Things I learned this semester!

A few of my favorite lessons learned in my fall semester experience.......

1. Never choose the third or final class of a professor's day. They think that they told you everything that they announced to prior classes. Plus, they have typically 'had enough' by then - and who cam blame them?

2. Many students live by the mantra, "if I whine enough, the professor will extend the due date, ease the criteria, give me a point back." - and it often might. The only problem is, not every student is wise enough to note that with some professors, the reaction is opposite to the desired effect. It would behoove students to determine attitude, prior to trying to change the rules and ease the burden.........

3. Some professors do not appreciate effort. They visibly regret offering up extra credit, and complain about having to grade it (most are joking, some are not!). The occasional professor will even complain when students attempt to make an extra effort to do additional work or go above and beyond.....

4. Participation points are an excellent tool for all. First to encourage class discussion and visible effort. Hey, points are points! Secondly it helps the student that needs hands-on learning and not just by rote. Third, it allows the prof to enforce students to take part. Last, but not least, since no one knows how/where said points are given, it gives the teacher control over helping a good student to make up points. They are going to be a part of my grading tool bag!

5. 1 point = 1% just doesn't seem to work fairly for grading, and puts too much onus on every little quiz.

6. Teachers really should share how they plan to assess each piece of work with their students. It is hard to do a really good job when the professor won't share what they are 'looking for'. The reverse of that, is that when the professor makes an effort to truly model the desired end-result, it creates an attitude shift, an understanding, and a far superior end result. Teachers and professors who have not received the memo about modeling outcomes, scaffolding learning, and allowing workshop time for one-on-one opportunities, really should check it out!

7. All teachers believe strongly that 'the man on the street' blames teachers for every generational issue or concern. Why blame the parents when you can blame a teacher? That is so very sad.

8. Finally, I learned how easy it is to buy into the 'do it for me, now!' mentality. I need to work on that next semester...........

Last but not least? I will never forget the professor who hurt my GPA last semester. I am grateful to her though, she taught me a vital lesson about the importance of communication, and rewarding hard work and effort. When you don't? It is kind of soul-destroying.

Merry Christmas everyone! Next blog will no doubt be on the joys of the online course experience as I take my Hawkeye minimester over break!

Fall Semester Continues On...

Being a student has really become a way of life now - although I will never quite be the same as my student peers, the non- traditional perspective is certainly different!! But doing homework, gossiping about professors, wearing sweatpants in social settings ( thank goodness I lost weight), yup, that's me!
But am I learning? Heck yes! Not always from my professors, mind you, but often from connections that I make from experiences to the lecture or discussion at hand - and wouldn't you know it? That is probably the single biggest learning curve about teaching.....teaching is all about building on experiences.....& when the experiences aren't there to connect to, creating the experience!
In my middle level psych class I learned why the Queen's School was so good, and what could change in New Hartford to help the kids I volunteer with. In Emergent Literacy, I am seeing and learning just how important read-alouds are, and what building blocks are missing for the kids whose parents didn't read to them, in Curriculum I've learned how to connect my experiences together to 'sell' my background, and am now working on an inter-disciplinary lesson plan that connects my literacy workshop knowledge from last year.
Yup, worksheets & memorizing don't give you long term knowledge, but connections do.....is this really news?!?!
Check out this great article, and make your own connections! http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2012/10/response_taking_advantage_of_our_neural_networks_in_the_classroom.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

'Everyone, to some extent, is odd'

Quote of the week - without any shade of doubt - comes from an article from my Middle Level Psych. class - an article named Health for Life. It says, "We have to admit that everyone, to some extent, is odd." I just love that!

The point of this particular article was to discuss the concerns of what used to be an 'individual quirk' that made someone stand out, different, individual...is now, more often than not, a reason for medication. The author questions where the divide is between a child needing help and a child whose personality should be embraced. A tough questions indeed; especially coming on top of 5 other articles that range from 'Medicating Young Minds' to 'As More Kids Train for Sports Like Pros, They're Suffering Grown-Up Injuries.' One of the articles even addresses the responsibility that teachers have to work with adolescents to watch for group pressure and to help guide them - which I thought was really more of a parent task, but evidently not!

 Which brings me to another thought......during my New Hartford RTI session on Friday, Mrs. Becker commented that the main difference between teaching now and when she started, 28 years ago, is that parents now expect teacher to bring up their kids for them. There is no concern about kids doing or not doing homework and she said that the only parents who get upset about kids having to stay late for their version of detention (much more pleasantly named 'ZAP')  when assignments are not completed, are the ones who are worried about their child missing a sports practice or, even worse, event.

