Tweet It!

Tweeting isn’t just for the birds these days! I am so interested in the way teachers could use twitter in the classroom. So at first when I heard this idea I felt a little bit uneasy, especially because it is such a large social networking website that anyone can have. After thinking about it a little more though, I found some advantages to having an education based twitter account such as communication. This is an awesome way to keep parents up to date on what is going on in the classroom. You can alert parents very easily on things such as homework, materials needed the next day for class, and exciting things that happen in the classroom on a regular basis. Another reason twitter is good for educational purposes is because it is a quick and easy way for students to ask their teachers question. They can just tweet their question and their teacher will receive an instant notification, whether it be about homework or what to bring to class, and then the teacher can respond just as quickly. Also if it is a homework question, other students in the class can then also see it and maybe help their fellow classmate out. I think that if it is possible to make your Twitter account safe and monitored regularly, it can really add a little bit of extra help and information to a classroom. So if our future is going to continuously be technology based, integrating it into the classroom will be a battle worth fighting for.

When the teacher says rap it up, she means it!

Music, who doesn't love it? And since the answer to that question is everyone loves it, why don't teachers use it to educate their students? I had gone to a guest speaker who had a breakout session about using rap to teach. This idea was awesome right off the bat! I think it’s a great way to get kids not only excited to learn but it also is a catchy way to help them remember information. When I was younger my mom had bought my brothers and I a cassette tape we could listen to in the car that sang multiplication facts. I loved listening to this music because it got in my head so quick and I could show off to my friends at school. I think that music is a great way for kids to learn, and memorize things. Not only can teachers make up their own song but they can also YouTube many different types of raps and songs to give them ideas, or even just use in their classroom. I also think this is a great opportunity for teachers to have their students make up their own raps for memorization. Not only can the students be graded on this but they will also acquire a tool for studying and memorization. I really think that since we have so many different options open to use in the classroom we should take advantage of them. It is important for educators to frequently change the way they teach in order to keep their students attention and interested.

WOW!

Technology these days is incredible. I was sitting in my last observation class and I was watching the students interact with the SmartBoard and I was in pure amazement. Not only was I amazed with the technology itself but I was also amazed by the way students know how to use it. The kids in my class knew exactly what to do during the whole lesson, making me feel silly for not completely understanding or following what they were doing. I remember when I was 8 years old, my family got our first at home computer. I was in awe as my brothers and I opened it up, and beyond excited. Forget all of the other toys I got, who cared about dolls when you got a brand new computer? So now, over a decade later, we can chat with people all over the world, through facebook, twitter, and even face to face on skype. It would be so interesting to skype another classroom in a different country and see how our students could interact. It would be like having cyber pen pals! So with this immense amount of technology I feel that education could never be boring! There are so many opportunities to take advantage of!

Power Down Day is a DON'T

POWER DOWN DAY WAS HORRIBLE! It was so hard, but at the beginning I actually enjoyed myself. When I woke up in the morning I was kind of excited that I didn’t have to check my phone or Facebook. It felt good just starting my day having no one bothering me or no one to respond to, just me, myself, and I. I was able to make it through the first hour and a half without even looking at my phone, knowing that since it was off I wouldn’t have to worry about anything. It was a little bit after noon when I started to become a little restless, but that was just before the storm hit. All at once I started itching to use my cell phone. I needed to text my friends and see what it was we were going to do that day, and I really wanted to check my Facebook, it had been almost 12 hours since my last log in. It was getting tougher by the second and I didn’t know if I was going to make it. So, instead of sitting around and waiting for sleep, which was about 10 hours away, I decided to do something worthwhile, and go shopping. So my mom and I (I had no way to get a hold of my friends) went to the mall, and pretty much any other store in Mentor just to keep my mind off of it. My mom really enjoyed the fact that I could not use my phone because we could carry on a conversation without interruption, and I was actually focused on what she was saying. After shopping we went out to eat together and then rented a movie for the whole family to watch. It was a really relaxing day with the family, but I can’t lie, by ten thirty that night, I had turned my phone on, and checked Facebook. So I failed at power down day, but I did try my hardest, it is just impossible for a person in our society to actually go a full day without technology.

A Video Introduction to Technology

http://bit.ly/bTaHNl

Technology is taking education to so many new levels, beginning with the Smart Board. I really like they many different advantages that the smart board has to offer, especially the interaction that kids in the classroom can have with it. This youtube link gave me some quick and easy tips for using a smart board. It was a short tutorial that let me on all of little secrets that you can use to get started with your smart board, and I think the first tip was the best. The introduced the smart board but said that you don’t necessarily need the smart board at all, you can actually just use the software on your computer.

