Thursday, March 2, 2017
Blended Learning
Blended learning is something that I could see continuing to thrive in education. With technology being updated all the time, this is something that could change education and how some things are taught or done in a classroom. I think if it is intentionally used in a proper way, students can learn in greater ways. We need ton make sure that teachers are using it as a tool versus a replacement to have more time to do other things. I think like any technology, it needs to be used as a support in teaching and learning.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Action Research Update!
So far, teaching calendar and weather concepts through the Smartboard have been going well. I am finding that students are engaged in learning. As I am using technology, I am also beginning to see students becoming less interested in the use of the Smartboard. I am finding more and more that a combination of the Smartboard and hands-on material work more successfully.
For our weather, I've been allowing students to use the Smartboard to dress the character in the appropriate clothing but also having our weather reporter physically look out the window to let us know what the weather is like. This combination and addition of more physically interactive methods seems to engage students in a better way.
For our weather, I've been allowing students to use the Smartboard to dress the character in the appropriate clothing but also having our weather reporter physically look out the window to let us know what the weather is like. This combination and addition of more physically interactive methods seems to engage students in a better way.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Interactive Whiteboards
After reading The Art and Science of Teaching/Teaching with Interactive Whiteboards by Robert J. Marzano, I am seeing the importance of intentional teaching even within technology. There definitely needs to be a balance when using technology. I think as educators we need to be careful not to use technology as a replacement for teaching. It needs to be used more as a support and a tool to support student learning.
I think that it is interesting that the studies found that "teachers had better results WITHOUT the interactive whiteboards" (2). If we get carried away by using too much technology, meaning, we are replacing with actual meaningful teaching, students will not learn as well.
As I reflect, I want to be intentional when using my Smartboard. I personally love it, but I want to make sure that I am not just using it because students enjoy looking at the screen or because it's fun to use. I want to be a teacher that uses this intentionally, slowing down in lessons, to make sure that students are fully understanding the concepts learned.
I think that it is interesting that the studies found that "teachers had better results WITHOUT the interactive whiteboards" (2). If we get carried away by using too much technology, meaning, we are replacing with actual meaningful teaching, students will not learn as well.
As I reflect, I want to be intentional when using my Smartboard. I personally love it, but I want to make sure that I am not just using it because students enjoy looking at the screen or because it's fun to use. I want to be a teacher that uses this intentionally, slowing down in lessons, to make sure that students are fully understanding the concepts learned.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Action Research Update
I've been using our Smartboard to teach our lesson on calendar and weather. It's been going well so far. I am seeing that all of my students are engaged and stay engaged for a longer period of time. I'm going to keep this up and see how much more I can support their learning in this area by using the Smartboard.
I have a big calendar on the screen and we go through the days of the week, month and date. We still sing our learning songs but are using the screen rather than our physical calendar. Students are enjoying looking at the screen and the moving objects. This reaction is similar to learning about our weather as well. The students have been taking turns dressing the character appropriately for the weather. I am observing that the students are much more interested but I do want to continue testing this method out to see if they continue to keep interest.
So far, the students seem to be enjoying calendar and weather more because there is a screen involved and they get to take turns moving objects (many of our students think of a Smartboard as a giant iPad). In terms of engagement, there is much improvement. We'll continue to see if this is benefiting the learning of the concepts as I continue to research.
I have a big calendar on the screen and we go through the days of the week, month and date. We still sing our learning songs but are using the screen rather than our physical calendar. Students are enjoying looking at the screen and the moving objects. This reaction is similar to learning about our weather as well. The students have been taking turns dressing the character appropriately for the weather. I am observing that the students are much more interested but I do want to continue testing this method out to see if they continue to keep interest.
So far, the students seem to be enjoying calendar and weather more because there is a screen involved and they get to take turns moving objects (many of our students think of a Smartboard as a giant iPad). In terms of engagement, there is much improvement. We'll continue to see if this is benefiting the learning of the concepts as I continue to research.
Recognizing and Overcoming False Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck
I don't want to be a teacher that fosters false growth mindset!
This article was interesting because I think that a lot of times as educators, we think we may be saying or doing the right thing but we don't realize that it may not be helping at all. I think that if we were more intentional about growth mindset, we could do a lot more in helping our students.
