I have just begun using Twitter in the past month. It is an interesting bit of technology. At first I really didn't see what was so great about it; I just wasn't getting much from the tweets I had selected to follow. When I talked with my daughter about this she suggested so other tweets for me and I can now see that the problem wasn't that Twitter was useless, I had just not found out how to use it to my advantage.
In saying this I can see how twitter could be a fun and effective tool to use in a high school classroom. You can get immediate responses from your students, students do not have to have a cell phone to use it since you can tweet from your phone or a computer so it can be done right there in the classroom. If you wanted a response to a video or reading in the class you could have students tweet their response. If you then had a tweet deck set up you could display the tweets as they come in, also students can respond to others tweets as well. I know that this can also be done in a discussion thread, which are also somewhat new to me, and blogs but the tweets are quick and something that students are using right now.
Also, tweeting could be used for students asking questions about assignments. When they are working and don't understand something or just need a little clarification they could tweet their teacher to ask their question or they can tweet each other when they are working collaboratively but not in the same locations. I see many possibilities for this in upper level classrooms; it could be a lot of fun for both the students and the teachers.
Now in saying all of that we must keep in mind that we as teachers would have to teach proper tweeting etiquette to be sure that students were not misusing the technology. Lessons would have to be taught and boundaries and expectations would have to be made very clear from the very beginning and be restated throughout the class. Consequences for miss use would have to be made very clear right from the beginning.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Software review
I have spent some time today with Professor Garfield. He is an interesting little dude that has some possibilities for classroom use. Professor Garfield is a free web site that has educational content for classroom and home use. There is a teacher’s lounge where they have lesson plans, printables and other information for parents and teachers.
This site has drill and practice games that students can play to reinforce concepts in social studies, math, science and reading. There are also areas to learn about creating music and art. The one are where student’s get the chance to create content is in the comic labs. They can choose from many different pictures and element to put in their strips and then they write the stories in the comics. This could be done individually or in small groups. The strips can then be saved as a jpg file or printed out.
Not the most engaging program, mostly just point and click but there are questions in the games that will make kids use skills they have learned in the classroom.
This program has reviews and content standards available on the teacher page.
Here is a sample of the types of strips that can be made, this one took me about 5 minutes. It was fun to work with and easy to move through the steps to create the comic. There is a tutorial at the beginning but I skipped that and went right into creating.
I think the only part that could be used in a lesson plan would be the comic strip creator, but the other areas are fun for drill and practice options.
The URL for this site is: http://www.professorgarfield.org/ The image above is the Professor Garfield comic creator page.
This site has drill and practice games that students can play to reinforce concepts in social studies, math, science and reading. There are also areas to learn about creating music and art. The one are where student’s get the chance to create content is in the comic labs. They can choose from many different pictures and element to put in their strips and then they write the stories in the comics. This could be done individually or in small groups. The strips can then be saved as a jpg file or printed out.
Not the most engaging program, mostly just point and click but there are questions in the games that will make kids use skills they have learned in the classroom.
Here is a sample of the types of strips that can be made, this one took me about 5 minutes. It was fun to work with and easy to move through the steps to create the comic. There is a tutorial at the beginning but I skipped that and went right into creating.
I think the only part that could be used in a lesson plan would be the comic strip creator, but the other areas are fun for drill and practice options.
The URL for this site is: http://www.professorgarfield.org/ The image above is the Professor Garfield comic creator page.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Assistive Technology
I was intrigued by the writing programs that are available for students. I have had a few students over the years that have had problems with writing skills, not the ideas but the actual physical activity of writing. One student had fine motor skill development problems and the other two I am not sure why but their writing was not readable. The word predictions software would have been very helpful for all of these students. I know that these students have problems just completing the simple daily oral language activities because they would have to concentrate so hard on the actual writing that they would make mistakes in the sentences or they would concentrate on the sentence and the teacher would not be able to read what they had wrote. The one student would write so large that he would run out of room on most of his worksheets so he would just go back to the beginning of the line and write over the top of the first part of his answer. Our special education consultants have been working with him and he now has raised line paper to write out his answers from the worksheets and any other writing that he has to do. His handwriting lessons are also completed on the raised line paper. It has helped him quite a bit to use this resource. I can see where the word prediction software would help him when he was writing stories and longer pieces, he wouldn’t have to worry about spelling and handwriting he would be free to just think about the context of his work. As he gains confidence his reliance on the program should subside.
I read quite a bit more about the speech to text and word prediction software. These could be used for note taking when the students get into the upper grades because it would be much faster. The students wouldn’t have to think so much about what they were typing because the software would help them with the words they may not know right away. Typing in text speak would also help these kids take notes quickly so just having the computer available to them in class would be a great asset to them. They would then translate their text speak to standard English when they were using the information to complete assignments.
One web site that I looked at to review different types of tools for writing was http://www.techmatrix.org/Home
This is a site that lets you look at reviews of the products and links you to articles and other resources to help find the right tool for your student. Also the AEA has many tools that can be used. I have serve on our school Student Assistance Team along with our AEA special education representative and we have talked a great deal about tools that be used to help students be successful in the classroom and what is available through our local office.
I read quite a bit more about the speech to text and word prediction software. These could be used for note taking when the students get into the upper grades because it would be much faster. The students wouldn’t have to think so much about what they were typing because the software would help them with the words they may not know right away. Typing in text speak would also help these kids take notes quickly so just having the computer available to them in class would be a great asset to them. They would then translate their text speak to standard English when they were using the information to complete assignments.
One web site that I looked at to review different types of tools for writing was http://www.techmatrix.org/Home
This is a site that lets you look at reviews of the products and links you to articles and other resources to help find the right tool for your student. Also the AEA has many tools that can be used. I have serve on our school Student Assistance Team along with our AEA special education representative and we have talked a great deal about tools that be used to help students be successful in the classroom and what is available through our local office.
Friday, June 3, 2011
AEA Resource Review
I had never looked at the AEA's online resources before today. I found Culture Grams today and really liked what I found out about them. They have information about 22 different countries around the world and include videos and links that can be explored. I have taught a social studies lesson called A Trip Around the World to lower elementary students in the past. They love to learn about different cultures and compared them to the world around them. It would take me hours to search and find videos, recipes, local games, information about schools, traditions and what ever else I could come up with to make it interesting and fun for the students. Much of what I found in the Culture Grams combines much of this information all in one place. I would still look for other resources to be sure that I had a good variety of information but this would be sure a good starting point. I am excited about all the resourses that will soon be available through our AEA and plan to use these resources next year. We are extremely lucky to have our AEA's in this state, when I have gone to the National Lutheran Educators Conference I have talked with teachers that have nothing that would compare to this available in their states and the are amazed when I explain to them all that we have at our finger tips through our state Educatioin Agencies. Iowa is truly a great state in which to teach.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Wikipedia in the Classroom
Margaret Santori, (in the Literacy 2.0 book) demonstrates Wikipedia to her students. Most school do not allow Wikipedia to be used. Would you use Wikipedia like Margaret Santori with your students? Why?
I would use wikipedia like Margaret Santori did with her students. This is a site that students are very familiar with and will go to almost right away when they are doing research. I would model using it like she did in the text because this shows studetns how to check the content of entries for accuracy or to see if the content has been challenged. I agree with what she said about it being a good starting point but to no rely on it as the only search that they would use. If they are going to use this as a resource they should learn how to use it in an effective manner.
If three dimensional reading and writing books with technology (sound, hyperlinks, videos, etc) are our present, what do you think is the future of the written word?
At some point printed books may no longer be available but I personally will think that it will be a sad day. I love to walk through a book store and flip through the pages of the books, and children really need that interaction with the page to connect with the story, it just isn't the same when it is on a screen. There are some great things about the electronic books and I can see where they have their place, text books will be awesome with the videos built right in and the links that will take you to more information. I believe that something special happens when you read smell the new book smell and look at the cover art and hear the crack of the binding when you open a brand new book, it is like your invitation to a new adventure.
I would use wikipedia like Margaret Santori did with her students. This is a site that students are very familiar with and will go to almost right away when they are doing research. I would model using it like she did in the text because this shows studetns how to check the content of entries for accuracy or to see if the content has been challenged. I agree with what she said about it being a good starting point but to no rely on it as the only search that they would use. If they are going to use this as a resource they should learn how to use it in an effective manner.