I think the tutorial is a great way to get a new smart board user started. I know that when there is some kind of electronic or new technology put in front of me, I don’t even know where to start but this tutorial gives you quick and easy tips to get you familiarized and more confident in using it. The steps consisted of things such as the magic pen, the ability to zoom in on things, the ability to spotlight things, and also how to erase it all after without erasing the document you are using. I think having simple tutorials like this available to teachers is a great idea because that way they will not feel so overwhelmed when the are first presented with something that might challenge them. This video is a great way to use technology to teach about some new and exciting technology that can be used for classrooms.

Diversity in the Classroom

This semester I am taking Multicultural Education. I picked this picture because it is how I feel a classroom should be. This picture is of many people holding the globe in their hands. I love this picture for a few reasons all relating back to my education class. First I like how each student is of a different nationality. This shows the cultural diversity and is something I find important in a classroom. I firmly believe that each student has so much to offer to their peers and teachers by just bring their culture, knowledge and opinions to the table in a positive way. In my Multicultural Education class there was a lot of conversation on the topic of diversity, with the same result in everyone’s mind; diverse classrooms allow so much more knowledge and growth to its students. The second depiction I feel that is made in the picture is that each person is helping to hold the globe. In my Education class our teacher brought to our attention that each student in our classroom is the future. Students today will be the leaders of tomorrow and that is something all teachers should take into consideration. It is not only important for students to learn math, reading, science, and social studies but to also incorporate into each lesson on how to work with each other and to become a positive role model to our world in the future. To put it simply, the students in our classrooms hold the world in the palm of their hands, and it is with what we teach them that will help them decide what it is they feel they should do with it.

Web 2.0, Interact with Technology

The tool that I found on web 2.0 was an awesome resource for teachers in all areas! It is called E-Learning for Kids (http://bit.ly/co3ebQ ) and has links from what the site is about to subject areas in education. I clicked on grade level one, which opened a page of many interactive games that a teacher can use to get their students involved and learning while having fun. The course selection consisted of language arts, math, science, computer skills, and environment skills, and each had at least one interactive game. I think these kinds of tools are really helpful and good to have in the classroom not only for class, but also as an incentive for some students. It’s a great tool because it is not only educational but also fun and will make students want to play the games. Another educational way this website can be utilized is by centers. The teacher I observed last semester had computers as one of her centers and the kids absolutely loved it. They were so excited when that was the center they were assigned too, even if it meant they had to do something educational. I think it is great introducing technology into the classrooms because it gets kids at a young age to start expanding their knowledge on how technology works, and then how to use it. Its important to get kids excited to learn and I think using the technology we have in our world is a good way to get positive interaction.

Tips for Teachers!

http://www.teach-nology.com/ideas/

I really liked this website! It was great feedback from a number of teachers who have ideas on how to fix classroom problems. The first one that caught my attention was in 5 more minutes called “Ticket to Leave”. This teacher used the last 5 minutes of class as great feedback on how her lessons of the day went. She has each student fill out a piece of paper with a heading that directs where there question or statement is going to go such as, “AHA”, or “I Don’t Understand This”. The rest of the paper is supposed to tell the teacher what it is that they finally understood, what they need help understanding, or the question they did not have the chance to ask during class time. The next section I looked at was classroom games. The White Board  Wars was so cute! Since I am going to be an early education major I think it is great for students to get to know each other in the most positive way possible. This activity allows the students to tell each other what is so great about one another and sets a positive attitude in the classroom environment.

One Word: Bittersweet

         Overall, I completely loved this experience. It was an opportunity that I would not give up for anything. I met so many great students and teachers that really inspired me and cemented my dream to become a teacher filled with compassion, encouragement, and pride in my student’s. Along with learning from the student’s and teachers I learned from myself the things I would have to offer my classes in the future, and the things I needed to work on. I realized that there is a lot more to teaching than just walking into a classroom and teaching students. The job of a teacher is to show the students what they are capable of, to help them discover and pursue their dreams, and to allow them to explore the many different experiences life has to offer, and gain knowledge about themselves and the world at the same time. I truly took a lot away from this experience and it has made me even more eager to complete my future observations throughout the next few years of college and through my career. My journey has just begun, and I cannot wait to see where this path leads me!

No Fist Fights in This Room...or you Flip a Card!

