Someday Khan academy

Khan academy was a new discovery for me a year ago at the CUE conference. The teachers I work with and I came home so excited about utilizing the program with our students! Immediately I used the instructional videos in class for whole group instruction. However, beyond that, a year later I haven't been able to maneuver getting accounts for my under-aged (under age13)students.

When I went this year to CUE, a presentation was given by a fifth grade teacher who started using individual student accounts a year ago. The speaker, Paul Erickson, said the instructional videos are just the tip of the iceberg, and once accounts are used, students log on and perform tasks, move up levels, earn progress awards, and can work at their own pace to improve skills in mathematics.

With the implementation of the flipped classroom two weeks ago in my classroom, I can see how khanacademy could fit in very nicely to that concept idea. I've made my own instructional videos, and post them for students to watch at home, but with khanacademy having instructional videos included why couldn't that be part of the flipped classroom?

I'm working on a way of getting accounts, and/or continuing to do whole group lessons in class.

Besides the instructional videos being awesome on khanacademy, a really cool feature without having an account is the Vi Hart videos that combine math concepts with art.

Pages app

"Pages" app on iPad I utilized all last summer, as I was taking graduate courses. The applications of Pages are various. There are 16 templates for writing resumes, invitations, term papers, project proposals, recipes, various letter formats, blank, and flyers. I feel that the charge of $9.99 for the app was well worth it. Papers written can be emailed with a PDF or Word attachment. Files can include photos.
The photo attached to this blog post is part of a paper I wrote of a lesson plan for students making iMovies about geometric shapes. I'm feeling like my days of paper and pencil are ending!

Flipping the classroom

After two weeks of flipping the classroom with my fourth graders, I can see the benefits of such a concept. I was motivated to give it a try after attending the CUE conference in the middle of March. 

The idea is that the students watch instruction on a new concept at home, and then spend class time doing activities related to that concept. The teacher helps with what would have been homework pages, in class. In theory there's more time for work completion and hands on activities in class, if the teacher no longer is spending time lecturing.

I found and felt that I DID have more time to work directly with students in small groups and individually. Students could use pattern block manipulatives, as needed, when discoving fractional parts of those blocks.

The concern I have, so far, is that some students watch the instructional videos better than others at home. The active learners, did very well with the flip of the classroom. The students who had my videos on at home as background sound, with little effort to watch and understand, struggled in some ways.  One boy even admitted he watches less than a minute of the video and then turns it off, since I'm monitoring who logs on (on Edmodo) but can't see the duration of login time.

As I've said to my students, I can do a song and dance to teach them, but if they don't meet me half way by actively trying to learn,  there's not a whole lot I can do more than my 100%.  

So we had some talks about motivation to learn. Overall, the consensus was very positive by the students (and parents) about the flipped classroom. There was improvement during the two weeks in attention to watching the videos. I learned to require a short written example of what was taught each night, to show understanding.  Then we DID have more time in class to do the lesson activities.  I like the flip!

Dragon Dictation

One reason I'm starting a blog, is that at some point I'm going to have to write a book about teaching, parenting, interacting with and raising children.  I feel so lucky to truly love children. I always have!
When I was ten years old I started babysitting and I remember enjoying that so much. One of the first families I worked for, lived on our block and had four children.  There was a new baby all the way up to about age six. I got 50 cents an hour. I just loved the work!  
I can't say I always knew I'd be a teacher, but certainly it hasn't hurt, just enjoying what children say and do. 
I have some personal as well as professional stories about children and the blog is helping me get a feel for what public means, and how much to share. 
Last summer I took several graduate courses and in one of them on Inclusion, the professor told me I should write a book.  I had worked as a special Ed teacher through all of the stages of public laws in education since 1984, and had anecdotes to match the changes in law as the years went by.
I had personal stories as well, and experiences regarding inclusion even up until now, as a regular 4th grade teacher. Hard to believe now, that when I first started teaching my class was isolated in a portable and included for no regular Ed subjects!  Then there was a time in the early 90s when full inclusion for all, was the model.
Dragon Dictation is an app that I'm starting to utilize on my iPad, to start writing a book.  I tap on the screen, and my voice is recorded and the app types out what I've said.  I can read what I've said and make corrections as needed. I'm really appreciating this app!  Whether I use this method of recording to write a whole book or not, remains to be seen.  Right now though, this is the way!

iPhone iMovie

Yes, on my iPhone I have the iMovie app, and here's a little movie of my class's field trip today.
I used to take my iPad to places like this, but what a nice discovery that I can use the same app on my smaller, more convenient to carry iPhone.
The background music is tricky, because some songs aren't approved on YouTube to publish. This was the third song I attempted to publish and it worked. This is the second Creed song that I could use to attach to an iMovie.
The field trip to Abalone Cove and Point Vicente Interpretive center proved to be a wonderful hands on experience for the students. A peaceful, cool, fun day.
http://youtu.be/HUTm6q2wk90http://youtu.be/HUTm6q2wk90

Smule Auto Rap

Just for something different to do with students, have them make a rap about content you want them to learn.  Give a two sentence definition of what perimeter means, for example, and use the app called "Smule Auto Rap".
I had my students each make one about a geometric shape, the attributes of the shape chosen.
Here's a quick iMovie showing how I made a very simple rap about perimeter. Fun and quick to do! Entertaining for the students to do occasionally. :)http://youtu.be/WkDINxaZNfk

Edmodo

Edmodo is an app I use to post homework videos (see Educreations post I wrote previously). Students each log on, and because I've started to flip the classroom, they spend time at home watching the instructional videos. Then at school they do their class work and homework with me!

On Edmodo, students ask questions, and follow guidelines of making relevant comments, related to school work and school.

Super easy to set up an Edmodo page, user friendly, and a great place to store my instructional videos (in an online library in folders).

Modern technology; how did I survive before without it! :)