TEC 539 Effective Photography (Module 3)

These photographs take the viewer on a ride! My topic is:

"Texting and driving can wreck your day!"

Any advice for a new teacher starting out. . .

Below is an email I received from the student teacher who worked with me this year. I have changed her name and the name of the student. Under that is my reply.

Hello,

I'm super excited about starting the school year, I will be a 3rd grade teacher :) Thank you for helping me get the point I am now. I was wondering do you have any advice for starting out? Also I will be needing stuff for my room, do you know of any great stores to visit? or where I can get free stuff ? Also what should I buy?

Debbie

Hi, Debbie!

Congratulations on being a new third grade teacher! Way-to-go, whoo-hoo! Where will you be? I'm sure you will do a wonderful job and call on me anytime and I'll do my best to help. This email is loooong!

Advice for starting out. . . hmmmm. . .

1) well each situation (system, school, administrator, teacher, school year, class, and student) is different for one, so there's no real way to prepare yourself except to "expect the unexpected" and "go with the flow". i hate to be so cliche but it's really true. just do your best and work hard for children each day.

2) with that said, just be sure to plan, plan, plan. make sure to know ahead of time that all through the day and week (every day and every week) something unforeseen is bound to happen and you'll be expected to make the adjustment with a smile on your face (from kids getting sick, unexpected parent conferences, and scheduling mishaps -remember the field trip buses that were late? yeah, stuff like that).

3) try not to complain-- at times this job will suck (like most "jobs") but remember to be grateful for the students and an opportunity to serve families-- they will trust you more than anyone should trust any stranger-work hard to be deserving of that trust, do right by the kids (everything is always all about the kids)

4) laugh everyday and don't be afraid to laugh at yourself and your mistakes-you're human and they need a human doing this job

5) enjoy the kids. . . they will always be the best part of the job (think about how aggravating even "Rima" from this year was but we still loved that kid)

Now, I know that is not the kind of advice you were seeking but I want you to know that you are qualified to do this job and I really think you need to be inspired and inspired with truth.

Beginning the year is gonna be tough. The first day is always full of frazzles- expect that and remember to pause every now and again, breathe deeply and try to relax.

The first day is merely about getting through it. Stay on schedule. OVER-PLAN for this day, meaning have more activities planned than the kids can do, keep it paced. One or two long assignments punctuated by 6-7 smaller ones should do it. By all means- KEEP THEM BUSY. Busy kids =happy kids.

Please do not try to "befriend" children on the first day. You have no time for 8-9 year old friends this day-- you're their teacher. Establish that and demand the respect you deserve. You can be pleasant (not nice) and firm. Smile only if it's a genuine smile, otherwise, reassure students that you are in control and in charge-- they will be expecting you to at least do that. Classroom management starts this day- if someone gets out of line, you may have to be firmer and "meaner" than you will want to be. In other words, don't worry about the kids loving you, they will, but it's more important that they respect you. Respect them and demand that from them--day one!

As far as supplies, try to acquire them gradually throughout the year and make what you can. Do NOT go out and spend $200 (unless you have that spare cash laying around and nothing else to spend it on). Good stores are WalMart, Staples, and The School Box. My advice stick to the basics: cursive ABC's, a few posters related to your subjects, a few baskets or bins, and basic school supplies like paper, pencils, crayons, & glue (some of your students won't have that on day 1- some will never have it). Hopefully your school will give you some office supplies like staples, staplers, scissors, etc. Ask someone in charge for basic art supplies for kids: scissors, construction paper, etc.

I feel like I've written a book for you- well, maybe a small pamphlet! :-) Have a great year!

Pam

Are tests the only objective assessment of student learning?

As I pondered this idea during this assignment and I had to really think critically. And, in a word-no, I would not consider tests to be the only objective assessment of student learning; especially if by “objective”, one means, not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased: an objective opinion (Dictionary.com, 2010).

There are a plethora of different methods through which a student’s true learning knowledge can be assessed which are, in deed, objective. Further, a vast majority of modern assessments measure what is learned more in-depth by allowing students to employ their higher thinking skills. Having students participate in a debate, for example, either for or against a given topic, allows them to synthesize information and formulate ideas which might not be perceived or understood as thoroughly if they were given a multiple-choice test.

Students participating in performances or presentations, while given more flexibility, typically recall at greater lengths the information presented due to the type of interaction that is required. Assessments such as these are called authentic assessment and are driven by a constructivist point of view. As Smaldino, Lowther, and Russell state, there is rising interest in authentic assessment, “because [it requires] students to use processes appropriate to the content and skills being learned and to how they are used in the real world, (p. 108, 2008).

In order to produce well-rounded students, a variety of assessment methods is desirable. Students need to be able to rely on their strengths. Assessments should consider learning styles and intelligences of the students. Tests, while heavily emphasized today, do have their place, but are more useful in providing a better overall picture of the student when combined with authentic assessments.

