Sunday, May 18, 2008
PLN Presentation Reaction
Well, from the comments I received, I did much better this time around. Most of my comments didn't give me anything that I need to work on. However, I know that I still rely on my notes too much, which is the reason some people said they couldn't hear me. In the future, I will work harder to practice my presentation beforehand, as well as speak louder.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
PLN 20
Once more, I scrolled through the teacher blogs on my school website, (no, I still have not escaped from my habits of monotony) and decided to check Ms. Crosby's blog. Her most recent post, Grading Practices talks about how students don't take the time to look at specific categories to see where their learning needs improvement, which can be harmful to their overall grade. Since this is a habit I myself have formed, I decided to comment on Crosby's blog:
As a student, I will admit that often times, I focus less on the details and more on the overall grade. I don’t concern myself with looking over categories to see where I need improvement. As long as I see an A staring back at me from the computer screen, I don’t particularly care how I am in specific aspects of the class. Although this is a terrible habit that many students face, I am happy to say that when the grade is not an A, I immediately set out to find the root of the problem. I know that a lot of students do this. My friends and I often talk about how certain things affect our grade and when we focus on those, grades improve.
Honestly, it’s tedious to look through every category of every class, but your right; we need to focus on the details. Our overall grade may be excellent, but that may just be because we participate in class. Our writing skills might stink and we wouldn’t even know until we fail our final paper. Sometimes, we students don’t realize that you place things in categories for a reason, and not merely for your own enjoyment. Grades are set up the way they are so we can pinpoint the exact problem in our learning. You can’t fix a problem if you don’t know its there. Perhaps talking to students about different categories and how they affect grades would help students take more initiative in their learning.
-AvereeL
As a student, I will admit that often times, I focus less on the details and more on the overall grade. I don’t concern myself with looking over categories to see where I need improvement. As long as I see an A staring back at me from the computer screen, I don’t particularly care how I am in specific aspects of the class. Although this is a terrible habit that many students face, I am happy to say that when the grade is not an A, I immediately set out to find the root of the problem. I know that a lot of students do this. My friends and I often talk about how certain things affect our grade and when we focus on those, grades improve.
Honestly, it’s tedious to look through every category of every class, but your right; we need to focus on the details. Our overall grade may be excellent, but that may just be because we participate in class. Our writing skills might stink and we wouldn’t even know until we fail our final paper. Sometimes, we students don’t realize that you place things in categories for a reason, and not merely for your own enjoyment. Grades are set up the way they are so we can pinpoint the exact problem in our learning. You can’t fix a problem if you don’t know its there. Perhaps talking to students about different categories and how they affect grades would help students take more initiative in their learning.
-AvereeL
Sunday, May 11, 2008
PLN 19
As I scrolled through the learning network blogs on my school's website, I decided to explore a bit and try a new blog. As you have probably figured out, I have a tendency to be a little monotonous. I looked at one teacher's blog (her name is Cheryl, but it somehow feels wrong to call a teacher by their first name) and was a little shocked at what I read. On her blog, Cheryl posted about one article called “Awaiting—still—a renaissance of wonder,” . I suggest you read it for yourself on her blog: "Even in heaven they don't sing all the time" . What I read really affected me, and so I decide to add a little input of my own:
After reading what you had to say about Michael Mazenko’s post, I decided to check it out for myself. I have to say, what I read was a little upsetting. As a student, I know how hard it is to show passion in everything we do (like Mr. Mazenko seems to expect). Often times, we have other things on our minds, or the subject we are discussing hits a little too close to home for us. Silence does not mean a lack of passion, merely a lack of words to express it. We go though the monotonous and laborious schedule of school everyday. Most of us cannot express the love of knowledge that teachers like Mazenko want from us. We’re teenagers. We can’t even find the right words to ask a person out on a date, let alone go into a deep conversation Ferlinghetti’s poem right after school has started. Some times, we just don’t have the energy to be deep thinkers and functional speakers.
It was quiet discouraging to read what Mazenko thinks of teenagers. As you stated, “Just because teenagers don’t behave like kindergartners doesn’t mean that school has “killed” something in them.” We are interested; we just have difficulties saying so. Our “mundane” questions are often an escape from the realities of the world that we face every day. Sometimes, we need something simple in our lives. Your son is 16, and has already faced many hardships. Most of us have. Poems can bring up the oddest, and most painful memories for us. Simple phrases can make us worry. We give simple answers because thinking too hard about it might be too painful.
Perhaps I am just repeating everything you have already talked about, but to hear that a teacher has lost hope I his students saddens me. Do we always wonder aloud? No. However, it doesn’t mean we aren’t still wondering. We’re teenagers, we’re always questioning everything. We can’t always see the beauty in the world because we are starting to see the harsher side of it. You’re right; we know the joys of life, but we still see the dark side of it. Simple answers don’t mean simple minds. They mean that we are trying to make something in our lives just a little easier. At least for the class period.
