Blog Post #11

What can we learn about teaching & learning from these teachers?

Back to the Future
Brain Crosby shows in his TedxTalk that disadvantaged students can achieve success just as any other student. Crosby focuses on project based learning in his classroom, and he never gives up on his students. Every student has access to a laptop. They also blog regularly . He also used project basled learning to establish the Balloon is space project


In Paul Anderson's video Blended Learning Cycle, he tells how blended learning is ground for online learning, mobile learning, and classroom learning all into one. The learning cycle consist of 5 E's which are engaged, expand, explain, and evaluate. In his science class he uses the following 6 steps:
1. Question
2.Investigation/Inquiry
3.Video
4.Elaboration
5.Review
6.Summary quiz

"Headline" Routine
In Mark Church's headline activity, he has all of his students watch a video for their instructions to their lesson. After, they brainstorm together and come up with a "headline" for it. Students can revise the headline at the end of the lesson. I really liked this activity and the students enjoyed it also.

Super Digital Citizen
Sam Pane's project was amazing! Pane's project taught so many skills to the students. The students had so much fun creating their own comics. I cannot wait to use this in my future classroom.

Project Based Learning
In this video, Dean Shareski shows how Canadian teachers are using project based learning. Project based learning increases student engagement and provides and opportunity for deeper understanding. Students are proud of their work when using project based learning.

Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program
Roosevelt Elementary shows in this video what project based learning is and explains its benefits. They use real world application in all of their learning. it also allows students to work by themselves and with others. It also builds their social skills and independence that they will use throughout their life.

C4K Summeries for March

Blog 1- Per 8 Arelis Blog
In this blog, she talks about job shadowing. In her post she talks about the three different types of job shadowing. In her post, she thinks that the best way to shadow is to know what you want and contact the person to go shadow. She also said that she got to shadow anesthesia tech and ever got to watch a surgery. In commenting, I said that I think shadowing is a good thing to do. I am actually shadowing now in classrooms.

Blog 2- Per 6 Jaron's Blog
In this blog, he talks about testing advice. In his post he saids that it is important to actually try on the test. He thinks that this test will prepare you for the ACT. He also thinks that getting a good breakfast is important the morning before the test. He thinks that planned test are not a bad thing to do. In commenting, I said that I also think it is important to try on test. I also think that eating before a test is a smart thing to do.

Blog 3- Paige S's Blog
In Paige's blog she talks about a performance she went to called Marvel Universe. She said that there were a bunch of cool people there. There were alot of little kids there and she noticed why they were there when the performance started. In commenting, I told her It sounded like she has a lot of fun. This was a good post!

Blog post #10

Mrs. Cassidy has a very influential teaching style. She started a web page that helps students stay focused and would help them learn. Instead of parent teacher conferences, the parents use the site to keep up with how their child is doing in the classroom. She states that students love blogging and making their own videos. The students also like to show their blog to their parents. These students have a way with technology that we don't. It is part of their world unlike us. She also stated that we are handicapping our students and ourselves if we do not let technology in our classroom. The children doing the blogs give them an audience. They enjoy having people around the world read their blogs. They also tend to do better when they know others are looking at their work. The students tend to like blogging because it tells them how many people view their blog. This keeps the students involved.
Every teacher needs to learn how to use technology. It is no spreadsheets or word documents anymore. It is a lot more advanced. Using twitter as a teacher has been proven to help in so many ways. Creating your own personal learning network is something you should start while you are in college.
In the third video, one students asked how many days a week do your students blog? She replied, hey blog about once a week sometimes twice. It also depends on the class size. I think this would be great to use in my classroom. I also think parents would find it very helpful. This blog would allow you to pull up and watch their progress. It is a great way to keep parents involved in their child's learning.


