Teachers are always having to accommodate change; I've yet to see the exception. In any place I've worked, there has always been change, and all required constant shifts in thinking. When I started, we had Madeline Hunter lesson plans, then those went out the window, and in came something else, and then a revolving door to education was placed at the school entry way, and the old has never found its way out; truly, what goes around comes around, but in this case it looks quite a bit different from what came in. It may take awhile to recognize it for what it is, but...lurking in the shadows, it's there. Madeline Hunter with the twist of Multiple Disciplines with a hefty dose of techno and oh yeah, make sure it is across the board while you're at it!
I don't really mind change (though I hate its beginnings). What I mind is that the change is never permanent! I suppose that sounds a little oxymoronic, but we try something new, and throw it out. We try something new...and throw it out. It doesn't matter if it works or not, we throw it out. It is grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....speaking of change...may I interrupt me? I'm trying to get this done but my daughter keeps sending messages because she is bored in her college class; she's on her lappie chatting to her mommy, but, as she so eloquently pointed out, the people sitting around her are on their lappys too, but they are playing tetris and at least 5 types of solitaire and a video game that she doesn't recognize, and that is just on the monitors she can see....now...is that education today???? Ok, I'll come back to the post when I have time adjust to the change in environment!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
thoughts on eportfolios
I haven't been in education forever; as a matter of fact, I was a late bloomer and was in my thirties before I got a job in education. But looking back, it really didn't take so long for the past to catch up and revolve full circle. When the college was trying to prep us for our jobs, we were pushed to compile a portfolio. Now, this portfolio included all the information that any employer would want to see, supposedly. It even included student work that was done under the supervision of yours truly during student teaching years. It was a lot of work and effort and creativity compiling this huge notebook of reflection, communication, and credentials. It was my one and only book that was all about me...in regards to education. And when I went out searching for a job, I used the book exactly 0 times. Hmmmm....that's a lot of time and effort wasted.
Today we are looking at using e-Portfolios and in some cases, demanding that our students put together their own compilation so that this is available for jobs/colleges to look at in the future. But I am wondering just who is looking at these. Are potential employers taking a peek at these? Are they relevant to the job? If our students create e-portfolios, is there a decent chance that someone will look at them?
It took a long time for me to put together my own notebook, and that was without having to tackle various types of technology. I can't imagine the kid today who puts one of these together and has the time to incorporate all elements that should be there. It is dismaying to think of the time that people expect others to put into empty, useless compilations of something that is never used, never noted. Our world is changing rapidly and time is certainly of the essence. Let's find out if our kids are going to need the e-portfolios...and other types of time-consuming techestry before we demand they stretch themselves to the nth trying to create it, especially when they could be using the time to create something worthwhile, pertinent, and useful.
Today we are looking at using e-Portfolios and in some cases, demanding that our students put together their own compilation so that this is available for jobs/colleges to look at in the future. But I am wondering just who is looking at these. Are potential employers taking a peek at these? Are they relevant to the job? If our students create e-portfolios, is there a decent chance that someone will look at them?
It took a long time for me to put together my own notebook, and that was without having to tackle various types of technology. I can't imagine the kid today who puts one of these together and has the time to incorporate all elements that should be there. It is dismaying to think of the time that people expect others to put into empty, useless compilations of something that is never used, never noted. Our world is changing rapidly and time is certainly of the essence. Let's find out if our kids are going to need the e-portfolios...and other types of time-consuming techestry before we demand they stretch themselves to the nth trying to create it, especially when they could be using the time to create something worthwhile, pertinent, and useful.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
A comment or two...
Generally I comment on things around me; I think most people who are alive and aware do. But over the past few years, I find myself taking more time out to comment online to a variety of articles, blogs, andwebsites. One of my favorites is reading the local paper and commenting on who does what, especially in Detroit, what with Kwame Kilpatrick's run around and all. I don't count commenting as blogging; commenting is so much quicker, and truthfully, I don't have a lot of time to just sit and write for....well, other than this class, I don't have a purpose for it...yet.
Most recently I have commented on
http://ednews.org/articles/36740/1/19th-Century-Skills/Page1.html
a website that I mentioned in an earlier blog.
