SACs

We are in the process of preparing for SACs at our school and I must admit it is stressful. I am on our School Improvement Team and we are the chairs for the committees that had to be formed for each standard. Each committee chair has team members that have been working with them to complete the standards and I want to say that I am so thankful for my team member. Without them I would have been totally lost and I am so thankful to know that group of women will be presents when SACs comes in to ask us questions. We have read, analyzed, written down information, typed information, and spent time editing. We have done it as a group and prayerfully we will be ready for the visit in February!

I'm Back

     After getting locked out of my blogger account and not being able to post as I should due to so many various reasons, I am back and very apologetic to my fellow students and professor for not being caught up with blogging. It seems like so much has been going on and that their has been so much to do in my personal life, professional life, and school life. But I must say that with all that is going on I have remainder optimistic and happy. The reason I say this is because in the past, when things pile up on be or I get behind, I stress or become depressed. But I have stayed determined to not allow myself to get to that point. There has been more than one time that I have wanted to throw a computer through a window since graduate school began so it makes me feel good that I have not gotten to that point with all that has happened.
   On another positive note, I have spent time personally reflecting on the growth I have seen in myself and my fellow classmates over the last year and a half and I am so excited to say that it is better than I could have ever imagined. With working with 5 of our classmates it has been great to see the leadership we have taking in our school, how we are able to speak up when needed, and how we have changed on views on what we teacher and how we teach. I have always enjoyed being around my colleagues and thought of them as a part of my school family but now I feel even closer to them. We bring strength to our school and are helping to make our foundation even stronger than it was.

To Blessed to Stress

So I just realized that the blogs I have done at home are not posting as they should so I am once again catching up...

Life has been so good to me lately and although I am had stress try to creep into existence in my life I refuse to let it. I am having the best school year, my health is a whole lot better, and I am making connection with new friends. Although there is a lot on my list of things to do I am doing my best to remember that each thing I complete brings me one step closer to the end of another school year and one step closer to graduating in May (I can't believe it is almost here for us!). I have learned so much over the past year and a half and I am thankful that I have been able to use some in my classroom this year. I truly feel that my school year is going better because of how I have revamped my teaching strategies. I owe this change to my graduate school experience mostly and due to the new confidence I have found in myself. It feels good to walk into school knowing I am reaching students instead of feeling lost. It feels good to know I am growing in my profession as I attend classes every Tuesday and Thursday and it really feels good knowing I am a good teacher! I may stumble at times but I can see that I am reaching students and that is the best feeling in the world.

SO BLESSED!

Technology in my Kids Hands

It never ceases to amaze me the expression on my students faces when new technology is introduced to them. They light up in a way that bring a lot of joy to my heart. This was the excitement I experienced this past week when I introduced the Classroom Performance Sytem to my students. It was as though they were a group of kids riding up the a side of a roller coaster, anticipating the rush they will get when they make it to the top and then go quickly down the other side. I am even more excited that they enjoyed learning about the CPS because since I introduced it to them I have had training, Monday and Tuesday, on how to use CPS to make testing more interactive for students. Since technology is becoming a strong force with assessments having a way to make the process more interactive, in my opinion, will be a plus! I want students to enjoy the experience versus being weighed down by what they are required to do and I have noticed that taking what would have orignially been done through the use of pencil and paper and change it to something that allows students to use computers of a system, such as the CPS, they feel less intimidated and more able to enjoy they process. I have not been able to determine why students loose some of their intimidation factor but I am interested in seeing if the observations I have already made stay consistant.

Writer's Notebook

I am glad we were asked to keep a writer's notebook this semester. I have been reflecting on things I have done at school, our readings, ideas that have gained from our reading, ideas gained from class discussions, and keeping track of the writings we have had to do at the beginning of class. I must admit, a few times my thoughts have been scattered between the notebook I chose to use for class and another I have at school but I have been working on transferring them both into one location.

I used to keep a daily teaching journal where I would write down the pluses and negatives of the lessons I taught, the behavior consequences and rewards that worked in my classroom, and any random ideas or thoughts that came to my mind about how to improve the educational experience my students have but when I became pregnant with my last son I found myself to be to busy to keep up with it. Having to keep the writer's notebook for this class has gotten me back on track and although I am not writing daily I have been able to record important information and ideas. If it has not been for this assignment then I do not know if I would have started this kind of writing again.

