Sunday, December 2, 2012
Realm of Creativity or Succubus of Dread
After reading Chapter 4 I really got to thinking about how I want my classroom to look and how I want students to feel when they are in it. What type of impression do I want to give them when they walk in on the first day of school? Thinking about the different types of classrooms I was in when I went through school I'm trying to remember my favorite parts about the classrooms. I remember whenever I would get bored in class, because we know every student does at some point in time, I would look at whatever pictures or quotes were on the wall. Some of my favorites consist of corny math jokes and even the value of pi. Who doesn't want to know the first 20 digits of pi? Also, I would like to have some type of plants. Nothing that takes too much effort to take care of but something like a bamboo plant or a cactus. This way it adds a little life and green to the room!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Chapter 4 Questions
Guide to Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse or Your First Year of Teaching
Chapter 4 Questions
How can we tell who is smart or dumb? What do we do with them?
There are many ways for us to describe someone as smart. This person could be "book smart", "street smart", or any other type of smart you can think of! However, you can't exactly compare one persons level of knowledge to anthers because of the vast difference in the way they were raised and where they are in their life and even how they learn. After reading Chapter 4 a student's level of smart or dumb cannot be measured because it may "have more to do with the environment, rules, and punishments." Some students may not have environments at home that support what they are learning at home or the student may just be unenthusiastic in class. This just means as teachers we need to try different types of approaches to assignments and teaching to get the unenthusiastic students more involved and excited about learning.
What the heck is schema and what role does it play in how we percieve student intellengence?
"Schema are collections of experience and knowledge about how to react, interpret, or operate in an environment" (Haskell 11). Schema plays a major role in how we tell who is "smart" or "dumb" as explained in the previous question. Student's develop schema's in all types of subject or scenarios such as math, english, even when taking a test. Teachers can't expect students to all have the same schema for the same situation so we need to get an idea of what student's schemas are in a subject or scenario so we can help them in the best way possible for each individual.
How are students different? What do we need to do for them (that was not done for us)?
No person is the same as another person which in turn means that no student is the same as another student. In the society that we live in today has students constantly learning informally and even personally at all times. Teachers need to focus on a students ability to focus and lean and then incorporate informal learning into the lesson plan rather than just trying to force students to learn formally. In other words, teachers need to incorporate learning using tools and methods that are up to date that are relevant to the classroom and to something that is outside of the classroom. This is different from formal learning which is how we learned where the teacher would lecture at us and then expect us to know how to do our homework and apply what we learned to the real world.
Chapter 4 Questions
How can we tell who is smart or dumb? What do we do with them?
There are many ways for us to describe someone as smart. This person could be "book smart", "street smart", or any other type of smart you can think of! However, you can't exactly compare one persons level of knowledge to anthers because of the vast difference in the way they were raised and where they are in their life and even how they learn. After reading Chapter 4 a student's level of smart or dumb cannot be measured because it may "have more to do with the environment, rules, and punishments." Some students may not have environments at home that support what they are learning at home or the student may just be unenthusiastic in class. This just means as teachers we need to try different types of approaches to assignments and teaching to get the unenthusiastic students more involved and excited about learning.
What the heck is schema and what role does it play in how we percieve student intellengence?
"Schema are collections of experience and knowledge about how to react, interpret, or operate in an environment" (Haskell 11). Schema plays a major role in how we tell who is "smart" or "dumb" as explained in the previous question. Student's develop schema's in all types of subject or scenarios such as math, english, even when taking a test. Teachers can't expect students to all have the same schema for the same situation so we need to get an idea of what student's schemas are in a subject or scenario so we can help them in the best way possible for each individual.
How are students different? What do we need to do for them (that was not done for us)?
No person is the same as another person which in turn means that no student is the same as another student. In the society that we live in today has students constantly learning informally and even personally at all times. Teachers need to focus on a students ability to focus and lean and then incorporate informal learning into the lesson plan rather than just trying to force students to learn formally. In other words, teachers need to incorporate learning using tools and methods that are up to date that are relevant to the classroom and to something that is outside of the classroom. This is different from formal learning which is how we learned where the teacher would lecture at us and then expect us to know how to do our homework and apply what we learned to the real world.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Jigsaw Blog
There are multiple ways that I could use the Jigsaw Method in my classroom. One way is by having an online math program that students can use that will work with each individual at their own pace, such as Aleks or MyMathLab. Five students can take one class a week where all they work on is the math program so that each student could get a chance to use the digital tool. This way students can learn how to sit in a class and be lectured and have handwritten homework and can also get a taste of what its like to learn from an online source which will help prepare them for entry level college classes which are almost entirely online.
Another way that the Jigsaw Method could be used in the classroom is to work on Geometry projects that require online sources such as Geometers Sketchpad or even Geogebra. This way there can be different groups working on a laptop and each student can take a turn creating a figure and learning to manipulate it. Applications such as Geogebra help students learn about transformations and other types of geometric properties.
