Podcasting

While exploring different podcast sites I came across many different podcasts that related to math. The one I liked the most was on the podcast pickle site. It was interesting to me because I thought it could be so useful in the classroom. The one I liked was based on Algebra and the topic was on solving linear equations part 2. One way I thought this would be useful was if I was going to be out one day and we were working on this topic I would be able to have the substitute play this for the students and they could take the notes while the podcast was going on. That is one reason I like this podcast because they write things down and make it in note form so the students could copy it. It is nice to have something to fall back on when you are going to be out of school because you do not always get a substitute that can teach that area, they may be certified in another. This way they do not have to be, they play the video, they can learn it while the students do and then they are able to help the students with their assignment after the video is over. If the teacher is not going to be out this can still be used, it is a nice change for the students to not have to listen to the teacher for that period. I have never really explored podcasts before this, I did not realize how many there were out there and I didnt know how nice and useful they could be.


The link does not go directly to the podcast so first go to the podcast pickle site:
http://podcastpickle.com/
then in the search box on the left hand side and type algebra
click on the title video math tutor: algebra
and part 2 is episode 3 (the top one)

Online Videos

Online videos can be used in so many different ways, some of the ways are they can help teachers learn things, teachers can use them in the classroom to assist with a lesson, or teachers can even use them to teach students how to do something. While looking through different sites I found two very useful ones. The first one is on blogging from teacher tube and the second is on a math topic from brain pop. The only problem with the brain pop website is you have to have a subscription. Luckly the school I work for does, but if you dont you cant access everything.

Teacher Tube

http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=10030&title=Blogger_Tutorial
This video is about how to create a blog. This video could be used in so many different ways. One way is if a teacher does not know how to create a blog themselves, they could watch it to learn about how to do it and create a blog for their students. Another way is if the teacher already knows how to create a blog and they want to create a blog for their students to use in class they can show this video as a lesson so students learn how to blog. There are so many different things students can blog about. English and Social Studies are two classes that are rather easy to blog about, Math on the other hand is more difficult. One way the students can blog in math is the teacher can start the discussion with a certain topic and the students can comment on it and they can also comment on each others responses to get good conversations going.

Brain Pop

http://www.brainpop.com/math/algebra/graphinglinearequations/
This video is a math lesson on graphing linear equations. It is very helpful because it is just not boring notes on the board for students to copy. They get to see how linear equations are actually formed and its not a boring teacher saying it, it is a fun little video with cartoon characters. Also the website supplies worksheets for the teacher to print for the students. I would use this in my class by showing the video to the students and they would just watch it the first time through. Then I would hand them the two vocabulary worksheets to try and fill in. After they all fill them in to the best of their ability I will replay the video so they can finish filling it in. Then they will work on another worksheet that the website supplies that works with graphing a linear equation. Students find this very intersting and they really enjoy doing it.

Taking a Laptop Shopping

While looking at different blogs I found a very interesting article. It was interesting to me because of the learning outcomes at the end of the article. They can be applied to almost ANYTHING! The learning outcomes were

1. Test, test and always test before going live with a group. (The group arrived 45 mins early, so I did not have time to test, and Lorraine’s photos did now display properly but ended up looking like a jigsaw puzzle, which could have been due to our connection)
2. Make use of teachable moments, wherever possible. (eg Endang and her laptop)
3. Ask my twitter colleagues, at the beginning to get them to say hello, where they are from and what they see as benefits of twitter”. I asked at the end and of course, the long list that replied was not noted as it takes a while for people on twitter to respond.
4. Know the software before you demonstrate. I have not used MS Communicator for some time, the new format is quite different and we had issues with the server.

Anyone who has run into any of these problems knows how troubling they can be. We hear these things all the time, but until we run into them ourselves we forget about them. They are always nice to hear again and again so we think about them.

Mathematics 24x7

The social network group that I joined and really interested me was Mathematics 24x7. The url is http://mathematics24x7.ning.com. This group is all about math. They have lots of different forums on math ideas and blogs with teachers asking other teachers questions. It seems very useful to me because teaching is all about sharing and there are lots of great ideas on there and lots of people to ask for help. There are even videos on there for helpful ways to teach different topics. Teaching is all about collaborating and helping each other. This group would be very helpful in that aspect and I would be able to get a lot of great ideas for my own classroom and ways to help my students and myself.

Learners of Today

A learner is like technology, if they are not interested in it and it is not easy for them to understand, then they do not want anything to do with it. Like technology for us as adults, when some new type of technology comes out if it is not interesting to us or easy for us to understand how to use it, then we don't want anything to do with it. Teachers need to strive to make lessons more interesting to students rather that just note taking, reading, and homework. If a new topic is introduced to a student and it is made to seem interesting and taught in a way that the student will understand it then they will want to learn it, but if it is boring and dry they shut down and tune out the teacher. An important point that George Siemens makes in his article on Connectivism is that "Informal learning is a significant aspect of our learning experience. Formal education no longer comprises the majority of our learning. Learning now occurs in a variety of ways – through communities of practice, personal networks, and through completion of work-related tasks." Students need to be engaged and interested in order to learn and that is not done through formal learning like it used to be. Students need to practice and do hands on to learn, not be tested over and over again until they get it. Another good point George Siemens brings up in his video called the Network is the Learning is "The way we are connected to other individuals is largely responsible for our ability to continue to stay current in the field." If students get to communicate and connect with other students about what they are learning they are more likely to understand what is going on than just with the teacher telling them. There is so much information out there that we are not all going to get it all the time but through communication with others that can help greatly. Other individuals may help make it more interesting for them and sometimes easier to understand.

References:

Siemens, G. (2005, January). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, Retrieved November 20, 2005

The Network is the Learning http://www.youtube.com/watchv=rpbkdeyFxZw&feature=PlayList&p=3E43054A8703F57A&index=4

Retrieved September 15, 2009

Blogs in the classroom

Blogs are something very new to me, I have heard about them before, but never used them. In the one day that I have been working on my blog I have learned so many new and interesting things. I have also saw so many different ways to use this in the classroom. The situation I am in right now in my school is I am a Teaching Assistant in two Algebra 1.1 9th grade math classes and I also work in the learning center with students who need AIS help in math. The blog can be used many different ways with my students. One way it can be used with my math classes is I can update it daily and keep the homework posted on there so if the kids need it they can easily access it and also since we use smart boards in math at my school I can also post the daily notes for students with a quick click of a button just incase they need them at home. This would be very helpful for the students, especially the special ed kids that I work with because they sometimes need just a little bit of extra help and their parents like to be connected too! With a blog that is possible. The students can comment on something if they don't understand it and if I can get back to them that night, if not then I know what to go over ahead of time the next day. Another way the blog can be used is with my learning center kids. I do not have specific lessons with them, but since I know what they are working on with their other teachers I can have an area for them to start the day off. When they walk into learning center they get on a computer, go on my blog, and do a problem of the day. The problems will incorporate what they worked on the day before and what they will be working on. This will help them so much stay focused and know what is expected that day. Lastly another way the blog can be used is just a general overview for all of math. The different formulas that are used in the different areas (algebra, geometry, trig, calc) and helpful hints for taking exams, etc. Students love technology if teachers can find ways to help students learn by using technology the students will learn so much more! They will have fun on the computer and be learning math, what more can you ask for!

Getting Acquainted

I am from Lewiston, attended Niagara Wheatfield for high school and NU for undergrad.
I am a TA special ed math in grand island school district
I have not visited any other country (besides Canada), would love to travel to Europe, Italy, etc.
I love cheerleading, I coach JV/varisty at Grand Island and I coach 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders for NWAA