Wow, it's gone by fast. We learned about STL 4, 5, and 6 Tuesday and took the TSA tests Thursday. It was pretty funny to have technology students taking tests on the most basic computer programs and still have a hard time with it. It's been a while since I learned excel. The program look has changed so it was a little more difficult for me to figure out where everything was. Anyway, it was just funny.
STL 4: The cultural, social, economic, and political effects of technology.
STL 5: The effects of technology on the environment.
STL 6: The role of society in the development and use of technology.
It's becoming more and more clear as to why we need to teach these things to our students. If we don't, it will probably take them a lot longer to figure out the connections. We can stem the innovation needed to improve the future.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Teaching STLs
One of the standards for technological literacy is the combining of technology with other subjects. As I was reading about it, I found a part that said to not explicitly teach these principles by themselves to our students, but to incorporate them into our lesson plans with the subjects we are teaching. I decided to try this in my teaching.
When I taught about the combination of technology with other subjects, I tried to get the class to focus on how they can get the students more interested in their subject. I talked about being a "just teacher" like in the movie clip I showed. (A "just teacher" is one who sees everything for just what it is...it's just a student, just a lesson, just a class, just another year.) In doing so, I tried to help them see how they could impliment this STL into their teaching. I gave some suggestions at the end about how to do this:
If the students are interested in something, gear your teaching and lesson plans to fit their interests. (i.e.,-If someone wants to be a green engineer, let them do a project on solar heating or whatever so they can see how technology factors in to their passion.)
If there are a lot of athletes in the class, do something related to sports.
If the kid only likes to skateboard, let him make a skateboard. He'll still learn the tools, get the planning experience, and he won't get an "F" as his final grade because he is going to do a great job. Why? Because he cares.
I'm not saying that we should just let the kids run amuk and get their way all the time, but I bet there are so many things we could do to get them involved. It will take more work on our part in the beginning, but it will pay off big time in the end.
When I taught about the combination of technology with other subjects, I tried to get the class to focus on how they can get the students more interested in their subject. I talked about being a "just teacher" like in the movie clip I showed. (A "just teacher" is one who sees everything for just what it is...it's just a student, just a lesson, just a class, just another year.) In doing so, I tried to help them see how they could impliment this STL into their teaching. I gave some suggestions at the end about how to do this:
If the students are interested in something, gear your teaching and lesson plans to fit their interests. (i.e.,-If someone wants to be a green engineer, let them do a project on solar heating or whatever so they can see how technology factors in to their passion.)
If there are a lot of athletes in the class, do something related to sports.
If the kid only likes to skateboard, let him make a skateboard. He'll still learn the tools, get the planning experience, and he won't get an "F" as his final grade because he is going to do a great job. Why? Because he cares.
I'm not saying that we should just let the kids run amuk and get their way all the time, but I bet there are so many things we could do to get them involved. It will take more work on our part in the beginning, but it will pay off big time in the end.
How is that possible?!?
I went to observe a class on Thursday. The teacher was eager to teach us the lessons he has learned over the past 18 years since he has been teaching. Most of it was very helpful. But one thing really bugged me for the rest of the week. There was a kid who just sat there with his hands folded in his lap and his feet on a chair for the entire 85 minute class period. I asked him why he wasn't working on a project and he said that he didn't have one. After talked to him for a while, it became apparent that he didn't have any ambition in life besides skateboarding. I was so confused! I love school and love learning, but he would rather be out on the street by himself than in school. He would rather be doing anything besides sitting in school.
I came to the conclusion that I, as a teacher, need to decide how to handle those students before I get into the classroom. I would like to think that love, concern, and involvement would cure that kind of attitude, but my friends tell me otherwise.
We'll see.
I came to the conclusion that I, as a teacher, need to decide how to handle those students before I get into the classroom. I would like to think that love, concern, and involvement would cure that kind of attitude, but my friends tell me otherwise.
We'll see.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Blissful Simplicity
In general conference, one of my favorite talks had to do with living a simple life. They say to live within your means. The first presidency has said that buying a large house or nice car is "misusing resources."
Situation: Using school money at the end of the year because "if you don't use it, it's gone." At PG Jr. High, they said they were able to buy a bunch of cameras for that reason. Yes, it helps the students learn photography. Great. What is the purpose of all this knowledge? What is the purpose of any kind of intelligence?
