Teaching in the Now

I was perusing the site, Slideshare.net, the other day and I came across this slideshow. I thought it was very well put together. The images that coincided with the teaching and technology quotes created a powerful message. Take a moment to watch this presentation. I don't think you'll regret it!

Education & Technology Quotes

View more presentations from Tony Vincent.

What's Best For You???

Blogs, websites, and wikis…what is so great about them, and when should I use one or the other? This question has surfaced within my head numerous times. After spending an entire semester learning about blogs, and creating my own, learning about websites, and creating my own, AND learning about wikis and creating my own, I realize that there is a time and place to use each; at least from my view point.

Blogs are a wonderful way to get personal on the web. They provide individuals with a place to share personal thoughts, opinions, and ideas. Basically, a blog is a hassle free (and money free!) way to express your personal beliefs. I’ve seen blogs be used as a forum for literature discussions. Individuals can write book reviews and other people can add their comments without detracting from the original post. Personally, I greatly enjoy being able to post my thoughts and opinions to my blog. People are free to read what I write, or they can pass right by. I have also participated in a blog that was used as a literary tool. As a class, we would post reviews of books being read and then we would have the opportunity to comment on others’ posts. I really enjoyed it!

I view websites, such as Google sites, or Weebly, as being much more “business like”; professional, if you will, in comparison to blogs.

Actually, before I continue…let me make myself clear. A blog IS a website, just a different form. Remember, a blog is short for web-log.

Anyway…a website is a great tool to be used in a professional way. I enjoy having my website as a professional portfolio. Employers can view this and be free from reading irrelevant information; such as, my feelings regarding Twitter, or my thoughts on some celebrity. I can have numerous pages on a website that contain a wide range of information; such as work experiences, sample work, resumes, etc. Schools often have websites that provide individuals with information about their standards, their curriculum and their philosophy statements. I will continue to use my website at Weebly.com as a tool for professionals to use when interested in learning more about me, in the “teaching” world.

Now, let’s talk about wikis. I consider wikis to be an interesting mix between blogs and websites (such as Weebly.com). Wikis provide members with a resource to be used in both a professional and personal way. On the surface, a wiki appears to be a simple website. There are pages with different information. There is a “home” page, a navigation page, and there are tabs to be used to help navigate the site. However, when looked at more closely, a wiki is also very similar to a blog. Why? Because a wiki allows users to collaborate with one another…individuals can edit the pages, they can post their thoughts and opinions regarding the information available and they can add any sort of media they would like. This is very similar to a blog, because on a blog, people can post their thoughts and opinions regarding your post. Wikis are a wonderful tool to be used in a classroom. I think students would be eager to use a wiki due to its capabilities for interaction and collaboration, and yet it still looks professional due to its appearance (it looks very much like a simple website).

I believe these three tools (blogs, wikis, and websites) are very similar to one another; however, they also have very distinct differences that enable them to be better suited for different tasks. It is really up to you, how you’ like to use them. As I said before…I believe a blog to be a great tool to use as a personal sound board, websites are wonderful to be used in a more professional setting, and wikis are a great tool to be used in a collaborative community. Try them out, experiment! It’s the only way to figure it out for yourself.

Flickr Image Accessed From: kid.mercury

What Are They Good For?

Wikis are excellent tools to be integrated into a classroom and into a child’s daily life. As I worked on creating my own wiki (to be, hopefully, introduced into my classroom either next semester or next year), I have really come to understand just how useful and beneficial they can be for students. In order for children to develop a significant relationship with the information they are being presented during their regular school day, it is important that they are able to intimately interact with that information. A wiki is an excellent way to do that. Through the process of collaboration and communication, students can acquire the ability to participate meaningfully in an academic environment.

Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the concept of using a wiki…maybe you’re wondering “Why would I want to use a wiki for my classroom? Well, I have a few ideas for you:

1. Wikis are a GREAT way to assess student learning.
2. Wikis are a wonderful way for you to integrate writing into ANY subject.
3. Wikis are excellent resources for students to peruse when trying to study for a test.
4. Wikis are INSTANTLY collaborative…people are editing, commenting, etc. at all times, and everyone has a say.
5. Wikis can be accessed anywhere there is an internet connection!

