Blog Due Friday, December 7, 2012

Blog Title:  My Favorite Internet Teaching Resource(s)

As you prepare lessons and activities to present during the 3rd six week grading period, recommend your new favorite internet site(s) that can be shared with your classmates. 

• For what devices is the site best suited? (iPad, SMART Board, computer, Smart phone, etc.)
• What makes this site outstanding?
• Why did you select this site over others? 
• Name some unique features you will use. 
• Offer suggestions for use in the classroom. 
• What grade level and/or content area would it best be suited for?
• Include the links to this source (and others) on your blog. 

Here are some places to start looking: 

Lesson Planning Resouces

BISD Instructional Technology Picks

BISD iLearn Resources to Reinforce TEKS and STARR Objectives

Title of Blog: Field Trips are Fun and Educational

Blog Due on Wednesday, October 17
Virtual Field Trip is due on October 19.  Read entire assignment for explanation.

Title of Blog:  Field Trips are Fun and Educational

Field trips are an important part of the learning process.  The experience of seeing something in person versus reading about it in a book is beyond comparison.  Due to budget cuts and an emphasis on testing, many school districts are cutting back on travel.  Students still need the experience of hands on learning, historical perspective, the existence of other cultures and new places - in other words, students need to broaden their horizons.

Blog assignment:  Due October 15

This week you will write about the best field trip you ever went on as a student.  Use the blog rubric for maximum points.

Virtual Field Trip Assignment:  Due October 19

In addition to the blog, you will create a "virtual field trip" using Prezi and the provided links to field trip resources.

You will create a virtual field trip using materials and pictures you collected from the State Fair of Texas OR You can use any of the resources below.  Use the internet to find pictures, video clips and visuals for the project.

Before you begin the project, do your homework and consider the following.

1. What is the objective of the trip?
2. What is the projected outcome of the field trip?
3. Where does it fulfill the TEKS?  Is it age appropriate?
4. Obtain information, costs, times from the facility.
5. What is your budget?
6. Follow steps that are needed in order to get field trip approval
7. District requirements (number of students to chaperones)
8. Transportation requests
9. Parent permission forms
10. Correspondance to parents / other teachers... 

Resources to use or use your own.

• Why and how to plan a field trip. Before and after.
• Fieldtripfactory
• Ft.Worth
• Classtrips
• Apple field trips
• HUD
• Virtual Field Trip guide to Texas

Use Prezi as the platform for your virtual field trip.

When you finish your Prezi virtual field trip, you will either embed it on your blog or hyperlink it.  Give a brief written introduction to your Prezi presentation.  Follow the Prezi rubric for maximum points.

The Blog is due on October 15.
The virtual field trip will be due on October 19.

Set Up Your Blog!

Blog Due:  Friday, September 14

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 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!

Welcome to Blogging in BCTAL 901!

This is the Education and Training blog for Classroom 901 at BCTAL.  All prompts will be found on this blog. It is your responsibility to check this blog regularly so that you can meet all deadlines. 

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.  

• Year I Interns will need to include two sources of media.  
• Year II Interns will need to include three sources of media.

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

Here is the rubric showing how you will be assessed.

Criteria	Points	Score
Quality of Writing Interesting style and voice Informative and reflective Organized	10
Writing Mechanics Grammar Punctuation Spelling Capitalization	15 1- for each error
Presentation Formatting Font Background Title	5
Multimedia (1 should cite reference; 1 should link to original article if possible) Yr II - 3 sources, Yr 1 - 2 sources Multimedia enhances post Adds perspective	10
Deadlines – Blog is posted by deadline (no late grades).  Blogs due on Friday of week assigned.	10
TOTAL	50

Blog Due May 11

Title:  My Year as an Intern

Read the poem, Roller Coaster.  As you read, reflect on this past year as an intern in the Education and Training program.  What have been some of your ups and downs at your field site?

The author refers to nausea.  What was yours?

The author refers to elation in the next to last stanza.  What was your elation this year?

Near the end, the author refers to being "forever committed." How have your experiences shaped your decision to become a teacher or not?  Describe experiences from the year that confirmed your decision.  What have you learned from your mentor, through his/her actions or advice, that you will carry with you?

If you could change anything about your actions, performance, participation, etc. at your field site classroom, what would it be?  How would you have done it differently?

(Remember to attach at least 2 different types of media examples to your post:  graphics, video, link, etc.  Make sure to cite the source(s) which you are referencing.)

Blog Due March 23

Title:  High School Teacher Creates New Educational App


Read this:  Article from eClassroom News

Describe how the app, eNotebook, that Kevin Giffhorn developed, could be useful to a student.  Think about it's usefulness for elementary, middle and high school and college.  How could you find it useful?

Watch this video showing how quickly you can create an app.

Have you ever thought about developing an app for your phone, tablet or computer?   How about one for the classroom?  What would it do?  How would it be beneficial to the user?

Blog Post Due on March 9

Year I Interns - Title:  The Ron Clark Story

Identify three rules that you feel were the most important in Ron Clark's classroom management.  Discuss why.  Create two rules of your own that you will include on the list of rules for your future classroom.





Year II Interns - Title:  Beyond the Blackboard

Identify two of the biggest problems Stacey Bess encountered as a teacher at the homeless shelter.  Not knowing what your future as a teacher holds, speculate on what some of the obstacles (at least two) might be in your future teaching position.  Be sure to identify the grade level/content area if that is relevant in your response.