tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.comments2010-03-05T18:14:53.046-08:00What's The Point?donnelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15372459981507866553noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-6198750733311245962010-03-05T18:14:53.046-08:002010-03-05T18:14:53.046-08:00I'd beg to differ that the key principle to DI...I'd beg to differ that the key principle to DI is the student option. Both the “what and how” of differentiated instruction instruction are crucial to successful implementation of DI in the classroom; however, the “how” must be teacher-directed and make pedagogical sense. Check out <a href="http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/reading/differentiated-instruction-the-what-and-the-how/" rel="nofollow">Differentiated Instruction-the What and How</a><br />to read this important dialogue between DI authors Mark Pennington and Rick Wormeli.Mark Penningtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13184265967777133129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-22477100567641117072009-12-19T19:26:46.033-08:002009-12-19T19:26:46.033-08:00Donnel,
I think what you said about goal setting ...Donnel,<br /><br />I think what you said about goal setting not coming naturally is an important point that we need to remember as teachers. We have to guide our students and help them to set goals for themselves in their learning. As the teacher, it is also important that we provide the example and model for our students. I do think that there are some students that set goals for themselves but may have difficulty reaching those goals without the right direction.<br /><br />EmilyE. Laturellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10617393013956414693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-74118410911344596142009-12-18T18:01:52.910-08:002009-12-18T18:01:52.910-08:00Donnel,
I like your ideas here, you have a really...Donnel,<br /><br />I like your ideas here, you have a really nice blog post. I agree that much of what we are already doing in the classroom meets many of the NETS standards. I relieved to find that much of what we do in the classroom is already on track, but with a few modifications it can be more effective, more engaging, and meet more local, state, and federal standards. This is one thing I like about the standards for students and teachers, it gives us some specific things to look for and address when using technology with our students. As always, I am finding that much of what I do is on track, and witha few modifications to my lessons, I can meet more of the technology standards.<br /><br />Again, nice post here. Thanks for pointing out what we, as teachers, are doing well and ways we can be better.Paul Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08976932749828873385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-11399411179649151652009-12-13T05:28:36.476-08:002009-12-13T05:28:36.476-08:00Hello Donnel,
I too have felt overwhelmed at time...Hello Donnel,<br /><br />I too have felt overwhelmed at times and had to step back and rethink. I was trying to incorporate all of the technology tools that we have been learning in full force. As I did this, I ran into so many barriers, that I times I felt like giving up. What helped me was to have a meeting with my supervisor and explain my intentions. Using what I have learned, and citing what the experts have explained in our resources really helped. Believe it or no, I felt very knowledgeable when speaking to her. She was extremely cooperative. I still a long way to go and the money is not available for all of the programs and equipment that I want but it is a start. I think you are well on your way to meeting your goals. Utilizing wikis and blogs are excellent learning tools for our students. Very good post. Good Luck to you.<br /><br />Kristinkristinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11752088829201243918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-25232049407447542432009-11-29T20:21:38.629-08:002009-11-29T20:21:38.629-08:00Donnel,
I am so excited that you shared the infor...Donnel,<br /><br />I am so excited that you shared the information on the scholastic site. I would love to try the activities that you did with my third grade students!I especially like how you let them explore a blog and assess it on quality. It is so important for students to see good quality work so that they know what to strive for themselves. Thanks for sharing!<br /><br />EmilyE. Laturellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10617393013956414693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-44216034142611368582009-11-29T18:19:35.438-08:002009-11-29T18:19:35.438-08:00Wanda,
As always, I appreciate your thoughts and ...Wanda,<br /><br />As always, I appreciate your thoughts and words. If I was ever lucky enough to actually get a smartboard for my classroom, I afraid I'd be so excited I might not be able to compose myself. However, I'd sure like the challenge. One of the first things I plan to do when I complete this master's program is to pursue grants for a whiteboard and one-to-one laptops for my classroom. We have the knowledge, ideas, resources and motivation. All we need now is the equipment. <br /><br />Donneldonnelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15372459981507866553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-61577701647493049072009-11-28T04:31:14.731-08:002009-11-28T04:31:14.731-08:00Donnel
