Beginning
-> One half and one third meet at Science Camp and immediately dislike one another. They are soooo different.
-> During an outing, they become separated from the group and their hatred for one another grows.
Middle
-> After a cold night on their own, the two fractions realize they must get along and work together to find camp.
-> That night, they make a fire together and find food.
End
-> Best of friends now, they find camp and everyone is relieved to see them. They are unrecognizable to some of their peers, but soon all of the campers realize that underneath it all, they are still the same but by making compromises and working together, they can get along with anyone.
Overall Theme
The fractions realize that to get anything done, they must be a team and work together even though it seems at first as though they have nothing in common.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Useful Web Resources
NCTM Rocks!!
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is a must for a math teacher at any level. Membership includes legislative updates and opportunities for e-workshops via email. The Illuminations section of the website has fantastic lesson plans for all grade levels and all strands. Check it out. www.nctm.org
The Shodor Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to advancing math and science education through modeling and technology. They have some awesome interactive activities. A Hilbert Curve Generator? What could be better? Their website has other good resources, but I put the link directly to the fun activities. For a good time, click here.
I'm not sure this website will be useful to anyone else, but for me it has become invaluable. www.interventioncentral.org has a wealth of information for administering and managing math CBMs (Curriculum Based Measures). I am in the process of implementing CBMs for multiplication, division, equivalent fractions and adding/subtracting fractions.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is a must for a math teacher at any level. Membership includes legislative updates and opportunities for e-workshops via email. The Illuminations section of the website has fantastic lesson plans for all grade levels and all strands. Check it out. www.nctm.org
The Shodor Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to advancing math and science education through modeling and technology. They have some awesome interactive activities. A Hilbert Curve Generator? What could be better? Their website has other good resources, but I put the link directly to the fun activities. For a good time, click here.
I'm not sure this website will be useful to anyone else, but for me it has become invaluable. www.interventioncentral.org has a wealth of information for administering and managing math CBMs (Curriculum Based Measures). I am in the process of implementing CBMs for multiplication, division, equivalent fractions and adding/subtracting fractions.
Article Summary #5
Overview
In "Assistive Technologies for Reading," Ted S. Hasselbring and Margaret E. Bausch describe several reading programs that provide support and interventions for struggling language learners. Assistive technology provides ways for students with disabilities to function at or near grade level. The authors concede that technology isn't a magic bullet and the main focus should be on providing quality instruction. But technology coupled with good instruction will produce dynamic results.
Reference Points
1. Reading support programs like Read & Write Gold allow students to hear text read aloud in varying gender, speed and pitch.
2. The word prediction feature of Read & Write Gold provides the student several word choice options based on context and the first few letters typed, making composition much quicker.
3. Students are more likely to listen to the text being reread by the program than by the teacher.
4. Reading intervention programs like Read, Write & Type, Read Naturally and READ 180 have led to gains in reading fluency and comprehension.
5. READ 180 is designed for older students, those in grades 4-12; it allows them to watch a short video on the background of the text they are about to read.
Reflection
Getting students to read at grade level is major issue in schools. The district I teach in has spent much time and money on programs and experts. Reading First targets K-2 and is not an assistive technology program. According to the experts hired, younger students do better with more face-to-face contact. We play lots of phonics and phonemic awareness games with them. However, READ 180 sounds like it would be an ideal program for the older students. It seems as though there are too many computer programs targeting younger students when really they just need more one-on-one time. I would like to see the results of a human doing the same thing a computer is doing in these programs.
In "Assistive Technologies for Reading," Ted S. Hasselbring and Margaret E. Bausch describe several reading programs that provide support and interventions for struggling language learners. Assistive technology provides ways for students with disabilities to function at or near grade level. The authors concede that technology isn't a magic bullet and the main focus should be on providing quality instruction. But technology coupled with good instruction will produce dynamic results.
Reference Points
1. Reading support programs like Read & Write Gold allow students to hear text read aloud in varying gender, speed and pitch.
2. The word prediction feature of Read & Write Gold provides the student several word choice options based on context and the first few letters typed, making composition much quicker.
3. Students are more likely to listen to the text being reread by the program than by the teacher.
4. Reading intervention programs like Read, Write & Type, Read Naturally and READ 180 have led to gains in reading fluency and comprehension.
5. READ 180 is designed for older students, those in grades 4-12; it allows them to watch a short video on the background of the text they are about to read.
Reflection
Getting students to read at grade level is major issue in schools. The district I teach in has spent much time and money on programs and experts. Reading First targets K-2 and is not an assistive technology program. According to the experts hired, younger students do better with more face-to-face contact. We play lots of phonics and phonemic awareness games with them. However, READ 180 sounds like it would be an ideal program for the older students. It seems as though there are too many computer programs targeting younger students when really they just need more one-on-one time. I would like to see the results of a human doing the same thing a computer is doing in these programs.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Article Summary #4
Overview
In "The Overdominance of Computers", Lowell Monke suggests saving the intense use of computers for the last two years of high school when teenagers have developed the proper tools to deal with the responsibility of computer and internet usage. He argues that while technology can and should enhance learning, too much use at an early age can be detrimental. He sites a 2004 study showing test scores among fifteen year olds who had more access to computer use were lower than their less techie counterparts. Before being let loose in cyber space, children should be taught ethics, moral judgment, compassion, trust and respect.
Reference Points
1. Young students should have more face-to-face interaction, especially when learning to read.
2. As students spend more time on computers and watching TV, they have less real experiences, making it even harder to filter through what they see on the internet.
