The first thing that comes to my mind is, I have never wanted to apply so much, so quickly, to my current work. 

I came into the class with very little knowledge about technology in general, and even less about using technology in education.  After the shock and awe of all these amazing resources that I never new existed, I immediately began to think about how I can incorporate them into my work.  Since these ideas and tools were all new to me there was a big learning curve, along with some frustration.  But always, after the final product, was a sense of achievement, better understanding, and a drive to make that product even better.  That is how I personally know I have grown, and that is the point of continuing to educate yourself.  Pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, and seeing the positive in every resource, even if it wasn’t your favorite, is how you can evolve as a teacher, student, and a person.

Blogging

All though I still I have a lot to learn, I feel I am most comfortable with blogging.  This tool is so helpful, and allows you to do so many things.  You can use it socially, to collaborate on projects, to learn and share ideas, and the list goes on and on.  I have started blogging in one of my HS classes, and it is going well.  We are working out the kinks, and getting comfortable with the program.  Some kids have really embraced it, and some are a little blah about it, which is OK; not everything is for everybody.  We are piloting this program in the school, and are working with the creator to give feedback and suggestions which really empowers the students. I will continue to push this in other schools, and with other teachers.

NON-LINEAR POWERPOINT

What a neat tool to use, and have students interact with.  I really see myself using this with the elementary students, to create “booster” activities, and games to review previously covered material.  I know it can be used with all grade levels, but I see myself using it there first, and most.  This software  pushed my need to keep creating, and to have students create in PP I see them having the same need.  Not only would they work with the content, they can create how it will be presented.

PODCASTING     

The potential to create within podcasting is almost limitless.  Again, the process, content, and product is all up to the creator.  This to me is something I might just do for fun.  It might be interviews, positions on specific topics, teaching, learning.  It can have any look and sound I want.

These are just some of the tools used we have learned to use, but ones that made the most impact on my learning.  I can walk away with some wonderful philosophies as well.  It is not the technology that makes something creative, but it’s the teacher or student who uses it creatively.  Take your time in applying these things, but know they will rapidly change and evolve, and you have to evolve with them or be left behind.  It is my job to continue to grow and explore on my own, but with technolgy I guess you are never alone.  New ideas, and solutions to problems are just a blog, podcast, and wiki  away.     

I am wondering why we have to do these observations for our classes.  We learn about these great strategies and activities to use in the classroom, and then when we go to a school, to observe these strategies/activities, the teachers are not even using them.  At least that is my experience so far.  It has been so frustrating  to watch a teacher lecture and test and call that teaching.  What do I get out of it, and more importantly the students?  I understand I can see what to not do, but there is only so much of that you can take and use.  I can guarantee that when I go on an interview at the end of my program the principal will ask. “How can you incorporate these strategies into your classroom?”  I could respond with, “I don’t know, I have never seen it done before”.  I wouldn’t say that, but it is just frustrating to get excited about observations when the teachers are doing what you are not suposed to be doing.  What is the answer to this problem?  Anyone else experience this?  Does it ever end?

I was really excited about the pod-casting project.  I had a great resource for my topic in Rochester, and conducted an interview with her.  I could really see this being used in my classroom.  It could be used as a reflection activity for a project, used as a tool to enhance a particular section of a project, it can also be used as a form of review for a test.  Each student jigsaw’s a section of a chapter, or several chapters and has to add, facts, video, 5 review questions about that chapter or section. 

The ability to use such a powerful program like Garage Band, to create an extension to the research paper was exciting.  You got to make it your own, focus on a particular topic of your paper, or the whole thing.  The software is all about creativity, and makes something that used to be so difficult and not possible, possible.  Editing, creating, composing, producing, in a classroom is now possible.  There is a re-occurring theme of this class, “the limits of the creativity stand with the classroom teacher.  Not everyone needs to like this, but I am sure we all have found something to latch onto from the class.  Something to get better at and apply to our classroom down the road. 

