Project Reflection

After creating my Mindtool, I made several discoveries about the tool itself and the implementation of the Mindtool.
The Mindtool itself was the use of a student created database worksheet. Each student had to create a 4 question quiz based on the content they just mastered. Other student would then take the assessment and it would be graded. After they results were shared students would go back to the student drive (where the worksheets were stored) and make comments about the other users database. This makes the Mindtool interactive and allows for constant revision and peer sharing.
Student responded well to the worksheets. They seemed to have a good time coming up with questions based on what they just learned, and mastered. Students still have to answer the questions and comment on the corrected versions. They also have to comment on what they liked or disliked about the Mindtool.
I predict that the students would like the commenting portion best. The ability to go into the students shares portion and continuously check on the comments made by other students will fuel the original student to edit his/her work to make it better.
Overall the implementation and the response to the Mindtool is going well. Students seem to like the idea that they can make their own assessments.

Action Plan Spreadsheet

Here is the link for my action plan spreadsheet

Action Plan Presentation

Uploaded on authorSTREAM by jmellon34

Blog #3 What is the future of technology in the classroom?

Not so long ago (several months) I read an article about handheld computers and their place in the classroom. The article http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech083.shtml (which was several years old) how hand held PDA and computers have and their use has shifted from the business world to the education world. The article discusses school such as Walery School District which purchased hand helds for each student to achieve a one to one ratio for the students. They said it was less expensive and more practical for them finically.
They go on to talk about palm pilots practical uses in the classroom in middle school, how it was used in Kentucky and Seattle. All of this made me start thinking of how this is/was an excellent idea. I say is/was because since the article was from 2001 things have changed. Don’t get me wrong I think it is an outstanding idea but has the technology passed by the idea? What I mean is, over the last 5 years many students have the “I-Phone”, the “I-Touch” “Blackberry’s” so know introducing the PDA’s in class would still be practical but many of the students would already be ahead of the “curve”. I still think it would be an excellent idea but maybe scaled down to a business class where a teacher can use the technology to show the students how they would use a PDA in the business world and then have practical applications for those students. However, when those students get into the business world they might be using a brand new technology that doesn’t even exist right this second…

Blog #2 Read Write Web

There is no doubt that classrooms are moving “toward the future”. More and more teachers are finding ways to incorporate computers as learning tools in their classroom. They are using programs that help students collaborate, read, and write.
As Will Richardson explains in The Educator’s Guide to the Read/Write Web “thousands of teachers and students use the web to publish their work, collaborate on projects, and engage in online conversations.” That is only part of the transformation; teachers are learning more and more ways to use the Read/Write technology to educate their students.
Richardson explains how posting on blogs help students collaborate, how wikis help students exchange ideas and definitions, and how social bookmarking (RSS) helps students collect and sort information. After reading over the last few months about all of these innovations Richardson brought up a question I never really thought about; how should the curriculum change because of these new tools?
How should Math, Social Studies, English, and Science curriculums change to incorporate these new ideas? The question is a very complex one. If we choose to incorporate these technologies on a broad scope then something must be sacrificed in order to add a new element. What would each sacrifice? Teachers should be implementing these tools on an individual basis. As they feel fit, they should find ways to incorporate blogging, and wikis and RSS at their own pace. If we start trying to main stream these tools teachers will be forced and that almost never leads to positive results. I have begun using a form of blogging in my class so that students can exchange ideas about formulas and problem solving techniques. I believe that slow and steady is going to win the race, we will stake one step at a time and build on each success that we have!

Updated Action Plan Outline

Assessments in the classroom

We can discuss at length if standardized testing or teaching to a test is right or wrong but I have begun to think of assessment in another way as well.
To me assessment has really become a question of how can a measure if my students have learned what I have been teaching? And if they haven't, what do I do about the problem?
Most of the time teachers (and I have been guilty of this as well) will give a test and to a group of students and almost every time there are few students out of a hundred (give or take 50 ha ha depending on your class size) that do not pass the test. On a standard test we would say that they are "not proficient". Most teachers then go on with the unit and chalk it up to the student not doing enough homework, studying, or something else. What if you looked and saw that the student in question did do all of their homework and you know they studied because they came in multiple times for extra help, what do you do now? Sure you could retest them in another way - but what if they still fail? Most teachers do not have time to reteach a lesson until everyone passes that lesson. So how does reality meet proficiency?

My thinking about how I think...

In class today I created my concept map. The process of working from an end result back to the beginning is one that I always enjoyed and found to help me in my creative thinking (which isn't my best attribute). Thinking about how I think in order to better help my students is a new approach. For the better part of a decade through college and teaching I have been integrated with the idea of differentiating my instruction to how my students learn. So when someone says but how does your thinking and learning influence how your students will learn I am a bit taken back. I am used to the notion of student first at all times at all cost. So the idea that someone else's thinking and learning is as important might be to much for some people to handle. Most people thought the world was flat for 1400 years so there is no telling how long it might take for people to catch on to this idea.

First week back

As I enter my 5th year of teaching I find a new surprising eternal energy and excitement for this coming school year. This excitement stems from the fact that over the past 3 years I have seen my PSSA study skills class go from helping 65 students in grades 9 and 12 to helping 160 students in grades 9, 11, 12 this year.

The ability to work with more students always excites me as the school year starts. Making connections and getting those students to have an understanding of how I can help them to achieve at a higher level presents a new and exciting challenge. Don't get me wrong, I have and still do miss teaching history over the past few years. What I have discovered though is I love working and interacting with young people as much as I love teaching history.

The challenge this year will be to not only intergrate the technology software (PLATO) but to attempt to find new ways to use other Internet capabilities to help those students prepare for PSSA, PSAT, and SAT test.

I am excited for the new year and look forward to the challenge.

Technology Standards

After looking over the new National Technology Standards for Educators it became clear to me that I would like to be able to effectively use standard 4-B. Promote & Model Digital Citizenship & Responsibility by addressing the diverse needs of all learners by using learner centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.

Since each one of my students works on individual learner prescriptions, it is important to me to make sure that I know how to show each user how to use all the tools that are available to them. Also, to show them how to use each tool by incorporating these tools with the prescriptive program they already know.

In all aspects this would make my class very technologically diverse and benefit each student.