Beth Lynne's Blog
Posted by Beth Lynne
When I let students go on the computer, for very rare free time (which is a great reinforcer to extract positive behaviors, by the way), they invariably gravitate to the same websites. I feel it is important to keep an eye on the average seventh grader without appearing intrusive, so I decided to ask them what websites they like the best and why.
Female students tend to choose Myspace over any others. This is not surprising, since this site allows teens a certain amount of free expression (Note: Although the homepage is accessible in my district, the rest is firewalled). They are at an age when socialization is the most important thing in their lives, and as one student put it, it is a “way to communicate to the world how you feel and no one can say anything about it because it is yours.” I asked students if they knew of the dangers of chatting with people that they might not know, but it seems that they mostly chat with people they already know. However, one student informed me that if she gets a friend request, she checks it by going to the profile and accepting or denying the request. It is important to caution students to never place pictures or personal identifiers on their homepages, since predators are rampant.
Male middle school students choose safer pursuits. They are inclined to choose gaming sites, such as games.com, which is lauded as having “addicting, free, fun games.” Apparently the addiction is viewed as a positive one by my student, but I have witnessed grouchiness in my own ten year-old as a by-product of lengthy video game sessions. Other male students chose pokemoncrater.com (“fun, and shows Pokemon”) as a favorite, but I personally found it confusing (I did not understand what all the numbers meant, but then, I am not a Pokemon fanatic).
The upshot is that educators who allow free computer time should communicate with their students and find out how they use that free time.
Posted by Beth Lynne
Paris Hilton is famous for many things—at present, she is famous for being incarcerated, then not incarcerated, and then incarcerated yet again. The media is having a field day with Ms. Hilton’s misfortune—public opinion is swaying toward, “oh, good, she got what she deserved!” and “what kind of influence is she on children?” It seems that the public (influenced strongly by media) feels that because Ms. Hilton is rich, attractive, and has fun with these attributes, that she should be ridiculed and insulted because she broke a law and is serving time for it. Many celebrities quietly serve time without such attention. Is the media delighting in this celebrity’s calamity because she inherited her wealth and seemingly does not work for her fame? One of the criticisms is that she is not handling jail time with the proper “dignity,” allowing for comparisons to how Martha Stewart handled her prison sentence by not yelling for her mother. Doesn’t Ms. Hilton get points for modeling strong family values?
Just who decided that Paris Hilton is supposed to be the poster child for decency and values? Certainly not Paris Hilton. Not one of her actions has demonstrated that she is or ever was a positive role model for youth. So, if the media decries her as such, it is their mistake (These are the same vultures who are offering up to a reported half a million dollars for a picture of Ms. Hilton on the prison toilet. Camera phones are allowed in prison?). The media should turn their attention toward more virtuous celebrities if they are looking to promote moral decency, rather than trying to find these characteristics in someone who has not shown an intention of doing so. Given the public’s preferences in choosing their idols, this should not be so difficult.
Posted by Beth Lynne
Shrek the Third
Summertime is definitely movie time! After all, a family can only spend so much time in the sun. Some time in the dark with a ten dollar container of popcorn and three other people who all want to sit on the end of the row goes a long way toward strengthening bonds.
The first summer movie we attended was Shrek the Third, a sequel which my family has anticipated since the final ogre joke in the second Shrek. The best part of this series for the teacher in me is the humanization of the fairy tale characters that I, and hopefully most children, had grown up with. For example, the group of women that attended Princess Fiona's bridal shower included Snow White (a narcissist), Beauty (a total ditz), Rapunzel (a not very good friend, who by the way, wears hair extensions, and Cinderella (low on brains). This group is rounded out by Fiona's hard-headed mother and the transsexual whom is not really based on a fairy tale princess from my childhood.
Other characters that are enjoyable to watch again are Pinocchio, the three pigs, the Big Bad Wolf, and the Gingerbread Man, who has a gumdrop scared out of him. The evil, but whiny, Prince Charming continues his quest to either win Fiona or beat Shrek.
New characters from various places in literature surface (a whole King Arthur component and many "bad guys" make welcome appearances), some that work well and others that seem as out of place as an ogre in a palace.