I could see myself using podcast’s to continue my learning.  If I meet an intersting person, and want to find out more about them or what their passion is, I can interview them and turn it into a podcast.  My preperation for the interview will help get me learning started, and the interview could continue the process.  This way if other people are intersted it is now on file to listen to whenever.  The idea in ou rlast class about creating and sharing ideas is very important.  If we don’t share what we know, then what is th4e point of learning it.  

That is how I felt at times working on this past project.  I was at the mercy of the software, and being new to PowerPoint my trouble shooting was not at its best. 

If I new, what I know now know, at the beginning, things would have been that much easier.  After thinking about it, that’s the point.  The only way to learn is to try, fail, ask question, guess, and continue to apply what you learn in past experience to new experiences.  At the end I felt complete.  Not because of what the project looked like, but because I had a better understanding.  At the end of the PP project I had thought of ten different ways to re-do or make the project even more successful.  And so I will take those new ideas, and apply them to future projects, where I will probably feel like smashing the computer again.  But after I get over the initial frustration, and I have failed, screwed up, guessed, and asked questions; I hope to be in the same place as before.  Feeling complete, not because of what the project looks like, but because I have grown, and have an even better understanding of the software and how I can apply my creative ideas to it.   As much as the project was frustrating, it also pushed me to keep thinking about how I can make it better.  And with that I am grateful for the chance to have done the PP project, to me it was a success.   If I wasn’t inspired to  keep thinking of ways to make it better then the project would have been a failure. 

I closing I really appreciated every one’s hard work on their projects.  I got  a lot of good ideas for the future.

I have been asking myself this question a lot lately, and have been trying to find articles/research to read on the importance of an “A”.  I have not been able to find any to read (only “how to”), so I guess this is a question I have to answer myself.  For someone who has never been successful in school, in the traditional sense, getting an “A” is like reaching the top of Mt. Everest.  I have never enjoyed learning so much in my life, and when I enjoy something, I want to be the best that I can in whatever it is.  I have found that each professor I have worked with really wants their students to be successful.  Learning in that kind of environment has limited the anxiety that has always come along with success in school.  I would like to continue my higher education experience down the road, after being in the classroom.  Being successful at this level helps make it possible to be able to continue on.  Getting an “A” is about pushing myself to be the best I can be.  I understand success can be measured in many ways.  Someone may be very successful in the traditional sense, but fail in real life application of their knowledge.  I feel I have been successful in the “non traditional sense” or application of my knowledge in the real world, and now it is time to be successful in the traditional sense.  I feel that the knowledge, coupled with genuine care and concern, of my professors in undergraduate doesnt’ even come close to graduate school.  I may have had a great experience with a couple of my undergraduate professor’s, but I have had great experiences with all my professors in graduate school.  I think that may be because of my interest in succeeding in school, but also this program is about educating and education is the passion of my professors.  I feel that same passion and want to show them to the best of my ability that I am passionate about education.

I don’t think that I completely answered this question today, or can answer it in one sitting.  But it is a start, and something I will continue to think a lot about. 

I am now on the mission to sell technology to these schools.  I hope I can get the job done. 

On the positive side, I am beginning to blog in one of my classes.  The technology woman helped me set it up and a wiki space is on the way.  I want to get in and get it started but with a great conversation with my supervisor, and the information I am learning in my classes the power of these creative tools is how the students want to use them.  So many times students dont have a say in what goes on with THEIR education.  My next step is “hey we have access to this great tool, how do you see us using it to help you”.  And go from there.     

I had a chance to observe in one of the RCSD elementary schools this morning.  It is a special Saturday morning school program, primarily to prepare for the NYS exams.  Those are over for the year, but they still meet and and work on Math and ELA stuff.  

My first experience observing, in a different school district, I learned more about what not to do in the classroom, so this experience was quite enlightening. 