After reading what you had to say about Michael Mazenko’s post, I decided to check it out for myself. I have to say, what I read was a little upsetting. As a student, I know how hard it is to show passion in everything we do (like Mr. Mazenko seems to expect). Often times, we have other things on our minds, or the subject we are discussing hits a little too close to home for us. Silence does not mean a lack of passion, merely a lack of words to express it. We go though the monotonous and laborious schedule of school everyday. Most of us cannot express the love of knowledge that teachers like Mazenko want from us. We’re teenagers. We can’t even find the right words to ask a person out on a date, let alone go into a deep conversation Ferlinghetti’s poem right after school has started. Some times, we just don’t have the energy to be deep thinkers and functional speakers.
It was quiet discouraging to read what Mazenko thinks of teenagers. As you stated, “Just because teenagers don’t behave like kindergartners doesn’t mean that school has “killed” something in them.” We are interested; we just have difficulties saying so. Our “mundane” questions are often an escape from the realities of the world that we face every day. Sometimes, we need something simple in our lives. Your son is 16, and has already faced many hardships. Most of us have. Poems can bring up the oddest, and most painful memories for us. Simple phrases can make us worry. We give simple answers because thinking too hard about it might be too painful.
Perhaps I am just repeating everything you have already talked about, but to hear that a teacher has lost hope I his students saddens me. Do we always wonder aloud? No. However, it doesn’t mean we aren’t still wondering. We’re teenagers, we’re always questioning everything. We can’t always see the beauty in the world because we are starting to see the harsher side of it. You’re right; we know the joys of life, but we still see the dark side of it. Simple answers don’t mean simple minds. They mean that we are trying to make something in our lives just a little easier. At least for the class period.
Friday, May 9, 2008
PLN Presentation Reaction
Well, I definitely did better this time around. The two things I really need to work on are eye contact with my audience and speaking louder. I rely a lot on my notes, which distracts from my presentation, so hopefully next week I will be a little more prepared. This week was a little more difficult for me. I caught pneumonia from one of my friends last week and I am still suffering from side affects. My voice was a little shaky because I was afraid to have a coughing fit right in front of the class. However, I know that I can't blame all of my blunders on being sick. I need to learn how to be less reliant on my note cards when I talk. I also need to speak louder so that people can actually hear me. Hopefully next week will go a little better, but I have still improved since last semester.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
PLN 18
Every student gets some form of stage fright at one point in their lives. Statistics show that more people are afraid of public speaking than they are of dying. It sounds ridiculous, but its a big problem for students and teachers. In her blog, Kristin L talked about how to deal with students who suffer from this fear. The post was titled Quiet Students and it made excellent points about how to deal with students who suffer from shyness. I suggest reading the post yourself and adding your own input, but here is what I said:
Kristin L,
I know how hard it is to be the student whose grade suffers because of shyness. I have often been the victim of it. A lot of times, and to a lot of teachers, it seems like a good idea to give a non-participate a zero for the day. Like you said, maybe it will get the message across, and the student will learn to get past the awkwardness of speaking out in a large group. However, you also said that it often seems like the student was trying to participate. Your probably right, It is hard for us shy students to speak out, especially in front of other students. There is always the fear that we will say something stupid that the class will hold over our head forever. Even if us quiet kids can get up the courage to speak up, we are often over-looked by the class. I myself have been in many situations where I had a really good point to add to the discussion, but the more verbal students spoke over me because they are so used to me just sitting there. I know this is the case for many students. We want to sit back and listen to the group. We want to absorb the knowledge and input of others. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in what the others are saying we don’t want to interrupt. Other times, we just don’t want to distract from what the others are saying. You made a point that students who are non-factors could maybe get non-grades. I agree. Those of us who are too scared to speak shouldn’t be punished. Unless a student is completely and utterly out of it, there shouldn’t be any reason for them to receive a zero. They don’t contribute, but they don’t distract either. Perhaps the best way to handle students who have forgotten how to use their voices is to have them write a summary after the seminar, just to make sure they haven’t forgotten to use their brains as well.
