Reflection Day 2
June 12, 2008 by writingwithtechnology
What did I learn today that I will take back to my classroom?
Has this class made me more or less aware of the possibilities of meeting the diverse learning styles of my students?
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I am creating a vertical file of images and a list of image websites for use in my classroom, but I am also including a powerpoint of multiple journal prompts, most of which include an image of some sort. I’ve been needing to update and organize my journal prompts for some time now, and using images has been a real boost for me, and I’m sure it wil be for my kids. I try to do journal prompts once a week, and since I do the same journal prompt for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, I cannot use the same prompts every year–I have to wait three years to recycle.
I’m toying with the idea of having the kids include images with their journal writings, but that would produce some difficulties, since I don’t have enough computers in my classroom for every student. Even if they are talented artists and wish to draw, I would imagine that would take more time than I usually allow for journal writings. We could also go to a lab, but again more time than we usually spend. Maybe I should have them choose one or two pieces per quarter to polish and add images to. I’m still mulling that over.
I enjoyed this class and am contemplating turning my kids loose to take photos the way we did yesterday. Since I teach Mass Media, my students are usually focused (no pun intended) on taking pictures of people, so it would be interesting to let them go and say “no people in today’s photos”
Again, using images to engage students is a great reminder for me. They are usually more visually inclined than verbal-centered me, so relating the material to them in a meaningful fashion will be refreshing for them and for me.
Adapting Bio-Poems to my content area, I have done this before with my Junior High kids, and wow, they were awesome!!! I haven’t used these for a couple of years though, so I’m planning on using them again this year. I have also been working on a Vertical file for my students to use when researching artist and also for brain breaks. (HA HA gotta love Kagen!!), I have found several sites with fun educational art games. This will give them a break from their text books or supplement them. I would love to turn my students loose with cameras, I actually have tried this with J.H Kids and I didn’t get what I expected, I have also given my H.S students some freedom with the camera, for art projects, but I have yet to incorporate writing with these particular projects. I would like to find a way to do so. Class has been wonderful. I’m glad I had a few days to write something again. NO time, where does all the time go?
I am having a very hard time creating the Bio poem. I usually like creating poems, but this week I am in a funk. I just can’t do this. I know this is what our students feel like and I am trying to write through this, but it is crap – all crap. I can’t may the words come and part of the problem is this computer. I hate creating poems on the computer. I would rather be in my apartment with a pencil and a notebook.
The vertical file, I think, is a wonderful idea. I am going to try and create a journal prompt with a visual image for every week. My students usually write to a prompt on Fridays every week. I think if I could get everything organized it would help cut down on planning time during the year.
The one thing I am most excited about from today’s class is the writing a bio poem from the perspective of a famous person, in my case, a composer. I love the idea of incorporating acquired knowledge into an expressive art form, complete with a digital picture. It brings meaning, personal connection, and life to learning. I will definitely use this idea with my students when we study composers in upper elementary classes.
This class have gifted me with a multitude of teaching strategies that are easily adaptable to any content area and grade level. These strategies will allow me to reach a broader spectrum of students, each with varying abilities. I love the creativity involved, the digital images, and the possibilities.
Here are a few sites I thought were pretty good Brigantine site was awesome, it worked yesterday, but I couldn’t get it to work today!!
http://www.brigantine.atlnet.org/GigapaletteGALLERY/websites/ARTiculationFinal/MainPages/Reviews%20and%20Resourcesmain.htm “Awesome Site !!!!!!
http://www.alifetimeofcolor.com/study/g_art_elements.html “Art games mainly elementary, some HS
http://www.milliande.com/Creative-Writing-Prompts-Photo-Prompts-Boys.html
“Photo writing prompts hard to navigate, but neat when you find what you want.
Wow! What a productive day! I wrote a biopoem and have put together a powerpoint file with 13 (and counting) writing prompts for my environmental science class. I would like to have enough prompts to make it through the class. Since it is only a semester I’m well on my way. I’m trying to decide if I should start with Monday or wait until Friday. In the past I have just sprinkled journal prompts throughout the course with no set schedule.
I also polished my I am poem. I really had fun with my biopoem. I actually got to write about slugs!
I will use all of this great material in my classroom. After actually doing the writing I will have my students attempt I know exactly how hard it will be for some of them. Others will take off with it.
The creativity in the class was awesome!
Thanks!
I will take back to my class many ideas. My intent was to use the class to develop a set of pictures from my History of Science trips that I could use in class when I have a computer and projector at the front of the room. I have learned much more.
There are many opportunities to incorporate writing into the curriculum. The type of writing prompts as well as the types of pictures and end products that can be created are diverse. The incorporation of pictures and text I think will promote writing with students. Having gone through this course, I am going to try to incorporate more writing with prompts in my science classes.