Project # 8

Blog Post #6

Asking Questions to Improve Learning

The resource that I have found is Asking Questions to Improve Learning , the website states that as a teacher prepares for their classes they should compose questions that they will ask their students or questions that might be asked of the teacher. By doing this it will increase students' participation and encourages active learning. When asking questions in the classroom, students can showcase the materials learned, their thinking skills and what is need to prepare for exams.

I choose this resource because it had information that I would need to better myself in asking quality questions. The website Asking Questions to Improve Learning, broke down asking questions into different categories. These categories were: General Strategies for Asking Questions, Responding Effectively, Why Ask “Open Questions? Twelve Objectives, with Sample Questions, and Use Bloom’s Taxonomy. In each category, there are excellent examples in which a teacher can use in the classroom to ask questions to prompt learning.

The two categories in which I learned the most is Respond Effectively and Use Bloom’s Taxonomy. In my education thus far, I have not been taught how to respond to questions. Thanks to my own children, I have a little experience in responding to their questions, however not in a classroom setting. So for me, this was very valuable. Secondly in Bloom’s Taxonomy, there is an outline of the six cognitive process types and it placed them in an order in complexity.

Asking Better Questions in the Classroom

The resource I choose from the list that Dr. Strange gave in this assignment was a Youtube video by Joanne Chesley. In this video she explained that an open-ended question leaves the form of the answer up to the student to respond. Allowing the student to bring forth more information on the question asked. Secondly she defined that a closed-ended question is a response from a student that can be answered in one word, such as: yes, no, or a brief phrase. Ms. Chesley gave two great examples of both an open-ended question and a closed-ended question that could be used in the classroom.

Blog Post #5

My Sentence Videos

This is My Sentence




This is My Passion

Blog Post #4

Why Podcast?
For my blog four assignment, the resources that I used to complete my assignment was Langwitches 1st Graders Create their Own Read-Along Audio Book, Listening- Comprehension-Podcasting, and the Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom by Joe Dale. For starters, before starting this assignment I was unaware of what podcasting was and how to use it. Although after watching the videos I have a better understanding of what a podcast is and how to use it in a classroom. What I really liked about the first video, Langwitches 1st Graders Create their Own Read-Along Audio Book , was that the first grade students were eager and excited to create a podcast. They started reading a book from a series from the Magic Tree House, Vacation Under the Volcano. After each chapter read, the class wrote a script with an interviewer, Jack and Annie. Then the students would record themselves reading the scripts for the podcast. The scripts would involve questions from the interviewer to Jack and Annie about their discoveries of dinosaurs. Once the recording was complete there were ten chapters of scripts, so the teacher created a booklet so that the students could follow along when they listened to the podcast.

The second resource I viewed was Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting , it made an interesting point on how recording a podcast is a great tool, especially for language learners. Allowing students a chance to play with the mechanics of languages, it gives opportunity to see, hear, and manipulate their voices. The activity that went along with this podcast was a second grade class, they were learning about a story of Purium. Their teacher wanted to create a podcast to be shared with their parents. The Jewish Studies teacher worked with each student to write a part in Hebrew. Collaboratively everyone came together to record and edit the podcast. When editing the teacher connected the SmartBoard so the students could come to the board and edit. However, the lesson here was not all about making a podcast, but about writing a script, listening, comprehension, collaboration, speaking skills, and fluency in the target language.

My last resource, Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom , in this video it describes the benefits of podcasting in a classroom. Some of the benefits include: being an effective way of interacting with students outside of the classroom. An example for this would be that you have a student that is really sick, if the teacher had a podcast the sick student, while at home, could view the podcast and not fall behind in the class. Podcasts allows for project based learning,promote creativity and innovation, providing a way for parents to see what their child is completing in school. As a mother of a first grader, I would love to see how much my daughter is growing in her education.