If three dimensional reading and writing books with technology (sound, hyperlinks, videos, etc) are our present, what do you think is the future of the written word?
At some point printed books may no longer be available but I personally will think that it will be a sad day. I love to walk through a book store and flip through the pages of the books, and children really need that interaction with the page to connect with the story, it just isn't the same when it is on a screen. There are some great things about the electronic books and I can see where they have their place, text books will be awesome with the videos built right in and the links that will take you to more information. I believe that something special happens when you read smell the new book smell and look at the cover art and hear the crack of the binding when you open a brand new book, it is like your invitation to a new adventure.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
blog post #2
Both books talk about Collaborative learning. What are some of the challenges you see in implementing this in your classrooms?
The biggest challenge I see in implementing collaborative learning in the classroom is the initial time that it takes to prepare. It takes time to reinvent your curriculum to meet the requirements of collaboration. It is just easier to do it like it has always been done. I think that the key is to create collaborative lessons in a slow progression, one or two a year and build on them each year.
Collaborative learning also takes time to train the students how to work in a group setting, modeling your expectations so that they know what a well functioning group looks like. This is something that I have witnessed in many classrooms, students are grouped to work on an assignment but they are not really told what the expectations are for the group. In this situation you will usually have one person that takes control, one that argues with everything the leader says, one or two that look totally frustrated by the bickering and one that just sits back and takes a free ride.
I found an excellent article on the ISTE web site about reinventing your classroom. It has stories from teachers that have made the move to project based learning. http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/REINVT-excerpt.pdf
I also found a web site that has tutorial videos about implementing project based learning into your curriculum. There is a ton of information on this site that I found useful. http://www.bie.org/
Here is one of the videos from the site that I found interesting.
video from The Buck Institute for Education, problem based learning page http://www.bie.org/
The biggest challenge I see in implementing collaborative learning in the classroom is the initial time that it takes to prepare. It takes time to reinvent your curriculum to meet the requirements of collaboration. It is just easier to do it like it has always been done. I think that the key is to create collaborative lessons in a slow progression, one or two a year and build on them each year.
Collaborative learning also takes time to train the students how to work in a group setting, modeling your expectations so that they know what a well functioning group looks like. This is something that I have witnessed in many classrooms, students are grouped to work on an assignment but they are not really told what the expectations are for the group. In this situation you will usually have one person that takes control, one that argues with everything the leader says, one or two that look totally frustrated by the bickering and one that just sits back and takes a free ride.
I found an excellent article on the ISTE web site about reinventing your classroom. It has stories from teachers that have made the move to project based learning. http://www.iste.org/images/excerpts/REINVT-excerpt.pdf
I also found a web site that has tutorial videos about implementing project based learning into your curriculum. There is a ton of information on this site that I found useful. http://www.bie.org/
Here is one of the videos from the site that I found interesting.
video from The Buck Institute for Education, problem based learning page http://www.bie.org/
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Video Games in the Classroom
Video games in the classroom
I have had a hard time trying to choose a video game that could be used in the classroom. Not because I don’t see any value in them but because there are so many and so many possibilities that it is hard to choose just one.
If you were to use Farmville you could teach geometry concepts. You have to be able to use spatial concepts to figure out how to arrange everything on your farm for the maximum use of land. You have to plan where you are placing items to be able to access them as well. If you have corner plots that are blocked from view they are difficult to plant and harvest which may cost you revenue. Also with the trees you have to think about where they will be placed as to not block access to the land around them.
The game Angry Birds you have to think about angles and trajectories. This is a game that kids will keep working with until they get it figured out. If you gave them a worksheet with the same idea they would give up quickly, but in the video game format they will keep trying until they succeed. You can then take some of these concepts and have them build some of the structures out of blocks and test how stable they are and what they need to change to improve their structural integrity. There are many geometry and physics concepts in most video games. Even in a simple pool game you have to problem solve and use angles and force and motion ideas to be successful.
I have found through Rice University a Crime Scene Investigation simulation game that has some really awesome components. You can compare DNA samples, look at bullet fragments and match them, you can observe a animated autopsy and have each step explained. They give you facts and evidence from a crime and you have to walk through each step of the investigation to solve the crime. http://forensics.rice.edu/ Check it out !! It has the characters from CSI: Nevada. I had a whole summer science program built around this web site. We were going to start with the web adventure and then have speakers from local law enforcement talk to them about crime scene investigation. Then I was going to set up a mock crime scene and have them use all the concepts that they learned from the web adventure and the speakers and short mini lessons to solve the crime. I was going to have them do finger printing, hair sample analysis, foot print casting, fiber analysis and interview suspects. Unfortunately this did not happen because I was denied my grant and the school couldn’t afford to fund the program. I still have all the plans so maybe sometime in the future it still may come to be.
There are so many choices where you can take your students on web adventures or have them learn specific concepts through video games. Even just the problem solving and critical thinking skills that it takes to be successful in these games can be built upon in the classroom. This is something that is being talked about more all the time. We discussed this concept in my Visual Literacy class last semester, Dr. Z was telling me about someone doing their research on this idea and I found several articles on the topic as well. I think it will be a fun addition to the classroom and for some kids will really get them excited about learning. I believe if you really tried you could find many games that would teach a concept that kids can relate to and then take it away with them and apply that concept to a real world situation. It will take thought and planning, not just random games with the claim of educational value, but could be a great addition to your curriculum.
Image from Rice University CSI web site, http://forensics.rice.edu/
I have had a hard time trying to choose a video game that could be used in the classroom. Not because I don’t see any value in them but because there are so many and so many possibilities that it is hard to choose just one.
If you were to use Farmville you could teach geometry concepts. You have to be able to use spatial concepts to figure out how to arrange everything on your farm for the maximum use of land. You have to plan where you are placing items to be able to access them as well. If you have corner plots that are blocked from view they are difficult to plant and harvest which may cost you revenue. Also with the trees you have to think about where they will be placed as to not block access to the land around them.
The game Angry Birds you have to think about angles and trajectories. This is a game that kids will keep working with until they get it figured out. If you gave them a worksheet with the same idea they would give up quickly, but in the video game format they will keep trying until they succeed. You can then take some of these concepts and have them build some of the structures out of blocks and test how stable they are and what they need to change to improve their structural integrity. There are many geometry and physics concepts in most video games. Even in a simple pool game you have to problem solve and use angles and force and motion ideas to be successful.
I have found through Rice University a Crime Scene Investigation simulation game that has some really awesome components. You can compare DNA samples, look at bullet fragments and match them, you can observe a animated autopsy and have each step explained. They give you facts and evidence from a crime and you have to walk through each step of the investigation to solve the crime. http://forensics.rice.edu/ Check it out !! It has the characters from CSI: Nevada. I had a whole summer science program built around this web site. We were going to start with the web adventure and then have speakers from local law enforcement talk to them about crime scene investigation. Then I was going to set up a mock crime scene and have them use all the concepts that they learned from the web adventure and the speakers and short mini lessons to solve the crime. I was going to have them do finger printing, hair sample analysis, foot print casting, fiber analysis and interview suspects. Unfortunately this did not happen because I was denied my grant and the school couldn’t afford to fund the program. I still have all the plans so maybe sometime in the future it still may come to be.
There are so many choices where you can take your students on web adventures or have them learn specific concepts through video games. Even just the problem solving and critical thinking skills that it takes to be successful in these games can be built upon in the classroom. This is something that is being talked about more all the time. We discussed this concept in my Visual Literacy class last semester, Dr. Z was telling me about someone doing their research on this idea and I found several articles on the topic as well. I think it will be a fun addition to the classroom and for some kids will really get them excited about learning. I believe if you really tried you could find many games that would teach a concept that kids can relate to and then take it away with them and apply that concept to a real world situation. It will take thought and planning, not just random games with the claim of educational value, but could be a great addition to your curriculum.
Image from Rice University CSI web site, http://forensics.rice.edu/
Monday, May 2, 2011
Visual Symbols in My Life
There are so many symbols that we see every day that it is hard to isolate a few to add here. But right now is such a busy time for me. All my classwork for the semester is due today, I have many end of the year things going on at school and am trying to get summer school set up and scheduled for the elementary and high school kids at Janesville, I start my new courses next week, I am in my usual spring mode of applying for jobs, planning a trip to Florida in June, helping to plan my daughters wedding in July, and just the everyday things that a person has to do. I am sure my husband is wishing I was doing more of the everyday things this week, we may be getting kind of hungry soon if one of us does not find time to go to the grocery store. I don't mean to sound like I am complaining it is just the time of year, so many things to do and they always all come at once. That is why my first two symbols are a calendar and a clock.
