Is it the end or only the beginning?

I’ve learned many things along my journey, some of which I will explore further and implement in my classroom, while there are others that I probably will not utilize at this point in time.  However, the program has opened my eyes to the plethora of technology available to aid teachers in the classroom.  Technology is the future of education and the more we explore and understand, the more we can offer our students.  While I teach special education students, and they are somewhat limited in their understanding, I am amazed at the innovative web tools that are easy and extremely user friendly.  Honestly, I will probably not blog regularly, but now that I do know how, I can blog when I need advice, ideas or direction.  Flickr is a great picture source and a tool that will be extremely helpful in my classroom situation.  Visual aids are priceless in my classroom. 

I would recommend this course to any and all teachers.  The web is an invaluable tool. 

Thing #22 - Explore social networking in education

The social network I perused is called "Classroom 2.0."  I even signed up.  This is an impressive website that I can use in the classroom not only to help facilitate learning, but also as a reward.  Of course, I need to check into all of the nuances of the website.  There are forums to help with foreign language, history, and even connect with other educators.  The activities are engaging and intriguing at many different levels.  

Thing #7b - Google Reader Revisited

What makes a good school? What a powerful question.  The article I viewed was How Much Special Education is a good Thing? I have been in special education for eight years now and I have numerous tools that have benefited the education of the students I teach. In the article I reviewed, the writer talks about many ways to reduce the special education population. You can review the article by clicking on the link above.  One of the best tools a teacher can have is an active parent.  The writer of this article is an active parent of his special needs child.  Every teacher wants and hopes for active parents.  When I have active parents, I have always had better students (behavior, grades, etc.).  Active parents make a tremendous difference.

Thing #21 - Try Twitter

For my 8th grade computers and careers class I can use this as a way for students tell me when assignments are complete and to have the students follow somebody or something of interest. I'm thinking that the shortened script writing will help the student be more engaging. At this time, I'm not sure where this could go. My thinking is I get the students accounts at school but after that the student would only be able to connect at the school.  But for a general education class this would be a great way for teachers and students to stay connected about assignments and questions about a topic.

Thing #20 - Google Docs

When we began the school year last year at A. C. New, we had a lesson plan template that was adopted from Google Docs.  However, since  I teach six different subjects and each of my student's has a seperate IEP, I was unable to take advantage of the Google Docs lesson plan.  I had to design my own template, which is on my compter at school. 

Thing #19 - Voicethread

I find that this type of engagement in learning can be a very useful tool in my classroom.  The students hear the information from another voice source and the information becomes more relevant. I like using this tool as an option or a bellringer in my classroom.

Thing #18 - You too can YouTube

In sharing my Youtube browsing I chose a video about the deveoplment of special education and a video of the introduction to special education. I chose these two videos as a brief overview because there are always questions regarding what laws affect special education students in the classroom and how teachers and parents can be advocates to aid students with learning disabilities.  

I must teach my students grade level curriculum and as stated in previous posts I have made comments about the use of visual learning. In Teachertube, I chose a video about the Pythagorean Theorem to illustrate the level of engagement I have to use to teach my students.

 

Thing #17 - Podcasts: No iPod Needed!

I do use podcasts from Teacher Tube for helping engage students in the classroom, usually this will spark conversation of interest. The students I teach are grade levels behind the typical middle school student, and I have found that using more pictures, power points, and podcasts have helped to boost their interest, intrigue and even their vocabulary.  Indeed, the use of these visual aids are a positive to their educational learning because the written language becomes relevant and real because of sight association. These tools have definitely helped to raise my test scores on average.  

Thing #16 - LibraryThing: Where Books Meet Web 2.0

The LibraryThing is a new way that I can find and catalog information which I need to keep organizied. I think at this point the LibraryThing would be benenifical for me in my studies and research. However, my students are at such a low reading level thtat they would take one look at the home page and give up. I would have to do the resreach to find the appropriate levels for them. At this time I use the district resreach tools and the school librarian. But this tool is definitely worth my time and effort. 

Thing #15 - Social Bookmarking and Tagging with Delicious

This is where I get bogged down, only because of the abundance of information and my shortage of time in which to explore. I am of the mind that more is not always better, but I do know that I must strive to grow in my learning so that, not only can I continue to offer my students the best possible education, but so that I can set the example of continuous learning. I push myself as well as my students to find ways to engage them in the classroom and on their own at home. I liked the Delicious/tag/misd23things about the simple machines. I have a file system in my bookmarks that I use quite often.  One of the sites I use most often is  Pete's Powerpoint's.

Thing #7a - Google Reader Revisited

This has been the most beneficial component of life long learning process. I reviewed this site about technology in the classroom and thought it was very appropriate for the elearning process. I the reading there was a article that is good reading about how elearning is shifting the classroom.

