I followed the 7 blogs listed below:
1. Smart Classroom Management at http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/ or my Google Reader URL at
http://www.google.com/reader/view/#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2Fsmartclassroommanagement
2. Free Technology for Teachers at http://www.freetech4teachers.com/ or my Google Reader URL at
http://www.google.com/reader/view/#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.freetech4teachers.com%2Ffeeds%2Fposts%2Fdefault
3. Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day at http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/ or my Google Reader URL at
http://www.google.com/reader/view/#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Flarryferlazzo.edublogs.org%2Ffeed%2F
4. Naturally Educational at http://www.naturallyeducational.com/ or my Google Reader URL at
http://www.google.com/reader/view/#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.naturallyeducational.com%2Ffeed%2F
5. Will at http://willrichardson.com/ or my Google Reader URL at
http://www.google.com/reader/view/#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwillrichardson.com%2Frss
6. A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet at http://mediaspecialistsguide.blogspot.com/ or my Google Reader URL at
http://www.google.com/reader/view/#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fmediaspecialistsguide.blogspot.com%2Ffeeds%2Fposts%2Fdefault
7. Cool Cat Teacher Blog at http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/ or my Google Reader URL at
http://www.google.com/reader/view/#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fcoolcatteacher.blogspot.com%2Ffeeds%2Fposts%2Fdefault
Just as I was amazed by our social bookmarks assignment, this was just as awesome. There are a couple of blogs that I found the most helpful to me as a elementary teacher/tech in training. Larry Ferlazzo's blog was amazing because he lists so many resources for so many areas in teaching, but my favorite blog was A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet. I think I prefer Julie Greller's blog because there isn't so much information that it is overwhelming, but at the same time what she posts is useful. I also like that on her blog she provides grade categories (such as K-3) to also minimize extraneous information for busy teachers. Of all of the blogs posts my favorite was an article posted in the Smart Classroom Blog called "Why the Word 'Go' Is An Effective Classroom Management Strategy" by Michael Linsin. The "Go" technique was a very simple strategy, but one I look forward to trying out to hopefully cure one of my classroom annoyances. The irritation of being in the middle of directions or instructions, and the students stop listening and start moving because they think they know what you are about to tell them. Then you loose valuable time because you have to stop them, and start over. Linsin suggests an answer to this problem that I believe may work. Preface your instructions with the simple phrase "When I say go, do the following......" Then after you give all directions, pause then say "go" to give permission to stop listening and to physically begin the assignment. Hmmmm, I wonder if I should share this technique with our pastor. Perhaps he could cue the congregation as to when to begin zipping up Bible cases instead of during his final remarks. I suppose children in the classroom aren't the only ones in need of a verbal signal.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Social Bookmarks Post
Using social bookmarks was an awesome experience. To have so many resources at the touch of a button just boggles my mind. So many times when I came across an interesting web site, I would forget to add it to my Delicious account. I would back-track until I could locate it. I plan to continue to "grow" my account! I used my account as a resource to complete some of our class projects. When time allows, I want to go back through our many course resources to make sure I have included them on my Delicious account. Social bookmarks are an invaluable tool!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Digital Citizenship
Being a good digital citizen is of great importance because it protects us (and our students) physically and emotionally. I really like the SafeKids.Com strategies listed in our text on page 218. It gives some good advice on ways to limit interaction with online predators, rules in using the internet and consequences for not abiding by the set rules, keeping passwords top secret, and not doing anything hurtful to others or illegal. Before this course I was oblivious to the widespread common problem of cyberbullying and cyberstalking. The little I had heard of it was linked to older students. I had no idea of the abuse elementary aged students are experiencing. We have got to make it our business to teach Digital Citizenship in our curriculum because otherwise our students could potentially be harmed.
Having a good digital reputation is also of great value. To treat others kindly and to report instances of verbal abuse can stop cyberbullies in their tracks. Students don't realize the negative impact posting compromising pictures or comments has on others and on their personal futures. Once those are posted, there is no taking it back. Children do not think about future consequences, so we as educators have got to teach them the importance of having a good digital reputation. There is an abundance of resources to use to teach good digital citizenship. We just have to implement the information into our curriculum.
Having a good digital reputation is also of great value. To treat others kindly and to report instances of verbal abuse can stop cyberbullies in their tracks. Students don't realize the negative impact posting compromising pictures or comments has on others and on their personal futures. Once those are posted, there is no taking it back. Children do not think about future consequences, so we as educators have got to teach them the importance of having a good digital reputation. There is an abundance of resources to use to teach good digital citizenship. We just have to implement the information into our curriculum.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Thinkport Activities
Wow, this assignment was frustrating. Every attempt to access the Thinkport site ended with an error message. The light bulb finally came on - "check classmates' blogs to see if any of them were able to access the site." Thanks, Donette, for explaining how you were able to get in! So, there weren't many simulations appropriate for lower elementary students, but I liked Varnelle Moore's Primary Math Activities. The activities would be helpful in teaching first graders to recognize shapes, create patterns, and explore spatial relations and symmetry. Each lesson consisted of four activities - interactive, technology, paper & pencil, and a literature connection (listing books to share with your students) to give lessons more meaning.
