My Discovery Education Board (I Followed the Steps on the Wilkes Live message board, if you have any trouble let me know!)
I can see a couple ways that a board tool like this could help my students develop their ethical and respectful minds. From a convenience standpoint a tool like this helps put everything you need into one place. What this does is helps the teacher create and maintain a respectful online environment. Something that we as a class have continually talked about is how to create an environment of safety and respect. These board apps help to do this by allowing the teacher to control the inputs.
In terms of the ethical mind, I think that comes in both the content and the board itself. What is great about these boards is that once you have a template or two set up, you can swap out concepts and assignments to create a plethora of discussion activities that allow students to think about, express, and create new ideas in a teacher-controlled environment. One of the biggest challenges we face as teachers is finding the time to create things like these boards. If we can have these projects already pulled up and ready to go, it becomes much easier to find time to implement these ideas.
The boards, through their content, also can spark discussions that may not otherwise occur. My board is on the Plebeians and Patricians, the two biggest classes in Roman society. By showing the differences between the two groups I can draw connections to problems we face in the modern day, a discussion I would probably never have otherwise. What was originally a history lesson now has evolved into students looking at issues from different perspectives, contemplating what it means to be a fair and caring person, which is what the ethical mind is all about.
I can see these boards having a lot of potential in my class. I'm looking forward to playing around with theses tools and seeing what else I may be able to come up with!
Monday, December 7, 2015
Monday, November 30, 2015
EDIM 508 u06a1: Blog on Respectful and Ethical Minds
I have an activity/idea that I often like to implement that I think helps to cultivate the respectful and ethical minds, and through things I have recently discovered in this class as well as others in this program I think I have ways that I can make it even more collaborative.
The activity that I like to do is have a discussion with my eighth graders about philosophy. Because the Greeks and Romans are responsible for so many important and sometimes controversial philosophical topics, I like to see what teenagers think about philosophy. I first have the students write down their ideas about basic philosophical questions: What does it mean to be happy? Why are we here? What makes a person or idea good? As class, I'll have the students share with each other what they think. This can be tricky because eighth graders know, not think, that their ideas are right, so I have to establish that the class is a safe space for sharing ideas: you may not agree with everything, but you listen respectfully and can ask respectful questions. Depending on the group I might give some examples to help guide their discussion. Then, I have the kids get together into small groups and write up their "philosophy" onto a sheet of chart paper. Once they are all up, we have a discussion about what we see is similar, and what is different. Finally I have the students discuss how we can take these ideas and implement them into our daily life, relating it to the old Symposia of ancient Greece where men got together and discussed their ideas in a safe and often joyful environment. This activity be done multiple times every year, with different questions and ideas depending on what is being taught. I like to do the philosophy activity first because it does a good job of setting up the right environment for discussion.
What I love about this activity (and other similar discussions my classes have about these subjects) is that they right to the heart of the ethical mind. By discussing and thinking out their ideas, they truly think about what it is to be a good person in not just the classroom, but the world. I sometimes will even bring in schools of classical philosophy such as Stoicism and let the students decide what they like about it and what they might change. These are ideas they can bring with them into the world as both a student and a global citizen.
Doing this also sets up a classroom where students can cultivate their respectful minds. Of course, not every discussion is perfect, with eighth graders comes comments such as "that's stupid" or "why would anyone think that?" I can take those opportunities however, to be a role model in practicing what I preach, being an example of someone who expects a respectful environment and leads by example.
On the collaboration side, like the interview mentioned it is often tough to collaborate with the classroom down the hall, especially in my situation where different grade level teachers teach at different times than the "specials" teachers like myself. One way that I could see technology helping to flatten the walls of the classroom is through sites and apps like google drive and videoconferencing. I could actually work with my high school Latin colleagues and makes this a yearly thing, have a "Symposium of Latin students" with the different grade levels making their own philosophies. I could then save student's ideas from year to year and show them how they've grown and changed each year they do it. Something that I could never dream of doing a few years ago now is quite possible thanks to tools like Skype and google drive. While working with this technology will have its obstacles and issues, I love the idea that I could make a great impact in student's minds through discussion and collaboration.
