Mental Math PD

I attended a 3 day pd session on mental math and developing strategies. I learned basic techniques for k-8 for developing strategies in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Most of the strategies dealt with getting rid of the fingers by grade 3 and up with facts. The facts are the multiple strategies learned so a student can do mental math without a calculator and understand basic skills like place value. In the high school pd we spent time on relationships and relating symbols like your typical math questions into pictures and diagrams which can be represented by language. The real task is to ask the student to find other relationships for the question they just solved or getting the student to represent a symbol with an application outside of the classroom. Most students are just using calculators answering the questions because that is how they are taught and they do not actually understand certain concepts. Some of the concepts that weren't learned or understood in K-8 affect the outcome for high school and these students are at risk. I learned a lot from the presenter and I hope I can remember all these skills when I step up onto the stage and teach.  

Edmodo

My teacher showed me Edmodo and I found this site extremely useful for testing and just keeping the students up to date. You can post assignments and tests in Edmodo as well as mark them and leave comments. I used this site for my project so the students could hand in their projects and I could mark them at home. Edmodo is online so the student could take their project home and hand the project in at anytime before and after the deadline. The student can also go online over the weekend and check their marks. I marked their assignments the day after I left which was kind of bad for assigning a project on my last day but I thought a head so my CT would not have to do any marking. The best thing about this website is you create a website for the class and invite the students and even invite teachers in to mark your assignments or to see what the students are using it for. I am definitely going to use this site in the future and I am not sure if Mr. Not showed us this site in class.

In my student teaching practice I was really surprised that the grade 8 students did not have cell phones. Only 2 students had cell phones but a lot of students had a ipod. The ipods and cell phones were used a bit in class but not as much as you would think. Our class was right next door to the computer lab plus we had 3 computers in the classroom and 2 ipads. My CT applied for a grant a couple years ago to get ipads and equipment for pod cast and got it. A lot of younger students borrow the ipads and put games on the ipad which I find stupid because they are not educational. The ipads are suppose to be all synced so if one of the ipads downloads a game, the other ipad will as well. But when I was at the school my CT could not figure out why this was not working. I think the ipads were useful for research but when it came to actually writing an essay they were useless because they do not have a microsoft office for them. I was thinking that they could use a google doc to write in the essay but everyone else is doing the essay in word and does not have the specifications like word does.  

Smart lesson

I am planning a lesson for ratios in which I will use a smart board to draw and create examples on for the students to help me solve. I will be talking about rates and perceptions and the difference between the two. The students will also be doing textbook questions and assignment after so I can assess them. But I think using the smart board will help the students remember and get them involved to come up and solve or match certain fractions with their group. I might do some mental math in the future (math mad minutes) on the board to save paper and the students solving the questions but I haven't thought it through yet.

Smart tech

My teacher used a smart tech video in class and found it really interesting that smart tech is creating videos for teachers to used in class to teach students about certain subjects. The one we watched was about Egyptian Pharaohs and the significance of them. I find this technology really useful but also could see this being overused for the teacher and the teacher slacking on their job and just putting on videos and getting the kids to do assignments, projects, and tests on the videos and the teacher not adding to the videos. That is one thing I am finding with some teachers using technology so they can slack on their job. I will not be one of those teachers.

Mr. White

My supervisor teacher showed me this website called edmodo which allows you to set up a classroom website. The students can submit and exchange ideas openly so there is no private messaging. I think this website is a good idea and I might use it in the future. I am pretty creative though and could create my own website but for people who are not could with technology I would suggest the site to them. My supervisor teacher gets students to submit assignments and do quiz's on there. Students can ask for help from other students or the teacher. Some students could only use it at school because they do not have a computer or internet.

Dr. C_________

I have a teacher who has been teaching for a number of years but has not been very good with technology. I think he should be in Dr. Not's class so he can learn more about technology and so we would not have to waste 10 to 20 minutes of class to help him set up his presentation. He also could switch to pc and have no troubles at all. His apple technology is overrated with his cell phone going off in class with the age of empires theme and his 20 year old lap top that is a piece of junk. Dr. C_____ would appreciate a pc and would better from Dr. Not's class to learn more about technology and better his students... Just jokes you two are quite the pair.

Using Prezi

My group used prezi for a presentation today and I have seen it used before but find it limited because you need the internet for it to work. I think prezi is neat on how you can customize how to move to the next point but I have also seen people get sick from a prezi in a conference. So I think there are limitations and depending on the presenter, a good old power point could be better than a prezi if the prezi is not used to its full potential. I also find students might get distracted more from the prezi moving around and a power point seems more clear. I think prezi should only be used for entertainment or certain subjects for school.

Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7AqoOnrbpE

I was learning  Jean Piaget 4 stages in learning and this video reminded me of the first stage from 0-2 and that children at that age can not think logically. The video is about a dad and daughter.  the dad disappears for a few seconds to shave his beard. I was really impressed on how fast he shaved in the time he was given and for how long his beard was. The daughter is confused because she does not recognize her father without a beard but does recognize his voice. She does throw a tantrum and the parents try to make a beard using clothing but only helps for a little bit. The daughter soon accepts that her dad has no beard and carries on with her activities. I would like to think if the daughter would recognize her dad or mom if they shaved their heads.

Classes

I am feeling like I am not learning from some of the classes I am in and most students would agree. I talked to last years students and they said for the student placement that you are learning on the fly. I hate not knowing what is going to happen especially when this placement is going to reflect my teaching. I understand that this is going to be my first placement but I feel as if I should be prepared or learning how to deal with lesson planning. I know sometimes you are going to have to review past concepts or spend extra time on a subject but why are they telling us this in class. Some of the subjects covered in class is common sense like for example do not touch or stare at children inappropriately or there will be consequences. They keep talking about lesson and unit plans and the curriculum but they never actually get us to do a plan and hand it in to see if we are on the right track. You can talk about anything in theory and students will think its easy but if you actually get the students into the classroom or doing projects than you will actually see how much they know and what they need to improve. I feel that there has been poor planning for the classes I am in now and that the orientation and special prep class for student teaching is a waste.

Feelings on first week

This first week of education was very long and a lot to take in. Some subjects were more important than others, when a professor is talking about what clothing you shouldn't be wearing to the classrooms. I also feel that when I am being taught in some of the classes that I am in high school again and I miss having the University atmosphere. I find it interesting that each teacher has a different view of teaching and some of the views are polar opposite when it comes to the teacher. I am really looking forward to getting into the classroom and seeing how much the classroom has changed or the same. I would also like to see what the kids are learning and see how much of the curriculum has changed.