All in all, not a bad start to the summer movie season.
Posted by Beth Lynne
Gas prices keep going up, up, and up—a record high now. So, let’s turn it into a learning experience. Get those calculators out!
How about some word problems?
On Monday, the price per gallon was $2.92 and on Wednesday it was $2.97. By Friday, the price had gone up another 7 cents. How much did it cost Johnny to fill up his Ford Expedition’s 28 gallon tank on each day? How much more did it cost to fill it up between Monday and Friday? (By next Monday, how much interest will Johnny have to pay on his loan for the gas he is using?).
Johnny is driving to Florida this summer from New Jersey, approximately 1500 miles. If he gets 14 miles per gallon, with his 28 gallon tank, how many times will he have to fill up between NJ and Florida? If gas costs an average of $4.14 a gallon (and who knows, it probably will), how much will he spend on gas round trip?
Have students keep track of the gas prices of their favorite gas stations for two weeks and have them graph the results. Discuss what trends they notice. Is any particular brand less expensive than the others? (And at this point, does it make a noticeable difference?)
There are a multitude of teachable moments that can come out of this current rise in gas prices, and not just math lessons either. How about a history lesson on the horrible gas crisis of the 1970’s?
Posted by Beth Lynne
The Last Few Weeks of School
Summer is almost here! However, it isn't over yet. The problem is,though,what do we do with the kids until the final day when we say, "See you in September"? Our finals are over and graded, and the grades are recorded in the electronic grade book. Now it is time to keep order.
Aside from showing movies, which I am planning to do, as long as they can be tied into the science standards--I am thinking "the Right Stuff" and "Apollo 13" for my sixth grade, and maybe "Madagascar" and "Happy Feet" for my seventh graders (weather and climate, and animal habitats)--there are some interesting take-away projects I would like to see my students complete before they leave for summer vacation.
One of my favorite end-of-the-year projects is the memory t-shirt. Students are encouraged to bring in plain white t-shirts (of course, I spring for a few). I supply the permanent markers, in different colors, that are not allowed to leave the room. This year, there will be a science theme, in which students choose a branch of scince and draw a background on the t-shirt that reflects it. For instance, for environmental science or Earth science, students might draw a mountain range or lake. For biology, students might draw a skeleton and label the bones. Then, the students have their classmates sign the t-shirts. The students stay very involved with this project. Make sure you put it in your plans! Have a fantastic summer!
Posted by Beth Lynne
As a teacher, I hate assigning homework. As a parent, I detest seeing homework assigned to my kids. My reasons may border on pure selfishness, but I really do not see the benefits of homework for my kids or their kids. Maybe it is the time of year, but I think teachers all over are lightening up, and I think they are feeling as I do!
From the teacher view of the homework issue, it is primarily a major pain to keep track of. I have to remind all of my students to take their books home, because they do not read the instructions I have on the board. Also, assigning homework has a direct correlation with the probability that the students will lose their books, leaving me without enough for each student next year. Maybe an optional web-quest would provide more valuable reinforcement than rote workbook exercises. Then, the day the homework is due, I have to leave class time to review the homework with the students, rather than completing some really fun stuff in class.
To give the parent in me equal time, I feel that time at home is my time, not the school’s time; they already dictate what my kids do a good portion of the day and year (I throw out summer reading lists—I will choose our summer reading, thank you, if there is any, and I defy anyone to tell me my kids will be left behind—they won’t be.). We are busy with other activities; we do not have time to figure out if the teacher has taught a concept so that my child has learned it, but they are most welcome to send me a report (also known as a report card) to let me know if my kids are making the grade. If they are not, then maybe we can get someone to tutor them, but please, not in my house.
It is not proven that homework provides reinforcement of concepts; in fact, I feel that it would have to be completed in order to have an effect on achievement. The higher-achieving students are going to complete the homework because it comes easily to them, while the lower-achievers are going to be frustrated and leave it for the teacher to assist them. Why waste anyone’s precious free time? My son could be spending more time trying to capture Skorupi in Pokemon Pearl, while my daughter could be watching Bratz Rock Angelz for the thirtieth time. As for me, I could be spending more time on my writing career.
