Hello all!!!
I know, I know, it has been a long time, but I am back. I have been working so hard on completing school and graduating. Keep your fingers crossed; it will happen this year. I have been compiling ideas for topics and articles. Now that I have some great ideas, it is on!!! You will see a post real soon with some great information ranging from the RTI Process and Special Education, to the budget cuts and issues impacting students. So please continue to visit, I will be back shortly!! And now this commercial break!
Respectfully,
Edwin
Friday, January 21, 2011
Sunday, March 21, 2010
CALLING FOR ALL IDEAS
Hello all!!! I know it has been some time since I have last updated this blog, but my mind has been consumed with school and the dissertation writing process. I have been doing a lot of research and find a lot of interesting topics in which one can write about, but none seem to capture my attention. I know that if I am not intrigued by the topic, then my readers would also not be interested. So, this is a first for me but I am opening up my blog for ideas.
What is it you want to know more about or are interested in reading when it comes to education? There are so many great topics, trends, and ideas surfacing on a daily basis. What are you, the reader, interested in learning more about? Leave a comment with your suggestion. All suggestions will be taken into consideration. Until the next time we chat.
Edwin
What is it you want to know more about or are interested in reading when it comes to education? There are so many great topics, trends, and ideas surfacing on a daily basis. What are you, the reader, interested in learning more about? Leave a comment with your suggestion. All suggestions will be taken into consideration. Until the next time we chat.
Edwin
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Parent Subgroups
Being partners with parents is an important component to the education of today's youth. The question that lingers is; how much do we need to know about parents in order to better serve our students? The answer to this question has started coming to the light, with the help of Dr. Rita F. Pierson; educator, speaker,and Senior Consultant for AHAProcess!
Dr. Pierson (2010) states that there are eight parent subgroups that we need to be aware of when determining the instructional methods to be utilized for the educational success of students. According to Pierson (2010), these groups are:
1. Two parents, both working middle class
2. Two parents, one working the other is not
3. Single parents
4. Parents that are unavailable
5. First generation parents that rely on their children for translations
6. Surrogate parents
7. The "just won't" parent
8. Children who are their own parents
(R. F. Pierson, personal communication, February 17, 2010)
One can see how taking these subgroups into consideration can significantly impact the instructional methods and processes that happen within a given classroom and school. Although it is important that as educators, we realize that we are in this for the children and their success. At times, many educators get too wrapped up in the issues that parents bring to the table. We have to remember that although there are some parents that won't parent, and some children that are raising themselves, they still look to us as their comfort, fence, mentor, and believer of dreams! If the parents can't or won't do it, then it is our duty to answer the call.
If you are interested in more information regarding this topic and various others concerning the under resourced achiever, then visit
http://www.ahaprocess.com/. Until next time!
Edwin
Dr. Pierson (2010) states that there are eight parent subgroups that we need to be aware of when determining the instructional methods to be utilized for the educational success of students. According to Pierson (2010), these groups are:
1. Two parents, both working middle class
2. Two parents, one working the other is not
3. Single parents
4. Parents that are unavailable
5. First generation parents that rely on their children for translations
6. Surrogate parents
7. The "just won't" parent
8. Children who are their own parents
(R. F. Pierson, personal communication, February 17, 2010)
One can see how taking these subgroups into consideration can significantly impact the instructional methods and processes that happen within a given classroom and school. Although it is important that as educators, we realize that we are in this for the children and their success. At times, many educators get too wrapped up in the issues that parents bring to the table. We have to remember that although there are some parents that won't parent, and some children that are raising themselves, they still look to us as their comfort, fence, mentor, and believer of dreams! If the parents can't or won't do it, then it is our duty to answer the call.
If you are interested in more information regarding this topic and various others concerning the under resourced achiever, then visit
http://www.ahaprocess.com/. Until next time!
Edwin
Monday, January 18, 2010
American Speeches
After watching the "I Have a Dream" speech, I felt it necessary to share an amazing tool that can be utilized in classrooms and beyond. The site name; http://www.americanrhetoric.com (American Rhetoric). The site provides the top 100 American speeches of all time, movie speeches, Obama speeches, and rhetorical literacy to name a few. I spend hours on this site at a time. I challenge each and every one of you to share this information with speech/debate coaches and teachers, social studies/history teachers, as well as those teaching language arts literacy. There are so many uses to this site! Check it out!!!!!