Over the past couple of weeks about the only thing that I have really identified with as a visual symbol is:
I have been fueled with Diet Coke and chocolate, I have my computer on and my phone closeby almost all the time, I visit the IAREAP web site on a daily basis and when not teaching, I am surrounded by text books and articles and have been working on building two web sites. One for my library course and one for the new preschool in Waverly.
I am winding down this semester and getting ready for the next, only a one week break.
I am hoping that my yearly quest for employment will come to an end this year by finding a position that I can stay with for the long haul, one that doesn't end up on the chopping block, one that is an awesome fit for my background and experience.
This course has taught me a great deal about visual literacy and I have enjoyed coming to class and participating in the discussion. Always an enlightening experience. The video clips from our favorite movies last week were a lot of fun and I now have a list of must see movies if I find some free time this summer. I have watched more YouTube videos this semester than I have at any other time in my life and I have had some good laughs from many of them.
I love being in the classroom both as a student as a teacher and this has been a great start on my journy to a masters degree. I look forward to what comes next.
I am hoping that my yearly quest for employment will come to an end this year by finding a position that I can stay with for the long haul, one that doesn't end up on the chopping block, one that is an awesome fit for my background and experience.
This course has taught me a great deal about visual literacy and I have enjoyed coming to class and participating in the discussion. Always an enlightening experience. The video clips from our favorite movies last week were a lot of fun and I now have a list of must see movies if I find some free time this summer. I have watched more YouTube videos this semester than I have at any other time in my life and I have had some good laughs from many of them.
I love being in the classroom both as a student as a teacher and this has been a great start on my journy to a masters degree. I look forward to what comes next.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
A moving sight!
I debated for a few days if I should add this to my blog. The video below was taken by someone in the funeral procession for Spc. Don Nichols. The support from the community was an awesome sight. It is an emotional experience to watch the video even though it is very poor quality. I did not personally know this young solider and most of the people lining the streets did not either, but their pride in the people who serve our country and the support that was offered to this family was amazing. I can not even imagine what they were feeling as they rode through these communities and saw all the people lining the streets with flags. This is a visual image that will not soon be forgotten but hopefully not soon repeated.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
PSA from my childhood Aha moment
Watching the PSA's in class last night made me think of the ones I saw when I was a kid. This is the one I remember most. They were very corny but the tunes stuck in your head.
This one is a little disturbing. The pot of boiling water should scare any kid out of the kitchen.
There are several from the 70's about the constitution. They talk about different aspects of the document but all end with the tag line, "The Constitution is for everyone, even kids."
There were a lotof PSA's in the seventies that were geared toward kids. There was even the hour long After School Specials that were basically PSA's that told a story. Usually about topics like stranger danger, bullying, peer pressure, drugs and teenage drinking. They must have been somewhat effective since I remember most of them and I watched them over 30 years ago. OK now I feel old.
The youth oriented PSA's of my time were not as in your face as the ones that we watched last night, like the ones for crack and texting while driving. Maybe that is what is needed now to make people listen but I think I like the ones above better. I know I drove home last night singing, "grab yourself a hunk-a, a slab or slice or chunk-a, grab yourself a hunk of cheese!!"
Thursday, April 14, 2011
you want to watch something silly you have to watch Shaun the Sheep. He is awesome
I love cartoons and this one is one of my current favorites. It is completely clean and child safe, I first saw it on the Disney channel and my four year old loves it, even if she doesn't get all the humor.
I also love old Bugs Bunny cartoons, they are so politically incorrect that they are funny. This one is one of my all time favorites.
I looked forward to watching cartoons on Saturday mornings when I was a kid. Now they say all the ones I watched are too violent. But when I watch cartoons with my daughter now they are awful. They are not funny, they aren't fun in any way and they have way too adult themes to them. Why do they insist on making cartoons that are for teenagers instead of for little kids.
This one is very teenaged themed and is is on during the time that is slotted for little kids. The creators of kids shows need to do a better job of making kid approriate programming. That is why I really try to keep Amelia on PBS. This one is surprisingly from Disney.Catoons are a great stress reliever, that is what got me watching them today and I thought I would share them with all of you.
I love cartoons and this one is one of my current favorites. It is completely clean and child safe, I first saw it on the Disney channel and my four year old loves it, even if she doesn't get all the humor.
I also love old Bugs Bunny cartoons, they are so politically incorrect that they are funny. This one is one of my all time favorites.
I looked forward to watching cartoons on Saturday mornings when I was a kid. Now they say all the ones I watched are too violent. But when I watch cartoons with my daughter now they are awful. They are not funny, they aren't fun in any way and they have way too adult themes to them. Why do they insist on making cartoons that are for teenagers instead of for little kids.
This one is very teenaged themed and is is on during the time that is slotted for little kids. The creators of kids shows need to do a better job of making kid approriate programming. That is why I really try to keep Amelia on PBS. This one is surprisingly from Disney.Catoons are a great stress reliever, that is what got me watching them today and I thought I would share them with all of you.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Aha for 4-11-11
Facination with Disaster
It seems that there has been nothing on television and on the internet news sources lately but stories about disasters. When the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan there was nothing but pictures and stories everywhere. I will admit I spent time watching the videos and looking at the pictures. They were amazing, the amount of devestation.
I have a friend that lives in Japan so I was trying to look at maps and photos to see if the area she lives in was affected. She lives around Kobe so she was safe from the worst of the damage.
Why are we so facinated by the misfortune of others. Millions of photos can be found on the internet showing natural and some un-natural disasters.
Floods from history as well as more recent and local events.
Forest fires, I personally witnessed one of the biggest in the history of Yellowstone in 1988. I lived in Cody that summer and there were some times when it looked like dusk at 10:00 in the morning. I would have a layer of ash on my car when I would leave work at night. Driving throught the Sunlight Basin and having fire on both sides of the road was an experience I don't really need to repeat.
Tornados in Iowa City and Parkersburg were both disasters that hit very close to home and affected people I knew in both locations.
All these events capture our attention and can be seen everywhere right after they happen. The internet provides us the opportunity to see many home videos and photos that are not included on the news, some of which you wish you hadn't viewed. I think back to when I was a kid, yes that was a very long time ago, and we would see articles in the newspapers and there might be a brief story on the nightly news but we didn't have access to the vast amount of information that is out there now. We as a world are so much more connected almost instantly. It might have taken days for news of the Japan earthquake to reach our local news but today it is with in minutes and we are hearing about it or seeing it on the news. It is amazing to me still how the sharing of information has changed over a very short amount of time.
My thoughts are a little deep today and maybe that is because I wonder how long will the earthquakes in Japan be called aftershocks and you have to wonder how they will recover from all that was lost.
The world's facination with disaster will not go away but it is certainly fed a much larger diet in this age of instant communication.
Why are we so facinated by the misfortune of others. Millions of photos can be found on the internet showing natural and some un-natural disasters.
All these events capture our attention and can be seen everywhere right after they happen. The internet provides us the opportunity to see many home videos and photos that are not included on the news, some of which you wish you hadn't viewed. I think back to when I was a kid, yes that was a very long time ago, and we would see articles in the newspapers and there might be a brief story on the nightly news but we didn't have access to the vast amount of information that is out there now. We as a world are so much more connected almost instantly. It might have taken days for news of the Japan earthquake to reach our local news but today it is with in minutes and we are hearing about it or seeing it on the news. It is amazing to me still how the sharing of information has changed over a very short amount of time.
My thoughts are a little deep today and maybe that is because I wonder how long will the earthquakes in Japan be called aftershocks and you have to wonder how they will recover from all that was lost.