Reference
Julie Lindsay & Vicki Davis on "Flattening Classrooms" (2014, January 16). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVZuwIhjQvA
The activity that I like to do is have a discussion with my eighth graders about philosophy. Because the Greeks and Romans are responsible for so many important and sometimes controversial philosophical topics, I like to see what teenagers think about philosophy. I first have the students write down their ideas about basic philosophical questions: What does it mean to be happy? Why are we here? What makes a person or idea good? As class, I'll have the students share with each other what they think. This can be tricky because eighth graders know, not think, that their ideas are right, so I have to establish that the class is a safe space for sharing ideas: you may not agree with everything, but you listen respectfully and can ask respectful questions. Depending on the group I might give some examples to help guide their discussion. Then, I have the kids get together into small groups and write up their "philosophy" onto a sheet of chart paper. Once they are all up, we have a discussion about what we see is similar, and what is different. Finally I have the students discuss how we can take these ideas and implement them into our daily life, relating it to the old Symposia of ancient Greece where men got together and discussed their ideas in a safe and often joyful environment. This activity be done multiple times every year, with different questions and ideas depending on what is being taught. I like to do the philosophy activity first because it does a good job of setting up the right environment for discussion.
What I love about this activity (and other similar discussions my classes have about these subjects) is that they right to the heart of the ethical mind. By discussing and thinking out their ideas, they truly think about what it is to be a good person in not just the classroom, but the world. I sometimes will even bring in schools of classical philosophy such as Stoicism and let the students decide what they like about it and what they might change. These are ideas they can bring with them into the world as both a student and a global citizen.
Doing this also sets up a classroom where students can cultivate their respectful minds. Of course, not every discussion is perfect, with eighth graders comes comments such as "that's stupid" or "why would anyone think that?" I can take those opportunities however, to be a role model in practicing what I preach, being an example of someone who expects a respectful environment and leads by example.
On the collaboration side, like the interview mentioned it is often tough to collaborate with the classroom down the hall, especially in my situation where different grade level teachers teach at different times than the "specials" teachers like myself. One way that I could see technology helping to flatten the walls of the classroom is through sites and apps like google drive and videoconferencing. I could actually work with my high school Latin colleagues and makes this a yearly thing, have a "Symposium of Latin students" with the different grade levels making their own philosophies. I could then save student's ideas from year to year and show them how they've grown and changed each year they do it. Something that I could never dream of doing a few years ago now is quite possible thanks to tools like Skype and google drive. While working with this technology will have its obstacles and issues, I love the idea that I could make a great impact in student's minds through discussion and collaboration.
Reference
Julie Lindsay & Vicki Davis on "Flattening Classrooms" (2014, January 16). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVZuwIhjQvA
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
EDIM 508 u05a2 Reflection Blog
My Spotlight on Strategies
My S.O.S. focuses on one of the most important concepts in teaching Latin: learning the language through comparing it to the students' native one. If I were to simply hand the students information on Latin grammar concepts, focusing only on the Latin, I would receive many blank stares back. By comparing Latin grammar to English grammar, I can access knowledge the students have built up through years of English learning and connect it to Latin. While it is not the ultimate solution, it does help my students by taking a foundation and branching off of it, which can be vital when Latin textbooks use terms that would confuse the students otherwise.
What bringing new digital media into this concept does is make this even more accessible to the digital natives we teach every day. Every year textbooks seem less and less appealing, and why not? The pantone world of the internet is so much more thrilling than the black and white pages of the grammar section of Oxford Latin Course: Part One. What we as teachers need to do is ensure that our subjects and materials do not fall behind the times, for once they pass a certain point of no return they become almost useless to the students of today.
Bringing social media into the classroom allows for this advance to occur. Number one, by having students post on a central topic, they gain personal choice in what they want to post. Yes, they could find a sentence on a billboard or in some instructions from Ikea, but maybe they take a photo from their favorite comic book, or, now that vinyl records are making somewhat of a comeback, maybe they find a sentence they want to examine in the liner notes of Bruce Springsteen's Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ. It allows for students to not only learn more about the subject, but to learn more about each other as people, which makes them so much more invested in the material. I can remember in class writing small Latin stories with classmates and we were excited to see where each other took their stories. Now a Latin Instagram could become a place for students to not only discuss why they think the prepositional phrase on a video game box would be accusative or ablative, but also find out more about why that person made that post. It helps create an environment where schools go beyond educating just the academic student, but the whole person.
