Resources on GeorgiaStandards.org

When I think of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), I think of a dry list of information that students MUST know . . . things students must be able to demonstrate.  If they can’t that will reflect badly on me, their teacher.  So to me GPS = scary.

But. . . .

After visiting the GPS website, it’s not a scary as I thought it was.  The standards actually fit really well with teaching.  Apart from the actual standards, the website has multiple resources for teachers, students, and parents to excel at the standards.

Some of the resources include:

4Teachers.org – a website to help teachers integrate technology into their lessons

links to RTI (Response to Intervention) pages – a program designed to help discover possible learning and development disabilities

Requirements students need to meet for Gifted Classes, AP Classes

Information for students and parents regarding standardized tests (SAT, ACT, PSAT)

links to lesson plans and designs for teachers

After looking through some of these resources the GPS doesn’t seem so daunting.  I just need to take each step ‘with a spoonful of sugar’.

Musings on “Literacy in the 21st Century”

As I was reading this article, I kept thinking about how much it reminded me of constructivism.  In our EDUC 6100 class, we learned about the different philospsohies of teaching.  The connections to constructivism are undeniable.  One passage that really stuck home with this topic:

Rethinking the principles of democratic pedagogy dating back to Socrates, wise teachers realize they do not have to be a “sage on the stage.” Instead their role is to be a “guide on the side:” encouraging…guiding…mentoring…supporting the learning process. Creative classrooms today are ones where everyone is learning, from each other as well as the teacher!  (pg. 9)

This is the method I will certainly take when I enter the teaching world.  I know that when I was given opportunities to explore ideas and concepts on my own, the information stayed with me.  As teachers, we need to be guides for our students.  Show them the way without giving them all the answers.

I think it’s important that students also learn about their current environment.  One of the state standards says that students should be able to read a variety of texts.  With our growing technological world, websites and commercials are all intended to be read by the public.  Students can analyze meaning, intent, structure, conception, etc.

Two of my favorite artists unite!!!

Sara Barielles opened up for Ben folds on his recent tour.  They sang his new hit song “You Don’t Know Me” together (which originally was sung with Regina Specktor).  Love the two of them together, hope they’ll bring the tour to Atlanta someday.  Both are my idols.  I hope to be able to play the piano as well as them one day.

“The Lost Symbol” to be released in September

Dan Brown (author of The Davinci Code and Angels and Demons) is releasing his next installment of the Robert Langdon series in September.  While not much of the book has been revealed, we know that the book will take place over a 12 hour period, much like the two previous novels.

I am looking forward to The Lost Symbol. I am excited to see what new adventure Robert Langdon will be involved in.  In the two previous books, the Catholic Church and it’s lore have been main characters.  Will this book also be about the Church’s past?  Guess I’ll have to read to find out.

To trot or not to trot?

Where is the best place to find information about the Fox trot? Encyclopedia Americana, Britannica.com, Wikipedia? These are all good places to start looking.
Each source has the same essential information. What’s the difference?

Encyclopedia Americana and Britannica.com have the same information. They list the “suggested origins” – Harry Fox, Vernon and Irene Castle. What the dance entails (what steps are involved in the dance). They both mention that the fox trot was originally based off ragtime or black folk dancing.

Wikipedia seems to have more information. They show both sides of the dance (men and women), who takes what step when. While the other entries mentioned the steps involved they did not show how the steps connected with the dancers. Wikipedia also lists more possible origins of the dance.

The history of the dance is more detailed on the Wikipedia site. We even get a glimpse of the popularity of the dance throughout the birth of Rock and Roll.

All of the updates on this Wikipedia entry are moderated by WikiProject Dance. If changes are made, this group will make sure that the information is accurate. With Britannica.com, changes can not be made to the actual entry, but comments can be posted. Unfortunately, all comments must be approved by the site’s editors. Even if your comment is insightful and provides more information about the topic, other may not see you post if the editors don’t approve. With Wikipedia, the entry will remain for all eyes as long as the moderators agree with the content posted.

Here’s a little example of the Fox trot from the nation wide sensation – Dancing With The Stars

I just saw this (had to share)

Hilarious

Musings about BWP Chapter 4

Until the beginning of my MAT program, I had no idea that Wikipedia was a valid source.  I certainly had no idea that I could edit and change the entries.  I’m thinking that most of my professors didn’t know that validity of the site as most of them forbade me to use the site for any kind of research.

