Teenage Mutant Ninja Teacher-My Voki

 

Several English teachers at our school have utilized the Voki application and love it.  It's a great way to have the students express themselves by choosing their avatar and then connecting what they have learned to their avatar. 

 

Even though the number of avatars is somewhat limited, it's fun to see how creatively each student portrays themselves. 

 

This assignment corresponds to ISTE standard #1:

Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning

and Creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter,

teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate

experiences that advance student learning,

creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face

and virtual environments.

a. Promote, support, and model creative

and innovative thinking and inventiveness

See my Voki:
 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Voki

 

I have a Voki account already, but I changed my boring avatar to something a bit more creative.  I am now something that resembles a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.  My 8 year old was playing with them this weekend with a friend.  When I found that avatar, I thought it was funny. 

 

I chose the Scottish accent because it's so cool!!

 

 

 

 

 

Wordle-NETS 2000/2008 and Executive Function Skills in the Classroom

What a cool activity to visually demonstrate to students differences or changes in topics and comparing or contrasting topics.  This could be used as a project for English students comparing/contrasting a fictional piece of literature to a non-fiction article on the same topic.

Below is the Wordle for the 2000 Standards:

http://www.wordle.net/delete?index=6033260&d=SKDH

Wordle-ISTE Standards for Teachers 2000


In additon, here is the link to the ISTE Standards for Teachers for 2008.

http://www.wordle.net/delete?index=6033307&d=ANYG

 Wordle-ISTE Teacher Standards 2008

The differences between the two years seems to be, earlier on, the technology was focused on the learning aspect of it.  This concept was pretty new; naturally the learning and experiementing with technology as a learning tool was trial and error. 

In the 2008 standards, teachers are the focus in showing the students strategies to use the technology to promote learning.  The concept is more concrete in 2008 thus technology can be used as a resource for practice and to facilitate the learning to a diverse group of learners. 

Below are links to my Wordle describing the importance of Executive Function Skills in the Classroom.

All too often, we expect high school students to effectively manage seven subjects, seven teachers, and extracurricular activities with no direct instruction on how to do this.  Unfortunately, this manifests itself in poor grades, lost papers and lower standardized test scores.  If the state would implement a curriculum as a for-credit elective, we just might see a jump in grades and standardized test scores.

http://www.wordle.net/delete?index=6033430&d=DYYA

Executive Function Skills in the Classroom

Project Idea for Content Courses

Kids of all ages enjoy listening to someone read to them.  This is why using children's literature to introduce or supplement content material and learning for high school kids is so awesome.

This Children's Literature Project lists children's books that are relevant to content topics.  This one relates to Earth Science and it's five subdivisions:  Meteorology, Geology, Oceanography and Astronomy in addition to the Scientific Process.

Under each subcategory are listed children's books to support the topic.

This is great for the teacher teaching the material or to be used as a project assigned to the students learning the material.  This was one of the greatest projects I have done because it was so much fun!!!

Project Idea for Content Courses

The Need for Direct Instruction on Executive Function Skills in the Classroom

This is a paper I wrote in RDG 533.  Being in the high school, I see too very often, kids that struggle with forgetting to complete homework, with no knowledge of how to study for a test or how to successfully complete all of the part of a long-term 

project.  

The state needs to have a for-credit, elective course on study skills.  It is 

my firm belief, that if we had a class that offered to teach these skills, we would

see standardized test scores go up because kids would be learning, doing the practice of homework and studying with a purpose.  This is my research to support that belief.

Tonya Dagstani

RDG 533

Dr. Peter Edwards

ERIC Report

January 19, 2011

Executive Function Skills and Their Relevance to Academic Success

One purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act(NCLB; 2001) is to ensure that all students learn basic skills and perform at or above mandated proficiency levels.  The basic skills referenced in the act are executive function skills.  Executive function skills are mental skills that people perform, usually without conscious thought, each day throughout life.  “Executive functioning involves activating, orchestrating, monitoring, evaluating, and adapting different strategies to accomplish different tasks…It requires the ability to analyze situations, plan and take action, focus and maintain attention, and adjust actions as needed to get the job done.”  (Stanberry, 2010)

Problems in the Classroom

In the classroom, these skills translate into what can make or break a student’s high school career.  Executive function skills are required in the classroom for the student to be successful.  Specific executive function skills are what Dawson, P. and Guare R,.(2009) refer to as the ‘hidden curriculum’.  Skills that students are expected to know and use, but are never specifically taught.  “Teachers tend to hold students accountable when they don’t have executive skills but fail to recognize that the skills can be taught the same way that students are taught to perform geometry proofs, outline a book chapter, and write an essay.”

   

                 In a classroom, executive function skills are, for example, working memory, emotional control, sustained attention, task initiation, planning/prioritizing, organization, time management, goal-directed persistence, flexibility, and metacognition.  Dawson, P., and Guare, R., (2009)

            It is frustrating for both high school students and their parents, as well as educators, to ride the roller coaster of academic struggle and disorganization throughout school when seemingly bright and competent children cannot complete the simplest of tasks, such as taking complete notes, turning in assignments on time,  or maintaining a notebook.  It may be helpful for students and parents to take a look at what may be the cause of this ‘disorganization.’

Possible Causes of Executive ‘Disfunction’

            Most high school students are expected to manage at least seven different classes along with any extracurricular activities in which they may participate.  It sounds simple until it is broken down into what needs to be managed.  To many, it always comes together neatly planned, but for those students that have never been taught solid executive function skills, the cost is exorbitant.  And students pay in their lower grades.