The glory of God is intelligence. We are supposed to seek knowledge for the purpose of glorifying God. How can we incorporate this stuff into the things we are teaching our students without crossing the church/state line or whatever you want to call it?
-Service projects (locally or globally--it could be fun to work with another school in a different country to accomplish a common goal.)
-Presents for mother's/father's day or the holidays.
-A "green" contest to see who can create the greenest power source.
-Anything to expand their vision for the future!
I'm out of ideas. It's late. But wouldn't it be cool if we had a broader vision for our students? What difference would it make if we came to a new school with the vision that our students are going to create a better future? Would the students believe more in themselves? Could we get them to catch the vision? Would they care enough to make a difference? I think they would. I really think they would.
Situation: Using school money at the end of the year because "if you don't use it, it's gone." At PG Jr. High, they said they were able to buy a bunch of cameras for that reason. Yes, it helps the students learn photography. Great. What is the purpose of all this knowledge? What is the purpose of any kind of intelligence?
The glory of God is intelligence. We are supposed to seek knowledge for the purpose of glorifying God. How can we incorporate this stuff into the things we are teaching our students without crossing the church/state line or whatever you want to call it?
-Service projects (locally or globally--it could be fun to work with another school in a different country to accomplish a common goal.)
-Presents for mother's/father's day or the holidays.
-A "green" contest to see who can create the greenest power source.
-Anything to expand their vision for the future!
I'm out of ideas. It's late. But wouldn't it be cool if we had a broader vision for our students? What difference would it make if we came to a new school with the vision that our students are going to create a better future? Would the students believe more in themselves? Could we get them to catch the vision? Would they care enough to make a difference? I think they would. I really think they would.
What was it?
I had something really good from Tuesday's class but I forgot what it was. Hmm....
I am teaching about STL #3 in class. It's the relationship between technology and other fields of study. Personally, I think there is no way to actually accomplish anything without using technology.
In English, to write a paper, it's required to be typed. Also, if research is required, where are students going to go for information and resources? Wikipedia...yeah.
In math, it takes a smart person to figure out advanced equations without a calculator.
In P.E., well, maybe PE is exempt from this over-generalization. Unless you count music to go with a workout, stopwatches to keep track of records, and other non-essentials.
But you get my point. It is very difficult to make it through life without technology these days. People even make fun of me for not having an iPod. I don't really see a need for one.
I am teaching about STL #3 in class. It's the relationship between technology and other fields of study. Personally, I think there is no way to actually accomplish anything without using technology.
In English, to write a paper, it's required to be typed. Also, if research is required, where are students going to go for information and resources? Wikipedia...yeah.
In math, it takes a smart person to figure out advanced equations without a calculator.
In P.E., well, maybe PE is exempt from this over-generalization. Unless you count music to go with a workout, stopwatches to keep track of records, and other non-essentials.
But you get my point. It is very difficult to make it through life without technology these days. People even make fun of me for not having an iPod. I don't really see a need for one.
Organized Chaos
I observed 2 different class periods with the same teacher. He called the first one his "rest period" because he pretty much just talked at the beginning then the kids built their crash-test-dummy/egg cars. I think he was actually in the classroom for maybe 10 minutes the entire 80 minute class. He had 2 TAs in there, one student and one adult. The kids were on task for the most part and were really working hard to get their cars done.
The second class was the one that Tara and Braden talked about. He talked for the first part then they all went crazy doing their own things. I was amazed that he was able to help all the kids in a timely manner. We had to leave after the first 15 minutes or so, but he had amazing classroom management skills. I could tell the kids wanted to be there, and that helped too.
After teaching for 35 years, I asked him if he changed his lesson plans often. His response: "You're assuming I use lesson plans." He pretty much has a shelf-structure where he keeps all the handouts on all the projects so that kids can go get them as needed. The class pretty much runs itself. Oh, to be a teacher of 35 years...
The second class was the one that Tara and Braden talked about. He talked for the first part then they all went crazy doing their own things. I was amazed that he was able to help all the kids in a timely manner. We had to leave after the first 15 minutes or so, but he had amazing classroom management skills. I could tell the kids wanted to be there, and that helped too.