Hicks, Chapter 1 and 2

     Wow and Oh No! I don't know about anyone else but when I started reading this book I realized that I need to change how I teach writing if I truly want my students to be where they should be digitally and as writer. I am so guilty of teacher students about the writing and its processes versus how to be writers.

    I took some time the other day to look at the writing my students have done in their journals this year and started to think about how wrong I have been to require the students to only focus on the topics I have chosen. It has been about the writing process and not have a chance to express themselves as a writer. I like the idea found on page 21 about using Really Simple Syndication (RSS) to find information on the web that is important to them and then being able to take that information, thinking about it, and formulate information from what they have chosen. I feel, especially after reading these two chapters, that students need to be more involved in the process of choosing what they will write about. If it necessary for a topic to be the same for the entire class then I should make sure their are some choices within the topic. For example, we learned about carnivorous plants the other week in class. If I wanted the students to write about these plants then the students could research to find out which carnivorous plant they want to write about and go from there. I do not have to give each students a specific plant and say research and write about this.

    I feel like once again my brain is in overload with ideas and information and I am just at the end of chapter two with this book. Now on to chapter 3 :)

Feeling Like I'm Getting Somewhere

Stress has tried its best to get to me these past couple of weeks. Between my computer acting up, blogs that have written that have not posted, loosing some papers I really didn't need to loose, and trying to juggle family and everything else in life, I have felt like I was going to loose it. However, this week I have been able to find some sunshine in the midst of all the darkness. My students are working hard to do well in school and that brings a smile to my face. I feel like they respect me and that they care. I have students seeking help when they may not understand what they need to do and who are willing to communicate with their classmates. They have amazed me and although things are not perfect, because no situation is perfect, I feel a great sense of hope when I enter my classroom each day.

Other positives that have occurred just in the past two days is that my computer is back up and functioning as it should, the missing papers have magically appeared again, and I have decided that instead of being upset about my missing blogs it is best for me to just start over and get everything done! Things are and will continue to get better and better. I truly feel like I am getting somewhere!

"Clarity" by Leigh Ann Chambers

When at the Chowan personnel art exhibit I was originally drawn to a beautiful piece of art on a traditional canvas (the type of art I would immediately think of hanging on my wall in the living room) but then something else caught my attention. It was a piece of flooring covered by spray paint and enamal of different colors such as white, blue, purple, and tan. The title of this work is "Clarity" by Leigh Ann Chambers and although it was flooring, vinyl, it made a lot of sense to me.

Recently, I have felt like my life has been covered with a lot of stuff and that it has been hard to get back to the basics or the foundation of my life. The flooring reminded me of the foundation of my life, the area that starts with its original beauty then gets covered with all the mess gathered as life goes on. All of the paint spots, some nice and neat and others a mess, reminded me of how the foundation gets covered with all the things that must be done and things that are confusing. The nice neat sections that were painted represented, in my opinion, the things that have been put in my life that can be controlled and fit into their own special place. Then there where the the areas that looked like paint has been thrown without thought, some of these messes overlapped the nice neat sections, The messy part of the artwork represented all the confusing, hectic, and unorganized things that are thrown into life. With all of this said, the title "Clarity" reminded me that under all the stuff that must be done, all the chaos I encounter and the stuff piled on me there is a beautiful foundation. It is always there and although things may try to make it a mess, the foundation stays in tack and it is that foundation that holds everything together.

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

I see myself as a Digital Immigrant who has been doing her best in the last two years to become fluent in the language of Digital Natives. The statement, "the single biggest problem facing education today is that our Digital Immigrant Instructors, who speak and outdated language (that of pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks and entirely new language" on page 2 of Prensky's article stood out to me as I read. How are we as supposed to reach a digital world if we are not willing to embrace it as a part of our daily lives? I have been working with my students on understanding greater than, less than, and equal to and during class instruction I realized that I was the one who had to technology in my hand when writing on the eno board so I quickly stopped and said I have an idea. Of course this grabbed some of my students attention and I began to do a mini lesson on technology in the hands of students. I showed them the process in which to use to eno board, how to go to sites, how to change the pen color, how to complete interactive notes, and more. The next thing I knew, I was watching my students in control of their learning. I felt I had reached them and I guess you could say, I was speaking their language. The experience of learning, researching, note-taking, etc... came to life in my classroom and I began to think that if I was able to accomplish this within the first 3 weeks of school then what more could I accomplish if I became more knowledgable of the technology that we, my students and I, are surrounded by.

