The Tech Savvy Teacher

The TECH-SAVVY Teacher Article of the Month

In our classroom we are studying the seasons! Since it is Winter, we decided to focus on that season first. For the kindergarten standard 3, objective 1 c, it states that "students will describe the information each of the five senses provides with the change of the seasons." Our goal was for students to observe winter and to collect and analyze the data they found.

For our activity, we had the students brainstorm connections to winter in their personal journals incorporating each of the five senses. We then had them go outside and observe the effects of winter on the world around them. To capture their findings they used digital cameras. They needed to capture a photo that would represent one of the five senses.

Using Kidsperation, students then organized their data into a cluster incorporating their photographs along with appropriate clip art provided by Kidsperation (see photo #1.)

Kidsperation helps students better understand and utilize the scientific process of observation, data collection, organization of data, analyzing data, and presenting data.

Here are a few example photos that students might collect during their digital camera portion of the science lesson.

Sight

Sight

Touch

Touch

To culminate our activity, students presented their findings in small groups and then their Kidsperation clusters were compiled into a class book entitled "Student Scientists in Winter." By including technology into this science unit, we made it a more engaging activity for learners of all types.

Week #3 Science

In class we got to use different science technologies like a digital microscope, a temperature probe, and stellarium. I thought that they were all awesome but my favorite one was the digital microscope. It was a microscope that could be hooked up to a computer and then you could take pictures or video of what you where watching. We watched a video of a live ant, which was pretty awesome.

Week #3 TPACK

This week we learned about TPACK which is defined as Technical Pedagogical and Content Knowledge. This means teachers can teach using their pedagogical methods in combination with technological to improve the learning atmosphere for different topics. TPACK is more than just using a projector or doing a slide show during a lesson. It has the children using technology to do the investigating and learning (this is a hands on learning environment.)

IP&T 301-Observational Learning Report

For my Observational Learning Report I chose to watch how my math teacher taught. It amazed me as I watched her teach. The lesson went by so quickly; she taught for only 15 minutes and then gave us the rest of class to work on the homework and to ask questions if we had them. She also does not make homework the only thing that contributes to our grades. She knows that not all of her students are good a math so she also includes art and writing opportunities so that we as students can have multiple opportunities for success.

As a future teacher there are many teaching traits from Prof. Johnson that I would like to take with me the first being that you are never to busy to help a student. She is willing to stay after class, talk to her students on the phone, or meet with her students anytime during the week, even if that means they have to come over to her house. Her ultimate goal is that her students succeed, thus why we have multiple ways to get a grade in her class. The second thing I hope that I posses when I am a teacher is a true and genuine interest for my students. She is always willing to talk to us not just about school problems but also about personal things and if she can help she will. The third thing is that there are no stupid students' just students who do not understand the way she taught (in fact she gets annoyed when a student says that they are stupid.) When someone comes to her and says that they do not understand then she will explain it over and over, in many different ways until she knows that they understand. The fourth and final trait I would like to take from her is that she gives us plenty of time to work on our homework. In her class most of the time is spent doing homework. I think that this is effective because it gives the students plenty of time to realize if they need help and time to ask for the help. This also makes it possible for the students to finish their homework in class so that they do not have to take it home with them.

I do not think that I would teach this topic different. I think that she is the best example of a math teacher that I have ever had. You cannot tell that she has anything planned but you know she probably does because the class runs so smoothly. She never has any papers in front of her, she does not write an objective on the board, and the only thing that we can see that she might have to teach off of are our worksheets. After class the other day I went and asked her how she knew what she was going to teach if she did not have an outline to refer to. She told me that she did have a very detailed outline and she pulled out the most detailed lesson plan. As I read through the lesson plan I realized that she had followed the outline almost word for word. She has all of her examples in her outline and she even has multiple ways to explain the problem so that all of her students will understand it. She is a teacher that I definitely will try and model my teaching after.

Homework #2

This week we were given many different websites that will help us better while we teach. I personally am really excited about the GoodReads website. Not only will I be able to create different shelves to keep track of books for my students but I will be able to look up books that other people recommend and keep track of what books I want to read either for myself or with my students. We also learned how to use RSS, which in my opinion are really cool because it will cut out so many different website that you have to go to. If you have RSS to a specific website you get an update sent to you each time they update their page (look to the right and you will see that I have an RSS to the NASA pictures of the day and to the NEA website.)

Homework #1

I have a ton of technology background and experience. This is my second blog.