Posted by Beth Lynne
My children are ages nine and ten. They both have a deep love of shopping. My son tends to enjoy spending my money on video games, while my daughter leans more toward the rarer and hard-to-find offerings on E-bay (Paypal is a wonderful thing!). Since I am being pushed further into debt, I am looking for the free, but educational value of all of this online spending that makes them so happy.
My first instinct was that the value was all mathematical—they are learning about budgeting, percents (tax and sale prices), calendar math (how long will it be until the toy arrives, and what are business days?), addition and subtraction (Mom says we can only spend a certain amount so I have to remove two items), and I am certain some other skills I am over-looking. Well, I am wrong—the computer does all of the work for them, and they do not care if they exceed my credit limit. No, they learn skills that are actually of equal value.
When my daughter uses E-bay, she is learning to use a search engine, and as a result, in order to get what she wants, she must spell correctly. She also must learn to narrow her search, because a nine year old does not have the patience to sort through 6,986 results. Both children are learning to fill out forms—they know their address, telephone numbers (daytime and evening), and my date of birth (hopefully they will learn to buy me a birthday present!), and the expiration dates of all of my credit cards.
Best of all, they are learning patience, because I will only pay for ground shipping.
Posted by Beth Lynne
Bring Your Child to Work Day is a national day aimed at increasing career awareness in young people. Added side bonuses include the bonding of families and the improved understanding of what mommies and daddies do all day outside of the house. Many places of employment include activities such as presentations and seminars for the young visitors. Suppose, though, that the mother or father of the future wage earner happens to be in the education field, specifically a teacher? Schools are filled with students, pretty much what the attendee of this special occasion sees all day during the course of his or her routine. What kinds of special demonstrations can be planned that increases desire to teach without taking away from the students, especially when the visitor is on a different grade level than the “home team”? How does a teacher-parent merge the two roles without showing favoritism? Sometimes it is necessary to bring a child to work when it is not a special day.
There is bound to be awkwardness between the two factions; break the ice by having the visitor bring in some electronics or special game website. Chances are if they are within a few years in age, they will have some video game in common. Or, if playing games, even for a few minutes, is forbidden, have the visiting student prepare a slide presentation to introduce him/herself to the class. Have a student pair up with the visiting child, particularly if there is a large age difference. One can demonstrate to the other some special computer skills and tie in some of the content of the lesson to it. There are many learning experiences to incorporate, without losing the momentum of the teaching day.
Posted by Beth Lynne
When a student who is in need of special services reaches the age of fourteen, usually at high school age, transition from school to work is discussed at a planning meeting with the student’ child study team case worker. At this meeting, the student is asked what his or her interests are, and many times, the student is put on a career path that leads him or her to a vocational occupation. As discussed in the accompanying article, this career path can be very rewarding. There is a great deal to be said about some of the technological fields a person can get into, and many need much less post-secondary training than other professional fields.
According to Educational Portal.com, the minimum educational requirement to become a computer repair technician is an associate’s degree at a vocational college, to earn an average of $16.90 to start. Becoming certified in the field yields a bit more.
If a student has an interest in the medical field, perhaps one of the many technician types, such as radiology, ultra-sound, MRI, and CT Scan would be interesting. These jobs also require an associate’s degree and on-the-job training.
Web Designer is a fairly new career that can be appealing to students who need direction, and an advanced degree is not required. All a person needs is knowledge to start. Students should be encouraged to learn this skill early, since one never knows what talents will be needed later!
No matter what the student’s interests are, they should be taken seriously and developed, although realistic goals should be encouraged.
Posted by Beth Lynne
It is a little easier to get a Wii now that the “Holiday Season” is over, if the buyer wants to purchase a bundle for around $600 dollars. Around January, it was still necessary to purchase the popular game system off a truck or on Ebay (The “Buy It Now” price was around $349.00 at that time.). Nintendo managed to convince the general public that the Wii was a wonderful exercise tool, that overweight children everywhere would burn calories almost as if they were really playing tennis! A further examination of this claim is certainly warranted.
One study out of Liverpool John Moores University in the UK states that using Wii controllers burns forty percent more calories—than using other game console controllers such as those provided with X-Box, PS 2, and Game Cube! This was based on 12 and a half hours of gaming per week, translating into a burn up of over 1800 extra calories!