I think, in regards to future teaching, it’s important to educate students of the uses of Wikipedia.  Teach them about finding credible sources and what kinds of posts may be reliable.  Richardson talks about how wonderful Wikipedia can be for our students:

If we begin to look at Wikipedia as another opportunity for our students to contribute what they learn and know to a larger audience, I think we can begin to appreciate it for the really incredible site that it is.    -BWP  pg.60

Richardson also brings up another good point: wikis don’t have to be personalized for each class.  You could create a site dedicated to all of the 9th grade English classes or maybe just your classes.  The site could post powerpoints, different slyabi, teacher assignments, extra-credit work, and possibly student examples of projects.  The wiki could be a small or large as you want it, allowing only a few eyes or many.

The other point that I didn’t even think of until reading this chapter – this kind of technology needs to be taught.  Students need to know how to use current technology in order to succeed in the world after graduation.  With the rapid pace of growing technology, students would be ahead of the game.  They might not have to take a week long seminar on “How to use the web to make work more efficient”.  They would already know how.

Musings About BWP Chapter 3

Hmmmm . . . start small.  That is great advice.  I really like to jump headfirst into projects, stretching the limits of devices and tools.  I guess creating a site to post homework assignments and materials is a nice first step. (Feels like a baby step to me.)

WARNING: tangent (I can’t help it, my mind wanders frequently to movie references.)

Baby steps around the room, baby steps out the door, baby steps on the elevator

Ok, back to the topic at hand.

While, starting small is a good idea.  I am more excited about the possible discussions that can be had on blog sites.  Just for the sheer fact that classroom discussions can continue outside the classroom.  Finally, a way around time constraints.

Basically, Richardson gives tips to starting a blog and how to begin using it.  I’m sure the resources he’s listed on pg.  54 will come in handy as well.

Musings about BWP Chapter 2

What is BWP??  Glad you asked . . it’s a text by Will Richardson. Blogs, Wikis, Podacsts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, but for this site, we’ll stick with BWP.

I think that Richardson has illustrated some exciting ways blogs can be used in the classroom.  I was especially inspired by his use of a blog with the book The Secret Lives of Bees.  On the blog, students communicated with each other about the book, participated in discussions, shared art work, and communicated with the author (Sue Monk Kidd).  Kidd answered questions and participated in discussion to help the students understand some of her thought processes when creating the book.  I was really impressed with the amount of work the students put into the site.

As I was reading, a thought kept popping into my head: what about the students that don’t have a computer?  While that is a harsh reality, there are ways to get around that problem.  I could have class time set aside to work in the computer lab at school, or help the student find a local library with computers available for public use.  However, I hope I don’t run into that problem (wishful thinking I guess).

I also really like the idea of the ‘e-portfolio’.  Students could have all of their stellar work in one place.  Not only could they review their own work, but share their hard work with others.  The fact that parents can see the work their children produces is uplifting.  It might alleviate parent questions about their child’s work.

I must give Richardson a very big thank you for adding the ways blogs can be used to address the NCTE standards.

Along with the uses Richardson states, I found a blog that helps educators use blogs and other media tools in the classroom.  Web 2.in the Classroom Not sure what the blogger’s full name is, but her username is JBlack.  She has chronicled her use of technology in the class.  JBlack offers 33 Ways to use blogs in the class:

Drawing a blank on how you might use a blog in your own classroom? Here’s a list to jump start your creativity. By no means is this list exhaustive; there are as many ways to use blogs in education as there are to use paper. Remember, blogs are a medium, not a genre. Some of these ideas are for the classroom in general, some are for younger students, some are for older students. Some could become group or classroom blogs, others are suited for individual student blogs. Next, determine to what degree do you want to have “conversations” with others. If you want global participation, ask “in what ways can I have students from another part of the world participate in this with us?”. Ask also,”in what ways can we get experts involved with our blogs?” The sky’s the limit!                                                                -post from JBlack

Some people may think blogs are pointless:

I disagree!!!

Welcome!!!!  I will attempt to chronicle my experiences through ENGL 7741 on these pages.  The use of media and technology are growing inside the classroom.  By experimenting with different applications, like surveymonkey I can evolve my teaching style to adapt to the techno-ready society we live in.