Think Aloud

Think aloud project finished power point show

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Top Ten Videos Response

This activity is similar to the activities when I went to elementary school. We engaged in similar topics but went about performing and reaching the objectives differently, without technology.  I remember in my 3rd grade class we were doing a unit on sea creatures and as part of the activities we got to make sea creatures our of paper and paint and hung on the ceiling.  It was an engaging activity for its time, but in todays classrooms with all the technology going on in the world we need to now include it in our curriculum as well.  Just as Rebecca Pilver did with her students.  Not only was it engaging for them, but it was also very collaborative and made it easier to make sure all the students were participating and getting something out of the lessons.  A learning style that seemed to jump out was the reading and writing, and the visual.  Students had to read and research and then write their own pages for the site, the visual    was evident in all of the pictures the students got to look up and use to accompany their information, making it more diverse in how the children analyzed what they were seeing and learning about.  I am not surprised at the fact that no text books were used for this project, I would like to use books to a minimum, while embracing the new rich technology and ways of learning.  Though I would also enjoy a lot of hands on projects for an art room setting, this would allow other students who may have a need to learn in a more direct approach.  My biggest concerns are relying to much on the technology, and that we may not be ready for this type of teaching in all schools.  Students may not all have the same experience and background as others, and may still not even have a computer with internet access.  As teachers who would like to use technology more in the classrooms we need to be prepared to teach fundamentals and basics of the computer.

Overview of Classroom Blogging

I like the fact that I had never blogged before and this class has taught me the values and learning opportunities that blogging can offer.  Keeping a blog can make you more involved in the students learning process and you can also make sure that no one is being left behind, and more easily see where students may be struggling in the classroom.  Yes I would consider keeping my blog and even broadening my blog to the other interest that I have that can be useful in the classroom and my endeavors into the world of art therapy, where I can hopefully find other bloggers who share similar viewpoints and can swap ideas.  By keeping my blog I can also keep up with technology better, so that when the time comes to implement it into my classroom I will be ready and more willing to use it.  I believe that collective intelligence is the biggest thing that i have found to be easily accomplished by use of the tools learned in this class.  This blog I feel is that concrete example, where people who have similar interest can come and read my entries and comment, and I can do the same to theirs.  So that sharing information and different techniques can be easily accessible and networking can also flourish with teachers in many different states and countries.  

What Kind of Learner Am I?

This is a link to the test I took.

My results were:
Visual 13
Aural   6
Read/Write 3
Kinesthetic 10


The results of the test confirmed what I already knew about myself.  I knew that I do not do well with just some written instructions, that I prefer someone showing me how to do something.  And then I would repeat the process, and re exam my example.  As a learner I should remember that graphs and illustrations help me remember material better and that if it is something that I can use movement with that helps as well.  In the past I have rewritten my  notes on note cards so that I could easily run through the information.  It also helped me to remember things through the actions of actually writing them down, and different colored pens and markers helped a lot to.  I still use these methods to help remember things and to even help others who may have similar learning processes as me.  I do feel the test was accurate,  Not only do I heavily rely on my visual traits, but I do enjoy movement as well.  Through dance I am able to take a mental break, and recharge so that I can continue to study well. 

Thoughts on Tweeting and Texting

I think that 140 characters does not seem like a lot to get any point across, but I thought to myself... I'm not the only one, there are worldwide texting and tweeting going on.  What if the limit was limitless, could long winded tweeters crash the system, or would longer tweets override shorter ones.  The limit does seem silly, but there are ways of getting around it, using txt speak, or posting several txts to get your point across.   I found that I had to use different words, shorten words and rethink how I was going to say something to stay inside the limit.  So in a way giving this limit, makes the limits of creativity grow to accommodate the 140 limit.  You do have to become creative to write your thoughts down and reply to others.  Yes as I said above this can have an impact on writing styles, making us become more creative, creating a new language to add to the many we have and may already know.

Twitter Poem

An Apple a day may keep the Dr. away...
But to gain respect you first must give respect.
And when respect is earned, you must not forget to,
Treat others as you would want to be treated.
When all has been done and another year has passed,
If you want Santa to visit, you must go to bed early.