However, it should be noted here that the activity levels generated by the Wii compare poorly to a comparable amount of outdoor play. The same amount of bicycling burns up around 4500 calories. A comparable amount of moderate walking burns 1950, while a general basketball game might burn around 3400. This is based on the same 12 and a half hours per week, under 2 hours a day. This translates into a shocking amount of time to spend on a gaming system; normal amount of play for a growing child. Also compare the price of a good kid’s bicycle to the price of a Wii, plus games. Walking and running around are still free.
Posted by Beth Lynne
Passover is here, and many busy teachers have not had time to promote diversity by having a mock seder. The good news is that students can understand the reason of and meaning for Passover by viewing a virtual seder! Actually, on this site, a seder plate can be viewed, and by clicking on the words Seder Plate, the history of each of the six components of the plate is explained. Very interesting and informative.
Equal time, of course, should be given to Easter. A virtual Easter egg hunt is available in which the participant must find ten Easter eggs. A little history of Easter traditions is discussed throughout the hunt, for example, at the beginning there is an explanation of what the reason for Easter eggs is.
While on the topic of Easter symbols (and there really are a lot of them!), it is true that the Easter Bunny was chosen as the Easter animal due to the fertility of the rabbit! This idea was brought over to the United States by Germans, who settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country. Children believed that the Eater Bunny would lay a bunch of eggs in a nest (later to become the basket with the plastic grass which cat owners should not let their cats eat) that the children created for that purpose.
Now, what about the chocolate? It is believed, although not conclusively, by Kate Hopkins that a) the Germans, renowned for their excellent chocolate sense, brought the chocolate over with the holiday and b) due to Easter being the end of Lent, and since chocolate is traditionally an item that is given up for the 40 days, people would celebrate by indulging on Easter.
Happy Holidays!
Posted by Beth Lynne
Teachers often use ideas taken from others. In fact, many teachers have developed their own websites, either privately or through their schools, to assist other teachers, or to keep a record of their own professional growth. Listed here are 5 sites to assist teachers by providing information in the following areas: Inclusion strategies, teaching strategies, special education law, incorporating technology, professional teaching standards. Each link is annotated for easy reference.
- Wrightslaw is the premier website for laws pertaining to special education, IDEA, FAPE, IEP and any laws that are pertinent to children with disabilities. Information is provided that is easy to understand. Parents and educators are encouraged to view this site to determine if their children are receiving optimal services under the law.
- Project Participate is a U.S. government-supported grant program designed for educators, administrators, and parents to assist in acclimating students with disabilities to the inclusive classroom. Materials and handouts can be downloaded form the site, and all the latest assistive technology is featured.
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards contains information for teachers regarding the standards to which they should aspire and for obtaining National Board certification.
- Microsoft Online Yes, Microsoft Online has a section on education, with a couple of wonderful lessons and uses for Powerpoint. Although this is not the definitive education and technology website, this is worth checking out.
- Activity, Curriculum, and Technology: Instructional Strategies for Engaging Learners is an excellent site that will give the educator ideas of alternate ways to present instruction. These strategies will amp up lesson plans and engage students.
Posted by Beth Lynne
Like many school districts that have computers with Internet access, there are firewalls built into the system. These firewalls block students from accessing porn, chat rooms, music lyrics that contain profanity, and many other sites that are inappropriate for children and teens. Of course, no system is safe. In many cases, students can override the firewall, and the firewall can also be over ridden by the site the students attempt to access. There is no foolproof system in place to protect kids (and teachers, who are charged with making certain kids are not subjected to inappropriate web content), so teachers should put into place their own classroom safeguards to prevent at the very least an embarrassing situation, and at the most, censure by their employers.
Here are a few suggestions that can be effective:
- Set up the computer center in the classroom so that it can be seen by the teacher from all directions. Make certain you can see the monitors, and the students cannot see you.
- Set time limits on the computers to get assignments finished. Students will be less likely to wander onto forbidden sites if they know their assignment is due in twenty minutes, with no extension.