After teaching for 35 years, I asked him if he changed his lesson plans often. His response: "You're assuming I use lesson plans." He pretty much has a shelf-structure where he keeps all the handouts on all the projects so that kids can go get them as needed. The class pretty much runs itself. Oh, to be a teacher of 35 years...
Thursday, September 25, 2008
They're so small!
Today I went to observe a classroom in Pleasant Grove. I was so excited to be there! The teacher was great and the kids were so fun. Aside from letting us go through his handouts and take the stuff we wanted, he was really friendly, very optimistic, and actually really honest about the pros and cons of teaching.
When we first got there, we talked for a little while with him and he kind of told us what would be going on. We met the other teacher who is in charge of the wood shop, but was launching water bottle rockets today. He invited us to come out and watch. We didn't make it out there until the second class.
Mr. Frey was really good at demonstrating all the skills from the Wong book. He praised the students, had high expectations for them, didn't interrupt the class to discipline an active student, and was very patient with the students who didn't quite catch on at first.
A student in a wheel chair came in about 5 minutes late. I expected there to be a huge commotion with moving chairs around and I thought the students would lose focus. None of that happened. The only interruption was when the student's TA needed a place to sit. Mr. Frey, almost in passing, asked his classroom TA to get a chair for her. It was almost as if nothing happened in the classroom to distract the students. Pretty cool.
I noticed that Mr. Frey obviously had really good classroom procedures. As the students walked in, they each turned in their assignments to him and were at their desks ready to start class when the bell rang. Even after being sick for the entire week (this was his first day back), the students were right on schedule and he praised them for being so good for the substitute teacher. Most of the students were quietly listening to instructions and all of them were excited to go use the computer lab and make bridges on the software they've been working with.
It was a very successful class period and all the students stayed on task. Everyone had a positive attitude except for the students who got frustrated because their bridge wouldn't work, but that's probably normal. As soon as they figured it out, they kept going to try to get the cost of the bridge as low as possible. It was actually pretty amazing to see how involved they all were and how much fun they were having.
Mr. Frey was a really great example of how teaching should be done and even offered to let us come in and teach for a day sometime if we feel like we want/need the experience. He said that some teachers get annoyed when new teachers come in with almost no experience, just because the way the system is set up. Basically, there is student teaching for a semester and then they let us loose.
In the seminary teaching program, we get 2 weeks out of the semester to go teach one period per day. It's great experience. I think it would be kind of fun and great practice to do that in our program as well. Is it possible?
When we first got there, we talked for a little while with him and he kind of told us what would be going on. We met the other teacher who is in charge of the wood shop, but was launching water bottle rockets today. He invited us to come out and watch. We didn't make it out there until the second class.
Mr. Frey was really good at demonstrating all the skills from the Wong book. He praised the students, had high expectations for them, didn't interrupt the class to discipline an active student, and was very patient with the students who didn't quite catch on at first.
A student in a wheel chair came in about 5 minutes late. I expected there to be a huge commotion with moving chairs around and I thought the students would lose focus. None of that happened. The only interruption was when the student's TA needed a place to sit. Mr. Frey, almost in passing, asked his classroom TA to get a chair for her. It was almost as if nothing happened in the classroom to distract the students. Pretty cool.
I noticed that Mr. Frey obviously had really good classroom procedures. As the students walked in, they each turned in their assignments to him and were at their desks ready to start class when the bell rang. Even after being sick for the entire week (this was his first day back), the students were right on schedule and he praised them for being so good for the substitute teacher. Most of the students were quietly listening to instructions and all of them were excited to go use the computer lab and make bridges on the software they've been working with.
It was a very successful class period and all the students stayed on task. Everyone had a positive attitude except for the students who got frustrated because their bridge wouldn't work, but that's probably normal. As soon as they figured it out, they kept going to try to get the cost of the bridge as low as possible. It was actually pretty amazing to see how involved they all were and how much fun they were having.
Mr. Frey was a really great example of how teaching should be done and even offered to let us come in and teach for a day sometime if we feel like we want/need the experience. He said that some teachers get annoyed when new teachers come in with almost no experience, just because the way the system is set up. Basically, there is student teaching for a semester and then they let us loose.
In the seminary teaching program, we get 2 weeks out of the semester to go teach one period per day. It's great experience. I think it would be kind of fun and great practice to do that in our program as well. Is it possible?
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