Finished!

Done, but not really. All of my Assignments are complete, but the learning is just beginning. I have to admit that I had no idea there were so many things on the internet that I can use in my classroom. I need to process for a while. My M.O. is to gather a lot of information, sit on it for a bit, and then find ways to use it. I look forward to becoming a more tech savvy teacher. I think my students will appreciate it too!

UGGGGHHHHHH!

1 1/2 hours after getting my mind map almost perfect I hit one button and it's gone? Was it saved? Of course not! Do I know better? Absolutely. Will I do it again? I've come this far haven't I? I can't stop now!

Google Earth! I love it, I hate it, I get it, I don't get it. This web tool created quite the wide range of emotions for me. Just when I thought I had something figured out, I would go back and try it again and either not be able to find it or not be able to replicate what I had just done. When I finally felt like I was not just muddling around and had actually accomplished something, I went to save it and some sort of fatal error occurred and all my work was gone! UGGGGGH!!!!! While I was able to finish my assignment and create a tour, I'm not fully satisfied with it and will take another stab at it when my frustration wears off. Why does it seem that the instructions on the tutorials are written for someone much smarter than me?

Learning curve

The iKnow 2.0 class is bigger than I first thought. There is so much available and so many versions of the same every time I turn around. the hardest part for me is that when I think I've mastered one blog system, or one bookmarking account or one something, the next one I look at is just different enough to leave me completely confused.

My favorite part so far has been the picture posting. Is was easy and something I think I can make use of. I also enjoy having my own wiki and web page. That is definitely a tool I see a use for in my classroom.

Getting the lesson to sink in...

I recently finished a 5 week research paper unit in my 8th grade Language Arts class. I have been teaching this same basic unit for the last 8 years. I have always enjoyed it because it is such a systematic, step by step process that yields great results, until this year.

The final results of this paper were lacking in almost every area. It seemed as if most of my students were either absent or asleep during each of my lessons. Things that I remembered going over in class were missing or incorrect in so many essays.

I did everything I have been taught about modeling, guided practice, scaffolding, you name it. The only thing I did not do was edit each entire paper before the final drafts. But, I did provide very structured peer editing workshops and edited their first paragraphs. I even incorporated a lesson after the initial first paragraph edit where students had to record the comments and corrections I made in order to draw their attention to their own mistakes.

So the question I pose is: How do I help my student become more active participants in their learning? The apathy that most of them approached their research paper with bleeds into most of their other work. Basically, if it is too hard, they just "hope" their way through the assignment.