Chapter Eight: Reinforcing Effort

I work with and coach students that have experienced failure on multiple levels at multiple times. They have been pulled out of class many times over the years. They often feel like failures, dislike school, and can be discipline problems. This year working with the older children, they often cringed when they saw me coming. Mainly because I was picking them up at recess time. I do not blame them -- who wants to miss recess -- the one time they can relax, play around, and talk with their friends. I know the teachers liked this time because they did not have to reteach skills later to these children. However, I often wondered how beneficial my time was when the kids were so adamant against coming to my class. (I never had this problem with the younger children, they liked being pulled out of class to go to someplace different. They even begged to go.)

I see two solutions to this problem:
One, do not pull the kids out, have the teacher work inside the classroom. This can be beneficial to the teacher; as well as, many other kids in the class. Centers could be utilized with computers, cooperative activities, and small groups working with the pull out teacher and the regular classroom teacher. This idea could be intimidating to the teachers, but also could be very valuable. Teachers could learn from each other and the kids would benefit from increased knowledge and expertise on the teachers part, students not experiencing difficulty can be challenged in other activities, and students needing tutorials could do this in a far less embarrassing way -- rather than being pulled out.

Two, I could change my means of instruction to make sure it is more intriguing and interesting -- Incorporate more technology. I will need to have my room improved with a TV and also utilize our computers on wheels. I can also utilize the rubric idea and incorporate other means of evaluating effort. This should also get the kids to evaluate their own effort put forth and the pay back (in improvement) of grades, knowledge, and self esteem. This could also be shared with parents and improve communication. I really like the rubric idea. It is very self improving.

Chapter Seven

Another interesting chapter. I love the ideas, examples, and resources listed for helping teachers implement the use of technology into the classroom. A lot of the ideas are for use in the upper grades; however, I am energized to do some implementation of my own to improve my productivity and increase my technology usage time.

First, I would like to creat a Web Page to use for my classroom. I could put a welcome and introduction about myself, testing calendar on it, a monthly schedule of skills to be taught, and possible, if possible, a link to a blog for parents to ask me questions and to communicate concerns. I could link videos on skills introduction and games that would offer reinforcement and repetition practice for skills that need to be mastered in that grade level.

I would love to be able to get our tech committee to implement a "Tech Improvement Day". This could be monthly or bi-monthly. I would love to see an hour to hour and a half at least bi-monthly offered to teachers to come and seek help in creating a web page, blog, wiki, etc. These would sure help teachers improve their own technology skills, parent communication, and school productivity.

I started a web page several years ago, but found it too dificult to continue. I had too many questions and frustrations, so I dropped it and it ended up getting deleted by the District. I know it costs money, so I am glad they did. I would like to try again.

I have a few questions:
1. Can we use some of the resources listed on Page 149?

2. Web sites cost the District, are we (District) willing to spend the money again for flunkies like me?

3. If, Mrs. Trevino agrees to the technology training idea, monthly or bi-monthly; who would I contact to get possible Tech support if needed at the district level.

I know this is just an idea and there are shortfalls, but just thoughts.

Chapter Six: Summarizing and Note Taking

I think this chapter offered many wonderful suggestions for discussions and projects in Middle and High school discussions. I can not see me using these in my classroom; however, I know I can use them in my career for committee and grade level projects.

I could have used google.docs this past year several times. Our campus committee had to evaluate our hospitality guidelines and work on our Campus Improvement Plan. All 10 committee members were supposed to evaluate the current guidelines and make changes to them. As usual, it was difficult getting all of the committee members together at the same time to work and make changes. We all took copies of the guidelines and made changes, then collaborated, then change the document, and collaborate again. This would have been much easier using google.docs or even a wiki.

We also had to work on our Campus Improvement Plan. The process was similar to the above, so I know it would have been accomplished easier if had used google.doc or a wiki. I created a Wiki this last week after watching the videos from my other technology class. I need to upload documents that we will use this coming year, add committee names, and hopefully be able to show people how we can use this to facilitate our committee meetings. I am hopeful that this will increase our productivity and decrease meeting times.