- Have rules posted, such as No E-mailing Allowed and No Filling Out Internet Forms. Give consequences, such as removal from the computer for a certain time period.
- Monitor students who are on the computers—be savvy; when you are not looking, students will minimize the site you want them to use, and will quickly maximize it over the one they want to go to. If you make it known to them that you know what they are doing, they will think twice.
Computers are a wonderful tool to use to enhance learning and students should be able to use them in an appropriate way. A few simple adjustments can help make the experience pleasant for all.
Posted by Beth Lynne
In New Jersey recently, there was an incident in which a public high school student recorded his teacher expressing (inflicting, really) his religious views to the class. Most high school students know that this is a violation of church and state, and being a public school, these views should have been kept by the teacher to himself. In another school, also in my home state of New Jersey, there was another recording incident, in which a teacher was freaking out over a student not standing during the Star-Spangled Banner. While the teacher yelled at and berated the students, demanding that they stand up, a student recorded him. The teacher focused his attention on one student in particular, and then yanked the chair out from under him.
Both of these incidents have led the school boards at these schools to examine their cell phone policies (due to the cameras and recording features on them).
My question, and being an educator, I may catch a little flak here (being human as well, I expect a little fall-out), but how are these teachers still teaching? I know none of us is perfect, and we sometimes have a bad day and yell at kids when they frustrate us, but pulling a chair out from under a kid to make him stand up? How degrading is that? Whatever happened to sending a student out of the room, calling his parents, and giving detention? Fortunately, the stubborn brat was not hurt (I am not totally on his side, but the handling of him was not right, and from reports, it is known that he and his friend manipulated the teacher’s behavior—shows a pattern from this teacher). As far as the teacher inflicting his religious views on the students (reportedly, he told them if they were not good Christians, they were going to Hell—so much for diversity), this was also repeated behavior that is not condoned by most school boards. The student felt that the administrators in his school would not believe him if he did not have evidence, so he recorded the teacher. How are either of these teachers’ actions different form bullying? They both used their positions to try to inflict their values or morals. This is the real issue here, not the cell phone policy.
Click here for more about school cell phone policy
Posted by Beth Lynne
Hand my son a new video game and he will not do the same as my husband will do; read the directions. I have witnessed my husband build a new shelving unit, and he has the instructions spread out in front of him; first he mumbles about the difficulty he has understanding German, French, and Japanese, and then he reads about what he is going to do. My little boy, on the other hand, pops in his new game and starts to figure it out himself; no directions required. I have seen this repeated in that which is new to him; he uses the knowledge he has and builds upon it, incorporating the new ideas. My son is a Constructivist learner.
Technology lends itself beautifully to constructivist learning—since the use of technology, particularly computers, promotes active, self-directed learning. Students can gain access to real data and use authentic problem-solving situations (http://pixel.cs.vt.edu/edu/fis/techcons.html).
I will always maintain that a child (or anyone else) will not learn something unless driven to by self-preservation. My son did not realize that reading was a survival skill until he found that if he read some of the captions and subtitles on his games, he could beat it sooner. From then, he became a very proficient reader and consequently was placed in the gifted language arts program. To Nintendo, I am truly grateful!
Posted by Beth Lynne
Mathematics is not just finding 2 times 4 anymore. Our students are expected to know how to apply these facts to real-life problems, not just how to find an “answer.” Rote memorization is no longer synonymous with learning. Having students memorize facts and master long division is no longer part of a competent math teacher’s lesson plans. The order of the day is Whole Math, Discovery Learning, and Investigational Learning, in which increased calculator use is prescribed. This sort of thinking more closely mirrors the content on the open-ended problems on the state tests that the students take. Having to memorize facts gets in the way of the higher-order thinking skills that our students need. How can they develop higher-order skills when they don’t have the basic ones? Hand the kids a calculator already and stop torturing them! Memorization is boring! Using machinery is not. Students love using these gadgets, and the more buttons the better!
