11 It is Wednesday and I arranged with my piano student Melissa to do our final filming of our piece together with me using the pedals on the organ. I tried to find a book on the organ, but only found a book that was publiched in 1957 and is very technical and not for lay people like me. I think I need "The Organ for Dummies". I will look again and hopefully I will find a better book on how to use the organ stops and how to use the pedals. In the meantime, I will continue to learn after this journal is handed in because this is a topic that I want to improve in my life. It has significance to me and that is what motivates a student to want to learn. As teachers we must strive to make learning relevant to our children's lives. This is a great responsibility and a difficult task. The fact that there are so many varied personalities with varied wants and interests is a challenge to any teacher.
Joy and I went over to the church at 4:00 and I practiced for an hour and then Melissa was able to come. We practiced for another 45 minutes and then Joy filmed us playing for another 30 minutes. It has my feet coming in nicely at the end. Much better than the practice that we did on week 6. I have improved. I have learned to put the pedals into the end of the piece. I need to keep working on learning the pedals for the rest of the song. It does not come easily to me. I am a bit uncoordinated apparently, but I can learn. Just like all students can learn, so can I. I will keep practicing to gain the automaticity that is required at the organ. It is a lot of work to learn something new. As teachers it is good for us to realize the struggle. Hopefully this assignment will make us more simpathetic to our little learners for we have a renewed personal knowledge of how difficult learning something new can be.
Thank you, Dr. Carr for this class and this assignment. I feel I gave it my best effort. I practiced two or more hours most weeks. I definitelly learned that learning something new is a challenge. We need to make our learning environment as appealing and conducive to learning as possible for this is not an easy task we ask of these children. In Chapter 3 we learned about creating a learning focused classroom. I hope to create this in my class. I hope to make coming to school worthwhile, a place that children want to come to. I will be understanding when learning something new is difficult, but I will have high expectations also and then scaffold them to be able to achieve the desired end result. THE END
Joy and I went over to the church at 4:00 and I practiced for an hour and then Melissa was able to come. We practiced for another 45 minutes and then Joy filmed us playing for another 30 minutes. It has my feet coming in nicely at the end. Much better than the practice that we did on week 6. I have improved. I have learned to put the pedals into the end of the piece. I need to keep working on learning the pedals for the rest of the song. It does not come easily to me. I am a bit uncoordinated apparently, but I can learn. Just like all students can learn, so can I. I will keep practicing to gain the automaticity that is required at the organ. It is a lot of work to learn something new. As teachers it is good for us to realize the struggle. Hopefully this assignment will make us more simpathetic to our little learners for we have a renewed personal knowledge of how difficult learning something new can be.
Thank you, Dr. Carr for this class and this assignment. I feel I gave it my best effort. I practiced two or more hours most weeks. I definitelly learned that learning something new is a challenge. We need to make our learning environment as appealing and conducive to learning as possible for this is not an easy task we ask of these children. In Chapter 3 we learned about creating a learning focused classroom. I hope to create this in my class. I hope to make coming to school worthwhile, a place that children want to come to. I will be understanding when learning something new is difficult, but I will have high expectations also and then scaffold them to be able to achieve the desired end result. THE END
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Learn Something New
Week 11 10/31/11: Well this is that last week for writing in this journal. I have diligently tried to keep up on the writing and the practicing. I have enjoyed this medium of journal keeping on the blog. Classrooms where everyone has a computer would do well to have the students keep a journal on their own blog. It could encompass their math journal, reading journal, science journal and maybe even a 'Learn Something New' journal.
I have found learning something new to be challenging and difficult. I really thought I would be able to be successful at using the organ pedals if I just practiced enough. I believe now that it will take me a year of practicing to be able to do the pedals for one piece. That is not a bad goal. I think, being the lifelong learner that I am, that I will set that goal for myself. I will choose a hymn and work to learn the pedals. I'll give myself a year but no more! Wednesday Melissa and I will play our final rendition of 'All Creatures of Our God and King'. It will hopefully be beautiful even though the use of the pedals is limited. I will practice tomorrow and hopefully be ready for our taping on Wednesday.
Thank you, Dr. Carr, for having us do this exercise. It has been eye opening to see how difficult learning something new can be. I did think that I would be successful. I didn't realize that after all of this practicing, that I would feel so very unsuccessful. But, it just means that more practice is required and patience, just as students, especially students with disabilities require more practice and patience (Eggen, 2012). (I just read that in our Chapter 9 reading today). (This is not the end, go on to November's posts).
I have found learning something new to be challenging and difficult. I really thought I would be able to be successful at using the organ pedals if I just practiced enough. I believe now that it will take me a year of practicing to be able to do the pedals for one piece. That is not a bad goal. I think, being the lifelong learner that I am, that I will set that goal for myself. I will choose a hymn and work to learn the pedals. I'll give myself a year but no more! Wednesday Melissa and I will play our final rendition of 'All Creatures of Our God and King'. It will hopefully be beautiful even though the use of the pedals is limited. I will practice tomorrow and hopefully be ready for our taping on Wednesday.
Thank you, Dr. Carr, for having us do this exercise. It has been eye opening to see how difficult learning something new can be. I did think that I would be successful. I didn't realize that after all of this practicing, that I would feel so very unsuccessful. But, it just means that more practice is required and patience, just as students, especially students with disabilities require more practice and patience (Eggen, 2012). (I just read that in our Chapter 9 reading today). (This is not the end, go on to November's posts).
Learn Something New
Week 10: 10/27/11 I practiced on the piano again for 30 min. I am sad that I can't focus on the hands and my feet at the same time. The only place that I can really do the pedals is at the end. It sounds great and the hands are not changing while I come up the scale with the pedal. Since the hands are just holding down chords, I can concentrate on moving my foot. What is discouraging is that my student Melissa last week, sat down for the second time to try the organ and she brought a piece with her that she practiced the hands and now wanted to try the feet. She was amazing. I don't know how she was able to do so well. I feel perhaps like special ed kids feel when the other students in the class understand that math problem, and they just don't see it. My feet surely do not see the pedals. I don't know how she was able to coordinate her hands and feet so well. Wow! It was shocking. I just have to accept the fact that some people can achieve more in some areas than others. Perhaps playing the foot pedals takes kinesthetic intelligence and perhaps that is what I do not have. I used to be athletic and coordinated, but my body does not let me do much in the way of athletics anymore. So, perhaps I am losing my kinesthetic intelligence and that is why I cannot coordinate my feet and hands like Melissa can. I was really beginning to wonder how anyone manages to play the pedals. Since witnessing Melissa do it so effortlessly, I realize that some people can do it quite easily.
10/28/11: It is alright that Melissa is so great on her first attempt to try the pedals. I said earlier it was her second time at the organ, because two weeks ago, after we tried our piece, she came over and played the organ just for fun. She didn't attempt the pedals then, but just played some hymns and goofed off with this new, fun, instrument. So when she came prepared to try her organ piece, I was amazed that she could play those pedals with relative ease. They were not perfect, but she was playing them and was not afraid to try. I practiced for 30 minutes again.
10/28/11: It is alright that Melissa is so great on her first attempt to try the pedals. I said earlier it was her second time at the organ, because two weeks ago, after we tried our piece, she came over and played the organ just for fun. She didn't attempt the pedals then, but just played some hymns and goofed off with this new, fun, instrument. So when she came prepared to try her organ piece, I was amazed that she could play those pedals with relative ease. They were not perfect, but she was playing them and was not afraid to try. I practiced for 30 minutes again.
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