The world's facination with disaster will not go away but it is certainly fed a much larger diet in this age of instant communication.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Aha 4-6-11
Class was a lot of fun on Monday night. I enjoyed all the Save The World presentations. It was incredible all the directions that the groups went with the idea. There was everything from the crazy plot to take over the world, magic seeds that grow magic trees that will produce food, shoes, clothing and many other needs, carbon foot print counters, the star wars related presentation which I can't rememeber and of course the most creative and only actual use of the stickers, the SunSpots super solar cells. Ok so I am a little biased in my opinion. I was amazed at the ideas that came from one little page of stickers, even when I posted on facebook and asked for suggestions I got such a vast array of ideas all of which were awesome. I would love to have the opportunity to use a project like this in a junior high technology class, they would have so much fun with this and it would be such a new concept to have so few guidelines. Middle school aged kids have such great creative minds that the chance to let them run free would be very interesting.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
interesting reading for teaching majors
http://bigthink.com/blogs/dangerously-irrelevant
This is a blog link that our superintendent sent us today. We have an extremely block internet at our school, so closed that they can not access KWWL because it is labeled entertainment. Drives me crazy. But, we keep getting these links and articles about open access and using technology in our classrooms. I agree with that to the utmost extent but am a little confused why we get one message but act in the opposite. Maybe he is leading up to a change in the next year or so when we go to the 1 to 1 program.
All of that aside, the blog is awesome and poses some really good questions for teachers and administrators to think about. How are we going to prepare our students for the real world of technology? If we are not using in our classroom the technology that they will be expected to use in their jobs are we really doing our job? Can we continue to run our schools on the same educational foundations that have been used for decades or are we going to change with the current times and truly prepare our students for what is to come?
These are the questions that lead me to the masters program in instructional technology. I want to be prepared for when schools realize that they are out of date and need to take the plunge into the techno world that we live in. We can not continue to ignor the world around us we need to be a part of it. The video is a little dry but he makes a good point, we need to update our schools and we need to do it very soon.
This is a blog link that our superintendent sent us today. We have an extremely block internet at our school, so closed that they can not access KWWL because it is labeled entertainment. Drives me crazy. But, we keep getting these links and articles about open access and using technology in our classrooms. I agree with that to the utmost extent but am a little confused why we get one message but act in the opposite. Maybe he is leading up to a change in the next year or so when we go to the 1 to 1 program.
All of that aside, the blog is awesome and poses some really good questions for teachers and administrators to think about. How are we going to prepare our students for the real world of technology? If we are not using in our classroom the technology that they will be expected to use in their jobs are we really doing our job? Can we continue to run our schools on the same educational foundations that have been used for decades or are we going to change with the current times and truly prepare our students for what is to come?
These are the questions that lead me to the masters program in instructional technology. I want to be prepared for when schools realize that they are out of date and need to take the plunge into the techno world that we live in. We can not continue to ignor the world around us we need to be a part of it. The video is a little dry but he makes a good point, we need to update our schools and we need to do it very soon.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
3-30-11 aha
We watched the TED talk with Chimamanda Adichie last week. I have been thinking about it ever since. I really liked her idea of a "single story", it is so true of people in general. We form our opinions from what we see and from our own experiences and that is what creates that story. I don't think she was saying that is all a bad thing, but just to keep in mind that it is only one piece of a very large tapestry. We need to keep our minds open to more stories to add to our collection. In some ways it explains our ignorance, does not excuse it but does put it in to a new perspective. People are not always bias on purpose they have just never had the chance to hear other stories. When your view of the world starts to expand only then do you really begin to realize how limited it had been and only then will you start to work to hear more than the one story. I grew up in a small town but was close enough to Iowa City that I had a chance to see a little more than the small town story. I loved to go and sit in downtown Iowa City and just watch people. There were people from all over the world and I could see the different clothing and hear many different languages. It was an awesome experience. I was also lucky to have a mother that valued a good story so we were always hearing stories from different cultures, we went to the library often. And yet when I went to college I was still amazed at how much I did not know.
Monday, March 28, 2011
http://blog.timesunion.com/marshall/files/2011/03/tritop.jpg
Disturbing to say the least, this article and picture are about stores selling push-up bikini tops to children as young as 7 years old. JUST SO WRONG!!
I said it in class when we were discussing the sexualiztion of young girls in ads that the clothing that is sold for young kids is very inappropriate for children that are not yet teens. I do not want my 4 year old child to look like a slutty teenager. I didn't even allow my teens to dress in the type of clothing that is out there for little girls. It is just so scary that people promote this by purchasing this type of clothing for their young girls, where is their head. Why do they not see what they are doing to their children.
No matter how much we complain and contact these companies it doesn't seem to change what they are offering up out there. I am so ready for people to join in the opposition of this and stop buying this crap for their kids. What is more important that you think you have dressed your child to be popular and fashionable or that you allow your children to BE children.
I am done ranting now. Thanks for listening, I feel much better now that I have let it all out.
Disturbing to say the least, this article and picture are about stores selling push-up bikini tops to children as young as 7 years old. JUST SO WRONG!!
I said it in class when we were discussing the sexualiztion of young girls in ads that the clothing that is sold for young kids is very inappropriate for children that are not yet teens. I do not want my 4 year old child to look like a slutty teenager. I didn't even allow my teens to dress in the type of clothing that is out there for little girls. It is just so scary that people promote this by purchasing this type of clothing for their young girls, where is their head. Why do they not see what they are doing to their children.
No matter how much we complain and contact these companies it doesn't seem to change what they are offering up out there. I am so ready for people to join in the opposition of this and stop buying this crap for their kids. What is more important that you think you have dressed your child to be popular and fashionable or that you allow your children to BE children.
I am done ranting now. Thanks for listening, I feel much better now that I have let it all out.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/displaying-student-testing-data-ethical-elena-aguilar
This was a blog post that my daughter sent to me. She believes that it is ok to post the scores because students should know that it is not ok to fail math. Of course this is coming from a student who always found math to be easy and was on the math team in junior high and high school. Her and I do not see eye to eye on this point.
I personally liked the idea of having the kids set goals and then posting their progress toward their goal. No one has to know what their goal is just that they are making progress toward that end. Which to me is what school and differentiated instruction is all about. I don't think that their scores should be posted in the classroom with their names beside them for all to see. Humiliation for failure is not a good thing for an elementary or really any student. Showing whole class progress like the chart pictured might be ok but believe me the studetns always know who is at the top and who is at the bottom.
With so much focus on student scores and showing that you are improving the test scores in the classroom I can see where some of this thought comes from but I don't think that this is the way to go about motivating kids to do better. Teaching them goal setting and helping them to feel successful and to feel personal accomplishment is so much more important then the end score on a test. It is ok to fail sometimes as long as you don't dwell on it and get stuck in that failure. You need to learn from failure, look at why you failed and then learn how to improve. With that said, I go back to posting test scores in the classroom, how is that supposed to help them learn and improve if they are embarassed and humiliated in front of their peers.
I would be interested to hear everyone elses feelings on this, am I right or should children's test scores with their names next to them be posted in their classrooms or even on the classroom door for all to see?
This was a blog post that my daughter sent to me. She believes that it is ok to post the scores because students should know that it is not ok to fail math. Of course this is coming from a student who always found math to be easy and was on the math team in junior high and high school. Her and I do not see eye to eye on this point.
I personally liked the idea of having the kids set goals and then posting their progress toward their goal. No one has to know what their goal is just that they are making progress toward that end. Which to me is what school and differentiated instruction is all about. I don't think that their scores should be posted in the classroom with their names beside them for all to see. Humiliation for failure is not a good thing for an elementary or really any student. Showing whole class progress like the chart pictured might be ok but believe me the studetns always know who is at the top and who is at the bottom.
With so much focus on student scores and showing that you are improving the test scores in the classroom I can see where some of this thought comes from but I don't think that this is the way to go about motivating kids to do better. Teaching them goal setting and helping them to feel successful and to feel personal accomplishment is so much more important then the end score on a test. It is ok to fail sometimes as long as you don't dwell on it and get stuck in that failure. You need to learn from failure, look at why you failed and then learn how to improve. With that said, I go back to posting test scores in the classroom, how is that supposed to help them learn and improve if they are embarassed and humiliated in front of their peers.
I would be interested to hear everyone elses feelings on this, am I right or should children's test scores with their names next to them be posted in their classrooms or even on the classroom door for all to see?
