I have learned a lot about the use and benefits of a wiki while working on this project. I started off having trouble designing a wiki and linking it to PB works and my blog. I was going to learn how to do this one way or another and I did through my strong desire to succeed. I can't believe how comfortable I am today when compared to the rough start I had in the beginning. Using wiki's and blog's will be programs that I share with my future students in upper elementary and middle school and even high school if that is where I end up teaching.
Faye and I decided to do our wiki project on the Japanese Era and Plagiarism. She works for Clarkston Community Schools and has an amazing media specialist, Denise Lovse, who did a great job creating the PowerPoint on Plagiarism. I went to her school's website and found all types of good ideas to use with classroom teachers when I get back to being a media center teacher. There are also great links for students to use in the district. The website is at Clarkston Junior High, http://ww2.clarkston.k12.mi.us/education/school/school.php?sectionid=6. If you click on the Media Center link you will be taken to the site that has invaluable information for students and teachers. I am glad that Faye will be able to use this wiki project with her students for years to come and to be able to improve upon it from the great suggestions that we received from our classmates.
While working with classroom teachers in the future will be easier because we will be able to talk to one another in person; collaborating through blog's, email accounts, and the wiki just showed how easy it can be to collaborate when you can't meet face to face. Sometimes a media specialist will be in another building in the district and a classroom teacher will need help; learning these invaluable collaborative methods will help me and the teachers in the future when we run into this situation.
The one thing that I would like to know how to do with regards to collaboration is how can this be done in a district that has fixed-schedules for media specialists? Would the teacher and media specialist work separately? When would they be able to meet and discuss units? Would Faye's media center website be the way to go in a fixed-schedule environment?
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Assessment Blog
Faye and I have discussed the assessment portion of our Wiki project. She will be adding a Rubric to our Wiki that the students will receive before their project is due. The parents and students will be notified of their grade from the teacher with respect to the rubric. The students will also present their project to their classmates and receive comments from their classmates. The principal will be invited to watch the presentations.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Mid-Planning
Our lessons will include the Japanese Era and include lessons on Plagiarism and Note Taking skills. Faye will be provided the lesson for the different Japanese Era's that students in 12th grade will be covering. I will be providing the lessons on Plagiarism and Note Taking Skills which will go hand in hand. Once the students learn about plagiarism they will also need to know how to take notes in order to refrain from plagiarising. Faye and I will also discuss which website validation form we want to include in this lesson.
In order to engage all students students from culturally and linguistically diverse learning styles we will work with paraprofessionals and/or teachers assigned to work with individual students or groups of students by going over a student specific plan or form which is included in our Wiki. Depending on the student we may also be able to put that individual in a group and give him/her a task that is customised to fit his/her capabilities.
In order to engage all students students from culturally and linguistically diverse learning styles we will work with paraprofessionals and/or teachers assigned to work with individual students or groups of students by going over a student specific plan or form which is included in our Wiki. Depending on the student we may also be able to put that individual in a group and give him/her a task that is customised to fit his/her capabilities.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Early Planning
We need to decide on what school we will be using for our Unit. Since this will be for 12th grade, I was thinking that we should use your school. We need to provide a brief narrative introduction about the school and its student demographics. We also need to decide how accomodations will be made for students with special needs as well as students from historically underrepresented racial backgrounds. I'm not sure what the part in red means.
In our district the students with special needs come with a para pro to their special classes. Do they come with a para pro in high school or does their teacher go with them to their classes? I guess we could collaborate with the para pro or their teacher about ways that we can simlify the unit or we could put them in a group with someone from the regular class so that they can get extra help.
What are your thoughts on this Faye?
In our district the students with special needs come with a para pro to their special classes. Do they come with a para pro in high school or does their teacher go with them to their classes? I guess we could collaborate with the para pro or their teacher about ways that we can simlify the unit or we could put them in a group with someone from the regular class so that they can get extra help.
What are your thoughts on this Faye?
Friday, January 29, 2010
Preplanning
I'm glad that I was able to talk to Faye on the phone regarding our Collaboration Unit. I am having trouble with Wiki and we decided to touch base the old fashioned way by using a telephone. Faye Valtadoros is going to be the CT and I am going to be the LMS.
I guess one fear that I have is that the technology will cause us problems as has already happened. I am used to technology problems and I have dealt with quite a few in the past. I was a media center teacher for 6 years, working with kindergarten through 5th grade students and we have had our share of equipment malfunctions, breakage, and problems with the Internet. There is always a way around things. Another fear that I have is working with high school students. I do not have experience with that age range but I am always up for a challenge.
A strength that I possess is to never give up. I keep trying different approaches until I can find a way to make things work technologically. I am doing this right now because instead of waiting until Dr. Kumasi is able to put my name back in the Wiki, I found a way to create my blog and move forward.
One of the best ways that I have found to collaborate with classroom teachers was in the staff lounge at lunch. They don't have their students in front of them and they are more relaxed and willing to discuss ideas. I have learned not to say "can you do this," but instead I would start by complimenting a teacher on something he/she is good at and ask if they would help with ____.
Collaborating on the Japanese era sounds like a good Lesson Plan to me. The students will need help with meaningful research and how to avoid plagiarism.
I look forward to working with you on this project.
Brenda Vaitkevicius
I guess one fear that I have is that the technology will cause us problems as has already happened. I am used to technology problems and I have dealt with quite a few in the past. I was a media center teacher for 6 years, working with kindergarten through 5th grade students and we have had our share of equipment malfunctions, breakage, and problems with the Internet. There is always a way around things. Another fear that I have is working with high school students. I do not have experience with that age range but I am always up for a challenge.
A strength that I possess is to never give up. I keep trying different approaches until I can find a way to make things work technologically. I am doing this right now because instead of waiting until Dr. Kumasi is able to put my name back in the Wiki, I found a way to create my blog and move forward.
One of the best ways that I have found to collaborate with classroom teachers was in the staff lounge at lunch. They don't have their students in front of them and they are more relaxed and willing to discuss ideas. I have learned not to say "can you do this," but instead I would start by complimenting a teacher on something he/she is good at and ask if they would help with ____.
Collaborating on the Japanese era sounds like a good Lesson Plan to me. The students will need help with meaningful research and how to avoid plagiarism.
I look forward to working with you on this project.
Brenda Vaitkevicius
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