            A schedule with seven classes means, math, science, government, English, a language, health/p.e., and an elective.  Within each of those classes, there are notes to be taken, directions to be followed, chapters to be read, problems to be solved, steps to adhere to, time to manage, projects to begin, tests to be taken, questions to be answered, homework to be turned-in, quizzes to remember, and essays to write, etc.  If a student doesn’t know how to manage their time and prioritize assignments or ‘chunk’ a project into smaller more manageable bits, then their learning of content material will be impeded, assignments will not get turned in, and it will be assumed by parents or educators that the student either doesn’t care or just doesn’t have the knowledge of content to be successful.  When, in fact, the student does know the content, he/she just doesn’t possess the skills necessary to organize it all to produce what is expected.  Oftentimes, this ‘disorganization’ can become so overwhelming that the student will just give up. 

A Possible Solution

            Just like many of the basic milestones that children learn from birth by mimicking a parent’s behaviors, like speech or smiling or waving, so may executive function skills be learned in the same way.  “Executive function skills are essential if students are to master the curriculum that is already in place, and they can be incorporated into instruction with relatively small modifications for the vast majority of students.”  Dawson, M. and Guare, R.,(1998) 

            Content area teachers can utilize strategies to help students overcome their weak executive skills in the classroom:  put into place structures, routines, and organizational schemes, making steps more explicit, providing prompts, reminders and cues as well as incentives to encourage students to use the executive skills they are learning.  Jacobsen(2010)

           

In addition, executive function skills can be directly taught by the implementation of an Executive Functional Skills Class, which covers a specifically designed curriculum to teach students how to be successful.  The curriculum should cover topics ranging from learning styles, time management, notebook organization, note-taking skills, reading for a purpose, study strategies, listening skills, making inferences, evaluating information, self-discipline, motivation, self-monitoring, initiation of tasks, to planning and organization. 

            The teacher would be responsible for directly teaching the executive function skills in each category and model what expected at each skill level.  The skills should be woven into the students’ existing classes and curricula using students’ notebooks, textbooks, tests, assignments, projects and schedules. 

            Students would be able to self-evaluate in regards to their progress in their content area courses.  Content area teachers would also be able to give feedback as to how a student is improving in content courses.

            “It’s not just a matter of managing the student-which is what most people do-but rather teaching the child self-management skills, and then reinforce those skills, and reinforcing the process of carrying out those skills.” Tarnow, J., M.D.,(2010)

  

Conclusion

            All students would fare better in high school and college if given a few simple tools with which to be successful-executive function skills.  “If you give a man a fish, you can feed him for a day.  If you teach a man to fish, you can feed him for life.”-unknown.  If we accommodate a student throughout high school, he can get through the four years.  If we teach a student to use executive function skills, he can be successful in high school, college, and life.             

           

  References

Meltzer, L. (2010). Promoting executive function in the classroom.  (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED509969).  New York, NY: Guildford Publications.

Kaufman, C.  (2010).  Executive function in the classroom: Practical strategies for improving performance and enhancing skills for all students.  (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED512213).  Baltimore, MD: Brooks Publishing Company.

Dawson, P. and Guare, R. (2010) Executive skills in children and adolescents:  A practical guide to assessment and intervention.  2nd Edition. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED509906).  New York, NY: Guilford Press. 

Houde, O., Rossi, S., Lubin A.,Joliot, M. (2010) Mapping numerical, reading and executive functions in the developing brain: An fMri  meta-analysis of 52 studies including 842 children.  Developmental Science 13(6), 876-855.  (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ903053)

Locascio, G., Mahone, M.E., Eason, S. H., Cutting, L. E. (2010) Executive dysfunction among children with reading comprehension deficits.  Journal of Learning Disabilities 43(5) 441-454. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.(EJ896980).

Stanberry, K., (2010). Executive function: A new lens for viewing your child. Great Schools. Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org

Tarnow, M.D., J., Tarnow Center for Self Management. (2010). Identifying and addressing executive function problems in your child.  Retrieved from http://www.cogmed.com

Dendy, M.S., C., (2002). Executive function… what is it anyway?. Retrieved from http://www.chrisdendy.com

Jacobsen, P. Autism Society (2010). Surviving the executive functioning demands of high school. Retrieved from http://education.com

Balduf, M., (2009). Underachievement among college students. Journal of Advanced Academics 20(2), 274-294.

Dawson, P., Guare, R., (2009). Executive skills: The hidden curriculum. Principal Leadership.

Congos, D., (2007). Top 12 study skills & strategies necessary for academic success. http://www.learningassistance.com

Cooper-Kahn, J., Dietzel, L., (2008) What is executive functioning?. http://www.ldonline.org

How Millenial I Am-Part 2

Frand's Ten Characteristics of the Information-Age Mindset
This article was interesting in that it put into words, thoughts I have had about technology and its development and its infiltration into my life.  You could tell the article was dated because it spoke of how the cellular phone, Palm Pilot and lightweight laptop will be commonplace in just a few years.  I'd say we are here!!

#1 Computers Aren't Technology

I'm more 'in' than 'out' with this one in that, I resist something technologically new, but will force myself to acclimate to it.  I am fortunate in that our school system supports the technology movement and holds regular workshops on how to use it in our classrooms.

I; however, have to work at it to learn it, whereas, my kids just pick it up and seem to know how to use it.

When we first got the Wii, we got a StarWars game with it.  After 20 minutes of reading the instruction manual on how to play the game, my husband handed to me and said, "You figure this out."  As I was desperately trying to understand it so my kids could begin to enjoy the newfound toy, the boys were already immersed in their game, laughing and having fun.  I threw that book away.  They had already figured out which buttons did what.  I was amazed!!!

#2 Internet is Better Than TV

I am 'out' with this one.  I am a devoted Seinfeld fan and watch the episodes on the tv as I prepare dinner.  I'm halfway watching them because I'm into cooking the meal and because I know all the lines by heart.  So, I can 'multitask' and catch a laugh at the same time.

