Hooray!

I just finished my Master's Thesis! It took me a while but I am quite happy with the final product! Thank you to everyone who has helped me through this whole process!

Aesop

Learned about AESOP today...it is an automated system to assign subs for teachers and other positions. As teachers, we tend to forget that there is a whole world outside of our classrooms and that there is A LOT of support staff and administrators out there who also want what is best for students. To all the paraprofessionals, teacher's assistants, office staff, administrators, janitors, and any other position that exists within a school system...Thank You! When a request comes from the office, it may seem insignificant in the classroom...but it ends up being a big deal somewhere else. Just like our days go by better when students listen, pay attention, and follow directions...we should do the same:)

Today would be a success if...

I am at the 2nd day of the Emerging Technology Training.  The tech guys are doing a fabulous job of sharing various tech tools that are beneficial for teachers to build PLNs through Twitter, Blogger, and Delicious.  I am excited to learn about other ideas such as Prezi, Comic Life, Wall Wisher, and other tools that I can use in my classroom with my students.  Today would be a success if I can share this information with my co-teachers and include more technology in our lesson designs.

Alan November-Myths & Opportunities Video

This was an interesting video!  Mr. November talked about how technology has changed education; it has changed from a comprehensive classroom with the teacher being the presenter of knowledge to the classroom being a community of learners where students learn from each other.  This has been a difficult change to accept for some teachers because it shifts control away from the teacher.  The internet and technology has resulted in a loss of critical thinking because so much knowledge is available to students who are able to cut and copy what they need.  Mr. November is proposing that teachers change their thinking and ways in the classroom to utilize emerging technology to teach research skills and enforce critical thinking.  This shift will make students analyze information they find and reflect on their personal learning.  Students can direct their own learning through assignment design.  Mr. November also says that learning this way will teach students skills that are essential in the work place; it is teaching students to work as a collaborative team.  One idea that I would like to try is the idea of a scribe.  One student takes class notes while other students participate in the lesson.  After the lesson, all the students review the notes together and edit information for accurateness, which again makes students reflect and review.