I teach special education students. They need adaptive aids to “times” a number. Every one of the kids comes in and picks up a scientific calculator, whether we are going to use them or not. Not one student would dream of coming in and starting his/her class work without it. In the beginning of the year, I show them a few basic functions that are necessary to get started for at least a sixth-grade curriculum. Then, we get started. My students, in the course of the year, complete units involving data analysis (bar graphs, line graphs, picto-graphs, stem and leaf plots, line plots, range, median, mode, mean), geometry (area, perimeter, volume, types of polygons, geometry terms, metric and customary measurement), numeration (fractional operations, decimals, per cent, integers), and simple introductory algebra. Do these units look familiar? Maybe in line with the National Standards? Many special needs teachers only cover the first Standard—Numerical Operations. My students are engaged and active in the process of learning. With their calculators.
Posted by Beth Lynne
Kids do not read today; not novels like when I was a child. When I was a kid, if I was not playing outside or watching T.V. (part of the T.V. Generation!), my face was in a book. To this day, I am a good, fast, comprehending reader who regularly scans the soon-to-be-released lists from Barnes and Noble (and gets excited about a new James Patterson or Janet Evanovich). Neither my son nor my daughter will read books. When they were really small, they liked to have books read to them (the same ones over and over again—I memorized Goodnight Moon so I could close my eyes and lay back while they held the book). But now, when we are ordering Scholastic Books from school, they don’t want the chapter books the third and fourth grade teachers want them to buy, so that they do not fall behind in reading—they still want sticker books and things that come with a stuffed animal. But, they are both gifted readers (genetics?). Like anything, reading has to be practiced regularly, but I, even as a teacher and a parent who loves a good book, pooh-poohs the fact that they must be reading books to become literate. My kids probably read more than I did at their ages (remember, I mentioned that I went outside and watched television a lot). They are constantly on their computers or video games, reading and processing information. They have learned that they must read in order to keep up with their peers, playing the latest and increasingly difficult video games. For the most part, the instructions are written (“Have your parent supply a valid credit card number so you can obtain a year’s subscription to Toon City!”). Anyone who cannot read in today’s world, cannot play!
Posted by Beth Lynne
Why do kids want to cut up dead things? And why do they want to do it in my classroom? The first day of school this year, I asked my sixth- and seventh-graders to write on the index cards I give them to write information about themselves what they wanted to do in science. Many of them, aside from writing that they hate science and expect to be bored, wanted to dissect a frog! I think that they say this because television perpetuates the idea that frog dissection is a normal part of middle and high school science, and that they just want to do what they see kids do on T.V. I am going to point out something here—most of my kids do not want to pick up a tissue off of the floor; how do they expect to cut up something that was once alive (in fact, come to think of it, several of my sixth-graders were sickened by the thought of cutting up mushrooms a couple of months ago, and they do not have blood or guts!) and also fill out some sort of accompanying worksheet? I do not see this happening. I do picture a lot of screaming and pretend queasiness in order to escape the classroom.
So, rather than coping with a situation none of us is prepared to deal with, I am going to look into online resources and software that my students can access whenever they feel the gruesome urge to slice something open that is not on a dinner plate. One site that I have found is simply titled “Virtual Dissection” which provides a menu of “Sheep Brain Dissection”, “Cow’s Eye Dissection”, “Earthworm Dissection”, “A Guide to Rat Dissection”, “Cat Dissection (I own cats! Isn’t that kind of going too far?)”, and of course, the ever-popular “Frog”, but only its nervous system. I have also found a very nice software kit, called Froguts, now featuring a fetal pig!
Posted by Beth Lynne
I have been teaching online for more than two years now. My colleagues and others find that interesting; they want to know how I got involved, how does one take a course online, and how can they get a job? Of course, they always want to know what I earn teaching online (It comes out to about $200 dollars a week per course that I teach.). And, what kind of time commitment is there to teach online?
A few years ago, my school district teamed up with a Masters Online program and we teachers were able to obtain a Masters in Reading, Instructional Technology, Administration, or in Special Education. I received a Masters in Educational Administration and became certified as a principal in the state of New Jersey (now to find a job as one—really difficult!). Before I graduated, since I already had a Master’s in Elementary Education, and an endorsement in Special Education, I clicked on a little link way at the bottom of the university’s web page that said “online employment opportunities” and simply applied, after reading that I only needed a master’s degree and some years of practical experience. I was accepted and trained for three weeks (having been in the program, I already knew the workings of the system—it was easy!). I now teach Education Courses, the content and rigor of which match up with many of those that are in the traditional face-to-face format.