"I Have a Dream"
As we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is important to remember the struggles of not only African-Americans, but of all people. I want to take this opportunity to remind you of the important role that he played not only in American History, but educational history as well. As you watch the following video, I want to ask you....What is your dream? Is it attainable? How will it affect others?
Saturday, January 2, 2010
State Writing Assessment Preparation and Technology
As we enter the second half of the school year, many public school educators go into high gear to prepare for their individual state assessments. These assessments have been developed as part of state accountability systems in order to meet the mandates of No Child Left Behind. Depending upon the location, states are making the necessary preparations for the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. State agencies are also making the decisions about the type of tests and accommodations that will be allowed for the testing season.
On the local level, schools are preparing for these assessments utilizing a variety of methods including: tutoring, intervention services, small group instruction, and modification techniques. But the underlying question is how many of these schools are using technology?
Sitting back and just observing classrooms I see many teachers pushing worksheets and workbooks that are aligned with state curriculum standards, but not aligned with student learning and long term success. In other words, these worksheets are not helping students grow dendrites (Tate, 2003) but stunting their growth. Technology can be used in a variety of ways that not only promote the healthy growth of dendrites, but also to prepare students to be successful on the outdated bubble sheets called state assessments.
In many elementary schools, students are tested in writing at some point between third and fifth grades. In Texas, students take the state writing assessment in fourth and seventh grades (Texas Education Agency, 2009). During these years, teachers receive state rubrics that will be utilized to score students between a range of 0-4. Teachers have to realize that teaching this subject goes beyond using MSWord (Microsoft Corporation, 2010), memory sticks, and prompts. The answer to the three aformentioned writing tools are FanFiction, evernote, and right in front of them.
I know when one hears it is right in front of them they think hard, but the answer are books, comics, movies, stories, and anime to name a few. In other words, they can use what they are interested in as prompts. As an educator, I see many students get enthralled by some of the books they read and movies they have watched and just wish they could have made this change or have created this ending. They can; and teachers have to embrace this creativity!!! It all can be done utilizing Fanfiction( http://www.fanfiction.net/). On this site, students can search for their favorite movie, book, et cetera, and create their own sequal, prequal, or ending. Students can also utilize this site to read the creations of others from across the globe and offer comments and recommendations to improve their creations. With the creations, teachers can then utilize state provided rubrics to grade student work.
I know many teachers will argue that there is no where to save or store that much information year after year and memory sticks are too expensive. Memory sticks are out of the question!The future is online storage. Sites such as Evernote (http://www.evernote.com/) provide this type of storage. The type of information that can be stored on this site ranges from text, pictures, and audio. Student and teacher information can be accessed from anywhere; including smartphones such as the Iphone and Blackberry. Is this not the infusion of technology in the classroom by meeting student needs while at the same time preparing them for the future?
Walk into that same classroom that the teacher once pushed worksheets and workbooks to prepare students for state assessments and curriculum assessments. You no longer see students massaging cramps out of their hands, but students engaged in meaningful learning. You see a teacher not only embracing creativity in the learning process, but you see a teacher truly preparing students to be digitally literate while at the same time having students meet state performance and academic standards; not to mention the growth of healthy dendrites (Tate, 2003).
References
Microsoft Corporation. (2010). Microsoft office online. Retrieved on January 2, 2009 from
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx?ofcresset=1
Tate, M. (2003). Worksheets don't grow dendrites: 20 instructional strategies that engage the
brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Texas Education Agency. (2009). Released tests: Interactive online versions. Retrived on
January 2, 2009 from, http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=3264&menu_id=793
On the local level, schools are preparing for these assessments utilizing a variety of methods including: tutoring, intervention services, small group instruction, and modification techniques. But the underlying question is how many of these schools are using technology?
Sitting back and just observing classrooms I see many teachers pushing worksheets and workbooks that are aligned with state curriculum standards, but not aligned with student learning and long term success. In other words, these worksheets are not helping students grow dendrites (Tate, 2003) but stunting their growth. Technology can be used in a variety of ways that not only promote the healthy growth of dendrites, but also to prepare students to be successful on the outdated bubble sheets called state assessments.
In many elementary schools, students are tested in writing at some point between third and fifth grades. In Texas, students take the state writing assessment in fourth and seventh grades (Texas Education Agency, 2009). During these years, teachers receive state rubrics that will be utilized to score students between a range of 0-4. Teachers have to realize that teaching this subject goes beyond using MSWord (Microsoft Corporation, 2010), memory sticks, and prompts. The answer to the three aformentioned writing tools are FanFiction, evernote, and right in front of them.
