Learning can be fun?

If you have children that are visual learners or just want to spice up your cirriculum here is a fun idea for teachers. "Children want to learn to the degree that they are unable to distinguish learning from fun. They keep this attitude until we adults convince them that learning is not fun."-- Glenn Doman

This website has some really fun games on them that you can use for your classroom and integrate into the cirriculum.

Powerpoint Games

As a teacher do you what in your classroom your visual learners pay the most attention to? The answer is your blackboards. It is so important in your all learner friendly classroom to make your bulletin boards educational and informational. What is it about bulletin boards that visual learners can take their information? When visual learners are able to "see" the concept they will be able to comprehend more. Knowing this what can we as teachers do in the classroom that will be more comprehensive to visual learners? We need to make handouts, we need to use overheads, what is another option? Just what I talked about earlier is powerpoint games. With these powerpoint games you will not only be able to help the visual learner, but the auditory, social, and tactile learners as well. Make sure that your cirriculum is sensitive to all learners and don't forget you can have fun too. As I have taught in the classroom I have noticed and science has factualized this as well that if children learn as they are "geared" to learn they will retain the information faster and for longer periods of time. Don't rely on just me; however there are so many books out there on multiple intelligences. Check it out! The original source is titled Frames of Mind by Howard Gardner, the father of multiple intelligences.

Teaching the Children of Today

Digital Cameras are a necessary tool according to Kurt Johnson professor of Instructional Technology at Utah State University. But what will you ask can I use a digital camera for? A digital camera can teach children so much. Depending on your district policies you can post pictures of students for the parents to see when they come to parent teacher conferences. You can let the students control their own education. Isn't that what we strive for individualized education. One example is that you send children on a "hunt" to find letters around the area. They can take pictures of letters and compile their own alphabet. What a way for children to learn the alphabet not too mention personalize it. In an early childhood classroom you could let the children take pictures of what they like and label them thus increasing their vocabulary and also in the zone of proximal development. If you stop and think about it you too will easily be able to come up with more ideas and uses. Another question you may ask is that digital cameras are so expensive, what if the children break them? We need to teach children that digital cameras are tools and privileges; once they understand that principle we are arming students with power. I am sure we all know the saying "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man how to fish and you will empower him to fish for himself" Aren't all teachers trying to create independent competent citizens or empowered fisherman? Teaching children of the day with the equipment of the day we create capable citizens for our future.

Copyright Law

I found these websites that are easy to navigate
Copy Right and Fairuse in The Classroom

http://www.kcsd.k12.pa.us/technology/copyright/index.html
As teachers we need to be very aware of copyright and fairuse. Violating copyright is illegal and you can lose money and even your teaching lisense for it. My suggestion is to go and study a little bit about fair use and copyright. Another good resource I have learned is your library media specialist. In the second link listed they have a some teacher tips on copyright. Teachers need to be educated in every area most especially intellectual freedom. Learning about copyright not only protects you but intellectual freedom everywhere. Now go out and study about copyright.

Cars 2008

I have been thinking of buying a new car but when buying a new car you want to make sure that you get the best deal here are some cool websites that are the top ten for 2008.

Higheset Resale Value 2008

Least Expensive 2008
http://comcast.vehix.com/tv/topTenLists.aspx?year=&list=Least%20Expensive%20Vehicles%20for%202008&cid=443

Most Fuel Efficent 2008
http://comcast.vehix.com/tv/topTenLists.aspx?year=&list=Most%20Fuel%20Efficient%20SUVs&cid=445

Paulo Freire Educational Quote

This is from Freire's book Pedagogy of Freedom on page 31-32.
"When we live our lives with the authenticity demanded by the practice of teaching that is also learning and learning that is also teaching, we are participating in a total expierence that is simulatneously directive, political, ideological, gnostic, pedagogical, aesthetic, and ethical. In this expierence the beautiful, the decent, and the serious form a circle with hands joined."

Quotes

"Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier."
-CHARLES F. KETTERING
"Teachers open the door; but you must enter yourself."
-CHINESE PROVERB
"It is not true that nice guys finish last. Nice guys are winners before the game ever starts."
-BERN WILLIAMS
"When patterns are broken, nwe worlds can emerge."
-TOLI KUPFER

Instructional Architect in the Classroom

I am an teacher in training and as such I am learning everyday how to make my classroom a better, safer, and more individualized classroom. I just learned a new program in my Instructional Technology class today that is called Instructional Architect. It is a great tool and helps you to individualize your lessons for your class. You are welcome to look at a sample lesson that I have created on the Desert. Go to ia.usu.edu and go to student login and type inst arch
You should try it out it is an excellent new teacher tool. Talk about integrating technology into the classroom.

Integrating Technology: Lesson Plan

Kindergarten: Content Cirriculum

• Language Arts Standard 2 Objective 3
• Title: Adaption of the Boy Who Cried Wolf
• Link to the UEN website http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=18781
• I like how they use one of my favorite websites on this lesson plan...pbs.org