Blog Due Friday, December 13, 2013

Title:  An Adventure for _____ Graders (content area) at the Perot

We visited the Perot Museum of Nature and Science on December 4.  Put on your teacher hat and create a learning experience related to one or more of the TEKS for your classroom and add the material you gathered.  When your post is finished, you will embed it on your blog.  

Where to start:

Begin by setting up an account in Prezi.  

Save to Public.  Be sure to give a brief description of what your Prezi is about.

Follow all of the requirements listed on the Prezi rubric.  Click here for a link to the Prezi rubric.

Here is an examples of what your page may look like:

I visited the Perot Museum of Nature and Science on December 4, 2013.  Please view my presentation about the activities and ideas that I collected that would enhance learning in the classroom.

(This example was created by Mrs. Stevens, BCTAL 905.)

Blog Due Friday, November 15, 2013

Title:  Initiative

 

 

Definition

in·i·ti·a·tive

iˈniSH(ē)ətiv/

noun

noun: initiative; plural noun: initiatives; noun: the initiative

1.

the ability to assess and initiate things independently.

"use your initiative, imagination, and common sense"

 

2.

the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do.
"we have lost the initiative and allowed our opponents to dictate the subject"

 

Assignment

You are now beginning your third week as an EAT intern.  You should begin to get a feel for what needs to be done in your classroom.  You should begin to show initiative in your classroom.  The assignment this week is as follows:

 

1.  What does initiative mean to you?  In your own words please!

2.  Make a list of at least 10 ways you can show initiative as an EAT intern in your field site classroom. (whether you have actually done them or not)
3.  Find at least five words that are synonomous with initiative.  List them.

3.  Write a paragraph that indicates some actual things you did during the week to show initiative in your classroom.  How did this impact your mentor teacher or students? 

4.  Why is initiative such an important characteristic for a teacher to possess?

 

This blog is due on Friday, November 15.  Follow the rubric for best results. 

Blog Due October 25, 2013

TMI: (Lack of) confidentiality in the schools

Patti Hartigan, a former reporter/critic/columnist for the Boston Globe, became very interested in public education when she had three children within 17 months and became immersed in their activities at school.  Read about her thoughts of confidentiality (or lack of it) as it relates to volunteers in the classroom on the True/Slant website.

Have you ever thought about the fact that you, as a teacher, could be fired for sharing confidential information?  However, those who volunteer in your classroom can discuss some of the same issues - which child has ADHD, who has a sensitive medical condition, who was sent to the office for misbehaving, which child is failing, who had a temper tantrum last week, and more without any repercussions.   

Should schools have a confidentiality policy for volunteers?  Visit the BISD volunteer partnership page on the BISD website.  Fill out the volunteer application so that you can read the expectations of a volunteer and read the confidentiality policy.  (You do not have to submit the application.)  What is your opinion of the application?  Does it give enough information to new volunteers?  Too much information?  What do you think?

How should a volunteer policy be enforced?  Knowing that volunteers are an integral part of the school workforce, how do you make sure that you set an expectation for all to respect student's privacy without "firing" crucial members of your campus family?  Discuss your ideas as if you were a campus principal.

This video will remind you about the information that must remain confidential when working with them.

 

Blog Due October 4, 2013

Title:  Reframe This Situation!

Read the scenarios below.  Choose ONE of the potential situations you could encounter in your internship.  Post an entry on your blog that reframes the outcome by generating a solution that would be an appropriate and professional way to handle the situation as an EAT intern.  Your response should have clarity while avoiding vague recommendations.

Scenario 1

You left campus for lunch and when you returned to campus you missed the bus that transports EAT interns to your field site campus.  You don’t have a car, but your boyfriend (girlfriend) said that he (she) could take you to your field site.  You took him (her) up on the offer.  When you boarded the bus to return to your home campus, another intern asked why you weren’t on the bus earlier.  You asked the intern not to point this out to your EAT teacher, Mrs. Cragmire, since no harm was done.

