Friday, August 29, 2014
Technology in Schools
With the big change of having Chromebooks in the high school this year, this Friday I'm having my kids write about the pros and cons of technology in high schools and what issues might arise.
Why technology might not be a great idea, or problems that might come up.....
1. Management/Distractions
Just the other day I noticed this big difference. I had my seniors take notes on a presentation I was giving. Usually, in years past, they would take notes the old fashioned way, with pen and paper. With that, it was easy to see who was on task, if they were trying to work on something else, I could tell when they were done writing and they could move on. Earlier this week, we took notes on the Chromebooks instead. It was a LOT harder to tell who was on task, and who was done writing the slide. They might still be typing, but were they doing something else? In between slides checking Twitter or Facebook or Pinterest quick?
Obviously this type of issue could come up with whatever you are working on. When students just had packets or worksheets or notes right in front of them, that was the only thing that should be on their desk, making it much easier to stay on task. With computers, it offers up the temptation of working on other things. With this though, I don't necessarily think it will ALWAYS be a bad thing. Students, especially those going to college, will have to learn to multi task. I remember I had to teach myself to work on things and not get distracted by the vast Internet at the same time.
2. Social Media
I love teaching kids how to use social media responsibly. Not every kid will though. Bullying, distractions, drama. It will be easier access to just keep Twitter open on a tab while they are working. (Note...Social Media will also be POSITIVE)
3. Technology Issues
Computers not turning on, Internet running slow, students learning how to adjust to using Google Drive. Whereas in the past I could say take out your packets and it would take 2 minutes for them to fish through their backpacks and open to the page they needed to be on, now it can take twice as long for them to sign in, have the computers load, load the website, load the assignment, having computers die in the middle, or not even turn on, etc. Students will need to get better at knowing what is expected of them when they are asked to use their Chromebooks, and we as teachers will need to adjust for time and be flexible. With 18 kids all trying to access the same thing it just might take a little bit longer
4. Reliance on Computers
I do love technology and I am going to love the things we are capable of doing in our classrooms, but computers cannot replace everything. Some things are better off done "the old fashioned way". No matter how awesome the collaboration of Google Docs can be, or different discussion type websites, I still think students need to learn to discuss in REAL LIFE and interact with their peers' ideas, and critically think on their feet. I'm worried students will start to rely too much on the computers, and forget their are 21st Century Skills they still need that DON'T involve the computers. We have to be able to find that perfect balance
Ok, now why I LOVE TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING!.....
1. World Ready
These kids are going to be so prepared for life after high school. They are going to walk on college campuses and not feel overwhelmed when an entire class of theirs is conducted on Blackboard. They will know (hopefully!) how to multitask, so when they are sitting in that lecture hall with 500 people they can still pay attention even if they wander a bit on the web. They will be skilled on many different platforms of collaboration that will aid them in college and at future jobs. They will learn to problem solve for issues we don't even realize exist yet.
2. Social Media
Social Media is on both lists for me here. I won't get too much into it on this post, because I believe this topic is worthy of a post on its own, but I think Social Media can be incredibly beneficial to students. I think too many schools try to scare kids, or tell them how awful social media is. That's not the case. Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest, they all rock, and they all don't have to be used for educational value. We need to teach our kids how to use social media in the responsible way, show them it can be fun, but there is still a right and wrong way to do it. If we can teach our students that early, they will go into the real world more prepared than some of their peers who weren't taught how to use it in the right way.
3. GOOGLE CLASSROOM
I know Google is this huge company that everyone is worried is going to eventually take over everything, but seriously, I am way okay with that if they keep coming out with things like Google Classroom. It is like Blackboard and Edmodo, but TEN TIMES EASIER TO USE! It is seriously magical. A gift. It is a GAME CHANGER!
4. The obvious convenience of computers...
No more trying to book lab time for my kids to type a paper. Kids can start to be their own teachers, with us just as their guides. We can have them discover, learn, be curious, research, all on their own without having to prebook lab time. If a question comes up in a discussion, they can have access to figure it out. Typing and sharing things with Google Doc instead of handing in tons of papers and killing thousands of trees. More spur of the moment ideas can happen in the classroom
Overall I think technology will be great. It is a learning curve, and will take some getting used to, but overall I think it is one of the best things we can do for our students
Peace, Love,
Ms. A :)
Friday, August 22, 2014
8/22 First...
Today, my Creative Writing kids had their first blog post. They could either write a short story from a prompt I gave them (about a magic show gone wrong), or write about a significant "first" for them. I chose to do the latter as I wrote along with them.