An advantage to this method is that students will be utilizing digital tools and learning to work with computers so they will be more prepared for the digital world that we live in. Also, students will get a feel for either learning from an online resource individually or even working as a group to figure out how to work a program to manipulate it to do what you would like.
A disadvantage is that if the students are working in a group then one student could be left out or one student could be stuck doing all of the work. The benefits of the two ways I described to use this method will let students all have a chance to learn with a digital tool regardless of the pace they are comfortable at learning.
Another way that the Jigsaw Method could be used in the classroom is to work on Geometry projects that require online sources such as Geometers Sketchpad or even Geogebra. This way there can be different groups working on a laptop and each student can take a turn creating a figure and learning to manipulate it. Applications such as Geogebra help students learn about transformations and other types of geometric properties.
An advantage to this method is that students will be utilizing digital tools and learning to work with computers so they will be more prepared for the digital world that we live in. Also, students will get a feel for either learning from an online resource individually or even working as a group to figure out how to work a program to manipulate it to do what you would like.
A disadvantage is that if the students are working in a group then one student could be left out or one student could be stuck doing all of the work. The benefits of the two ways I described to use this method will let students all have a chance to learn with a digital tool regardless of the pace they are comfortable at learning.
Kinect Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan Title:
Using Kinect Sports to Observe Mean, Median, Mode, and Rates
Google products used:
Using a GoogleDoc that is created by the teacher as a worksheet to fill out while playing the games.
Grade level: 7-9
Subject:
Math
Overview:
Students will be learning to create and fill out tables and charts. Using the data that they collected they will find specific rates, means, medians, and modes of the data.
Materials:
Xbox 360, Kinect for Xbox 360, Kinect Sports, and GoogleDocs.
Instructions:
Students are to play Kinect Sports Bowling and record the speed that they threw the ball each time and how many pins they knocked down. The charts for recording this data can be given to the student or the students can be required to create their own. The students will then take the data they collected and calculate the average speed they threw the ball for their first throw and the average number of pins they knocked over. Then they will do the same calculations for their second throw. Once they have done this they are to find the mean, median, and mode of their first throw and the mean, median, and mode for their second throw. Once all of the data is collected students are to create some type of chart to visualize their data, either a bar graph or a scatter plot. Then, students will be asked to explain what their data means: did they throw the ball faster on their first throw or their second throw, did they knock down more pins for their first throw or their second throw, and how many pins did they knock down on average when it was their turn. The last part of the lesson is to provide the student with a hypothetical scenario and provide a table of a players turn. Have the students find the same information they did for their own data and then have them compare their scores to the scores of the hypothetical player.
Evaluation:
The students will be evaluated on their ability to either create tables and charts to organize data or on their ability to analyze data or even a mixture of both. Students should be able to determine the rate, mean, median, and mode.
Using Kinect Sports to Observe Mean, Median, Mode, and Rates
Google products used:
Using a GoogleDoc that is created by the teacher as a worksheet to fill out while playing the games.
Grade level: 7-9
Subject:
Math
Overview:
Students will be learning to create and fill out tables and charts. Using the data that they collected they will find specific rates, means, medians, and modes of the data.
Materials:
Xbox 360, Kinect for Xbox 360, Kinect Sports, and GoogleDocs.
Instructions:
Students are to play Kinect Sports Bowling and record the speed that they threw the ball each time and how many pins they knocked down. The charts for recording this data can be given to the student or the students can be required to create their own. The students will then take the data they collected and calculate the average speed they threw the ball for their first throw and the average number of pins they knocked over. Then they will do the same calculations for their second throw. Once they have done this they are to find the mean, median, and mode of their first throw and the mean, median, and mode for their second throw. Once all of the data is collected students are to create some type of chart to visualize their data, either a bar graph or a scatter plot. Then, students will be asked to explain what their data means: did they throw the ball faster on their first throw or their second throw, did they knock down more pins for their first throw or their second throw, and how many pins did they knock down on average when it was their turn. The last part of the lesson is to provide the student with a hypothetical scenario and provide a table of a players turn. Have the students find the same information they did for their own data and then have them compare their scores to the scores of the hypothetical player.
Evaluation:
The students will be evaluated on their ability to either create tables and charts to organize data or on their ability to analyze data or even a mixture of both. Students should be able to determine the rate, mean, median, and mode.
Standards
Standard 5: Data Analysis, Probability, and Statistics
Teachers should either supply the students with a worksheet to fill out or
have them create their own tables and charts to record data. If the students are to create their own charts and tables then the teacher can determine if the students know how to collect, organize, and display data in a relevant logical way. After students have filled out these tables the teacher can ask a couple of data analysis questions such as finding the mean, median, and mode for their group. If the teacher wants to focus on one Standard more then the other then that can be done by leaving out Standard 2 activities.