It has amazed me how the articles and reading we do in graduate school can so quickly apply to our lives as teachers. It seems that everytime I read something new I can't wait to implement and explore its possibilities within my classroom and other areas of the school. It is so awesome when you can leave your room in the care of another adult and due to what the students know and have been taught they can still continue with the technological aspects of a lesson. No more leaving that element out of lessons just because the teacher is not their. If the students have the knowledge then let it continue with or without your presence. So exciting!

I will catch up, I will catch up, I will catch up

After spending a lot of the past week fighting with the internet, my blog site, time management, and more I have decided that I am and will catch up on what I should be doing before this week is over. I am starting with my blogs now that I have finally been able to log back on. To my understanding and wonderful classmates and professor, I am sorry for my tardiness with my posts this week. It just seems like there is so much to do in so little time and whenever you feel like I am catching up then something else happens (i.e. my blog not letting me post for the last few days.) Okay, now that I have that out of my system I will begin rewriting the posts I have been trying to write for the past few days!

Albers and Harste

I think back to when I was a third grade student and remember that the only source of technology in my teachers classroom was an overhead projector and a tape player. Now I look at my classroom as a third grade teacher and I see the use of iPads, an interactive whiteboard, computers, a document cameras, laptops, an iPod, speakers, a microphone system, and more. These are things I have became used to teaching with and it makes me realized how things change over time and how we, as teachers, must adapt to those changes. We are in a society where having a cell phone in your pocket is normal and where facebook is a lot of peoples main source of communication. Being able to utilize these technological tools in our classrooms makes learning experience more relevant for our students. I could not imagine what it would be like to have a classroom like the one I described as we being in as a third grade student. Albers and Harste speak of how our world is high tech and through reading I have realized an even larger urgency than I did before to make sure that I keep up and am able to utilize the resources I have to benefit my students!

Semiotic Representations

Growing up and even today, I am the type of person that can relate to what I am learning better if I take notes that include illustrations of what I have learned. For example, a while back I was in a meeting in which the leader spoke about putting negativity in the trash and leaving it there. Well I went to write down what she had said but instead I drew a sad face inside a trash can on my paper. When I look back at those notes I know exactly what the picture/illustration means and exactly why the leader said what she did. To me, this goes along with this article by Cowan and Albers. There is a quote by a fifth grader on page 134 that says, "I like this class because in other classes we have to do specific stuff. In here, we can do what we can do." This leads me to think about all we have learned, as teachers, about differentiation and meeting the needs of students. By looking at the activities in this article you can see how different students have been able to interpret tasks based on their preferences. For examples, on page 133, Cowan and Albers share two examples of students work. I see an assignment connection between the two examples but I also see how two students identified visually and poetically with the task at hand in a different way. The students learning experience is personalized!

Nick News and 9/11

I wish I had watched this video before this past weekend because I would have shared it with my students. When I watched what Nick News had to share about  9/11 I felt like I gained a better understanding of what truly happened. Like any other events, false information tends to leak into the news and other publications over time. It leaves people wondering what is real and what if fake. With the way in which Nick News presented information about 9/11 it seems as though they were in search of the facts. They took the time to go to the correct sources and gave everyday people the chance to have their questions answered (I love that the questions came from students). I could see using this video in my 3rd grade classroom to let my students know what 9/11 because they were not alive at the time in which it occurred. When I asked them if they knew must said they didn't know anything other than what they parents may have mentioned or what they had seen on t.v. Often the things shown are the harsher pictures that may bother students at the age level of those I teach. Nick News made a video that was less abrasive and better oriented for younger children. It has been an experience of mine that when students see other children sharing their questions versus having to only listen to a set of adults they are more receptive to what is being said. Allowing the kids to share their questions in the video was a great way to make it known that their questions are important.

