We love Figurative Language!

Theory and Practice in Teacher Education 486

I am writing this blog in regards to the TPTE 486 class as a whole.

Throughout this semester I have attained a great deal of knowledge of the web tools available to me as a future educator. It has been an exciting and challenging process as well as a rewarding one. I have had the opportunity to share what I have learned with peers, educators in the field as well as teachers outside of Tennessee, including New York. I feel confident in my web based skills and am thrilled to continue the process of learning the tools available to me.

The semester was particularly trying in this class when I was unaware of specific expectations of me as a student. I feel that the reason that I failed to obtain an A on an assignment was in large part due to misunderstood expectations. I was often at fault for this as a student who did not ask questions and pursue total understanding of the assignments. Through this, however, I was able to learn as a student and as a teacher assessing student understanding.

My favorite tools this semester were most definitely the Web 2.0 tools. I have already used Wordle in a lesson that I taught during my practicuum. In addition, I created a digital field trip using Voicethread. It is a challenge for me to think of different ways to use the tools in my classroom, as I am planning on teaching in a low-income school where I can not take for granted that my students will have internet access outside of school. Taking this into consideration, I think that it calls me to use the tools in a more creative way within the classroom, as well as putting greater effort towards facilitating access for my future student. This is a challenge that I am excited to overcome.

Ms. Bull's Classroom Site

This site is designed for you to learn about my classroom, the teacher, and various homework assignments and projects. This site will also assist in finding various resources that can be used for homework, projects, or just learning about the big world around us!

You will find links to all of the pages at the bottom of this one. You will find a bio page About Ms. Bull. You will also find a page with many resources for the wild world of Language Arts by looking at Language Arts Resources. The Teacher's choice page is full of resources for students and parents at The Global Schoolhouse and Middle School Guide. There are also many resources that can be used in the classroom at the link, Technology Projects. You can find Web 2.0 Resources at the link, Web 2.0 Tools.


Although the creation of my web site took an extensive amount of time, I am so glad that I did it. As a future teacher, this type of digital tool is integral for teacher, student, parent communication. Many schools have their own websites, but for an individual teacher to take the time to make an organized webpage for his/her students facilitates a deep, meaningful, practical relationship with the students, parents, and community at large.

Check it out at: https://sites.google.com/site/kelseybullsclassroom/home

Excel Interactive Quiz

This spreadsheet, designed using the Excel program, quizzes students on Plural Possessives. It is an interactive quiz that provides instant feedback to the student, thus promoting self-regulation and self-efficacy as well as formative assessment for the instructor.

I like the idea behind this spreadsheet. The students are able to to quickly view the feedback of their performance and assess their own strengths and weaknesses. However, as mentioned in my previous blog regarding the lesson plan that uses the Internet, I am not particularly persuaded to use this type of assessment method due to limited computer access. Also, the creation of this quiz took a great deal of time. I was a new user to the program, and with my gained familiarity I am sure the next creation will be quicker, I am not completely sold on using it in the future.

Web Wonders: A Lesson Plan

I created a lesson plan that allows the students to explore how earthquakes, mountain building, volcanoes and sea floor spreading are associated with the movements of the earth's major plates. In the lesson plan I used an internet site to accompany Direct Instruction as well as group work. The site that was used is: http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/drift2.html.
The lesson plan meets the Tennessee State Curriculum Standard 0707.7.6. Students will apply digital tools to gather, evaluate and assess information.

The idea surrounding this lesson to use Internet tools is a great one, although I see potential weaknesses of employing this strategy. Often times, it is very difficult to attain computer lab time in schools. In addition, many students do not have internet access at home which limits the amount of work they are able to complete outside of the classroom. Also, this specific lesson works best for science. I think that many strategies utilizing the web in a language arts classroom and mathematics classroom might be employed, however, real life examples for science might be most practical for this type of lesson.

