Reflections on Module 10

I think this was the most beneficial chapter we have read this semester. It primarily dealt with how to find a job, secure it, and excel in your profession. It explained how to develop a professional portfolio with unit plans, syllabi, objectives, lesson plans, videos, assessments, etc. One program that I wish I would have bought from the school is Chalk and Wire. It keeps hold of your old educational assignments. You organize it so that potential employers can look at the work you have done in the past. I really wish I would have invested in the program, now that it is time to start looking for jobs. My biggest objective for the break is to create my own Professional Portfolio probably using a blog like this one. I'll have to sort through my computer, old emails, and blackboard to find the old assignments that I have turned in for past education courses.

Resource for the Week

I'm not sure how many plan on teaching in Florida... but I really like the website for the Florida Memory Project. It has a ton of photographs, videos (some I can't seem to work), exhibits, and class activities. I really like the idea of using this site to bring a topic home for your students. For example, while working on a civil rights unit in Tallahassee, teachers could bring up CK Steele and the bus boycott. I really wish more teachers would do this... because I especially love learning about local history!

Using Rubrics

One thing I love about education courses is that all of my professors are very good about providing rubrics for their assignments beforehand. When I am completing assignments, I usually have my rubric set out in front of me. Coming from a student perspective, I really find rubrics beneficial, and I wish more professors/ teachers would take the time to create them for their students. It really helps students understand teacher's expectations. Rubrics should be clear and concise. I think it is best if rubrics are available to their students before or while they are completing the assignment. Rubrics are also good to pull out if parents or guardians need help understanding their child's grade on a specific assignment.

Thought I'd share this site that helps teachers create checklists/rubrics for different types of assignments and different grade levels.

Hope this helps :)
http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/checklist.shtml

Resource for the Week

Teaching the Holocaust:



Yad Vashem Holocaust museum has some great sources to use when studying the Holocaust. The learning environment has a bunch of activities to do online. It also has recommended lesson plans to include in your curriculum. It has a bunch of first-hand accounts, photographs, and primary documents for students and teachers to explore. It also has interactive maps of World War II Europe, listing the concentration and death camps.

I also signed up for the monthly newsletter for educators... if anyone else would be interested.

http://www1.yadvashem.org/yv/en/education/learning_environments/index.asp

Teacher Talk

Something that has worried me about becoming a teacher, is speaking effectively in front of a class. I have had trouble in the past accurately expressing my thoughts and have worried that I might stubble on my words while teaching in front of a class. I took a speech class and did well when presenting speeches. I noticed that I just had to plan well and rehearse frequently. Some things that our book points out are to avoid talking too much, talking too fast. It also mentions that you should ask for frequent checks in comprehension and that you should be sure that you are being heard and understood. It is also important not to assume that your students know something or are familiar with a certain term. The last thing it says to avoid is monotone talk. This is one of my fears as well. I fear rehearsing too much to the point where it sounds unnatural and monotone. The book also points out some other good planning tips for talking to the class, such as monitoring delivery and using plenty of examples while presenting your lesson.

Resource for the Week

http://www.archives.gov/education/

Hey guys,
I found this site and I thought it was pretty cool. It has a bunch of pre-made history lessons that are centered around using various primary documents. It is easy to search too! Just look for the time period that your interested in.

Reflection on Module 6

Module 6 of Kellough & Carjuzza discusses different student-centered instructional strategies. The chapter includes pedagogical opposites such as delivery mode v. access mode of instruction. It also discussed the differences between direct experience and direct teaching. I also learned a great deal about ways to get the whole class involved in discussions. Classroom layout plays a big part in class participation. Another important aspect covered was group learning. I am big supporter of learning in pairs and I really like the think-pair-share approach. Learning in pairs and groups can help support the ELLs in your classroom. These methods are also good to get the whole class participating in the discussions. The chapter also talked about using educational games in the classroom. I think games are easy ways to motivate the class while incorporating higher thinking skills. Educational games have many positive purposes in the classroom. This section has really encouraged me to find my own educational games to use in my future class. K&K listed a few that I hope to check out in our library sometime, such as The Amistad Incident: A Classroom Reenactment by T. Levy and The Pullman Strike of 1894 in OAH Magazine of History by J. Bassett.

Presenting the Holocaust in the Classroom

Hi guys,
I am currently taking a course The Holocaust in Historical Perspective and my professor brought to my attention this great website. I thought I'd share this site with all of you who are interested in teaching social studies. This site have a bunch of translated primary documents.


The Nizkor Project: www.nizkor.org
A really great web-hunt could be created using this site. There is information on each major player of the Holocaust. There is also a great deal on the various camps created during the period. There is work done regarding the Nuremberg Trials. There are transcripts, documents, and pictures from the trials. Last but not least, there is an Archive section which includes e-books, and documents from just about any organization or person related to the period. There are quite a few suggested books that are great to help you also learn more about the topic. My favorite part of the site is the 66 Questions and Answers about the Holocaust. These questions provide evidence against Holocaust Deniers. It takes a look at what Holocaust denial theorist propose and combats against them with specific evidence (and links to this evidence).