Scenario 2

You are at your EAT field site.  Although you know you are supposed to have your phone put away at your field site, you check it and see that you have a message from another intern in your class.  He said that he had an early dismissal and left the field site campus just a little early, but when he did, he forgot to sign out.  You think this is a bit strange because you never saw him ride the bus to your field site in the first place, but you agree to sign him in and out because you want to let him know he can trust you.  After all, Mrs. Flipflop, your EAT teacher, stressed that it is important to establish relationships with your students and others with whom you work.

Scenario 3

You have just arrived at your field site.  Your teacher is absent and you have a substitute.  Previously, you have been in charge of monitoring the reading groups each day, and even though you were not aware that your mentor teacher would be gone, you know that you need to follow the routine so the students will progress. The substitute tells you that she has everything under control and you may leave because there is nothing for you to do. You decide your field site mentor will have plenty of time to get the reading groups caught up tomorrow so you go to the classroom next door where your EAT friend is interning.  The two of you move to the corner of the room and work on homework the rest of the period so you won’t disturb anyone.

Scenario 4

You are about to change into your field site attire and realize you have forgotten your field site shirt and name badge.  The bus will be leaving in three minutes.  You have on jeans with holes, and a low cut top.  You saw Mrs. McGillicutty, your BCTAL EAT teacher, at your field site yesterday.  Since you think she will not be stopping by to visit interns at your field site, you hop on the bus without your EAT attire, taking your chances that you will not be discovered.  After all, if your field site mentor teacher and principal don’t say anything, there is no harm done, right?

Blog Due on Friday, September 20, 2013

Title:  How My Digital Footprint Will Affect My Future

Information about your life in a digital footprint becomes public by being copied and passed on so that it can be searched and viewed by a large, invisible audience.  Information in a digital footprint is often permanently online, because it is archived in a variety of ways and passed on by others without your permission.

View the video, Abba's Story.  In your blog post, discuss some of the messages and themes that stand out to you in this video.  What does Abba mean when he says, "I feel like there's nothing there that brings me down?"

Do you think you should judge someone (or be judged) solely based on what you find out about them online?  Why or why not?  Give examples to support your opinion.  You may want to included anecdotes, testimonials, and more, but do not include names of real people if  your example would cause harm. 

 

Information you post today could affect yourself and others in the future -- for better and for worse.  Any online material may affect you as you  apply to college or think about future jobs and opportunities.  Considering that you have the ability to shape your online profile, discuss ways that you could present an image you could be proud of.

(Remember to follow the rubric for construction of your post.  Be mindful of content, writing mechanics, formatting, media sources, and the due date.)

My FEA Moment

Due:  Tuesday, September 10, 2013

One of the competitions in Future Educators is called the FEA Moment (national) or the TAFE Moment (state).  It showcases students in the organization whose Future Educators experience has been a convincing factor in his or her decision to become an educator.

The August/September 2013 edition of GO teach, the official magazine of the Future Educators Association, features Kayla Billington, a student from Prosper High School in Prosper, Texas.  Read her FEA Moment and make a COMMENT on this page on what you read.  

Set Up Your Blog!

Due:  Monday, September 9, 2013

Set up your own blog by visiting blogger.com.  Blogger is part of your Google account.
To log in, use your Gmail user name and password.  Then select "Blog."
Set up a template that is professional for this class and easy to read.  Show your page to Mrs. Kallas before finalizing.

Bookmark your blog on your computer.
Record your log in, user name, and password in your "secret" folder.

Create a greeting POST for your blog.  It should welcome readers and indicate what your blog is about.  Of course, your blog is designed to comment on issues and topics that are current in the field of education.  It is designed for you to think critically and respond intelligently to hot topics. Your greeting post does not have to include media, but think about how you can use formatting and pictures to make it interesting.

HAPPY BLOGGING!

Blogging in EAT 901 2013 -14

This is the Education and Training blog for Classroom 901 at BCTAL - a web log that we will use as a forum for you to express your thoughts and feelings about the world of education throughout your journey in Education and Training. It is your responsibility to check this blog regularly so that you can meet all deadlines. Blogs not finished during class time must be completed on your own time.