I remember the first time I used a swear word. It seems weird to remember something that obscure, but I think the effect it had on me is what makes me remember that moment in time more than anything. I was raised in a house where we didn't hear those words, my parents did a great job of making sure they weren't used around us. I wasn't even allowed to watch PG-13 movies without permission. As I got a bit older though I started developing my love of reading, and unlike other forms of media, my reading wasn't monitored as closely. Looking back as an adult, I think this is the best thing my could have done for me, not censoring my reading. That is a whole different issue though.
Long story short, as much as swearing was not a part of our daily vocabulary, I was still a sponge at 8, 9, 10 years old and managed to get a pretty good grasp of what those "forbidden" words were. None of my friends used them, I mean we were only in elementary school, but the older kids on our bus, the ones who got yelled at everyday for being so rowdy, we figured they were the type of people who would use those words. Basically, those words were associated with being dangerous, edgy, rebellious. Everything I was not in elementary school (and in all reality everything I would never be as much as my 9th grade self might try to say differently).
I don't even remember exactly what grade I was in when all of this took place, I just remember we were on the kickball field. Rolling Green Elementary (back in the day) had a pretty expansive back playground area. Huge blacktop for basketball, tether ball, and four square, a large wood chipped area with red, blue, and green play equipment, two sets of swings that could go so high (!), and of course the field. This field stretched on forever it seemed like, just a never ending sight of grass and green and dandelions. On the far corner of this field was the kickball field. Just a diamond of dust, a chain link fence as the backdrop, and small pieces of worn leather as the bases. This is where I spent the majority of my recess time in my older elementary years (I was quite the tomboy).
Even though we were young, we had a strategic and elaborate way of executing these kickball games. Morning recess (the shorter one) was spent picking teams, which meant we could devote the whole 25 minutes or so of lunch recess to the game. I remember running out to the field as soon as we were released from lunch. We had picked teams fairly quickly earlier that morning so we were able to start playing and by lunch we knew it was going to be a close game (No games could ever be picked up the next day, a winner always had to be declared that day). I remember how dusty that field was, it always seemed like I was coated in a fine layer of white dust by the end of the day. For some reason, this game was more important than others. I'm not sure why (I've lost the exact reason through the years), but maybe my team had been on a losing streak, or maybe someone had challenged a bet earlier in the week. All I remember though is that I can clearly remember the yearning I felt to win this game. I like to blame this whole incident on that competitiveness.
Time was running out. Recess was almost over. We could see the aids starting to make the move towards the doors, readying their whistles to call us in. This point in the game was pivotal. I was pitching, and they had a runner on second. As murky as the rest of the memory is I remember this clearly. Whoever was kicking kicked one straight towards our left fielder. Their runner started running towards third, I could see in their eyes they were heading for home. Our left fielder made the perfect throw, the perfect play, to our catcher, we would get them out and we would win the game. Then it happened. The runner collided with our catcher, our catcher dropped the ball, they scored, they won. It just slipped out, I had no control, didn't even know what I was saying, "DAMNIT!"
As soon as I said it I knew I had crossed a line. Everyone turned and looked at me. I remember one whiny kid running toward an aid, telling on me, describing the crime I had committed. I denied it until my last breath, and I remember crossing my fingers, hoping and praying she would believe my word over this tattle taler.
The rest of the day passed in a blur for me. I dreaded going home, I just knew my mom with her odd superpowers would just know of what I had done. The next few days I was on edge, I felt so guilty. I did more chores than usual, studied harder, didn't chat with my friends in class. I would make up for that crime.
Days turned into weeks, and obviously I wasn't going to be struck down by lightning. That incident was not only my first experience with swearing, but my first experience with guilt, the first time I dealt with that little nagging thing called a conscience, something that at the time I thought was a punishment, but now I know my conscience is what helps shape the type of person I am today.
And...it was YEARS before I even thought about every uttering another swear word
Peace, Love,
Ms. A :)
I remember the first time I used a swear word. It seems weird to remember something that obscure, but I think the effect it had on me is what makes me remember that moment in time more than anything. I was raised in a house where we didn't hear those words, my parents did a great job of making sure they weren't used around us. I wasn't even allowed to watch PG-13 movies without permission. As I got a bit older though I started developing my love of reading, and unlike other forms of media, my reading wasn't monitored as closely. Looking back as an adult, I think this is the best thing my could have done for me, not censoring my reading. That is a whole different issue though.
Long story short, as much as swearing was not a part of our daily vocabulary, I was still a sponge at 8, 9, 10 years old and managed to get a pretty good grasp of what those "forbidden" words were. None of my friends used them, I mean we were only in elementary school, but the older kids on our bus, the ones who got yelled at everyday for being so rowdy, we figured they were the type of people who would use those words. Basically, those words were associated with being dangerous, edgy, rebellious. Everything I was not in elementary school (and in all reality everything I would never be as much as my 9th grade self might try to say differently).