I do watch clips on youtube that pertain to my lessons or use Safari Montage, provided by our school system, but I don't have time to sit at the computer and surf for news.  I have a family to care for, lessons to plan and classes to take.  Sitting at the computer takes time that I don't have.  Television news can run in the background while I get dressed in the morning or while I'm doing laundry.  So, TV is better than internet for me, unless I am specifically searching for something, usually related to planning a lesson.

I think I'm 'in' enough to use the internet very effectively to search for topics of interest relating to life in general as well.

#3 Reality is No Longer Real

I believe this is true.  I have spoken to my own children about this and actually taught a lesson on it in my reading classes.  Anyone can put anything on the internet and we have to be intelligent or cautious enough to distinguish between the two.

As time and technology have progressed, so has our ability to know which material is valid and which may be untrustworthy.

Regarding receipt of email, it's gotten so, if you don't recognize the sender, don't open it; much like a knock at the door and you look through the peep hole before you open the door.

#4 Doing Rather Than Knowing

With such easy access to the internet, I get a little overwhelmed with all the information myself.  Whether I'm researching a topic or looking for ideas for a lesson, it seems that there is so much available that I get very distracted and end up clicking on things that are irrelevant and wasting time.

I need to funnel my focus!  In 'in' on this one.

#5 Nintendo Over Logic

I'm in with the Logics on this one.  I will read a manual as I experiment with something new.  I like step-by-step clear, concrete directions as I 'play' around with whatever is new.  I feel 'safer' having those logical directions and I am uncomfortable taking the risks the Nintendo people take.

I can safely be a temporary Nintendo person in the confines of a workshop with a qualified TRT from our school system.  :)  As long as I have those step-by-step directions, I'm okay.

For this class, I have printed out every assignment to have in front of me as I complete the steps.  In addition, in the past, I took my first online course through the University of Phoenix.  I was so uncomfortable with the online textbook, I printed out the entire text just so that I could highlight with my marker.

This type of practice is so engrained that I was reluctant to give up my textbook and highlighter.  Just a note:  I wouldn't do that now. :)

#6 Multitasking Way of Life

As I am answering to these characteristics, I am finding a lot of overlap from other characteristics.

As most Moms probably believe, they are multi-taskers the day their child comes into their lives, if they weren't before they had kids.  Like I mentioned earlier, I can watch Seinfeld, cook and do laundry at the same time.  This not an entirely new concept; however, regarding multitasking with technology, I think I would explode!  I'm 'out' for this one.

The noise alone would drive me crazy with the computer sounds, tv sounds, texting sounds, etc all at once.  The use of technology requires way too much of my concentration for me to be using more than one form of it at a time.

#7  Typing Rather Than Handwriting

This is a lost art.  Quite frankly, there is nothing nicer than getting a handwritten note in the mail.  A sad example is this:  Last week while administering the PSATs to a group of freshmen, a portion of the tests asks that the kids write, in cursive, an honor pledge and sign their names.  The scribing of three sentences took 20 minutes and several students admitted that they didn't know how to write in cursive.  Does this mean we no longer have to have a signature, individual to our hands?

However, we do live 'faster' now and handwriting is from a 'slower' time in history.  A thank-you email is very commonplace now from the mom of a child whose birthday your son attended last week.  Sometimes life is just too fast.  I think it's pretty clear, I'm 'out' with this one.

#8 Staying Connected

I have a pretty strong opinion on this.  Staying connected is a good thing in small doses and for different reasons.  Email is great in the field of education.  Making a ton of parent phone calls is extremely time consuming when just checking in (when teachers are short on time anyway); however, a brief email can cover the same material and necessary communication in a short amount of time.

Facebook is a funny concept to me.  I think it's been great to find people I haven't seen since high school and to reconnect with them.  It's interesting to see everyone's viewpoint regarding the election.  It's neat to see informational videos that are posted.  It's hilarious to see the humor of some posts.

I don't have an appreciation for seeing what people are eating at a restaurant and I have not been able to figure out why people think we want to see a picture of their meal or their beverage of choice.

I think Facebook has given everyone that feeling of their 15 minutes of fame.  I know, I am so old-fashioned.  Many times, I think of responding to a post or comment made.  I'll actually start typing, but then think better of it because, who cares?

Many people rely on that connection for their professions.  That's great and it's a great marketing tool.  But, as for being connected, I like to just be connected with my family once I get home in the evening.

At school, I stay connected with parents, teachers and students via email and the good-old fashioned way---handwritten notes and personal communication.

I'm 'out' with this one too.  I am connected, but not to the extent that many people are.

#9  Zero Tolerance for Delays

This is a funny one too.  I would typically consider myself a patient person but when I have to wait for a page to load, it drives me crazy.  When you think about it, it's really just seconds.  To cope, I usually have a book nearby and read a page of the actual paper book while waiting for the virtual page to pop up.

On the Mondays at school, after the county does a technology 'push' over the weekend, things can load a little slowly.  I find myself rolling my neck around and itching for something to do while I wait.  It's sort of created a monster!!!

Students are so used to doing research on the computer and getting facts with a few clicks on the keyboard.  If they have to look something up, it frazzles the nerves.

I do a dictionary activity with my students and actually teach them about guide words and parts of speech and alphabetical order and all of the other cool things found in the dictionary.  I have to do this because, when they don't know a word, they open up www.dictionary.com, type in a word and voila!!!!  They have a definition.

A lot can be missed in the name of speed.

#10  Consumer/Creator Blurring

Since the publication of this article, MLA and APA have created guidelines for citing online works.  Our teachers are very strict about plagiarism and the proper citing of online material used.

I agree with this and am on the 'in' side of this.  It's proper and just to cite the works of someone else when using their material in a paper.


