End of Class Reflection

End of Semester Reflection

Production has taught me many new interesting concepts to implement into my classroom. Learning how to create a Podcast and a Wiki was extremely useful and interesting. The students’ positive feedback and improved grades reflect how important it is to have technology in the classroom. Wikis and Podcasts are wonderful technological tools that helped instruct the lesson and transmit the objective to the students. Wikis can be used for any subject. After creating a Wiki in a small group for my graduate course, I decided to try it in my own classes. The students were told to create their own Wiki with information from different scenes from “The Crucible.” The students were separated into groups of three and followed an outline. When we were done, the students loved the idea of working on the Internet and creating a document that other students can use. Next, I want to create a Blog where students can post all their homework and projects. I especially like the point that the book, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts…for Classrooms, written by Will Richardson, made about assignments not being lost or handed in late when teachers use Blogs because students have to post assignments on the blog. This helps foster students’ responsibility for completing assignments on time.
Another topic we learned was how to use Visual Vocabulary. It is already known that virtually anything taught visually will benefit learners. Teaching Special Education has taught me that any modification will help students. When a teacher is teaching new vocabulary terms, images and video clips greatly assist with instructing and explaining the meaning of words.

mpatorniti glogster poster

View more presentations or Upload your own.

Glogster is a free online digital poster tool.  Digital Posters are part of the Literacy Visual Theory.  Visual Literacy is a proven theory that helps the students learn easier due to the visual aspect.  Students are able to keep a single focus when completing the poster.  If they imoprt a picture off topic, it is easier for them recoginze their mistake.  Teachers are able to use this tool and theory to better deliver their objective and reinforce learned concepts stronger.  Individuals are able to create any type of poster ranging from educational to personal.

References
New Jersey Department of Education. http://www.state.nj.us/ 2004. 8 Dec. 2010 http://www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/ 

Episode 2...Romeo & Juliet Act 3 scene 2

In Act 3 scene 2, Romeo and Juliet's love grew stronger for each other. Juliet is presented with bad news concerning her cousin and her husband. She is very upset when she learned that her cousin was killed, but devastated when she thought her husband was killed. Juliet's nurse informed her that Romeo is the one who killed her cousin, Tybalt. Her nurse feels bad and tells Juliet she will bring Romeo to her. The story of love and death will continue in act 4 and episode 3.

Music:
Desiree. "Kissing You." Music. "www.amazon.com" 2007. 9 Nov 2010.
Images
Fanpop. "Juliet & Romeo." Photo. "www.fanpop.com" 2008. 9 Nov 2010.

Podcast 1...Romeo and Juliet

The following episode is an excerpt from "Romeo and Juliet" Act 2 scene 2. The Capulet party ended and Romeo is on a mission to find Juliet. Romeo and Juliet's families despise each other. The two young love birds fall in love instantly. Their love is strong enough for them to overcome their families' hatred for one another and even Father Lawrence believes this love will end the family feud. In this episode, Romeo meets Juliet at her balcony and discuss changing their surnames for each other. Below are the resources used in this episode. The information is also included in the recording.

Resources:
Open Book Society. "Romeo and Juliet Balcony." Image. www.openbooksociety.com 9 Oct 2010. 4 Nov 2010.

Swifty, Talyor. "Love Story." Music. www.amazon.com 4 Nov 2010.

Digital Story #2!

Nick and I are getting married on October 31, 2010. There is so much to do and and so stressful. Creating Digital story 1 and 2 helped me enjoy the events, good or bad, that led up to you wedding. I have learned that fighting with someone, helps you learn more about that person.

Reflection and questions: Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts by Will Richardson

          Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms written by Will Richardson is a great learning tool for educators.  Will Richardson discusses and explains how new technologies can promote collaboration in many different subjects.  On page 5, Richardson highlights many valid and interesting topics for educators to ponder.  First he questions how and when will the curriculum be modified for the students who pose the ability to communicate with individuals outside the classroom.  The second most important topic addressed involves educators being aware of the available technology for them to implement into their lessons.  Both of these topics are in desperate need to be introduced and used successfully.  Students are our world’s future leaders and with the help of technology we can create strong dynamic leaders. 

