Home Stretch!

I enjoyed keeping a blog about the things I learned this semester. It will be valuable years down the road and easily accessible. I think a PLE causes for reflection and really gave me time to think about what we had learned that week.

Honestly the PLE was valuable and not a nuisance so I don't have anything that I don't like about it.

I plan on using blogs for my personal and professional use. I hope to have a class blog where I can keep parent informed. I think its a great way to record what's happened in the classroom.

Internet Safety

Part I: Reading

I chose to read Grade A by Marvin J Ashton. He said grade A products bring high prices and are high quality. He said the battle to be A Rated is a battle we can win. We need to be A rated in any form of media we use.

He gave the following challenges:

-to parents to be concerned about what your children read or view

-to grandparents to foster reading programs with your grandchildren.

-to youth to cooperate with parents who are concerned about your reading and your viewing. Be concerned yourself about what you take into your mind.

-to families to foster movie viewing that is wholesome.

-to every Latter-day Saint to come to a knowledge and an understanding of the scriptures.

I know good grades are valued in our society and so likewise should good media. I think its important for all of us to have a "withitness" when the media we spend time with. It is essential for our happiness! As a parent I want to hold meetings so that all of us our on the same page about our media choices. I don't want my children's moral understanding to be confused by what they see in the media. I want to define what true morality is, without them being desensitized by the media.

I can use this information with my relatives when it is applicable. I plan on being verbal about internet safety!


Part II: Watching

I watched several movie clips/podcasts from isafe.org. I was amazed at the statistics of computer use among youth. It doesn't surprise me because we live in a day where it's hard to even imagine life without the internet. I use it frequently.

First I realized how pop-ups are attractive to youth. They want to explore and are impressionable at this time. I as an adult need to make sure to buy anti-virus that also blocks popups.

Another scary thing to learn about was chatting online. The movie clip said 1 in 4 said they feel it's okay to talk to strangers online. The chance of meeting a cyberbulley/predator is too great. Youth do not need to meet people online. There are many people right up close that they don't even need to risk it. Plus chatting online robs children of developing communication skills necessary to function in the world. I know the internet can be of great value. It fascilitates communication in many ways, but the youth must be warned and aware of all that the internet means.

I plan to use these resources as a parent and a teacher. They pretty much speak for themselves. I'd use these resources as a springboard for a discussion. I want my kids to be educated! I am including these resources on this web page so that I can always refer back to them.

Here are some resources to choose from:

1. NetSmartz Video Resources:
(this site is the one officially promoted by UEN and has some great resources) (There are also some interactive online games that teach internet safety principles at the NetSmartzKids site.)

2. iKeepSafe Faux Paws Video: http://ikeepsafe.org/iksc_kids/
(This is a video developed by the BYU animation department that has also some great print resources to go with it.)

3. Frontline PBS Documentary:

(the most relevant sections to watch are . . .)

• 2. A Revolution in Classrooms and Social Life
• 4. Child Predator Fear
• 6. Cyberbullying
  

4. iSafe: http://www.isafe.org
(click on Webcast and use SchoolID 10079 or click on links below.)

• Webcast 1: Privacy and the Internet
• Webcast 2: Cyber Relationships
• Webcast 3: Intellectual Property
• Webcast 4: Malicious Code
• Webcast 5: Cyber Citizenship
• Webcast 6: Social Issues
• Webcast 8: Cyber Harassment

5. iSafe iLearn, iFifty+, or iParent Online series: http://ilearn.isafe.org/
(This is a really great resource that I would encourage students interested in the topic to explore. The training is fairly extensive and there are several hours of video-based training materials available. Those interested in doing all the modules can actually receive an internet safety certification that could be used in job applications. - completing the full training will require several hours.)

6. Internet Safety Podcast

Old Mill Elementary, the last leg!

I will miss Old Mill Elementary School! It's been a fabulous experience. I feel so lucky to work with Mrs. Valine and those 23 third graders. I've learned oodles. This week I continued to work with my guided reading group, taught a shared reading on synonyms, and Ashley and I even taught the whole day on Friday while Mrs. Valine was gone. Exciting!

On Monday I am going to teach the kids about Picasso before they make their own self-portraits Picasso style. I'll use a powerpoint to give a brief biography of his life and show some of his paintings.

Overall, Old Mill's attitude toward technology is positive. They use it a lot.

Old Mill Elementary School, Week 3

This week Ashley and I taught plural possessive nouns using a powerpoint. It is a really efficient tool to teach specific skills. We asked the kids to write on whiteboard the correct answers to the questions. This way the technology was interactive.