I don't even remember exactly what grade I was in when all of this took place, I just remember we were on the kickball field. Rolling Green Elementary (back in the day) had a pretty expansive back playground area. Huge blacktop for basketball, tether ball, and four square, a large wood chipped area with red, blue, and green play equipment, two sets of swings that could go so high (!), and of course the field. This field stretched on forever it seemed like, just a never ending sight of grass and green and dandelions. On the far corner of this field was the kickball field. Just a diamond of dust, a chain link fence as the backdrop, and small pieces of worn leather as the bases. This is where I spent the majority of my recess time in my older elementary years (I was quite the tomboy).
Even though we were young, we had a strategic and elaborate way of executing these kickball games. Morning recess (the shorter one) was spent picking teams, which meant we could devote the whole 25 minutes or so of lunch recess to the game. I remember running out to the field as soon as we were released from lunch. We had picked teams fairly quickly earlier that morning so we were able to start playing and by lunch we knew it was going to be a close game (No games could ever be picked up the next day, a winner always had to be declared that day). I remember how dusty that field was, it always seemed like I was coated in a fine layer of white dust by the end of the day. For some reason, this game was more important than others. I'm not sure why (I've lost the exact reason through the years), but maybe my team had been on a losing streak, or maybe someone had challenged a bet earlier in the week. All I remember though is that I can clearly remember the yearning I felt to win this game. I like to blame this whole incident on that competitiveness.
Time was running out. Recess was almost over. We could see the aids starting to make the move towards the doors, readying their whistles to call us in. This point in the game was pivotal. I was pitching, and they had a runner on second. As murky as the rest of the memory is I remember this clearly. Whoever was kicking kicked one straight towards our left fielder. Their runner started running towards third, I could see in their eyes they were heading for home. Our left fielder made the perfect throw, the perfect play, to our catcher, we would get them out and we would win the game. Then it happened. The runner collided with our catcher, our catcher dropped the ball, they scored, they won. It just slipped out, I had no control, didn't even know what I was saying, "DAMNIT!"
As soon as I said it I knew I had crossed a line. Everyone turned and looked at me. I remember one whiny kid running toward an aid, telling on me, describing the crime I had committed. I denied it until my last breath, and I remember crossing my fingers, hoping and praying she would believe my word over this tattle taler.
The rest of the day passed in a blur for me. I dreaded going home, I just knew my mom with her odd superpowers would just know of what I had done. The next few days I was on edge, I felt so guilty. I did more chores than usual, studied harder, didn't chat with my friends in class. I would make up for that crime.
Days turned into weeks, and obviously I wasn't going to be struck down by lightning. That incident was not only my first experience with swearing, but my first experience with guilt, the first time I dealt with that little nagging thing called a conscience, something that at the time I thought was a punishment, but now I know my conscience is what helps shape the type of person I am today.
And...it was YEARS before I even thought about every uttering another swear word
Peace, Love,
Ms. A :)
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
New Year, New Ideas
Things at Baxter never stay the same, so here, in my third year, I have been given a Creative Writing class. I am beyond excited. As much as I am a bookworm and have loved reading as long as I can remember, writing has been one of my passions and strengths. I am excited to be able to share that with my kiddos and really explore with them what we can do with words.
Along with other new things, Baxter has gone to a 1:1 initiative with Chromebooks starting this school year. So in my planning phase (trying to think of interesting, innovative, and fun things to do), I thought it would be great to have my Creative Writing kiddos blogging on a regular basis. Now, I firmly believe that as a teacher if I can learn just as much from my students, and that it sets a great example for them to see me learning and creating right along with them. So, from that, comes this blog. Every Friday we will be blogging during 1st hour. Sometimes I will give them a prompt, sometimes I will let them free write. Sometimes we will do different challenges with the different types of writing we are working on.
Basically, just like everything else, it is a work in progress.
Peace, Love,
Ms. A :)
Go Raiders!
Along with other new things, Baxter has gone to a 1:1 initiative with Chromebooks starting this school year. So in my planning phase (trying to think of interesting, innovative, and fun things to do), I thought it would be great to have my Creative Writing kiddos blogging on a regular basis. Now, I firmly believe that as a teacher if I can learn just as much from my students, and that it sets a great example for them to see me learning and creating right along with them. So, from that, comes this blog. Every Friday we will be blogging during 1st hour. Sometimes I will give them a prompt, sometimes I will let them free write. Sometimes we will do different challenges with the different types of writing we are working on.
Basically, just like everything else, it is a work in progress.
Peace, Love,
Ms. A :)
Go Raiders!
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