Week two was a fairly eventful week. Between classes and work, this week also was the first of many KDP events. Wednesday night was the fall induction ceremony into Kappa Delta Pi, the International Education Honor Society on campus. This was my first event as an officer - I'm the new treasurer! I'm really excited to be involved in KDP and to attend the events that we'll have throughout the semester. KDP has gotten me to be much more involved with my school and the community.
Though KDP is something else I'm adding onto my busy schedule, it will look great on my resume when I'm looking for a job, and it's a lot of fun. We have a really great group of girls (or should I say women) who are co-officers this semester who will be taking over in January. I'm looking forward to working with them and making new friendships with them all!
As for class this week, we continued with our "about me" projects. We had a new student join our class this week as well - a boy! As an education student, having a boy in the class is rare. At a school of mostly girls, it is nice to have a boy in the mix to offer up different perspectives and opinions.
Though we did not have class on Monday, there was still work to be done. Days off from school serve as great days to catch up on reading the textbook or work on various assignments to stay ahead of due dates. We had to read chapters 1, 2, and 11 from the textbook, as well as read an article about artifacts.
I really enjoy the textbook that we have for this class. It has a lot of real life examples and connects to today's world. I like that it talks about how to work through a lesson plan and what the parts to a good lesson have.
The article that we read was also a great read. At first I couldn't image reading a 14 page article, but it did not feel that long. It was really informative and provided many examples of how to use an artifact bag in the classroom. I like that it broke the activity down step by step so someone can easily recreate an artifact bag and preform the activity in his/her own classroom.
I think that an artifact bag is a useful classroom tool, especially for an introduction to a social studies unit. In groups, students receive the mysterious bag containing artifacts. They do not know what the items are exactly, and are encouraged to use their imaginations to try and pinpoint the era and use of the unknown items. This discussion period is an important part of the lesson. Students get to converse with their peers to share ideas. I think students are more open to sharing opinions when they are working with their peers, as opposed to teacher led activities. They come up with very creative and unique ideas that sometimes the teacher didn't even think of herself.
I also like how after the students discuss their own ideas, the teacher does not simply tell them what the artifact is. They have to research about the artifact in a book that is provided. I think this is a great method because it allows students to build upon their own discoveries and they will feel more accomplished with themselves afterwards.
Lastly, students are to visit an assigned website that tells more about the artifact. I think that having this connection to technology makes the activity even better. Having students use the computer connects them with a virtual world that provides so much more than the classroom itself can. Students can take a tour of a museum miles away, or travel through an interactive timeline, learning new facts disguised by games. Technology can break barriers that have previously been found in classrooms if it is used properly.
I made a Prezi that breaks down the artifact bag into steps.
Some artifacts that could be used for the American Revolution can be found in the following picture. Primary documents such as letters and pictures can be seen, as well as money, stamps, and a horn. When creating my own artifact bag, I will try to find primary accounts to use that correspond with my assigned time period.
I made a Prezi that breaks down the artifact bag into steps.
Some artifacts that could be used for the American Revolution can be found in the following picture. Primary documents such as letters and pictures can be seen, as well as money, stamps, and a horn. When creating my own artifact bag, I will try to find primary accounts to use that correspond with my assigned time period.
Connecting with the theme of technology mentioned above, I watched New Teacher Survival Guide: Technology in the Classroom. This video was so informative and provided some great tips.
- Anticipate barriers to implementing a new technology
- Develop a close relationship with the technology coordinator
- First define the lesson objective, then select an appropriate technology
- Build a collaborative network of like-minded educators
- Integrate technology into assessment
- Test new technologies before using them in the classroom
- Always have a Plan B!
- Discuss how the technology worked
Though this video was centered around teaching a lesson about the Holocaust, I think that these tips are useful in any subject area. This video was dated from 2012, so it is relevant and connects to today. There was mention of a website called Voice Thread in the video. I've never heard of this site before, but it seems to be really interactive and fun to use. The basic concept is similar to PowerPoint, but instead of using text, you narrate what is happening. You can use a web cam, microphone, or call in. It can also be used for a group discussion, and everyone participating creates voice comments around a picture or video. While talking, participates can also draw on the images. I think students would really enjoy using a voice thread in the classroom.
After watching another video - A Vision of K-12 Students Today - my eyes were opened to how little technology is sometimes used in classrooms. In today's world technology is everywhere. If you don't accept it and allow it in your classroom, I think that you will miss out on an opportunity to engage your students in a way that was never before possible.
Two weeks of classes down, only 14 more to go. Hopefully this coming week we will learn more about our fieldwork assignments and be able to start working on our lessons. It's always a lot of fun planning lessons, especially when you get to work in a group with your friends!
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