Saturday, December 10, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Classroom Website
Welcome to Mrs. Fetterman's Great Start Readiness Program's website. Here you will find a wealth of knowledge to better familiarize yourself with myself and the classroom. This is a great resource for families to use to stay in touch with what is happening in the classroom, especially if one of the millions of papers that get sent home gets misplaced. I have included contact information, homework assignements, list of sight words (along with interactive slideshow), link to Creative Curriculum, photo page (that I plan to upload pics of centers), educational websites, and printable forms. Furthermore, I have BIG plans for the future. It just takes time! Feel free to provide and suggestions as this is always a work in progress.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Zoho Show Review
Similiar to Microsoft Office Powerpoint, Zoho Show is your online powerpoint app. With Zoho Show, you can create a slideshow presentation. I like how it categorizes by all, shared, and public. Yes, I said public. With just a click of the mouse, you can view other online presentations. Miraculously, you can also import your Microsoft powerpoints! Woohoo! The number of themes (if desired) to choose from is over 40. Anything from Bubbles to Newton Rings and beyond. Now, you may be thinking it's very basic and limited because it's free, but no, you can change the color of bullets, add shapes, cutouts, arrows, charts, and clipart. Most of all, just like the Zoho Writer, you can pull up earlier saved versions if needed. Lastly, you can host a presentation online, and chat with viewers. Notes that are added are only seen by you and if your desktop needs to be viewed just click on desktop viewer. So what are you waiting for, put on a show!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
FotoFlexer Review
Please read Picnik review first! FotoFlexer is quite similiar to Picnik, however, I did not run into any features that required an upgrade. FotoFlexer offered features that would otherwise costs money through Picnik. There were numerous collage templates, effects and even animations. In addition to the ease of accessing pics from other sources like facebook, twitter and myspace, FotoFlexer allows you to tag your family and friends and upon upload asks for approval. Some may dislike this extra step but I liked having the final notice. Did you notice I didn't say limited once?
Picnik Review
I have spent the last 1 1/2 playing with some photos on Picnik. I quickly became frustrated with the number of features that were limited to the free version. However, I continued to edit some pictures and liked how easy it was to pull pictures from the computer and facebook. It was even a bonus to be able to pull pictures from family or friends facebook without pulling up the webpage. I could just scroll through the various grouping of pictures along the bottom of the screen. I fiddled around with cropping, correcting red eye, and adding text. After editing a few pictures, I preceded to make a collage. Again I became frustrated, because the templates were limited, stickers were limited, and effects were limited! If you want the unlimited access you are looking at $4.95/mth, $19.95/6mths, or $24.95/yr.
Zoho Writer Review
Well, what can I say about Zoho Writer? I was rather impressed and wish I knew about this last year when I was trying to find my mother in law a free or inexpensive word processing software. This will definetly save me the task of saving to a flash drive at home, to pull up a document at work. Instead, I can access the internet and choose to work online or offline. With the ease of access from outside the home, you are able to share your documents easily through the chat screen and make inline comments to the document. Furthermore, you can add tags and easily post documents to your blog. With one click, you can access other Zoho apps like sheet, show, wiki, notebook, meeting, planner, chat and creator. Most of all, I enjoyed being able to access earlier versions of my documents and having the capabablity to revert back to one if needed.
Screencasting-Adding Clipart
Third grade students will practice their typing skills in a letter to next years class. After completion of letter, students will be given a tutorial on how to add clipart to their document. Discussion will be led on how pictures, borders, etc. can be appealing to the eye and get a person motivated to read.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Concept Map
Preschool Spring Lesson
Discussion is led with a KWL chart on plants.
Story is read relating to parts of a plant
Concept map is created during circle time and students copy into journals during small groups.
Hands on exploration is followed with planting their own flower seed and observations are recorded daily/weekly into journals with pictures and words.
Bean Plants are also grown for observation of roots.