Standard 2: Concepts and Principles of Measurement
After students have filled out the tables that were explained above they are to then
figure out the rate that they were knocking down pins. They are to determine the average speed that they individually threw the ball and the average amount of pins they knocked down for their first and second throw. This way, students are learning to find rates and then, if desired, teachers can decide to ask how these rates are related to ratios.
Another activity for students to do is at the end of the worksheet create a hypothetical scenario for the game and have the students determine the rate for the player and then ask some analysis questions.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Game: Learner
I explored one of the Kinect Lessons for the classroom and found it to be way more fun than just being given a data set and told to find the mean, median, and mode of the data set. Using Kinect Adventures two of my friends and I played various games on the Kinect and recorded our scores. Then once we had collected all of our data by playing the game we went through and calculated the mean, median, and mode of the scores for each individual game and for the overall game.
Sam W.:
Sure Shot - 165
Curvy Creek - 152
Go with the Flow - 113
Ship Shapes - 152
Blast Off - 117
Don:
Sam M.
Sam W.:
Sure Shot - 165
Curvy Creek - 152
Go with the Flow - 113
Ship Shapes - 152
Blast Off - 117
Don:
Sure Shot - 159
Curvy Creek - 155
Go with the Flow - 109
Ship Shapes - 129
Blast Off - 202
Sam M.
Sure Shot - 168
Curvy Creek - 81
Go with the Flow - 140
Ship Shapes - 168
Blast Off - 195
The scores are recorded above. Then as a group we went through and calculated the mean, median, and mode for each game:
Sure Shot - 164, 165, NA
Curvy Creek - 129.3, 152, NA
Go with the Flow - 120.7, 113, NA
Ship Shapes - 149.7, 152, NA
Blast Off-171.3, 195, NA
Then using all fifteen scores we calculated the mean, median, and mode for Kinect Adventures:
Mean - 147
Median - 152
Mode - 152,168
This method of authentically collecting data is extremely different from just being given a data set. Students are able to get up out of the desks and interact with the numbers because they are creating the numbers themselves. It gets the blood pumping and makes thing way more fun! Students can also make connections to what the mean median and mode actually mean and represent when they are interacting with them on a more personal level. I loved this activity and would highly recommend it for any classroom studying mean, median, and mode!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Games in the Classroom
I plan on teaching math at the high school level. There are
multiple ways that games can help with students logical and creative thinking
which is needed in upper division math classes to solve complex proofs.
Technology can be used to help students think more creatively and even have
quicker responses that can help them think on their feet faster. Games on the
Xbox Kinect and Wii help students work together, think creatively, and have
quicker reactions. Even though these don’t apply directly to math they are
still fun games!
Technology like the Ipad has unique apps specifically
focused on math. Apps such as Geometer Sketchpad can help students create figures
and play with the properties in the app to learn more about triangles and other
types of polygons. This can help students create basic proofs that will
eventually help them create logical more difficult proofs. There are also other
types of apps that will help students learn basic math and practice their
skills at multiplication, division, subtraction, and addition. Even though
there are no games like this for the Kinect or the Wii it is possible to create
simple games that will help students learn to graph or practice measurements or
angles. Games always make learning more enjoyable for students and helps
information more memorable.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Assistive Technology
Josh is a six year old kid who has autism and used to have difficulties communicating with his peers and others in general. He was considered a non-verbal student. However, assistive technology devices such as a Super Talker and the Book Worm helped Josh become more confident in his ability to communicate what he wants and answers to questions people ask him. The more he utilized these assistive technologies Josh was able to go from being a non-verbal student to reading to the teacher and his fellow classmates. The Super Talker and the Book Worm were tools that Josh could use to communicate with his teacher and show the world how smart he really is. Without these technologies Josh would be stunted as a learner because of the inability to communicate what he knows.
Students with disabilities that are non-verbal or even have difficulty writing can use assistive technologies to help them learn in school and also in every day life. There are now computers that can recognize a students voice and write down exactly or very close to what the student wanted to write down. This is very helpful for students who aren't able to use a pen or keyboard to write down answers and can therefore help the student learn course material at a pace that isn't too slow or too fast for them.
Also, these types of technologies can be used to help students with certain disabilities gain control over their own body so that the assistive technology could eventually be phased out completely or to a minimum level. This way students, such as Josh, can learn and grow like his fellow classmates and start concentrating on the course content rather than the inability to communicate.
Students with disabilities that are non-verbal or even have difficulty writing can use assistive technologies to help them learn in school and also in every day life. There are now computers that can recognize a students voice and write down exactly or very close to what the student wanted to write down. This is very helpful for students who aren't able to use a pen or keyboard to write down answers and can therefore help the student learn course material at a pace that isn't too slow or too fast for them.
Also, these types of technologies can be used to help students with certain disabilities gain control over their own body so that the assistive technology could eventually be phased out completely or to a minimum level. This way students, such as Josh, can learn and grow like his fellow classmates and start concentrating on the course content rather than the inability to communicate.
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