Sunday, April 23, 2017
Monday, April 17, 2017
Week 14
Personally I do not think we are ready for virtual school yet. The main withdrawal resources. Resources to supply students soft and hardware, resources for teacher and administrator training, resources in the home environment. Another withdrawal teachers and parents acceptance to virtual schooling. With my current position I work in six schools and not all of my colleagues are welcomed to technology. Those teachers argue that their teaching skill have been successful, so why do they need to change. Other do not want to learn new tricks, because they are that close to retirement. Granted, with virtual technology a teacher role's change, but the teachers still play an important role.
To support the change that teaching is taking my school district has gone Google, nonetheless they have not share with elementary teachers how they are fulfilling the virtual learning requirement. When I asked a few of the administrators they mentioned that the topic has touch their meeting, but not entirely.
Scenario 1
You're a rural district with only a few hundred students total. A child wants to take courses like calculus, but they cannot feasibly be offered by your high school.
Scenario 2
Jumping to a virtual class only because a parent had a bad experience with a teacher will not make sense. I will first like to know more details and pull up student's standardize test scores. I will even go as far as asking the mom to try leaving her second son with Mr. Siko for a month or two.
Scenario 3
I would like to spend more time with the student before jumping to the conclusion that cyberschool was what made him be so successful. In the mean time I will look for funding to adopt a similar program or the program in my school. Some of those funding can be a grant or grants.
Scenario 4
I am a teacher whose district is embracing online learning. It is attracting many students from other districts, and this generates extra revenue (students = $$). I am asked to be a 'facilitator' for these students, who are not required to attend during the school day. I am not given extra release time for this.
Scenario 5
If I ever have a student who cannot attend refula school hours I would record all my lesson and assist him with learning about new tech tools. To engage him in group projects I will have students wok with him virtually
To support the change that teaching is taking my school district has gone Google, nonetheless they have not share with elementary teachers how they are fulfilling the virtual learning requirement. When I asked a few of the administrators they mentioned that the topic has touch their meeting, but not entirely.
Scenario 1
You're a rural district with only a few hundred students total. A child wants to take courses like calculus, but they cannot feasibly be offered by your high school.
Scenario 2
Jumping to a virtual class only because a parent had a bad experience with a teacher will not make sense. I will first like to know more details and pull up student's standardize test scores. I will even go as far as asking the mom to try leaving her second son with Mr. Siko for a month or two.
Scenario 3
I would like to spend more time with the student before jumping to the conclusion that cyberschool was what made him be so successful. In the mean time I will look for funding to adopt a similar program or the program in my school. Some of those funding can be a grant or grants.
Scenario 4
I am a teacher whose district is embracing online learning. It is attracting many students from other districts, and this generates extra revenue (students = $$). I am asked to be a 'facilitator' for these students, who are not required to attend during the school day. I am not given extra release time for this.
Scenario 5
If I ever have a student who cannot attend refula school hours I would record all my lesson and assist him with learning about new tech tools. To engage him in group projects I will have students wok with him virtually
Monday, April 3, 2017
Reading about the tech myths was interesting the ones that I related the most to were tech teachers have it easy, online students have it easier, and students are more likely to cheat online.
This year I took into to action flipping a class and thought that once I figured it out I could easily pass it to other classes. It turns out that flipping one class was not easy I have to work more carefully on putting content together and I can’t have impromptu lessons as I do in all my other classes. I need to lesson plan in advance have my video setup at least a week before instructions. I have tried passing it on to one other class and that is not easy either, mainly because one-to-one communication is greater. There is a benefit to that because I get to know students better.
Online learning is easier for students, not true either. Scheduling group meetings is a hazel and my accountability for all my work is just as strong as meeting in class. When I was an undergrad I took two online classes and I was getting the impression that online classes were easier, but since then online classes have come a long way. I mentioned earlier accountability still needs to get met. Having control over when I view my online lecturers is is nice because, unlike my friends who need to fly to school after work I get to go home afterter work relax and like a night owl do my school work late at night.
Students being more likely to cheat online is also a myth that caught my attention because, during my grad school classes, cheating online was never an option. I never had a multiple choice test, nor short answer problem without a case study. Everything has always been more problem based. In K-12 setting I can see how this can be a problem, but is project based assessments are set in place with learners explanation, cheating will be less of a problem.
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Blog Posts...yes, plural
My definition of online learning is anything that uses online tools to instruct . It may or may not be 100% online. This can be done outside of school or in a school layout. Perhaps some of the learning takes place in a combination of in classroom and out side classroom, or perhaps is all online. All types of classes could be offered with online learning, the only thing that stays consistent is that a percentage of instructions are delivered online.
