Blog topic: Overall reflection of Blogging

1)what is the greatest advantage to having a blog in t his course? and 2)what is the greatest barrier to your successful use of a blog in this course?

The greatest advantage of having a blog in this class was the fact that when I wanted to see more than one example of something we were doing it, I could see 20 other post about the same topic. I really enjoyed seeing how other people felt about topics, and when I was nervous about something, it seememed someone else was as well. The greatest barrier to my successful use of a blog in this class is just that it was the first time I used one in a class. People stopped responding to post, and it was really stressful when other people wouldn't post a blog and I would have to wait until right before class to comment on someone else's blog. I really enjoyed using a blog over the semester. I found it stressful at times, annoying when I couldnt find something I needed to for a graded blog, but I really enjoyed doing a blog for this class. I hope you continue doing it for other semesters.

Lessons

I really enjoyed the lessons last week. I learned a lot for presenting myself. It is really interesting to see different lessons with different grade levels. It is fun to participate in lessons that I did not have to present myself. There are many different ways to use technology I didn't even think of before. I am excited to go, but I am nervous that when I actually use technology in my class, that I am going to do something wrong. I guess we will see.

Lesson Plan

I learned a lot this week. I really enjoyed doing my lesson plan and had to go online to find valuable resources I would use in my classroom. I am really excited to present and look forward to class this week. I have been nervous about my website, and am still really confused so I hope it gets easier. I dont have much for this week sorry. :(

I also really liked this photo.

And another. Both are odd paintings, but give you a different mood. I thought it was interesting.

Technology for the Classroom

So there are so many different options to use in the classroom. My biggest concern is how am I giong to have the time to impliment technology in my classroom? I have written so many lesson plans in the last few weeks and there are so many things you need to add to your lessons that it seems so hard to include technology on a regular basis. I am not talking about PowerPoint or SMARTboard technology. I mean how do you use virtual worlds to interact with a classroom over seas. You would first need to find a time that you are both in school, since you are on such a differnet time schedule. Then it would take up an entire period just to work with the technology. My problem is, I cannot wait till 2:30 to have all my classes come in to interact on a virtual world with someone that comes from France. It would be much easier in an elementary classroom where I am able to work more with time. I just dont see how it would be possible for every class. I also am weiry about how much technolgy students are using. Our schools are run by such a 19th century thinking, that it is almsot hard to use technology and to help prepare students for the examinations. I dont mean teach to the test, but it will be difficult! Thats it for this week!!

New post

I was just playing with images on a blog sorry.

Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan: Comparing Education Around the World
I adopted this lesson from the VITAL website for English for Comparing Education Around the World. I would use this and adopt it for a French Lesson.
Grade Level- 7th
Time Required- 4- 40 minute classes
Part I: Learning Activity
1. Tell students that they will be learning about two classrooms from around the world. Before viewing the first segment, distribute copies of the Education Around the World handout (changed for use in a French classroom)
2. Tell students that they're going to watch a video segment about the culture in American classrooms.
3. After watching the segment, ask students what they remember about the classroom. Use a story map online to go over first segment. Replay the video, asking students to listen for specific information in order to complete the first column of the chart. Afterwards, students copy what you have written.
4. Tell students that they're going to watch another video about schools in other countries. This part of the video would be from a French classroom in France.
5. After watching the second segment, ask students what they remember about the classroom. As before, use a story map online. Have students write what I have written. Replay the video as needed in order to complete the chart.
Part II: Assessment
1. Students use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the differences between a French speaking classroom in France, and how we do things differently or similar in America.
2. Discuss completed Venn diagrams as a class. How are they alike? How are they different?
3. Completed Venn diagrams can be placed in student portfolios to demonstrate their understanding of this concept.
For students with additional help
1. Go over chart with students, marking similarities in one color and differences in another color.
2. Then, help students to organize the similarities and differences on the Venn diagram.
Resources:
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/vtl07.la.rv.text.lpcomped/

Additional Resource: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/neworleans/tguide/index.html#culture
After the two classes about comparing and contrasting the cultures, I would go over this pbs resouce about New Orleans. This would show how the French ended up in America and after they have compared and contrasted, they will watch this video and then would use their knowledge of education in differnet cultures and compare how these people must of felt after coming to America. This would introduce two cultures and then bring the knowledge they know and come up with a hypothesis about how these people adapted to the new world.