Are Grades Degrading?

Hi Class,

I am all for eliminating grading students to find the best way to educate. I was never a straight A student; in fact I figured out how to get B’s and C’s and do the least amount of work possible. Alfie Kohn writes in the article, “From Degrading to De-Grading” that grades reduce student’s interest in learning, grading reduces student accomplishment levels, and that grades reduce the quality of thinking in student work.  The author goes on to say that grading a student is a waste of time and it really does not measure what a person knows. The idea is to eventually move away from traditional grades and have a more constructed way of providing feedback. It will be more time consuming but if a student understands what they did wrong or what they can do better next time then performance levels will go up.

I would like to teach in an atmosphere where every child listened to what they could do better next time and really make a better effort and improve their skills. The goal is to teach “authentic assessment” which is not abolishing grades but “eliminating the process of gathering information about student t performance – and communicating that information to students and parents. Rather, abolishing grades opens up possibilities that are far more meaningful and constructive.” (Kohn, 1999) It seems like a great idea, as I sit here on my couch thinking about how I’m going to change the future.

Thanks Alison

Inspiration software is Inspiring

My goal is to become a special education teacher. I will go to school and get a certificate and hope for a good job. I will not have the luxury to pick my grade level or ability level. All I can do is prepare for anything. After reading the article, “Inspiring Students with Special Needs” by Barbara F. Green, about a software program that allows students to organize their thoughts in a way that works for them I see the endless opportunities with technology. The students who are not able to grasp concept theory have a hard time visualizing the relationship between linking ideas and “colors, shapes, fonts, patterns to group and classify words, ideas, and concepts” (Green, 2008, p. 38). The option of using Inspiration software to simplify students’ thoughts allows for creativity and thoughtfulness without worry.

I checked out the inspiration website to see how user friendly it is and found the free trial to be helpful. It ranges in cost on level and how many computers needed the software from about $60 for 1 computer to $640 for 20 computers. It is pricey but with grants and possible school funding it seemed to be a piece of technology that was fun for students and useful to teachers. The use of Inspiration will cover Nets for creativity and innovation, research and information fluency, and critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making.

No matter what you intend on teaching you will have students with learning disabilities at some point. It is helpful to your teaching if all students can work at a level field. With the use of Inspiration software the hard part of organizing students’ creative ideas is taken care of. With the use of technology tools our teaching styles will adapt and get better.

http://www.inspiration.com/

Check it out, Alison

Green, B. F. (2008, November). Learning and Leading with Technology. In Inspiring Students with

          Special Needs. Retrieved March 21, 2012, from Iste.

looking at common core state standards

I am not a teacher. However, I attend 4 general education 7^th grade classes every day for my job. I am an instructional aid for the special education kids but work with any student who has that confused look on their face. I’m thrilled to hear that there will be standards that encourage more enriched mastery for learning. It’s exciting that there will be 40 states with the same standards in math and English. These standards will achieve a consistent learning across the country and this video clip has made me feel like it is a positive step for future students. My question is why hasn’t this happened already? I’m glad I’m getting into teaching now. A common word in curriculum is for the students to persevere.

After watching the YouTube clip, “Common Core State Standards: Middle School and High School” I felt really positive about where our education system is going. Most kids are so confused in math class they attempt to do their homework and pass tests but some concepts just don’t get absorbed. With implementing common core the kids will ask each other questions and teach each other which is proven to be the best way for students to learn. It will not be so teacher directed which is a great way for me to start thinking about teaching. Common core standards will be teaching the math you use on most jobs and in real life like sports statistics and GPA; teaching things that the students like, that they know about (Common Core State Standards, 2012). Previous standards were covering too many topics. Common core cuts down the curriculum so the students think more about the tasks and are better prepared for college and careers. English teachers will have the same mastery techniques with fewer topics. There will be a crossover to read science articles and text and an understanding of World knowledge along with public speaking. One High school English teacher said that teaching to the standards is getting deep into the learning for far greater depth of mastery.