Flowers are brought home to be given to someone they love!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Railroad History
View Railroad History in a larger map
Learn the history of the Railroad through Google Maps. Just click here and you will on your way to a historical adventure. Students will gain understanding on why the railroad was built and it's effect on the people. Through teamwork, students will create projects that reflect the people's involvement during the building of the rails. Students will also learn to create a Google Map by adding components to a Railroad Timeline.
Gradess 6-8
Students are to work in three groups.
First Group: Railway Owners-Create travel brochures.
Second Group: Tourists-Write 4-6 diary entries about experience on the rails.
Third Group: Workers- Write 4-6 letters home about building the rails.
Students are given one week for research. Groups are given one week for projects. Groups will be given up to 10 min. to present their project during teacher assigned time.
Materials:
Textbook
Google Map
Transcontinental Railroad
Homestead Act
The Pacific Railway Act
PBS also has a few episodes of the west.
Supplies for Project
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Education Technology
Educational Technology Link
Discusses major changes with technology in Michigan public schools. Concerns are presented to make sure our students receive the tools needed with technology to succeed. Recognizes the Department of Educations department of technology. Free website is addressed to help students decide career goals.
Discusses major changes with technology in Michigan public schools. Concerns are presented to make sure our students receive the tools needed with technology to succeed. Recognizes the Department of Educations department of technology. Free website is addressed to help students decide career goals.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Reflection #2
I can truly say I have learned a lot in just two weeks! Prior to this class, I knew very little in regards to Blogs, RSS feeds and Wiki’s. During the creation process, I found myself in a trial and error mode, clicking on various things and hoping things would start making sense. After being successful at creating a blog, I am still learning to navigate around. As for the RSS feed, I am still trying to figure out how to find and add feeds of interest to me.
Blogger- This media form would fall in the Still Pictures, Recordings and Radio portion of the cone. Blogging is usually in the form of text but can be enhanced with pictures, links, sounds, etc. Although you could discuss individual parts of a blog and fit those components into various parts of the cone, I chose to view it as a whole. For example, having the author of the blog, the reader of the post and the commenter.
Imaginative Educational Use- Using the Blogger as a journal and making connections with other districts to form journal buddies. There is actually a Journal Buddies website where you can obtain writing prompts. http://journalbuddies.com/
RSS Feed- This media form would fall at the top of cone with Verbal Symbols. In the article Horn states that “printed words are only the symbols of symbols”. Within an RSS Feed it’s mainly text. As I am thinking about the different parts of the cone, I am finding myself wanting to fit these tools into multiple parts of the cone.
Imaginative Educational Use- A RSS feed pertaining to college education that includes program studies, fafsa, scholarships, and education loans. As a mother of two teenagers this would be beneficial for college preparation.
Wiki – This media form would fall in Educational Television. Again, this is in the form of text with enhanced pictures, links, sounds, etc. However, I feel that within this tool you are more likely to include digital resources and you can achieve a deeper understanding of particular aspects of the discussion. Who knows you might even begin to research something you weren’t set out to do.
Imaginative Educational Use- Creating a Wiki on outdoor activities across the world. This could include the activity, location of activity, season of activity, places to participate in activity, organizations for contact and area businesses for equipment and uniforms.
Dale, E. (1969). Audiovisual methods in teaching. New York Ch.
Siegel, M. (2003). Falling asleep at your Keyboard: The case for computer imagination.
Siegel, M. (2003). Falling asleep at your Keyboard: The case for computer imagination.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Reflection #1
Technology in schools should improve learning and assist all students to meet high standards. It should support thinking processes, motivate and prepare students for the future.