Cyber schooling sounds as if all instructions are delivered online but collaboration is done in person. This practice is more suitable for high school students for independence purposes. Instructional content may be completed in school and out of school.
Virtual learning sounds as if instructions are delivered online, collaboration is completed on line, and all work is completed online. In other words it is 100% online. This practice can better used with with all grade levels, with modify skills. Training to learn how to use tools will be limited because it will not give learners hands on experiences, it will only provide theories and guidelines.
Cyber schooling sounds as if all instructions are delivered online but collaboration is done in person. This practice is more suitable for high school students for independence purposes. Instructional content may be completed in school and out of school.
Virtual learning sounds as if instructions are delivered online, collaboration is completed on line, and all work is completed online. In other words it is 100% online. This practice can better used with with all grade levels, with modify skills. Training to learn how to use tools will be limited because it will not give learners hands on experiences, it will only provide theories and guidelines.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Feedly,Twitter, Wikipedia, and YouTube
PART 1
Feedly Additions
As resourceful as Febly is I have not used it as much as I should. This year our Elementary Spanish team has adopted a new curriculum and we are testing it out. To give it a sisered try I been going by it and not adding new information to it. Nonetheless, my colleagues goal an mine is to start adding more cultures related material, which is why I am building my resource network with authentic . I am not a fan of giving my students grammar practice units, then only one unit on culture. My goal is that culture aspect can be better integrated and not a side note.
Spanish4Teachers.org provides resources for teachers to use. It contains lesson plans, worksheets, PowerPoints, culture content, vocab, and technology resources.
FunforSpanish.blogspot.com has authentic arts and craft activities. Season activities get posted and it makes it an easy hunt on finding hands-on craft. In all sincerity I really like this website. Someone once showed it to me at a teacher conference but I did not save it, now it's in my RSS list 😊
Creativelanguageclass.com/blog has 21st century authentic resources for both teacher and students.
Twitter Additions
It is interesting because although my Twitter has always been strictly been for professional use, I have nevered followed an unknown Spanish teacher. the teachers I follow are teachers I know. I am sure that following unknown Snappish teachers can be useful because their view and resources are different than my colleagues' whom I already know of.
@MrsCabelloSC is a K-6 Spanish teacher who shares what her students are during in the classroom. My students fall right in that range and I can copy lesson ideas from her.
@snraluptak is a middle school/high school Spanish teacher who post occasionally. Although I do not teach middle nor high school I want to follow her because it is difficult to find teacher for upper elementary(3rd- 5th).
@mhornillos is a language learner and a translator who post useful resources for people learning a new language or for world language teachers.
@snraluptak is a middle school/high school Spanish teacher who post occasionally. Although I do not teach middle nor high school I want to follow her because it is difficult to find teacher for upper elementary(3rd- 5th).
My Feebly and My Twitter
My Feebly account I have not used much. My Twitter account, I skim through it more often than not. To be honest is more of habits to me. Feebly is new to me Twitter is more common to me and on my "brain breaks" I tend to open it and scroll down to see what is interesting. I need to start during hat with Feeble as opposed to looking down my social media news feed. Yes! I am past of generation X, in my lat , I have Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Often after going through my social media I shake my head and think of all the other productive things I could have been during. Time to build new habits and update my mobile apps usage. I say this with all sincerity because everytime I look at my professional networks I see something that is worth spending my time on.
_______________________________________________________________________________
PART 2
When students are asked to do their own research, I have learned to limit them to certain resources to help them do empirical research. Some of the resources I have my students use are World Books online and Britannica for s kids. My reason for limiting my students is because I want them to learn how to use professional resources. My students are only elementary students opening the world wide web freely, frightens me. I have to admitted that I am one of those people that thought that Wikipedia was a more open site where literately anyone could publish information. Nonetheless as an undergrad I would always go to Wikipedia to start my research, then I would find look in the database for information that matched Wikipedia. A good percentage of that time I will find corresponding information.
After reading Wikipedia as accurate as Britannica I felt some type of satisfaction that information does get review after being published. It then made me think that an additional source I can give my students is specific Wikipedia pages. Perhaps put them in a PDF format for them to have access to, and explain to them that Wikipedia can be used, as long as the sources are checked.
YouTube is another free resource that I limit the sources. I like to use you in my classroom to introduce and practice vocabulary. I truly believe that students need to listen to Spanish from someone other than me, When students visit YouTube channels in my classroom there are YouTube channels that I have visited before. To be honest my students do not do a whole whole of YouTubing.