In a previous post, I also mentioned some key reasons why Wikis are an awesome resource for students...you may want to take a look. The post was entitled: "Wikis and Blogs and Online Journals (Oh My!)"

Wikis allow students to take control of what they are leaning and to become empowered by it. A wiki can be used as an online journal and resource for a class as they make their way through their different school subjects. I think wikis could be a resource children can use to find information on the topics they are learning. Students can post audio files, images and videos; it could be kept up to date with the most recent information; ranging from PowerPoint slides, photos, educational links, games, assignments, and articles. Students could edit the pages themselves and add anything they find relevant and informational. They can also add photographs of themselves and information about who they are and why they are interested in science. That could even be a journal post they make.

There are hundreds of ways to utilize wikis in schools. I would suggest searching for educational wikis online as a way to form ideas as to how you want to utilize one in your class. Here is a link that offers TONS of educational wikis to view and analyze. Now go forth and create your wiki!

OH! And here is a funny picture for you. Whenever I discuss wikis, I ALWAYS think of wookies and ewoks...lol. Don't ask me why!

Image accessed from: online movie database

Let it Snow!

Here's a little tune to get everyone in the Holiday spirit :)

A Classroom Economy

I just finished reading the article Teaching and Practice: Elementary School Curricula and Urban Transformation; written by Paul Sylvester, and elementary school teacher in an urban school, located in Pennsylvania. When I set aside the text, I sat on my couch for a moment and allowed myself time to experience the emotion that this article generated within me. I felt inspired; truly inspired.

Over the years, I have worked diligently to do what needs to be done in order to become a “good” teacher, and throughout this process, there have been numerous times, no…thousands of times, that I have felt completely overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, nervous, and entirely apathetic in regards to my future career as an elementary school teacher. I know that may sound awful to some of you, but, honestly, it is HARD. However, there are moments throughout my days, weeks, and months, in which I feel like “hey…I can do this, and I can be GOOD at this!” While those moments may be few and far between, they are so consuming and all encompassing, that it makes up for those times where I feel terrified! Well…after reading Sylvester’s article, I had one of those feel good moments.

For the hour or so it took me to read Sylvester’s article, I was able to visualize a teacher…a man…a mentor, who cared so much about his students, that he travelled the extra mile that teachers don’t often travel. He challenged himself and his students to question and voice their thoughts and opinions through the execution of a classroom economy: “Sweet Cakes Town”. But this wasn’t just some week long project he implemented and then discarded. “Sweet Cakes Town” was a year-long process of observing, analyzing, questioning, and experiencing. Sylvester’s students had the opportunity to learn important school subjects, such as: economics, social studies, geography, and math, through the utilization of “Sweet Cakes Town”. Those subjects were transformed from being static and boring, to being applicable, meaningful, and relatable.

Take a look at some of these pictures I had a friend of mine send me. She implimented a mini-classroom economy for her fifth grade class and, while her's may not be as in depth as Sylvesters...she's off to a great start! The students love it :)

This is a picture of two students interacting as a banker and the customer.

These two consumers are shopping for goods.

One specific aspect of Sylvester’s “Sweet Cakes Town” that I found particularly moving was the level of involvement between the outside community and the classroom. The students were able to communicate and collaborate with the members of their community; such as; Ziggie (the owner of “Ziggie’s Barbeque Pit”), the town major, lawyers, etc. I thought that was so AWESOME. Specifically, on page 315 of Sylvester’s article, he states “After a few months of learning from people in the neighborhood, students wrote nominations for neighborhood citizenship awards…We invited those people, as well as all those whom we had interviewed in our study, to come to the classroom and receive awards for their contributions.” That brought tears to my eyes…just imagine how PROUD those children and community members must have felt that day.

As I said before, this article sincerely inspired me. I would love to put Sylvester’s idea into practice. As a student myself, I can read that article and be inspired, motivated, and excited…but also, as a future teacher, I can read this article and understand and appreciate the amount of hard work, energy, and time, that goes into implementing this into a classroom curriculum. My goal as a teacher is to not shy away from that hard work and time…