First we began the morning off with breakfast in the cafeteria.  I had a chance to meet the students and interact with them.  We then moved on to Math, fractions using Hershey Chocolate Bars.  The students were given one whole chocalate bar each.  We started off talking about the candy bar as a whole and made some comparisons to other things as well.  We then divided the candy bar into it’s 12 parts. The students were then asked to divide the parts in half.  We proceeded to divide them into 1/3 1/4, and so forth.  We talked about other ways to say 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 ( 3/12, 4/12, 6/12).  This activity was great becasue it worked with visuals, hands on learners.  Research says most students fit at least one of those two learning styles, if not both.  Plus a bonus was we got to eat chocolate along the way.  A very tasty Math lesson.

We then moved onto “Readers Theatre”.  This was something that I heard about but had never seen done before.  We read through a play in two groups, each students having a part to read.  The first read through was just to get used to the text and work on any difficult words.  The second reading the groups combined to focus on fluency of the reading.  Each student had a part and focused on the voice, puncuation, flow, etc.  The students really got into the presentation of the second reading.  They were having fun reading, which now a days doesn’t seem to happen enough. 

We then finished the day in the computer lab.  We practiced keyboarding, just kidding!  The students were working on completing a “bug rap” they had started in a previous class.  They then moved on to the next project “Magic Touch”.  If they had a magic touch what would objects turn into?  When they were done they would name and save the work and then submit it to their teacher through email.  The teachers would comment and send the work back to them for corrections.  The students really enjoyed the the computers, and it was nice to see they were being used, and had been being used all year.  One thing the teachers could have done better was give directions before they got to the computer lab, it was a little crazy at first but they settled in. 

All day I was able to interact and really help the studetns.  They were so appreciative for the help.  It was so exciting to see what I have been learning being out into action in the classroom.  The principle and teachers were so welcoming, you can tell they really care and have a great learning atmosphere in their school. 

If I were to create a school where instruction was based on the multiple intelligences, how would I do it?

Teachers would not be specified as English or Math teachers, but as Visual/Spatial or Bodily/Kinesthetic.  The focus for educators would be multi-subject instruction within their specified intelligence.  It would structured a lot like  an elementary classroom.  Students would of course have the option to stay in the visual/spatial classroom all day for their subjects, or they could go to the Kinesthestic room for Math, and the Interpersonal room for Health.  Their schedules would be set in the beginning of the year so that teachers new who was coming for each period on a regular basis.  This would provide flexibility for student learning style but consistency for the educators.  Their would be an evaluation period at the end of the school year and before the school year to assess whether that intelligence worked for students.  When a student first comes to the school there will be surveys, assessments, and education about MI theory and the philosophy behind it.  Students will select how they want to learn each subject, through their preferred intelligences.  Students will take the traditional core classes, but with an focus on integration of those core subjects in instruction, and/or learning communities.  Along with student picked electives, the educational objectives will be based on Gardners  Five Minds for the Future.  This book focuses on the Disciplinary Mind, Synthesizing Mind, Creating Mind, Respectful Mind, and Ethical Mind.

More to come on how these “Minds” will influence the atmosphere of learning within the school.

The teacher is not the smartest thing in the classroom anymore, and that is where technology comes in to enhance MI theory.  Five feet away is a computer that has almost limitless abilities.  A computer can be used as a fact gathering tool, but also as a place where student can interact with their peers to input knowledge.  With technology the term “peer” has grown substantially.  You can now have interaction with a peer in China.  There is always new software that may be specific for a ceratin subject, but has one clear objective throughout, getting students to think critically.  Critical thinking can happen along side fun, and that is why these games, and programs are so great for our students.  The more fun you can have learning the engaged you are going to be in the process.  Students products look alot different as well.  More sophisticated, engaging, interactive.  

I see myself really focusing and applying MI theory in my classroom in partnership with whatever new technology helps reach educational objectives.  I llok forward reading more about MI theory just for fun!