I spend about an average of an hour or two per evening per class, depending on what the assignments are due for that week (there is always a paper due, a journal entry which summarizes the reading and content of the topic for the week, two discussion questions, for which there is a certain quality, quantity and level of participation involved).
I find the experience very satisfactory; adult learners are an interesting bunch—much more goal-oriented than middle schoolers, but not quite as willing to question authority!
Posted by Beth Lynne
I think this is really a universal problem in school districts—under-use of 21st century technology for convenience. I think that so many of our communication problems can be solved by using technology effectively, plus classroom disruptions can be kept to a minimum.
For example, the use (abuse) of the Public Address system in the school, during classes, is a huge disruption. If you work in an older school, you know firsthand what I am talking about. Announcements are blasted over that annoying horn whenever someone is looking for someone else or when there is a sudden late-breaking announcement (A teacher is making the point to the lesson, the A-HA that will underscore the meaning, and a voice blasts over the teachers words—“All students must be escorted to the bathroom; no students should be in the halls at this time!”—and the kids are lost, distracted with no bringing them back to the place they were a minute ago.). Why can’t these communiqués be sent via e-mail or posted on the school web page? Or, at the very least, printed out and copied, and placed in mail boxes? Why can’t there be phones installed for when a certain student needs to be located? In this way, only one class is disrupted, and the teacher can hear the person on the phone over the classroom noise. With all of the new methods of communication available to us now, there should be reforms that minimize disruptions and maximize instruction.
Posted by Beth Lynne
My son just turned ten this past weekend. When I asked him, months ago, what he wanted for his birthday, he told me (aside from the Nintendo Wii that I purchased for way too much on E-bay) that he wanted a cell phone. I saw the wisdom in this; the child wants more independence, but knows it is an ever-more dangerous world (I admit, I have pushed this point with him). However, this is the same person who still leaves his reading book in school, causing us to have to drive to the school and bang on the door to beg the principal or custodian to let us in to retrieve it so he can do his homework. I could just see the cell phone being left somewhere and having to waste valuable evening hours tracking it down. That, of course, is minimal compared to trying to track my son down somewhere.
It is difficult to know, as a parent, what is the right thing to do regarding cell phones and children. We have no measuring stick—since it is a fairly new invention, we have no experience to draw upon. As the first generation cell phone parents, it is up to us to make the rules; how old the child should be to be trusted with this item, when it should be used, whether or not it goes to school, and what budget will be applied. Some parents think it is absurd to give a kid a cell phone. My feeling is that as long as the child knows how to keep an eye on his or her stuff, is smart about not broadcasting its existence, and uses it in an appropriate way, it can be a great way to keep in touch with him or her as he or she establishes independence. In fact, when I do get Zach his cell phone, it is going to be one of those models that has this feature: he can only call four people and I will be able to track him through it on my computer. It will definitely be on my terms.
See related article: Cell Phones and the Classroom
Posted by Beth Lynne
I think I must fall for every new gadget—and in multiple! As long as it is the newest technology, I am in. Much of my house is run by remote control (have you seen the movie “Click”, by the way? I absolutely related to it and wonder why they did not think to incorporate the rewind button into it—I kept waiting!) and I own several computers, in various shapes and sizes (my children each have a laptop, and speaking of my children, I believe they inherited my “gadget gene”.); even carry one around in my pocketbook. However, when it comes to robots, I am not sure if I am going to want to work with one. For example, we are currently incorporating the inclusion model in our school, which means that we work with a special education teacher in our classrooms to help with the students who have learning disabilities. I cannot imagine having a robot co-teaching. Can you imagine? Please, just pause for a minute and picture, if you are a teacher especially, what your morning would be like. I am saying “morning” because I really feel that is when we are at our most emotional, simply from the anticipation of who will be absent, who will be acting up, which new directive will be coming from the administration, and also the “stress hangover” from the previous day. I am picturing first the robot’s lack of feeling and then its lack of empathy. I really do not think they could be teachers for this reason—they have no feeling for their co-workers or students. Sure they can level instruction and probably grade papers in record time, but when it comes to being supportive and a shoulder to cry on (“Yes, I understand…beep, beep…now go back to work…click, click”), we still need that human touch.