POSTING:
You will create your own blog.  This is where you will POST a response to my prompt on your blog.  Here are some quick guidelines on how to make a good POST.  Expert blogger, Darren Rowse, offers ten tips that will help you become an expert blogger.
Ten Tips for Writing a Blog Post


COMMENTING:
Other times I will ask for a COMMENT.  You will comment directly on my blog.  A comment is exactly what the name implies.  It is short and to the point.  It gives your opinion in a short amount of words.  In many cases, it may be a sentence or less. 

GUIDELINES:
All posts and comments must be concise, contain meaningful content, avoid the use of inappropriate language or content, and make attempts to use proper writing mechanics - grammar, spelling, capitalization and punctuation.  

All interns will need to cite the reference material on which they are commenting.

All interns will need varied sources of media that include related pics, videos, links, etc.

Here is the rubric showing how you will be assessed.

Criteria	Points	Score
Quality of Writing, Organized Interesting style and voice Informative and reflective	10
Writing Mechanics Grammar Punctuation Spelling Capitalization	15 1- for each error
Presentation Formatting Font Background Use of color Title	5
Multimedia (1 should cite reference; 1 should link to original article if possible) Include pics, links to other sources, videos, etc. Dupliciation of types does not earn extra points,. Multimedia enhances post Adds perspective	10
Deadlines – Blog is posted by deadline (no late grades).	10
TOTAL	50

Spring 2013 Final Part 4

Title:  Test Your Knowledge

(Worth 25% of final exam grade)


EAT this Quiz!  This should be easy as pie!  Take the online quiz over a few of the things you should have learned this year in your Education and Training class.  It won’t take long.  Worth up to 25 points.  Click here and be sure and sign in with your name.  One attempt only. 

You DO NOT need to create a post for this.  Be sure to record your score on your score sheet immediately after taking it.

Spring 2013 Final Part 3

Title:  Reflection:  If I Could Do It All Over

(Worth 25% of final exam grade)

Reflection:  re·flec·tion  Spelled [ri-flek-shuh n]  noun:   the act of reflecting or the state of being reflected.   

Reflection is good for the soul.  It is an excellent way to analyze and assess effectiveness. You should reflect on the past year or two years as the case may be - how you felt in the beginning and how you feel now that you have spent nearly an entire school year (or two) as a teacher intern. Are you more or less enthusiastic about becoming a teacher? Do you still think teaching is for you? If not, why? If so, elaborate on your reasons. How did you bring closure to your classroom experience? What were your feelings as you departed your classroom for the last time?  You should include at least two pictures from your site school experience. 

As always, use the rubric for maximum grading potential. 

Spring 2013 Final Part 2

Title:  Part 2:  Classroom Management

(Worth 25% of final exam grade)

You are the new Education and Training teacher hired for the 2013-14 school year.  You have decided to revamp some of the current policies and procedures to better serve students as they prepare for college and the world of work.  Select ONE of the areas below and write clear and concise policy for the Education and Training handbook.  Remember to include consequences when violations occur to the policy or procedure. 

• ·      Dress code for field sites
• ·      Transportation guidelines for field site travel
• ·      Due dates on assignments and late work

Spring 2013 Final Part 1

Title:  Part 1:  Select a TEKS and Corresponding Activity

(Worth 25% of final exam grade)

Visit the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for your class on the Texas Education Agency website (http://www.tea.state.tx.us). Using the field site classroom you were in this spring, select a TEKS for the grade level/content area.   Cut and paste it onto your blog.  Then, search for an activity that would help a student master the TEKS you selected. The activity should be an app or a web-based activity.  Link the app or the activity on you blog.  Follow with a brief explanation of the activity and describe what the desired student outcomes should be.

Blog Due Monday, May 20

Title:  In My Opinion - The Best Virtual Field Trip

It is approaching the end of the school year.  Financial resources at your school have been tight.  Your principal has just informed you (the teacher) that your class will not be able to take the planned field trip you had scheduled for next week.  You are disappointed and you know your students will be distraught as they were excited about the learning opportunity outside of the walls of your classroom.  Now what?