Feedly Additions
As resourceful as Febly is I have not used it as much as I should. This year our Elementary Spanish team has adopted a new curriculum and we are testing it out. To give it a sisered try I been going by it and not adding new information to it. Nonetheless, my colleagues goal an mine is to start adding more cultures related material, which is why I am building my resource network with authentic . I am not a fan of giving my students grammar practice units, then only one unit on culture. My goal is that culture aspect can be better integrated and not a side note.
Spanish4Teachers.org provides resources for teachers to use. It contains lesson plans, worksheets, PowerPoints, culture content, vocab, and technology resources.
FunforSpanish.blogspot.com has authentic arts and craft activities. Season activities get posted and it makes it an easy hunt on finding hands-on craft. In all sincerity I really like this website. Someone once showed it to me at a teacher conference but I did not save it, now it's in my RSS list 😊
Creativelanguageclass.com/blog has 21st century authentic resources for both teacher and students.
Twitter Additions
It is interesting because although my Twitter has always been strictly been for professional use, I have nevered followed an unknown Spanish teacher. the teachers I follow are teachers I know. I am sure that following unknown Snappish teachers can be useful because their view and resources are different than my colleagues' whom I already know of.
@MrsCabelloSC is a K-6 Spanish teacher who shares what her students are during in the classroom. My students fall right in that range and I can copy lesson ideas from her.
@snraluptak is a middle school/high school Spanish teacher who post occasionally. Although I do not teach middle nor high school I want to follow her because it is difficult to find teacher for upper elementary(3rd- 5th).
@mhornillos is a language learner and a translator who post useful resources for people learning a new language or for world language teachers.
@snraluptak is a middle school/high school Spanish teacher who post occasionally. Although I do not teach middle nor high school I want to follow her because it is difficult to find teacher for upper elementary(3rd- 5th).
My Feebly and My Twitter
My Feebly account I have not used much. My Twitter account, I skim through it more often than not. To be honest is more of habits to me. Feebly is new to me Twitter is more common to me and on my "brain breaks" I tend to open it and scroll down to see what is interesting. I need to start during hat with Feeble as opposed to looking down my social media news feed. Yes! I am past of generation X, in my lat , I have Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Often after going through my social media I shake my head and think of all the other productive things I could have been during. Time to build new habits and update my mobile apps usage. I say this with all sincerity because everytime I look at my professional networks I see something that is worth spending my time on.
_______________________________________________________________________________
PART 2
When students are asked to do their own research, I have learned to limit them to certain resources to help them do empirical research. Some of the resources I have my students use are World Books online and Britannica for s kids. My reason for limiting my students is because I want them to learn how to use professional resources. My students are only elementary students opening the world wide web freely, frightens me. I have to admitted that I am one of those people that thought that Wikipedia was a more open site where literately anyone could publish information. Nonetheless as an undergrad I would always go to Wikipedia to start my research, then I would find look in the database for information that matched Wikipedia. A good percentage of that time I will find corresponding information.
After reading Wikipedia as accurate as Britannica I felt some type of satisfaction that information does get review after being published. It then made me think that an additional source I can give my students is specific Wikipedia pages. Perhaps put them in a PDF format for them to have access to, and explain to them that Wikipedia can be used, as long as the sources are checked.
YouTube is another free resource that I limit the sources. I like to use you in my classroom to introduce and practice vocabulary. I truly believe that students need to listen to Spanish from someone other than me, When students visit YouTube channels in my classroom there are YouTube channels that I have visited before. To be honest my students do not do a whole whole of YouTubing.
Sunday, February 5, 2017
R.A.T in my classroom
Currently I am teaching Spanish for students in grades 3rd-5th. I have exposed 5th graders to tech-tools and I am looking for better ways to expose them to Web 2.0 tools. Students getting feedback from more people than just me is a benefit I see on using Web 2.0 . Since I am a traveling teacher that goes to six different schools I been limiting myself on exposing the higher grade levels to technology. I only did technology lessons with my 5th graders for two years. Than I introduced my 4th graders, show are now my 5th graders and have a better understanding of our tech tools now. I also limit myself to one tech lesson per year, because other ways I feel I back away from teaching them Spanish.
Replacement
As a teacher I hate using my time to grade papers. Yes, sometimes I get good laughs, but it usually take more time than expected. When I have students complete simple quiz, okay, I can live with grading. When it is larger assessments Google Forms with Flubaroo are my GO-TO tools. It is convenient using this combination of tech tools to grade assessments because Google Forms puts answers in a spread sheet, then Flubaroo does the grading for me. . In the near future I would like to get organized with using Plickers for quick formative assessments.
