Monthly Archives: February 2012
Technology As Part of the Everyday Classroom Experience
Christian David Borges is a Special Education Teacher and wrote this article on technology and integrating it into the classroom. I enjoyed this article because it pin points the reality of technology. Youth are usually the first to use technology/tools and fully understand them. Instead of ranting about controlling and applying rules to the use of technology in the classroom he outlines the importance that teachers need use technology as a connection with their students. If youth are already using and understanding certain tools why no teach them using these tools?
Christian continues in his article and gives advice on how to begin integrating technology into classrooms. I found this very helpful because I know when it comes time for me to intern or in my first job it is likely that I may be working with a teacher(s) who do not use technology in their teaching. It will be up to me to demonstrate the value of incorporating certain tools into teaching and that the lesson plan doesn’t necessarily need changing but that by adding a YouTube video for example could enhance the lesson, not change it.
I had never thought of the layout of classroom in terms of where to place specific technology tools (computers, smart boards, e-readers). He touches on this in his article and his thoughts are to place pieces where they seen as part of the classroom, not to stand out. My only thoughts on this are to make sure they are accessible for all students to use…
I’m glad I came across this article because it encourages me to think about how I can go about using technology in my teaching. The article is positive and uplifting. He outlines some really good strategies for beginning to introduce technology into your teaching and classroom settings. Sometimes we get so caught up in the negative outcomes or the “overwhelming” work of changing that we miss the point of what benefits would be achieved if we just try.
First Cake
To begin trying my first cake using fondant icing I watched these videos:
A friend gave a me a link to a really good recipe for butter cream icing.
Since I have no specific tools for making cakes (fondant smoothers) I watched this video and it gave me a great tip for smoothing out my fondant without having to buy the fondant smoothing tools.
Here is my first try
Facebook Parenting: For the troubled teen
This video has been circulating my facebook page so I decided to watch it…my initial reaction was finally a parent who is actually doing something about their teenagers inappropriate facebook actions and was glad that he actually monitored his teenagers use of facebook. I do strongly feel that children today aren’t thankful for all the devices their parents purchase for them and that when they are to help around the house they act as if they work too hard or its against the law for parents to make them pull their weight. My generation is guilty of it also. You used to have to earn the things parents bought for you or you had to buy them yourself and children today don’t experience this as much (different in every household). Also most parents don’t even know what their kids are doing on the internet. I gave this dad credit for actually even caring.
I took some time to think about this video and watched it again. My second reaction was is this really the right approach to educating your teenager on appropriate facebook use? Shooting your girl’s laptop and posting the video online for millions to see… I am not a parent but I can’t help but think of other ways he could have delt with this whole situation. She will never learn from her mistakes if you just stop providing her with a laptop. It isn’t the laptop’s fault for the way she feels about her home life, obvisouly she is not happy and feels she can’t talk to her parents. I don’t know what the right punishment or parenting strategy is for the teenager’s actions but those are some of my thoughts. What are your thoughts after watching this video?
Pixstop App
To get my final project rolling I download the app Pixstop onto my iPad. I’m so glad Alec told me about this app for creating stop motion vidoes. It has three different tutorials for creating various stop motion productions. Sarah and I watched the tutorials to help us because we have never done anything like this. For an experiment because we were in the TPC at the Education Building we decided to try out the app using library books. Here is how it turned out, this is going to be fun!
An Inspirational Family Blog
A hockey friend of mine created a family blog after the birth of her daughter Madison. Her daughter has spina bifida and she has used this blog to connect with other families, families who are affected by spina bifida, and better yet to keep everyone up to date on how her family works together and faces the challenges that come their way. This blog is truly inspirational and Madison is lucky to have such wonderful parents who’s positiveness inspires everyone. This is just another way social media is used to connect, inspire, and help people share their stories.
http://meetthelawrences.blogspot.com/
A decision is made
For my final project I have decided to work with classmate Sarah Mills. Together we are going to learn how to create a stop motion video. We have decided that our video is going to be about making cakes; we both would like to learn how to make fancy cakes. Together we will enhance our cake making skills and to present our final project create a stop motion video of our cake making.
Hoping to go from this
to this
this might be pushing it
