Final Reflection

Blog Post #14

For this weeks assignment we visited Jose Picardo's blog site and also watched his video called "Top Ten Tricks for using Technology in the Classroom".  I can't begin to describe the amount of information I received from this weeks assignment.






In his video, Jose mentions ten things every teacher should do in their classroom.

You can access this short video at:

Top Ten Tricks for using Technology in the Classroom

Jose suggest using such things as music, Youtube, Skype, podcast, blogs, Wikis, social networks, gadgets, etc.  He suggest that teachers should use what ever tools their students are using at home or in their free time. This is what students are most comfortable with and we should adapt these tools to teach our curriculum.

Jose is a very soft spoken gentleman.  He is also very kind and generous and shares much information at his website.

You can access his website at:

http://www.boxoftricks.net/

In the resources tab, he list over 200 websites and tools for teachers to use in their classrooms. I have saved that page to my reading list and I look forward to adding many of his recommendations to my PLN.  In fact, I've already added his website to my PLN.  He is definitely somebody to follow.....if you want to learn more about technology in the classroom.

He really has left a huge "Box of Tricks" for all of us!  Many thanks Jose!

C4T #4 Summary

Which path will you take?

I have been blogging with Tom Schimmer for my C4T #4.  He has been blogging recently about implementing ideas in the classroom.  He has given some wise tips for teachers to remember while implementing new ideas in their classrooms.




Some of Tom's key points for success are:

-You must have a fidelity to implement what you have set out to do.
-You need to adapt for context (adjust the plan for individual differences).
-Don't over plan and be ready to erase or change the plans! Another words, use a short pencil with a big eraser!
-Plan for a few, quick results!  We all want to see that our efforts are being rewarded!  We all want some immediate, positive feedback.

All in all, he made some really good points.  All teachers can use some good tips on how to steer our students towards success.   I really enjoyed blogging with Tom and he gave me a lot to think about.                                                          

C4K November Summary

Lets talk turkey!

I am very thankful that I have had the pleasure of blogging with many nice and wonderful  students during the month of November!







For my first assignment, I visited with Mr. McClung's class on his special assignment "Three Things Thursday".  In this weekly segment, the class post and views CNN Student News on their classroom blog. I really enjoyed watching  this news from around the world which was geared specifically for school children.  The news segment ended with a "Hero of the Week".  The students got to see somebody doing something good for their local community.  I always love hearing some good news and I am sure the students get a  lot out of this special program.

Next, I blogged with Silas who was a sixth year student at Pt. England School in Auckland, NZ.  We commented about an Immersion Assembly  that he had attended.  It was an assembly about the solar system and his teacher Mr. Somerville played the "star" in the program.  Silas really enjoyed learning about the solar system from this play!

I also got to visit with Mrs. Yollis' 3rd Grade Class on their wonderful blog site.  They have received many different awards for their classroom blog and you will enjoy seeing these third graders using technology and learning so much in their modern day classroom.

You can access their classroom blog at:

http://yollisclassblog.blogspot.com/

I had the pleasure of blogging with one of Mrs. Yollis' former students named Miriam who is now in fourth grade.  I was actually assigned to blog with her twice this month and, on both occasions, Miriam had posted a recipe she had cooked at her home.  The first recipe was for a dish called piroshki.  It is a type of meat pie and she posted pictures of her progress.  She later made homemade cupcakes shaped like owls.  I really appreciated her pictures and her directions.  Miriam is an unbelievable blogger....she made everything sound and look so good!  I was actually hungry after visiting her blog!  I know one day that Miriam will be a wonderful writer and cook!

PLN Final Report

My PLN is better than your PLN......or else!

I would like to describe my PLN.  I have been developing it for about two months.








I would like to say that  this has been an ongoing learning process for me.  I first started off using Netvibes for my PLN, but I seemed to have had some trouble navigating around in it.  I decided to quit using Netvibes and started using Symbaloo.  I must be more of a visual learner because my PLN really took off after I started using Symbaloo.

I love having these visual tiles for all of my favorite sites.  I have over 30 different sites on my PLN.  I have all of my tiles arranged by similarities.  For instance, I have all of my news tiles together, all of my social media tiles together, all of my favorite blogs together, my favorite tools together, and my favorite teacher sites together.  I immediately go to my PLN every time I log onto the Internet.  I use my PLN as my main tool for navigating around on the Internet.  I love having all of my favorite places displayed for me all on one page.  I am having so much fun with my PLN and I am constantly adding "new tiles" all the time.   I am sure that I will have to make second page very soon!

I have never had a PLN before this class.....so, I would like to thank you Dr. Strange for introducing me to this wonderful tool!

P.S.  I am a very organized type of person and my PLN really helps me to make sense out of all this information on the Internet.  :)

Final Project #16/Social Media in the Classroom