Here's my favorite though - and we wonder why kids have the wrong focus - 6-8 students left their reading intervention early last week (they are in the class because their reading is well below standard) for a football game. Yes, it is OK to fail reading as long as you are in 'the team'.  Heck of a message. What happened to being benched until your grades met standard?

So, where was I? Oh yes, quote of the week! I think that a little bit of 'odd' is a good thing.......but then, too much odd, makes life tough for all around. So, who gets to make the decision about how much is too much?

There's the question to ask.

How much odd is too much?

And, what is normal, anyway?

New Semester

A new semester has started, and I haven't blogged in....well, forever! If I want to claim this as part of my Teacher Portfolio, then I probably should 'get with the program' and note my musings a tad more consistently!Summer was great. I went 'home' to England, taking Ben with me. Mother and Son had the most amazing experience seeing family, sightseeing and even checking out the Olympic preparations! It was truly wonderful and probably one of the hardest 'leaving England' times that I have had to date. I love the U.S., and could not wait to see Paul and Steph, but England was just FANTASTIC! I barely had time to catch my breath upon my return as it was off to play my RAGBRAI support role. Paul had his annual bike ride across Iowa, while I hiked and visited some of this great state myself. I also made the commitment to ride myself next year, so as I type this a couple of months later, it should be noted that the bike has been purchased and a few hundred miles already logged!Post RAGBRAI was Olympic immersion, and before I knew where I was at, I was back at school in the midst of a new semester; discovering first hand just how hard it is to get back into the swing of class work and tight schedules after my lovely summer! I haven't had 'a summer' since the last time that I was at University, and boy do I see the benefit of year-around schooling now! I am really struggling to get back into a system and get a jump ahead on my schoolwork - I didn't even have my binders ready on my first day back (very un-Bridget).After two weeks back I am beginning to get with the program, and I am sure as the dark arrives earlier and reduces the temptation - or possibility - to ride either bike or horse, the self-discipline will be easier to find!Wish me luck; it is a long semester ahead, filled with tests, papers and homework galore. Let's see if I can make that Dean's List for a third semester in a row!

iPads in the classroom!

More on iPads & technology - kind of a theme going here as I go through my Ed Tech course. Soon you will be hearing about making videos because that is our next venture; and one that I am kind of nervous about....but it will all work out!! We just had a three hour lab covering 'how to', and I can't say that things are all together clearer..... But on a positive note, when the light dawns, just think of all the family videos I can edit & jazz up!!!
Ed Tech is interesting, exciting and kind of fun - no wonder they talk about technology as a motivator for students! I wasn't 100% sure what it was going to be about, and the numerous lectures to watch online kind of surprised me (although I actually like it now - when you don't get it, you can scroll back through the podcast and listen again), and the hands-on stuff can leave me wanting to find a way to stop time so that I can catch up......but I am pretty proud of what I have accomplished..... And, get this, have a total mind shift in my attitude towards using technology in the classroom!
Here's the deal. IPads & laptops are a part of daily life. If you struggle with them, you won't achieve. That is fact.......Kids can 'keyboard' as toddlers now, so no need to waste time on those basic skills. Instead, young children can easily learn the very skills that I am struggling with now, and then use the tools for deeper learning & exploration. Check out this video and see what you think.....yes, of course they could just 'read the book', but would these kids be quite as excited?



Times aren't changing; they have changed!

iPads and learning with technology

I was surprised and thrilled by the gift of an iPad this Christmas:  I wanted one - they were so cool!   Little did I know how useful my iPad was to become.  I could organize my calendar digitally (which I had tried in many ways, from phone to computer, but nothing had been easier or more practical than a write-in diary....until the iPad), I could keep up with classes without having to lug my laptop along, I could have two screens up at one time, helping me research ideas and thoughts while always having my main work in front of me to edit.....just a ton of different ways that the tool has become something that I can't imagine not having readily available.  So useful and all-encompassing, that I am seriously thinking of saving some money and getting rid of the smartphone.  Who needs it with an iPad?

BUT!

