Tonight in class a few colleagues and I created a Storybird story to become familiar with this online tool. Before last week I had never heard of Storybird. It allows educators and students to create their own stories using pictures within certain illustrators' galleries or listen to stories created by other authors. As we experimented with the new tool, there were a few things I really liked and I few things I found difficult. I'll list a few Pros and Cons below.
Pros:
- Allows students to use their imagination
- Only allows pictures from one illustrator for each story so stories look similar to a true published book with one illustrator
- A creative way for students to display their ideas
- Educators can create mini-lessons with a specific goal in mind (i.e. inferencing)
Cons:
- The program does not allow for much editing (i.e. font style, font size, addition of text outside the template, etc.)
- You cannot upload your own pictures and/or student work
- It is hard to maneuver around the site
- No auditory options
Please do not take everything I say to heart! I am new to this online tool and may need more time experimenting on the site. These were only my first impressions.
Here's the Storybird I created with my colleagues. We created this book with the goal of having our students practice inferencing. See if you can answer the question at the end of our story.
Were you able to tell that Susie was really using her imagination for all her travels? She was at home the whole time!
If you use Storybird yourself, let me know what you think!!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
So Many to Choose From...
After researching a few literacy projects from previous classes, I feel slightly relieved to know there is a variety of resources to choose from when completing the literacy project! I stumbled upon quite a few really interesting projects that I would love to try with my students. The first literacy project I looked at was from what appears to be a kindergarten class. The teacher, Anne Marie Betterini, read 10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle as images of student work flashed by illustrating every scene. I think it was a really neat idea to involve young students in literature. Check the video out here. !0 Little Rubber Ducks
Another literacy project I viewed was the project we also viewed in class. It was a project completed with fourth graders using Voki. I had never heard of the tool before last week's class and still do not have a complete understanding, but I really enjoyed the projects done regarding the characters from Charlotte's Web. Watch the voice over with Wilbur here. Wilbur Voki
The last literacy project I viewed was done using VoiceThread. I am entirely unfamiliar with this resource, but liked how the students were able to use images of their own work and record their voices as they read their Alphabet Aliiteration Book. Not only did I like how the teacher utilized VoiceThread, but I liked the idea of an alphabet alliteraciton book. I have a few students in mind that might benefit from creating their own alphabet alliteration book. I think I will have to give this a try next year with some students! View the alliteration book here. Alphabet Alliteration Book - VoiceThread
I think I'll have to do a little more research before deciding on a topic and tool for my own Literacy Project!
Another literacy project I viewed was the project we also viewed in class. It was a project completed with fourth graders using Voki. I had never heard of the tool before last week's class and still do not have a complete understanding, but I really enjoyed the projects done regarding the characters from Charlotte's Web. Watch the voice over with Wilbur here. Wilbur Voki
The last literacy project I viewed was done using VoiceThread. I am entirely unfamiliar with this resource, but liked how the students were able to use images of their own work and record their voices as they read their Alphabet Aliiteration Book. Not only did I like how the teacher utilized VoiceThread, but I liked the idea of an alphabet alliteraciton book. I have a few students in mind that might benefit from creating their own alphabet alliteration book. I think I will have to give this a try next year with some students! View the alliteration book here. Alphabet Alliteration Book - VoiceThread
I think I'll have to do a little more research before deciding on a topic and tool for my own Literacy Project!
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
The Toxic Culture of Education?
Today I wandered upon a video from TED Talks titled Toxic Culture of Education by a high school math teacher named Joshua Katz. If you are unfamiliar with TED Talks it is a nonprofit organization with the mission of spreading ideas across countries, cultures, languages, and topics. I have seen a variety of videos regarding education. Among a few of the topics I viewed were talks in favor of the common core, talks in adamant disapproval, and videos regarding different methods of teaching.
Katz opens his talk with the statement "Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by the ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it's stupid." I have seen this quote before and loved it in regard to public education. I think part of my love of this quote stems from my profession and role as a special education teacher. Students have a variety of different strengths and weaknesses, but regardless of what those strengths and weaknesses are all students are required to take the same test and perform with the same standard of achievement. It doesn't make any sense to me! As adults we are required to choose a job, but not everyone has the same job with the same requirements so why are students required to study the exact same topics and take the exact same classes. Katz was proposing to reintroduce classes such as home economics back into schools because some students need the topics taught in those classes. Some students do not need to learn how to solve huge algorithms, but need to know how to complete their taxes and budget.