I notice the kids also spend lots of time in the computer labs each week. Today we went and the kids finished up a math test on the computer then they were allowed to play math games. Overall technology use is valuable at Old Mill Elementary School.

My idea to use technology in the classroom is what Ashley did in her lesson this week. She had the children write about wishes. Prior to their writing she showed a powerpoint of the many ways you make wishes; like a wishing well, a dandelion, and throwing a coin in a fountain.

Old Mill Elementary School, Week 2!

Mrs. Valine used a powerpoint presentation to teach 23 third graders about Singluar Possessive Nouns. It was effective because the children were active participants. After she taught the skill the children were given the opportunity to practice on the whiteboard. Mrs. Valine seems to have a great attitude about technology. She uses it appropriately and within what 3rd graders can handle.

I noticed how convenient it is to have a projector in your classroom. It is a great tool to bring the outside world into the walls of the classroom. I haven't used technology myself yet in this setting, but on Wed we will be teaching Plural Possessive Nouns with a powerpoint! I think it is a fabulous way to use technology in the classroom.

Old Mill Elementary School!

What a crazy three days! It seems like we've been in the schools a lot longer than that! It is exciting and hard work! I work with Mrs. Valine. This is her first year teaching in Utah. She taught in Orange County California for the last five years. I respect her teaching style lots. She is serious about the kids learning content! She differentiates instruction so all her third graders can be successful. I am excited to learn more!

Old Mill Elementary was built in 2006. Thus it was built with technology in mind. They have two computer labs with 30 computers in each lab. Each class gets an hour of computer time each week. Each classroom also has a visualizer. Unfortunately there are not any computers in the classroom, but still the kids have access to the technology. Each teacher has a computer and a projector in the classroom. I know Mrs. Valine sometimes uses powerpoint. She can also show movies on the projector.

I also know that Wasatch school district is in a partnership with 9 other districts called NUES where they share technology with other schools...like digital cameras, video cameras and anything else you want. It just takes an email to reserve them. And luckily NUES is located in Heber so it's pretty convenient. I hope to find out more about it. It sounds like a great resource. Overall, the use of technology seems positive at the school.

I plan to use a powerpoint presentation in my upcoming lesson.

Lewis & Clark!

This week I added 4 placement tacks to the Lewis and Clark Trail kmz file I found last week. Each placement tack has a student activity to deepen their understanding of this topic. This could be used for 5th Graders. Standard 4, objective 1.B.

I'd use this in the classroom to help kids discover the path of Lewis and Clark. I look at it like a treasure map. Each of my four tacks has the child discover one aspect of the trail and then they record what they learn in their journals. Hopefully by the end of the activity they will have a book of facts about Lewis and Clark.

I viewed Ashley, Devin and Michelle's virtual tours. I learned from my peers by looking at their Google Earth virtual tours that you can use Google Earth tours across the curriculum! Everything from science to medieval history. I noticed how nice it is to have the picture immediately pop up in the box instead of having a link.

Google Earth!

This week we learned about virtual tours that can be found on Google Earth. This is really my first real experience with google earth, although I have tampered with it a little before. I learned how to search for specific places and buildings. I also found other virtual tours of Huck Finn, Anne Frank, animals, ecosystems etc. It can be a huge resource as a teacher. I plan to use this as a teacher when teaching them about geography, communities, explorers etc.

Below is a link to a kmz about Lewis and Clark:
http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/download.php?Number=29917

Digital Story Reflection

I viewed Nicole's video. I like the idea of using clay/play dough to create images! How fun and hands on. Then I watched Devin's. I think photography is a great medium and that kid's could really have fun trying to make pictures match the story. Lastly, I watched Michelle's and Caitlyn's video. It was charming and real-life like.

I enjoyed this assignment. I think it is a great idea to use in my future classroom. It is a great way to make writing interesting and varied. I plan to write a class story and then put it together for the kids to watch. Or with the older grades, I'd have them make a story in small groups.

Digital Story!

Cultural Snapshot

How are Mexican Immigrants represented in the United States?

First off, when I googled “Mexican Immigrants” more negative responses showed up than positive. In general the media focused on illegal Mexican immigrants and the impact they are having on the American society. It was rare to find success stories or general optimism about this cultural group. Statistically, it is estimated that there are nearly 12 million illegal immigrants in the USA and 57% of them are from Mexico. No wonder that the legal Mexican immigrants get stereotyped like their illegal friends.