I struggle when it comes to being up, what I call, "touchy" subjects with my class and am fearful that my words will not be as accurate as they should. This video eliminates me having to worry about whether or not I am saying the correct information in the best fashion. It provides a way for a teacher, such as myself, to share the facts and have them understood. To me it brings a positive approach to what is considered to be a very negative situation. I love the positive aspects of being thankful for those who did survive versus on focusing on the bad things. This was an eyeopening and wonderful video for me and I feel it would be the same for my students!

Infographic Overload

Being a technology loving teacher, I was surprised I had never heard of the wonderful world of infographics but now that I have I am ready to explore. I can see using these in my classroom to create historical timelines, comparing data, sharing mathematical data (maybe when teaching temperature), and much more. Then that infographics can be used to create higher order thinking questions that can be answered based on the information presented. Just imagine... you have taught your students about taking temperatures and about how temperature can be different in one location than another. You send you students are a temperature walk to collect data in various locations throughout the school. Then, you have the students create and infographic about the data they collected. After finishing, the student compare their data to other groups and also take time to create questions using Marzano's questions stems. The students pass their information to another group and they complete the questions using the information presented. A great combination of representing information and practicing comprehension. I'm excited and am looking forward to all the possiblities infographics may hold!

Riddle, Chapter 1

Reading this chapter gave me a list of things to remember.
The list is:
1. Use images to retell stories.
2. Students find excitement when they connect to what they are reading.
3. Visual elements help students remember what they have read.
4. Graphic organizers are a good way to organize thoughts and provide a way to visually record what's been read/learned.
5. Not everyone will answer things the same and that is what makes it possible for students to share what they know and learn new things from their classmates.
6. It is important to have 100% of students involved.
Several of these things I do on a regular bases in my classroom and will continue to do throughout this school year but some I have not used as I should. I plan on take these 6 items and enforce/reinforce them this school year. I want to do all I can to help students learn and I think these items will help that happen. Let the learning begin!

What do we mean by literacy now?

Literacy seems to be something that is ever changing in how it perceived. When reading Harste article literacy linked to differentiation in my mind. This was due to him explaining that different people view literacy differently just like different people learn in different ways. The ways in which you approach things determines the meaning you get from it. Also, your background and how you connect who you are to what you are learning brings new meaning to what is being read or learned.

Something I loved about this reading is how the examples provided went outside the pages of a book. Harste discusses the use of posters, art, music, technology and so much more. I must admit that before I became a teacher I thought of literacy as being able to read but now I see it as a part of life in when you can interpret, understand, and discover the meaning of the things around you whether it be what is written in a book, a picture on a poster, or the facial expression a person makes as a reaction to what is going on in their lives. I also have learned the value of writing as a part of literacy!

Summer

Summer is almost gone but the memories my kids and I have made are irreplaceable. From spending time together at the beach for a week to Vacation Bible School at church and family time at home and at Mema's, we have had a blast. It is hard to think that I am going to be leaving them soon to return to my busy schedule of teaching and grad school. Although this saddens me, I also excited because my 4 year old will be at my school this year. He is going to be in Pre-K and is so excited about school. When he has gone out to school with me, this summer, he has asked each time to tour the Pre-K classrooms and what his teacher's name is going to be. All I can say is either Mrs. Whitaker or Ms. Washington have a ball full of excitement and energy coming their way. On another positive note, I am also looking forward to what this school year may hold with my students. I have so many ideas of what can be done to have a higher level of student engagement in my class as well as ways to build respect in the classroom. I proclaim that this school will be full of change and active engagement! I feel success in the future!

What have I learned this semester?

Wow... answering the question of what I have learned this semester would take a really long time because I feel I have learned so much in such a short period of time. Some of the specific things I have learned are the importance of classroom workshops (Chapter 5 of Daniels and Bizar), the importance of students working cooperatively in small groups (Chapter 4 of Daniels and Bizar), how to make reading a thinking process (Chapter 2 of Daniel and Bizar), and much more. All of the above mentioned elements of instruction are very important and I plan to incorperate all of them in a better manner when the 2011-2012 school year begins and throughout the semester.