-AvereeL
Kristin L,
I know how hard it is to be the student whose grade suffers because of shyness. I have often been the victim of it. A lot of times, and to a lot of teachers, it seems like a good idea to give a non-participate a zero for the day. Like you said, maybe it will get the message across, and the student will learn to get past the awkwardness of speaking out in a large group. However, you also said that it often seems like the student was trying to participate. Your probably right, It is hard for us shy students to speak out, especially in front of other students. There is always the fear that we will say something stupid that the class will hold over our head forever. Even if us quiet kids can get up the courage to speak up, we are often over-looked by the class. I myself have been in many situations where I had a really good point to add to the discussion, but the more verbal students spoke over me because they are so used to me just sitting there. I know this is the case for many students. We want to sit back and listen to the group. We want to absorb the knowledge and input of others. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in what the others are saying we don’t want to interrupt. Other times, we just don’t want to distract from what the others are saying. You made a point that students who are non-factors could maybe get non-grades. I agree. Those of us who are too scared to speak shouldn’t be punished. Unless a student is completely and utterly out of it, there shouldn’t be any reason for them to receive a zero. They don’t contribute, but they don’t distract either. Perhaps the best way to handle students who have forgotten how to use their voices is to have them write a summary after the seminar, just to make sure they haven’t forgotten to use their brains as well.
-AvereeL
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
PLN 17
As I scrolled, once more through my Algebra teacher's blog, I found a post that interested me. student focus talks about how in his Algebra II class, Mr. Holman discovered that his students seem to do better in class when they listen to music. I was delighted to hear this, so I decided to post on his blog.
Mr. Holman,
Music is a big part of my life. As a teen, I listen to it; a lot. It’s relaxing, beautiful, and an escape from the stresses of daily life. I often listen to my music while I am doing homework, and when given the chance, I listen to it during school. I relax. The noise of the other students is wiped out, and I am in my own little world, ready to do my work without interruptions. It’s great to hear that your students take to it like I do. My sister is a psych major, and she has often told me that things like music can even help students retain what they learn. We sit during tests, and instead of remembering a jumble of words that make no sense; we remember our lesson from last week, which we put to words in our head. We hear the music, which helps us hear the words. Teachers always assume that music is a distraction, however, like you discovered, students succeed when they listen to music. It is wonderful to know that music is slowly working its way into our classrooms. Perhaps, with time, it will spread, and even more students will have the chance to use music to succeed in school.
-AvereeL
Mr. Holman,
Music is a big part of my life. As a teen, I listen to it; a lot. It’s relaxing, beautiful, and an escape from the stresses of daily life. I often listen to my music while I am doing homework, and when given the chance, I listen to it during school. I relax. The noise of the other students is wiped out, and I am in my own little world, ready to do my work without interruptions. It’s great to hear that your students take to it like I do. My sister is a psych major, and she has often told me that things like music can even help students retain what they learn. We sit during tests, and instead of remembering a jumble of words that make no sense; we remember our lesson from last week, which we put to words in our head. We hear the music, which helps us hear the words. Teachers always assume that music is a distraction, however, like you discovered, students succeed when they listen to music. It is wonderful to know that music is slowly working its way into our classrooms. Perhaps, with time, it will spread, and even more students will have the chance to use music to succeed in school.
-AvereeL
PLN 16
Today I decided to broaden my sources, so I took a look at one of the teacher's blogs on my school web page. What I found was a great post by Ms. Comp about PLNs and how she is applying them in her classes. The post was titled PLN's Again . Since I too am doing PLNs I decided to post on her blog. Here is what I said:
Jessie,
As a student who is also doing PLNs, it is exciting to hear what others are doing, and how they’re doing it. I know that I at least have learned a lot from this assignment. It’s a great way for students to get involved. So many times, we are oblivious to the world around us. All we see is school, friends, and that hot college guy down the street. PLNs are a great way for us students to broaden our thinking. Not only do we know what fellow students and other teachers are thinking, but also we see life in an all-new perspective. For students like me, who fancy blogging about the news, it is a real eye-opener to what is going on in the real world. Before I started blogging, I had no idea about what was going on. Stories on the news were just, stories. I didn’t know what they were about, and didn’t particularly care. My PLNs forced me to do both, and I can proudly say I am much more aware of what is happening in the world. Even posting on the blogs of others is helpful. We learn to see things the ways others see them. We put on our, as my U.S. History teacher likes to call them, our point of view glasses. PLNs help students in so many aspects of both their academic and social life, so it was really exciting to hear that other classes have started doing them.
-AvereeL
Jessie,
As a student who is also doing PLNs, it is exciting to hear what others are doing, and how they’re doing it. I know that I at least have learned a lot from this assignment. It’s a great way for students to get involved. So many times, we are oblivious to the world around us. All we see is school, friends, and that hot college guy down the street. PLNs are a great way for us students to broaden our thinking. Not only do we know what fellow students and other teachers are thinking, but also we see life in an all-new perspective. For students like me, who fancy blogging about the news, it is a real eye-opener to what is going on in the real world. Before I started blogging, I had no idea about what was going on. Stories on the news were just, stories. I didn’t know what they were about, and didn’t particularly care. My PLNs forced me to do both, and I can proudly say I am much more aware of what is happening in the world. Even posting on the blogs of others is helpful. We learn to see things the ways others see them. We put on our, as my U.S. History teacher likes to call them, our point of view glasses. PLNs help students in so many aspects of both their academic and social life, so it was really exciting to hear that other classes have started doing them.