The blog activity you did recently sounds ...Donnel<br /><br />The blog activity you did recently sounds terrific. I especially like the element of students evaluating other blogs. As you suggested, this is good training in how to appropriately communicate--perhaps even globally. Even though my students are older, I will check out the sites you mentioned to see how I can adapt them for my classes. Thanks for sharing.<br /><br />Also, you are so right that we all have a "perfect classroom" list that will probably never happen. Waiting is not an option, and I admire you for finding ways to begin to work with what you have while still remaining strong on what you would like to have. Good luck on your upcoming research/wiki project.Wandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02570715237977985592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-82159505835982073892009-11-20T10:00:49.216-08:002009-11-20T10:00:49.216-08:00Hi Donnel,
Very interesting blog entry. A suggest...Hi Donnel,<br /><br />Very interesting blog entry. A suggestion I have for you, in order to enhance your goal of developing digital-age learning experiences in the content areas is to utilized the Smartboard so you can model effective digital literacies as a class, and then your students can apply those skills when they have individual computer time.<br /><br />It sounds like you have a good start by utilizing the resources you have. That's excellent advice for any teacher.<br /><br />Good luck on achieving your goals.<br /><br />LaurenMs. Heldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05883458974859094178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-85631598675449909502009-11-18T19:09:20.856-08:002009-11-18T19:09:20.856-08:00Donnel,
I have also used Scholastic News Magazine...Donnel,<br /><br />I have also used Scholastic News Magazines in the past. I think the magazines are a great reading source for our kids. I like that there are articles that truly relate to our students. The articles also relate to real-world activities. I have never used the on-line version of the magazine. Thank you for sharing the link. I will definitely use that web site in the future. <br /><br />I love your comment about using what you have more effectively. I think that is so true in almost everything that we do. I have glanced at the teacher’s edition that came with the Scholastic News Magazine, but like you, I didn’t utilize that resource. That is a goal that I can work on. Finding time to locate and use the resources that I have access to will save me time and make me a much more effective teacher. <br /> <br />JenniferJennifer Conradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17510303450769711545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-49924293721170741972009-11-15T19:43:17.719-08:002009-11-15T19:43:17.719-08:00Wanda,
As always, thank you for your words of enc...Wanda,<br /><br />As always, thank you for your words of encouragement and insights. When I'm researching ideas and lessons for integrating technology, I get overwhelmed with the abundance of amazing learning experiences educators are providing their students. I get so lost in all the incredible opportunities, I don’t know where to begin. I thought Vickie Davis (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009), really had some practical advise. She recommended setting a research and development goal of the next 3 things you want to learn or do. I am going to take that advise because for me, it would make integrating technology into the content much more manageable.<br /><br />Reference:<br />Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program three. Enriching content area learning experiences with technology, part 1 [Motion picture]. Integrating technology across the content areas. Baltimore: Author.donnelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15372459981507866553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-41903938143838742782009-11-13T07:51:29.808-08:002009-11-13T07:51:29.808-08:00Donnel
Good post--you have mentioned two very imp...Donnel<br /><br />Good post--you have mentioned two very important traits needed by effective teachers who want to continue to learn, grow, and demonstrate their priorities involving education.<br /><br />Like you, I am also analyzing my current activities to decide how I can alter them to offer a more interactive, genuine experience for my students. Collaborating with colleagues and other teachers on their ideas or strategies can also help to link your two goals together. Providing students with technology-infused activities that invoke creativity and problem-solving skills will enrich their comprehension of the content and add a digital dimension that will help them to transfer that knowledge in other areas. Your GAME plan is sound and will provide an excellent guide for growing professionally and increasing your efficacy.Wandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02570715237977985592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-26588398533580819422009-06-06T10:29:01.517-07:002009-06-06T10:29:01.517-07:00I hear exactly what you are saying. From January ...I hear exactly what you are saying. From January to March we spend the majority of our core instruction towards the state exam. Then April and May are hectic with district testing. For the last few years I have barely opened my social studies or science books. But what is the answer? We are told to teach and fill in the gaps of everything our students are lacking before a certain date. At least you are able to participate in a production such as this. My administration would look at this as “fluff.” However, it is students engaging in social learning and working together toward a common goal.Sarah Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17558754811446923904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-49754542264535693192009-05-31T22:55:38.892-07:002009-05-31T22:55:38.892-07:00mpowering,