Having said all of that, I still thought that it was kind of ridiculous that there are schools out there with iPad programs.  Kids with iPads?  That is crazy!  When do they learn to read?  How do they learn to write?  Without the education that 'we' all had, these great toys wouldn't event be invented, so why are we taking those basic lessons away from our kids?
But now, my mind is changing.  I see the benefits of teaching with technology and how learning through critical thinking can actually be enhanced, not slowed down........as long as it is done correctly!  As long as the technology is a tool and not a toy.  Why waste time on learning redundant facts that will be forgotten semester's end, when you can have these students interacting with the world, learning real skills that they will use for the rest of their lives.
Does that mean that you forget the reading and writing?  Does that mean that basic math facts should be neglected?  Absolutely not!  But does it mean that teachers have a new tool?  That school districts can help students prepare for real life?  That the obvious motivation and interest shown by students when faced with technology over a book should be taken advantage of?  Well of course!
And what about writing?
Yes, the iPad DOES work for that too!  Keep the thought process going and think with an open mind as you check out the following article: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/why-the-ipad-works-for-writing.php.
What do you think?


Photo used with permission, under Creative Commons, by Denise Krebs at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsdkrebs/6400358699/

So what am I really doing?

I had someone ask if I could show any of my actual work on my blog today....well, it is funny that they should ask!!!
The class that I am taking right now is all about using technology in the classroom - and no, it is not about shortcuts and avoiding literacy.  Nor is it about students 'having it easier'!  It is about giving them tools to compete in a technologically driven world, it is about providing experiences to produce problem-solving and critical thinking through all kinds of media; to include computers, iPads and so forth.  It is all pretty cool, motivating for children in the classroom and gives today's teacher so much more to work with.
My current project is something called a WebQuest - basically a lesson plan that is created on a website.  The students follow the instructions and fulfill a task.  I am lucky enough to be working with two fabulous students and the three of us have been having a ton of fun - and all plan to use elements of our lesson in the future!

So, here it is - my example of the work that I am doing right now.  As of today, 5/17/12, this is not yet finished, but will be submitted Monday evening, so it had better be finished by then!  Check it out today and then come back to it later.  
Tell me what you think! 
Do you think that it is just wasting time playing on the Internet (they create a social media page, for goodness sakes!)?  Or do you see it as a way to motivate students towards thought and deeper learning?  Let me know!  Of particular interest to those of you who think that teaching is just 'coming up with lesson plans', is the Teacher Page.  See the standards adhered to and our reflections about potential learning.

Here is the link:  "Friend Request an Olympian"

Ed Tech & Design!

So, after years of figuring all of this stuff on my own - or with help from those around me - I am actually in a class LEARNING how to use these tools - from Twitter to Diigo (that was a new one), some things are actually beginning to make sense to me; and it is getting to be even more fun with new ideas and 'how to' being offered by my professor!  Hey, maybe this $1,000.00 for a summer class will be even more worthwhile than I initially thought!
So, I will continue and expand this blog - so help me out and claim that you are following me (I know that a bunch of you are, but only three people show on my screen), feel free to leave a comment, or just respond via FaceBook or Twitter!  Feedback welcome - or, here's an idea, give me some thoughts of what you would like to hear about my life as a student....second time around!
Thinking of getting brave and following in my footsteps?  Check out what YOUR future might hold at www.uni.edu!!!

Digital Immigrant?

A new title to go by! Having interesting times in my summer class, learning about technology & integration of technological tools into lesson plans - good stuff, and fun too.....although there is a little bit of overload going on with constant tweeting, Diigo, and the like. Tonight I read a great article - that despite being about generational divides, avoided being a 'same old' boring dissertation on how generations have differences. It was a fascinating conversation about 'digital natives', born to technology, brains wired to multi-task with iPod, laptop & phone - needing change &movement.....as compared to digital immigrants who were brought up without the tools, and are now striving to catch up. I knew that the author was talking about me when he cited the example of the immigrant printing out the page because it was easier to make notes using a hard copy.....yup, that's me! Of course the more serious point was that we immigrants have to learn to motivate & work with the natives.
So, I guess that I am an immigrant in more than one way! At least this kind doesn't require green card & legal action :)

Photo used with permission, under Creative Commons, by Dubsar Public Relations, Spain at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dubsar/6220041080/

Finals Done - Summer Classes Begun!

Summer classes!  Well, here is a new experience for the old student :)  Summer school was something that I thought that you 'had' to do with failing grades, not something that you choose to pay $1,000.00 for the experience!  But here I am, working through Ed Tech and Design and learning how to incorporate technology into the classroom as a future teacher.  Every day, Monday through Friday, 9am through noon.  Pretty intensive packing of a full semester class into 4 short (feels long) weeks!
Still, a busy class and nice to do as a stand-alone to get out of the way.

Finals week was accomplished with little stress - no real 'finals' per se, just papers and an oral.  Although the Teacher Work Sample did take over my life and I am still reeling from the hours that I put into producing that puppy!  That was probably the most time consuming piece of work that I have ever done; and I am pretty proud of that 100% grade!

