Collaboration Blog#2

Collaboration #2

When I met with my co-worker last week, we had a great conversation and we came up with some ideas as to how to go about teaching this unit and when to teach it. As a reminder, he is planning on integrating the Pythagorean Theorem into his social studies class while I do the math part in mine.  We have decided that it would be fun to teach the unit when we get back from April vacation. We thought that it would be a great way to get the students engaged as the end of the year approaches. With this in mind, I figured that it would be beneficial for the social studies class to introduce Pythagoras first and his background, life, and achievements. I would then take on the mathematical aspects of Pythagoras and how the Theorem was created. Together we would work on the unit over a time frame of 2 ½ weeks. Some of the projects would be continuous between classes and students would be able to work on particular projects in both classes. There would be a lot of overlapping between classes and assignments, therefore benefiting students in both classes.

When sharing and reviewing my Stage 3 design and timeline, it was decided that the order of material and topics was consistent and relevant to the way we wanted to teach it. After a long discussion, we decided that the final assessment of a website, should encompass portions of other assessments given throughout the unit. Students should attach their creations to their websites and a presentation should also be part of the final project. We also decided that their final assessment of a website should be presented in both classes. This way all students can witness and learn about Pythagoras as well as the Theorem.

As far as leadership is concerned, I feel that I took it under my wing to organize and set up projects and topics in the order that I wanted him to teach it. I also designated particular assignments that I wanted him to do and for the students to attain. I think I lucked out that my co-worker was very flexible and willing to try whatever I decided. We had great communication over the unit and we tend to work really well together because of out personality and willingness to try new things. 

TPCK Chapter 11 & 12

TPACK Chapter 11 & 12

Developing TPCK

           

When reading through these two chapters, I think that the quote on page 223 really sums up what is wrong with the current type of teaching as well as what needs to be done to increase the level of knowledge and education in our students. It says, “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, then we rob our children of tomorrow.” I feel that this is absolutely true. If teachers do not look into the future as to what our students should know and be able to do, then we are not serving our students the way we should. Introducing technology is a way to integrate and apply the otherwise unattainable material and content to real life situations and applications and the experience of using technological resources will familiarize students with the real world.

“Tomorrow’s teachers must be prepared to rethink, unlearn and relearn, change, revise, and adapt”  (pg. 225). I feel that all teachers need to display this philosophy in order to be successful. One way to assure this happens is through differentiation of content matter. This will allow teachers to reach all learning styles and abilities. Technology can help to aid this bridge among content gaps and learner abilities.  With teaching ELL students, we are definitely trained and emerged into classrooms, which require us to differentiate in order for our students to understand and be successful. I feel that the area that we lack would be our technological pedagogy. We tend to have a hard time with finding sources that strongly support our teaching and curriculum, that are not either to low or to high for our students. This would be the area that I would need to work on to become a better teacher.

TPCK Art Education Presentation

Placing the magic in the classroom

TPCK in arts education

            Incorporating art into the classroom can come in many forms. Integrating art can consist of visual arts, technology, music, dance, drama, and media. This chapter gave a great deal of information and resources as to how to go about creating lessons and curriculum around the content of art to help your students be more expressive and creative in their personal learning. Introducing and incorporating art into a classroom helps to reach all learners and abilities and requires students to engage in opportunities through self-expression and self-exploration.

Positive Aspects of Integrating Art:

• ·      Every single one of the 21^st century skills can be enhanced through arts education.
• ·      Many felt that the websites provided throughout the chapter were a great resource and helped give ideas as to how to go about incorporating art into their own teaching.
• ·      Technology is a very important part of integrating art into the classroom. The Internet is a great source to allow for students to access material that they would not be able to otherwise.
• ·      Technology can be used to create projects such as I-photo, I-movie, Google Sketch-Up, Comic Strip, Garageband, etc.
• ·      “Technology provides an opportunity to marry the power of ideas with the power of the imagination” (p. 189).