So I am really far behind. I hope to have a big block of time to knock out some of my assignments this weekend. It's not like I haven't done anything. I started a mentoring group and have done some preliminary work on my action research. I need to start my background research for the study. I also need to nail down a time to do the inservice training.
I have used the skills from the multimedia class. I made a video of a former student's first football game at Texas A&M. He came back to Allen the next week for Homecoming so I was able to give him the movie. I will probably make a movie of his other games. I am currently working on a movie for a colleague who is in the hospital. The rest of us would like to see her, but she doesn't need us trooping through her room. Also, the flu bug is running through Allen and who knows what germs are lurking on us. So I recorded people giving her their best wishes.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Project Planning
6.1
1. I am currently working on planning technology inservice for the English department. I cannot do the whole thing at once, so I need to split the training between different sessions. The first session will cover basic things with programs that the teachers are already familiar with. The next session will be on production of multimedia. I will then have follow up sessions with individual teams to help integrate technology into their classrooms.
2. The ideas from my previous classes. I am also using my own experiences in developing the inservice. By working with individual teams, I can focus on individual needs of the teams.
3. My first source is my previous classes. The second source is my own observations of the department's needs. Third I will have individual feedback. I am willing to use all sources to develop training.
6.2
1.The two organizations I am involved with are the Colin County A&M Club and Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority. For the CCAMC I organize our annual scholarship and plan Muster. I am the chapter president for my teaching sorority.
2. For both groups we brainstorm ideas and at times research to find new ideas. Generating ideas is important. We can be successful by adapting and combining ideas.
3. Both groups are dependent on the people who make up the organization. A frequent mantra for ADK is "if you do the same thing you have always done, you will get the same thing you have always gotten." Neither group is afraid to try something new.
4. I prefer to work with new people or different people. Dialogue can provide new ideas or improvement on "old" ideas.
1. I am currently working on planning technology inservice for the English department. I cannot do the whole thing at once, so I need to split the training between different sessions. The first session will cover basic things with programs that the teachers are already familiar with. The next session will be on production of multimedia. I will then have follow up sessions with individual teams to help integrate technology into their classrooms.
2. The ideas from my previous classes. I am also using my own experiences in developing the inservice. By working with individual teams, I can focus on individual needs of the teams.
3. My first source is my previous classes. The second source is my own observations of the department's needs. Third I will have individual feedback. I am willing to use all sources to develop training.
6.2
1.The two organizations I am involved with are the Colin County A&M Club and Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority. For the CCAMC I organize our annual scholarship and plan Muster. I am the chapter president for my teaching sorority.
2. For both groups we brainstorm ideas and at times research to find new ideas. Generating ideas is important. We can be successful by adapting and combining ideas.
3. Both groups are dependent on the people who make up the organization. A frequent mantra for ADK is "if you do the same thing you have always done, you will get the same thing you have always gotten." Neither group is afraid to try something new.
4. I prefer to work with new people or different people. Dialogue can provide new ideas or improvement on "old" ideas.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Current Research
1-
Bogle, L., Cook, V., Swan, K. (2009). Blended program development: Applying the quality
matters and community of inquiry frameworks to ensure high quality design and
implementation. Journal of the Research Center for Education Technology. 5(2). 51-65.
http://www.rcetj.org/files/2009summer/RCETJ_5_2_blendedlearning2.pdf
This article looked at how to provide quality programs in blended classes. This article looked at graduate programs. The article is important since it uses a peer review process. The framework used ensures that the blended programs contain the same standards as traditional classes.
2-
Lee, J. & Spires, H. (2009). What students think about technology and academic engagement in
school: Implications for middle grades teaching and learning. AACE Journal. 17(2), pp. 61- 81. Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
http://www.editlib.org/p/27007
The is article gives practical advice for teachers. The authors point to students' dependency on technology as a reason to use technology in the classroom. The article is well researched by the authors. They collected data in the form of surveys. By getting student opinions the authors show how to find ways to improve student engagement. The article stresses the need for teachers to find and use the technology tools students use.
3-
Teston, G. (2008). Software piracy among technology education students: Investigating
property rights in a culture of innovation. Journal of Technology Education 20(1), pp 66- 78.
