Blog Post #6

Q & A With Anthony Capps

Image Source: Evergreen

I found all seven video-interviews with Anthony Capps to be very interesting and highly informational. The first two videos, Project Based Learning Part 1: Experiences of a Third Grade Teacher and Project Based Learning Part 2: Experiences of a Third Grade Teacher both provided information regarding using PBL in the classroom. Capps provided information on not only how he uses project based learning, but also on how teachers could improve their own PBL experiences. I agree with his point on "make it enjoyable," as I always find PBL to be just as useful as lecture and exam if the students do not find enjoyment. In the second two videos, iCurio and Discovery Education, Capps discusses two very useful search engines popular among students and educators. Both iCurio and Discovery Education give students and teacher the opportunity to search the World Wide Web with ease and security. A plus side to iCurio is that it not only searches text, but video and audio clips as well! In the fifth video, The Anthony - Strange list of Tips for Teachers Part 1, Capps provides useful "first year" advice for new teachers. I found this list to be incredibly helpful, and I hope to portray some of these characteristics  when I enter into the teaching field. One of the tips that I found to be the most useful was "Never stop learning." I feel as though some people, upon becoming a teacher, assume that they learned everything they needed to know in college; however, I have been told by many current teachers that is untrue. As the world and ways of teaching evolve, you as the teacher don't need to adapt in your set ways, but open your mind to the new methods. In the sixth video, Don't Teach Tech-Use it, Capps informs the audience that his third grade classs has the ability to efficiently use iMovie on their own. The surprising side? They taught themselves! Capps believes, according to his video, that you cannot simply teach technology, but you can incorporate in and engage the students in hands on learning. In the final video, General Thought About Lessons, Anthony explains the importance of creating a lesson, in that we must take an overall look at the grade's objective, not just at the little pieces. Planning should be consistent for an entire lesson week and not vary drastically day to day. I never thought of it this way, and I am glad that has been brought to my attention.

Project #7

My sentence

My Passion

C4K #2

Guitar image from Max's blog

In Max's introduction post from Mr. Boylen's 7th grade Literature class, he describes his various hobbies and favorites. He introduces his friends and family. Max and I share various characteristics such as the love for reading and the liking for the color sea foam green. In my comment I reintroduced myself to Max and told him about our similarities. I also informed him about my hobbies and favorites, including my other favorite color. Max writes very well and shows an enjoyment for blogging through his detailed posts. Above is an image from Max's post. He chose this image because of his love for playing the guitar.

Blog Post #5

Personal Learning Networks

What are Personal Learning Networks (PLN)?

A PLN is basically your own virtual basket of connections. It is an easy way to access tools, information, and assistance from other people across the World Wide Web. Your PLN can be as simple as one Twitter page, or as complex as multiple social media sites. This is a great way to connect with various people of various backgrounds and degree levels. 

How can they help you as a teacher?

One of the main duties as a teacher is to collaborate and research with fellow teachers. Just as each student is different, each teacher is different and provides a different method of teaching. Using the resource of a PLN can help you to locate new teaching methods, resources, and studies. PLN can lead you to new information, new studies, and new collaborators. PLN also give way for you as a teacher to receive assistance from peers. 

How are they formed?

There are many ways to form a PLN. The easiest way is to create a social media page or site such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. I personally began with LinkedIn years ago. The plus side to using LinkedIn, as well as Twitter, is that they will provide suggestions for "people to follow" based on your personal information and posts. This is a quick and easy way to expand multiple connections in a short amount of time. 

How can you create your own PLN?

I have already begun my PLN through the creation of  Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. I will, however, research other social media to create. I also plan on creating a Symbaloo account to keep track of my various accounts and tools. 

Symbaloo Screenshot

Who will be the first additions to you PLN?

Luckily, I began early with my PLN. My first few additions included Edutopia, various teachers from my local school district, and the University of South Alabama College of Education. My PLN has expanded, especially recently, as I have now added each of my professors, and their followers as well. 

C4T Summary 1

Middle School Matrix is a phenomenal blog written by Hadley Ferguson. In her blog, Ferguson provides various resources and lessons for fellow teachers to use in their own classroom.

C4T #1 Comment 1
Ferguson's most recent post is regarding "Student Superpowers." In this post, she gives a great first-week activity that helps her get to know the students, and also gives the students the opportunity to anonymously share information. For this assignment Ferguson told her class to write down one superpower they wish they had to help them with school, and post it to the bulletin board. The reviews brought forth by the students were great, and she described it as a personal learning opportunity as well. In my first comment I introduced myself and reviewed the idea of Student Superpowers. Of course, I LOVED it! I mentioned that I plan on using this idea in my future classroom.

C4T #1 Comment 2
In Mrs. Ferguson's second post she describes a part of her "Identity Project" where she gives her students four minutes of alone time. During this time students were asked to find a space in the room away from everyone where they could sit quietly for 4 minutes. She said that the end result was great as the students never realized how much you could think of in four minutes. In my response to this post, I told Mrs. Ferguson how I admired her projects. I also incorporated some of my own knowledge by mentioning my observation of students who have the opportunity to work creatively with personal reflection. When students are allowed to use their creativity, you tend to achieve more involvement.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Mrs. Ferguson's posts, and I intend on continuing my reading.

Project #15

Educational Search Engines

Educational search engines come in great hand when working on projects, or any activity that may require credible sources. Here are eight useful search engines for a variety of educational activities. 