Another use for google.doc or a wiki would be in developing units of study. Our district adopted new books for English/ Language Arts. When new textbooks are adopted, teachers usually spend a lot of time developing units and pulling together useful resources to correlate to the new textbooks. A wiki could help facilitate this process: teachers could add resources (worksheets, videos, games) they each find to the same document to be shared. This could save time and effort all everyone's part, plus create one document that can be easily shared.

Week Five: Wikis

I enjoyed learning about Wikis. I have heard of them, but never explored the idea. I created a Wiki for my school committee. I am on the Hospitality Committee at Griffith. We had a lot of committee jobs to do this year -- edit the committee guidelines, assign and sign-up for various activities, and work on the campus plan. These would have been easier to accomplish on a Wiki, so I thought we could implement one this new school year. I am still figuring out the system, but will continue working on getting the MGHospitality Wiki set-up for use in 2010.

Wikis are a living document in the sense that changes can be on-going. This is one of the main ways they differ from blogs. As the example shows, different people can edit and save the same document or page. Where as in a blog people can respond to other people's comments, but can not create a document and all have the ability to make changes to it. At least that is the way I see it.

I may have questions concerning uploading files to the Wiki and/ or making templates. I really think our committee will love integrating this technology. It is so difficult for everyone to attend meetings. Using our Wiki, all members will have access to all committee documents at all times. This should accomodate the schedules of everyone and give everyone the opportunity to make comments, even when they can not make the scheduled meeting.

Chapter Five: Nonlinguistic Representation

This chapter is a reinforcement of what we should already know. Our students learn differently and it is our job to present information in different ways to insure that all of our students do learn. I always present material using concrete opportunities to learn and have used linguistic and nonlinguistic forms to instruct my students. However, I have almost never used the computer to facilitate this process.

Word processing, as shown in the book is a wonderful way to create the mental image connection to words and letters. I have seen something similar activities using Kidspiration. I know the children had fun completing the activity, but again I fell back on what was comfortable for me and went back to paper and pencil. I am not teaching K and 1st any more, but I know I will find uses in my new job.

I looked at several listed resources in this chapter. I thought the "ourtimelines" was interesting. I think the students in a history class could really enjoy this site. I looked at others that sounded interesting for resources to use in my room. I was able to find some and others were unavailable such as Padukah -- had templates that sounded interesting, but couldn't find the resources.

Other nonlinguistic representation examples listed in the book seemed more beneficial for other classrooms and older students than the ones I teach. I am again amazed at what is available to teachers and students alike to use and learn with and from. Another interesting chapter, but not as useful to me as the previous ones.

Chapter Four: Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers

I am back again. Slowly, but surely I will conquer this challenge. I am bouncing back and forth between classes. I have probably let my eyes overload my ability, but both classes sounded challenging and exciting, so I am persevering. (Spelling?).


I have had the opportunity to see United Streaming before, but have dropped the ball and not continued to use the resource. I hope to become comfortable with it this summer and plan to definitely use it this next year. My plans are to create a folder of videos to use in my math tutorials as advance organizers for my classes. I know the kids that I work with will benefit greatly from the introduction and remediation. Too many times kids are not given the mental image to tag the more abstract classwork on. I know my students will also love the opportunity to mix the videos and games into their time with me.

BrainPopJr. also looks like a wonderful resource to integrate into my classroom. I know the students will benefit from thevideos there also. Now, my next task is to get a TV into my classroom. Portables are nice, but they also have their negatives when they are out in the north forty away from the modernized school buildings.

Week Four: United Streaming, Photostory and Animoto

Woo Hoo!!!! I did it!! I made a video and embeded it on my blog. Wow! I am amazed. I hope you enjoy. It is rather rustic, but I did it. I have had fun. So many interesting things this week. I know I am archaic, but I have not truly used United Streaming much. Therefore, I am looking forward to using it. I found some neat videos to use in my tutorials for third and fourth grade math. I believe the kids will really enjoy them. They do go along with the 21st Century learner. They will be able to see real life examples of the skills that I am reinforcing and then use that knowledge in a lesson in class. Videos will be followed by concrete lessons utilizing information gained. I will definitely create a folder to put some videos in before school starts.

Just a side note. I enjoyed class today. Thank you for your help, Michelle. Also enjoyed visiting with fellow technology classmates. I appreciate so much everyone's help