Monday, March 21, 2011
social networks in the classroom - aha moment
This is a short video of students from Van Meter talking about how they use social networking sites in their education. I found it extremely interesting that these are just 8th grade students and the things that they have done in school. They are lucky to have a teacher with vision and a school that allows these sites to be used in the classroom. We do allow our students to use skype but on a very limited basis and YouTube is completely blocked from them. As I have researched different topics in this course I have found so many things on the internet that would be so cool to use in the classroom if only the students were allowed to have access to it. Many teachers do not even let have their phones in their classrooms. If they see them they take them away and here is a teacher that is encourageing her students to use twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Skype to communicate with other students all over the world and even to talk to authors and people in fields of study that her students are exploring. This is just really awesome and I wish that we were seeing more of it in our school instead of trying to keep the outside world away from the students.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Visual Literacy Links
http://www.zardec.net.au/keith/visual.htm
http://www.zardec.net.au/keith/index.html
These were a couple of site I found that give some really great ideas of how to incorporate technology into the classroom. The digital camera ideas are awesome. He has some ideas that I hadn't ever considered. If you are going to be a classroom teacher you could ask family and friends to donate their old digital cameras when they upgrade. For the classroom purposes most older cameras still offer enough functions to serve their purpose and you have nothing invested so if they become damaged you are out very little. Taking photos is something most kids love to do and it makes them look at the world through a different perspective. I have these sites bookmarked on my computer and plan to find a way to use at least one of the ideas in my second grade reading class yet this year. If I get it done before class ends I will post the results of the project.
http://www.zardec.net.au/keith/index.html
These were a couple of site I found that give some really great ideas of how to incorporate technology into the classroom. The digital camera ideas are awesome. He has some ideas that I hadn't ever considered. If you are going to be a classroom teacher you could ask family and friends to donate their old digital cameras when they upgrade. For the classroom purposes most older cameras still offer enough functions to serve their purpose and you have nothing invested so if they become damaged you are out very little. Taking photos is something most kids love to do and it makes them look at the world through a different perspective. I have these sites bookmarked on my computer and plan to find a way to use at least one of the ideas in my second grade reading class yet this year. If I get it done before class ends I will post the results of the project.
Monday, March 14, 2011
In my search for information on ethics and morals in advertising I found several lectures and even one video on a workshop for lawyers to teach them how to eithically make profound claims about how they are the best have won the most cases in their commercials.
But a lot of what I found were the banned ads, the first one has runs on the premise of inuendo, which is of course inappropriate but I still found to be amusing. The second one was so over the top I was amazed anyone even made it to where it had to be banned. The message is an important one but they turned it into a big joke. It is supposed to be funny but missed the mark and hit stupidity instead. There one also one for eyeglasses that I couldn't even bring my self to add here. That one made me wonder why anyone would even agree to act in the commercial.
I found one comment under the videos to be especially appropriate: We skip the ads when we watch TV shows and then look for the to watch on youtube. it is a good point. We all hate commercials but then watch the superbowl just to see the commercials or the following day we look for them on the internet. We search for certain ones to watch or to show our friends. But over allin my search for information on the morals and ethics in advertising, I found more satire on the topic than actual information. Interesting.
March 14, aha moment
My husband and I were watching television the other night and a commercial came on and the guy was on the couch, he has a cold and he is whining becasue he can't reach the remote. My husband looks up and says why do they always make men act so helpless when they are sick? He was annoyed by the commercial and how it portrayed men. This brought me back to our conversations after we watched Killing me Softly. Many thought that men were not as bothered or harmed as much by their portrayal in the media as women. I believe they are. The image of them being helpless or stupid sends a negative message and creates a negative stereotype. I don't know if this started so that woman could be made to look stronger and break the stereo type that they are the weaker sex. I would ask how does going in the opposite direction and to an extreme to make a point any better than the stereo type that already existed. It is almost as if the stupid male has taken the place of the dumb blonde.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
UP!! In real life!
This is just awesome, I had to post it.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20040371-1.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20040371-1.html
Monday, March 7, 2011
children's creativity
There seems to be the idea out there that children are losing their creativity. I can see where this may be true with some children when they are so over scheduled that they don't ever have a chance to be a kid.
When I came home from class tonight I found my daughters drawings and paintings on the table and the living room looked like a tornado had gone through. She was in the bathtub with a clear plastic bucket over her head pretending to be a spaceman going into outer space, because it was dark outside and you can see outerspace. She is a funny kid and is very creative. I love to watch her play and listen to her as she is making her dolls talk. I wish I could video tape it but everytime I get the camera out she turns into super ham and I can't just get her playing.
I believe if we give kids toys that allow them to be creative, like blocks, dolls, trucks, and art supplies they will use that creative spirit that is in all children. But if we schedule every minute of their day and never allow them to make a mess than we stifle that natural creativity. Video games and such are OK and can be very educational but we need to mix in the toys that require kids to think on their own.
When I came home from class tonight I found my daughters drawings and paintings on the table and the living room looked like a tornado had gone through. She was in the bathtub with a clear plastic bucket over her head pretending to be a spaceman going into outer space, because it was dark outside and you can see outerspace. She is a funny kid and is very creative. I love to watch her play and listen to her as she is making her dolls talk. I wish I could video tape it but everytime I get the camera out she turns into super ham and I can't just get her playing.
I believe if we give kids toys that allow them to be creative, like blocks, dolls, trucks, and art supplies they will use that creative spirit that is in all children. But if we schedule every minute of their day and never allow them to make a mess than we stifle that natural creativity. Video games and such are OK and can be very educational but we need to mix in the toys that require kids to think on their own.
Cool way to teach a mini lesson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIGqBb3iZPo
This guy does some really cool little science and engineering lessons on videos. He explains them in terms that make sense and then shows you at the same time. The visuals make the video awesome. I have learned some very interesting little tidbits of science from The Engineer Guy.
This guy does some really cool little science and engineering lessons on videos. He explains them in terms that make sense and then shows you at the same time. The visuals make the video awesome. I have learned some very interesting little tidbits of science from The Engineer Guy.
March 7, 2011 AHA Moment
Last week I had the unique opportunity to be on the other side of hiring a teacher. I was reading and sorting resumes and cover letters and was amazed at the difference in quality of the 9 applicants. My major AHA moment came when someone help up a cover letter that had no paragraph breaks on the entire page of the letter. He commented, "I don't even want to attempt to read this, I am tempted to just put it aside and not even look at it." I had to agree it was very difficult to read but it also ended up being one of our top choices to interview. If we had been looking at a pile of 100 or more applicants I am sure this person would have just been put aside and not even considered.
That old saying of first impressions is so true. When I went home that evening I went through my cover letter with a fine toothed comb to find any errors at all, because every little error was noticed on these letters and resumes. I also made sure that my cover letter gave a good impression of the kind of teacher that I am and not just a repeat of the same information that is on my resume.
The comments made by others and my own thoughts as I read through these application materials was an eye opener. I will be reviewing all of my application materials to be sure that they are all current, proper format, no mistakes and not only my letter and resume but all of my packet materials. I was in awe of the impact of this first visual impression on how we made our decisions on who to interview. We did read through all nine but I am sure if we had been looking at a bigger pool of applicants some very fine people would have been passed over because of how they presented them selves on paper.
Next week I will be sitting on the other side of the interview table and I am looking forward to what I can learn to help me the next time I am in the hot seat. This is an awesome experience and I hope it will help me in my own job search. Now I am off to ask for updated letters of reference from my principal and superintendent.
That old saying of first impressions is so true. When I went home that evening I went through my cover letter with a fine toothed comb to find any errors at all, because every little error was noticed on these letters and resumes. I also made sure that my cover letter gave a good impression of the kind of teacher that I am and not just a repeat of the same information that is on my resume.
The comments made by others and my own thoughts as I read through these application materials was an eye opener. I will be reviewing all of my application materials to be sure that they are all current, proper format, no mistakes and not only my letter and resume but all of my packet materials. I was in awe of the impact of this first visual impression on how we made our decisions on who to interview. We did read through all nine but I am sure if we had been looking at a bigger pool of applicants some very fine people would have been passed over because of how they presented them selves on paper.
Next week I will be sitting on the other side of the interview table and I am looking forward to what I can learn to help me the next time I am in the hot seat. This is an awesome experience and I hope it will help me in my own job search. Now I am off to ask for updated letters of reference from my principal and superintendent.
