Blog Post #11

Back to the Future
Brian Crosby keeps his students for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. 90% are second language and most are students of poverty. Only 9 students knew the city they lived in(even though most have gone to this school since kindergarten), half the kids knew the state, but only 3 knew the country. Seven could give their address. These students have had a narrowed curriculum since school began which cuts their imagination and creativity. Mr. Crosby did science experiments with the students and the students were to blog and post their video in their blog. It went into a history lesson, which moved into a Wiki, and a Flickr account. The students got so much out of the balloon they had sent up into the atmosphere. They got to write a story putting them as the balloon and their experience being sent up into the sky. I think what we can learn from Mr. Crosby is to never give up on our students. They will always need a push, an idea, or words of encouragement and if we as their teacher don't give it to them then we are not doing a very good job of being teachers.

Blended Learning Cycle
The five "E's" - start with an engaging question, students are aloud to  explore, you explain, and expand and then you evaluate. That learning cycle mixed with online, mobile, and classroom learning is the blended learning cycle. The speaker really stresses the importance of a hook, and also pulls them aside individually making sure they know and understand what has been taught. He also feels more involved with his method and feels like it's important to keep involved and keep them interested.

Man Thinking Visible
Ron Ritchhart believes his students needs to be thinkers. He used his own experiences to relate things into his teaching and focuses on his students be avid learners.

Sam Pane 4th Grade
Mr. Pane teachers internet safety. We hand children this technology and on school wifi, most dangerous/unnecessary sites are blocked. We don't always teach the safety and responsibility properly. Putting personal information into the computer for unknown sites is dangerous and too often a mistake made. Without scaring children, they also should be aware of sexual predators and who could really be on the other end of their computer monitor. I like teaching children the internet safety because you can't always monitor everything they do and they will at some point get somewhere they shouldn't be. That's when they need to know to close the computer and tell an adult. Mr. Pane's lesson on safety is wonderful and should be taught any time students are given technology.

Project Based Learning
An English teacher, a History teacher, and a technology teacher had the brilliant idea to combine their classroom into one big project based learning classroom. With more time, they can get so much more done and go more in depth on certain topics that may only get touched on in a regular class. For something as combinable as history and literature this is a great idea - and making it project based learning keeps the students excited and engaged.

Roosevelt Elementary PBL Program
This elementary school uses project based learning from a young age. You give them a little more trust and freedom letting them use their imagination, but it applies so much to the real world. They have first graders giving presentations. PBL stretches what you can do with normal lessons - you can write, read, and research. It engages students so much more.