We are still awaiting final grades....cross fingers I have maintained my 4.0....it gets harder every semester!

I know that I have let this blog slide and to my secret followers, I apologize (I know that you are out there, even if only 3 of you actually have it recorded on my page!!), but hopefully a complete immersion in technology over the next 4 weeks will keep the incentive to keep everyone up to date alive!  Another new goal for me, to keep the blog alive!

Life is still good.  Still living the dream!  Next semester, more hours, tougher course load, but no work - so poor financially, rich in time to get my work done!  I do have a very part-time job with the Performing Arts Center though, helping to reach out to local schools to assist in extension lessons when they attend performances at UNI.  That should be fun - and I can't wait!

Off to work on my Thematic Unit now - catch you later!

B.

Still here!

It has been so long since I posted; how easy it is to get out of the habit.....
Busy times, but with far more purpose than all the busy-work of all the gen ed classes of last semester. All core classes makes for more meaningful learning, for sure! The class I take this summer (ed tech & design) is one that I am really looking forward to, and next semester will be back at Lincoln! Even the class with the nightmare prof. this semester has good content, with a text book that contains interesting info.....shame I have to have the weekly three hours with the professor....it is PAINFUL!
My fellow students are great this time around too, with one or two standouts! I am still the nerd, but am mostly appreciated.....I hope! There is that one who claims that she doesn't need to do the readings because 'she learns nothing new', oh and the one who never does any homework (& yet maintains a 3.0.....no fair!!!), my cohort girls are the best!
I avoided the rant on the professor who gave everyone's project the same grade, regardless of work accomplished, or the complaining about the one who changed the rules AFTER I had worked ahead & followed the original criteria.......it went from an essay (which I did) to credit for attending a volunteer opportunity (which I also did)......I hate it when hard work is punished.....which circles right back to how you get a 3.0 while not working!!! See, managed to get a mini complaint in there, didn't I?!

Life carries on!

Quote of the week: "Be the girl you were too lazy to be yesterday."

I guess that I am pretty lucky to only have one class that I don't really enjoy this semester - and it is kind of a shame because it SHOULD be a good class - it is the one that goes along with Learning & Instruction....which is why I am 'here' after all! But I will make it through, and thanks to my supportive teacher friends & some really great professors, I will hopefully learn what needs to be learnt, even if the professor evidently is not too interested in making us successful! It just 'sucks' to be living the example of the cliche of the tenured professor who needs to either re-motivate herself or go ahead and retire - for everyone's sake!!

Other than that I am continuing to love life in the special cohort set up at Lincoln Elementary School in Waterloo. I am so happy that I took the plunge to apply for this program; spending 3 days in a real school is so motivating....I love my 4th grade home base class, and am spending far more than my minimum of 3 hours with them each week!!

This week I began my middle school experience. What fun working with 7th & 8th graders at DNH - and an interesting contrast with my 4th grade kids at Lincoln! Now I have a real dilemma, who do I want to teach anyway?! I love them all. I thrive on the constant change & complete experience of elementary, but I do enjoy that middle school age group :). Well, at least the double major means that I can take the job that might be available & enjoy what life hands me!!

So, maybe I will be a middle school English/Language Arts teacher, maybe I will have a kindergarten class.....who knows?!

Time moves forward..

Obviously! But seriously, I am not sure how we are already talking mid-terms & spring break; I feel as if we just started.
Having said that, I met with my advisor today & found myself conversing about classes in Fall of 2013 - yes, really! Forward thinking at its' best....
In the meantime, I taught my first whole group lesson at Lincoln last week. Simple stuff with a 'read-aloud' - preview, prediction & story time. My class was wonderful, and I am finding that I enjoy them as much as my first graders from level 1! So the good news is, there is no doubt that I have made the right decision. Teaching is just what I want to do! Bad news? I have no idea what grade I want to teach; I seriously love them all! My middle level field experience is coming though, so we shall have to see how that goes.
Highlight of the read-aloud lesson? Has to be when Jalen, our 'sometimes difficult, always a character' personality plus, praised my newly colored hair....... and on a more educational note, when the kids all commented on how much 'stuff' there was in the Magic School Bus book that they had no idea was there "Mrs Bryson, I am going to start reading the books and not just watching the TV show, that was way cool"! Success!!

Bones cracking; getting old!