Monday, February 28, 2011
aha moment 2-28-2011
When I was reading through chapter fourteen, Use of Visuals in Schools, from our text book I really began to think abou the images I have placed in my classroom. Why did I choose the images that are here. I have a small sign on my wall in Japanese writing that is translated to mean teacher Steinfadt. I have the required notices about room rules and expectataions and lunch menus and all that busy stuff that no one really looks at unless they are bored. I also have a large poster of Einstein with several of his quotes and lastly I have a small poster of rock climbers at sunset that says, "I can because I think I can." I have shelves full of books and several computers. I choose to have books in my room because I am comfortable surrounded by books and it shows that I value reading. I have my positive message poster because it is a message that I repeat often to my students, that when you say that you can't you have already defeated yourself. You have to believe in yourself before anyone else will. I have Einstein because I liked it and really no other reason.
Reading this chapter has made me think of how I use visuals when I teach second grade reading and how can I use them more often. I have a group this year that has a hard time focusing and I think that if I tried to use a visuals more maybe it would help them. They like to talk and have some great background information that could be promted by visuals. I don't teach in my own room so I will have to find the items I want to use and bring them with me. The room they are in now is very steril, nothing extra. It has exactly what is expected and not one thing more. As I read the chapter I found myself pictureing this room and how it would look different if it were mine. I think that I will be working harder to find visuals to add to my lessons that have a purpose and will teach students how to use and view them with a critical eye.
I do find it interesting that no matter what I put on my walls the one thing that always catches the attention of students more than anything else is only about 3 inches wide and 5 inches tall. It is a bright yellow box with black capital letters that spell out "DIASTER." In the middle of this bright yellow box there is a red circle with white capital letters that spell out "PUSH". Every student that comes into my room no matter what grade level K-12 asks what would happen if I pushed this? It is like it is screaming "PUSH ME" to all that enter.
Reading this chapter has made me think of how I use visuals when I teach second grade reading and how can I use them more often. I have a group this year that has a hard time focusing and I think that if I tried to use a visuals more maybe it would help them. They like to talk and have some great background information that could be promted by visuals. I don't teach in my own room so I will have to find the items I want to use and bring them with me. The room they are in now is very steril, nothing extra. It has exactly what is expected and not one thing more. As I read the chapter I found myself pictureing this room and how it would look different if it were mine. I think that I will be working harder to find visuals to add to my lessons that have a purpose and will teach students how to use and view them with a critical eye.
I do find it interesting that no matter what I put on my walls the one thing that always catches the attention of students more than anything else is only about 3 inches wide and 5 inches tall. It is a bright yellow box with black capital letters that spell out "DIASTER." In the middle of this bright yellow box there is a red circle with white capital letters that spell out "PUSH". Every student that comes into my room no matter what grade level K-12 asks what would happen if I pushed this? It is like it is screaming "PUSH ME" to all that enter.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
cool site to create on
http://sketch.odopod.com/
This is an awesome site if you like to doodle and sketch. It is amazing what some people have created. I spend about 20 minutes playing with it and sketching. If you want to save you have to have an account. I didn't go that far because then I know that I would be on there all the time. I would like to see what some of my students could do on a site like this. I suppose that is the art teacher training coming out in me, but creative outlets seem be becoming rather rare in schools. As we push for higher accademic standards we are getting rid of the creative elements of education. We expect teachers to incorporate creative art elements into the classwork but do not give them any training on how to do this. I will get down off my soap box now. Have fun with this site I had a great time playing.
This is an awesome site if you like to doodle and sketch. It is amazing what some people have created. I spend about 20 minutes playing with it and sketching. If you want to save you have to have an account. I didn't go that far because then I know that I would be on there all the time. I would like to see what some of my students could do on a site like this. I suppose that is the art teacher training coming out in me, but creative outlets seem be becoming rather rare in schools. As we push for higher accademic standards we are getting rid of the creative elements of education. We expect teachers to incorporate creative art elements into the classwork but do not give them any training on how to do this. I will get down off my soap box now. Have fun with this site I had a great time playing.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Movies: Crash, Higher Learning
These were two very different movies. I liked Crash, it really made you look at your own personal biases and predjudices. We all have them even if we do not want to admit to them. Just like Sandra Bullock's reaction when she was walking down the street at night with her husband and she saw the two black males dressed in the baggy clothes and corn rows and she took hold of her husbands arm. She was reacting to a situation where she perceived a danger because of personal experiance or background. In this situation she was correct in being on the defensive but that will not always be the case but this experience will just reinforce what she already perceives to be the truth. We make up our minds about people by our own personal experiences and by what we have been taught either from our parents, our friends or even by what we are told in the news each day. The store keeper thought that everyone was out to cheat him and reacted negatively in every situation they played out in the movie. In the end he let his own prejuices lead him to get revenge on the locksmith who had tried to guide him in what was best for his store. He would have shot the little girl if his daughter had not bought the blanks for his gun. We will hope that he learned his lesson from the experience since he says that the girl is his guardian angel. Our perceptions and past experiences guide how we react in a given situation. I know I try not to judge people before I get to know them or have all the facts in a situation but sometimes it is hard not to follow your insticts and gut reactions. How people dress and act will determine what you perceive of them. If Sandra Bullock had seen two well dressed black men on the street her reaction would not have been the same.
In Higher Learning it really dealt more with the tension that is created by peoples racist tendancies. This was a very intense movie and kept you waiting for the big blow up that you knew was coming at some point. It was a huge build up all the way through the movie. I was a little disappointed in Remy, letting himself be led by others, he started out trying to get along with everyone but just didn't quite fit in. Then he was so easily a targer for the Nazi group who then fed off of his insecurities. I don't think he would have gone as far as he did if he would have found others that accepted him when he first arrived at school. He felt accepted in this new group of friends and they made all of the rejections he suffered in the beginning were all because of the minorities taking everything from him that should have been his. Building his anger and fueling his hatred, but all the way through you could see his conflict, his hesitations in the final shooting and then dropping the gun like it was something offensive and running away.
Racism is so often viewed as a white against black thing but these two movies really show that it comes from all directions not just one. That not ALL of any one group is racist. That no matter who or what you are you have predjuices.
In Higher Learning it really dealt more with the tension that is created by peoples racist tendancies. This was a very intense movie and kept you waiting for the big blow up that you knew was coming at some point. It was a huge build up all the way through the movie. I was a little disappointed in Remy, letting himself be led by others, he started out trying to get along with everyone but just didn't quite fit in. Then he was so easily a targer for the Nazi group who then fed off of his insecurities. I don't think he would have gone as far as he did if he would have found others that accepted him when he first arrived at school. He felt accepted in this new group of friends and they made all of the rejections he suffered in the beginning were all because of the minorities taking everything from him that should have been his. Building his anger and fueling his hatred, but all the way through you could see his conflict, his hesitations in the final shooting and then dropping the gun like it was something offensive and running away.
Racism is so often viewed as a white against black thing but these two movies really show that it comes from all directions not just one. That not ALL of any one group is racist. That no matter who or what you are you have predjuices.
2-21 AHA moment!
I watched this video and thought of how cool all these things would be to have in a classroom. We have access to so many great things through the internet, but we block so much of it from our students. Why do we limit thier access to the world? We give them assignments that require they do research and then take away the very tools they need to complete the task, making it twice as difficult to be successful. If the student does not have a computer or the internet at home and we limit their access at school how are they to be successful? This video confirmed my beliefs that we are cheating our students of valuable experiences by blocking internet content. We deprive them of the chance to learn how to use the internet responsibly. We take away the opportunity to learn to be discriminate about what they read and see on line. We are limiting their education under the idea that we are protecting them from the dangers that lurk through their computers.
By not allowing them to see what is out there, by not teaching them what is real and what is not, by not guiding them in their explorations we cheat them of exceptional learning opportunities.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Design Standards Manual for the Nazi Party - aha moment
http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=24358&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Tputh+%28TPUTH+-+Breaking+News+With+The+Social+Hammer%29
Some things you just don't think about, such as design standards for a political party. This is an interesting piece of history and speaks to visual literacy. My daughter was looking through her google reader files and this site came up. The cover of the book caught my attention right away because I had been reading about the Nazi party for my presentation. So I found this to be an interesting read on a little bit of the history of the symbology for the Nazi party. It would be interesting to know if our military has a design standards manual. I am sure that there is something similar to regulate the usage of the logos for our different branches of the military. So many things that we see each day and take in without really thinking about them. When do we begin to look deeper into what we see, when it strikes an emotional chord, makes us laugh, makes us cry, or makes us angry. How would our advertising change is we reacted to more of it in a negative way when we are offended. Would the companies change their design standards if the public at large showed disapproval. Interesting concept when you really start to think about it. So do we continue to say, "oh yeah, that is terrible, but it doesn't really have anything to do with me personally so who cares". OR do we stand up and make noise to help make change happen?