Langston Hughes Meets iMovie

We used iMovie this past week. I created a story about Langston Hughes' famous poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." I had so much fun creating my iMovie. First, I chose what topic to use to make an iMovie about. Then, I collected photos that would adequately enhance the poem. Following that, I imported the pictures to the iMovie. Then, I chose the music to go along with it. I chose a selection that was created and performed during the Harlem Renaissance, the period in which Langston Hughes wrote. Then I added the text within the movie.

This program, iMovie, would be great to use in this way for a classroom, or for the students to create their own. In addition, the students could create biographies about authors or other prominent historical figures. They could also create a virtual field trip. I had fun making this, but now sure how accessible it will be in my future classroom.

Personal Teaching Profiles

I have created my personal teaching profile for my future classroom. Check these out!

http://www.learningcentral.org/plp/utkecc/Kelsey_Bull.nsf?OpenDatabase

https://sites.google.com/site/kelseybullsclassroom/

Inspired by Inspiration

In today's classroom we face many challenges that reflect the shift in education from blackboards to a digital age. In an effort to inspire students' learning, introducing and supplying supplementary visuals and organizers provides the students with additional ways to be involved in the learning and understanding of the lesson.

One of the tools available to us today is called Inspiration. One can download a free 30-day trial of this tool online at  http://www.inspiration.com/! This tool provides a format that allows one to create a graphic organizer about any topic of interest. For this particular project I chose a seventh grade SPI: 7.1.spi.22.-identify similes, metaphors, personification, and hyperbole within context. I would use my Inspiration project as a supplementary tool to introduce figurative language. I will had it out to the students as a resource to use throughout the year and as we build onto our knowledge and understanding. 

Although I enjoy using Inspiration in TPTE 486, I doubt that  I will purchase the tool. Through searching on Delicious.com, as I previously spoke of in an earlier blog, I have found many other free resources online that provide the same kind of format and capabilities. Although the program probably has many more options and applications, for my particular use as a middle grades teacher, I feel that I could find adequate resources elsewhere.

Gone Photo Huntin' with Legendary Picassa

In class, Rachel and I completed a digital photo scavenger hunt. Our scavenger hunt focused on middle grades language arts. We searched for words that are verbs or nouns to photographing dictionaries. The most challenging treasure to find was a misspelled word, but we did it! Following our completion of the activity, we then transferred the photos onto our computer and imported them into Picassa. Picassa is a free Web Album tool that is great for photo sharing! You can now view our Scavenger Hunt right above! This would be great for classroom collaboration. I then downloaded my powerpoint into my google docs. I arrived at Google Docs by logging into my gmail. Upon uploading it here, Goggle Docs gave me the option to copy and paste the embedding code in order to include it above in my Blog. Yay!

This activity would work well in the classroom for doing a hunt like the one we completed in language arts, or having the students create one of their own. The student could also make a web album for a pen pal. The students might use photos to create a magazine or newspaper article for a book project. Another great project would be synchronizing a song with various pictures within a web album by creating a slideshow. The students would choose specific photos for specific meanings within their chosen song. This would facilitate the skill of figurative language identification.

However, all of these types of activities take for granted that my students will have access to digital cameras, or that their school will provide them. In theory, this activity is beneficial, but the actuality of its probability may be unlikely. The last example of use listed above, however, could be completed in the computer lab.

Smile! It's Smilebox!

Make your own free digital scrapbook

For Spring Break, I stayed in lower Mahattan and worked with an after-school program called St. Ann's in the Bronx. My classmates introduced me to the Web 2.0 tool called Smilebox. I decided to discover the tool by creating my own scrapbook that documents my travels in The Big Apple.

As teachers, we can use this tool in many different ways. We could create a classroom newspaper, use the scrapbook for a virtual feidtrip or study abroad, or even for a digital scavenger hunt. There are many options! Check out my scrap book and see what you think!

Glogster, Twitter, Delicious, Oh My!

