Q 9

9) What does research say about using Interactive Whiteboards? What are the pros and cons? Would you want to have one in your classroom?

A: Interactive whiteboards allow for instant access to Internet and worksheets on a large board for students to interact with. I think these are very smart because you can bring up the worksheets they are looking at instead of trying to get them to follow along only by listening. The whiteboards are expensive and sometimes teachers are not always equipped to use them even after training. Sometimes the cost of these would be better spent on other aspects of education such as hiring more teachers to reduce class size. (http://www.qualitytime-esl.com/spip.php?article184)

Q 8

8) How does your current skill set compare to the NETS for teachers?

A: The five aspects of skills that are expected from NETS teachers are: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments, Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility, Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. I have most of these skills but I struggle a little with incorporating technology all the time. I don't feel its necessary for students to have homework only through the computer we need to keep their non-computer skills up as well. I like having some technology but I do not believe it is necessary all the time. As a future teacher I will most defiantly inspire students to learn and be creative. (http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx)

Q 7

7) What are the NETS for students?

A: ISTE's NETS for Students (2007) help students prepare to work, live, and contribute to the social and civic fabric of their communities. The new standards identify several higher-order thinking skills and digital citizenship as critical for students to learn effectively for a lifetime and live productively in our emerging global society. (http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx)

Q 6

6) How does motivation tie in to student success in the classroom? Give 3 examples of strategies to motivate today's students.

A: Motivation is extremely important for student success but teachers have to be cautious not to over reward because student might not learn to work without a reward and most often the real world doesn't offer rewards. Some suggested strategies to motivate students are to assign tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult, Create an atmosphere that is open and positive and the most interesting one I found was Avoid creating intense competition among students.

(http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/motiv.htm)

Q 5

5) How does the US compare to other like-minded countries in our education system? What are our strengths and/or weakness?

A: The US is much more lax in their education system compared to most other countries. Discipline is stricter and workloads are heavier in the east often time rolling over into parenting. Parents in the east expect more from their children from education to extracurricular. (http://www.theglobalist.com/storyid.aspx?StoryId=5264) Most children are fluent in at least 2 languages in other countries and are prepared for success. As well public education is funded better and allows for more opportunities for learning for the children. (http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-education-uk-system-k-12-education.htm)

Q 4

4) OPINION: Do we need more or less emphasis of either Core Knowledge or 21st Century Learning Skills? How would we go about it?

A: I believe 21st century learning is a wonderful addition to education but we need to make sure we maintain the core knowledge. The skills learned in 21st century learning cannot be applied to anything if people do not have the necessary core knowledge.  For example to understand global awareness you must understand history and social sciences. I would go about doing this in a lesson that teaches a core subject while teaching 21st century skill, making students apply their skills to problem solve among core knowledge subjects.

(http://www.p21.org/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf)

Q 3

3) How does current education practice apply both 21st Century Learning Skills and Core Knowledge?

A: The people who created century 21 have “developed a unified, collective vision for learning known as the Framework for 21st Century Learning,” integrating skills into core subjects. All of the skills for century 21 require the development of core subjects. Century 21 has kept the core knowledge and education practices and modified them to apply to the 21st century. (http://www.p21.org/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf)

Q 2

2) What is Core Knowledge and how does it apply to education theory?

A: Core knowledge is the basic knowledge taught to students from which they can build the rest of their knowledge. Core knowledge applies to education theory, which is “the theory of the purpose, application and interpretation of education and learning.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_theory) It applies to the educational theory because in order for education to build or change you must have core knowledge. You must have starting ground to build off of to apply how your theories and practices of learning.

Q 1

1) What are the learning outcomes established by the Partnership for 21st Century Learning? (Include information about who/what the Partnership itself is.)

A: The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a national organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student. As the United States continues to compete in a global economy that demands innovation, P21 and its members provide tools and resources to help the U.S. education system keep up by fusing the three Rs and four Cs (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation). While leading districts and schools are already doing this, P21 advocates for local, state and federal policies that support this approach for every school

Life and career skills

•  Flexibility and Adaptability

•  Initiative and Self-Direction

• Social and Cross-Cultural Skills

• Productivity and Accountability

•  Leadership and Responsibility

Learning and innovation skills

• Creativity and Innovation

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

•  Communication and Collaboration

Core subjects and 21st century themes

•       Global Awareness

•             Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy

•       Civic Literacy
•       Health Literacy

•       Environmental Literacy

Information, Media and Technology Skills

•       Information Literacy

•       Media Literacy

•       ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy

(http://www.p21.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid=120) (http://www.p21.org/documents/P21_Framework.pdf)

Lesson Plan Enrichment

Often time teachers look for ways to make lesson stronger or more interesting for student. A classic topic that is often not as exciting as it could be is learning about the oregon trail. I saw many good ideas for journals students can keep and other activities. 

Another way to enhance this lesson plan would be to allows students toplay the game Oregon trail and experience what it may have been like first had on the Oregon trail. They can use some of the experiences they have in the game to help with the journal. I would buy the game for the class because none of the online versions are that great.

Buy the game on Amazon

Games that are educational.

Here are two of my favorite sites for children to play games
Cool Math Games
Brain POP

Specifically on Cool Math Games, B-Cubed is educational and challenges students to think mathematically and logically.

More helpful tools

Jing: A website that lets you film what you are doing on your computer while talking!

Xtranormal: You pick the character and the scene and the script. Create anything you can think of. 

  

Lesson Plan

Web Quest Lesson Plan for 5th Grade math! 


Click here!

Fun in the classroom!

Fun in the classroom edited on bighugelabs.com!

Incorporating blogs into your ideal classroom

Although I want to teach Kindergarten I know I will end up teaching other grades along the way. Blogs are a great tool for the classroom but maybe a little difficult for kindergartners. So the benefits I am going to list below are for grades above kindergarten

1. Gives parents and students instant access to classroom news, information, homework and updates at all times
2. Allows children to always access their homework
3. Can provide link that help students with their work or certain topics, and also link parents to certain websites
4. Reduces the use of paper hand outs in class- Children loose them a lot anyway 
5. Shows children how to use the computer as a tool for success
6. Can create a discussion for the students to help each other with homework
7. Gives parents quick access to answers to questions they have and if they cannot find the answer they can post it and get other information from parents

About Me

My name is Kirdy Wilson and I am currently a junior in college. My eventual goal is to become a teacher, hopefully a Kindergarten teacher. For this blog I will be posting updates on my experiences with all aspects of becoming a teacher. Thing I will be posting include experiences in the classroom, taking and passing tests, assignments and lesson plans, TPE, frusterations and joys with students and finally my learning experiences.

A little about me:

• I have always wanted to be a teacher, my mom has been teaching for 30 some odd years
• I like to do volunteer work I have rebuilt houses for 3 years now
• I worked with special needs children for years and I am still contemplating teaching special needs
• I work at an afterschool program for elementry students
• I have a year and 1/2 of school left and I am taking a lot of teacher prep classes