Overall, I found immigration was a big issue facing all citizens in America. Many call out for tighter border control. Here are the two 2008 presidential candidates’ views:

"As you know, I and many other colleagues twice attempted to pass comprehensive immigration legislation to fix our broken borders; ensure respect for the laws of this country; recognize the important economic contribution of immigrant laborers; apprehend those who came here illegally to commit crimes; and deal practically and humanely with those who came here, as my distant ancestors did, to build a better, safer life for their families, without excusing the fact they came here illegally or granting them privileges before those who have been waiting their turn outside the country. Many Americans did not believe us when we said we would secure our borders, and so we failed in our efforts. I don't want to fail again to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. We must prove we have the resources to secure our borders and use them, while respecting the dignity and rights of citizens and legal residents of the United States. When we have achieved our border security goal, we must enact and implement the other parts of practical, fair and necessary immigration policy. We have economic and humanitarian responsibilities as well, and they require no less dedication from us in meeting them."

- John McCain

“The time to fix our broken immigration system is now… We need stronger enforcement on the border and at the workplace… But for reform to work, we also must respond to what pulls people to America… Where we can reunite families, we should. Where we can bring in more foreign-born workers with the skills our economy needs, we should”

— Barack Obama, Statement on U.S. Senate Floor, May 23, 2007

I think it’s important to understand the impact of these illegal immigrants on our community to understand why the stereotypes are so negative. The bottom line for me is, I hope we find a better solution to immigration and SOON!

More often than not Mexican immigrants are stereotyped by politicians in the media. Below is a video clip of Bill O’Reilly speaking the following dialogue:

From the August 15 broadcast of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:

O'REILLY: Let's go to [caller] in West L.A. What's going on, [caller]?

CALLER: Hey, Bill, how are ya?

O'REILLY: Good.

CALLER: You know, I just, real quick -- I'll try to make this quick. I'll tell you what the future is. Your previous guest mentioned, you were trying to get the heart of what the future holds?

O'REILLY: Right.

CALLER: There's 750,000 students at the Los Angeles Unified School District. 330,000 of them are what they call English-learners --

O'REILLY: Right.

CALLER: -- 150,000 they estimate to be illegal citizens.

O'REILLY: Um-hmm.

CALLER: Or more than that if they're considered children of illegals. We just passed, in the last five or six years, $19 billion in bond measures, billion with a B. And if you look at the front of the L.A. Times, you can read all the details, and I'm sure you've been following it. The mayor right now is, is slugging it out with the school district over the -- over the $19 billion in the control of the, the schools. Everybody's talking about accountability, but what -- what no one's really talking about as far as accountability is who's accountable for the money that's going in the bond measures to build the schools for the citizens and -- and for the non-citizen.

O'REILLY: Well, it's supposed to be the city council and the mayor. I mean, they're the ones that are -- should be overseeing the $19 billion. But I think you -- the point that I found most interesting about what you said, [caller], was the future of L.A. particularly, and probably America, lies in your school district. To see how well those kids are educated, what their attitudes are. Are they trying to learn English? Do they have any kind of traditional value system at all, vis-à-vis what America used to be? Or are they taking their Mexican values, because most of them are Mexicans, and, you know, basically setting up Acapulco North? I don't know. I don't know. I have friends in L.A. Almost all of them send their kids to private school. And almost all of them say the same thing: The public schools are chaos. I know the public school superintendent, Roy Romer, former governor of Colorado, former DNC [Democratic National Committee] chief. Way out of his league. Way out of his league in that school district. So it's an interesting thing. You go down to the school, you'll see the future.

You can watch the clip at: http://mediamatters.org/items/200608180004

Here Bill is questioning Mexicans values and attitudes in coming to the US. He infers that Mexican students wreak havoc and chaos on the American public school system, particularly in California. Thus here is the media criticizing Mexican value systems. In short, one way Mexican immigrants are perceived is as indifferent.

Another example is found with Rush Limbaugh. See below for a dialogue from his radio show:

From the March 27 edition of The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: One of the puzzling things about this to me, since President Bush has been in office, is his -- you know, he had a very close relationship with [Mexican President] Vicente Fox, and I don't --

CALLER: Right.

LIMBAUGH: I don't -- I -- I think the opposite of what you suggest is actually what's been happening. But look at it from Vicente Fox's point of view. I mean if -- if you had a -- a -- a renegade, potential criminal element that was poor and unwilling to work, and you had a chance to get rid of 500,000 every year, would you do it?

