Hey y'all. I know you're just waiting for the next little gold nugget of technological whimsy I am about to share. I won't disappoint.
Here is a prezi. It's like a PowerPoint that had way too much coffee.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
SlideShare
Oh hey, hey. You can share PowerPoints on the internet. Say, whaaaat? Check it out. I did an activity with 5th graders about how to create guiding questions for their inquiry about economic activities.
Get it While it's Hot- Intro
View more presentations or Upload your own.
1st Grade Literacy
We have started a journey at the American School. That journey is a marriage of two great things- inquiry-based learning and balanced literacy. Marriage is probably actually the very best way to describe it because it's hard work, not always fun, and I'm in it 'til death do us part.
When I was home for Christmas, my sister graciously invited me to her classroom (or I told her that I was going...details, really.) I got to see balanced literacy in action. Since then I was also able to see it in action in Monterrey. I am sold. It works. Kids love to read and write and know why they love to read and write.
Here are some pics from the time I spent in her class. Not because you are especially interested, but because I have to post this for the class I'm taking.
1st Grade Literacy on PhotoPeach
When I was home for Christmas, my sister graciously invited me to her classroom (or I told her that I was going...details, really.) I got to see balanced literacy in action. Since then I was also able to see it in action in Monterrey. I am sold. It works. Kids love to read and write and know why they love to read and write.
Here are some pics from the time I spent in her class. Not because you are especially interested, but because I have to post this for the class I'm taking.
1st Grade Literacy on PhotoPeach
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Think
If I have learned one thing this year, it is to question. The "Why" (or "for why" that I get from my little bilingual mexi-gringa of a three-year old) that makes me insane as a mother, is the same little word that makes growth happen in a school.
Why are we doing this? What is the purpose? How will it help us be better? What are you getting from this? Do your kids know what their doing and why?
This video from Sir Ken Robinson about divergent thinking has floated around Facebook and other media and was presented to us during our class today. I find it to be both inspiring and concerning.
Inspiring, because this is what we strive to achieve in our school each day. It is what we value. It is our objective. Students must learn how to solve problems in many different ways. Creative problem solving is where we get some of the best and most awe-inspiring innovations known to man. I mean, think about it, some guys sitting around drinking beers one afternoon must have thought, "Hey, what if we make telephones that you can walk around with?" Someone had to think a crazy thought to make that happen. And, although most of the general population considers that to be a pretty useful and nifty tool, I'm pretty certain more than a few people thought that was insane and completely impractical.
I find the Ken Robinson video concerning because if it is a true reflection of what is happening in our schools, we should be very scared for our future. I know that it is not the reflection of the teachers and students at my school. Do we wish the kids were a littler calmer, a little more obedient? Sure. That just makes life easier. But, if I have to decide between robot children who sit silently and think whatever they've been told to think or children who can't ask enough questions, have opinions, share ideas, think critically and genuinely want to live in a better world, then I choose the latter. Hands down.
Why are we doing this? What is the purpose? How will it help us be better? What are you getting from this? Do your kids know what their doing and why?
This video from Sir Ken Robinson about divergent thinking has floated around Facebook and other media and was presented to us during our class today. I find it to be both inspiring and concerning.
Inspiring, because this is what we strive to achieve in our school each day. It is what we value. It is our objective. Students must learn how to solve problems in many different ways. Creative problem solving is where we get some of the best and most awe-inspiring innovations known to man. I mean, think about it, some guys sitting around drinking beers one afternoon must have thought, "Hey, what if we make telephones that you can walk around with?" Someone had to think a crazy thought to make that happen. And, although most of the general population considers that to be a pretty useful and nifty tool, I'm pretty certain more than a few people thought that was insane and completely impractical.
I find the Ken Robinson video concerning because if it is a true reflection of what is happening in our schools, we should be very scared for our future. I know that it is not the reflection of the teachers and students at my school. Do we wish the kids were a littler calmer, a little more obedient? Sure. That just makes life easier. But, if I have to decide between robot children who sit silently and think whatever they've been told to think or children who can't ask enough questions, have opinions, share ideas, think critically and genuinely want to live in a better world, then I choose the latter. Hands down.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Box.com
Check out box.com
It's similar to google docs where you can share and edit a plethora of different types of files. You can change the settings and then publish the files or folders directly to your blog, add editors and collaborators, send to social networks, etc.
This is something that I can understand as a valuable tool for teachers and students, among teachers, and among teachers and administration to streamline planning and reduce the need to be uploading and sending documents through email or saving to a usb.
I'm not sharing anything with you at this time, because there isn't anything you need from me...as far as I know.
It's similar to google docs where you can share and edit a plethora of different types of files. You can change the settings and then publish the files or folders directly to your blog, add editors and collaborators, send to social networks, etc.
This is something that I can understand as a valuable tool for teachers and students, among teachers, and among teachers and administration to streamline planning and reduce the need to be uploading and sending documents through email or saving to a usb.
I'm not sharing anything with you at this time, because there isn't anything you need from me...as far as I know.
IB Profile
I found this document on the Online Curriculum Center of the IB website. I'm not an animal person, but I think it's nice to look at. These are the guiding characteristics of an IB student; something we, as educators, strive to model and encourage in our students every day.
I would write more about this and how valuable and important I think it is, but this class makes my brain so tired...not the good kind of tired where you feel like you've learned a lot, but the tired where you think about all of the other things you could have been doing with your time...
I would write more about this and how valuable and important I think it is, but this class makes my brain so tired...not the good kind of tired where you feel like you've learned a lot, but the tired where you think about all of the other things you could have been doing with your time...
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