Some things you just don't think about, such as design standards for a political party. This is an interesting piece of history and speaks to visual literacy. My daughter was looking through her google reader files and this site came up. The cover of the book caught my attention right away because I had been reading about the Nazi party for my presentation. So I found this to be an interesting read on a little bit of the history of the symbology for the Nazi party. It would be interesting to know if our military has a design standards manual. I am sure that there is something similar to regulate the usage of the logos for our different branches of the military. So many things that we see each day and take in without really thinking about them. When do we begin to look deeper into what we see, when it strikes an emotional chord, makes us laugh, makes us cry, or makes us angry. How would our advertising change is we reacted to more of it in a negative way when we are offended. Would the companies change their design standards if the public at large showed disapproval. Interesting concept when you really start to think about it. So do we continue to say, "oh yeah, that is terrible, but it doesn't really have anything to do with me personally so who cares". OR do we stand up and make noise to help make change happen?
Friday, February 11, 2011
Are you a teacher or an Educator?
I saw this video today and really liked it and thought I would share. The music and pictures are beautiful and the message is awesome if you are planning to work in education. I liked how he compared the definitions of teacher and educator, so simple and yet very clear in it's message. The use of the word FIRE becomes clear in the end and you have one of those AHA!! moments, Now I get it, that's cool.
I believe I am an EDUCATOR, at least that is my goal and my hope that I do more than JUST teach. I did have a student tell me the other day that I am one of their favorite High School teachers, not sure if it is for the reasons that I had hoped but it is still nice to hear. My classroom is very unconventional and sometimes vary laid back and for many students it is a safe and comfortable place to be. I guess we all need that sometimes. This video is one that makes you look at what you do in the classroom and how you do it and decide is this the best way for these students to learn what I am wanting them to learn. We should all do this on occasion instead of thinking is this the best way for ME to teach.
I believe I am an EDUCATOR, at least that is my goal and my hope that I do more than JUST teach. I did have a student tell me the other day that I am one of their favorite High School teachers, not sure if it is for the reasons that I had hoped but it is still nice to hear. My classroom is very unconventional and sometimes vary laid back and for many students it is a safe and comfortable place to be. I guess we all need that sometimes. This video is one that makes you look at what you do in the classroom and how you do it and decide is this the best way for these students to learn what I am wanting them to learn. We should all do this on occasion instead of thinking is this the best way for ME to teach.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Super Bowl Commercials
I spent some time on Monday watching the commercials that had aired the night before. I didn't get the opportunity to watch them first hand. I must admit I was a little disappointed by them this year. Usually they are much funnier. There were a couple that stood out, the mini Darth Vader was awesome, cracked me up. I also like the bud light dogs, just because they included so many cliches in such a small shot, you just knew that there had to be dogs playing poker and yep there they were in the end.
I was most offended by the Pepsi Max ads, I don't get why they thought hitting a person in the head with a soda can and then running away was funny, not even slapstick funny. I really believe they missed the mark this year.
I was listening to Bob and Tom on Tuesday and they were talking about the ads as well, they had a guest on that was analysing them. It was interesting to hear the point of view of someone from the advertising industry. They were talking about how well the ads promote the products they are trying to sell and how most people will remember the ad but have no idea what it was selling. I kind of thought then what is the point in spending millions on this ad that no one remembers your product from. I suppose that you get company name recognition even if you don't get product recognition.
Someone asked what is the most memorable super bowl ad, the first one that came to my mind was the Apple one with the 1984 reference. That was also the one that he mentioned first. Second was the Mean Joe Green Coke ad. I don't think there will be any this year that stand out as memorable.
I did find that I was looking at the ads differently when I watched them this time. I looked for hidden meaning or subtext. Camera angles and focal points. I watch a few of them more than once to look for different aspects.
I was most offended by the Pepsi Max ads, I don't get why they thought hitting a person in the head with a soda can and then running away was funny, not even slapstick funny. I really believe they missed the mark this year.
I was listening to Bob and Tom on Tuesday and they were talking about the ads as well, they had a guest on that was analysing them. It was interesting to hear the point of view of someone from the advertising industry. They were talking about how well the ads promote the products they are trying to sell and how most people will remember the ad but have no idea what it was selling. I kind of thought then what is the point in spending millions on this ad that no one remembers your product from. I suppose that you get company name recognition even if you don't get product recognition.
Someone asked what is the most memorable super bowl ad, the first one that came to my mind was the Apple one with the 1984 reference. That was also the one that he mentioned first. Second was the Mean Joe Green Coke ad. I don't think there will be any this year that stand out as memorable.
I did find that I was looking at the ads differently when I watched them this time. I looked for hidden meaning or subtext. Camera angles and focal points. I watch a few of them more than once to look for different aspects.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Movies
Watched both Malcom X and Amistad over the past couple of days. Both movies that I have never seen before. I had heard of Malcom X and knew that there was a movie about him. I knew that he was an activist in the sixties and that he was thought to promote violence and black supremacy but not really much more than that. It was interesting to watch the movie and learn about his background and his life. He had courage to stand up for what he believed. I thought it was interesting that they made him out to be almost nieve and gullable, he was told by the guy in prison that he shouldn't just believe what he is told but to look for the truth then he took every thing they told him at face value and again just believed what he was told and didn't see the truth until it was too late. Then his fight became not only with white oppression but with the very people that saved him. I know he was thought of as promoting violence but his words were more asking for the violence to stop against his people and when it does he will tell them to quit fighting to protect themselves and their freedoms.
Amistad was a good movie as well, not one I would have chosen to watch on my own but I am glad that I now have. It was very hard to watch how these people were treated, especially when he was telling the story of the voyage to Cuba. The horrendous disregaurd for human life was very disturbing. The contrasts in the movie were very well shown with out being extremely in your face. The darkness of the cells and the ship and the lighness of the capitol scenes and John Adams home. This was an intense movie, it kept you waiting to see what was going to happen next. I was surprised that they won in the end, I really didn't expect them to. I thought for sure that evil would win because of the time period that the movie was set. In hindsite the movie was a little predicable, the down trodden average man who under extreme circumstances does great things and becomes a hero. But all that aside it was a good story and very thought provoking.
Amistad was a good movie as well, not one I would have chosen to watch on my own but I am glad that I now have. It was very hard to watch how these people were treated, especially when he was telling the story of the voyage to Cuba. The horrendous disregaurd for human life was very disturbing. The contrasts in the movie were very well shown with out being extremely in your face. The darkness of the cells and the ship and the lighness of the capitol scenes and John Adams home. This was an intense movie, it kept you waiting to see what was going to happen next. I was surprised that they won in the end, I really didn't expect them to. I thought for sure that evil would win because of the time period that the movie was set. In hindsite the movie was a little predicable, the down trodden average man who under extreme circumstances does great things and becomes a hero. But all that aside it was a good story and very thought provoking.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Friday, Feb. 4, 2011
Our principal today attached the following video to a teacher news letter. I thought it was very interesting and spoke to the topic of using social type networks in our schools and how they are used by society at large. I thought I would share it with you all and see what you think of this. It is about 18 minutes long. I found it very interesting that he sent us this as it talks about not filtering the internet for students and our internet is SO filtered that it is almost worthless for the students to use.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Killing Me Softly 3 - Feb. 2, 2011
This video was very powerful and eye opening. I thought at the beginning she was going to be way over the top and really push a feminsit agenda with her examples. But as I started watching, these we mostly ads that I have seen in magazines and on television. If not exactly at least very similar. I never really thought about the message that women should be silent and how she says that is shown by all the photos with hands over the mouth and text that in many different ways tells us to be silent. Many of the things she showed didn't seem so bad when you were only looking at one ad, you thought that one is not so bad, then she would flash several more and the pattern would become obvious. I think that may be one reason why it goes on as it does, because we don't see them all together, we view them one at a time. And at times when we don't really give ads our full attention so the impact is so gradual that we don't notice it. Kind of like when you buy a car and the color you choose is one that you think is not real common, then you drive it off the lot and you see that color everywhere. Now that I have been made aware I will now SEE these ads.