I have also read and commented on
http://tsheko.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/teaching-21st-century-literacies/ although this one I might have more of an argument with. Still, blogging is a form of learning...and I blog, read blogs, comment, and learn as I go : )
And, if you could go into my computer past...you would see my comments on newsvine.com, freep.com, detnews.com etc. But blogging...well, that's different ; )
Most recently I have commented on
http://ednews.org/articles/36740/1/19th-Century-Skills/Page1.html
a website that I mentioned in an earlier blog.
I have also read and commented on
http://tsheko.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/teaching-21st-century-literacies/ although this one I might have more of an argument with. Still, blogging is a form of learning...and I blog, read blogs, comment, and learn as I go : )
And, if you could go into my computer past...you would see my comments on newsvine.com, freep.com, detnews.com etc. But blogging...well, that's different ; )
21st Century Skills in my own work
Incorporating 21st Century tools and skills into my classes is something I've generally been working on over the past few years, but I guess I didn't realize then that it had a tag name. The first time I incorporated use of such skills was in about 1996, and it was a choice of assignments. Actually, I initially set it as one of the choices because I had a young student then who was computer literate...he ran circles around our tech teachers (but then it was just basic keyboarding, and very little learning about actual programs except for emailing and windows which had just worked the holes out of win95). Anyway, students then had a choice for their Shakespeare project, and of those options, those with computer savy could work with a partner and create a website. Things were so new then, at least to us! We were really just getting in a computer for each teacher, and things were becoming more digitalized. I can't even fathom how things could change so quickly...but here we are thirteen years later and even many four year olds have some basic computer know-how.
Now, in 2009, I require writing assignments, and many times students have to begin their hand written drafts in class, but students are not allowed to hand in to me a polished piece that is not typed up. My composition students are required to write a research paper, yet now the information is so much more accessible than it was those few years ago; "just google it" the saying goes and how many hits did it come up with? What are the links? What is the url? This is jargon many would not have understood at that time. But now, when my composition students go to the media center, they direct themselves to the computers, but not to look up information in the library books--oh no--instead they google everything. Whereas I indexed my information on 3x5 cards, they copy and paste theirs. Whereas they used to present with maybe a few magazine pictures stuck to a poster board, 0r some handsomely hand-drawn drafts and charts, students today really don't think twice about a Powerpoint presentation. Recently, when students for my World Literature class wrote a comparison paper based on The Tragedy of Macbeth and Medea, they presented the ideas they wrote about in the media of their choice, including websites and Powerpoint.
It is all changing; it is hard to keep up with, but the 21st Century skills needed are ones I think, given the chance and the interest, our students can grasp and own, and pass on to others.
Now, in 2009, I require writing assignments, and many times students have to begin their hand written drafts in class, but students are not allowed to hand in to me a polished piece that is not typed up. My composition students are required to write a research paper, yet now the information is so much more accessible than it was those few years ago; "just google it" the saying goes and how many hits did it come up with? What are the links? What is the url? This is jargon many would not have understood at that time. But now, when my composition students go to the media center, they direct themselves to the computers, but not to look up information in the library books--oh no--instead they google everything. Whereas I indexed my information on 3x5 cards, they copy and paste theirs. Whereas they used to present with maybe a few magazine pictures stuck to a poster board, 0r some handsomely hand-drawn drafts and charts, students today really don't think twice about a Powerpoint presentation. Recently, when students for my World Literature class wrote a comparison paper based on The Tragedy of Macbeth and Medea, they presented the ideas they wrote about in the media of their choice, including websites and Powerpoint.
It is all changing; it is hard to keep up with, but the 21st Century skills needed are ones I think, given the chance and the interest, our students can grasp and own, and pass on to others.