Wait!  You negotiate a reservation in the computer lab, and create an opportunity for your students to take a virtual field trip.  With little time to create one of your own, you scrammble to find one your students would love.  Read the eSchool News article, Ten of the Best Virtual Field Trips, and select the one you would choose for your students.  Be sure to click on the titles of each trip listed so you can go on the virtual trip. Explain why you would choose the trip, the grade/content it is for, what features you like about the trip, what the students would learn from the trip, and more.  I'll tabulate everyone's choices and see which one came out on top!

Want more to choose from?  Take a look at these reviews of some of the most popular virtual field trips.

More Virtual Field Trips



Blog Due April 25

Title:  How Do We Keep Our Students Safe and Secure in School?


For the first time, a civilian addressed the nation during the president's weekly address. Francine Wheeler, mother of six-year-old Ben Wheeler, who was killed in the Sandy Hook tragedy, addressed the nation encouraging citizens to push for stronger gun reform measures.  View her message below:

Sandy Hook Victim’s Mother Calls for Commonsense Gun Responsibility Reforms

Four months have passed since the murders of 20 students and 6 teachers. Discuss your feelings about the tragedy.  Do you agree that stronger gun reforms are the way to prevent tragedies such as Sandy Hook?  Or, do you feel teachers and other school personnel need to be allowed to carry fire arms?  Or, is there another option?

If you were responsible for improving the safety and security of American schools, what would your plans include?  Offer specifics and examples.

Blog Due February 15

Title: Teacher Toolbox Featuring Glogster

This blog assignment will be different from the others you have done.

You will be using the web 2.0 tool, Glogster, to create a teacher toolbox. 

Follow the directions on the link below.  It will take you to a sample glog (electronic poster) so you can get an idea of what a glog is. 

Your glog post will consist of the title, and the URL of your glog.  If it works, you are done!

Due dates:  Friday, February 15, unless you are a senior completing a scholarship or a TAFE member who is working on a state competition/event.  Your deadline will be extended.

Teacher Toolbox Glog Assignment

Blog due on Friday, February 1

Title:  Defending Your Decision to Teach

Read the article, Life 101:  Defending Your Decision to Teach, from the November/December 2012 issue of FEA's Go Teach magazine.

As you read, think about what you would reply to the question, "Why do you even want to become a teacher?"

Write your response.  Be sure to emphasize three points that make your decision solid.  Format your response in such a way that it is obvious what your three points are.  Give examples, testimonials, or support for your points.

If you can't reply affirmatively to this question, then discuss the concerns you have about selecting a career in education.  Again, you should have three points that outline your concerns.

Remember to follow the guidelines for referencing, giving credit where it is due, and including media in your post.

Formatting, spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization -- they are very important in your post.

Blog Due Monday, January 14, 2013

Title:  Am I a Procrastinator?

We have just rung in the New Year, and it is customary to make resolutions at this time.  In order to make meaningful resolutions and set attainable goals, it is important to reflect on our current actions.  

Read the following article about Overcoming Procrastination.

Click on this Link

Are you a procrastinator?  Do you procrastinate frequently, or does it only happen occasionally?  Create a new blog post to answer these questions by including the following:

Paragraph 1

Once you have read the article,  review the bullet points and select the one you think best pinpoints why you procrastinate.  Use examples of your behavior to support your selection. If you are not a procrastinator, select the bullet point that you think is most likely the reason why most people procrastinate.  Use examples of others you know to support your selection.  (No names - Do not throw others under the bus publicly.)

Paragraph 2

Read the suggestions in "How to Overcome Procrastination."  Select one or two of the bullet points that you think you can try this year to improve your performance in the classroom, on the job, your personal life, etc.  Comment about how you will try to use these suggestions to reduce procrastination.  

Remember to include the following in your post:

• Response is well-thoughtout.  Concise writing (few words hit the point) is better than rambling paragraphs. 
• Interesting layout through placement, use of text color, size, fonts, etc.
• Free of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization errors.
• Media is included in the following manner:
• Link to the media on which you are commenting
•  Two links to two different types of supporting material
• Other articles
• Websites
• Videos
• Graphics
• And more