I think it's important to have an idea, in general, about the ever evolving field of technology and what is available.  If your career depends on it, then it's critical to be knowledgeable and confident in exploring new concepts.  I am afraid of all of this technology because I have found it to be reliably unreliable.

During SOL testing last year, a squirrel chewed through a line and we were down for two days of testing until the company figured out what it was and fixed it.  When it's mandated that students have to take these tests, it should be infallible.   I am really uncomfortable storing stuff in this 'Cloud'.  It's ignorant, I know.  But, I like to have my stuff on my computer and on my drives.  I'm not sure it will always be there and hackers are always lurking.

I covered a French class yesterday consisting of 9th and 10th graders.  Once the students finished their assigned work, I asked a few to take this survey.  I was surprised by the results and I believe that the 'texting' question was heavily weighted because the one boy that doesn't text, scored in the 'Silent' range.

The students scores ranged like this:  11, 53, 78, 79, 83, 84, 88, and 93.  Each student was under 18.  The covered the gamut!!  I think I scored pretty well in comparison.  I can hang with these high school kids!!!  :)  Although I am considered a Gen X, I am in the Millenial Generation.

How Millennial I Am-Part 1

I was surprised to see my Millennial score.  I predicted it was going to be lower simply because I am still of the 'silent' mindset.  I still believe in using the dictionary and in the value of paper books with a binding; however, I know and understand, that to stay in demand in my career field, I must follow the trends and move along the technology trail.

I was peeking at my results as compared to others that took the quiz and I was surprised by some of those results too.  I thought that owning both a landline and a cell phone would put me in the lower percentage, but according to the stats, the Boomers have it with 81%.

In addition, the fact that I do not play video games, I figured would put me into some prehistoric era.  'No video games' did have my score in the 'silent' range, but I managed to be quite hip with my total score of 89!

My father worked started working for Ma Bell when he was in his early 20's and retired after 40 years of dedicated service.  He began selling phone lines, when that was the new technology.  That technology kept bread on our table and helped to put two kids through college.  The technology grew and my Dad had many promotions either selling the services himself or managing people doing the selling.

However, when AT&T decided it was going to be mandatory for all managers to learn and make use of computers, my Dad decided he'd had just about enough of this technology.  :)

He was at an age where he could 'quit' technology and get away with it.  He'd saved, put his kids through college, owned his home, and successfully managed his household expenses on paper.  He still does to this very day.

I could not get away with it like he has.  We have two young children that know more than I do about technology.  I have to do what I can to keep up with them.  :)

I am pretty proud of my Millenial profile because this whole move to technology hasn't been easy for an old soul like me to become comfortable with.  I must remain vigilant in my pursuit of this knowledge.  I'm still young enough where I'll get left behind.  My career depends on it.

My students think fast when it comes to technology so I have to think faster.  I have to investigate new things to show them.  I love when I do show them something new and someone says that it's cool or tells me they used it for another class.

So with this survey, I've seen that I may be old fashioned but that I am not too old to learn something new.

T-Test

The p value being 1.6 indicates a likelihood that the hypothesis is true, thus rejecting the null hypothesis, that gender is a factor is 4th grade math performance.

I teach a multitude of different categories of students; however, two to consider would be both ELL students and Special Needs students.

Research Question:  Does a student's category(ELL vs. Special Needs) impact 'Be A Better Reader' scores?

Using this informal reading assessment, I can obtain the scores for all of my students and compare the results between the ELL and Special Needs populations.

The dependent variable is: students in my reading classes only.
The independent variables are: ELL or Special Needs.

The null hypothesis would be:  There is no difference in reading scores between the two populations of students in my reading classes, ELL vs. Special Needs.

The hypothesis:  There is a difference in reading scores between the two populations of students in my reading classes, ELL vs. Special Needs.

This is an interesting research topic in that it compares to unique populations that are mixed into the same class.  My guess is that the ELL students may not score as high as the Special Needs students due to the simple fact that they have not had the exposure to our language that the Special Needs students have that are native to our culture and language.  The other reason being that many of the ELL students may not have had as much education or any education in their native countries; whereas, Special Needs students from our country are often identified early on in their lives and receive education and learning strategies to try to get them caught up with the 'norm'.

ISTE standard #4 applies to this lesson in our use of data in providing equitable access to all learners and addressing the diverse needs of all learners.

Webinar/Carpe Diem vs. St. Mary's

That was an incredibly interesting Webinar and is the prompt for creative discussion.

I can say right off the bat, I am against the fully implemented Carpe Diem model.  High test scores are not the end-all-to-be-all.  There still needs to be social education, working in teams and in groups, personal interaction and personal communication.

In real life, we do actually have to interact with other real people.  We learn this skill by doing it.  Interacting with a computer all day would stifle that part of growth and learning.

I cannot imagine relegating a child to a cubicle for a major part of the day for the drill- and-kill.  Yes, drill-and-kill does have it's place because there are educational tidbits that need to be just plain memorized. However, not at the expense of personal interaction and learning.

I much prefer the St. Mary's method.  In real life, things work better when they are in balance.  Much like a diet, one cannot be healthy and lose weight by just eating less or eating one type of food or by just exercising.  To be successful in dieting, one must balance the food consumed with exercise.

The St. Mary's method seemed to have a balance of the 'old school' method of education in having the children interact in addition to using newer technology.  It seems that higher level thinking skills are being used and the information is not just learned, it is retained, synthesized and applied.

I am gradually integrating more and more technology into my classroom.  I have truly been uncomfortable with technology for two reasons:  one, I have been 'afraid' of it because I don't know much (but am learning) and two, it scares me because I don't fully trust it.

As I learn and explore more, I find I am getting more comfortable with the use of technology.  I use the Promethean everyday in my room, when I loved the old fashioned white-boards.  I integrate the use of online vocabulary storage and play, use Safari Montage for video clips, and the use of online project development.