Presentation Project # 3

C4T #1

Minimum Expectations


My teacher Karl Fisch was involved in a two day professional development course structured around the Common Core Math Standard. One activity that he and his group completed was a rating on the complexity of the math problems. Mr. Fisch felt as though a few could be on the PAPCC Test, and they were not discussing what REAL math problems should look like.
After reviewing the problems, they needed to work out the math problems. Mr. Fisch explained to his group that there was a different way of solving the equations. By using the program Desmos on their graphing calculators, Mr. Fisch was able to solve the equations. However, other members in his group did not agree with his technique. After this, it lead him to ask this question: “What should be our minimum expectations?”

My Response to Mr. Fisch


I explained that I agreed with his colleges just a little. I think that is important to teach the proper formulas to students. Once the students have mastered the formulas, then show a few techniques that would be useful. I explained that as college student majoring in education, I too am struggling to remember the formulas I once was taught, so that I can effectively teach them to my students. All that I can remember are the cheats that my teachers taught.


Teenagers Need a Minimum of 9 Hours of Sleep a Night

Mr. Fisch talked about how school was back in session, and students need a minimum of 9 hours of sleep a night. To back up his argument he posted a video to his blog by TED Talk on the neuroscience of sleep. This video describes the health issues that are associated with insufficient hours of sleep. Also, there is a decrease in learning ability with the lack of sleep. So if a person were to take sleep more seriously a person can increase concentration, attention, decision making, creativity, social skills and health. While, on the other end to the spectrum, it will decrease mood swings, stress, anger, impulsiveness, drinking and smoking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LWULB9Aoopc


My Response to Mr. Fisch

Who would have thought that sleep had so many benefits? I am a college student, after viewing the video you placed in your blog, I found to be important and interesting. I personally never knew that sleep was viewed other than a way for resting and restoring the mind and body. I will take sleeping more seriously, for the health of my mind and body. Nine hours of sleep here I come.

Blog Post # 3

What happens to you when you hear the words "peer editing?" Well, for me I get butterflies and I am a senior in college. I have never liked giving my writings to my peers for them to critique, much less for me to critique my peer’s writings. Why is this? Could it just be me and that I have blown "peer editing" out of portion? I think that I never wanted to have flaws, and when I wrote I always had editing marks on my paper. Then when it came to me editing my peer’s paper I did not want to leave to many suggestions, or corrections, because I felt bad.

The assignment for this week was a video What is Peer Editing?, slide show Peer Edit with Perfection, and video Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes. With these videos, it was a reminder and a refresher on what my role is as a "peer editor." Realizing the standards needed of me to give a quality review. It only takes three steps: compliments, suggestions, and corrections. I really loved the video Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes. It was a cute way of show what not to do as an editor.

But as an Educator, I will have critique my student's performance. Sometimes I will have to tell my students things they might not want to hear and it might make me feel uncomfortable also. I will always make it a point to be positive and to encourage them. As an Educator, I want my students to be successful.

Blog Post #2

Mr. Dancealot:
Katlyn, Tarcela, Alex, and Jake agree that: In this video, the class is enrolled in a dance class with Mr. Dancealot. We believe Mr. Dancealot is an inefficient teacher. The first reason we believe he is an inefficient teacher is because he looked as though he was unprepared; he often made references to the notes on the board. While Mr. Dancealot relied on his dance lesson notes to instruct how to perform the dance steps, it showed how Mr. Dancealot was unprepared and inefficient on the topic. A second reason we believe Mr. Dancealot is an inefficient teacher is because his students were unable to see the steps needed to master the dance, since Mr. Dancealot was behind his podium explaining the dance steps. Mr. Dancealot did not allow his students to practice. Many of the students in his class were bored, and we don’t blame them! He seemed to talk a lot and he did not encourage class participation. In one part of the video, a student stood up to practice the dance steps and the student was told by Mr. Dancealot “to sit down I am teaching.” We think an important part of dancing and how to learn different dances is by practicing. Although he used powerpoints to teach, we do not believe that is the proper way to teach a dance class. We do not think he should have relied solely on powerpoints to teach the different dances. He expected his students to dance each of the dances he taught for the final. We do not understand how that is fair! Learning dance is about practicing each move and rehearsing over and over. Those are the reasons we think Mr. Dancealot is an inefficient teacher.