A quote from the article that is important in the shift is this:

     

          "reason may range from econmics to ethics-if you have a limited budget for educational interventions, do you spend the money on the students or evaluations? So, while it's important not to overstate what the research shows, an emerging body of evidence strongly suggests that effective elearning can produce promising effects. Research also seems to indicate that a more technology-rich environment delivers greater impacts." 

 (http://www.k12blueprint.com/k12/blueprint/cd/Positive_Impact_White_Paper.pdf)

Thing # 14 - Discovering Web 2.0 Tools

I played around with the Jigsaw Puzzle Games.  This is an amazing tool that I can use for multiple purposes. The students can use this site as a reward for free time, they can use it at home and I use the site to monitor their motor skills.  Great site.

I have already created a Weebly site.  

Thing #13 - Online Image Generators

I used Flikr to post this image. These type of images are important to my teaching because most of my students have bearly made it out of the city limits much less to other places in the state. I mostly have to be quick and I use google search to explain places and events in the world.

Austin Skyline with Moon, a photo by Ellen Yeates on Flickr.

Thing #12 - Create a Slideshow!

As I stated in my last post I have already embeded two slideshows on my blog in the design section. At first, this is very tedious, but if you are applying this to the educationial process daily or weekly it will become easier. My biggest problem is finding the time to be creative. I have six classes -- each student is at a different level with learning disabilites and reading levels.   Because I have ARDs and multiple teaching aides, I try to keep my slideshows simple.  

Thing #11 - Photosharing with Flickr

The first week I had inserted a sildeshow on my blog page. Using Flickr, a source and tool that is extremely beneficial, I can not only show where the photos were obtained, but I can also explain the importance of citing where you obtain and share your information.  For example, when my class works on an assignment about the Alamo, I can help enhance my presentation and visual tools by reaching out to Flickr to get pictures of the Alamo, like this one.

The Alamo, a photo by thedaisychick on Flickr.

Thing #10 - Creative Commons

I'm very fortunate that my wife has worked in copyright law, but I have to say I never noticed the icon. However, I do have a good concept of the do's and don'ts in this area. 

Ths use of the Creative Commons was beneficial and informative.  It gave me additional informationg information and ideas to consider for my classroom. At this time, I would probably want to complete  more research on the websites, but for the most part, the majority of the assignment was at a level too high for the students I teach. And research I will, because if I can find any resources that I feel will work a lesson's objective, I will include it so that I can give my students the most complete lesson possible. I would use this website for presentations that may help me with the lesson.

Thing #9 My Wiki


Wow!! This for me was a chore, but got it done.
Spencer 2012

Thing #8 - What in the World Is a Wiki?

The first wiki I linked into was "Go West."  I'm always looking for resources that can help connect my 8th graders to grade level reading. The biggest problem I have in my learning environment is to keep the lessons simple.  The main point I have to make is that while my students may have special needs they DO NOT want elementary lessons, as I am sure you know what I am talking about. This wiki is informatve, with pictures and definitions that look like my word wall.  It is surely something my students could identify with.

The other wiki I linked into was "Code Blue."  This is a good site for students to engage in learning of the human body. The link takes you to a website entitled InnerBody.com, and with a point and click of the mouse, the viewer can get information on the importance of a specific body part and where it is located in the body. I would have to guide my students through the reading, but it could be used later for the students to do independent work in the classroom or at home for homework. Every time I have an ARD and a parent is present, they ask why doesn't Johnny or Sue have homework. The answer is because I have to teach at a grade level and still adapt lessons for those students who may only read at a fourth grade level or lower.  I have to monitor classroom work and guide them through certain teaching methods and most of the time it's not conducive to independent work at home.  But hopefully by using these wiki's I can start connecting the dots for the student and help him or her bridge a learning gap.

Thing #7 - Creating Community Through Commenting

This is something I do not do. Years ago there was a blog that started about boys and athletics - namely baseball.  I remember posting inquiries and comments on the website about baseball, college and various athletes.  My main interest was where they were going to college or the recruiting process parents went through when their athletes began getting recognized.  I read other posts and kept up with various conversations on the website.  But then, as many things do, the website took a nasty turn.  People began to post negative comments about boys that might be competing with their son in school or in select baseball and the negativity began to consume the website.  As you might have guessed, my son is an athlete.  One day I logged on to the site to read the latest and of course there was a blog about my son and his endeavors.  There were negative comments made about his talent and how they felt he was undeserving of his scholarship.  It was tough to read.  I wanted so badly to snap back and defend my son, but realized I did not want to lower myself to the level of that jealousy and negativity.  While I had commented on blogs and conversation threads in the past, I decided right then that I didn't want to be a part of a website that had gone from recognizing talent, giving informaton about teams, schools and scholarships, to being a website that became judgmental and "gossipy."  That's the last time I "commented" on anything in the small community of baseball here in the Dallas Fort Worth area.  If I can be completely honest and frank, the exerience left me "soured" on creating community through commenting.

