Teaching in the digital age.
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Yvonne Mason
- Female
- Greenville, SC
- United States
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teaching 1984
Replied Mar 15
teaching 1984
Replied Mar 15
teaching 1984
4 Replies
Started this discussion. Last reply by Yvonne Mason Mar 15.
Yvonne's Page
Profile Information
- About Me:
- I love teaching literature, especially British Literature. I love to read and cook. I just published a book called Reading, Learning, Teaching: Clyde Edgerton (Peter Lang Publishing). (NOT a vanity press!!) It's part of a series aimed at high school and college teachers to help them incorporate more contemporary literature into the English/Language Arts classroom. I have been a professional actress for the past 25 years. I have a cat and I grade a lot of papers.
- Job Title:
- teacher
- Grade Level:
- 11
- Favorite Subject Area:
- British Literature
- What do you want to get out of Teachers 2.0?
- I want to know how other teachers make 2.0 apps compatible with traditional subject matter. I have been successful with wiki's and blogs, but I'd like to branch out into podcasting and other things.
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Here’s a public class recording you might find of interest.
Demo of WiZiQ Virtual Classroom by Mark Cruthers
Get your own Virtual Classroom
With your interest in Web 2.0 Tools, I recommend you take a look at Wiziq's virtual classroom and authorstream's power point presentation platform. Both are web based platforms, have a bunch of features and free basic service.
Crazy here, snowing like nuts, furnace still not working and I have completed two days of marking!!! And the was great rejoicing yea...
Yes, some Flat Earth type project would be wonderful. Exciting even, if I may be so bold. I will think about this, as I have a couple of ideas, but nothing firm yet...just rumblings, or rather rattlings inside my mind...I believe you have my gmail account, if not, here it is again: sojbanks@gmail.com.
As to where I live, I usually state I am in Central Alberta. However, if you look at a map of Canada, find Alberta out west, above Idaho, and look for Red Deer, you will notice that in reality, Red Deer is really not in the central part of the province. That would be Edmonton, but Edmonton is considered North...it is that whole concept that the vast majority of Canadians live fairly close to the 49th parallel. Anyway, I digress...here is a link to a google map that shows my family farm, the place I currently reside at: our farm.
And you, where is it that call home?
Anyway, out of steam and needing to recharge,
Take care,
Stephen
I am glad to hear that you were impressed with Voicethreads, as was I. The student's song is quite good, but I think that his explanation of why he choose the particular notes is even more outstanding. I wish I could take credit for teaching him, but I think he is one of those that may have leaned and would have leaned in spite of me...
As to the Program of Studies and an explanation, well, how much time do you have? We run two streams in Senior High - ELA 10/20/30-1 and ELA 10/2030-2. I use the terms writing course to describe -1 and an applied course for -2. Both streams share the front matter of the curriculum, the common General Outcomes, and many of the specific outcomes.
What differentiates the two streams is what is assessed on the Diploma Exams, those two days of hell, as the student's call them. Part A is a Personal response to a visual/poem/text( or part thereof) and a critical/analytical response to a text studied in class. Part B is 70 m/c questions that assess reading comprehension skills. The -2 is similar but has three essays, visual response/critical-Analytical/and a persuasive letter/speech. These students also write a 70 m/c exam as well.
As with your system, we also do recommendations, but the parental unit has the final say, and yes, we have many who find themselves unprepared for the level of work that is expected. Our system is based on the Scottish system, one that really is just a precursor, or indicator, of potential academic success at the university level; a form of entrance requirements, if you will. The public understands that -1 level courses are a must for university entrance: they are in some cases, but not all. However, the preconception is that -1 is for the bright and -2 is for the stupid...a misconception that I fight daily, as I teach all the Senior High ELA in my school.
I toil in a k-12 rural school, population 480, with about 140 high school students. Basically I teach all the ELA and my Co-Chair teaches the Social Studies Curriculum. Hence the smile I get whenever I write Humanities Co-Chair, as this Honour was bestowed upon me for the simple reason that the Chair did not want to do everything, and by co-chairing, I was able to take on more work, because as you know, ELA teachers have loads of free time... this semester I am attempting to teach 10-2, 20-1 and 30-2.
I suppose the -1 would be similar to your analytical and -2 would be your survey. At the major urban schools Advance Placement ELA is offered as is the International Baccalaureate Program. As funding is everything, and because we are a small community, we do not have the numbers to support these initiatives, so...as the urban centres move outward, our best and brightest move inward, taking funding and leaving a brain-drain...
Well, sorry to have been so long winded. I hope that I have answered at least part of your query. If not, please ask and I will continue to answer!
Off to mark, take care,
Stephen
I hope this note finds you well rested, and ready to start the New Year full of vim and vigour!
I use voicethreads as a way to teach many of my General Outcomes from the mandated curriculum. Please follow this link if you wish to see an example of what can be done using this application.
I have visited your wiki, thank you for the invite. Very nice to see the students sending you threads for help...I think this is valuable, as is the accessibility issue. Students may get what they need when they need it!
Yes, John Ferguson is member of this ning. Look him up, he is a very adventurous teacher when it comes to technology in the classroom.
Take care, look forward to learning to podcast through you!
Stephen
Yes, please invite me, looking forward to this! Always good to see how others have interpreted the use of web 2.0 apps. sojbanks@gmail.com
I do understand the notion of isolation...I am very fortunate to have John Ferguson as a colleague; he is as adventurous as I am when it comes to trying out new ideas to further the teaching of curriculum. I tend to use my wiki as a repository of information, rather than a sharing space. John uses his wiki in a more collaborative way, more in tune with the open community approach. John has also just introduced me to glogster, and he also has had roaring success with it, as his students too love the mashup app.
Differential instruction is a priority in this jurisdiction as well, but sometimes the problem is that we as front line teachers are not given the tools required to meet the direction of the administration. "Do new with old" seems to be the mantra...cheaper and easier to understand....
Have you a blog? I just joined this community, ad I am amazed with what I am finding. Other than a place to vent my voice, I have found that I am beginning to become linked to so many other's ideas...one voice leading me to another voice...time consuming but very interesting!
Thank you for sharing your ideas, not too long at all. I appreciate you taking the time to talk. I do like the concept of 'building' upon others ideas and work, with the end result being a resource for the students by the students. Very empowering indeed.
Thanks again, enjoy the holidays, sorry for being verbose, can not seem to help myself...
Stephen
Thank you for comments, kind of you. I really am stumbling around these daze, but then that always seems to be my modus operandi...
I too struggle with the idea of matching my mandated curriculum with new and wonderful apps...quite a challenge I think. I have found voicethreads to be very beneficial, but a lot of work to set it up and teach the application. That being said, the final results were fantastic!
I would love to have a view of your wiki, but it appears to be private. As for my wiki, I find that I need more time to be able to update the material, but then that is the bane of the front-line teacher...
Thanks again for you kindness,
Enjoy the Holidays,
Stephen