He goes on to talk briefly about the Common Core and the so called "buzz" words that come with it. Words like rigor, critical thinking, and meaningful discussion. He states that what he sees in his daughter's kindergarten classroom is not rigorous, but "developmentally inappropriate rote." I could not agree more! Kindergarten students are required to perform on a level much higher than their bodies and brains are ready. I believe it is wildly inappropriate. To require a five year old to sit for long periods of time on the carpet and listen to a lesson in reading and then be expected to read books that appear much to high for a five year old seems crazy to me! I believe if more structured play was incorporated into the kindergarten classroom and maybe two recesses, yes two, there would be a lot less behavior problems and more life skills kindergarten students would learn. Katz states that when ideas such as structured play or home economics are brought to school districts as options, teacher are told they are not rigorous enough and do not align with the common core. Who said play was not rigorous for a five year old?! Much research has been done saying that a child's play is their work. More structured play would better prepare them for the life ahead of them!
Before I get any further here's the link to Katz's video. Take a little less than 18 minutes and let me know what you think! Toxic Culture of Education
Katz opens his talk with the statement "Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by the ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it's stupid." I have seen this quote before and loved it in regard to public education. I think part of my love of this quote stems from my profession and role as a special education teacher. Students have a variety of different strengths and weaknesses, but regardless of what those strengths and weaknesses are all students are required to take the same test and perform with the same standard of achievement. It doesn't make any sense to me! As adults we are required to choose a job, but not everyone has the same job with the same requirements so why are students required to study the exact same topics and take the exact same classes. Katz was proposing to reintroduce classes such as home economics back into schools because some students need the topics taught in those classes. Some students do not need to learn how to solve huge algorithms, but need to know how to complete their taxes and budget.
He goes on to talk briefly about the Common Core and the so called "buzz" words that come with it. Words like rigor, critical thinking, and meaningful discussion. He states that what he sees in his daughter's kindergarten classroom is not rigorous, but "developmentally inappropriate rote." I could not agree more! Kindergarten students are required to perform on a level much higher than their bodies and brains are ready. I believe it is wildly inappropriate. To require a five year old to sit for long periods of time on the carpet and listen to a lesson in reading and then be expected to read books that appear much to high for a five year old seems crazy to me! I believe if more structured play was incorporated into the kindergarten classroom and maybe two recesses, yes two, there would be a lot less behavior problems and more life skills kindergarten students would learn. Katz states that when ideas such as structured play or home economics are brought to school districts as options, teacher are told they are not rigorous enough and do not align with the common core. Who said play was not rigorous for a five year old?! Much research has been done saying that a child's play is their work. More structured play would better prepare them for the life ahead of them!
Before I get any further here's the link to Katz's video. Take a little less than 18 minutes and let me know what you think! Toxic Culture of Education
Thursday, May 22, 2014
My First Animoto Video
As part of an assignment for my EDUC 584 course I was required to create an Animoto video. I had never heard of this video tool before and was intrigued... but I will admit I was not extraordinarily excited. I have used iMovie before a few times, but that is the only experience I've really had with movie making tools. I was able to successfully make a few videos of different trips, but I remember iMovie taking a long time and not the most user-friendly. I've always wished I was more well versed in the tool, but when it comes to technology I need explicit examples and hands-on experiences. All that said, I was a little precautious about another video making tool.
I decided to start my first Animoto with a simple subject I felt comfortable using. I decided to take a few pictures of student activities documenting how they practice letters and sight words in fun interactive ways. Here's what I came up with!
I found Animoto to be VERY user-friendly. I could figure out how to easily upload videos, change the order, and watch the previews. I would love to show my students this video and let them see how I used their hard work in a video. This also gave me ideas on what I can create next for my students regarding letters and sight words.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
What An Inspiring Teacher!
Every week my principal sends out what is called "Gray's Guide." It gives information, announcements, and research articles as a mean of communicating weekly with the entire staff regarding different topics. This week i instantly recognized the article as soon as I began to read it. It was the story of an amazing teacher that did not teach to the test or teach to see her student's reading levels sky rocket, although those things are important. She taught to make students feel loved, important, and worthy. I wasn't able to find who first wrote the article, but here is a link to another blog. It's so inspiring and makes me aspire to be the kind of teacher that looks past all the achievement testing and focus on making students feel and know they belong and are loved.
Click here for the story. The Kind of Teacher I Want to Be!
Click here for the story. The Kind of Teacher I Want to Be!
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Welcome!
Hello!
Welcome to my new blog about EDUC 584 - Integrating Technology and Literacy. This blog is part of a graduate class I'm taking at University of Saint Joseph. I hope to use this blog not only for class, but to display some of my students' work.
Here's a picture of one of my students practicing her sight words with links.
Welcome to my new blog about EDUC 584 - Integrating Technology and Literacy. This blog is part of a graduate class I'm taking at University of Saint Joseph. I hope to use this blog not only for class, but to display some of my students' work.
Here's a picture of one of my students practicing her sight words with links.
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