My S.O.S. focuses on one of the most important concepts in teaching Latin: learning the language through comparing it to the students' native one. If I were to simply hand the students information on Latin grammar concepts, focusing only on the Latin, I would receive many blank stares back. By comparing Latin grammar to English grammar, I can access knowledge the students have built up through years of English learning and connect it to Latin. While it is not the ultimate solution, it does help my students by taking a foundation and branching off of it, which can be vital when Latin textbooks use terms that would confuse the students otherwise.
What bringing new digital media into this concept does is make this even more accessible to the digital natives we teach every day. Every year textbooks seem less and less appealing, and why not? The pantone world of the internet is so much more thrilling than the black and white pages of the grammar section of Oxford Latin Course: Part One. What we as teachers need to do is ensure that our subjects and materials do not fall behind the times, for once they pass a certain point of no return they become almost useless to the students of today.
Bringing social media into the classroom allows for this advance to occur. Number one, by having students post on a central topic, they gain personal choice in what they want to post. Yes, they could find a sentence on a billboard or in some instructions from Ikea, but maybe they take a photo from their favorite comic book, or, now that vinyl records are making somewhat of a comeback, maybe they find a sentence they want to examine in the liner notes of Bruce Springsteen's Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ. It allows for students to not only learn more about the subject, but to learn more about each other as people, which makes them so much more invested in the material. I can remember in class writing small Latin stories with classmates and we were excited to see where each other took their stories. Now a Latin Instagram could become a place for students to not only discuss why they think the prepositional phrase on a video game box would be accusative or ablative, but also find out more about why that person made that post. It helps create an environment where schools go beyond educating just the academic student, but the whole person.
EDIM 508 u05a1 Blog on Content Creation
It's interesting that this topic is brought up, as it is something I like to talk to my students about often. One of the things that my students value, in particular my eighth graders, is autonomy/freedom of choice. Whether it's in a physical form or digital, my students want more opportunities to choose. For example, my students have a project coming up where they can make something inspired by Roman culture. It can be a drawing, painting, mosaic, or a digital form such as a sketchup plan, an animation, or the most recent favorite: minecraft builds. Most of the students really like the project because they can work on something that they chose, and the subject is something Roman of their choice. Now having this discussion I can see why they really do enjoy it.
In terms of technology the students love anything that can be done or played on their personal devices. The biggest rage currently in online review games is kahoot, a sort of quizzo-style game where the students use a computer or their phones to submit the answers and see who can earn the most points by answering correctly. The students also love Quizlet, a website/app that can create flash cards. Also, in the modern languages, DuoLingo has taken the classroom by storm. This app helps students learn a new language through small lessons that are almost game-like. Unfortunately Latin has not been adapted yet, but I use it on my own to learn German!
Finally something that surprised me, more strictly computer-based programs and websites were not as popular. We use Schoology, which I think is an excellent website but from what I understand the mobile app hasn't yet gotten up to par. Students aren't as excited to use this platform I think because of the lack of good mobile access.This reinforces what we learned in this week's readings, how students access the internet on their devices more than a desktop/laptop computer.
References
Lenhart, A. (2015, April 9). Teens, social media & technology overview 2015: smartphones facilitate shifts in communication landscape for teens. Retrieved November 23, 2015 from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2015/04/PI_TeensandTech_Update2015_0409151.pdf
In terms of technology the students love anything that can be done or played on their personal devices. The biggest rage currently in online review games is kahoot, a sort of quizzo-style game where the students use a computer or their phones to submit the answers and see who can earn the most points by answering correctly. The students also love Quizlet, a website/app that can create flash cards. Also, in the modern languages, DuoLingo has taken the classroom by storm. This app helps students learn a new language through small lessons that are almost game-like. Unfortunately Latin has not been adapted yet, but I use it on my own to learn German!