Now, to one of the most important things I have learned this semester other than what I have read and learned from our texts... I have learned so much about myself this semester. I feel as though I have a voice and as I enter this upcoming year I plan to use that voice. I also realized that I have more technology abilities than I thought. My teammates, for the intergrated unit, gave me the nickname of Techno Pup and by the time we were done with our unit I actually felt I had earned the title. One thing I have struggled with during graduate school and throughout most of my life is having confidence in my abilities and I am very happy to say that this semester has given me some much needed confidence. I was able to realize some areas of teaching that I implement well and also was able to see some ways in which I can become an even better teacher. Instead of being down on myself for the things that need to be changed, I have gained a sense of excitement for what the future will hold. I imagine a classroom in which students are actively engaged; A classroom where learning occurs a level far beyond the textbook. I am so excited to implement the strategy of jigsaw reading in my classroom versus my students just reading in groups, having students to make portfolies as a source of assessment versus a test, and most of all integrating content in a manner that's seamless. By this I mean all content will be integrated to reach a common purpose.

If you can't tell by now... I AM REALLY EXCITED about the change that is going to occur due to all of my classmates and I working together, as a group, to emphasis the need for integration and authenticity in the classroom! Together, we are going to be able to make things different instead of same old, same old.

Sorry...

Just read the posts of my group mates for the integrated unit and realized I forgot to include the types of assessments we will be using for our unit. We have a lot of tasks that will be completed using a rubric for a guideline. One that I am really excited about is the "Service Day" that we will include in order to teach our students how to better their community. This is going to be a completely out of the box day in and one I look forward to having others read about as they look at our unit. Other assessment will come from a design project, kite building, etc... A lot of fun assessments will be done that will be focused on the act of "doing"!

Scary

As a third grade teacher I automatically think about EOGs when I hear the word assessment and I must admit this is scary to me and has been for the five years I have been teaching a tested grade. I hate thinking that all the work my students and I have done throughout the school year will all be judged based on one set of test. Then I realize how much self doubt sinks in when my students do not do as well as I hoped they would even though I know they have grown. I questions what I could of done differently and what factors have impacted my students during testing. This brings me to a stronger support for authentic and continuous assessment.

This semester, in grad school, we have focus on the act of "doing" in the classroom and student being active in their learning, which I think is a terrific idea but I still struggle to see how this matches up with standardized test. I find myself having a battle within my mind of what I should do to best meet the needs of my students. Another key element behind this dilemma is knowing my students are going to be exposed to the EOGs for the first time when they get to me and I know they do not have a clue what they will face when the school year is nearing an end. Without knowing, I feel obligated personally and by those above me to expose my students to the format of standardized test they will have more often than being able to assess in an authentic manner. This sense of obligations tends overwhelm the other things I could be doing to make learning more involved for my students and I am torn between which way is the right way. However, I think a break through is in the making and I am hoping I am right. I believe some are realizing that doing the same thing and exposing students to the format of EOGs in the same way is not working. I feel a rebuilding period coming up in which me, my teammates, administration, and co-workers from other grades, are going to delve into the minds of students and find out what will be the most powerful means of assessment and instruction to meet their needs. It is time for change!

Authentic Experiences

I loved the idea of "Me" portfolios as described on pages 198-203 of Daniels and Bizar (2005).
I feel this activity is a great way for students to get to know each other and I like that students can be original in their approaches. Finding a sense of community in my classroom was more difficult for me this school year than it had been in the past and I think by giving students an opportunity to share who they are, in an authentic manner, will help my students understand where each other comes from. I also feel using this type of introduction activity could allow me to find strengths in my students that I can utilize throughout the school year. I look forward to using "Me" portfolios at the beginning of next school year as I strive to create, along with my students, a classroom community of respect and encouragement (Daniels & Bizarre, 2005)

Balance

Finding a way to balance family and school can be very difficult but is something I am trying my best to do. I must admit that I sometimes sit down to do grad school work with resentment because I would rather be playing with the kids but then I remember that there is a purpose behind what I am doing. I am trying to grow as a teacher and that is important to me. Another thing that makes it worth it is when my 4 year old son looks up to me and says,"Mommy, I am proud of you." I ask him why and he let's me know it's because I work so hard. It amazes me how the words of my son make things a little less stressful. My mind and focus at this point is getting everything done to my fullest potential by June 30th then spending a lot of quality time with my 1 yr. old, 4 yr. old, and husband during the month of July!