My students used Kid Pix software for ...mpowering,<br /><br />My students used Kid Pix software for their illustrations. Fortunately, our computer lab teacher was able to help me solve the problem of inserting grapics from Kid Pix into the wiki. She explained that we have to export the image in order for it to be saved as a JPG. Then we were able to scan the JPG image into the wiki. Another little learning curve. Most of my students really have the steps down now. For those that forget, I have my "experts" to assist them.donnelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15372459981507866553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-86497258666066693162009-05-31T22:45:43.719-07:002009-05-31T22:45:43.719-07:00mpowering,
I was able to explore the concept of w...mpowering,<br /><br />I was able to explore the concept of wikis in our classroom with my laptop and LCD projector. We explored some examples of other elementary wikis. Then I showed the students how our wiki was organized. To actually edit our wiki, we have to be in the computer lab because their computers have a newer operating system than the computers in my classroom. These were some of the trouble shooting problems I encountered in the beginning. However, we have figured out most of the small snags along the way, and the experience has been well worth the trouble.donnelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15372459981507866553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-2954439368520147662009-05-31T17:01:29.702-07:002009-05-31T17:01:29.702-07:00What a wonderful lesson. This is a great way to te...What a wonderful lesson. This is a great way to teach the meaning of hypothesis and use technology to make a graph. Maybe I could do something similar in science. Perhaps making a hypothesis on how many drops of water will fit on a penny?FrankYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17699799107251765459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-41099092099995790062009-05-31T08:41:51.282-07:002009-05-31T08:41:51.282-07:00Your wiki was exceptional. It seems most of the st...Your wiki was exceptional. It seems most of the students are really flying with it. When and where do they add to their wiki pages? Is there a computer lab where they go to work on adding to their pages? Also, I noticed some great illustations that some students decorated their pages with. What program did they use for those? <br /><br />I also enjoyed the quote you mentioned from Lynda Donovan. It is so very true that what we do in the classroom is preparing our students for future jobs. Adding technology to lessons that are problem-based where students must construct to show their understanding teaches students the skills they will need for jobs that have not even been developed yet.mpoweringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07445474570068942007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-24447092395918824302009-05-29T19:49:14.273-07:002009-05-29T19:49:14.273-07:00I like your hands-on graphing and data analysis le...I like your hands-on graphing and data analysis lesson using candy hearts. The students can experiment with something they love, make a prediction and test it, create their own graphs and see the results of their experiments. This has to be a project they love!The Stere Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03794240153136106531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-3746921101457615692009-05-24T13:45:50.723-07:002009-05-24T13:45:50.723-07:00It is amazing how many people were never taught ho...It is amazing how many people were never taught how to take notes that can enhance their learning. I remember as a child having my teachers make outlines as far as taking notes. We copied the notes down off of the blackboard, but was never sure of where the facts came from. It would have been helpful for a teacher to have actually shown us how to take a piece of text and pick out important main ideas and details. I'm glad that your daughter was able to have a better experience the second time around. One thing that really helped me when I took notes was to use a different color of pen as soon as I was on a different topic. I swear I was able to actually remember in my mind what I had written when it came time for tests because of the color that my notes were written with. Visuals really do work!Ericahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15431346303830500536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-31140131264394007162009-05-23T14:55:31.410-07:002009-05-23T14:55:31.410-07:00I have always wondered why teachers expected stud...I have always wondered why teachers expected students to know exactly what was most important so they could scribble it down. When I was in school it was as if the act of taking notes was the teachers way of keeping us quiet and "on task". Or even to prove to us that we had to hang on their every word to get information because they were the only ones who knew the information we needed. It was a different time and a different philosophy. Is it really fair to present totally new information to someone and expect them to be able to analyze it's place with in the entire body of information presented with out knowing what is to be presented? Are our students expected to be mind readers? Why the big mystery? It just makes so much more sense to use cognitive tools to prepare students for all of the processes they must perform in order to grasp the new information. Advance organizers, help students to see the "big picture" and where all the important parts fit in. Dr. Michael Orey of UGA, defines cognitive tools as a paradigm shift; students learn "with" these tools as opposed to "from"(Orey, 2001). Today's teachers are begining to see the value of instructing students in how to take notes.