Finally something that surprised me, more strictly computer-based programs and websites were not as popular. We use Schoology, which I think is an excellent website but from what I understand the mobile app hasn't yet gotten up to par. Students aren't as excited to use this platform I think because of the lack of good mobile access.This reinforces what we learned in this week's readings, how students access the internet on their devices more than a desktop/laptop computer.
References
Lenhart, A. (2015, April 9). Teens, social media & technology overview 2015: smartphones facilitate shifts in communication landscape for teens. Retrieved November 23, 2015 from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2015/04/PI_TeensandTech_Update2015_0409151.pdf
Monday, November 16, 2015
EDIM 508 u04a1
I don't think that schools kill creativity. I do, however, think that they don't do much to help encourage it either. In my time teaching, I have been lucky to see many creative students cultivate their creative talents through various programs at school; we have musicians who perform their very own composed musical works, actors who ad lib the "please turn off your phone" intro to the school musical, and young artists who take a project to a whole new level.
Now, while these all sound amazing, and those students truly are, they are one in very few. I know many students who would be great in the musical who didn't audition well, and I run a ukulele club for students, many of whom didn't want to play in the school's music program. These students are just as wonderful as the others I mentioned, but school did not help them find and cultivate their creativity. I think when schools get a prodigal student of sorts, it's more because they fit the program and were in it at the right time. I think that students would be much better served if schools turned more towards encouraging creativity and less to encouraging creativity only when it's convenient to the programs in place. A lot of students who don't get encouraged through school find other outlets to express themselves and grow, but others aren't as lucky, and this is something very tough to swallow as a teacher who gets to interact with so many great young minds.
One way I think digital media could help bring creativity alive is through something I've mentioned before: podcasts. I am a huge fan of podcasts, in fact, when students peer into my classroom during my prep period they'll often see me with my earbuds in listening to a recent download. What I love about podcasts is that they can be about anything; I listen to podcasts that are serious interviews, podcasts that are improv scenes, and even a podcast dedicated to the show "Frasier." The media to record them can be pretty simple: a microphone (even a phone's audio memo function works well), a hard drive, and some basic audio editing software, some versions of which come with the computer (like garageband) or have a free download (such as audacity). What I envision is giving my students a general topic, and assign them to make a short 5-10 minute podcast on the subject. The rest is up to them, they could create an interview with a historical figure, create a comedic scene involving two famous people from history, or providing a review or criticism of a philosopher's ideas. Through an education platform such as Schoology the students could share their podcasts and comment on them; like a tiny educational podcast network that even has iTunes reviews! I think the students would have a lot of fun creating them, and the teacher and other students would have fun listening to them (not to mention it would make grading enjoyable!). But most importantly, if would allow students to find a way that they want to use their creativity and go for it. Who knows what it might help inspire them to do!
Now, while these all sound amazing, and those students truly are, they are one in very few. I know many students who would be great in the musical who didn't audition well, and I run a ukulele club for students, many of whom didn't want to play in the school's music program. These students are just as wonderful as the others I mentioned, but school did not help them find and cultivate their creativity. I think when schools get a prodigal student of sorts, it's more because they fit the program and were in it at the right time. I think that students would be much better served if schools turned more towards encouraging creativity and less to encouraging creativity only when it's convenient to the programs in place. A lot of students who don't get encouraged through school find other outlets to express themselves and grow, but others aren't as lucky, and this is something very tough to swallow as a teacher who gets to interact with so many great young minds.
One way I think digital media could help bring creativity alive is through something I've mentioned before: podcasts. I am a huge fan of podcasts, in fact, when students peer into my classroom during my prep period they'll often see me with my earbuds in listening to a recent download. What I love about podcasts is that they can be about anything; I listen to podcasts that are serious interviews, podcasts that are improv scenes, and even a podcast dedicated to the show "Frasier." The media to record them can be pretty simple: a microphone (even a phone's audio memo function works well), a hard drive, and some basic audio editing software, some versions of which come with the computer (like garageband) or have a free download (such as audacity). What I envision is giving my students a general topic, and assign them to make a short 5-10 minute podcast on the subject. The rest is up to them, they could create an interview with a historical figure, create a comedic scene involving two famous people from history, or providing a review or criticism of a philosopher's ideas. Through an education platform such as Schoology the students could share their podcasts and comment on them; like a tiny educational podcast network that even has iTunes reviews! I think the students would have a lot of fun creating them, and the teacher and other students would have fun listening to them (not to mention it would make grading enjoyable!). But most importantly, if would allow students to find a way that they want to use their creativity and go for it. Who knows what it might help inspire them to do!