Read the related article: School Technology: Robots are Here
Posted by Beth Lynne
As a science teacher, I do use my digital camera quite frequently. Today, in fact, I used the camera to record for posterity the models my students constructed to depict the types of lakes we studied. My students used sand, pebbles, clay, foil, craft sticks and whatever else I had on hand. There is really no way to preserve these creations in my classroom (the sand and rocks were falling off, and the lake models were too heavy for the poster board they were glued to. It took two students to carry them.). So, during my free period, before my next class came in, I stood on chairs and took aerial shots of them with my camera phone. I am going to print them out and hang them outside my classroom, so that people passing by can see what is going on within, without having to come in! Also, since they are on the school website, parents can view them (they do like to see their children’s projects!).
Just a reminder, always practice Internet safety with student pictures—I only took pictures of the projects, not the students themselves.
Posted by Beth Lynne
A few years ago, my school district ran a wonderful summer technology program, funded by Dell. The focus was on math and computers. The students attended a math program for two hours, and then learned some computer skills the other two hours. The hook, the incentive, to attend was that the students would learn how to build their own computers and then could take them home at the end of the four-week program. The grant for this program was submitted by the math consultant (my district relies on the advice of experts, consultants, specialists, and facilitators, but that is a whole other topic!).
At the time, I was working a special education program for students who were to attend school year round. Only three students were attending my program. There was also another program, for the students that had failed two subjects and had to attend. All the groups would meet every morning for breakfast. The math and technology group sat and ate their breakfast, then lined up and went to class, obviously looking forward to the day. The summer school class threw their food, insulted the staff and each other, looking for ways to avoid going to class.
There is a point I am making here, related to technology and grants. Over and over, school districts make the same mistake. They feel that interesting programs are a reward for students that “get it” all year. The “failures” are given more of the same that they have failed—no incentives or “fun” activities. I have often wondered how many of the students that were throwing food and hurling insults would have benefited from this math and technology program that was offered to the students that were already successful. I think all of them.
Posted by Beth Lynne
I have the worst handwriting in the world. Of course, you would not know this from looking at my submissions in this forum. You would think I write in the most beautiful Arial 9-point font! This is one of the reasons that I see technology as a great equalizer.
Think of some of the smartest kids you see in your classroom—didn’t you used to hope they would become doctors, due to their horrible handwriting? Now, we do not have to worry—some of these kids have brighter futures because they can word process! Of course, this works on the other side of the spectrum as well. Some of the students we teach lack fine motor skills and do not write well. That is so discouraging for them—I know how they feel; I used to despise those practice cursive handwriting worksheets with the dotted letters (and the fact that they are still used in this day and age is beyond my comprehension!). Now, our students are able to concentrate on what they write, not how they write it!
Handwriting is not the only area in which technology has a leveling effect—in math, instead of drilling, students can use calculators to perform many functions. Conversely, if the teacher insists on drill and practice, there are many math websites that offer this feature.
Although the one-computer classroom is the feature this week, using the technology to help students feel successful is worth pursuing.
Posted by Beth Lynne
How do you spell relief? Take the case of one Mr. John Doe (not his real name), a highly intelligent middle school student who is bored very easily. When he is bored, he disturbs and distracts others by throwing paper, getting up out of his seat, and hitting others. In our school, we teach in blocks, and when we have students who have difficulty staying on task, we need to come up with other options that still relate to our instructional objectives. Mr. Doe enjoys using the computer, and works well with creating slideshows, for a while at least. I have determined that A) he burns out after an hour of class time (in other words, he completely tunes out, becomes disrespectful, and bothers others. B) We can avoid this burn out by assigning him a similar assignment on our classroom computer. I try to schedule his time for later in the class period, which is his “danger time”. My other students, interestingly enough, are extremely supportive of this arrangement and they even let me know when it is time for Mr. Doe to shift activities. Mr. Doe is very productive during his computer time, so I feel it is a benefit to everyone in the class! P.S. Mr. Doe is a composite of several students that I teach on a weekly basis.
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