Links to the conversations between Dr. Strange and Mrs. Cassidy 

First Graders in Mrs. Cassidy's class
Interview with Cassidy Part 1
Interview with Cassidy part 2
Interview with Cassidy part 3

Project #9

Blog Post #9

7 Essentials for Project Based Learning
What every good project needs:
1. A need to know- Launch on an entry event. It will spark the students interest and they will be more excited about the project.
2. A driving question- "A good driving question captures the heart of the project in clear, compelling language, which gives students a sense of purpose and challenge. The question should be provocative, open-ended, complex and liked to the core of what you want students to learn."
3. Student Voice and Choice- The project needs to be meaningful to the students. It will keep the students more on topic if they enjoy what they are doing.
4. 21st century skills- "A project should give students opportunities to build such 21st century skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and the use of technology, which will serve them well in the workplace and life."
5. Inquiry and Innovation- "Students find project more meaningful if the conduct real inquiry, which does not mean finding information in books or websites and pasting in onto a poster. In real inquiry, students follow a trial that begins with their own questions, leads to a search for resources and the discovery of answers, and often ultimately leads to generating new questions, testing ideas, and drawing their own conclusions. With real inquiry comes innovation- a new answer to a driving question, a new project, or an individually generated solution to a problem. The teacher does not ask students to simply reproduce teacher- or textbook provides information."
6. Feedback and revision- Students need to know that the first time they do something it is not going to be perfect. It takes trial and error to make something perfect.
7. Publicly present the project- Students seem to care more about the quality of their work if they know they are going to have to present it to their classmates. They are more likely to research the topic more and know what they are talking about.

Project Based Learning for Teachers
In this video, you learn many things such as:
-Always have a purpose
-Crafting a driving question
-Creating a rubric
-Focusing on the project
-Refining the end project
-Students take charge of their own learning
-Meeting deadlines

High School Teacher Meets the Challenges of Project Based Learning
Math and English are said to be the hardest subjects to use for project based learning. These teachers become learners of the project based learning. It takes brainstorming and collaboration. Project based learning is exciting for students, but also for the teachers.

What Motivates You To Good In School?
This video showed many different students. Some of the students were serious and some were funny. Every teacher needs to hear what motivates their students. Some of examples were:
-Wanting to do well in life
-Thinking of future careers
-Receiving positive feedback from their teacher

Two Boys and Their Project for Project Based Learning
In this video, two senior boys are explaining their project for project based learning. They choose to evaluate why water comes out of the ketchup bottle when you squeeze. They choose this because they love ketchup. They spent about a week brainstorming ideas. They were engaged in what they were learning, and seemed proud of the end product.

Blog Post #8

Randy Paush was an excellent educator as well as an amazing person. In his video, Achieving Your Childhood Dreams, I learned that there will always be complications, setbacks, and injustice. I also learned that teaching will never be easy, we will always mess up, we will run into problems, and we will be setback in many things. "Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things." Mr. Pausch's main focus was that learning should be a fun experence for the children. two of the things that he focused on was Project Based Learning and technology. If learning is fun for the students they are going to be more likely to want to learn. In my classroom I am going to use as much technology as possible. Randy Paush is such an inspirational person. Though out his life he never gave up on his childhood dreams. He has definitely left a lasting impression I recommend this video to anyone and everything. 

C4T #2

Post 1-Planning vs reacting
This blog talks about within the tight timeline that he has he finds himself trying to plan very carefully. He also states that preservice programs are not good at getting future teachers to plan lessons and units. In commenting, I thought this was a very interesting post. There is no way to plan on how fast the student will pick up the material, which can make it difficult to plan.

Post 2-How I Teach: Reema Kahar
This talks about a lot of things. I like that there was a list of the apps/tools that she uses. That was very helpful to me. She said that twitter is her favorite tools. I think that will be my favorite tool in my future classroom also. She also lists the software that she uses on her laptop. In commenting, I said that I agree with the google drive app. I could see why that would be very helpful. I also liked that she listed out the things she uses in her classroom.