Amplification
This past three years I have had students present information on various platforms. There was Animoto with a combination of DropBox . Students were placed in groups and they needed to create a presentation on a Spanish speaking country. Introducing two new tools at the same time to students was an interesting hassle that I will never repeat. The following year I used Thinglink. Students assignment for Thinlink was to create an outfits for their favorite season and label them in Spanish. Thinglink was my first approach towards Web 2.0 because students were able to see their classmates work immediately, since they were all placed in the same class. Once they were finished they were able to comment on each others work. Since I asked them to comment in Spanish their comments were limited. Then my school district became a Google district. All students in 5th grade and up got a Google Account, hence Google Slides became my main source for presentations. My 5th graders created presentations on weather reports and once again, they were asked to comment in Spanish. Last year I created classroom accounts for 4th grade classes. All students shared the same account and they enjoyed their small intro to Google Drive. Now that they are my 5th graders I plan on adding a new presentation tool. I have seen a few of my formal 5thgraders and they thank me for introducing them to Google Drive because they use it a lot in Middle School.
Transformation
As a Spanish teacher I would like to pair students with virtual pen pals/keypals with students from a Spanish speaking country. I think this will help them with their Spanish skills and also increase their interest to learn a second language. They will get an authentic experience on using Spanish. Pairing up students with key pals will expand their Spanish skills more than pairing them up with pen pals because they could create an ongoing conversation on their interests and different lifestyles. This, however, opens the doors to more stranger danger, and that is a whole different battle.
Replacement
As a teacher I hate using my time to grade papers. Yes, sometimes I get good laughs, but it usually take more time than expected. When I have students complete simple quiz, okay, I can live with grading. When it is larger assessments Google Forms with Flubaroo are my GO-TO tools. It is convenient using this combination of tech tools to grade assessments because Google Forms puts answers in a spread sheet, then Flubaroo does the grading for me. . In the near future I would like to get organized with using Plickers for quick formative assessments.
Amplification
This past three years I have had students present information on various platforms. There was Animoto with a combination of DropBox . Students were placed in groups and they needed to create a presentation on a Spanish speaking country. Introducing two new tools at the same time to students was an interesting hassle that I will never repeat. The following year I used Thinglink. Students assignment for Thinlink was to create an outfits for their favorite season and label them in Spanish. Thinglink was my first approach towards Web 2.0 because students were able to see their classmates work immediately, since they were all placed in the same class. Once they were finished they were able to comment on each others work. Since I asked them to comment in Spanish their comments were limited. Then my school district became a Google district. All students in 5th grade and up got a Google Account, hence Google Slides became my main source for presentations. My 5th graders created presentations on weather reports and once again, they were asked to comment in Spanish. Last year I created classroom accounts for 4th grade classes. All students shared the same account and they enjoyed their small intro to Google Drive. Now that they are my 5th graders I plan on adding a new presentation tool. I have seen a few of my formal 5thgraders and they thank me for introducing them to Google Drive because they use it a lot in Middle School.
Transformation
As a Spanish teacher I would like to pair students with virtual pen pals/keypals with students from a Spanish speaking country. I think this will help them with their Spanish skills and also increase their interest to learn a second language. They will get an authentic experience on using Spanish. Pairing up students with key pals will expand their Spanish skills more than pairing them up with pen pals because they could create an ongoing conversation on their interests and different lifestyles. This, however, opens the doors to more stranger danger, and that is a whole different battle.
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Technology Age Group Gaps?
When I watched the video it made sense that technology generations were split in 20’s. As I read on to the articles and thought about my students and my experience with technology, it stopped making sense to split the groups in 20’s. I say this because I been teaching for 4/ 5 years, I also have cousins that are in their young teen years and even among them I see a technology gaps. Today’s teens grew up with desktops and seeing their parents text and on the phone--all day. Preteens grew up seeing their parents in their smartphone--mini computer and their parents gave them a table to play with, instead of a Fisher Price Game. My main point is that with the speed of technology we will need to change the way we split technology groups. It will help us understand them better. As a teacher I can not say that my 5th graders when I started knew as much on how to use an iPad as my 5th graders today. Again, I only been teaching for a little over 4 years.
Another topic I looked for in the articles and I could not find, was the effect of social economic status in students tech life. Some parents can get their kids up to three devices, other can not even get a house tech device. I always knew that but it hit me hard this year when I tried to flip my class by assigning mini-videos to watch at home for class the next day.. Despite me teaching in a wealthy area there are still those students whose parents cannot supply their kids with a tech device. I had a mom explain to me that she moved to the area to get her kids a good education, but in reality she only works to pay the bills and feed her kids. I then assigned videos as optional.
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