In the past week, we have learned about so many different web resources that, as educators, we will be able to implement into our classroom. These include Glogster, as you can see in my previous post. Glogster allows students or faculty to create posters about themselves, book projects, and many other tools. In addition to Glogster, our classmates also introduced us to Twitter. Although Twitter has grown in popularity recently as a social networking tool, it is also great for the classroom. It allows teachers and parents to stay connected outside of telephone and email communication. It can also be used as a tool to improve students' understanding of the "main idea" in a story by limting them to the use of 50 characters or less. Twitter also allows formatting and utilization of safety settings. In addition we learned about the website Delicious. The snapshot to the left is of the Delicious homepage. Delicious is a bookmarking tool that allows the user to customize their bookmarks and borrow from others. It is a community of the greatest bookmarks. I have used this tool to find lesson plans as well as navigate through the most efficient sites for educators. It is a great tool for educators and students alike. It would also be great to use in the classroom because it would allow for easy web navigation for the students if the teacher has previously bookmarked the sites he/she intends to use.

Of all of these tools, for my students I enjoy Glogster the most and for myself as an educator, I enjoy Delicious the most. That is what is important in navigating through these tools is determining how you can make the best use of them. 

Glogster

Workin' With Wordle

Today in class, Amy showed us how to use the Web 2.0 tool, Wordle. I have created one "All About Me." I took a snapshot by clicking ctrl, command, 4 on my Mac computer as you can see to the right. Notice that Ghana, family, travel, are the largest words. I was able to make these larger by including each word more than once upon creation.

This tool would be great to use in the classroom. I could use it to outline classroom rules, or create folder labels. In addition, I might use it in a lesson about different time periods. An example of this might be grouping Romaticism authors, 18th Century British Literature authors, Harlem Renaissance Authors, and others. I might include an author in each of these Wordles that does not fit and have the students identify which one and why.

I am excited about experimenting with this tool and discovering different ways to use it.

A Renaissance WebQuester

Following our discussion in class today about WebQuest, I came to the realization of the importance of making sure that each specific Quest is designed with a group in mind. In order for these activities to be successful, a group must be created, and a class collaboration must be the essence. In addition to this, it is important to monitor the aesthetic side of the website as well as the facilitation of critical thinking. My group agreed that our favorite WebQuest of the group that we reviewed is the Land Fills WebQuest. It forces students to consider their personal experiences and translate their pre-existing knowledge to true application cooperatively with their classmates. Rachel, Whitney, Tiffani and I decided that the site needs to include more links and to further critical thinking, the addition of a real-world example within the students' own town would be a progressive and positive addition.

I have found a particularly successful WebQuest amidst my search for one that I can use in my classroom. Though I am an English major, my minor is in the sciences which opens up a plethora of opportunities for my teaching of various subject areas. In an effort to become familiar with and further my knowledge about the content of middle grades science classes, I decided to research and obtain a WebQuest on the sustainability of Fossil Fuels. This webquest is designed for a seventh grade classroom. It provides the opportunity for students to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding about energy and photosynthesis. In addition, some background knowledge about cells, potential and kinetic energy, and different forms of energy would be useful before beginning this WebQuest which provides an opportunity to review and retain the prior understanding. The activity allows the students to collaborate through groups of four. Each student has a specific role: The Energy Engineer, The Biologist, The Enviornmentalist and The Ecologist. The way that I will be able to evaluate the students' understanding is through their presentation of the information gathered to the class who will serve as the Board of Directors at the imagined "GreenTech."

I have also posted on the sidebar an additional VoiceThread that I have created. Voicethread is an excellent tool that can be utilized in and out of the classroom. I have created one as an example and also as a potential tool to provide the audience or my students with a better understanding of the country of Ghana. My favorite aspects of VoiceThread are the drawing tool, where you can trace the item within the image that you wish to focus upon and the simplicity of creating and sharing on the site. It does not hurt that is completely free! It is an alternative approach to topics that might other wise be just another lecture, it allows the audience to engage visually and intellectually. It might also provide a great segue into a reflective journal entry or group discussion!

Let's Go on A Quest!