CALLER: Right.

LIMBAUGH: Yeah.

You can watch the clip at: http://mediamatters.org/items/200603280009

Here Rush stereotypes Mexican immigrants as potential criminals and unwilling to work. Now my point in this blog is not to determine who is right or who is wrong, but in general I have found that Mexican immigrants are stereotyped as lazy, unethical, and that they cause more problems than solutions.

However negative the media may seem, there are some media articles that realize the value of immigrants. Below is a success story found on NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5368068

In summary, Charney said, "Immigrants are the engine of our economy, whether we want to admit it or not," he says. "They're here, legal or illegal -- [a] fundamental part of the economy is these workers." He thinks it is embarrassing that America is blaming immigrants for all our problems; and it’s time for men who have no exposure with these workers to make immigration decisions.

Chris Matthews also defended immigrants on his television series.

From the January 26 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: When I think of people who have come to this country from other countries where they speak Spanish -- Puerto Rico is not another country, but it's the commonwealth -- hardest-working people, they are extremely entrepreneurial. If it's just owning a flower shop, it's owning a small business, a bodega, right? Puerto Ricans come to this country to start business. Cubans certainly come here to start businesses. The hardest-working people in the United States are people who just got here from Mexico, the first day they get here. Everybody knows -- they don't want a big social democracy. They want free enterprise and entrepreneurialism, don't they?

VILLARAIGOSA: I think what they want --

MATTHEWS: They sound like they're natural Republicans to me.

VILLARAIGOSA: I think what they want is the American dream, and they're willing to work for it.

Chris defends the work ethic of immigrants in general. He states that Mexican immigrants come to America ready to work hard and live the American dream.

CONLUSIONS

A) The media conveys both positive and negative messages about Mexican immigrants (although more negative messages are found). They convey these messages through persuasive words and personal stories. Often times they have an agenda they want to get across when talking about this cultural group.

B) The negative stereotypes of Mexican immigrants will impact their experience in America. Especially children could be impacted in the classroom by their peers and teachers treating them differently. For example their peers could tease them because they are different, or maybe white children from the dominant US culture aren’t allowed to be their friend because their parents told them not to be friends with Mexicans. Also, teachers could assume these children were in deficit or lacked something because they are a Mexican immigrant. Teachers could also be unwilling to go to the lengths to help a Mexican immigrant learn that he/she would of a student of the dominant culture.

C) Overall, Mexicans immigrants are represented in a negative light, but it is important for teachers to not let these stereotypes color how they see the world. It is important to recognize the value each child has and that they deserve equal rights to learning no matter where they came from. Also it is important to not judge individuals based on stereotypes. For example, just because your mom and dad are drug addicts doesn’t mean you will be one. I don’t think we have the right to limit people just because we see certain trends in their background. In summary, it is naive to think that ALL Mexican immigrants are lazy, unethical, and potential criminals that are unwilling to work. Of course there are some that are that way, but we can say the same thing about some Americans!

Teachers need to examine how they perceive cultural groups to ensure the best education for EVERY student in their classroom. Hopefully as teachers examine their perceptions they will come to grasp what really matters is that each child is loved unconditionally and treated fairly.

Bibliography of Artifacts:

1. Statistics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigration_to_the_United_States

2. John McCain quote: http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/68db8157-d301-4e22-baf7-a70dd8416efa.htm

3. Barack Obama quote: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/immigration/

4. Bill O’Reilly: http://mediamatters.org/items/200608180004

5. Rush Limbaugh: http://mediamatters.org/items/200603280009

6. Chris Matthews: http://mediamatters.org/items/200601270005?f=s_search

7. NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5368068

Digital Story Book!

This week we learned about how to create digital story boards to teach writing projects! Some examples of writing projects are an ABC storybook, circle story, fractured fairy tales, adventure story, poetry interpretation, book trailer, public service announcement, or mini documentary. And the cool thing is they get to use technology to help share their writing! This class is teaching us how to use Photostory to do it! (http://www.microsoft.com/window sxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx)

Ashley, Jerri and I decided to do our storyboard/digital story book on Rapunzel's Rap, a fractured fairytale. Below is our storyboard outline:

Reflection

I can see how the web has enhanced lesson plans across the world! It has made it possible to share ideas and hopefully reach more students! This was the first time I've ever taken a still picture of a website and then posted it as a picture. I plan on using that in the future!

