I was so happy that I chose to read this blog as part of my assignment! I read several of the posts on this blog, but I chose to respond to the most recent called "Harvesting Strategies for Learning" because it lends itself closely to my current position as Lead Language Arts Teacher at HMS.
A "Strategy Harvest" is a way to summarize learning after a lesson for either children or adults. While the lesson is taking place, the facilitator (or teacher) keeps a running list of strategies that are being used. Of course, this list is generated with help and participation from the audience. After the lesson is completed, it serves as a way to look at the learning that had occurred. What a simple, yet powerful tool! There are different ways that this could be used in the classroom, as well as with adults. We all learn differently, so to have a running list of strategies, and then a discussion would be quite beneficial.
Davies takes the idea a step further with suggesting a useful strategy to use. "Stop and say something" is one way to get students to think and respond while they are reading. It forces them to interact more with the text.
The posts that followed this one were all interesting and useful for me to read. I would recommend reading "Questions to Explore Thinking" (March 4, 2013) where Davies focuses on looking at data. She proposes several focus questions and makes some good suggestions on ways to break data down, and to avoid being too "data heavy." Again, this ties in nicely with my current position. I plan to use this blog in the future. It was very helpful!
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
"Teaching Nonfiction Reading Skills in the Science Classroom"
I read a blog written by Bill Ferriter, a 6th grade science teacher. Clearly, he is also a reading teacher who believes in teaching active reading strategies. This blog is fairly short, and it's an activity for the classroom, but it points out some helpful reading strategies that are necessary for students in content area. He also aligns each strategy to the Common Core State Standards.
I downloaded some of the handouts he offered from this blog. They seem useful. My favorite handout is called "How Quotes Influence our Thinking." If forces students to look at quotes with a critical eye, and asks them to go deeper into their thinking.
What I liked most about his blog is how he breaks down the critical nonfiction reading strategies into student-friendly questions and statements like the one below. I think these could be easily tied to the content area teaching at HMS.
A question every reader should ask when they come across a quote from an expert is, "Who is this person and why should I believe them?"
I downloaded some of the handouts he offered from this blog. They seem useful. My favorite handout is called "How Quotes Influence our Thinking." If forces students to look at quotes with a critical eye, and asks them to go deeper into their thinking.
What I liked most about his blog is how he breaks down the critical nonfiction reading strategies into student-friendly questions and statements like the one below. I think these could be easily tied to the content area teaching at HMS.
A question every reader should ask when they come across a quote from an expert is, "Who is this person and why should I believe them?"
Ted Talks for the Classroom: "Redefining the Dictionary"
I loved seeing how many great videos TedTalks offers to teachers. The first one I watched was called "Redefining the Dictionary" by Erin McKean (lexicographer-- what a cool job!). As a former language arts teacher, I would battle with students to use a paper dictionary. Of course, they argued that they should just use their computer. Part of me agreed, but the other part of me felt like the practice of using an actual dictionary is valuable. It requires more thought and PATIENCE, which is something I feel middle schoolers don't appreciate.
Erin McKean is funny, witty, and made several interesting points. She said that computers offer "speed" that paper dictionaries don't. However, online dictionaries "are paper thrown up on the screen." She suggested the power of improving "search-ability." She added some unique thoughts about words like, "Love makes words real," and believes that if a word is in the dictionary, it doesn't necessarily make it "real." I disagree, but I can't think outside the box like she can! She thinks we should change the way we interact with our language. Did you know that there are 33 numbered definitions for the word set?
She concluded with suggesting that paper dictionaries will soon be viewed as a thing of the past. I had a feeling we were heading in that direction, but I'm not ready to see our language as abstractly as she does. This TedTalk made me think of words differently, and how we interact with them.
I looked up her online dictionary called Wordnik http://www.wordnik.com
I really liked it! It helped me see what she was talking about in the video -- how dictionaries should "interact" more in our search for meaning of words. Plug in a word into the search box and see what you get. Some of the sentence examples are pretty funny! It's great to see a lexicographer use such great humor.
Erin McKean is funny, witty, and made several interesting points. She said that computers offer "speed" that paper dictionaries don't. However, online dictionaries "are paper thrown up on the screen." She suggested the power of improving "search-ability." She added some unique thoughts about words like, "Love makes words real," and believes that if a word is in the dictionary, it doesn't necessarily make it "real." I disagree, but I can't think outside the box like she can! She thinks we should change the way we interact with our language. Did you know that there are 33 numbered definitions for the word set?
She concluded with suggesting that paper dictionaries will soon be viewed as a thing of the past. I had a feeling we were heading in that direction, but I'm not ready to see our language as abstractly as she does. This TedTalk made me think of words differently, and how we interact with them.
I looked up her online dictionary called Wordnik http://www.wordnik.com
I really liked it! It helped me see what she was talking about in the video -- how dictionaries should "interact" more in our search for meaning of words. Plug in a word into the search box and see what you get. Some of the sentence examples are pretty funny! It's great to see a lexicographer use such great humor.