How exciting this week has been discovering new internet resources, specifically the Voicethread that I have added to the sidebar of my blog. To learn about Voicethread is interesting, and also thrilling because I can use it in many various ways within my own Middle School classroom. In addition, our class has created another Wiki for discovering, revealing, and teaching about many of the teacher tools on the Web.

I have also been working on a WebQuest, analyzing the depth of critical thinking that each WebQuest encourages and to what extent in order to determine the efficienc and effectiveness of each WebQuest. These Quests are exciting tools. I have already completed the Quests on learning and understanding about John Wilkes Booth, as a person and his impacts. I will use these in my classroom in order for students to connect to topics that they would otherwise ignore or find unimportant, personally.

The most important aspect to focus on now with these various web tools is their reliability and efffectiveness. As an educator, it is my responsibility to monitor the web sources utilized, how they can contribute to successes in my class, and how I can incorporate them within lessons to facilitate the most learning.

So Many Websites, So little time

One of the most important aspects of Website Browsing is being able to discern which sites are the most effective and efficient. In order to determine this, we must put pay attention to details and call ourselves Website Evaluators.

The most important part of being a Website Evaluator is knowing what sets the website apart and what makes it accredited. Today, I looked at the site by Glencoe/ Mcgraw-Hill with the URL http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/tiparchive.phtml/4. The website is aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. Although I was worried about it possibly promoting its products, I was pleased to find that there were no advertisements, just contributions by various people within the Academic Field. The contributors were from a wide-variety of positions within education, all accredited.

I learned different tools for classroom management, as well as numerous ideas for Virtual Field trips. I also enjoyed and took confidence in the fact that the website is frequently changing. As the viewer, you are able to access posts from last week, last month, or today. Most importantly, though, in order to be an informed Website Evaluator, I need to continue to evaluate other websites to draw informed conclusions about which sites I should use for my classroom.

Of all things you have...

With all respect, you have little to teach us in strength and toughness. And we don't envy your restless spirits. Perhaps we are happier than you? But we would like our children to go to school. Of all things you have, learning is the one we most desire for our children...
- Schoolhouse in the Clouds

We Are Our Own Greatest Teachers

This past week each student created their very own wiki within our community-shared wiki. How exciting! We are just like the creators, modifiers, editors, and contibutors of our very own Wikipedia! One of the best parts of having our very own wiki is how much we can learn from one another as educators. We are able to quickly and effectively share ideas, thoughts, and comments in order to assist our classmates. When taking this into consideration inside our own classroom, it is truly a great tool. Personally, having the desire to teach in a "high-need school," often Title 1 schools in Knox County, many classrooms have access to technology. In addition to this important asset, contrarily, many students are detrimentally behind in their literacy level. Wikis are a great source for use in the classroom to promote reading skills such as literacy in its essence, reading comprehension, editing skills, and communication through writing. Also, each student is given the opportunity to express their own individual creativity, like on the blog pages, too. With this, you have a tool to facilitate a community of learners, who are encouraging their peers and truly creating a family.

As an educator, there are many exciting ways for us to use wikis, like virtual field trips, vocabulary lists, to track individual student participation within a group project, to monitor progress, host book clubs/ discussions, choose your own adventure stories where each student contributes a different chapter, community history/ nature guide, and many other endless possibilities. 

It has been exciting thus far to look at these resources through the lens of an educator. I have used the blogger tool when I studied abroad in order to maintain communication with family and friends when calling was not necessarily accessible. The blog proved to be successful and easy to follow and exciting for my loved ones to read. It is equally as exciting brainstorming the ways we can use such resources in our own classrooms to further enthuse our students about the subjects we are learning. I am most excited about creating a community of learners, learning together, from one another. 

Learning, Reflecting, Growing...

Technology can often seem overwhelming in this day in age. There are so many different computers, templates, and resources. Though learning about technology might seem intimidating at first, it is important to focus on how it connects us to each other, the world, and how it helps us to develop other skills like literacy, as well as continuing understanding in all academic areas.

I am so excited to begin my blog on technology and pursue further understanding of the world wide web and all the exciting tools it offers.