From my peer's PLE's I've learned that there are MANY ways to use technology in the classroom; even if it's just taking pictures of kids doing science experiences and posting it on the class blog! I also liked Michelle's example of using the temperature probe in the classroom as well. I think technology is a great way to give kid's a hands on experience. I'm excited to use technology in the classroom to deepen student's understanding of the curriculum!

The Tech Savvy Teacher

Phases of the Moon: It’s Just a Phase

By: Lexee Russell and Ashley Matekel


We are so excited to be writing for this newsletter this month, especially in the Tech Savvy Teacher column! There are so many great technological tools to make science come ALIVE in the elementary school classroom. The following is an example of how to implement different technology resources in the curriculum.


Sixth Grade Science Standard 1.2


Anticipatory Set: We would tell students about a moon journal and what it would look like if we drew the moon every night at the same time. We would show the following picture from: http://blog.journeywithjulette.com/wp-content/moon_phases_diagram.jpg


Instructional Input:
1. Discuss why the moon looks differently during different times during the month
2. Define what a phase is and explore the eight phases of the moon
3. Discuss the names of the eight phases and the position of the sun, earth, and moon during these phases (show picture above again to discuss phases)
4. Use the Stellarium program to show the students what the moon looks like that very day and identify the phase. As a class you can look at other phases, as well.
a. Stellarium can be downloaded for free at http://www.stellarium.org.


Guided Practice:

Students will then create the moon phases with oreo cookies. See example picture below from: http://www.4ever4given.com/upload/2006/11/100_0800.jpg


Independent Practice:

Many interactive games on moon phases can be found on the internet. Below are three examples of great games that can be used to enhance students understanding of the moon phases:

Moonlight Madness
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/moonlight.html

Lunar Challenge http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/moon/moon_challenge/moon_challenge.html

Moon Phases from Space (timed) http://www.purposegames.com/game/1016
Closure: Assign the students to complete a moon journal of their own for a month. Give students the option of drawing it by hand or creating a picture on the computer.

In this specific example, technology was used in multiple ways to truly make science come alive and enhance learning. The sixth graders were able to see what the moon looked like that very day, and were able to visually see how the moon moves from phase to phase. They completed interactive games to solidify their learning. Their homework even gave the option to create their moon journal on the computer. Through these technological tools, they were able to identify, observe, and classify in a more visual and concrete manner. The students were able to not only know the phases of the moon, but create, analyze, and apply this information in multiple settings. Students were able to learn more thoroughly because of the technology.

Copyrights

The phrase that stuck out to me the most is that copyright laws are our friends! I believe under the fair use act that as a teacher I can use most things on the web for educational purposes. I do need to pay close attention to how much of the content is used, but overall the government supports teachers using multimedia for education purposes. I also like the idea of TPCK which means to incorporate content, pedagogy and technology for effective education instruction. I believe as these three interact together the classroom dynamics will be strengthened.

I Love Technology:-)

This class is way COOL. I've enjoyed learning about this web 2.0 world and how to bring information to me! These will be great resources to use as a teacher. And hopefully it will add to the dynamic of the classroom. I specifically like Goodreads, and I look forward to finding more RSS feeds that are important to me. I hope to have a classroom blog and have links available to teachers and parents about what we are learning about in the classroom.

My First Blog!

Hello!

I've been thinking about starting a blog for a long time now. I'm glad this classed pushed me to do it! At first I just thought they were for stay at home moms who want to scrapbook their family life, but I now see the benefits of blogging for one and all!

About me, I am from Draper, Utah. I graduated from Alta High School in 2002. I then went to BYU-Idaho and stayed in Rexburg till I received my mission call on Aug 30, 2005 to serve in the Knoxville Tennessee Mission. Serving a mission was the best decision I ever made! Now I am a transfer student here at BYU and I LOVE it. I was hesitant because of BYU's size and rigor, but I've enjoyed every semester. Now that I am on my last two semesters of classes, I look forward to being a teacher next year! I'm glad I never have to give up that "back to school" feeling.

My whole goal as a teacher is to help children learn how to learn. There is no way I can teach them everything there is to know, but I hope to fuel their desire to learn and understand the world around them. I hope they will enjoy the process of learning (ie study, effort, mistakes, motivation, and persistence).

Attached are some pictures from this summer. I learned how to fly fish, traveled to Mexico, shot guns, saw Jack Johnson in concert, went to Lagoon, floated the Snake River in Jackson Hole, and went golfing. Fun memories.