We are not going to change advertising overnight or maybe ever, but we can reduce the impact of the ads on our children by educating them to be more visually literate. Teach them to look with understanding and be aware of hidden messages and false messages. They all know that photos can be manipulated and many of them have played with the programs that can do this, but when they are looking at images in other contexts they don't always apply that knowlege. Maybe if we make them aware we will begin to turn the tide.
This video also focused mainly on the impact on women and what it is teaching men about women. The other trend I have seen in media lately is the stupid male. Maybe it isn't as harmful, but what does it tell young women, that they will never find a smart, loving man to share their lives with, that they will have to put up with incompetance for their entire married life. Shows like Ray Romano's show, where no matter what he did he was wrong, she was always right and he was always stupid. I got to the point where I couldn't even watch it anymore because that attitude bothered me. Now you see it in commercials, in movies and on TV shows that stupid and obnoxious is funny and acceptable. I see this attitude carried over in to classrooms, that obnoxious is funny and cute, then they can't understand why the other kids don't want to be around them. This does not help with the fragile self esteem of teen males. We like to think that these things don't bother boys this age but there are many studies that show male teens are just as swayed by the images they see in magazines and on television as females. The difference is that they internalize it more, don't talk about it and the more insecure they feel the more confident they try to appear because they don't want anyone to know. Bravado is many times a coping mechanism to coverup insecurity.
We are not going to change advertising overnight or maybe ever, but we can reduce the impact of the ads on our children by educating them to be more visually literate. Teach them to look with understanding and be aware of hidden messages and false messages. They all know that photos can be manipulated and many of them have played with the programs that can do this, but when they are looking at images in other contexts they don't always apply that knowlege. Maybe if we make them aware we will begin to turn the tide.
This video also focused mainly on the impact on women and what it is teaching men about women. The other trend I have seen in media lately is the stupid male. Maybe it isn't as harmful, but what does it tell young women, that they will never find a smart, loving man to share their lives with, that they will have to put up with incompetance for their entire married life. Shows like Ray Romano's show, where no matter what he did he was wrong, she was always right and he was always stupid. I got to the point where I couldn't even watch it anymore because that attitude bothered me. Now you see it in commercials, in movies and on TV shows that stupid and obnoxious is funny and acceptable. I see this attitude carried over in to classrooms, that obnoxious is funny and cute, then they can't understand why the other kids don't want to be around them. This does not help with the fragile self esteem of teen males. We like to think that these things don't bother boys this age but there are many studies that show male teens are just as swayed by the images they see in magazines and on television as females. The difference is that they internalize it more, don't talk about it and the more insecure they feel the more confident they try to appear because they don't want anyone to know. Bravado is many times a coping mechanism to coverup insecurity.
Monday, January 31, 2011
January 31, 2011
As I was reading chapters 8 and 11 and reviewing the elements of design and what makes a good visual image the conversation about the advertisements placed in the magazine next to the twin tower photos came to mind. I remember looking at the images of the ads next to the photos that will stick in one’s mind forever and thinking how inappropriate. But as I was reading this chapter and thinking about the message that the advertisers were sending I came to the realization that the magazine had very little control over the ads that were placed in that particular issue. Most ad space is sold weeks or even months in advance of the publication deadlines. The advertisements are produced not really knowing what articles they will be placed next to, but are created to appeal to a specific audience. In the case of 9-11 the audience changed after the fact. When those ad spaces were sold the content of the magazine most likely was completely different in its mock-up stages. Where a publisher can change the content to fit the situation the advertisers really didn't have that option and the magazine was obligated to print the ads that were purchased. In hindsight we can look at this and say that was a horrible and unthoughtful thing to do to put those pictures next to those ads. But in business reality was there a choice? I am not sure that there was. If the magazine was able set aside money issues and run that issue without advertising at all I am sure they would have taken that option. It would have enhanced the visual impact of the entire story and photo essay, but I am sure that was not a financial option. Unfortunately money comes before esthetics.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Awesome Video
As I was searching for ideas on how to update the chapters on symbols I was randomly looking at videos that caught my eye. This one was so beautiful I thought I would share. The music and movement and the images that she chose to work with go together so well that I was compelled to watch even though it had nothing to do with what I was looking for at the time. The colors, images and music were very soothing and it was a nice brain refresher to just watch something that was beautiful.
I have watched other TED talks and love the variety of subjects that are covered. Some of them are way out there and others are very informative. The two that we watched on Monday in class were new to me, but I enjoyed them emensly. The images that were created with string and chocolate and other odd materials just amazed me. So awesome and creative.
I really connected with the video telling you what the rules of design are and then how he broke them all. Some of my favorite graphic designers are the ones that go beyond the rules and make images that really draw you in and make you want to see more. The videos reminded me of all the things I learned when working on my graphic design degree and why I enjoyed those courses so much. The challenge of getting your message across to the intended audience in a manner that looks effortless. Making the design rules work for you and knowing when you get to throw the rules to the wind. I am looking forward to learning more and hearing from all in class about their ideas and thoughts about visual literacy.
I have watched other TED talks and love the variety of subjects that are covered. Some of them are way out there and others are very informative. The two that we watched on Monday in class were new to me, but I enjoyed them emensly. The images that were created with string and chocolate and other odd materials just amazed me. So awesome and creative.
I really connected with the video telling you what the rules of design are and then how he broke them all. Some of my favorite graphic designers are the ones that go beyond the rules and make images that really draw you in and make you want to see more. The videos reminded me of all the things I learned when working on my graphic design degree and why I enjoyed those courses so much. The challenge of getting your message across to the intended audience in a manner that looks effortless. Making the design rules work for you and knowing when you get to throw the rules to the wind. I am looking forward to learning more and hearing from all in class about their ideas and thoughts about visual literacy.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Visual Symbols in My Life - 1-24-2011
Visual Symbols in My Life
I have been using visuals to help reading students to understand the setting in the story Fudge-A-Mania, by Judy Blume. This story takes place in Maine. Some of these students have never been out of Iowa so I had them view virtual tours of the tourist attractions that are most famous in the area that the story takes place. I did this by going to http://www.maine.gov/sos/kids/
This gave them the opportunity to actually see the place where this story was taking place and to learn a little about the state. There were also more photos on the tourism page that we took time to look at as well.
Other symbols in my life would be the Coco Cola logo. I have collected Coco Cola items for a number of years. My dining room is decorated with these items. I also drink Diet Coke each and every day, I have been accused of being addicted. If I can get it to work I will add a link to my all time favorite Coca Cola Commercial. If you watch it closely you can see the Coco Cola logo in many different languages besides all the people dressed in their native costumes. The original commercial is from the 70’s but the message and images still hold true today.
A movie that I would recommend for the class would be “Breaking Away”. I felt a connection to this movie when I saw it in high school. The movie was made in the 1980’s and has some great images and the story is about the preconceived perceptions people make about others and how those perceptions guide the characters perception of themselves.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
I came into this course not really knowing what we would be looking at in terms of visual literature. Coming from a background of graphic design I am very aware of how visual symbols play a role in our everyday lives but had not really fully applied that knowledge to my classroom. The definintions and explanations in the first three required chapters have really helped me not get a better grip on what we will be doing here.
I did find it a little ironic that a text book teaching about visual literacy is so poorly designed. The type is so small and line spacing so condensed that I actually had to use a note card to help keep my place on the page. The typeface itself is one that is no easily read in that small of print.
Poor design set aside I have a much better idea of what we will be learning. I find myself looking at the commercials on television now instead of recording and skipping them. When I watch a movie I am looking for the visual cues that help with the story. I am looking forward to class and hearing what others have gained from the first chapters.
I did find it a little ironic that a text book teaching about visual literacy is so poorly designed. The type is so small and line spacing so condensed that I actually had to use a note card to help keep my place on the page. The typeface itself is one that is no easily read in that small of print.
Poor design set aside I have a much better idea of what we will be learning. I find myself looking at the commercials on television now instead of recording and skipping them. When I watch a movie I am looking for the visual cues that help with the story. I am looking forward to class and hearing what others have gained from the first chapters.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Just the beginning!
This will be a whole new experience, usually I get told to stop talking, now I have a place where I am encouraged to speak my mind. This could be dangerous.
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