Another activity I think would benefit first graders is "How do you like a crowd?" by National Geographic XPeditions. Although this plan was developed for a geography lesson, I would use it to meet the math objective to organize, represent, and interpret data and social studies objective to identify physical features of Earth using maps. I especially liked the "Population Pasta" activity where students use pasta to represent population in different countries.
There are some really cool activities on the Thinkport site. So glad I was able to finally make a visit!
Another activity I think would benefit first graders is "How do you like a crowd?" by National Geographic XPeditions. Although this plan was developed for a geography lesson, I would use it to meet the math objective to organize, represent, and interpret data and social studies objective to identify physical features of Earth using maps. I especially liked the "Population Pasta" activity where students use pasta to represent population in different countries.
There are some really cool activities on the Thinkport site. So glad I was able to finally make a visit!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Comparing Software Reviews
I visited the following software review websites in order to compare them: SREB EvaluTech, California Learning Resource Network, SuperKids, and Education World.
SREB EvaluTech is a Southern Regional Education Board website that makes available to schools computer software recommended by state departments of education. Education professionals review the software applicable to K-12 grade levels using guidelines/criteria set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. This free resource is available on a variety of subjects where key words and grade level only need to the entered to find appropriate software. Also, although based on standards from North Carolina, they fit curriculums throughout the nation. If a certain resource cannot be located, the site lists an email address to contact for additional assistance.
The California Resource Network has some impressive characteristics. This site hosts a variety of ways to search for software to fit an educators' instructional software needs. You can search for software by grade level, subject, topic, a favorite publisher, or at-risk student activities. You can even look for other resources in the categories of videos, Internet, or textbook. There were over 3,000 reviews, and the list is modified on a monthly basis. There is a lengthy screening process, and only software meeting specific guidelines are included on this website. The guidelines included meeting state standards (California), the CLRN board review (educators trained to evaluate software) standards, and legal standards. I don't mind if this resource is geared for standards in California. With the ability to type in a grade level and topic, one is able to access a wealth of potential instructional aids. I would use this site, in fact I look forward to it!
Although I really like some aspects of the SuperKids site, I'm not as impressed with it compared to CLRN. I appreciate the ease at which you can access information, but the search is linear (you can't search for grade and subject at the same time) However, I like that once you find software you are interested in, you can click a button to check out reviews of similar software. I understand that "kids, parents, and teachers" reviewed the software on a monthly basis, but who are these people??? I like that the site gives a list of best sellers, but to me it seemed more commercially motivated than focused on educational benefits.
While I like the Education World site (I actually have it on my Delicious Account.), it is my least favorite of the software review sites. It was not user friendly. The information on software review was interesting (especially the ones to assist teachers with administrative tasks and learning technology), but the rest seemed very limited.
And my winner is CLRN!!!
SREB EvaluTech is a Southern Regional Education Board website that makes available to schools computer software recommended by state departments of education. Education professionals review the software applicable to K-12 grade levels using guidelines/criteria set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. This free resource is available on a variety of subjects where key words and grade level only need to the entered to find appropriate software. Also, although based on standards from North Carolina, they fit curriculums throughout the nation. If a certain resource cannot be located, the site lists an email address to contact for additional assistance.
The California Resource Network has some impressive characteristics. This site hosts a variety of ways to search for software to fit an educators' instructional software needs. You can search for software by grade level, subject, topic, a favorite publisher, or at-risk student activities. You can even look for other resources in the categories of videos, Internet, or textbook. There were over 3,000 reviews, and the list is modified on a monthly basis. There is a lengthy screening process, and only software meeting specific guidelines are included on this website. The guidelines included meeting state standards (California), the CLRN board review (educators trained to evaluate software) standards, and legal standards. I don't mind if this resource is geared for standards in California. With the ability to type in a grade level and topic, one is able to access a wealth of potential instructional aids. I would use this site, in fact I look forward to it!
Although I really like some aspects of the SuperKids site, I'm not as impressed with it compared to CLRN. I appreciate the ease at which you can access information, but the search is linear (you can't search for grade and subject at the same time) However, I like that once you find software you are interested in, you can click a button to check out reviews of similar software. I understand that "kids, parents, and teachers" reviewed the software on a monthly basis, but who are these people??? I like that the site gives a list of best sellers, but to me it seemed more commercially motivated than focused on educational benefits.
While I like the Education World site (I actually have it on my Delicious Account.), it is my least favorite of the software review sites. It was not user friendly. The information on software review was interesting (especially the ones to assist teachers with administrative tasks and learning technology), but the rest seemed very limited.
And my winner is CLRN!!!
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