As a teacher, I am limited as to what my school system offers in the way of technology.  I'd like to be able to download certain things we have learned in this class, but can because that function is blocked.  Our system is moving slowly toward technology.

I think it would be great for students to be able to download our student agenda to their phones; however, the agenda companies we use are 2 years away from this format and some teachers buck the idea of kids using their phones in class for fear of them texting.

Full technology integration has to be mastered from several perspectives:  Administration needs to be trained to train us, teachers need to be trained to train the kids, and all of the adults need to be onboard and fully trained on how the technology can be used.

Just dumping the devices or software on us won't help.  Like getting a kid to read a chapter, we need to have a purpose for learning it first to make it relevant and important to what we do.

I do think all teachers need to take a class like this one.  I have learned so much valuable information that I had no idea was out there.

A school-wide initiative should not be shallow scaled and devices bought just to have them.  To make full use to them and to benefit the students, the appropriate devices and software need to be fully studied and investigated first.  Only after teachers are sufficiently instructed on their use, purpose and how they can be used in classes to benefit student learning, should they be rolled into the classrooms for student use.

Exel Data for Comparing Nationwide Mean Scores to Virginia Mean Scores

This was an ordeal!  I operate on this old Mac and have to do a whole lot of figuring.  I initially tried this assignment on the Mac and it was an exercise in futility.  I ended up borrowing a friend's laptop to complete the assignment, thus the delay in getting it posted on time.

In analyzing the data for 4th Grade Reading Scores for 2011, Virginia ranked 41 in the mean scores with 220. 4077.  There are eight states ahead of Virginia; Massachusetts being ranked first.  Washington, DC is the lowest ranked, with 200. 62.

Virginia is above the average with 226.37.

Being able to analyze data is critical as the educational pendulum moves toward Formative and Summative assessments on a regular basis through the school year.  We need to be able to look at our students' performance to determine the how well the students are absorbing what is being taught and in which direction we need to take our teaching.

This assignment corresponds to ISTE #3 because, in completing it, we had to locate, analyze, and evaluate data and use digital tools to make it happen.

Raider Readers Corner Website

Well this was an adventure!  It's interesting to see now how easily a website can be created, when I thought one would have to pay an exorbitant amount to have such thing.

We have a school website with links to our own professional part of the site.  I copied some of the information I had on our school site and placed it on my new site.  The linking of the information took a bit of time to get straight, but I think it will work.

I have to say, that this trial and error method is an impressive way to learn.  Perhaps we should allow students more opportunity for trial and error.  It's made me think.  I always give students a chance to correct their answers because it does help to retain material and it gives them a chance to work the important stuff out on their own.  I wish more of my own teachers had given me the chance to fix my answers and figure out what was correct.

One of my colleagues was sitting next to me today as I was beginning to fool around with the themes and templates.  She was so excited with the prospect of creating her own site, that she began poking around to start the process too.

This is my site!!
https://sites.google.com/a/su.edu/raider-readers-corner/

This assignment, for me, completely revolved around ISTE standard #5-Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.  By learning to create this site, I have had to pull together and apply many of the tools and resources we have discovered during this course that I could readily share with my colleagues.

I am proud of myself for being able to conquer this.  This assignment was on the top of the list to give me ulcers.  LOL!  I look forward to adding to my site and making it better and better and sharing it with my students and parents.

Rubric-Harry Potter Final Assignment

Rubistar is a wonderful tool for busy teachers!  I cannot wait to share this with my colleagues.  This tool effectively demonstrates ISTE #3--this clearly helps students, parents and teachers collaborate in the use of digital tools and is a resource to help student success.

In my 8th block 21st Century Literacy Strategies class, we are reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  These reluctant readers are loving the story line.

While introducing this intriguing story, I used my Google map of England, taking the students on Harry's journey from Little Whinging, while living with the Dursleys, to Hogwart's itself.

I needed a final project for my class and had been contemplating an all-encompassing one so that the students could demonstrate their knowledge of the story line and facts about England in addition to using their own imagination and creativity to conjure up a school of their own.

The rubric asks the students to create brochure detailing a school where teen-age students come to learn.  It's up to the student create the class names, what is covered, which teachers teach the classes, and the names of the textbooks to accompany the course.

I think my students will enjoy this assignment.  I plan on announcing the it this week and giving them some class time to complete it.

It would be great to have them actually complete it before this class is over so I could post them to my blog for you to see.  (If we don't get done in time, I'll still share them when we do get done.)

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzMCUKf1ScVgUmV6clllQkV6bG8

I think this Rubistar site is an amazing time saver.  I can link this to our online grades website for parents to see.

Self-Grading Form

This self-grading form will be great once I figure out how to make the formulas work.  I must have input incorrect information somewhere along the line because one cell keeps entering a 0 for the score when, in fact, it's correct and should read 100. 

This would be a great way to create that reading inventory that I want to make easy to give to all English teachers. 

This would also be a creative assignment for my students.  They would create a test for at least 3 of their classmates to take.

Using their own information to create a test, would force them to actually know some of the information we have covered in class because, in the creation of the test, they'd have to know the answers.  With each student taking several different tests created by their classmates, it reinforces their learning. 

I am always looking for creative tools for students to study.  I think this will be a new development!!!

This lesson applies to the Technology standards that require students to use technology to learn.  This hits the nail on the head!!!

