Twitter, nice, I like it. One of many social webs to communicate people from a far away, to learn what is going on around the word. I learned many facts, and sometimes I entertain myself with info that it is not relevant for me. How much was the royal Wed $50 million? . Unfortunately I don’t have much time to twitter, even when I like it. I hate when I started following somebody or something that’s is important for me, and in some point I end it up following or twitter about something else. I have my own account and I keep it only for personal things.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Key Assessment : YAP with a Story bird
Young Authors Project at Nature Ridge -
Using Story Bird Web Page
Young Author Project (YAP) consists of every Nature Ridge students creating his/her own book following the professional writing procedures. YAP includes formal literature content, material, methods and procedures to create a book. YAP project supports and sponsors the Parent Organization for Nature Ridge Elementary school. YAP formally starts with a formal author presentation. The author presents to students his/her writing material according to each level grade. The project continues with a complete formal writing process at a classroom setting. Finally, the project is presented to the school and parents with the sponsor to scholarly company.
Nature Ridge Elementary School is located in Bartlett Illinois. Since the doors open in 2001 a large number students. School year 2011-2012, offers grades K to 6 with a total enrollment of 775 students, with five different racial backgrounds. ELL students make up 38% of the total students’ population.
Nature Ridge has one ELL class for each grade level. The third grade class consisted in 19 students. Students’ dominant language is Spanish and come from a low income background. One of the main characteristics of this group is the lack of access and technology approach in the social and family setting.
As part of Nature Ridge, third grade bilingual class will be part of the YAP project which has to be completed in a period of 10 school days. PTO will provide a one blank book for each student, a library card, and a sticker with the students and teachers name.
PTO has been an active part of Nature Ridge Elementary school, specially involved in Young Authors’ Project to develop the literacy content. PTO has been promoting Young Authors for 5 years. PTO and Young Authors Committee are in charge to create the bases and conditions to develop the Young Author Project.
In order to create the Young Author’s book, the third grade ELL class must follow formal procedures and requirements for participation. An on-line using a story bird web page will be presented to 3rd graders. Also, in order to participate in the YAP, third graders students must follow the writing standards as well as the technology standards.
Session one
Students participate in a 35 minutes Author Presentation. This year was Jim Aylesworth author of Abe Lincoln.
The presenter provided his experience as a student, his step as a beginner writer, his first works, display books, read about their favorite book. And the many reasons and many ways to start develop and created a book.
Session two
Using authors’ collection, teacher’s read aloud one book every session.
In a chart paper, using a web diagram the authors’ presentation most relevant points are discussed and brainstormed.
Session three (technology session I)
Introduction to Story Bird .What is a story bird?
Story birds are short, art-inspired stories that are curiously fun to make, share, and read. Students can access and use the website by following simple and friendly steps. Users took a tour to get familiar with the page. Using story birds students encountered a huge number of visual arts, which help them to activate their imagination and help students to start and develop in writing more in depth their imagination and computer time allows them. The page offered a writing pattern temple for a story as a cover, introduction page and a complete process to publish their stories.
Story bird set proper level of writing, comments, also has a not function chat or personal profiles and the writing process could be done in any language.
Why we are going to use Story Bird?
As bilingual students and as part of Nature Ridge scholars, will begin their story using the visual elements that the story birds’ page offers. They have the opportunity to choose their part and generate their young authors’ story.
Session four (Technology session II)
Third grade students had the opportunity to explore the web page, as the same time were asked to think about the topics and the ideas that they would like to include (Prewrite) based on the clip art selection. As soon as the students select their art work, they start writing their stories. Students wrote their ideas down on the templates from beginning to end (Rough draft).
Session Five (Technology session III)
Students revisited the story bird page, and were guided and encouraged in making their writing content better by adding, cutting and elaborating their story (Revise).
Students were allowed to change their clip arts pictures, but not the content.
Session six
Students used their writing story elements but now in their young Author’s book. Students made corrections by checking spelling and capitalization before writing on the book. At this step students added illustrations, book information and formal procedures like dedication page and a table of content.
Session seven
April 21, 2011 third grade students publish their books at the book fair, sponsored by PTO and Scholarly Co.
Conclusion
The process of creating a book in a few days was very challenging not only for students, but for me as teacher as well. The used of the technology was very helpful in the process and kept everybody focused on the demanding guidelines for this task. It was evident that the third graders were not afraid to used story bird as a writing tool, as soon as they were familiar with this page and with the visual support; students were ready to work on the task. At the third session students were engaged and very excited to use this resource. I can conclude that the use of the technology with the third grades had positive and negative sides.
