This week has seen the accomplishment of many goals of my GAME plan. One of the goals I had set for myself was to add interactive games to my website for the students to be able to use to help them in learning the material. I found a website www.classtools.net that works very well for me to post several different interactive games that will reinforce learning of the vocabulary. I posted by first interactive game on my website this week. The students are excited about being able to use something other than the digital flashcards to study their vocabulary. I am continuing to post the homework and class notes on the website for parents to be able to know what is going on in class as well as know what standards are being taught and assessed.
Another success I had this week was learning how to edit a video using Moviemaker and add text to the video to teach grammar concepts. I hope to use this during this chapter to be able to record the students acting out skits demonstrating their vocabulary and grammar. Then I will help them to edit the video to emphasize the vocabulary and grammar through written text.
After gaining more information this week about how "educational networking" and online collaboration can truly be beneficial to the student and helpful in application of what the student is learning, I am going to set my next goal as NETS-T 1c which is promoting student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning and creative process. One of the first steps toward achieving this goal is to start working on a proposal that will demonstrate the benefits of social networking and online collaboration. The proposal would show that the students could experience greater diversity as well as teach each other and learn from others. It would also point out that it would give them the chance to interact with professionals in a safe environment. (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009)
The ability for students to interact with students from another culture would be very beneficial especially in my Spanish classroom.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Spotlight on Technology: Social Networking and Online Collaboration, Part 1. Integrating Technology Across the Content Area. Baltimore: Laureate Press.
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Carla,
ReplyDeleteGood for you! Learning should be fun, and you are making it that way for your students. It sounds like you are having a great time with the interactive games, too, and that is important since we all need a boost now and then. Thank you for posting the site, too. Sometimes we have great ideas, and there are so many places to look, it can become overwhelming. It's nice to have the "seal of approval" from a colleague before starting the search. Great post!
-Stephen St. Georges
Carla,
ReplyDeleteI am glad to hear that you have reached your goals and that you have been successfully using classtools.net. It is a great tool, and my students have just begun to use it to review. I have had some of my advanced students build games for me.
As far as MovieMaker, I have used it in the past, and what makes it more enjoyable and fun is when the students use it to make a presentation. Last year, I posted the topic of "What ecological issue worries you the most?" and the students created amazing movies with music and pictures and facts, it was amazing at how well they picked up on it.
Good job this week!
Travis
Carla,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are right on track to achieve success with your goals. All of your ideas have sound research to support them and involve your students in ways that make learning fun. I applaud your efforts. Do you need administrative approval to use social networking tools in your classroom? I wondered because I had to have approval for my students to begin blogging online last year. Hopefully, as schools see the value in using these types of tools, it will be easier for teachers to use them in the classroom.
Ginger
Carla,
ReplyDeleteCongradulations on your many successes! I am glad for your students that you are able to accomplish your goals. That makes your room more fun for them.
V.
Ginger,
ReplyDeleteSo far the only blogging and social networking I can use is the district program on my website. The student's entries do not appear until I have read them and approved them to appear on the blog. I feel that this makes it less effective but I am trying to achieve success one step at a time.
I am happy you are finding success teaching grammar. Remember this success you are having and when something fails and you want to give up remember this success. Use this to get through the rough times when you want to quit.
ReplyDeleteYou have pointed out to me how collaborating can be so easily done on the net with others who are ready and willing and importantly, able.
ReplyDelete