References:

Dictionary.com (2010). Retrieved June 22, 2010 fromhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/objective

Smaldino, S.C., Lowther, D.L. & Russell, J.D., (2008). Instructional technology and media for learning (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

The above video is on Authentic Assessment and I found it relevant. Suppose there were no authentic assessment? What would learning look like?

paxpax18 (2008). Authentic Assessment Method retrieved June 22, 2010 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEZNqAKtarc&feature=related

What does a technology infused classroom look like? Hmmm...

Thinking about infusing technology into my classroom is a concept I've had for a few years now and the idea has really intrigued me. One reason I decided to leave a school that I loved after 16 years, was to have the opportunity to really involve students in using the newest technology in which the county was investing.

In my own classroom, I envisioned my students bustling about independently, creating individual products, assisting one another, and collaborating to create assignments together. Students interact during large group assignments with the interactive white board as lessons really come to life and true learning occurs. Student are engaged! They investigate, ask questions, and seek answers. This room is exciting and the students never tire of learning.

The physical layout of the classroom includes a listening center over in one sunny corner of the room, several student computers with the latest product-creating software, a math table full of manipulatives and calculators, a writing center, complete with interesting colored paper and pencils for writing and editing, an organized and full reading library, and finally, student desks which are clustered into groups of four to five for easy group work and collaboration.

Having the room ready for learning is a first step. A major component of truly attaining my goal is to make certain to have planned accordingly. As Smaldino, Lowther, and Russell state, ". . . creating effective lessons that support learning through the appropriate use of technology and media is the systematic selection of your instructional strategies, the technology and media, and the lesson materials," (p. 96). In order to positively impact the 21st century learner one must conscientiously plan to implement technology and then strategically embed it into the course content so that its use is meaningful and the overarching educational goals are met.

This vision has not completely materialized yet but I am eagerly working towards the day in which it will.

This is a video I found interesting on YouTube which discusses 3 phases of effectively integrating technology.

References:

Leister, J., (2008), Three phases of educational technology, Youtube, retrieved June 8, 2010 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ir4-EFVhzI

Smaldino, S.C., Lowther, D.L. & Russell, J.D. (2008). Instructional technology and media for learning (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Visual literacy and the internet in the classroom. . .

According to Smaldino, Lowther, and Russell, visual literacy is, “…the learned ability to interpret visual messages accurately and to create such messages”, (p. 52). Students are constantly gathering information from their environment and the internet and then decoding those visual stimuli. It would be safe to say that the internet and visual literacy can work hand-in-hand and significantly impact learning in the classroom. As teachers network and accumulate vast varieties of visuals for a range subjects, their students will have increasing opportunities to experience the world around them right in their classrooms.

This year I had the pleasure of having a most rare student, whose academic talents and desire for learning really stood out. Not only did her gifts stand out among her classmates, but they also stood out against other students that I have taught over the years. One day she told me she knew what the “DC” in Washington, DC meant. When I asked her how she found out, she explained that when she asked her mother for the meaning, her mother refused to tell her but challenged her to find out by herself. She admitted to me that she “Googled it”.

At first, I was amazed at the persistence of this particular six-year-old, then I realized that I would like for all of my students to be able to use the internet to find information about any of the subjects that interest them. I would like for them to experience virtual museums online and I want to incorporate the internet more within assignments for them by allowing them to do more meaningful research. Finally, I would simply like them to be able to use the email accounts the school district provides for them to communicate with one another. I believe providing young students with more opportunities to safely navigate the internet is a great beginning towards them becoming independent, life-long learners. I have always felt that one does not have to know all of the answers but it is helpful to know where to look for them.

This video is composed of snapshots I took while we were studying the ocean. At the time, the focus was on hands-on learning. The children used the internet to watch a movie on BrainPop Jr. They made Rainbow Fish, read ocean stories, measured sea creatures, studied conservation, tasted sea kelp and seaweed, and got to touch a real squid. Fun learning was had by all!

Smaldino, S.C., Lowther, D.L. & Russell, J.D., (2008), Instructional technology and media for learning (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Use a variety of strategies to reach all learners. . .

Teaching today requires that teachers hold a range of instructional strategies in their repertoire. According to the constructivist point of view, “[students] must have an active role in the learning process; . . . they are not receptacles to be filled but rather engineers of their learning”, (Smaldino, Lowther, and Russell, 2008). Because of this, students need opportunities to discover, experiment, collaborate, ask questions, explore, play games, and investigate. There are a variety of strategies available for teachers to provide students ample environments that will suit each individual student’s learning style or modality. Technology will enable teachers to reach students and provide quality environments which push them toward higher order thinking.

The implementation of technology by teachers of 21st century learners can and will undoubtedly be essential in assuring each student is able to meet his or her educational goals, be able to think critically and independently as well as compete globally. This impacts my teaching because it pushes me away from my comfort zones. It also allows me to examine methods of teaching which are most effective in increasing student achievement, piquing their interest in learning, and it will hopefully improve their desire to continue learning for years to come.

This is a short movie of my students during centers. We were learning about magnets and the students worked with electromagnets with my student teacher, played computer games about magnets, played with magnetized cars, wrote magnet stories, and collaborated to create a magnet rap song. We had a ball!

Reference

Smaldino, S.C., Lowther, D.L. & Russell, J.D., (2008). Instructional technology and media for learning (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.