Social Bookmarking

1. National Archives: The available free sources over the internet are invaluable. To aquire copies of the originals and other resourses for class samples would be expensive. Students would be intrigued by the original drawings, photographs and brief explanations available to them. They would not get inundated with information, but just enough to let them know about an event in history. The site I found interesting is Observing Constitution Day. This site has fun activities you can incorporate into the class on what happened on the day of the constitution.
2. National Education Association: find 2 factors in each site and discuss them.
a. W/in school control-
i. In my classroom observations one teacher told me he believes that the schools were teaching too much. He believed schools were teaching the necessary curriculum but also beyond like manners, respect, the way we treat our schools, teachers, and peers. He believed that these things should be taught at home. I do believe he had a point. I see booklets that my children bring home from school and I think why are they teaching these things which my wife and I are teaching at home. I would like to get back to basics of schooling and less dealing w/ non-schooling subjects.
b. W/in school control-
i. Low expectations play a part in some schools. Even when schools set their expectations high it could seem low. I believe children know when standards are low. My twin daughters started kindergarten this year and the expectations were higher than when my son went to kindergarten 2 years earlier. I am glad to see that kindergarten is not full-day yet. My children have had the same kindergarten teacher so I see the subtle difference in the work they are given. I would like schools to set good fair standards. With the NCLB act I know schools are working hard to meet those standards even if they don’t agree wholeheartedly. I believe it is a challenge and wake-up call to all schools to raise student expectations which have fallen over the years. I hope to work hard for the school, students, and parents.
c. Teacher and teacher related factors-
i. Poor teacher preparation is a key factor to achievement gaps. Preparation is a key factor for a teacher. The teacher controls much power b/c it is best thing that they can do to for their students. It is the how’s, what’s, when’s, and where’s of the lesson. It is in this area that how to learn and refine my lesson preparation.
ii. I have rarely seen teachers incorporate technology into their lessons. I understand it has to do with the funding but also with teachers who are set in their ways. I hope to incorporate many of the tools that I will learn about while in the credentialing program. And advocate the use of technology for the benefit of the students.
3. Kids Click: Discuss the link/site and reading level of this site.
a. You hear good and bad and bad things about FEMA, but this site really had wonderful, colorful, animated, interactive information regarding disasters. It was informative and students can really take action in preparing for a disaster with their family. There are over 20 different games kids can play and still learn about many disasters they hear about in the news. I believe the reading level may actually be lower than 3rd grade. Many grade level site words are from a 2nd grade level and are simple and concise.
4. Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators: How would you use this site for the future?
a. On hot/rainy days this site gives many game idea and that are beneficial for the different grade levels. I could use it for an organized class recess by playing games together. I would use to get new ideas for school field days or school carnivals. This site is filled with great back-up ideas for those unforeseen days. I could even print out party ideas for healthier snacks for parents.
5. Instructional Module on Multiple Intelligence: Write a paragraph about what you found interesting.
a. Why – One of my friends who I interviewed for a class assignment said she was challenged every year by her new class to reach out to each individual student and then formulate group teaching styles that best suited the class. I know it wasn’t easy for her but she wanted to reach as many students as possible. And then there were times she said that she just wasn’t able to.
In the “Why” section I really liked what it said about how it teaches a learner to learn from many different learning styles and to strengthen the weak learning styles. If more than one area of learning was strengthen in a student think of the wonderful opportunities that the student has to learn from.
6. Teaching tolerance:
a. The class will formulate with adult guidance what acceptable behavior towards one another is creating a positive environment for everyone. The class is heavily involved in identifying the types of bullying behaviors and putting into place rules that will deter bullying behavior. Using a survey printed from the site students will conduct a survey and gather information from people who are around them. Once they gather information they will formulate some wrong behaviors and also positive behaviors that will enhance class atmosphere and one another.
7. Multicultural Education and Equity Awareness Quiz: 2 questions I found interesting.
a. 53% 6/20
b. Interesting Questions
i. Q: 97% of all students in public school regularly hear homophobic comments from peers. What percentage report hearing homophobic remarks from school staff or faculty?
ii. A: 53% - That is a number that is too high for students and staffs. I would be shocked even to hear such things in a religious setting. Even if one believes that such a lifestyle is wrong it should be discussed in a proper setting. It is a number that is really difficult to believe in the times we live in b/c I don’t hear such things. I hear racial comments more than homophobic ones.
iii. Q: In a national study of college students, 27.5% of women reported that they had been the victim of a rape or attempted rape since the age of 14. What % of these rapes or attempted rapes was reported to police?
iv. A: 5% - I am surprised by the low answer. I believe in the Asian culture the % would be even lower. I have known several girls and from their testimonies shared that were raped. The parents were outraged, but that wasn’t enough to report the rapes or follow through with anything. One moved to California from out of state, one had an abortion, and one just went on surviving. There is definitely something wrong when such a crime goes unpunished. That number may even be lower, there maybe others that go unreported.
8. Netiquette guidelines
a. Why teach Netiquette?
b. As in all things where a large number of people gather knowing such things as the netiquette would make understanding easier. Even now with text messaging there are abbreviations and symbols that we all use. Whether snow boarding or playing golf there are etiquettes that people follow for the safety and better enjoyment of the sport. So I am all for teaching etiquettes in all areas where it would be beneficial for the greater number of people.