As much as any teacher would like to think that all of their students will be perfect and obedient there, it is practically an unreasonable expectation. In my class there was an outbreak between to boys that could have ended bad if it weren't for my teacher thinking on her feet. It was not surprising to me when the student who got in an argument during reading circle was the one who started this little rumble. 

Two little boys had been arguing over something that happened on the school bus the day before. Neither of them had told anyone and it was a small argument that grew into something they thought they would settle in the classroom. All of the students were working in their center's when one of the little girls in the class yelled for the teacher because one of the boys had grabbed the other. Before she could make it over there, the boys had attempted a few punches but neither got seriously hurt, just a small bruise on the arm of one of the boys. Just as soon as it had began it was over, and thankfully everyone made it out alive. 

I took a lot away from this experience and realized that even turning your back to the class for a second can result in something that could end up a catastrophe. It's important to keep your focus on your students and to be on the look out for any possible outbreaks of anger or hostility.

Even 2nd Graders Need an Office

            On a test day in class I found a very interesting field artifact that I truly thought was an awesome idea! So when my cooperating teacher told the students to put everything on their desks away except for their pencil and their mini office, I was surprised to find that a second grade student’s office really can be mini! This mini office was a great resource for students while taking tests. In my second grade class the kids were starting to learn how to write not only stories but also answer short essay questions. In their mini office it gave them a few different checklists to go through to make sure they remember all of the different important points. So as they unfolded there mini office made of two manila folders taped together, I could not help but to take a peek and see what was inside.

            At the top there was the alphabet both lower case and uppercase just in case they needed a little help. Then there were 5 different checklists. The checklists were; Revise and Edit, Writing, Punctuation, Story Words, and How to Write a Paragraph.  I really liked this artifact because it was a great resource for the students to follow. I think that second grade is very busy with a lot of information that students need to remember. This mini office is a great way to keep them independent but still help them remember all of the important details. This way students will not lose points because of silly mistakes and it will help them practice for writing essays and papers in the future.

Pods Please!

            The students in the classroom were arranged in pod seating. I thought this was an idea with both pro’s and con’s. The pro’s of this set up was that the students would be able to bounce ideas off of each other and work together to solve things. This will play a huge part in my classroom because I feel that it is important for students to not only learn from the teacher and themselves, but to also learn form their peers. This will help them create strong relationships with their peers and will also challenge their ideas. Along with the challenging of ideas it will also help them to keep an open mind. This will not only help them initially but will also help them in the long run when they are working on group projects or trying to come up with creative ideas.

            Although there are many positives to the set up of the student’s desks, there is a few downfalls of the idea. One of this is the amount of chatter that would go on between the students. Although socializing is good for kids and important for their relationships, sometimes it can be a distraction from the things they need to focus. This is a problem because it could take away from the students learning experience and even be disrespectful to the teacher. Another con to the set up of desks this way is that students tend to get into petty arguments. I saw some of this during my observation and I realized that even though it was great for the kids being able to work together, there would always be some type of disagreement or difference of opinions.

            I really did like the way the desks were set up even if there could be some conflict. I feel that in a classroom with so many different types of students, there will always be different opinions and thoughts that could result in conflict. The best way to deal with this is by working together, and you cannot get much closer than when you are working in your pods!

Come on Class, Let's Focus!

My cooperating teacher was the queen of getting her students focused. So at first I felt like she was absolutely crazy with the different techniques she used in class. One of the ones that stuck out to me most was her find your aura. This was so funny to me at first. When the kids started to get distracted or wrapped up in something else she would immediately say “second grade class, find your aura!” and then clap her hands above her head and slowly lower them to hip level, imitating a meditation stance. The kids would then follow, copying the same motions the teacher just did.
This is just one of the many things that my teacher did in order to gain attention of the class. Another thing my teacher would do is sing little jingles half way through and then make the kids finish them. This was a great idea because it showed the teacher exactly who was listening for her next instructions. She was also really good at getting the kids up and out of their seats to do things like jumping jacks or bunny hops in order to get their energy out and keep them focused. I really learned quite a few different ways to get my classes attention back on the subject they should be focusing on. These will help keep the kids energy levels up and concentration on task.

Dr. Seuss has a Hat Filled with Possibilities

            My cooperating teacher not only knew but focused on the importance of getting a child ready for their future grades and classes. Her goal was to prepare her classes for future schooling but do so in an interesting and fun way.  My second field artifact was a Doctor Seuss hat that was used as a story organizer. The kids had been reading many Dr. Seuss books and had gotten a good feel for the type of books they were. After going through many different books, my teacher asked the students to write a Dr. Seuss book themselves. To get the kids in the Dr. Seuss spirit she made a Dr. Seuss hat into their thought organizer. She drew a big picture of the hat and told the students to fill it out by putting in their ideas of what they would like to include in their own personal Dr. Seuss story.