<br /><br />Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/Karen Greenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13394974851138336573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-57021019338808166652009-05-22T21:13:08.091-07:002009-05-22T21:13:08.091-07:00I am glad that your daughter ended up with a bette...I am glad that your daughter ended up with a better experience. When you are presented with a lot of information, it can be so overwhelming and your affective filter will cause you to tune out. It is certainly more helpful when you are given a focus and know what the expectations are. This is not only helpful for the students, but also for the teacher because the students will be more successful if they are taking notes on and studying the correct information. I remember some nightmare note taking experiences in both high school and college! I never knew if I was getting the right information down or not.The Stere Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03794240153136106531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-67256020721828713542009-05-22T11:31:51.591-07:002009-05-22T11:31:51.591-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.mpoweringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07445474570068942007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-39329782569692049512009-05-22T11:31:17.854-07:002009-05-22T11:31:17.854-07:00Great post, Donnel. Isn't it funny how some te...Great post, Donnel. Isn't it funny how some teachers automatically think that students know how to take notes? Some teachers also assume students know how to decide the major points of the content they are learninhg. I was also one of those students who would take notes until my hands ached. I am surprised I didn't take notes as to when my teacher took a breathe or other irrelevent material :) I remember when I was introduced to the concept of teaching with skeletal notes or guided notes. It really improved my lessons as a teacher and gave students a clear understanding of what they needed to know in addition to helping them maintain focus on the lesson at hand. This helps students organize their thoughts around the essential information and gets them thinking about what they need know about the topic even before the teacher has fully begun the lesson (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).<br /><br />Works Cited<br /><br />Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Denver: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL).mpoweringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07445474570068942007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-60558667794193268562009-02-01T13:15:00.000-08:002009-02-01T13:15:00.000-08:00Wow Donnel,You really looked at this site with fin...Wow Donnel,<BR/>You really looked at this site with fine eyes. I enjoyed reading your post because it brought my attention to all the wonderful things that I missed as I reviewed it. I like how you related this website to the wiki project that you just created. <BR/>One item that you mentioned that I was particularly interested in was "Enjoy Great Content." I am always wanting to know how to improve lesson and teaching practices to better meet my students' needs. By sharing and reviewing others ideas, I will be able to enhance the learning in my classroom. Thank you!Meghan Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05983342785539683354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-57744034728741165852009-01-31T00:06:00.000-08:002009-01-31T00:06:00.000-08:00Great review of the site. I also viewed the site,...Great review of the site. I also viewed the site, but did not find all that information. I guess that I was not looking in all the right places. I agree with the goal of the program, but have a hard time seeing how to implement it in my district. I will navigate around the site again to find all the information that you summarized. Thank you!<BR/><BR/>JenniferJennifer Conradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17510303450769711545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2413907339375796932.post-20826942407362738132009-01-16T18:02:00.000-08:002009-01-16T18:02:00.000-08:00Great history idea! I have not read the book that...Great history idea! I have not read the book that you referenced, thank you for the tip. Have your 3rd graders ever participated in a blog before? If not, you might have to spend a good amount of time discussing what a blog is and how it works. It would be interesting to have older students in the school comment on your students' ideas. Does your school allow students to use a blog? Do you need parent permission? A lot of blog sites are blocked in my district. I have to talk to the technology department to see how my classroom can become part of a blog this year.Jennifer Conradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17510303450769711545noreply@blogger.com