My thoughts on IT....yup, it's a good thing

We hear debates all the time; what is information technology and what do we allow and embrace in the classroom and what do we ban? As a grade 8 teacher, and for me in particular, that means teaching the curriculum, and then more. I want to make it possible for my students to have a learning process that is effective, positive and one that is moving forward.  So, I am grateful that I work in a school that embraces and encourages technology. 

We can deny all the advantages that technology gives us, but that attitude is not going to make it go away. There was a time when children were well prepared if they had a slate board and a slate pencil for school. Really? Does anyone miss the old days of a teacher telling and the students doing. Do we really want to cling old notions of how teachers should teach? I don’t. I repeat,  I am grateful that I work in a school that embraces and encourages technology.

Here is how technology can help.

Now, learning is very different and the access to technology in the classroom offers more advantages to students. Learning is a process that can benefit from teaching aids and support for the lessons. Technology in the classroom has provided many new tools to assist the teachers. The equipment that can be used in a classroom can bring far more information and understanding to any topic. Visual aids and anything that can help clarify the point will make teaching the lesson more accessible to all students.





Yes, I am on twitter, and have been since 2008....it's a great way to let students know what is due..lol, and overdue.

QUESTION

Would you have kept reading if there was only text? If the answer is no.....then i made my point.

And now for something completely different...

Flash Mob, University of Waterloo, Born This Way (Lady Gaga)

Learning is a collaborative effort; a give and take if you will, an interaction. Teachers are not omniscient, and students, first and foremost, need to know that teachers care: first about academics and in my humble opinion, about them. Our students matter and they must sense that. 

People all learn in different ways and technology has brought more options forward to help students. Technology in the classroom promotes an increase in writing skills; better understanding of math; the ability to teach others; and greater problem solving and critical thinking skills. The details they are learning may be the same but the ways they are receiving it can now vary to meet more learning needs. Speeding the learning process is never a bad thing to strive for.


We need to be open to the skills that our students offer..e.g., i had a gifted artist in grade 8 , he did a great print, that i love, and to this day hangs in my living room.  Thank you Geordie.

Integrating technology into the classroom is essential in fostering a 21st century learning classroom. As  a teacher today I feel I face a formidable challenge to address an increasing range of student needs. Perhaps now more than ever there exists a need for educators to productively incorporate technology as an alternative method to enhance instruction.

WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.......and we are. Woo hoo!





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You knew this was coming...

It's no secret that I like Eminem and

'I Need a Doctor'..... my new favorite song.



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Not bad.....i kinda like it.


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And tomorrow we will learn about parallel lines and transversals. Yup, that's what I'm saying.



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Opposite Angles

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A mini lesson...with music

hope it helps you to remember.



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8-1 working on their resumes....

Have a good weekend and remember...

no school on Monday.

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Look what i just found....

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Wow!

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Surface area of a cylinder.

Another way to look at it.





Use the one that works best for u.




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I know...kinda cheesy, but i like

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So, i luv Eminem and i just couldn't resist

We will be starting 'everything u wanted 2 know a/b circles', but were afraid 2 ask on monday.

take a listen.

hope it helps u remember.



found a few more vids, will post them l8r.

make good choices.

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Let's keep an open mind.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011


Banning the Human Voice

Someone stands up at a staff meeting and delivers an announcement. "After a recent audit of student interaction and some severe cases of verbal bullying, we've decided to prohibit any voice tools within the classroom."

"What would those be?"

"Oh, any tools that can be used for social interaction.  We've found that students are engaged in a large-scale social network called friendship.  They simply request friends and next thing you know they are talking to one another."

Collective gasp.

"I know.  It's pretty scary.  If we've learned anything in education, it is that the best way to create a policy is to use one isolated outlier incident and present it as the norm."

"So, what will we do?"

"Well, students will use a mouth piece that will prevent them from speaking during class."

"Isn't that a classroom management issue?" I ask.

"We're making it easier for you.  Just think of it this way.  You allow students to speak in class and another teacher doesn't.  Next thing you know parents are complaining about the inconsistencies.  We'll just ban the voice altogether."

"But what if we want students to use their voice collaboratively?"

"Data proves that learning is done best in isolation.

"He's right," another teacher adds.  "Kids can't talk to one another on the test."

"But they'll need to speak to one another in the future.  They'll need it in most jobs."

"I disagree.  Most jobs ask people to sit silently," someone adds.

"Like what?  Name one job where people never talk."

"Mimes and monks.  And that's just the ones that begin with m."

"He's right.  I've heard miming is making a comeback with the death of Marcel Marceau.  We can't have good mimes if they grow up talking."

The person in charge finally reassures me.  "We'll have a voice lab open.  Your kids can sign up for programmed speech.  It's like a non-religious catechism and it helps guarantee that they don't talk about anything off-topic, off-color or social-related."


Note: This is satire, or is it? This is not in any way related to my own experiences.  Actually.....it is. And i wanna change it. We need to embrace technology....because if we don’t, our students will be left behind. We can’t let that happen.
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mrs. ireland

thank u mr. rg.

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Snow day....kids having some fun

Life is short....enjoy it and these kids are.

Awesome.

Cya all Thursday.

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I know this is what u r all thinking...lol