This is the form: 

https://docs.google.com/a/su.edu/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG85Q1ZfTHh4Wk5TX3NXMDhnejJxTmc6MQ#gid=0


This is the spreadsheet.  It still needs some work, but I get the idea.  I'm not sure why that last cell won't calculate right, but I'll figure it out. (See below--I figured it out!!)

https://docs.google.com/a/su.edu/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AjMCUKf1ScVgdG85Q1ZfTHh4Wk5TX3NXMDhnejJxTmc#gid=0

When the good professor pointed out that I didn't have my link public, I went back to wiggle a few things around.  I changed the URL to public and I figured out why I couldn't get the last cell to calculated the average.  I had put the /3 inside the parentheses instead of outside.  ONE TINY LITTLE OVERSIGHT changed everything.

With this, I realized, yet again, how very important the tiniest of details are.  I had watched the Youtube video many times trying to figure out what I was doing wrong.  I watched today with fresh eyes!!

Google Forms

Happy Sunday everyone!

This is a survey I created that I would use at the beginning of the year to see exactly what my students' reading preferences are in addition to assessing their skills in reading from a textbook.

I usually do a number of informal surveys and interest inventories before we get into gear for the year.

This availability is the answer to my prayers!  We have been looking for an informal reading assessment that I can make accessible to all English teachers to get a basic before/after grade level.  I can create an assessment using this feature for each grade level (9-12) and will begin working on this asap!

This has been important because we are in the day and age of assessment in order to show the progress of our students from the beginning of the year to the end.

I am so glad to know how to do this.

Below are the links to my spreadsheet and my form.  I'm going to have my students take this tomorrow and Tuesday.  I think this is awesome!!!!

Spreadsheet link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AjMCUKf1ScVgdHhuR2U4QXNBaTZMN0VFWVhwNndNWkE


Survey Form link:

https://docs.google.com/a/su.edu/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHhuR2U4QXNBaTZMN0VFWVhwNndNWkE6MQ#gid=0

Prezi-Reading Non-Fiction Text

What a cool application!  As usual, it takes me a bit of time to figure out which 'buttons' to push to make things happen, but this is how we learn.

This will be a great tool to show my students for use in their content courses to use for long-term projects.  I will use this as an option to wrap up our novels next quarter, for my students' projects.

We are planning parent workshops to help parents better help their kids at home regarding homework, study skills and organizational strategies.  This would be a great tool for parents to know how to access so they could easily help their kids with projects, especially when their son or daughter says the night before, "I need posterboard for a project due tomorrow!"

Who needs posterboard when you can use this!!!!  This is almost interactive.  The movement alone would engage the viewer, wondering what is happening next.  A powerpoint is pretty much stand-alone and very much the same thing over and over again.  The Prezi opens a whole new world of creative demonstration of knowledge for the student.

This will also be a great workshop for my fellow faculty members.  I'm betting there are quite a few that don't know about it but would love to use it.

This lesson applies to Standard #3 in that teachers can have a greater working knowledge of this type of technology to share with their students.  It will inspire student learning, Standard #2, because it will allow students to use some imagination to create promising presentations through the use of this technology.

http://prezi.com/ey0tviu-okks/reading-non-fiction-text/

Digital Movies from PowerPoints

Well, this was an adventure!  I couldn't install anything from the original assignment's directions because of my very old Mac.  So, I had to figure out a way to make this work from what Mac provides.........AND I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!

Mac has two features:  iPhoto and iMovie.  I figured that these would be the tools I'd need and I had to poke around to figure out how to do the same thing as the Windows directions.

I had to use some different steps:
I saved my ppt as photos using iPhoto, the dragged the file over to iMovie.  I had to narrate each slide and clip the sound to match time I needed.  My voice overlapped several times but I clicked a few buttons until I understood how to edit the sound and coordinate it with the timing.

Man...........this whole thing took about five hours but I am so very psyched to have done this!!!  I am going to celebrate with some chocolate right now!!!

Here is the link to youtube.  I checked it and it works---sound and all!!!!!!!

I wanted to share a really cool piece of technology with you that we have access to at LCPS.  Our students can also access this technology for home use through LCPS as well.

It's called Read & Write Web.  This technology, through TextHelp, allows students to have the computer read an article on the web aloud.  The students can highlight difficult vocabulary and the program will create a list of these words along with pictures to illustrate.

This program is available for all students in our district.  It's a great way for parents to help their children at home by installing it on home computers.  For example, if there child is responsible for doing a current event for their social studies class, the child can look up the article on the net, click the tab with Read & Write web application, and listen to the article being read to them.  Once the student clicks on the tab, the icon bar appears and allow the student easy access to the program.  The voice can also be changed to read in an Spanish accent, by choosing 'Spanish Paulina' on the dropdown menu.

The reading isn't perfect and numbers are read exactly as they are written, but the main idea comes across.

Below is a screen shot of an article I found on lobotomies.

(The really cool part of this technology, is there is an app for Google docs too.  I'm working on getting this temperamental Mac to cooperate with this installation.)

Voicethread

This is a cool website that you can use that is similar to a powerpoint with a narration. You'll have to register with the site and you can only complete 3 voicethreads before you have to begin paying for them.

I took pictures of my classroom to demonstrate how it is set up and how students and teachers can check-out and return materials.

This was an option as a project for my reading students last year in place of a book report.  The kids had fun with their projects and it was an interesting experience for the ELL kids to actually listen to themselves speak.



Tonya Voicethread...click here
.

Dropbox-Critical Reading Powerpoint

With this assignment, I used a Powerpoint I created last year for an 11th grade English class on Critical Reading.

It was super boring.  I took this opportunity to jazz it up a bit. I did a voice-over for each slide.  This way, I can post this to my school website.  Both parents and students can view the Ppt and get a better idea of meaning because I am doing the talking.

I also discovered a new website for sound bites.  I needed a puking sound for one of my slides. (Curious now?  LOL?)  I found freesound.org.  You register with a user name a password and you have access to thousands of different sound bites.  There is also a forum where you can see others that that 'enjoy' the same sounds you do and you can make comments regarding specific sound bites.