21st Century Skills out of our 19th Century classroom
In retrospect, this is not only a commentary but kind of a rant....but it starts out well enough : )
Oh my gosh! I swear, someone out there is reading my mind! From that perspective, Will Fitzhugh, Senior Columnist EducationNews.org, The Concord Review
http://ednews.org/articles/36740/1/19th-Century-Skills/Page1.html blog begs for comment. According to Fitzhugh, "...the 19th (and prior) Century Skills of reading and writing are still a job for human beings, with little help from technology. Computers can check your grammar, and take a look at your spelling, but they can't read for you and they can't think for you, and they really cannot take the tasks of academic reading and writing off the shoulders of the students in our schools." I'm glad to see him point this out, because so much of what we've learned so far implies that these skills are not the focus in web creations, yet without fluency in these basic, centuries-back skills, students and everyone else will struggle with information that they deal with online. He also states, "Neither group (one group who wants to make the students more accountable, the other which thinks that is not enough) gives much thought, in my view, to whether any of our high school students have read one complete nonfiction book or written one serious research paper before they are sent off to their college remedial courses." Fitzhugh shows that our reliance on 21st Century Skills first requires of students to know the good ol' 3 'Rs, as outdated as that may seem.
And this is where the rant comes in....I was doing ok til then!
Where I really connected with Fitzhugh's words--what caused the flutter in this English teacher's soul--was when he stated in words he stole from my mind..."While almost all high schools would say they want students to be able to do academic essays, they set aside no time for teachers to work on them. More time is available in most high schools for tackling practice on the football field and layup drills on the basketball court than for working on term papers in English and history classes." OOOOOh. And Amen to that! Why is it that there seems to be a popular outcry about students in America suffering from their public school teachers (who obviously are shirking their duty of teaching these students skills that will help them in college and real life both!). We can work on these papers all we want, but when it comes down to it, who has time to grade 90plus ten page research papers? If it's multiplied by 15 minutes, that equals to over 20 hours just on those papers alone, and then there is the lesson planning, the student who needs help after school, the make-up quiz before school, the extra-curricular the teacher is advisor for (providing that is only one, which is doubtful), the parent phone calls that have to be made, the discipline that has to be taken care of, the fundraisers that have to go to the accounting office for, the mandatory once-a-week collaboration with your peers (during the prep period of course so it doesn't impact anyone's teaching time!) and of course all the unaccounted little time consuming disruptions such as answering email, computer failure, etc...OH and now we are going to include 21st century skills for both teacher and student. Learn it learn it learn it learn it.....arggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
Oh my gosh! I swear, someone out there is reading my mind! From that perspective, Will Fitzhugh, Senior Columnist EducationNews.org, The Concord Review
http://ednews.org/articles/36740/1/19th-Century-Skills/Page1.html blog begs for comment. According to Fitzhugh, "...the 19th (and prior) Century Skills of reading and writing are still a job for human beings, with little help from technology. Computers can check your grammar, and take a look at your spelling, but they can't read for you and they can't think for you, and they really cannot take the tasks of academic reading and writing off the shoulders of the students in our schools." I'm glad to see him point this out, because so much of what we've learned so far implies that these skills are not the focus in web creations, yet without fluency in these basic, centuries-back skills, students and everyone else will struggle with information that they deal with online. He also states, "Neither group (one group who wants to make the students more accountable, the other which thinks that is not enough) gives much thought, in my view, to whether any of our high school students have read one complete nonfiction book or written one serious research paper before they are sent off to their college remedial courses." Fitzhugh shows that our reliance on 21st Century Skills first requires of students to know the good ol' 3 'Rs, as outdated as that may seem.
And this is where the rant comes in....I was doing ok til then!
Where I really connected with Fitzhugh's words--what caused the flutter in this English teacher's soul--was when he stated in words he stole from my mind..."While almost all high schools would say they want students to be able to do academic essays, they set aside no time for teachers to work on them. More time is available in most high schools for tackling practice on the football field and layup drills on the basketball court than for working on term papers in English and history classes." OOOOOh. And Amen to that! Why is it that there seems to be a popular outcry about students in America suffering from their public school teachers (who obviously are shirking their duty of teaching these students skills that will help them in college and real life both!). We can work on these papers all we want, but when it comes down to it, who has time to grade 90plus ten page research papers? If it's multiplied by 15 minutes, that equals to over 20 hours just on those papers alone, and then there is the lesson planning, the student who needs help after school, the make-up quiz before school, the extra-curricular the teacher is advisor for (providing that is only one, which is doubtful), the parent phone calls that have to be made, the discipline that has to be taken care of, the fundraisers that have to go to the accounting office for, the mandatory once-a-week collaboration with your peers (during the prep period of course so it doesn't impact anyone's teaching time!) and of course all the unaccounted little time consuming disruptions such as answering email, computer failure, etc...OH and now we are going to include 21st century skills for both teacher and student. Learn it learn it learn it learn it.....arggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
21st Century Skills
21st Century Skills are not overrated, but there is a sense that every single one of us must be fluent in these skills. While I realize that the world is changing and that these skills are invaluable to our children and generations to come, I also live with real life people, teach at a real life school and communicate in cyberspace with many others. Perhaps it is the area that I live in, or the tense feeling in our nation at the moment, or maybe it is because I have brown eyes, I don't know, but I can't seem to believe that 21st Century Skills are what every kid needs, as is implied by all the information that I am inundated with. We talk a lot about multiple intelligences; doesn't that imply various talents as well? Doesn't that imply appealing to people with a variety of learning styles, and as such, doesn't that in turn imply people with a variety of skills, talents, and abilities?
