Getting Things Done

As a teacher, the work never ends.  Stress builds as report cards are due, conferences are approaching, or tests need to be graded.  Getting Things Done is a great way to help yourself not get overwhelmed at all the tasks you have to accomplish on a daily basis.

The first step of Getting Things Done or GTD is collecting.  This is a way to get the clutter out of your head and down on paper.  The second step is processing.  It is your job to figure out what each task is and if it is important enough to worry about.  Next you need to organize.  This is where you will take all the tasks that you have collected and figure out their priority.  For instance, if a task has to be completed in a week, you can mark it as a calendar item.  That way you won’t lose track of when it is due.  After you organize it is time to review.  This is important in order to make sure your projects are getting done or the items that need attention move up in priority.   Lastly, you complete the tasks that have the highest priority based on how much time you have left in your day.

This idea really made me realize the importance of prioritizing.  I have already felt overwhelmed with this graduate class and being a teacher in the classroom.  I love this idea and I will try it myself to feel less stressed.  

Social Networking

Social networking sites such as Twitter, blogs, Facebook, Ning, and MySpace are popular in today’s society.  So why not use these popular sights as a tool to communicate for educational purposes?  There are endless reasons social networking can be a positive tool in and out of the classroom for children.  Schools across the globe are effectively using these sights as a way to enhance education.  For instance, in the article on Edweek.org, “Social Networking Goes to School,” it discusses the possibility of talking to other students around the world to gain knowledge on topics they are studying.  When a group of students were reading a book on whales, students in Canada sent a short video of the whales in their actual habitat.  Schools are finding ways to also use Twitter, Facebook, and blogs to enhance learning.  When students have a question, they have a website to go to.  They can post their questions and other students or teachers can provide answers immediately.  Social networking is a great tool to foster 21^st century learning skills.

As an educator, social networking is a must use tool as well. For example, today I was trying to create math centers for my students.  I searched websites; however, it was time consuming and I didn’t come out with a lot of ideas.  Joining educational groups on Facebook, Twitter, or blogs, I could have immediately asked for math center ideas.  I will never be a teacher who feels that I know everything there is to teaching.  I love the idea of networking because I can share my teaching practices, as well as receive ideas from people not only in my school but around the world.  Social networks are a great way to gain professional development.

RSS Reader Reflection

Posting to Blog

I posted to the article, “Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?  The Reasons are Many.”  In my posting, I agreed with the article and why integrating technology is so beneficial for students in the classroom.  I believe technology is not a phase and will be around in the centuries to come.  It is my role as an educator to help prepare my students on the importance of technology in the classroom. Technology can be used to learn life skills such as teamwork.  Technology can also make learning more fun.  It is a critical part of being an effective teacher.

I shared with readers the website called brain pop.  This is a website with short educational cartoon videos to learn about all subjects across grade levels.  Recently, I showed my fifth grade students a video of the Bill of Rights on Constitution Day.  This helped my students get a better understanding of what it was without me directly telling them.      

RSS Reader Tracking

As I read and tracked changes throughout my RSS Reader page, I first realized how useful an RSS page can be.  I had never heard of a RSS Reader page and after learning more about it and completing the lab, I thought it was very effective.  I am now able to keep a variety of educational articles and blogs that relate to education and technology in the classroom.

In Education Week, I was able to read about many educational issues surrounding teachers in this country.  I was reminded daily that the same issues were going on around the country that Michigan is facing today.  For example, in one article they talked about class sizes going up as the amount of teachers is decreasing.   Unfortunately, the country is facing large budget cuts and it makes me realize how much more difficult it will be to get newer technology into the classroom.  

In simpleK12, I enjoyed the short blogs that were written, often provided teaching tools and advice for the classroom.  For instance, I read the blog on "7 Teacher No-Nos."  The author provided quick reminders for using technology in the classroom.  For example, it is important to always have a backup lesson.  Although technology is great, it doesn’t always work we as we planned!

What I Learned

Over the course of the week I have learned numerous effective ideas from the feeds I have been tracking.  I really enjoyed a variety of articles in edutopia.  One article in particular, “Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?  The Reasons are Many” the author gave four components to learning that I strongly agreed with.  First, active engagement is critical in order for students to be responsible for their own learning.  Collaborating with others builds life skills of listening to others ideas and compromising.  Also, children benefit positively from a project learning approach.  The author mentioned making connections to the real world, and having positive interactions and receiving feedback through technology.  By students using technology across the curriculum, they are working to become knowledgeable on the uses of technology and get a realistic view of how technology surrounds them in their daily life.  

I read some interesting articles on techlearning.com on the effectiveness of apple products such as an iPad or iPod in the classroom.  Although the school I teach at doesn’t have access to these products, it may be a useful tool for myself to have to help instruction.  For instance, in the article, “Involve, Prepare, Apply, and Develop: Ipads in the Classroom” they gave a list of applications where groups of students could interact with others discussing their experiment in science or connect with other communities during social studies.  They gave math applications where students could play math bingo or use a blackboard for computation practice.  The possibilities on these innovative products seem endless.  I hope that apple products such as the iPad or products just like these become a must have in the near future for districts.

Application

As a teacher, there are many ways I could apply the capabilities of RSS Reader pages into a school setting.  It would be useful to use an RSS Reader across all curriculum.  For instance, I am currently teaching about electricity in science.  By using kid friendly sites on science issues, I could set up the readers and teach students how to use the them effectively.  They could track articles and share newsworthy events dealing with science.  I think a RSS Reader pages is a useful way for students to keep up with newsworthy events related to their education.

Also, I will use this idea as a way to improve as an educator.  I believe one of the best ways to improve as a teacher is to communicate with other educators.  Blogs allow me to do just that.  I can ask questions, share my own thoughts, read others ideas, and take ideas immediately into the classroom.  For instance, I enjoyed discovering the simplek12 blog.  In one post, the author discussed ways to use Google to engage my students.  These are free and practical resources to help better my students learning.

RSS Reader Page

Check out my RSS Reader Page!

http://screencast.com/t/9zdYb5W5ub8L

Blogging vs. Websites

Welcome to Napierala News!  I hope you enjoy my new blog!

What is the difference between a blog and a website?

 Blogging has been a innovative addition to the world of technology.  It allows for immediate communication from one end of the globe to the other.  Blogging is a great tool for all people to use in order to gain insight into any topic imaginable.  I am able to subscribe via RSS Reader to any blog that I am interested in.  As an educator, I have already subscribed to blogs that give me quick and insightful ways to incorporate technology in the classroom.  If I have questions or I don't understand a post, I can comment on it.  Anyone can respond to my comment and I could end up with an answer within a few minutes. 

A website is useful for finding information too; however, you do not communicate back and forth.  If you don't agree with what the website says, you can't fix what is already there quickly.  Also, when a website is updated, you do not always get a notification that it was updated.   

Using both websites and blogs are a way to gain information on any topic imaginable.