I know when one hears it is right in front of them they think hard, but the answer are books, comics, movies, stories, and anime to name a few. In other words, they can use what they are interested in as prompts. As an educator, I see many students get enthralled by some of the books they read and movies they have watched and just wish they could have made this change or have created this ending. They can; and teachers have to embrace this creativity!!! It all can be done utilizing Fanfiction( http://www.fanfiction.net/). On this site, students can search for their favorite movie, book, et cetera, and create their own sequal, prequal, or ending. Students can also utilize this site to read the creations of others from across the globe and offer comments and recommendations to improve their creations. With the creations, teachers can then utilize state provided rubrics to grade student work.
I know many teachers will argue that there is no where to save or store that much information year after year and memory sticks are too expensive. Memory sticks are out of the question!The future is online storage. Sites such as Evernote (http://www.evernote.com/) provide this type of storage. The type of information that can be stored on this site ranges from text, pictures, and audio. Student and teacher information can be accessed from anywhere; including smartphones such as the Iphone and Blackberry. Is this not the infusion of technology in the classroom by meeting student needs while at the same time preparing them for the future?
Walk into that same classroom that the teacher once pushed worksheets and workbooks to prepare students for state assessments and curriculum assessments. You no longer see students massaging cramps out of their hands, but students engaged in meaningful learning. You see a teacher not only embracing creativity in the learning process, but you see a teacher truly preparing students to be digitally literate while at the same time having students meet state performance and academic standards; not to mention the growth of healthy dendrites (Tate, 2003).
References
Microsoft Corporation. (2010). Microsoft office online. Retrieved on January 2, 2009 from
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx?ofcresset=1
Tate, M. (2003). Worksheets don't grow dendrites: 20 instructional strategies that engage the
brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Texas Education Agency. (2009). Released tests: Interactive online versions. Retrived on
January 2, 2009 from, http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=3264&menu_id=793
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Social Networking for Educators
Hello fellow learners. This has been a very cool week for my learning and growing. I have found some very cool people on twitter as well as some cool blogs to follow. There was this article that was written about the top 24 things that have become obsolete in the past decade. It is a very cool article and I think that you would agree. The article is from business insider.com. Here is the link: http://www.businessinsider.com/21-things-that-became-obsolete-this-decade-2009-12#pdas-1. As I saw the things that were being discussed, I could not help but say to myself, geez, whatever happened to that!!!! I hope that you can use this article if not for your own enjoyment, for research and to help get the message out there that times are changing!!!
On another note, I have been on the search for educational blogs that would stimulate my learning!!! I found a very cool site, with the help of twitter’s CYBRARYMAN1, I was connected with an amazing site of blogs!!!! http://cybraryman.com/blogs.html. There is something for everyone on this site. You can create blogs, learn about how to incorporate these within the classroom, tools for better blogging, et cetera!!!! There is sooooo much out there!!!!!!
Lastly, there is this great site for personal learning and networking for educators named The Educator’s PLN. This site is almost like a facebook for educators, but it is all about learning and networking from those that are in the field and that are experiencing success with technology in the classroom. The link for the site is http://edupln.ning.com/. If you are an educator this site is a must!!! I look forward to seeing each and every one of you out there!!! Join my network on all of these sites, my name is ephood. Right now, I am really into the site DIIGO. Check it out!!!
Until next time, I leave you in the words of Victor Hugo: “He who opens a school door, closes a prison.”
Respectfully,
Edwin
On another note, I have been on the search for educational blogs that would stimulate my learning!!! I found a very cool site, with the help of twitter’s CYBRARYMAN1, I was connected with an amazing site of blogs!!!! http://cybraryman.com/blogs.html. There is something for everyone on this site. You can create blogs, learn about how to incorporate these within the classroom, tools for better blogging, et cetera!!!! There is sooooo much out there!!!!!!
Lastly, there is this great site for personal learning and networking for educators named The Educator’s PLN. This site is almost like a facebook for educators, but it is all about learning and networking from those that are in the field and that are experiencing success with technology in the classroom. The link for the site is http://edupln.ning.com/. If you are an educator this site is a must!!! I look forward to seeing each and every one of you out there!!! Join my network on all of these sites, my name is ephood. Right now, I am really into the site DIIGO. Check it out!!!
Until next time, I leave you in the words of Victor Hugo: “He who opens a school door, closes a prison.”
Respectfully,
Edwin
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