We live in a world where technology is always changing...but where our public schools (a majority) cannot afford to keep up due to the costs. It seems that there are always some students without a computer at home, and some who have bigger issues on their minds than becoming computer literate. While I believe the offering should be there, and that for the most part, there does need to be required time spent being web-literate, there also needs to be time to refine those skills that make people fluent in their reading and writing skills in general, and fluent in their area of interest, whether it be agriculture, carpentry, cosmetologist...or whatever.
Furthermore, even if we manage to instill "playfulness that leads to innovation; design thinking; collaborations in which groups are smarter than the smartest person in the group; and real understanding that leads to problem solving and not just test passing... " as David Warlick calls 21st Century skills in his blog "21st Century Literacies"
( http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=1719 ) shouldn't we see and account for the fact that this isn't for all students? Does that mean we should forget that different students aspire to different things, and many have no interest, nor will they need an interest in, many of the things he is insisting that students learn, even though it is what people are calling 21st Century Skills? I guess what bothers me most is the implication that the prior century skills are outdated, that 20th Century skills are not valuable, but without these initial skills, wherein lies those of the following centuries? There is some value to be found in what has occurred. It's like the saying, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Keep what is good, and enhance it, and tweak it, for the best learning possible for each student.
What is good for one is not necessarily good for the other...and not everyone is a group worker; some people work best in solitude and independence. There is a lot to be said for 21st Century Literacy, but there is a lot about it that bothers me. A lot.
We live in a world where technology is always changing...but where our public schools (a majority) cannot afford to keep up due to the costs. It seems that there are always some students without a computer at home, and some who have bigger issues on their minds than becoming computer literate. While I believe the offering should be there, and that for the most part, there does need to be required time spent being web-literate, there also needs to be time to refine those skills that make people fluent in their reading and writing skills in general, and fluent in their area of interest, whether it be agriculture, carpentry, cosmetologist...or whatever.
Furthermore, even if we manage to instill "playfulness that leads to innovation; design thinking; collaborations in which groups are smarter than the smartest person in the group; and real understanding that leads to problem solving and not just test passing... " as David Warlick calls 21st Century skills in his blog "21st Century Literacies"
( http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=1719 ) shouldn't we see and account for the fact that this isn't for all students? Does that mean we should forget that different students aspire to different things, and many have no interest, nor will they need an interest in, many of the things he is insisting that students learn, even though it is what people are calling 21st Century Skills? I guess what bothers me most is the implication that the prior century skills are outdated, that 20th Century skills are not valuable, but without these initial skills, wherein lies those of the following centuries? There is some value to be found in what has occurred. It's like the saying, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Keep what is good, and enhance it, and tweak it, for the best learning possible for each student.
What is good for one is not necessarily good for the other...and not everyone is a group worker; some people work best in solitude and independence. There is a lot to be said for 21st Century Literacy, but there is a lot about it that bothers me. A lot.
English Explorations B
In this class that explores a variety of genres, you will be learning about how to explore literature on your own, and how to comment on the literature that you find. Some of the genres that you will be perusing will include poems, a play, and a novelette. There are a lot of websites out there than can help you in your quest, so feel free to branch out and search and record. Don't forget that you will have to comment on these, so choose only a couple under each category (to start with). You might consider the following links as stepping stones for your own searches:
http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/full.html
http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/animalfarm/
http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/full.html
http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/animalfarm/
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