Project update
My literacy blog is going very well so far. I've added a few posts this summer about books that I've read. It's been added to the HMS website so teachers, parents, and students can use it. I plan to add to it more frequently once school starts. It will also serve as my "homepage" for contact information from the HMS site. I've found the blog to be really user friendly and I'm enjoying it so far!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Using Curation Tools
Personally, I will use the curation tools for my hobbies. I enjoy cooking, crafting, and reading. These online tools have allowed me to access several trustworthy and helpful websites. I've even found articles on parenting.
Twitter has been interesting for me. I'd never used it before, although my husband often Tweets as a musician. He also follows several other people and organizations. Sometimes he knows about news stories before it's on TV. It was helpful and fun to learn how I could use Twitter in my personal life. I can see why he's so addicted! Pinterest is another curation tool that I use almost daily. It's part of my "wind-down" routine at night! I'm officially addicted! If anyone needs help, I'm happy to show how I use Pinterest both professionally and personally.
Professionally, the benefits of these curation tools are endless. I'm so excited to have part of the research work taken off my plate. I'm always looking for great literacy blogs, or posts, and they are hard to find. Now, I feel like everything can be in one place and it's much easier to access. I love the "Read Later" feature on Diigo. It takes the pressure off of finding resources online.
On Twitter, I'm now following several YA book sites, editor, author, publisher, and library associations. Woo!! I can picture myself using these tools this year as I expand my knowledge on YA novels. I also gained some information on upcoming novels, cover sneak-peaks, and nominations for awards. It's fun to feel like I have up to date information on these exciting parts of YA literature. I also plan to share the REALLY good stuff with staff and parents in Yarmouth!
Twitter has been interesting for me. I'd never used it before, although my husband often Tweets as a musician. He also follows several other people and organizations. Sometimes he knows about news stories before it's on TV. It was helpful and fun to learn how I could use Twitter in my personal life. I can see why he's so addicted! Pinterest is another curation tool that I use almost daily. It's part of my "wind-down" routine at night! I'm officially addicted! If anyone needs help, I'm happy to show how I use Pinterest both professionally and personally.
Professionally, the benefits of these curation tools are endless. I'm so excited to have part of the research work taken off my plate. I'm always looking for great literacy blogs, or posts, and they are hard to find. Now, I feel like everything can be in one place and it's much easier to access. I love the "Read Later" feature on Diigo. It takes the pressure off of finding resources online.
On Twitter, I'm now following several YA book sites, editor, author, publisher, and library associations. Woo!! I can picture myself using these tools this year as I expand my knowledge on YA novels. I also gained some information on upcoming novels, cover sneak-peaks, and nominations for awards. It's fun to feel like I have up to date information on these exciting parts of YA literature. I also plan to share the REALLY good stuff with staff and parents in Yarmouth!
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Molly Kilpatrick Project Idea
My project idea is a literacy blog that would be available to parents, teachers, and students. I would focus on reading strategies, new books, and popular authors of YA novels. Using Twitter, Feedly, and Diigo, I'll compile resources that could be used in this blog and future posts. For this project, I'll be working alone.
Right now, I'm looking for blogging inspiration since I've never blogged like this before. It's very new and exciting to me!
Ideally, this literacy blog would continue throughout the school year with weekly or biweekly posts. I'd like to keep the HMS community up to date with literacy goals, ideas, and potential novels to read and share.
Right now, I'm looking for blogging inspiration since I've never blogged like this before. It's very new and exciting to me!
Ideally, this literacy blog would continue throughout the school year with weekly or biweekly posts. I'd like to keep the HMS community up to date with literacy goals, ideas, and potential novels to read and share.
EdCafe Takeaway
My Takeaway from EdCafe:
As a middle school teacher and a mother of a young son, this video was very meaningful.
Policies and Curriculum:
I agreed with the views on current education policies being based on conformity, and not on diversity. It should be more personalized, and less generic. As humans, we are all diverse, creative, and curious. Curriculum should be well balanced and diverse that meets the needs of different individuals.
Students:
Students should be engaged, and teachers should feel supported. Learning should be personalized and unique. Teaching needs to be authentic and engaging. If it's not true learning isn't happening in the classroom. Is ADD over diagnosis a true portrait of learners, or is is showing us that kids are simply "struggling with childhood?" An excellent question!
Teachers:
Sir Ken Robinson makes the point clearly that even though teaching is "a creative profession," our current policies tend to "de-professionalize" us. Since school climate is so important, it needs to be nurtured. My strongest take away from this video was when Robinson said, "Education is not a mechanical system. It is a human system."
As a middle school teacher and a mother of a young son, this video was very meaningful.
Policies and Curriculum:
I agreed with the views on current education policies being based on conformity, and not on diversity. It should be more personalized, and less generic. As humans, we are all diverse, creative, and curious. Curriculum should be well balanced and diverse that meets the needs of different individuals.
Students:
Students should be engaged, and teachers should feel supported. Learning should be personalized and unique. Teaching needs to be authentic and engaging. If it's not true learning isn't happening in the classroom. Is ADD over diagnosis a true portrait of learners, or is is showing us that kids are simply "struggling with childhood?" An excellent question!
Teachers:
Sir Ken Robinson makes the point clearly that even though teaching is "a creative profession," our current policies tend to "de-professionalize" us. Since school climate is so important, it needs to be nurtured. My strongest take away from this video was when Robinson said, "Education is not a mechanical system. It is a human system."
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