Giving Praises just because... it sounds nice?
I am definitely seeing the downfall of giving praises on just their effort. I see that there needs to be more intention behind our praises. Complimenting and encouraging students on their effort isn't necessarily a bad thing but if that is all that we are doing, we are not actually helping them grow further. I think that there is a better chance for them to stay stagnant in where they are if we are not giving students honest feedback and providing them with tools to continue to do better. I agree with Dweck when she says that teachers can "acknowledge laudable effort, but they also need to acknowledge when students are not learning effectively then work with them to find new learning strategies" (2). Again, it is more important to be intentional in student learning growth than giving them praises and encouragement with no meaning behind it.
This article reminds me to be intentional in my words to foster true growth mindset. It may take more time and effort, but in the end, it will benefit the students that we are working with.
This article was interesting because I think that a lot of times as educators, we think we may be saying or doing the right thing but we don't realize that it may not be helping at all. I think that if we were more intentional about growth mindset, we could do a lot more in helping our students.
Giving Praises just because... it sounds nice?
I am definitely seeing the downfall of giving praises on just their effort. I see that there needs to be more intention behind our praises. Complimenting and encouraging students on their effort isn't necessarily a bad thing but if that is all that we are doing, we are not actually helping them grow further. I think that there is a better chance for them to stay stagnant in where they are if we are not giving students honest feedback and providing them with tools to continue to do better. I agree with Dweck when she says that teachers can "acknowledge laudable effort, but they also need to acknowledge when students are not learning effectively then work with them to find new learning strategies" (2). Again, it is more important to be intentional in student learning growth than giving them praises and encouragement with no meaning behind it.
This article reminds me to be intentional in my words to foster true growth mindset. It may take more time and effort, but in the end, it will benefit the students that we are working with.
Monday, February 6, 2017
Creativity through Direct Instruction
After discussing in our class, I believe that a balance is important in teaching styles. I agree with some of the ways that constructivist look at teaching but I believe that an instructor can create an atmosphere in which students can discover and learn the presented concepts, which, I feel, are some of the more important parts of constructivist teaching.
With direct instruction, I believe that one can create a controlled atmosphere where students can discover and make choices on their own. In class, we discussed that students would miss out on certain concepts and topics if they were able to fully choose on their own. I agree with this idea as well. I think that if we as educators remember our creativity, we could create an atmosphere of learning that allows for student discovery through direct instruction.
With direct instruction, I believe that one can create a controlled atmosphere where students can discover and make choices on their own. In class, we discussed that students would miss out on certain concepts and topics if they were able to fully choose on their own. I agree with this idea as well. I think that if we as educators remember our creativity, we could create an atmosphere of learning that allows for student discovery through direct instruction.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Start to Action Research through Technology
I mentioned this in my previous post with using technology through the Smartboard to support calendar and weather learning. This is a part of the day that students love, but can become disengaged with, especially at the prekindergarten age. I would like to come up with a fun way to explore this part of the day using technology. The reasoning behind me choosing this is because I believe that it has a lot of potential for integration in other academic concepts such as counting, quantifying, sorting, observing, predicting, etc. I would love to see students use this time to not only learn about how to recognize and say the date and weather but be able to implement other skills that they have learned throughout other lessons.
Another area that I have been wanting to explore a little bit more is using technology to support beginning phonics skills. In our classroom, we start to teach beginning phonics throughout the later half of the school year. I would like to use technology to engage students that have a more difficult time focusing throughout these lessons. I am finding that the short attention span and lack of focus from some students hinder the depth of understanding when talking about putting letters together to make words. I would love to discover a way in which technology can support the students who struggle a little bit more in understanding these concepts.
Another area that I have been wanting to explore a little bit more is using technology to support beginning phonics skills. In our classroom, we start to teach beginning phonics throughout the later half of the school year. I would like to use technology to engage students that have a more difficult time focusing throughout these lessons. I am finding that the short attention span and lack of focus from some students hinder the depth of understanding when talking about putting letters together to make words. I would love to discover a way in which technology can support the students who struggle a little bit more in understanding these concepts.
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