Thursday, December 4, 2008
My EDM 310 Blog Assignments are Now Complete
We did it! The light at the end of the tunnel wasn't a train after all! This class was fun and I learned a lot. Thanks for all of y'all's help on different assignments. Hopefully, I'll see y'all around soon. Have a great Christmas Break!
What I learned in EDM 310!
I've learned many thing in EDM 310, some dealt with technology while some did not (BTH and SNS!). As far as technology goes, I think that the main thing that I've learned about is blogging. I see blogging as a wonderful classroom tool but I do not think that I'll blog about my personal life. I have several friends who blog about their daily lives and it is interesting to read. I just don't know that I'll be that brave to write about my personal encounters.
I've also learned about podcasts and about the wonderful, FREE, educational podcasts available. I see these podcasts being a wonderful way to reinforce different classroom ideas and subject matter, especially in Science class. The animated Science clips really help to explain many scientific concepts.
I really don't think that there is anything in this class that I wanted to learn about but didn't. I'm sure that there is more stuff that we could cover but I learned a lot and I'm glad I did.
I've also learned about podcasts and about the wonderful, FREE, educational podcasts available. I see these podcasts being a wonderful way to reinforce different classroom ideas and subject matter, especially in Science class. The animated Science clips really help to explain many scientific concepts.
I really don't think that there is anything in this class that I wanted to learn about but didn't. I'm sure that there is more stuff that we could cover but I learned a lot and I'm glad I did.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Electronic Contact
For my electronic contact, I emailed my cousin, Somer Leathers, who teaches in Georgia. Somer and I don't get to talk very often so emailing her was a fun thing to do. I've also never really asked her about her classroom so I learned a lot about someone who I've known for my whole life. I also learned to see Somer as not just "Som-Som", the older cousin, but Ms. Leathers, the teacher. Here are the emails that we sent:
My first email to Somer:
Somer,
For my EDM 310 Class, I have to email a teacher and see how that teacher uses technology in the classroom. Instead of searching online for a teacher from a state other than Alabama, I thought about you since you're in Georgia! Anyway, I would love to hear ways that you use technology, how you integrate technology in your classroom and maybe even so ways that you wish you could use technology more. Let's just try to stay on topic and NOT discuss what we'll be doing during Christmas!
Keller
Somer's reply:
I use technology a lot in my classroom. We use educational programs
> that we have bought to work on letters and number facts. We use those
> programs in the classroom every day during our center time and then
> at the end of a session (before lunch and before leaving). I also
> use the internet in my room for my kids to work on their letters and
> number also. We use starfall.com the most during these times. During
> our alphabet time, we get on the internet 3 days a week and learn
> things in a different way that we have been learning them in the room.
> Also, because of our Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA), we use the
> internet to learn about world topics. We look at CNN or newspaper
> articles on line to see what is going on in our area. I wish I could
> use technology more in my room. My kids have picked up on things off
> computer games and websites that I couldn't teach them.
>
> Hope that helps and answers your questions. If you need more, just let
> me know.
>
> Somer :-)
My reply:
>
Cool! Remind me which grades you have and what school you're at, the district, etc. I have to include all of that in my report. I looked at starfall.com. It looks like tons of educational fun! What is the Georgia Alternate Assessment?
Keller
Somer's reply:
I teach severe/profound special education. I have K-5. The school is
> Cherokee Elementary in Polk County Georgia.
> The Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) is for those students who can't
> take the CRCT (that is like the SAT in Alabama) The
> GAA is on grade level work in English and Math for K-2, and English,
> Math, Science, and SS for 3-5. Teachers have a big portfolio with
> different evidences - observations, worksheets, captioned photos, data
> sheets, etc - that show kids who are not on grade level working on
> grade level things. It's a lot of work.
> Somer :-)
My second-to-last email to Somer:
Okay! Thanks so much for your help! I'll see you at Christmas!
Keller
My last email to Somer:
My report on this electronic contact will be posted on my EDM 310 blog at http://leatherskedm310fall08.blogspot.com/
Feel free to check it out!
Keller
I think that starfall.com is a great website. I was talking to my mother today and she said that she uses starfall.com a lot in her classroom too! Now, I've learned another great resource for my own classroom someday!
I felt it necessary to include a link to the report on my blog because I know that if someone were doing a report on me and my job, I would want to know what they said. Since Somer and I are first-cousins and have a lot in common, I think she would probably want to know what I wrote.
I am impressed that her students get online three days a week to research current events. I love/hate that she wants to be able to use technology more in her classroom I love that she uses technology and wants to incorporate more technology but I hate that she isn't able to use more technology at the current time. When Somer mentioned her students using computer games to learn criteria, I thought about Randy Pausch and the "head fake". Gee! Maybe I did learn (and remember) something this semester after all!
My first email to Somer:
Somer,
For my EDM 310 Class, I have to email a teacher and see how that teacher uses technology in the classroom. Instead of searching online for a teacher from a state other than Alabama, I thought about you since you're in Georgia! Anyway, I would love to hear ways that you use technology, how you integrate technology in your classroom and maybe even so ways that you wish you could use technology more. Let's just try to stay on topic and NOT discuss what we'll be doing during Christmas!
Keller
Somer's reply:
I use technology a lot in my classroom. We use educational programs
> that we have bought to work on letters and number facts. We use those
> programs in the classroom every day during our center time and then
> at the end of a session (before lunch and before leaving). I also
> use the internet in my room for my kids to work on their letters and
> number also. We use starfall.com the most during these times. During
> our alphabet time, we get on the internet 3 days a week and learn
> things in a different way that we have been learning them in the room.
> Also, because of our Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA), we use the
> internet to learn about world topics. We look at CNN or newspaper
> articles on line to see what is going on in our area. I wish I could
> use technology more in my room. My kids have picked up on things off
> computer games and websites that I couldn't teach them.
>
> Hope that helps and answers your questions. If you need more, just let
> me know.
>
> Somer :-)
My reply:
>
Cool! Remind me which grades you have and what school you're at, the district, etc. I have to include all of that in my report. I looked at starfall.com. It looks like tons of educational fun! What is the Georgia Alternate Assessment?
Keller
Somer's reply:
I teach severe/profound special education. I have K-5. The school is
> Cherokee Elementary in Polk County Georgia.
> The Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) is for those students who can't
> take the CRCT (that is like the SAT in Alabama) The
> GAA is on grade level work in English and Math for K-2, and English,
> Math, Science, and SS for 3-5. Teachers have a big portfolio with
> different evidences - observations, worksheets, captioned photos, data
> sheets, etc - that show kids who are not on grade level working on
> grade level things. It's a lot of work.
> Somer :-)
My second-to-last email to Somer:
Okay! Thanks so much for your help! I'll see you at Christmas!
Keller
My last email to Somer:
My report on this electronic contact will be posted on my EDM 310 blog at http://leatherskedm310fall08.blogspot.com/
Feel free to check it out!
Keller
I think that starfall.com is a great website. I was talking to my mother today and she said that she uses starfall.com a lot in her classroom too! Now, I've learned another great resource for my own classroom someday!
I felt it necessary to include a link to the report on my blog because I know that if someone were doing a report on me and my job, I would want to know what they said. Since Somer and I are first-cousins and have a lot in common, I think she would probably want to know what I wrote.
I am impressed that her students get online three days a week to research current events. I love/hate that she wants to be able to use technology more in her classroom I love that she uses technology and wants to incorporate more technology but I hate that she isn't able to use more technology at the current time. When Somer mentioned her students using computer games to learn criteria, I thought about Randy Pausch and the "head fake". Gee! Maybe I did learn (and remember) something this semester after all!
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