            I picked this as my field artifact because it can be changed to fit any type of story or book and is useful in organizing a paper. This can help begin a child’s brainstorming skills and give them a general idea of how to bring all of their ideas together, to form a paper. This is a great tool to use, not only to keep the kids interested in their task at hand, but to also spark their young minds to generate creative ideas.

A Classroom with Many Assets

            The classroom I was observing was a wonderful learning environment based on the children’s needs and accessibility in order for them to be successful. The first thing when you walk in the door on the right hand side is the student discipline card chart. This is a chart/bulletin board type thing that is used to keep the students updated on their behavior in class. It is up to the children to flip their card when the teacher feels they are being disruptive or tells them to. I feel that this is a very effective way of doing this type of discipline because the children themselves must perform the consequences for their own action. It is also good because the student is able to flip it back to the positive side when the teacher feels they are being productive or doing something well. The next thing that stood out to me when I walked into the classroom was my cooperating teacher’s desk. Her desk was kept very organized but was not so organized that it looked unapproachable. Her desk was surrounded with plenty of kid friendly posters and many works of art that the students had made for her. To me this showed that not only did she care about her students, but that she also made sure she had a connection with each student, making their learning atmosphere positive and comfortable. Along with the encouraging posters the teacher had up, there was also her brag board. The brag board was an asset to the room because it added a positive thing for students to focus on and gave each student something to be proud of. The student was allowed to pick which project they took the most pride in and had it posted up on the board. The classroom was overall a great environment for this group of kids. It was not too distracting but it also did not lose its constructive atmosphere either. There were many different parts of the classroom that made the students comfortable and want to work hard.

They May All be DIfferent, but I Am Proud to Call Each One my Student

In my class of 22 students, the ethnicity and racial make up was predominantly caucasian. Although this was the main make up, it was not limited to this race. I had 4 black students in one of my classes with 1 Hispanic child and 1 Native American. There is a small amount of diversity but that does not stop the interaction within the groups of friendships. The students get along very well for the most part. Each student has a different personality that can mesh completely with another student. Outside of the classroom the students are always talking and laughing and I only heard one or two big arguments during the time I was there. Along with the students inside the classroom I also saw a lot of positive interaction between different classes and all grades of children. The younger kids in the school seem to really look up to the older ones and try to feel a part of their groups and friendships. 

In my cooperating class there were quite a few students who would get called out of class in order to work privately or in small groups with a reading tutor or math tutor. From what i could tell the students already knew who went at what time and who they would be going to for help. The kids always seem excited to go to these sessions and would always come back with a positive attitude and what seemed to be more confidence. Although there were many different types of students in my class, they all seemed to get along and work together, helping to create a positive atmosphere.

The 2nd Grade Report

In my class today the students shared their reports on their favorite animals. My cooperating teacher put together a packet for the students to fill out as their reports. The first page was a table of contents. The second page was what their animal looks like. On this page the students could either draw a picture of their animal or print one out from the computer. The kids were more in favor of drawing their own picture and I loved that they chose to do that. It really showed how much the kids love being artistic and how creative they could be. A cheetah had purple spots, and if that isn't completely awesome, I don't know what is! 

The third page was what eat animal eats. Some of the kids were pretty detailed in their drawings with blood and guts for the meat eaters dinners. Most of the kids who drew like this were boys. This did not surprise me too much because it is not unusual for boys to be interested in those kinds of things. The fourth page was what their animal's life cycle is like. This was a cool page because it showed the student's understanding of life cycle's and it also showed there creativity with how they feel each animal looks at each stage of life. The last page was an interesting fact that was not common to most people. I enjoyed this because some of the facts were very interesting and almost unbelievable because of how weird they were. The final page was about the researcher. I felt that this page added a nice touch to the report because it allowed the students to tell the class not only why they chose the animal but also about themselves as a person. I found this artifact to be very useful and practical, especially for preparing a 2nd grade class for research papers.

Reading Group 1

One of my favorite things I have done so far in my observation is the time I get to spend with a small group reading. My cooperating teacher has me taking 3-4 students down to the teachers lounge to work on reading skills with students who are falling behind in the class. This is a great opportunity for me to get to know students more personally and feel like I am more a part of the classroom. Even though I was really there to help the kids I also was able to learn something about myself. While working with the kids I started becoming aware of or at least looking at the different methods I find effective for me in that certain subject area. 