-AvereeL
PLN 15
Today as I scanned through Mr. Holman's blog, I saw a post that really stuck out to me. math in life talks about how the math we learn may not be the best way to prepare us for the real world. I posted on Holman's blog and here is what I said:
Mr. Holman,
I really agree with what you talked about in this post. So many times, I myself start thinking about how pi is ever going to come up in my life. A lot of students question the importance of the things we learn in math, and your right, its time to teach what we need to learn. Most of us wont grow up and find a career where the type of math we are currently learning is useful. In our futures, we are probably going to see a lot more of taxes and bills, and a lot less of the Pythagorean theorem. Students need to be taught how to function in the real world. As you stated, we need to be taught about mortgages, interest, and other challenges that we will face during and after college. I will admit, learning about tangents and cosines makes me feel infinitely smarter, but its time to learn something that will make me truly successful in life.
-AvereeL
Mr. Holman,
I really agree with what you talked about in this post. So many times, I myself start thinking about how pi is ever going to come up in my life. A lot of students question the importance of the things we learn in math, and your right, its time to teach what we need to learn. Most of us wont grow up and find a career where the type of math we are currently learning is useful. In our futures, we are probably going to see a lot more of taxes and bills, and a lot less of the Pythagorean theorem. Students need to be taught how to function in the real world. As you stated, we need to be taught about mortgages, interest, and other challenges that we will face during and after college. I will admit, learning about tangents and cosines makes me feel infinitely smarter, but its time to learn something that will make me truly successful in life.
-AvereeL
Monday, May 5, 2008
PLN 14
Today I read through posts on The Fischbowl, I found one that truly interested me. It talked about Darren Draper, who posted on his own blog about teachers, and how they can improve their class and the students' experience. I commented on Darren's blog, Drape's Takes and here is what I said:
Darren,
Every student looks forward to the more exciting classes in their schedule. As a student, I will admit that even I sit through certain classes, waiting hopefully for the next. This can have an enormously negative affect on our learning. Students who zone out, wondering what next hour with “the fun teacher” will be like are less likely to retain what they learn. The way the teacher, well, teaches can have a big affect on this. A teacher who is not willing to learn is guaranteed to have students who will refuse to do so either. I have been the student who is bored out of their mind, waiting for the blessed ring of the bell. I know how hard it is to sit through that class. A teacher who is open to new ideas is the type of teacher who has passing students. It is no mystery that students who take drama, art, and music classes have better grades. They have more opportunities to learn, because their teachers make the classes fun and exciting. Teachers who take an active interest in their teaching have students who do the same for their learning. My English teacher often has guests in her classes, and though we students don’t necessarily see the affects of it, it helps her come up with fun, new ideas to help us learn our material. U.S. History has never been my favorite class, but the teacher seeks new, exciting way to teach the material, which makes sitting through the class immensely more enjoyable. Perhaps I am just rambling, but it was refreshing to see someone confront the challenges that so many teachers face in their classrooms.
-AvereeL
I have linked back to Darren's blog (Becoming A Better Teacher ) and suggest checking it out to see for yourself what he says.
Darren,
Every student looks forward to the more exciting classes in their schedule. As a student, I will admit that even I sit through certain classes, waiting hopefully for the next. This can have an enormously negative affect on our learning. Students who zone out, wondering what next hour with “the fun teacher” will be like are less likely to retain what they learn. The way the teacher, well, teaches can have a big affect on this. A teacher who is not willing to learn is guaranteed to have students who will refuse to do so either. I have been the student who is bored out of their mind, waiting for the blessed ring of the bell. I know how hard it is to sit through that class. A teacher who is open to new ideas is the type of teacher who has passing students. It is no mystery that students who take drama, art, and music classes have better grades. They have more opportunities to learn, because their teachers make the classes fun and exciting. Teachers who take an active interest in their teaching have students who do the same for their learning. My English teacher often has guests in her classes, and though we students don’t necessarily see the affects of it, it helps her come up with fun, new ideas to help us learn our material. U.S. History has never been my favorite class, but the teacher seeks new, exciting way to teach the material, which makes sitting through the class immensely more enjoyable. Perhaps I am just rambling, but it was refreshing to see someone confront the challenges that so many teachers face in their classrooms.
-AvereeL
I have linked back to Darren's blog (Becoming A Better Teacher ) and suggest checking it out to see for yourself what he says.
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