Are my bones cracking? Well, not particularly - at least, no more than they were. No, I have decided that I have become the grumpy old English lady, with my increasing annoyance at fellow students cracking their knuckles......boy oh boy, do I hate it; and they ALL do it! Great kids, amazing minds, wonderful personalities, but they keep on popping and cracking those bones. The yawning without covering the gaping mouth is pretty annoying too.....but since that makes me REALLY sound old and grumpier than ever, we won't go there!
We could have quite a discourse on how much additional work I apparently give myself with my pages of notes taken during our reading homework, or how I just seem to worry far too much about everything; but that is my problem and I am working on it! Just as I need to face the fact that I will continue to overestimate my ability for what I can accomplish in any one single day....but that's ok, I am happy to be an optimist :)
To end this mini tirade, I will leave with my favorite quote of the week, from Jawanza Kunjufu:

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."

Words to live by indeed.

First Week Over!

An interesting first week back at UNI.....so much easier knowing how to 'fit right in' starting the second semester than it was my first!
I love the cohort. Working with a small group, all motivated to be there, each with a distinct goal in mind, is so much more fun than sitting with a bunch of kids with attitude! The kids in my 4th grade home base class are a joy, and Katey, my partner is just wonderful - she, like me, is just happy to be in the classroom & is completely focused on working with the kids.
There is a negative though....one class, one professor.....if anyone might hurt my 4.0, it might be her. Not because the work should be hard, but because she has no apparent ability to explain, no interest in finding interesting ways to share information, and is so disorganized that her syllabus wasn't ready & the version that she finally emailed out was incomplete. She seems to be all about self-study, memorization & tests.......& what is sad is that this is our Level 2 Instruction class which includes our Teacher's Work Sample.......thank goodness I am in the cohort and will have some expert assistance that my fellow classmates will not have the advantage of having.
While I am busy complaining about her, she also made some quite offensive comments & showed considerable ignorance. I will do my best not to whine about her too much, but watch out for some documentation! Sadly, it might take the 45-year old complaining for 'them' to listen to; apparently many complaints have been made, but she still has tenure......I don't know, but I can tell you, I was appalled. What a shame, because every other class is one that I look forward to, and I love Lincoln elementary school!

Back to School!

Day two of the semester!  On the one hand, it is so great to be back.....on the other hand, I am already tired as the juggling act begins once again. Hopefully I will get that pattern back quickly and be able to get everything on my schedule as I did last semester.  Now that I have my new iPad I have no excuses for lack of organization; there is even a homework app!
Today was my first day with the cohort - fun to be in such a small group and to be able to sit in a classroom in a real school - hearing the sounds and seeing the sights of an elementary school.  I met my homebase teacher quickly today; real introductions happen tomorrow.
The 16 of us that make up the cohort were split into small groups, each with certain responsibilities.  My group (Katey, Megan, Mariah and myself) are the team responsible for setting up weekly 'shoptalks' where we invite teachers to come and talk to our whole group about the 'real experience' - to share stories, give advice and so forth.  I had my daily reminder of my age as when we chose the group name 'Fab Four' (four of us.....all based with 4th grade this year)....and I commented 'and hey, I am from Liverpool, so even better'.....they all looked at me blankly.  Yes, they had heard of the Beatles, but Fab Four?   They had no idea that was where that came from!
Then, my second moment of ageism of the day came when I looked at my fellow students idea of professional dress.  I mean, if I was that that cute, maybe I would be tempted to wear the mid-thigh, skin tight, psychedelic nylon dress.....but probably not as 'teacher wear' for elementary students!  Thank goodness we aren't teaching high school.....there might have been an accident caused by stopped traffic in the hallway!  Again, showing my age no doubt :)
Having said that though, I am really excited about all of the fellow students in the cohort - everyone seems really nice and as a 'handpicked' group that had to apply to be there, a very different group than I met in some of my GenEd classes last semester!  This is going to be hard work, but a ton of fun!
Tomorrow I will be formally introduced to my 4th Grade class - I can't wait!!!!

Semester starts tomorrow!

Well, last semester's grades no longer mean a thing (other than in my scholarship application process!!), as I start it all over again tomorrow with the start of the new semester.
I have been reading through the documents posted online & am getting pretty excited about the tasks ahead! The class assessments course looks fascinating - and from the look of the posted assignments, potentially quite all encompassing, with some stressful reports & essays ahead (here we go again), and the Lincoln cohort info sees me as having 4th grade as my primary classroom as well as being in the group that helps organize teacher advisement sessions as we students have the opportunity to learn side-by-side with 'real' teachers & students.
Here's to a great spring semester!