I had no idea that there was such a sound site until I needed it---one more thing I have discovered in this class.

Dropbox is pretty cool and was something that my Mac would actually do.  (After this class, I am seriously frustrated with this computer and I am considering alternatives.)

Redoing this powerpoint took a great deal of time.  The recording device on this crazy Mac would not let me stop and start the recordings.  If I goofed on the 10th slide, I had to go all the way back to slide 1 and start over.

The final slide has references for students to follow, including a site with Critical Reading practice tests.

Critical Reading Movie

It seems I am having technical difficulties getting this link to work.  Perhaps it won't link it because it was saved as a movie. I'm going to just try to save it as a powerpoint and link it that way.

           Critical Reading 2012.mov         

For some reason, I cannot get it to link.  I will troubleshoot some more.  I apologize for  all of the shares.  :(

Whoa!!  This was really cool and much easier than I expected.  I keep incorrectly thinking these assignments will be exponentially more difficult. This was so neat.

I will use this with my reading class except have the students input places they have lived, other than Leesburg or input their relatives that live in different places.  I could also see using this to track a character's travels while we read a novel. 

This technology will help my students activate a schema about a setting and conjure up some background knowledge relating to the towns and cities about where our characters live.

Batchgeo of our Class

I am thinking that I'm starting to feel more comfortable with some of this vocabulary too.  To insert this map image, I used my capture feature.  I would have never done this before.  I'm really out of my comfort zone but it's getting better.

Jing Image--Holy Cow!!! finally!!!

Well this has been an ordeal and without the help of my husband, I'd still be scratching my head and gnashing my teeth.  I had to go to using his HP laptop to install Jing.  My Mac wouldn't support it.

But here it is and I think it's pretty cool.  As you can see, I'm pretty psyched about www.studygs.net because I use it so much.  I chose one of the interactive features that allows a student to get an idea of how they spend their time in a 24-hour period.

I think that efficient time management is an important skill for everyone.  Just like counting calories, time management is a tricky thing unless it is brought to the forefront of our attention.

Take a look at my Jing and see if you agree.

Time Management Graphic

The very cool thing about Jing is that the image is saved right on my computer in the history!!  I just hover over the sun and click 'history'.  Cool!!!

 

Sharing the image was easy with screencast. 

I think this assignment pertains greatly to #2 in the iste.nets.t standards, especially for me.  I am definitely not tech-savvy.  This has helped me to troubleshoot and go way beyond my comfort level to explore and learn this new technology.  It's not new to most, but to me, it's an incredibly new discovery.  This lesson helped me to a) design and adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources. 

Diigo and Social Bookmarking

Diigo can offer a more convenient way to bookmark pages that you use frequently or want to easily refer to at a later time.  The use of Diigo is simple and convenient.

I'm not too familiar with social media; however, the thread I see between FaceBook and social bookmarking is how a person can get a picture of someone's preferences, likes and dislikes.  Through FB, a person must 'like' a page for it to be recognized and seen by the 'friends' on the account.

Via Diigo, someone can get more detailed glimpse of personal and workplace preferences with the pages that are bookmarked and categorized.

Web 2.0 allows for connection and engagement of all members seeing the Diigo pages.  For educational or classroom purposes, teachers can have an interactive 'discussion' while students are actively reading---making reading more fun and more relevant to real life for students.

One no longer needs to use a flash drive to store important web pages or cut and paste parts of pages and save to a Word document.  Diigo would also allow me to keep parents informed about current articles and information related to current educational research.

Click this link to see the start of my Diigo library.

Tonya's Diigo

2012 One Book One Community Book Title Revealed

http://diigo.com/0su9p

This is the link to Loudoun County Public Libraries' new One Book One Community page.

The purpose of the program is like a giant book club--to get everyone reading and talking the same book.

When the Emperor Was Devine by Julie Otsuka starts in 1942 with the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

She will be visiting the Cascades Library in Loudoun on October 3.

Cornell Notetaking Method Custom PDF Generator

I was looking around for ideas to help my students take better notes.  The Cornell method is a succinct way to take notes.  This site allows the students to format their own note-taking pages--number of lines per inch, blank, or graph.  It's awesome!!!  Just wanted to share.  It's great for the high school student but can be modified for elementary or middle school kids.  :)

Cornell Notetaking Method Custom PDF Generator

Picasso Head

This was awesome!!  I'm thinking about using this twice in my own classroom.

The first time, I will use this with my students will be next week and it will be interesting to find out why students chose the characteristics they selected.

We will repeat this exercise at the end of the school year and look at how they now see themselves.  Comparing the two images could give a little insight as to how they feel they have progressed in their reading skills and in their self confidence.

When high school age kids enter a reading class, they almost always lack confidence in themselves and in their abilities.  I'm hoping they will feel better at the end of year.

In my image, I chose to be winking one eye because this represents the fun I have in my classroom.  I enjoy my job and I hope that comes across to my students.  They need to understand that reading is fun and useful.

I chose the hair because it's about the same length as what I have now.  I hope to have all four of the hairs on my head to someday be long and luxurious.

I played with making the face small and huge.  That was funny!  I lost a teeny bit of weight over the summer, but will soon be back up to my 'regulation teaching weight' shortly.  That's why it was fun to experiment with the chin.  LOL!!!   It seems, in a school, there is always food around somewhere.

Click here to create your very own special self-portrait!    Picassohead

Click here to see the gallery of Picassoheads and to see where mine is.
Tonya's Picasso

What a great way for my students to use technology and show me how they see themselves!!!

This activity encompasses portions of iste.nets t Standard #2 

-Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.

a) Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.  

c) Customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.  