According to the Reigeluth and Joseph article, technology has had minimal impact on K-12 education and there is a strong push to use technology to support teaching. I believe technology has had a noticeable effect, even at the preschool level. Whiteboards have transformed the way I teach and the children are motivated to learn. Students are able to do interactive story lessons, interactive leveled readers, sight words recognition, etc; all at the preschool level. Whiteboards have provided hands on opportunities in the classroom. For example, using pictures of objects to move and place according the positional word. Reigeluth and Joseph also mention allowing children as much time as they need to reach standards and allowing children to progress at different rates. At the preschool level, this is of great importance. Assessments cover objectives in four areas and are marked along a growth continuum. I pay close attention to where each child is developmentally for individulaization goals and lesson planning. Most of what we teach is a stepping stone to another skill. Therefore, it is important to have each skill mastered before continuing on. This happens with individualization. Along with this, I do have long range goals planned to insure kindergarten readiness skills. Any developmental delays are identified and a referral is made. On a different level, I have had the privilege of working after school with first and second grade. During this time, focus is placed on math and reading skills. Read-Naturally is a program that tracks their reading level and comprehension skills. Students are able to work at their own pace and seek teacher instruction. I have found this to be a great individualization tool when the teachers are involved.
Although, I can honestly say technology (once learned) can be a great tool in the classroom. I can agree with Postman when he discusses new technology driving old technologies out of business and I just had to smile when he talked about winding up the car windows and not minding the exercise it gave him. I don't know how many times I have been frustrated with technology and relieved that the old fashion way was ready to go. Recently, my preschool class watched a live feed of eaglets on Ustream. What a great experience to see the eaglets hatch. However, I don't think it compared to the experience of the caterpillar that was placed in a jar in the discovery area. Discovery area became the favorite center during choice for the next two weeks and the students were able to participate in the care of the butterfly.
I do agree with Postman when he says children learn social skills at school. Social skills give us the ability to communicate and interact with our friends, family, co-workers, mentors, etc. These skills are needed to be successful in life and therefore should be a part of a childs education. However, I would have to disagree when he says school has never been about individualization. A great teacher individualizes. A great teacher takes multiple approaches to learning until total class involvement is accomplished.
Furthermore, we need to teach for tomorrow. The future depends on the students. Our students need a school that will challenge them and that is school that incorporates technology.
According to the Reigeluth and Joseph article, technology has had minimal impact on K-12 education and there is a strong push to use technology to support teaching. I believe technology has had a noticeable effect, even at the preschool level. Whiteboards have transformed the way I teach and the children are motivated to learn. Students are able to do interactive story lessons, interactive leveled readers, sight words recognition, etc; all at the preschool level. Whiteboards have provided hands on opportunities in the classroom. For example, using pictures of objects to move and place according the positional word. Reigeluth and Joseph also mention allowing children as much time as they need to reach standards and allowing children to progress at different rates. At the preschool level, this is of great importance. Assessments cover objectives in four areas and are marked along a growth continuum. I pay close attention to where each child is developmentally for individulaization goals and lesson planning. Most of what we teach is a stepping stone to another skill. Therefore, it is important to have each skill mastered before continuing on. This happens with individualization. Along with this, I do have long range goals planned to insure kindergarten readiness skills. Any developmental delays are identified and a referral is made. On a different level, I have had the privilege of working after school with first and second grade. During this time, focus is placed on math and reading skills. Read-Naturally is a program that tracks their reading level and comprehension skills. Students are able to work at their own pace and seek teacher instruction. I have found this to be a great individualization tool when the teachers are involved.
Although, I can honestly say technology (once learned) can be a great tool in the classroom. I can agree with Postman when he discusses new technology driving old technologies out of business and I just had to smile when he talked about winding up the car windows and not minding the exercise it gave him. I don't know how many times I have been frustrated with technology and relieved that the old fashion way was ready to go. Recently, my preschool class watched a live feed of eaglets on Ustream. What a great experience to see the eaglets hatch. However, I don't think it compared to the experience of the caterpillar that was placed in a jar in the discovery area. Discovery area became the favorite center during choice for the next two weeks and the students were able to participate in the care of the butterfly.
I do agree with Postman when he says children learn social skills at school. Social skills give us the ability to communicate and interact with our friends, family, co-workers, mentors, etc. These skills are needed to be successful in life and therefore should be a part of a childs education. However, I would have to disagree when he says school has never been about individualization. A great teacher individualizes. A great teacher takes multiple approaches to learning until total class involvement is accomplished.
Furthermore, we need to teach for tomorrow. The future depends on the students. Our students need a school that will challenge them and that is school that incorporates technology.
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