Marble Party Success!!!

Our first marble party of the year was a blast!!! We wore our pajamas all day, ate yummy candycorn M&M popcorn balls, had cupcakes from our Star Student Mariya E., and enjoyed a wonderful fun filled OMSI assembly.

New Beginnings...2012-2013

Wow it's been a busy beginning.  We have had a blast getting to know one another so far this year. I know it's already October and I haven't posted anything yet but we have just been way too busy learning and having a good time that I have not had a chance to sit down and catch my breath long enough to post all the fun things we've done so far this year! I have a class filled with cute little smiles, big hearts, and excited learners! Here are a few things we've enjoyed so far this year...

Insects:

 

 

The Fire Station:

 

 

 

The Pumpkin Patch:

 





Question: Are tests the only objective assessments of student learning?

Are they? I should think not. As a teacher I feel that I am constantly assessing my students. Do I have to have a written piece of paper with answers from them to know if they understand the concepts that I am teaching them? No. I would like to think that even without a computerized test or some form of formal assessment I can and do assess my students and can say with a pretty strong belief that I can tell you right where my students needs and skills are without a piece of paper in my hand that has a score on it.

Do tests help make things a little more accurate in the classroom? Sure. I definitely think that testing kids using the same exact assessment will give you a very good idea on where students are and what their knowledge of the content is, however, I do NOT believe that it is the ONLY form of objective assessment and there are many other ways to assess students.

Throughout the day in a classroom I feel that it is necessary and important that teachers are doing informal observations and assessments by walking around and looking at student work, asking questions to see if students are understanding, along with many other possible informal ways to assess students.

What does a technology-infused classroom looks like?

The classrooms of the future.....

Having technology has changed so much about teaching and learning. Technology helps to enrich the lives of students just by the simple engagement in their learning. Students get to work independently or in a group setting where in both cases students are engaged and are able to interact with their lesson through the use of technology.

It’s important when having a technology-infused classroom that you have multiple settings where technology is being used. Having a set of computers where students can explore the World Wide Web and design spreadsheets and word documents is extremely important. There is so much on the Internet to be explored and used as a resource and guide for their learning.

It’s also important to have other areas where technology is incorporated and not only used by the teacher but is student-friendly as well. In my room I have a Promethean board that is student friendly. As I’m teaching a lesson the students are able to come up and use the other Promethean pen and answer questions or manipulate flip charts. I use the Promethean board for just about every lesson, my students use it during center time and during any instruction that I’m doing, and we also use it as a tool for math and reading.

I found an interesting video on YouTube that discusses 3 phases of integrating technology into the classroom effectively.

Visual Literacy and Internet Impacting Our Classrooms

How can visual literacy and the use of the Internet impact the teaching and learning process in the classroom?

Visual literacy can be very valuable in the classroom. I use visuals to enhance learning in my classroom everyday. I try to use any sort of visual that I can that will help my class even students that are not strong visual learners to be engaged in the lesson. Having younger students in my room it's harder to draw on their life experiences because they may not have experienced a lot in their life thus far. Providing a visual to help them see what it is that I'm trying to teach them allows them to gain better understanding on the topic. Internet is a huge impact especially when it comes to visual literacy. I rely on the Internet for images everyday. Google has been a great resource for me. It impacts my teaching in a positive way because it provides an instant resource right at my fingertips. If I don't have enough visuals or I don't have something I need in my room I pull it up on the Internet. Students see that I do this and it reminds them that those resources are available.

 What are some visual-thinking strategies you would like to use in your classroom?

Some visual-thinking strategies that I would like to use in my classroom are to provide my students with real world pictures and visuals that they will be able to reflect back on. Like I said previously I have a younger group of learners who don't have a lot of life experiences. With that in mind I try and use visual thinking strategies that are going to lead my learners to a better understanding of the topic but also visuals that stimulate thinking. In most cases pictures have been a better visual to use.

What role do you want the Internet play in your classroom?

The Internet in my classroom plays the role of a resource tool. I like to use the resource to come up with material for my classroom, as well as, allow my students use the computer for research. Teaching my kids to not only rely on the Internet is important. Books have been a huge part of our world and students need to know and understand their importance, however, the Internet has definitely become this generation's top resource. It's what students rely on to do their school work, adults rely on for their business and career, and it has become a huge form of communication. Starting that learning process and exposing students at a young age to something that has been so important in our world today is important to me and something I try to do on a regular basis. I have three computers in my classroom that my students have access to everyday. They are able to form actions on the computer that I didn't learn to do until college. If spelling and reading weren't a major factor they would already be computer whizzes!!

Technology in the Classroom

In the 21st century today we are blessed with being able to implement technology into our classrooms. For those of us lucky enough to have a district supply us with some of those beneficial technology items it has made a positive impact on our students and has made teaching more enjoyable! I have found it not only useful but valuable to their education. The Promethean Board allows teachers to access multiple resources online in a matter of minutes and have it right there at our finger tips to provide our students with the highest quality of education. I enjoy using technology and feel that my students have been successful when it comes to using it for different activities. The best part about having the use of technology in my room is how it has impacted my students. Not only is it engaging for students, it reaches multiple learning styles, as well as, allows for the use of a variety of instruction strategies to be implemented at the same time.

 

Leprechaun Traps!!!

Well today was eventful! I got the idea from a long term sub job I did for a great friend of mine. My students took home notes that asked them to be as creative as possible and make a trap TO CATCH A LEPRECHAUN!!! We had fun trying to catch the Gingerbread Man earlier this year! My students were very resourceful and came up with some very creative traps.

We set them up this morning and throughout the day at random times we heard 'the tinkering of hammers'. Of course, everywhere we went students saw glitter, heard hammers, saw flashes of green :).

Limerick the Leprechaun showed up while the students were at lunch!!! Wish everyone could have been here to see the excitement on their faces!! Sadly, we didn't catch him. Our traps were good but they weren't quite tricky enough for that sneaky leprechaun. Lucky for us, Limerick left us a limerick along with some very delicious doughnuts :)

At the end of the day we got to draw pictures for Limerick and every student had fun writing him a letter. One student even made a plot for revenge on that tricky leprechaun, saying "com bak next yer becuzz my trap wil be even bedder and then I wil get yir gold". We're a competitive class...hahaha!! :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day tomorrow!!!!