Revisit Resume

Wow!  I was kind of shocked that my resume that landed me my current job got such a crummy score the first time around.  I used a resume book as a reference to put it together when I got hired three years ago as a reading specialist.  I have since included my current responsibilities.  All things listed relate to what I do and I purposely included responsibilities and duties that lend to a teaching profession.

I think this resume review site is pretty cool; however, the site does seem to focus on the frequency of certain words throughout the resume.  I noticed how the job suggestions listed some sort of software specialist for me.  I think the site just noticed my current job as a reading specialist and focused on that.  

I had not listed references on my resume; however, I had listed REFERENCES "Available upon request" on it.  One of the suggestions was to remove my references from the resume.  My score went from a C+ to a B- once I removed those words.

I am pretty old(as it said in the corrections LOL!) and have had few jobs with many responsibilities.  It's difficult to keep it short when the jobs you have held include responsibilities you feel relevant to the job you are seeking.  

This site is a great way to get general feedback about your resume.  It is probably a good idea to check several references and have someone proof your resume before it goes public.  :)

Cornell Notetaking Method Custom PDF Generator

Cornell Notetaking Method Custom PDF Generator

Just found this while surfing.  Will use this in my 21st Century Literacy Classes and share with my colleagues.

Snipping

I have been working on this Snipping assignment for about two hours now.  I know it's not due until the 6th but I know if I don't start it early, I'll be in a panic to figure it out.

It takes me quite a while to figure this kind of stuff out between my lack of knowledge and making sure my kids are taken care of.  But by the time I get it, it's totally worth it and I am proud of myself for taking on the challenge of something that intimidates me.  I guess that's what self-directed learning is; figuring it out for yourself.

I do think you learn things better and retain things longer if you figure it out on your own.

With the Mac, I had to search far and wide inside this machine to find the equivalent of the Snipping tool.  I found Grab, which led me to Capture.  And........it works!!!  If we hadn't had this assignment, I'd never have known about this cool feature.  Now, when I make a presentation to my reading specialist colleagues or need to send an email relating to a particular site, I can use this.  I'm psyched!!

I am showing a website that I absolutely love.  I use it in my classroom and refer many parents to this site.  It's called www.studygs.net.  It's a comprehensive look at all things relating to executive function skills and study and test-taking strategies.

The first thing I do with this site during the year is have my students take a learning styles inventory.  On the site, the students answer 32 questions.  The results include, not only their particular learning style or styles, but strategies to match that style that they can use in their content area courses!

Take a look!!!

Click on the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire to take the survey.

3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work

processes representative of an innovative professional

in a global and digital society

b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents,

and community members using digital tools

and resources to support student success

and innovation

c. Communicate relevant information and ideas

effectively to students, parents, and peers using

a variety of digital age media and formats

d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and

emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate,

and use information resources to support research

and learning.

#3 in the ISTE Nets T Standards; a, b, c and d illustrate the purpose of this assignment.  In this day and age in the field of education, collaboration and communication with colleagues is crucial to effective lesson planning and implementation.

Our county high school reading specialist meetings revolve around the sharing of information and ideas.  Each of the 14 of us have such varied roles in our schools that it's important to talk about what we are doing as individuals and to brainstorm ideas to troubleshoot difficulties.  

  

Google Docs

I try to keep my resume up-to-date with new things I do and new goals I achieve each year.  I seem to add to duties to my job description regularly.

Uploading my current resume from a Word doc to Google docs was a lot easier than I thought.  All of the things I was supposed to click did what they were supposed to and the conversion was pretty smooth in that I didn't have to make too many changes.  That is pretty unusual for me because most technology that I attempt doesn't work well for me.  I was pretty happy at how it worked out.

What I am discovering is that it's okay to click around and experiment.  I rely heavily on the 'undo' button.  :)  Because that it there, I am less fearful of sending my work into the Ionosphere.

The uploading of my current Word doc resume to Google docs and sharing it relates to two of the ISTE Nets T standards in that I am able to take the old technology of a simple Word document and still make use of that information by making it current and relevant using today's technology.

Model Digital Age Work and Learning

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work

processes representative of an innovative professional

in a global and digital society.

a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the

transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.

b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents,

and community members using digital tools

and resources to support student success and innovation.  

The advantages of cloud computing with Google docs provides a larger storage area and gives many access to my information at the touch of a few buttons; however, I think that could be a negative as well.  I am a bit uncomfortable with this whole cloud being out there giving anyone access to my information.  Perhaps once I learn more about it and become more knowledgeable, I won't be as fearful.  

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=18uJ_jXITXcS2F0wPLjI7aNcPaO3zGU-ZY4Tibzv5I50

Introduction

I'm looking forward to learning more about technology as my own 9-year-old knows more than me.  He's talking about building a server and I have no idea what he means.

I know, as a parent, I need to keep up with him to make sure he stays safe on the internet and to make sure that the FBI doesn't come knocking at my door because he's figured out how to hack into some secure place.  LOL!!!

I am a high school Reading Specialist and LOVE what I do!  I'd love to know how to make my Powerpoint presentations more interactive.  Any time I've been in a presentation with Ppts, I've always thought they were kind of boring, so mine probably are too.

I push into many different content courses to teach kids how to study and take tests, about the use of context clues and critical reading, and to do book talks, and for many other lessons.  I use Ppt to make my lessons a bit more colorful and reference some great websites like:  www.studygs.net  and www.quizlet.net

I also reference many useful videos from Youtube to introduce or reinforce a topic.  I am not too comfortable inserting them in my Ppt so I have to open a new window to click on when I am presenting.  It's a pain.

I like the blog feature for the interaction of this class, but I'm not so sure I'd use it for my job.  I think it could invite trouble when students can post anything they want.  I don't want to have to carry that responsibility and I don't have time to monitor it.

That's me and I'm happy to be learning more about the technology that scares yet intrigues me.