Wow! I did not think I could have learned this much. Through much computer frustration and tears I learned in spite of myself. I am very thankful that my fellow computer geeks (and teacher who spoon fed me computer jargon) who were willing to help me, and teach me from how to turn a computer on...to how to make a website and power point. I still have A LOT to learn, and maybe I can find a computer class for "exceptional" computer students, or a remedial computer class now that I am using a computer with Vista and everything is in the wrong place, and has different labels. It feels like I starting all over...again. Now I just have to learn what Ad-Ons and Plug-Ins are, and how to use them!?!
A suggestion...I would have liked to have class twice a week, one day for regular class, one day for the students new to computers, so we could ask more questions and figure out how to work a computer. The computer language is a problem for us. On the first day you kept saying "click on the icon," I knew what an icon was, and it wasn't a little picture :). Thank you so much for your understanding and help. I hope to have you as a teacher again.
Kristin
P.S. If you teach a "computer class for dummies" I would love to go to it... maybe a weekend class?? Just a thought.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Students: Nature, Nurture, Learning andTeaching
As a student, I have had "One of Those Days." The kind of day where everything seems to go wrong, your alarm clock doesn't go off, the computer "lost" a paper, you spilled coffee in the car and got a speeding ticket. This is not the best way to set yourself up for an intense day of learning. In fact, I would say that learning is darn near impossible when the stress hits a certain level.
In the article The Emotional Basis of Learning by Noboru Kobayashi, M.D., the author discusses the importance of daily emotional support in a child's life for proper physical development and mental growth. Optimum learning conditions may be hindered by something as simple as lack of nourishment, to as complex as socioeconomic problems, but can be improved by strong emotional support. I cannot imagine living in a home where I could not have breakfast, or didn't sleep because of the neighborhood I lived in, but this is some students reality.
I feel that a teacher must be a role model and an emotional rock for their students. Students count on their teacher to be a steadfast constant in their lives. When home life, and even the ride on the bus to school can be stressful and traumatic, a teacher can be a light in the storm. A teacher can also encourage open realtionships between students and parents. Because in the end, it is communication and understanding that can solve a lot of problems, and help students, parents and teachers.
In the article The Emotional Basis of Learning by Noboru Kobayashi, M.D., the author discusses the importance of daily emotional support in a child's life for proper physical development and mental growth. Optimum learning conditions may be hindered by something as simple as lack of nourishment, to as complex as socioeconomic problems, but can be improved by strong emotional support. I cannot imagine living in a home where I could not have breakfast, or didn't sleep because of the neighborhood I lived in, but this is some students reality.
I feel that a teacher must be a role model and an emotional rock for their students. Students count on their teacher to be a steadfast constant in their lives. When home life, and even the ride on the bus to school can be stressful and traumatic, a teacher can be a light in the storm. A teacher can also encourage open realtionships between students and parents. Because in the end, it is communication and understanding that can solve a lot of problems, and help students, parents and teachers.
Response to Article: Learning in the Webiverse: How Do You Grade a Conversation?
After reading Trent Batson's article Learning in the Webiverse: How Do You grade a Conversation?
I thought I would be enlightened about how students/teachers can use the Internet and the Web to broaden learning skills. I was shocked to read this article. Either I am such a novice with "Web" vocabulary or etiquette that I simply don't understand what the goal of his article was, or this is a poorly written and uninteresting article. "If the students extended their discourse skills to synthesize several comments in their own comments, they got even higher grades." I do not think this is a well constructed sentence, and if I were to grade this article on content, grammar, etc., I would give him a D. He would miss an F grade simply by attempting to write an article and using several twelve point Scrabble words.
I understand his point that the author must be aware of, and write to his audience. Since the audience is other students, and most importantly the teacher, how can one have a "conversation" and not consider this a "performance?" The student is judged/graded on this conversation, so I would expect a more formal essay type response rather than chit-chat.
I had my mother, who was an English teacher read this article. Her response, "This article shows that computers MUST be creating a new type of illiteracy." And I would have to agree.