Thing #6 - Feed Your Reader: Find & Subscribe to Feeds

I enjoyed this activity and found it very engaging. I almost found myself getting lost in the blogs and the articles, as I clicked first from one to another forgetting about time as it passed. I can see that this could evolve into another time management issue for me. While it is not something I would teach in my computer class, I would use the application myself to search the Internet and build the applicable cabinets of information to use as a resource to teach my class. This is where habit number two falls into play as it is the teacher's responsibility to be a lifelong learner.

On the other side of this coin I see (for me) this Pinterest wave-crave. I must admit that I have benefitted many times from the Pinterest phenomenon -- literally.  My wife, my daughter and my son's girlfriend are avid "Pinterest-ers."  I've been their guinea pig for numerous Pinterest recipes.  Of course, I couldn't let them down, so I volunteered to be their taste-tester.  It's a hard job, but someone had to do it.  

Thing #5 - Getting Started with RSS

Overwhelming is a bit of an understatement for me when it comes to the abundance of information associated with new technology. When I was learning programming language in college, punch cards had gone away and I was in the world of alernative language and formatting. Now there is a new generation of technology that can be accessed by more and more users in the cyber world to pass along information about the learning environment as well and indepth knowledge of the world at hand. 

I have always heard about the Google Docs application, but just never found the time to sit down and familiarize myself with the app. I am glad that I have choosen this class to help me expand my knowlege, and I hope to pass the knowledge I gain from this experience to my middle school class.

As I was scrolling through the reader I noticed an article from the New York Post that caught my interest. Here in our school district we have different policies regarding the use of electrical devices on campus.  The common  practice district-wide is to take up the device. But in Christopher Columbus High School the policy is different (via NY Post). 


With these advances in technology, I was able to search and link in to an article that deals with the same issue of electrical devices on campus.  I can read about how the issue is handled in different areas of the country, different school districts and learn about practices and procedures that have either been successful or failed.  


Needless to say, technology puts an wealth of information right our fingertips.  

Thing #4 -  Blogging Begins with Reading

What I noticed about the genre of blog writing in general is that the range of learning was apparent.  Classroom learning tools reflect on cognitive processing from elementary school to high school.

Blog reading differs from other types of reading because the reader makes a personal connection with the blogger.  In the world of blogging, the reader can read the thoughts of the blogger and also comment back to the blogger making blogging an interactive reading experience. Yet it is similar to traditional reading in that the reader absorbs the story.

Blog writing is also different from other types of writing in that it is more of a diary or journal that the blogger shares with his readers.  Blogging invites readers to make comments, criticisms, ask questions and gives a more definite, well-rounded perspective to its subject.  But it is still similar to traditional writing because it’s still written from the blogger’s perspective, just like an author writes a book from his own perspective.

As I noted above, commenting contributes to the writing and meaning-making because there is an interaction between like-minded persons, giving the blog a more well-rounded open perspective on the subject of the blog. 

As an interactive tool, blogs assist a teacher in areas of instructional time and provide equity in the subject lessons. I have used “Teachershare” (an interactive tool we use in our district) to help me facilitate my classroom objectives and goals. “Teachershare” is a type of blog and I use it almost religiously.  This tool allows me to incorporate effective strategies I might not have though of on my own to give my lessons the rigor that is desired to engage or stimulate a student’s interest in the assignment.

The blog “14 Steps to Meaningful Student Blogging” interested me because the middle school students I teach do not have a true understanding of why students should blog. Reading the blog has given me tools to help me inform the students, giving them a better understanding of the comment in meaning-making.  

There is definitely a blogging literacy.  As we become more familiar with blogging, we learn how to use blogging more effectively; therefore we become more literate in the use of blogging. 

Blogging affects the way we read and write.  As we become more comfortable with blogging, we tend to put our thoughts and ideas out for others to read and comment upon.  It helps me share my ideas with others, while they give help me expound on my ideas as well.

Thing #1 How is blog reading different from other types of reading

1.  Which habit(s) may be most challenging for you to employ as part of your Learning 2.0 experience?

Habit 7 -  Teach and mentor others.

     -  This is important to assess the knowledge of my students.  This helps me understand what I may need to re-teach. Because the amount that is to be taught and the student understand is mind overload.

2.  Which habit(s) will be easiest, or are most resonant for you as a lifelong learner?

Habit 2 - Accept Responsibility for your own learning.

     -  We as teachers hold our students to a higher standard of learning, so then we too must hold ourselves to a higher standard in order to bridge that gap between disability and efficiency. Teaching students the skills they need to become lifelong learners links the student to future lessons.

3.  Which habit do you think will be most important for you as you work through this course, and why?

Habit 4 - Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner,

     -  Being a confident learner enables you to realize how best you learn.  I must research materials or go through the steps of application several times before I am confident doing something new

          -  Taking Notes

          -  Research