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v20n1/teston.pdf
The ethical use of technology is an important part of any program. The view of ownership is changing as a younger generation seems to lack a value for intellectual property. The focus of the article is on software piracy, but ethics in technology is part of a growing problem. Teachers, professors, and mentors need to stress and develop ethics. This article use surveys to gauge opinions. The author tied Kohlberg's research on moral development to creating a set of ethics for technology use.
Bogle, L., Cook, V., Swan, K. (2009). Blended program development: Applying the quality
matters and community of inquiry frameworks to ensure high quality design and
implementation. Journal of the Research Center for Education Technology. 5(2). 51-65.
http://www.rcetj.org/files/2009summer/RCETJ_5_2_blendedlearning2.pdf
This article looked at how to provide quality programs in blended classes. This article looked at graduate programs. The article is important since it uses a peer review process. The framework used ensures that the blended programs contain the same standards as traditional classes.
2-
Lee, J. & Spires, H. (2009). What students think about technology and academic engagement in
school: Implications for middle grades teaching and learning. AACE Journal. 17(2), pp. 61- 81. Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
http://www.editlib.org/p/27007
The is article gives practical advice for teachers. The authors point to students' dependency on technology as a reason to use technology in the classroom. The article is well researched by the authors. They collected data in the form of surveys. By getting student opinions the authors show how to find ways to improve student engagement. The article stresses the need for teachers to find and use the technology tools students use.
3-
Teston, G. (2008). Software piracy among technology education students: Investigating
property rights in a culture of innovation. Journal of Technology Education 20(1), pp 66- 78.
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v20n1/teston.pdf
The ethical use of technology is an important part of any program. The view of ownership is changing as a younger generation seems to lack a value for intellectual property. The focus of the article is on software piracy, but ethics in technology is part of a growing problem. Teachers, professors, and mentors need to stress and develop ethics. This article use surveys to gauge opinions. The author tied Kohlberg's research on moral development to creating a set of ethics for technology use.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Professional Development Experience
For the most part my professional development experience has been limited to being a participant. However, I have been in charge of programs for organizations outside the school district. The two organizations that I have the most responsibility are the Colin County A&M Club and Alpha Delta Kappa sorority. For CCAMC, I am the scholarship chair and Muster Chair. I send out the scholarship applications to schools and then organize them when they are returned. I also head the committee that determines the winner. Muster is a bigger responsibility. Planning the event requires reserving the location, coordinating the catering, finding a speaker, and organizing Roll Call. I am the current president of my chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa (a teaching sorority). I plan and preside over meetings. I have also had the opportunity to lead a workshop at a regional conference. The work shop was on program design for meetings.
At my school I am Co-Advisor of the Student Council and have been a team leader for English II. Primarily I have been a participant in in-service. However, I have directed team meetings where we designed lessons and planned units of study. As a STUCCO advisor I help guide student projects for our school and community.
1
To encourage continuous growth and development of individuals
As team leader I facilitated lesson design. I have mentored other teachers and students.
To assist people in responding to practical problems and issues of adult life
At an ADK conference I led a workshop on program design. In the classroom I encourage students to make real-life connections to our units of study.
To prepare people for current and future work opportunities
I help students develop the skills and behaviors that they will need in the future. I show students how our units of study can be related to their lives.
To assist in achieving desired results and adapting to change
I help sophomore students adjust to the high school. I work with STUCCO to improve the school.
To provide opportunities to examine and foster change related to societal and global issues
STUCCO has several committees that do projects for the community. Some are local projects others deal with larger issues such as the environment. I encourage my students to think about larger global issues.
2
Positives
A valuable in-service is one where I can take what I learned immediately back to the classroom. I also like engagement in in-service.
Problems
I get frustrated in in-services where I already know the information. I have been in trainings where I understand the material better than others so I have to wait while the instructor explains it to them in more depth
At my school I am Co-Advisor of the Student Council and have been a team leader for English II. Primarily I have been a participant in in-service. However, I have directed team meetings where we designed lessons and planned units of study. As a STUCCO advisor I help guide student projects for our school and community.
1
To encourage continuous growth and development of individuals
As team leader I facilitated lesson design. I have mentored other teachers and students.
To assist people in responding to practical problems and issues of adult life
At an ADK conference I led a workshop on program design. In the classroom I encourage students to make real-life connections to our units of study.
