Thing #5

OK - I must admit that the google reader is awesome. I only had trouble with one thing this time. I must be getting better at this tech. stuff! As I scrolled through the reader, what stood out for me came from three lessons from high school. It was posted from a student discussing his high school career. He talked about how "he lost his will succeed" as a freshman. He found himself in trouble and therefore, skipping school and on his way to becoming a dropout. However, he changes his story and graduates from high school as a successful student. One of the things he talked about was how he learned to value relationships not only with his peers, but with his teachers as well. He talked about the importance of respect and if you show your teachers respect, they will help you in all of your endeavors. It was inspiring to see him change his story. I would like to show it in my classroom to show that even when we make poor choices, we can still turn it around.

Thing #4

I could go on and on reading these blogs and linking to others. As I read them, it struck me that some are like a conversation. You can express your thoughts and opinions in an informal way. In addition, you can link with those who have similar interests. I love the idea of connecting with my students. At our school, we have a book club that meets every week. We are in the process of setting up our blogs. We can then discuss our readings outside the meetings. I love the idea of interacting with our students this way.

As I read the different blogs, I connected to "Why I Don't Assign Homework". I struggle with the concept of homework for our students. I know there are parents who request it but I agree with Dan Meyer. Students who are motivated will return their work while those who are not as motivated, will not. Unfortunately, those are the students that need it the most. They are also the ones who have the least amount of parental support. It is my job to figure out how to motivate the students to want to return their homework.

I also liked the blog, SSR, 2.0. He discusses the change of what we are reading. He even admitted to reading everything but books. By reading blogs and searching the internet, reading the news from the internet allows you to cover so much more. I even find myself listening to books on my IPod to save time. My concern though, is that we might not return to reading books for the rich language that we find in them.

I liked his idea of reading blogs during the SSR time. They could comment on what they read during computer lab or at home.

I love the countless links that can take us anywhere. I agree with Pithy Thoughts, I want to become a professional reader as well.

Thing #2 Reflection of 2.0

Wow! As I watched and listened to the videos, I felt like I have not provided my students with what they need. The purpose of learning 2.0 for me was to "catch-up" to where my students are regarding technology. The opportunities are endless for myself as well as my students. I love the idea of connecting to people all over the world. What an opportunity to learn about others.

As I read the article, the first thing that caught my interest was the ease of integration of all subjects. The vast amount of information from the podcasts outweighs the information gleaned from textbooks. It seemed that within minutes, all teachers had the information available to them. In addition, parents knew what their students were learning and students had the opportunity to respond through blogging. I also liked the idea of students being responsible for their learning, i.e., producing their own study guide. It is amazing how promptly everyone knew the content from the teacher, principal, superintendent, parents, and students. It is a new way of teaching, grading, and community involvement in general. It is a little overwhelming when thinking about a completely new look for the classroom.

Thng #1 Reflections on being a Lifelong Learner

I have always believed that we are lifelong learners. When we are no longer learning, what are we doing and thinking? As an educator, it is even more important to continue learning because education is always changing. A perfect example is technology. I decided to take this course because I know that I am not where I should be in regards to technology. My students know more about computers than I do and are not afraid to try new things, unlike me. But here I am, posting my first blog (and a little nervous).

My most challenging habit will be my confidence level. As I stated before, technology makes me nervous. However, I have wonderful team mates that have assured me that they will not abandoned me. As I progress in this class, I am sure that my confidence level will rise.

The easiest habit, for me, will be setting goals. My first goal is to work on my most challenging habit as mentioned above. Goals help me stay focused and on schedule.

Finally, the most important habit is the last one. The best way to learn, and retain, something is to teach it. I can't wait to use what I am learning now, in my classroom later. The opportunities are endless, not only for me, but for my students as well.