            Some of the topics discussed in Richardson’s book are weblogs, wikis, real simple syndication, aggregators, social bookmarking, online photo galleries, and audio/video-casting.  On page 9, Richardson discusses that weblogs can be used as a great tool for students because teachers can continue to edit their work even after class.  Some concerns and questions relating to this topic are:

1.     How can the teacher be sure that the students will not use inappropriate language on the weblogs?

2.     Is there a way to have only certain students be part of one weblog?  For example: If I want my English 1 class to communicate with only one particular English class in California, how can I be sure that no one else has the ability to comment, edit, or post? 

Wikis is the second topic you mentioned on page 9.  I believe wikis are more “controllable” than blogs, because you can put a block on who enters the wiki site.  This is extremely helpful because the teacher can monitor who enters the room, who is allowed to comment and post information, and who can view the page.  I have a few question concerning controls on wikis.

1.     Is it possible to have two or three different teachers, teaching different subjects, belong to the same wiki? 

2.     By doing this, would it make the wikis private only for these classes?

I am trying to create a discussion with another English teacher to collaborate about the common novels.  In our book, you discuss how students learn from other students.  I feel teachers also get ideas and lessons from other teachers.  If the teacher and the students were able to discuss ideas, reflections, and assessments the curriculum in every school would be greatly augmented. 

1.     Would it be possible for a teacher to join a private wiki with another teacher from a different district and just keep it between them?

2.      On page 65, you mention WetPaint monitoring the students participation.  Can you add multiple choice assessments to your wiki?  If so, can WetPaint grade the assessments and report a grade?

Digital Story #1

Personal Story:
Michele and Nicholas were introduced by Michele's mother. Nicholas was working on Michele's parents house, when her mother knew she had to play match maker. It worked and two years later, Michele and Nicholas are getting married in two weeks. This video will be played during their rehearsal dinner.

"Preview of "The Scarlet Letter"

The ten vocabulary words are selected from the novel, "The Scarlet Letter", written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This will be used for English 2 classes to introdce the novel. The student will be able to view the terms with images and videos.

Visual Literacy

Visual Literacy
In today’s society there are many different styles of learning. Three different learning styles that are presented in today’s classrooms are: Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic. Auditory learners learn when they hear the information. Visual learners retain information when they view pictures, graphs or read the material. Kinesthetic learners retain the material through a “hands-on” approach. Visual literacy is a new approach to learning. Visual literacy is and should be presented in every lesson. Students with and without difficulties reading will benefit when visual literacy is implemented in the lesson. Coincidentally, teachers, without realizing it, are presenting visual literacy in their classrooms. For instance, visual literacy is implemented when a history teacher displays a map, a driver’s education teacher uses street signs, a science teacher intertwines the usage of measurements cups with the text, or an English teacher presents pictures from a novel the students are reading.
Inadvertently, many of these visual “clues” help students decipher and understand information in our classrooms. Visual literacy is a crucial factor for many students when learning any subject. It helps with life skills, reading comprehension, and planning essay writing. Working with special education students, picture prompting or any visual clues are extremely useful during instruction. Also, visual literacy is a tool that can be used from the very beginning of a classroom lesson when completing the daily “Do Now” to the main objective of the lesson by warming the students up for writing five paragraph essays. One visual literary tool that is particularly helpful when instructing lower level students is a picture dictionary. I feel the most effective way visual literacy is used is when students create PowerPoint presentations with images, videos, captions, quotes, and short text bullets because students are engaged and teaching themselves when creating the presentations. This has been noted as the best way to acquire and retain information. Furthermore, it allows students to teach other students what they know.
Evidence has shown that implementing visual literary tools can provide only positive outcomes. Admittedly, the concept is new and, for some teachers, it will be a challenge to consciously and consistently implement them into their lessons. However, many teachers have been using such tools in their classroom for years but were not aware of its importance. Educators need to embrace what the future holds and “turn key” these valuable tools to other educators because assessment scores are improving tremendously. Eventually, the educational system will be up to date and using the most effective learning tools for our students.


                                       


                                                                                          
Work Citied
Black Cockatoo Publishing. (2010) What is visual literacy? Retrieved from http://k-8visual.info/
Learning Rx. (2010) Types of Learning Styles: The Three Main Types. Retrieved from http://www.learningrx.com/types-of-learning-styles-faq.htm
Riesland, E. (2005) Visual Literacy and the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/riesland.htm

PicLit..response to mini video

See the full PicLit at PicLits.com