I thought I would be enlightened about how students/teachers can use the Internet and the Web to broaden learning skills. I was shocked to read this article. Either I am such a novice with "Web" vocabulary or etiquette that I simply don't understand what the goal of his article was, or this is a poorly written and uninteresting article. "If the students extended their discourse skills to synthesize several comments in their own comments, they got even higher grades." I do not think this is a well constructed sentence, and if I were to grade this article on content, grammar, etc., I would give him a D. He would miss an F grade simply by attempting to write an article and using several twelve point Scrabble words.
I understand his point that the author must be aware of, and write to his audience. Since the audience is other students, and most importantly the teacher, how can one have a "conversation" and not consider this a "performance?" The student is judged/graded on this conversation, so I would expect a more formal essay type response rather than chit-chat.
I had my mother, who was an English teacher read this article. Her response, "This article shows that computers MUST be creating a new type of illiteracy." And I would have to agree.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Teachers: To Blog or Not to Blog?
The question: Should teachers blog?
As a newly computer literate person, the short answer is I don't know. I am just learning about different blog sights, and their function. I did some research looking for blogs in Klamath County, and surprisingly I did find a few blogs. None of them had anything but course descriptions and the syllabus. This was not exactly what I thought a teacher would use a blog space for. I can see how a blog may help to inform parents, but I am old fashioned, and to me nothing beats a note sent home with a student for the parent's signature. I would want to know by a signature that my message was read. Blog space can be used as a fun tool for learning...if the student has a computer, I think this is the main roadblock to using computers. Socioeconomic status, and actual availability of the Internet. Yes, there are still places that don't have cable access. I like the idea that blogging can allow those computer savvy parents to have an additional resource for what their child is doing at school. But unfortunately, in our litigious society, I see more problems than solutions. By making blog posts, the teacher can soften boundaries with both the student and parent and feel more like a friend without human interaction. Blogging also can open up the teacher, administrators, and district to severe public scrutiny. The content of a blog should remain purely professional without personal insights, to protect yourself. Maybe this is one of the reasons, the Klamath County teachers literally had one blog post a year. Today, with a witch hunt for teachers with any flaws, blogging may just allow the stoking of a fire. I hope that our society will change, but for now, tried and true communication seems to be the safest way to keep a good job. On a positive note, once all children have a computer to use at home, the blogging and Internet are superb tools to enhance traditional education, and hopefully spark interest in subjects that may have gone dim with the student and teacher. Maybe this is the best way to spark interest in parents for their student.
As a newly computer literate person, the short answer is I don't know. I am just learning about different blog sights, and their function. I did some research looking for blogs in Klamath County, and surprisingly I did find a few blogs. None of them had anything but course descriptions and the syllabus. This was not exactly what I thought a teacher would use a blog space for. I can see how a blog may help to inform parents, but I am old fashioned, and to me nothing beats a note sent home with a student for the parent's signature. I would want to know by a signature that my message was read. Blog space can be used as a fun tool for learning...if the student has a computer, I think this is the main roadblock to using computers. Socioeconomic status, and actual availability of the Internet. Yes, there are still places that don't have cable access. I like the idea that blogging can allow those computer savvy parents to have an additional resource for what their child is doing at school. But unfortunately, in our litigious society, I see more problems than solutions. By making blog posts, the teacher can soften boundaries with both the student and parent and feel more like a friend without human interaction. Blogging also can open up the teacher, administrators, and district to severe public scrutiny. The content of a blog should remain purely professional without personal insights, to protect yourself. Maybe this is one of the reasons, the Klamath County teachers literally had one blog post a year. Today, with a witch hunt for teachers with any flaws, blogging may just allow the stoking of a fire. I hope that our society will change, but for now, tried and true communication seems to be the safest way to keep a good job. On a positive note, once all children have a computer to use at home, the blogging and Internet are superb tools to enhance traditional education, and hopefully spark interest in subjects that may have gone dim with the student and teacher. Maybe this is the best way to spark interest in parents for their student.
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