http://teacher-toolbox.blogspot.com
I browsed through this website initially because it won a Blog Award. I have to say, that I am impressed with the way Adrian has incorporated his students work into this blog. The puppet show put on by his students is very creative and impressive. I think the blog is great, a lot of great information and resources on reading activities. I think everyone should check it out!
Monday, October 1, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Using Blogs in the classroom
I was reading Will Richardson's Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, the required text for an online course I am taking at the University at Buffalo. I have to say, that I never thought of using blogs as a supplement for the classroom. I think that it could be a double-edged sword.
For one, in theory, having online documents for students to access would be great. However, I think it might be disturbing for students to concentrate on school work when they have e-mail, Myspace, and AIM all on the same screen. They might mean well by logging on to the blog, but I think in the long run, students may be tempted to stray away from the assignment or procrastinate.
Honestly, if I were to use blogs as supplement to my teaching, I would only use it as a way of backing up my documents and as a way for students to access their assignment in case they were absent. I would make it a point to let parents know that it is definitely not a requirement for students to have access to the blog on a daily basis. I think also, it could be a good way for parents to keep tabs on their child's homework assigments. How many times have you heard this scenario:
Child says: "Mom, can I go outside to play?" Mom says: "Have you finished your homework?" Child says: "I didn't have any today"
It would not be my intention to damage a child's relationship with their parent, but I think it would prove to be mutually beneficial for them.
How do you feel about this topic? Would you as a parent want to "spy" on your child's HW assignments? Or Would you trust that your child will log on everyday for the sole purpose of reading assignments?
For one, in theory, having online documents for students to access would be great. However, I think it might be disturbing for students to concentrate on school work when they have e-mail, Myspace, and AIM all on the same screen. They might mean well by logging on to the blog, but I think in the long run, students may be tempted to stray away from the assignment or procrastinate.
Honestly, if I were to use blogs as supplement to my teaching, I would only use it as a way of backing up my documents and as a way for students to access their assignment in case they were absent. I would make it a point to let parents know that it is definitely not a requirement for students to have access to the blog on a daily basis. I think also, it could be a good way for parents to keep tabs on their child's homework assigments. How many times have you heard this scenario:
Child says: "Mom, can I go outside to play?" Mom says: "Have you finished your homework?" Child says: "I didn't have any today"
It would not be my intention to damage a child's relationship with their parent, but I think it would prove to be mutually beneficial for them.
How do you feel about this topic? Would you as a parent want to "spy" on your child's HW assignments? Or Would you trust that your child will log on everyday for the sole purpose of reading assignments?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Blogging
So, this notion of blogging? What should I blog about? Should I choose one topic and blog about that? Or should I blog about my daily adventures in NYC? I think for the mean-time, I will play it by ear and write about what comes to mind and hopefully as time goes on, I will have hundreds of readers who log on to read my posts....Enjoy what's on my mind for today!
I was just thinking about my culture. I love to be a Latina. It has proven to have many advantages. For one, because I am an offspring of pure-bred Dominican parents, I am bilingual (in fact, I still speak Spanish at home 95-99% of the time). I don't really look Dominican. Many people have confused me for Puerto Rican (and we all know what a mistake that is), Ecuadorian, Mexican, you name it. Latinas(os) have a distinct air to them, but especially Dominicans.
Ask any Dominican about what I am about to tell you, and they will agree as well. Dominicans love to find other Dominicans. Any time a Dominican finds out someone is from the same island, they'll ask "what part" and then instantly, a bond is created. ESPECIALLY, if they are from the same town or province. More often than not, it turns out that Jose afterall is your Aunts-husband's-sister's-friend's-donkey groomer.
What kinds of interactions within cultures have you noticed ?
I was just thinking about my culture. I love to be a Latina. It has proven to have many advantages. For one, because I am an offspring of pure-bred Dominican parents, I am bilingual (in fact, I still speak Spanish at home 95-99% of the time). I don't really look Dominican. Many people have confused me for Puerto Rican (and we all know what a mistake that is), Ecuadorian, Mexican, you name it. Latinas(os) have a distinct air to them, but especially Dominicans.
Ask any Dominican about what I am about to tell you, and they will agree as well. Dominicans love to find other Dominicans. Any time a Dominican finds out someone is from the same island, they'll ask "what part" and then instantly, a bond is created. ESPECIALLY, if they are from the same town or province. More often than not, it turns out that Jose afterall is your Aunts-husband's-sister's-friend's-donkey groomer.
What kinds of interactions within cultures have you noticed ?
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