3. We need to teach children what a spreadsheet cannot: commitment, loyalty and tradition.
4. We need to make their world more real by engaging them in physical activities.
5. Students need to know and respect nature and the living world around them.
6. If educators and parents focus on the things that endure in the early years, children will be much better prepared to face the world of computers later on.
Reflection
While I understand the author's concern about the level of technology use at a young age, I believe it is nearly impossible to turn around what has already begun. This is a school as well as parental issue and even if schools made a change, homes would continue to be a place where children have access to mind-numbing television and video games. Waiting until high school to address technology, as the author suggests, would be a disservice to our students. Learning computers is like learning a different language and the earlier the skill is learned the better. I agree more with Burns' article "Tools for the Mind" in that we should focus on the higher order thinking skills technology can provide than focus on how to minimize their use in the classroom.
In "The Overdominance of Computers", Lowell Monke suggests saving the intense use of computers for the last two years of high school when teenagers have developed the proper tools to deal with the responsibility of computer and internet usage. He argues that while technology can and should enhance learning, too much use at an early age can be detrimental. He sites a 2004 study showing test scores among fifteen year olds who had more access to computer use were lower than their less techie counterparts. Before being let loose in cyber space, children should be taught ethics, moral judgment, compassion, trust and respect.
Reference Points
1. Young students should have more face-to-face interaction, especially when learning to read.
2. As students spend more time on computers and watching TV, they have less real experiences, making it even harder to filter through what they see on the internet.
3. We need to teach children what a spreadsheet cannot: commitment, loyalty and tradition.
4. We need to make their world more real by engaging them in physical activities.
5. Students need to know and respect nature and the living world around them.
6. If educators and parents focus on the things that endure in the early years, children will be much better prepared to face the world of computers later on.
Reflection
While I understand the author's concern about the level of technology use at a young age, I believe it is nearly impossible to turn around what has already begun. This is a school as well as parental issue and even if schools made a change, homes would continue to be a place where children have access to mind-numbing television and video games. Waiting until high school to address technology, as the author suggests, would be a disservice to our students. Learning computers is like learning a different language and the earlier the skill is learned the better. I agree more with Burns' article "Tools for the Mind" in that we should focus on the higher order thinking skills technology can provide than focus on how to minimize their use in the classroom.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Educational Philosophy Movie
From a technology perspective, I completely enjoyed the movie making process. There are so many options, but they are simple and intuitive. I can actually help my students complete their Technology standards now; every level has a movie making component.
I am surprised by how much my philosophy of education has changed and continues to change. I'm also certain I would have differing views if I was teaching elsewhere. You can see pictures and hear a brief version of my philosophy of education here.
I am surprised by how much my philosophy of education has changed and continues to change. I'm also certain I would have differing views if I was teaching elsewhere. You can see pictures and hear a brief version of my philosophy of education here.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Energy Presentation
Yikes, I talk fast. My host teacher keeps telling me this but until I heard it for myself, I just didn't realize. I don't talk fast through the whole presentation but there are little spurts of information even I can't understand. SLOW DOWN!!!
Other than my fast talking, I had a few ums and I got lost once or twice in my thoughts so I repeated myself, which I did not notice while delivering the presentation. Something I realized halfway through presenting was that my feet were planted firmly in place. I hadn't shifted or taken a few side steps or anything. I used my hands and arms alot to make up for lack of movement in my feet.
In the video you can hardly see the information on the screen because we had to use the ELMO to take a screen shot and project onto the wall. Apparently we don't have the proper cords to hook up to a Mac and when I tried to pull up my presentation on a PC I got an error message, so bummer. Other technical difficulties include not being able to retrieve the audio from this little device Dr. Marvel loaned to me. Sorry to disappoint, but I am unable to post the video.
Other than my fast talking, I had a few ums and I got lost once or twice in my thoughts so I repeated myself, which I did not notice while delivering the presentation. Something I realized halfway through presenting was that my feet were planted firmly in place. I hadn't shifted or taken a few side steps or anything. I used my hands and arms alot to make up for lack of movement in my feet.
In the video you can hardly see the information on the screen because we had to use the ELMO to take a screen shot and project onto the wall. Apparently we don't have the proper cords to hook up to a Mac and when I tried to pull up my presentation on a PC I got an error message, so bummer. Other technical difficulties include not being able to retrieve the audio from this little device Dr. Marvel loaned to me. Sorry to disappoint, but I am unable to post the video.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Nondalton School Electricity Savings
Saving electricity is on everyone's mind at Nondalton school, particularly when we have a resident light switch nazi who goes around turning off all unnecessary lighting. (Thanks, Ron!) The presentation describes a summary of our electricity-saving quest and the spreadsheet shows our potential savings of over $2,000. If all schools in LPSD are saving as much as we are, this equates to $2,500 in our student account at the end of the year. Woohoo!!
The 9th and 10th graders helped with the recording for the gym lights and of course the next day we made a math lesson out of our data. I noticed that 10th grade is the ceiling for cool school involvement, so I'll be presenting the slide show to the junior high group. We are still practicing good energy saving practices, but last week our efforts were to no avail when the dental staff stayed for the whole week! Good thing we saved so much already.
The 9th and 10th graders helped with the recording for the gym lights and of course the next day we made a math lesson out of our data. I noticed that 10th grade is the ceiling for cool school involvement, so I'll be presenting the slide show to the junior high group. We are still practicing good energy saving practices, but last week our efforts were to no avail when the dental staff stayed for the whole week! Good thing we saved so much already.
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