To prepare people for current and future work opportunities
I help students develop the skills and behaviors that they will need in the future. I show students how our units of study can be related to their lives.
To assist in achieving desired results and adapting to change
I help sophomore students adjust to the high school. I work with STUCCO to improve the school.
To provide opportunities to examine and foster change related to societal and global issues
STUCCO has several committees that do projects for the community. Some are local projects others deal with larger issues such as the environment. I encourage my students to think about larger global issues.
2
Positives
A valuable in-service is one where I can take what I learned immediately back to the classroom. I also like engagement in in-service.
Problems
I get frustrated in in-services where I already know the information. I have been in trainings where I understand the material better than others so I have to wait while the instructor explains it to them in more depth
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Mentoring
I just finished using my new found movie making skills to create a video of one of my former students. He started his first game at A&M Saturday night. I have no illusions that my influence convinced him to attend A&M. He picked the best place for him. None of my teachers influenced my own decision to attend A&M. None of them really influenced my chosen profession. I did have teachers that showed the type of teacher I wanted to be and unfortunately the type of teacher I didn't want to be. My two favorite teachers from high school were complete opposites. Mr. Groves was the typical math teacher with a pocket protector and a single focus on math. He had taught math so long that he had worn away something in his elbow and could draw a perfect circle by flicking his wrist. He wasn't personable, but he was there every morning for tutoring, and he constantly worked to make sure I learned math. Mrs. Jones, my junior English teacher, was personable, funny, and outgoing. She was able to connect to students with her personality. I have tried to keep their examples in mind as I teach and work with my students.
My first year of teaching I was assigned a mentor, two in fact. I tended to refer them as Lucy and Ethel. Needless to say, they were not that much help. I wondered around the first few days of inservice until I met Marie. She is another English teacher who helped me get started at Allen. In the last 12 years she has probably helped me more than anyone. I still looked to her for advice and even send others to her when they need advice.
Teaching does not just involve the classroom. New teachers need help navigating the bureaucracy and the "backstage" action. Too many times teachers feel isolated. All the bureaucracy creates this. When I did my class work for certification, a professor told the class to stay out of the teacher's lounge for the first three years. I think this is disastrous advice.
Veteran and new teachers need each other to be sounding boards. So much happens in school we need each other's support. Other teachers have offered me support as I went through rough spots. They convince me to keep going. Books can tell you how to manage a class, design a lesson, and other things. But it takes another teacher to show you how to be a teacher.
On another not my textbook finally arrived. So when I finish my reading assignment I can go back and do the blog I missed.
My first year of teaching I was assigned a mentor, two in fact. I tended to refer them as Lucy and Ethel. Needless to say, they were not that much help. I wondered around the first few days of inservice until I met Marie. She is another English teacher who helped me get started at Allen. In the last 12 years she has probably helped me more than anyone. I still looked to her for advice and even send others to her when they need advice.
Teaching does not just involve the classroom. New teachers need help navigating the bureaucracy and the "backstage" action. Too many times teachers feel isolated. All the bureaucracy creates this. When I did my class work for certification, a professor told the class to stay out of the teacher's lounge for the first three years. I think this is disastrous advice.
Veteran and new teachers need each other to be sounding boards. So much happens in school we need each other's support. Other teachers have offered me support as I went through rough spots. They convince me to keep going. Books can tell you how to manage a class, design a lesson, and other things. But it takes another teacher to show you how to be a teacher.
On another not my textbook finally arrived. So when I finish my reading assignment I can go back and do the blog I missed.
Friday, September 4, 2009
What a Week
The second week of school has been hectic. Monday was Meet the Teacher Night, followed by a Student Council meeting. My Mom finally had her surgery on Tuesday. She came through great. This has been a huge relief to me. Wednesday I visited her in the hospital. Thursday was a football game that included a 2 hour weather delay. Friday is finally the day I can really get to work, but only for a few hours. Tomorrow I am going out of town for the day. Sunday will be spent decorating the town for Homecoming. Monday I'm off but I plan to spend the day with my Mom. Friday is the game and Saturday is the dance. I should be able to find the time to do some class work, if my book gets to me this week. I am really going to miss the relaxation of the last few weeks.
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