1. WolframAlpha.com

Wolfram Alpha is a great all-around search engine. Bright colors and a simple interface make the site user friendly; while features such as the problem generator assist with homework in subjects such as mathematics. 

2. iSeek.com

iSeek provides users with easy-to-access peer-edited content. While the site appears slightly outdated, the information is easy to find and reliable. 

3. WorldCat.org

World Cat is not as user-friendly as Wolfram Alpha, however, does provide with a large selection of books from various virtual libraries. World Cat users have access to ebooks, audiobooks, books, DVDs, and CDs with a simple keyword entry. 

4. Jurn.org

Jurn has an incredibly user-friendly interface powered by Google Custom Search. The website is welcoming and provides users to custom access in Arts, Humanities, Business, Ecology, Science, and Biomedical subjects. Materials found include peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and theses. 

5. MathGuide.com

While not very user-friendly, Math Guide gives teachers and students resources to the multiple categories of mathematics. This includes lessons, test prep, and calculators. 

6. HistoryBuff.com

History Buff gives students and teachers access to lessons and resources for every age of history; in addition to state facts for each of the 50 United States. This site is credible and fairly easy to use. 

7. RefSeek.com

RefSeek is similar to sites #1 and #2, as it is also a peer-review search site. The site is very easy to use and has a clean appearance. An additional feature of RefSeek is the option to click on a "suggested item" to learn about. This regenerates each time the page is refreshed, so there is always the opportunity to learn about a new topic. 

8. ScienceResearch.com

Science research is a great site for finding any information that falls into the broad field of science. The site is clean and simple, giving it an easy to read appearance. 

Blog Post #4

Asking Questions: What questions do we ask? How do we ask?

I. Why do we ask questions? Answered by Ben Johnson on Edutopia

       a. To spark interest

       b. To solve any misunderstanding

       c. To check student progress on the topic

II. How do we ask questions?

       a. Three steps outlined by Maryellen Weimer, PhD in Faculty Focus

       b. Open ended and engaging

III. Check out these videos for additional information on asking questions in the classroom:

                  Open Ended Questions

                  Asking Better Questions

                  Questioning Styles and Strategies

      

 Asking questions is a proven part of effective teaching; however, not all questions contribute to this effectiveness. Often teachers are found asking students questions that confuse the students or, even worse, close out the opportunity for further explanation. It is important to provide the students with a question that can be answered in a manner that will spark additional interest, in addition to, settling any confusion regarding the lesson. 

Checking understanding is one of the main reason teachers must ask questions, as this "benefits the teacher more than the student," (The Right Way to Ask Questions in the Classroom). In addition to checking for understanding, questions also spark interest and solve any unspoken questions for other students. According to Ben Johnson, a commonly asked question is "Does everybody understand?" While this may seem like a harmless question, we are only providing our students with a yes or no response option, if they even choose to respond. 

How we ask our questions and what questions we ask alter the outcome of what the student may gain from the lesson being taught. Maryellen Weimer, PhD provides us with three ways to improve our questioning strategies. Step one is to prepare your questions ahead of time. Preparation not only keeps you on track, but also keeps you from missing a vital point in the lesson. Secondly, it is important to "play with" questions. Don't just simply ask questions, provide an entertaining and educational way of getting students involved. This can be as simple as placing the questions on a poster or PowerPoint to attract the students visually and intellectually. Lastly, Weimer advises us to preserve our good questions. When a good question is asked, it engages the students and may even provide the students with an additional lesson. It is important to save these questions, as they can be revised and added to for future classes. 

Questions asked in the classroom should not be yes or no, but open-ended. Open ended questions give the opportunity for discussion, and possibly a different perspective for students whom were unable to grasp the concept originally. Open ended questions also give the teacher the ability to check the progress of her class, and possibly learn something as well. 

Teachers in the classroom are not only there to educate, but to be educated; and the best way for this to happen is through questions. Not just any questions, but effective questions. To find more information on how to ask questions, check out these educational blogs: 

Asking Questions to Improve Learning

Teaching Students to Ask Their Own Questions

Blog Post #3

Peer Editing

I. What is Peer Editing?

           •Reviewing work by your peers and providing constructive criticism in a positive manner. 

II. Peer Editing with Perfection Tutorial

           •3 Steps

                1. Compliments

                2. Suggestions

                3. Corrections

III. Writing Peer Review, Top 10 Mistakes

           • Don't be afraid to edit, but also don't "over-edit!" Be nice!

Peer editing is reviewing work written by your peers by checking for grammar, spelling, and structural issues. Throughout each of the presentations listed above, three main concepts are consistent. The first step to peer editing is to provide compliments. Compliments can be anything from, "I really liked this paragraph!" to, "Your choice of the word ____ was a great decision!" Being positive is not only necessary in the beginning, but also throughout the criticism. 

Suggestions and corrections are the main concept of peer editing. It is especially important to remain positive during this step as not to offend your peer. Providing comments  such as "This part was great; however, adding _____ gives the sentence more flair," is helpful, but not offensive. Writing positive suggestions is more likely to encourage the student to consider the changes. When suggesting corrections directly onto the work, it is important to use proper editing marks as shown below. Proper editing marks, best made in red ink, are universal and easy to read and understand.

Peer review is essential to good writing, and being an effective editor can be of great help. A good tip to remember is, "Review others as you would have them review to you!"

Photo Source: Papershelm4.blog.de