I must admit that I am not the most tech-savvy individual in the world. There - I have said it. I feel relieved and lighter. I am, however, a quick study, and I am eager to learn. I found an article on the Internet that I wanted to share with my students the other day about editing documents via Internet sites. I had the lesson plan ready, the article minimized at the bottom of the screen; I was ready to go.
The lesson began; the students were engaged; things were rocking and rolling. When the moment for the unveiling of my cool article/site arrived, I clicked on the icon and .......nothing. Nothing! Nothing! I was devastated. I was trying so desperately not to look desperate and frazzled, but I could feel the sweat popping up on my brow and on my upper lip. What was wrong? This was my big moment to show them what I had been learning in my "Digital Writing Class" and how we could use sticky notes and other cool Internet tools. But all I was showing was sweat.
Finally one precious child quietly got up as if to throw something in the trash and whispered, "If you turn on the projector, we might be able to see it better." Bless him. That I did, and we continued.
Thus I say - it is okay to let them (students) see you sweat. Otherwise they might miss out on a golden opportunity to help.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Lesson 1- Monitor and Adjust
Monitor and adjust is a practice all educators, parents, etc. implement on a daily, if not moment by moment, basis without really realizing that we are monitoring and adjusting.
As educators, we monitor our students' comprehensions of a concept taught by asking questions, creating assessments, and providing opportunities to apply and synthesize the concept. Once the assessment is completed- whatever form it might be- we adjust our teaching practices to meet the needs of our students if the outcomes are not satisfactory.
With the growing use of technology in the classroom, I have had the opportunity to monitor and adjust often- network goes down, laptop acts up, Smartboard does not connect... What do you do? This past week, when the school's network decided to take a little break, I could not use any of my technology tools. The students thought they had a "free" day. However, much to their dismay, I took the Smartboard down and began writing on the white board. A collective gasp could be heard in the neighboring county. The students could not believe that I - 1. took down the Smartboard-wasn't that against the law- 2. could remember information that was saved on the computer- and 3. had the audacity to continue a lesson without my technology tools. When I wrote on the board, I wrote in cursive. You would have thought I was writing in a foreign language. Again, I had to adjust to meet the needs of my students.
This little glitch in the system gave me a chance to share the importance of being prepared. The students had to present their research PowerPoint projects at the end of the week, so I tried to impress upon them the importance of backing up their work and saving it on more than one device. One young lady- "Jean"- we'll call her- brought her flash drive in on Tuesday- the day before her presentation- to make sure her project would open up on the screen. It didn't, of course, and she began to panic. She said that it was my laptop and that the flash drive worked at home. She wanted to know what I was going to do if the project wouldn't open up on Wednesday. (She had monitored; now she had to adjust.) I smiled and suggested that she visit our media/technology specialist or one of the computer aps teachers to make sure nothing was wrong with her flash drive and that she should burn the presentation to a CD. The CD suggestion presented me with the "Have you lost your mind?"look.
Wednesday arrived, and the presentations began. "Jean" was the first to present. When her flash drive would not open her presentation, she pulled out a CD, put it in, and began. At the end of the presentation, she had to address what she learned from the research that was most beneficial for her and her future. Her response-with a grin at me-"CD's are still useful and always be prepared." Of course the responses had nothing to do with her research topic, but they are beneficial to her future. CD's might not be the back up source for saving information, but something will be. And being prepared is -well- just good sense.
As for monitoring and adjusting, it is a means of survival.
As educators, we monitor our students' comprehensions of a concept taught by asking questions, creating assessments, and providing opportunities to apply and synthesize the concept. Once the assessment is completed- whatever form it might be- we adjust our teaching practices to meet the needs of our students if the outcomes are not satisfactory.
With the growing use of technology in the classroom, I have had the opportunity to monitor and adjust often- network goes down, laptop acts up, Smartboard does not connect... What do you do? This past week, when the school's network decided to take a little break, I could not use any of my technology tools. The students thought they had a "free" day. However, much to their dismay, I took the Smartboard down and began writing on the white board. A collective gasp could be heard in the neighboring county. The students could not believe that I - 1. took down the Smartboard-wasn't that against the law- 2. could remember information that was saved on the computer- and 3. had the audacity to continue a lesson without my technology tools. When I wrote on the board, I wrote in cursive. You would have thought I was writing in a foreign language. Again, I had to adjust to meet the needs of my students.
This little glitch in the system gave me a chance to share the importance of being prepared. The students had to present their research PowerPoint projects at the end of the week, so I tried to impress upon them the importance of backing up their work and saving it on more than one device. One young lady- "Jean"- we'll call her- brought her flash drive in on Tuesday- the day before her presentation- to make sure her project would open up on the screen. It didn't, of course, and she began to panic. She said that it was my laptop and that the flash drive worked at home. She wanted to know what I was going to do if the project wouldn't open up on Wednesday. (She had monitored; now she had to adjust.) I smiled and suggested that she visit our media/technology specialist or one of the computer aps teachers to make sure nothing was wrong with her flash drive and that she should burn the presentation to a CD. The CD suggestion presented me with the "Have you lost your mind?"look.
Wednesday arrived, and the presentations began. "Jean" was the first to present. When her flash drive would not open her presentation, she pulled out a CD, put it in, and began. At the end of the presentation, she had to address what she learned from the research that was most beneficial for her and her future. Her response-with a grin at me-"CD's are still useful and always be prepared." Of course the responses had nothing to do with her research topic, but they are beneficial to her future. CD's might not be the back up source for saving information, but something will be. And being prepared is -well- just good sense.
As for monitoring and adjusting, it is a means of survival.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
A Little About Me
If I were a dog, I guess I would be a mutt. I am a complex amalgam of family, education, and faith. I am not wishy-washy; I just cannot be labeled by one or two words.
Family is very important to me. My husband, parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, and other family members are at the core of my being. I delight in spending time with them. Sometimes we wear each other out, but at the end of the day, I know that I am loved, and they know that they are loved.
Educating others and learning about anything and everything are also important to me. The twenty years I have spent teaching have offered many opportunities to teach and learn new programs, new curriculum, etc. But from all that I have learned and from all of those from whom I have learned, the best lessons and the lessons that have changed me the most have been taught by my students.
My faith is what keeps me grounded. Teaching Sunday school and participating in Bible study have not only grown my faith, but they have also strengthened the foundation on which I live and work.
All of these elements, and more, make me- me.
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