Task 3: Lesson Ideas (Farming)

http://ncmoa.org/artnc/pictures/artifact/full/57.jpg and http://ncmoa.org/artnc/pictures/artifact/full/58.jpg

A field of cut burley tobacco and Jim Symre and family planting tobacco by Rob Amberg may seem to be two strange pieces of art to relate to an elementary school lesson but I was immediately drawn to both. The reason I chose these was due to the farming in our local community and that tobacco farming is part of that. Social studies is the main reason I chose these photos because in third grade we discuss how the local community and region changes over time and what the impacts are (farming is big in our area) but I can also see using these to cover science, language arts, math, and arts content. All of these content areas would intertwine from the starting point of these photos!

Here is how I would incorporate each content area:

Language Arts: Students would have various reading assignments that would be done with groups. The students groups would be responsible for reading about both photos, reading information about farming, learning about the needs of plants, etc.. The students would split these reading task and when the information was needed they would share with their group mates in order to make sure a full understanding is gained. One person or two people per group with the be the experts in what they read while still having accountability for all with the reading tasks. This accountability would come through questioning. If a student did not understand what his group mate read then he would have to ask questions to get clarity.

Science: Student would learn about photosynthesis and what it takes for plants to grow. Students would then plant their own plants and be responsible for taking care of them. While this was going on other plants would be planted (3 plants per group) and one would be placed by the window and would receive no water, another would be placed in the closet, and the final one would be put in the window and watered when needed. The students would keep a log on how to plants grow.

Math: To incorporate math with the above science tasks the students would need to do measurements for their log. Students will measure the height of their plants and write the information on their log. After each week the students will add their total growth and record this information on the log also.

Art: To incorporate art the students will discuss and learn about the impact of color on art. They will learn if certain colors cause different emotions or feelings. The question the students will try to answer is whether color would change the feeling of the artwork.

There is a lot more I could add to these plans but like normal my mind is spinning and I am trying to make everything flow. I am sure other teachers will agree that sometimes we have so many ideas that putting all in a functional order takes time. So excited about so many possibilities!

Task 2: Melber and Hunter

The task from Unit 2 of Melber and Hunter that I would like to adapt for my classroom is Strategy 7 on developing map skills. I chose this activity because in my 3 years of teaching third grade, maps have always been a focus of our social studies instruction and when looking through the new essential standards finding location withing a community is still present. Here are a list of ideas that come to mind on how to use this strategy next year in my classroom:

(1) Reviewing polygons through the images the students see in their community (math)
(2) Learning about scale and how to draw to scale (math)
(3) How to read a map of the local community (social studies)
(4) Estimating and actual distance from one place to another in feet (math and social studies)
(5) Determining which system of measurement should be used to describe the distance from one place to another (inches, feet, or miles- customary; centimeters, meters, or kilometers- metric)

Please note that ideas (1), (4) and (5) are adaptations from page 51 of the book and idea (2) is adapted from the rubric on page 52 of the book.

Task 1: Chapter 4 of Schell and Fisher

First of all, I would like to say that I love that Schell and Fisher grabbed my attention at the beginning of the chapter with a successful teaching story. I must admit that if I had read the second situation first I may not have enjoyed reading this chapter as much... so kudos to the authors!

Schell and Fisher share a lot of interesting ideas throughout this chapter but the section that appealed to me the most is the section on instructional strategies that work, specifically the sub-sections of inquiry-based learning and making connections. I can see using the mix and mingle strategy on page 95 in my groups integrated unit and in my classroom in upcoming years. Another strategy I will suggest my group use is Jigsaw Reading found on page 97. I like the idea of different people being responsible for different sections of  reading task then sharing with a group in order to find out what the entire reading was about. I feel this lightens part of the reading load then allows a chance to share knowledge. Also, I think this strategy can help learners, focus instead of feeling bogged down with their assignments. Another reason this was interesting to me is this strategy was mentioned, without the title of Jigsaw Reading, in our graduate class the other night. I can't remember who said it but the idea of different people being responsible for different parts of the reading then sharing information was provided for our workload. This goes to show that ideas that we are provided to use with elementary school students can branch to all levels of education!