Sunday, November 8, 2015
EDIM 508 u03_a2: Media-Infused presentation
My Latin Translation Prezi
Looking at my Prezi, I do think that this helps to develop both the disciplined and synthesizing minds of my students. In terms of the disciplined mind, I think this prezi brings in skills that can be used not only to translate in Latin, but also reflects some of the step by step processes used in math and science as well. In my class I have students who do well in their core classes but have trouble in Latin. I think the reason for that is that for the first time since elementary school they start with a subject at square one; there are no skills to fall back on in Latin 1. When I show them that the translation process can be looked at like the scientific method or how they've learned order of operations however (I have done this presentation in more analogue formats), it often helps them grasp it better. I think this helps them not only master the skills I need them to learn but also lets them hone the skills that are valuable in other disciplines as well.
In terms of synthesis, first and foremost this prezi is a synthesis within itself: I took all of the ideas and methods of translating I know about and boiled them down into what I feel would be a good method for my students to use as they advance in Latin and the grammar becomes more difficult.
Secondly, there is a very important reason that I called my presentation "One Way to Translate Latin:" because every student creates their own methods and tips and tricks of translation. Whenever I create things like this Prezi or offer help, tips, tricks, etc, I always make sure to tell my students that this is how I think it would be the most helpful, but if you find a way that is better and/or easier for you, then do it! Having now taught for five years I have heard so many devices, sayings, tricks, etc, that I have begun to synthesize them myself. The ones that as Gardner (2008) mentions chapter three are well intentioned but that do not factually work I have thrown to the side, but the ones that have potential I will pitch to future classes. I think the synthesizing mind is extremely valuable especially to students in the middle and high school setting; if we train them to synthesize the right information the right way we can really prepare them for the future and give them an edge other students may not have.
References
Gardner, H. (2008). Five minds for the future. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press.
Looking at my Prezi, I do think that this helps to develop both the disciplined and synthesizing minds of my students. In terms of the disciplined mind, I think this prezi brings in skills that can be used not only to translate in Latin, but also reflects some of the step by step processes used in math and science as well. In my class I have students who do well in their core classes but have trouble in Latin. I think the reason for that is that for the first time since elementary school they start with a subject at square one; there are no skills to fall back on in Latin 1. When I show them that the translation process can be looked at like the scientific method or how they've learned order of operations however (I have done this presentation in more analogue formats), it often helps them grasp it better. I think this helps them not only master the skills I need them to learn but also lets them hone the skills that are valuable in other disciplines as well.
In terms of synthesis, first and foremost this prezi is a synthesis within itself: I took all of the ideas and methods of translating I know about and boiled them down into what I feel would be a good method for my students to use as they advance in Latin and the grammar becomes more difficult.
Secondly, there is a very important reason that I called my presentation "One Way to Translate Latin:" because every student creates their own methods and tips and tricks of translation. Whenever I create things like this Prezi or offer help, tips, tricks, etc, I always make sure to tell my students that this is how I think it would be the most helpful, but if you find a way that is better and/or easier for you, then do it! Having now taught for five years I have heard so many devices, sayings, tricks, etc, that I have begun to synthesize them myself. The ones that as Gardner (2008) mentions chapter three are well intentioned but that do not factually work I have thrown to the side, but the ones that have potential I will pitch to future classes. I think the synthesizing mind is extremely valuable especially to students in the middle and high school setting; if we train them to synthesize the right information the right way we can really prepare them for the future and give them an edge other students may not have.
References
Gardner, H. (2008). Five minds for the future. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press.
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