            Although the kids became antsy toward the end of our session for the most part they were very interested in the book about insects that they were reading. The kids continuously looked at the pictures and asked just about any question that crossed their mind. It was wonderful seeing how much the students enjoyed learning and how eager they were to show me how well they could read. They also worked together and helped each other when they became stuck on harder words. They did not taunt or tease anyone who struggled. This experience was very positive and the teacher was thrilled to hear that I would love to do it again!

What is your favorite station?

In my classroom my teacher created what she calls her reading stations. Each pod of desks was a different station focusing on different skills in reading and writing. There are four stations consisting of looking words up in the dictionary, sustained silent reading, sentence formation, and unscrambling letters to make as many words as possible.

I walked around the classroom and observed the kids working at each station. The teacher I am observing did the same and I realized how much she emphasized to the students to try their best to accomplish these tasks on their own. She was very willing to help students if they were really struggling but if she saw that the students weren’t putting 100% effort forth she would not answer the questions they had. It was very apparent to me that she wanted her students to try their absolute best before they lost confidence in themselves and looked to her for guidance. I think this is a great trait for a teacher to have because it helps the kids gain confidence in themselves and it also helps them to put there best effort forward. When a teacher has faith in a child’s ability I feel that it is easier for the child to have faith in themselves.

A Bad Student in Action

On my third day of observation I was able to experience one students mean comments on another student and how the teacher handle the situation. A little boy in the class was having an unusually bad attitude that was out of character. This attitude led to an argument whirlwind in the middle of our reading circle.

It all started with a rough morning at home and a little girl’s frustrating and hurtful comments did not help. The little girl had become frustrated with her tablemates negative attitude and told him that she wished his dog would die. This was what led to the argument in the middle of our calm reading time. The little boy would not sit down on the carpet, which made the teacher upset. After allowing him to sit at his desk quietly he started to cry. The little girl continued writing taunting sentences and stories about him and passing them in notes to him. He soon had an explosion of anger and was sent to the office after being asked to settle down. The teacher handled all of the other students comments about the outburst very well and helped to discontinue any problematic situations between the kids. With the teachers calming words and authoritative response to the scene caused the classroom stayed under control.

My favorite first day of school!

My first observation went really well. I didn't really know what to expect but it went smoothly and I truly enjoyed it. When I walked into the building the excitement that came over me was overwhelming and my nervous thoughts disappeared. After signing in it was time to meet the teacher and class I would be spending my second semesters Tuesday and Thursday mornings with. When I arrived at my classroom I knew it was going to be an eye opening and exciting experience.

         The buildings halls were filled with artwork and encouraging posters. I also really liked how the building branched into three different hallways that all led back to the library. The library was all windows so the children could see right in and it was so colorful with books and posters, that it looked like a place any child would want to spend time in.

         The staff was also very friendly. Each teacher or aid I passed smiled and said hello. This was really appealing to me because it seemed like the staff really wanted to create a positive environment for the students to learn in. I feel that this is really helpful for students to stay interested and stay involved in the classroom and the school. It was impressive to also see how quiet the students stayed in the hallway. The students were very good at staying quiet and being respectful to all the classrooms where class was in session. They worked together to be good and to keep each other in check.

         The teacher I was observing was also a very friendly and upbeat teacher. In class the students seemed to enjoy themselves. The students were a little bit wound up and only 2 or 3 were actually sitting in there seats while the others were standing up and moving around, or sitting in there seats. Although the students were physically all over the place each student was paying attention. Each time the teacher asked a question each student knew the answer and could tell her what there opinion was. It was interesting seeing that even though the classroom looked like it was in chaos, it was actually very well constructed.

         Overall my day was a wonderful experience and I couldn’t even wait to go back!

It started with a dream, that turned into reality.

Growing up my parents always told me that the path to happiness was led by your heart. I always knew that making an impact on peoples lives would be a dream come true, and I found there to be no better way to accomplish this than becoming a teacher.

I am a current freshman at Mount Union College with a double major of Intervention Specialist and Early Childhood Education. I am involved in our campuses local sorority Delta Sigma Tau and also in our coed community service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. I am also participating in Fraternal Leadership Institue which is a new program added to our campuses Greek life in order to make stronger leaders. I have just recently started my field experience and i am beyond excited to get involved. This blog is going to be my journal of my experiences, interests, and information i find useful for my future career.