Well back to reading and adding things to my list of what I want to do to improve my classroom for next school year!

The End Yet Only the Beginning!

     I am saddened as this school year comes to the end because so many new teaching ideas have been presented to me recently through the reading for EDUC 520 and the blogs of my fellow classmates. I feel eager to get started with implementing these ideas but know I have a summer to wait before being able to do so. My fear is the ideas becoming stale in my mind. I am hoping that exploring ideas during the summer will help me keep things fresh in my mind!
     All of this makes me think of people who say teachers only work 10 months of the year. This is very untrue. With so many possibilities out there, teachers are always working to make their teaching more effective. Yes, we do take breaks and/or vacations, which much of the world does but that is not to be mistaken as having two months off. I personally feel that my job as a teacher is never done and I am sure others in the teacher profession will agree. We are explorers and will jump at any chance we get to learn more!

The Arts in My Classroom

     I am very passionate about music and art in my personal life. I share this passion through playing bass guitar and singing in my church's praise band. But, oh how that don't like that three letter word, I must admit I do not address arts in my classroom as I should.
     Without having a music or art teacher at my school, I should feel obligated to make sure that both are a part of my weekly lessons. I have done a few activities in which students have learned additional information about their reading story through songs that coincided, learned multiplication through a math rap c.d., created summary drawings instead of writing a summary, created a model of planets for their science project, etc... but the question I face is, am I using arts in the best manner in my classroom? I think I would have to answer, "No." If I am going to use a song or a project, in which students uses art, I think it needs to have more umph! By this I mean that it should be more than just the basics and give the students a chance to really understand the music and/or art behind what they are doing.
    I think of when I was younger and went to a magnet school for a little over a school year. In this school, we did not learn through text books. Instead we learned through music, dance, visual projects, film making, drawing, and just doing. I am amazed about how this is just popping into my mind as I type because it was such an awesome experience. It seem that the more I read in my Educ 520 and Educ 521 class the more I want to tweak how I teach. Don't get my wrong, I feel I am a good teacher but I know I can be even better. As times change I need to also.
    I guess my school's motto says it well: We are moving from Good to Great! This is true and something that I am striving to do as I learn how to incorporate integration into my classroom with more efficiency.

Integrated Curriculum -- What do you think about this way of teaching?

     I think integrating curriculum is a wonderful approach to teaching and something that I have set a goal to do better in the upcoming school year and years to come. Through reading Teaching the Best Practice Way by Daniels and Bizar and Meeting Standards Through Integrated Curriculum by Drake and Burns, I am even more excited about this approach. Both books discuss how to integrate curriculum and share thoughts and ideas about the integration process. One thing that truly appeals to me is how the focus should be on authentic instruction and making learning meaningful for students.
    Creating and implementing a theme-based unit, a unit of instruction that crosses a variety of content areas and focuses on centralized topic, would be an example of an integrated curriculum approach (Drake and Burns). Just imagine, a third grade teacher (such as myself) creating a theme-based unit about community and focusing it on facts about her students local community. The teacher takes that time to explore the community in which her students live in order to find out what's relevant to the area as far as weather, important landmarks, and community workers (students could also explore these areas). Next, the teacher creates a unit that combines math, science, reading, social studies, music, art, etc... Ideas that come to mind, for this unit, are having the students: create maps of the local community that include important and/or historical landmarks (social studies, math, and art); collect weather data through measuring daily temperatures at different times of the day and keeping data tables that would be graphed (science and math); and using what they've read and explored dealing their community and community workers to create a song that shares their new gained knowledge (reading and math).There are a lot of other ideas that come to mind but these are just a few to help explain how the wheels in my brain are turning about integrating curriculum.
     It seems to me that there as so many possibilities out there for teachers to grasp on to and I want to be one of them. All I can say now is... Let the planning and exploration begin!

Howdy!

Welcome all to my blog! Here you will find responses to weekly reading assignments for my Education 520 class. We will be reading about best practices for teaching and curriculum integration. I hope you enjoy what you read and please feel free to leave comments!