The positive aspect of using technology were present students were able to use other language than English in the program, also the opportunity to use a book temple in order to create a story, the simple writing format, and the visuals were an excellent approach to engage reluctant writers. In the other hand, we experience some disadvantages aspect when using technology. First the limited access to technology sessions, the restricted writing characters for page, and due to the students’ lack of knowledge using the computer was hard to handle 19 students learning the computer keyboard at the same time. Furthermore, most of the third grades will have the opportunity to access a computer and to the program only at school, due to their economic background. Finally, one factor that was also negative especially for ELL students was the lack of audio in the story bird program.
Reflection
In my future teaching practices I see myself getting familiar with technology and especially with pages similar as Story Bird. I will start to introduce my future students with a typing program and with a basic key board practice. As an educator I have been able to introduce and develop typing practices, so when students encounter programs like story bird, students can be able to use their computer time it’s maximal potential.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Vocabulary blog
EDU 6050
I read and review the “Improving vocabulary blog.org. The blog provides a number of facts and opinions that reflects the need of improving vocabulary in our elementary students. The blog specifically provides input to introduce and enhance vocabulary, using different strategies and tools.
The blog section that caught my central attention was the “vocabulary implementation techniques for ESL learners”. My interest in this blog was because vocabulary is one of my topics for my thesis; also, I have to recognize that being a new teacher in the United States educational system , I encounter the lack of professional knowledge regarding of how to implement vocabulary content for my ESL students.
After doing a lot of reading about vocabulary and reviewing the “improving vocabulary blog” subtopics, I am convinced of the many methods that ELL student’ needs in order to approach vocabulary content. The blog stated that vocabulary learning become a process of related subtask, it just not come naturally. When ESL learners first learn a word, they might guess at the meaning and attempt to apply to it usage. Being a 3er grade bilingual teacher has given me the opportunity to immerse my ESL students with a text contents only in English. I have been notice that depending on the English proficiency level the student might ask for a clear example, translation, look up in the dictionary, and try to guess the unknown word. Now I know that these methods are a natural process in the ESL learner.
Most likely the information that the blog provide are different strategies to approach vocabulary to ESL learners. The blog fulfill my expectations as ESL teacher. As an example is the vocabulary practice tips presented stated that English Language Learners can be master vocabulary by continue practicing and implementing the said rules. Vocabulary can be learning by definition, translation of implementation of the word in a real scenario. I understand that in order to master vocabulary it is crucial for ESL students to go beyond translation. As a teacher I need to make the connection between vocabulary and their personal life. In order to enhance the new vocabulary acquisition I have to be able to develop the relationship with the student background and culture.
As a new educator in the United States, I found the blog very interesting and friendly. The blog offer many activities to approach vocabulary to ESL students. The blog offers different approach that can be trigger to the different learning styles. The use of the computer, C.D.s, radio, television, audio center, and flash cards can help to approach the vocabulary to kinesthetic, visual and auditory ESL learners.
The blog offer many strategies, guides to implement vocabulary, and methods to enhance and practice vocabulary. One of the strategies that I put in place in my currently teaching is the use of the technology. Using software to build vocabulary at least twice a month is one of many strategies that students enjoy enormously.
Finally, I found vocabulary blog is a great opportunity for me to continue learning. The use of the technology and specially knowing about blog is like having a super mentor, or a best teaching friend with a lot of experience, recommendations, tips and information that is willing to share any time.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Technology standards
The first thing that I observed was the complexity of the standards. Not clear point were stablished in the 1998 standards. The two first set were focus on basic operations, basic understanding of techonogy system. at the 2007 were also some collaborative learning, thinking and collaborative skills. The next to set of standards mention the learning oportunities to suport the diverse need of learning. One huge similarity that I saw in all the standards , was the cultural an diversity diffrences and focus on peer participation. Also, all the standards include skills that engage learners in gathering, evaluating and using informtion.
One major difference that was presented in the two set of standards was the focus of the teacher instruction. One was pointed out the teacher technological skills, preparation and plan desing that corresponde to a classroom enviroment and experiences that will enhace the students' learning. In standadrs 2008 for the first time were mention students's PK to grade 12. will certanly include all our studetns population.
In ten years for now, I believe that a clear and specific connection have to be made between the standards and educational content. Changes about technology will have to be prove using students standards skills according to the students age and grade level.
One major difference that was presented in the two set of standards was the focus of the teacher instruction. One was pointed out the teacher technological skills, preparation and plan desing that corresponde to a classroom enviroment and experiences that will enhace the students' learning. In standadrs 2008 for the first time were mention students's PK to grade 12. will certanly include all our studetns population.
In ten years for now, I believe that a clear and specific connection have to be made between the standards and educational content. Changes about technology will have to be prove using students standards skills according to the students age and grade level.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Margareth Poem
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Monday, March 21, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
lesson plan (marvicgator.supermargarita@blogger.com)
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Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
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