The Networked Student by Tarcela Kohn: This video is very compelling and a great visual. I thought it was a different way of introducing and explaining what a networked student really is. What I gathered from the video is that a networked student's knowledge is spread out among people and through network connections of other people. By informing and teaching students where to find reputable information on the internet, then they can build personal learning networks. Through this network, students can communicate using these tools.

I really liked this method of a “Networked Student.” It teaches the students how to build networks and then gather information on various topics which we find different or we find essential information know. We then can converse within these networks and debate or reflect on the information that was discovered.

The effect of needing a teacher for the networked student, I would agree with the video. The teacher is there as a model. Without a teacher who knows the material and the ins and outs of the technology that the students will be using to make these "networks" for learning. Who will the student go to and will the student’s even use this “Network” as resource that will help them become lifelong learners?


Teaching in the 21st Century by Katlyn Lusker : Kevin Roberts hit it dead on when he came up with “Teaching in the 21st Century.” This video was so powerful and I think every student wanting to be a teacher, especially an elementary teacher, should watch it. A part of the video that meant the most to me is, when I read that the “students do not need to be entertained, they need to be engaged.” I learned that entertainment is far from engagement and I am so glad to have realized the difference. “Entertainment is passive; it is for enjoyment; it is short-lived, it does not require relevance, it allows escape from problems, and it is using the creativity of others.” Engagement, on the other hand, is “active; it is for learning, it has long-term results, it is meaningful and applicable, it solves problems, and it uses the creativity of the participant.” Like the video said, “engagement can be fun and exciting, it is our responsibility as teachers to provide meaningful and powerful engagement.”
I think Kevin Roberts thinks teaching in the 21st century means to teach students using different tools than what we’ve ever had to teach with before. Technology is evolving faster than ever, and we are starting to realize that. Even the age at which we start using technology is seen at a younger age than ever before. Therefore, I believe he thinks we need to start teaching students on more relevant subject matters, and not just teach them new things, but we also need to teach them how to acquire the skills in order to learn the different things.
I strongly agree with all of the positions expressed in this video. It kind of goes along with why I think Roberts is correct when he wrote this. I agree with his statement, “If teachers can only provide facts, content, dates, information, and formulas, then our role in the lives of students is obsolete.” That is so true because if someone has a question, the Internet is so convenient and it has endless amounts of answers. It is true that “students can find information on anything, anytime, and anywhere.” “Information is virtually limitless, and teachers are no longer the source of information.” Unfortunately, this could be bad news for teachers. This is exactly why we need to change the way we teach and why we need to change what we teach. We need lessons that are “engaging, challenging, and most importantly relevant!”

Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts by Jake Dukes: This teacher has a very different style of teaching, but I like the way she teaches her class. In her class, she doesn’t use any paper at all, everything they do in class is online. She believes that teaching on the computer gives the students a better chance to learn information about a certain subject. She also thinks that not everyone learns by writing stuff down on paper, and I believe that is true. Everyone has their own way of learning. Another thing that I like about her classroom is the ability for the students to teach the class for a day. She does not teach the class every day, and I think that helps the class. Listening to the same boring lectures every other day from a teacher can get old. I like when teachers switch it up and try something different with how they teach their class. The one thing that I did not like about everything being on a computer is, students tend to venture off, and they may go on some websites that are not class related such as Facebook and Twitter that may distract the class from learning.

Flipping the Classroom- 4th Grade STEM by Alex Hopson: Flipping the classroom could possibly be a good idea, but I do not believe it is necessary for 4th grade students. These young children have enough trouble paying attention for seven hours at school a day that they do not need the extra work this flipping will give them. These students would have a hard time sitting in front of a computer screen with a book and paper to take notes with, I just do not believe the attention span is there for these children. Now for older students at the high school and college level this could definitely be useful. It would give students a chance to understand more difficult materials instead of having to pay for tutors. So yes this is a good idea for furthering the education of students, but not for the younger students.