Journal 5 Twitter

After signing up for and using Twitter and using it for about two weeks, I have come to like it so far. I have found that there are many other teachers and professionals in the education field that share some valuable information. I have started following many of these people and have enjoyed some of their articles just to read, but have also been able to use some of the resources they provide to plan into my own lesson plans. While it is good for my own professional development and to pull in lessons for my class, it would not be beneficial for my students. This is due to the fact that I teach first grade. I can see how it could be useful for students in high school though. I do feel that Twitter will be an app that I will continue to use for both professional resources, as well as, personal use.

Q1: How can Twitter be beneficial for teachers?

A1: Twitter can be beneficial to teachers because it allows for lessons and ideas to be shared from all around the world. There are many teachers that post ideas and share actual outcomes from lesson that they try. This could be an additional resource for teachers to use when creating lessons.

Q2: Is Twitter a reasonable tool for students in primary and intermediate grades to utilize?

A2: I feel that after using Twitter, it is a reasonable tool for intermediate students to utilize, but not primary students. It is much too advance for many primary students to utilize, however, intermediate students may benefit from using it.

Journal 4: Project Plan

·       Site title - Ms. Schonder’s First Grade Leaders

·       Developer – Amber Schonder

·       Rational or focus – I would like to create a website to increase parent communication. I want parents to have digital access to weekly newsletters, homework, weekly lesson overviews, additional resources, basic classroom information, and also a quick link to email me. The intention is to create a website where parents can go to access anything pertaining to our classroom.

·       Main features outline - List the main features of the site. 

• Welcome
• Class information
• Communication
• Resources

·       Content - Number of individual Web pages. Brainstorm subtopics for your site. Have a concise outline of the information your site will contain.

1.     Welcome

2.     Class Information

• Basic Information – Class Supplies, Wish list
• Weekly Newsletter
• Homework
• Monthly Overview

3.     Communication – all contact information, embedded email box

4.     Resources

§  Leader in Me

§  Language Arts – Wonders, Starfall

§  Math – Think Central, First in Math

• Target audience – The audience for my site will be the parents of my students. They come from a low-income area and many of them work or have younger children that are not in school yet.
• Design considerations. List the design goals for the site.
• Easy navigation
• Accessibility from mobile and desktop
• Inviting, but not overwhelming
• Incorporate classroom theme – Pete the Cat – blue, yellow, red, green background colors, black & white text
• Limiting factors - List the technical or audience factors that could limit the design goals of the site.
• Accessibility from home, other than a smart phone
• Many of my parents are only Spanish speaking

A Site Map is a visual representation of the various pages in your website and how they are linked together.  This will be the site map I am going to use but the home page will have four submenus to choose from.

A wire frame is a visual representation of the look and layout of the website: header, footers, columns, etc.

Pete the Cat Background Picture Header- Ms. Schonder’s First Grade Leaders
Home/Welcome	Class Information	Communication/Contact	Resources
Monthly Overview	Welcome Message
Footer - Copyright

Journal 3: Social Media in the Classroom

Kessler, S. (2010, September 29). The Case For Social Media in Schools. Retrieved October 14, 2016, from http://mashable.com/2010/09/29/social-media-in-school/ - 7ttdiIaPOkqR

Klopfer, E. (2009). The Instructional Power of Digital Games, Social Networking, Simulations and how Teachers Can Leverage Them. Retrieved October 14, 2016, from http://education.mit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf

Summary/Reflection:

Both of these articles had very obvious and firm stances that social media has a place in the classroom. I also feel the same. While there are still some uncertainties, I do believe that incorporating social media and new technology into the classroom can benefit the students and the teacher. Kessler and Klopfer both said so many of our students are immersed in this technology already, so why not embrace it. I think like many approaches and strategies in teaching, social media usage needs to be explored, tested, and facilitated appropriately. I am also a firm believer that there should be a balance in technology based teaching and traditional teaching. There will always be ways to improve and challenges to overcome, so why not take a risk and see where it will take you?

Q1: Will students outgrow the social media technologies available now?

A1: The logical and most obvious answer is yes. Like any other social media technology, there is a phase and the hype may die down. However, there are also ways that developers revamp and enhance their programs in order to keep or make them relevant again. I’m sure there are also many up and coming programs that haven’t launched yet that could also be players later on.

Q2: How do digital games such as Civilization and World of Warcraft tie into education?

A2: When glancing over the article, I was a little confused as to why and how Civilization and WOW were in the article for education. However, as I began reading the article and got to that section it made sense. Klopfer states how Civilization can be used for teaching history and WOW can be used for critical higher order thinking skills. If I were a high school teacher, I could see how this could entice students.

Journal 2: Join an Affinity Group and Share your Digg Stream

5 TED Talks Every Teacher Should Watch. (2016, October 3). Retrieved from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2016/10/the-5-excellent-ted-talks-every-teacher.html

Summary/Reflection:

After reading through some of my articles on Digg, the one that stuck with me the most was from the Educational Technology and Mobile Learning group. The article shared five different TED talk videos that teachers should watch. I took the time to watch each of them and I am very glad I did. Rita Pierson was phenomenal. She made some of the most inspiring and truthful statements in her talk. She also made a reference to Stephen Covey and the 7Habits of Highly Effective people, which hit home with me because my school is currently in the process of becoming a Lighthouse school. In the TED talk with Ken Robison he emphasized how there is a need to have an equal weight across the board and not only on core subjects like math and science. This is something I feel our education system is still trying to find a balance with. Angela Lee Duckworth spoke on having “grit” and how to build and utilize it to motivate students. Duckworth also stated that we (educators) have to be “willing to fail, to be wrong, and to start over again “ which I feel is what makes a great teacher because it means that you are constantly reflection and adapting your teaching. Both Dan Pink and Simon Sinek had very good TED talks also, however Pierson, Robison, and Duckworth really resonated with me. If you have chance and are in the education field, I would highly recommend watching al five videos from the article.  

            I do feel that this is a much easier way to stay update with blogs and websites that I am interested in. It allows me to see exactly what I want to see and I can pick and choose what to read much easier than searching through hundreds of various search results.

            The affinity group I “joined” is Edutopia via Facebook. They provide many different topics in education and also provide some motivational/inspirational material for educators.

Q1: Am I being a champion for my students?

A1: I feel that as I continue to develop and grow as a teacher, I am doing my very best to be that champion for each of my students. I know that some of my students have a rough home life and that they may not have the support that is needed, so I do everything I can to make them feel like they are doing a great job and push them to do more. I am constantly trying to build up my students’ confidence and inspire them by being a passionate and positive every day.

Q2: Do I have “grit”?

A2: From my own perspective, I definitely think I have the “grit” that Duckworth described. I am extremely passionate about teaching and I do everything I can for my students. With being a fairly new teacher (it is my third year) I feel that accepting and being willing to fail or make mistakes is vital in my overall development. Do I think I can become “grittier”? Heck yes, in every way possible! I think that one of the best characteristics of a great teacher is not only their passion, but also their constant desire to always do better.