Being in a class, I feel so sad for the students who just can’t keep up with all the curriculum. I was one of those students who did not understand what was going on in math class but somehow I did good enough to pass but learned nothing. With the current standards there is just too much material for the students to learn. The common core state standards will teach math and English that can be learned and used in the future.  In most careers writing is used for expository and persuasive purposes so this is what will be taught. The emphasis is speaking, listening and sharing ideas so that every student is able to persevere. I feel like these new standards are much more positive than what we currently use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC4OG11zOC8&feature=youtu.be

Computational Thinking

Our public school system needs to find a way to connect computer technology in the real world with preparing students in school. After reading “Bringing Computational Thinking to K-12: What is Involved and What is the Role of the Computer Science Education Community” by Valerie Barr and Chris Stevenson, I agree the main objective is to teach kids to problem solve and ask questions to why things don’t work. “They use a set of concepts, such as abstraction, recursion, and iteration, to process and analyze data, and to create real and virtual artifacts. CT is a problem solving methodology that can be automated and transferred and applied across subjects.” (Barr & Stephenson, p. 51) Today’s generation of students are used to being given everything immediately and have very little ability to figure things out on their own.

            Computing has made possible the innovation and imagination of students as it facilitates our efforts to solve problems and to further understand our relationship with the world around us (p. 49). As future educators we can join in to embrace teaching our students what they need, to develop maturity, problem solving skills, and the ability to prepare for a career in the real world. Learning needs to connect to computational thinking because that is where the future is.

Barr, David, John Harrison, and Leslie Conery. (2011). Computational Thinking: A Digital Age 
           Skill for Everyone. Learning and Leading with Technology.

Shifting the Landscape

In “Digital Libraries: Shifting the Landscape” the authors Glen Bull and Martha Sites, discuss the technology incentives of digitizing books.  As a generation who read physical books; trying to switch over to computer devises to read I feel that I hold on to the nostalgia of curling up with a book for comfort. With the recent technologies of “Kindle, iPod touch, and Google Android, Google books are becoming extremely popular” (2009 pg. 12). These devises allow extra help for students who have learning disabilities like having a text read out loud. My concern is with students with fine motor skills will have difficulties when trying to navigate through the pages.

This article was written in 2009 so I’m certain that for the last 3 years numerous of libraries have made the switch along with the University of Virginia. I wonder if students will be more willing to read off of their devise not ever knowing what it’s like to hold a real book. Textbooks will be switching over to digital versions for cost purposes. Technology will allow for students to tap into much more of a learning experience than with an old fashioned book.  As aspiring teachers our generation will have to embrace technology and look for ways students will benefit. There’s always the added benefit of saved space in the classroom with over 50,000 texts being accessible.

Alison Disque

Bull, G & Sites, M. (2009). Digital Libraries: Shifting the Landscape. Learning and Leading

         with Technology, 37(1), 12-13. Retrieved from: http://www.learningandleading    

        digital.com/learning_leading/200908?pg=34&pm=2&fs=1#pg14.

Hello future teachers,
Asynchronous virtual field trips are a great way to get students engaged in the curriculum without leaving the classroom. There are not a lot of field trips that happen anymore in the public school systems due to budget cuts. And we all remember how exciting it was to have a field trip day. The opportunities are really perfect for a class to be exposed to something out of town that would not physically be possible to see. For example, a science class could visit the Natural History Museum in San Francisco, a history class could visit a Civil Rights Era march, and there is even a Mathematics Museum. These are fun and educational lessons that the child can go home and show their family as well. There are expert lead tours that provide exciting information and the students wont have the expenses of the bus, lunch and entrance fees.
Through a h.323 video conferencing device the entire class can experience the field trip. We are moving to a time where students will have media devices instead of text books and more and more technology is becoming available to use in the classroom.
The field trips will assist the teachings of the curriculum but in an elementary or special education class it will still be important for class trips to give the class the life skills of crossing the street and being around new environments. So old fashioned field trips to the park will have to continue for a well developed next generation.
Thanks for listening Alison Disque

not to blog

Hello All,

I do not twitter and I have never had a facebook account or a blog. I do however strongly believe in free speech. Becoming a teacher is becoming a mentor. I think to blog about personal topics is too much for a mentor to do. A teacher should keep their controversial point of view to people they know. If you ask any teacher, a fear of theirs it is to say something to a class and have a child go home and mistell their parents and then you have a nasty phone call or email accusing you of something your didn’t even say. Written word can be confused on the tone. It is one thing to write openly not worrying about if you know your audience; but it is another if you know your audience. If you are teacher, and a student googles you and a blog comes up that is even slightly offensive, on an inappropriate topic, or has one line that can be read wrong you will be talked about in a negative way. I think to blog is to rant about something you feel strongly about and not restrict your opinion. I think as a teacher and a mentor it is not appropriate. Free speech is important but don’t put it in writing if you hold a position that kids will be exposed to. The nature of parent’s complaints makes blogging not worth it. Become a college professor and teach adults if you want to write your opinion for all to read.

Alison Disque