Great comments and insight throughout this blog!
Please take the time to complete the assignments located in your course syllabus. (If you have not already done so)
Remember that you may send them to me via email or snail mail. I look forward to seeing your ideas for this course and creating action in your classrooms.
Please comment in this blog entry on how your classroom will be a better place for learning after taking this class.
If you have any questions please give me a call at (920) 540-2538
Laugh Often,
Dan Slowey
4 comments:
I know that my classroom will be a better place for learning. This class had lots of user friendly ideas that are so easy to implement. I especially liked the ideas on better assessments and learning strategies. I used some of the evaluation ideas in my classroom and the students loved it. Rather than giving them a traditional social studies test, I had them get into groups and create a skit with required elements from the chapter. They really got into this, and I know the information stuck with them. One of the parents even emailed my principal and told her how creative I was!! My classroom has definitely changed for the better!
I’m just about done with all of the assignments for our Kick It Up class and I’m feeling a little nostalgic. I had so much trouble with my computer in the beginning of the class that I thought at first that I would have to drop out. But thanks to a computer whiz at my husband’s office (and the installation of “Firefox”) I finally was able to actually GET to the web site and jump in and discover and enjoy what on-line classes are all about-communication with class members any time, day or night and even wearing PJ’S if you want “to class”. This has been good for me. It really did make me “kick it up” and get excited about education again. Going from a full time teacher to a substitute teacher, I felt that I had very little opportunity to do my own thing. But now with a long-term position starting soon for the rest of the year, I will actually be able to infuse a little of myself into the classroom. I enjoyed the Jensen text and will use many of the ideas I came across. I particularly liked the brain-based ways to prevent discipline problems and the music in the classroom chapter. I also think that what Jensen says about teachers needing to take care of themselves if they want to be successful educators is so true. Sometimes we’re all so busy with work and even life, we forget that important fact. I'm ready to be back in a school daily. And with all this great information, the students I will be working with most certainly will benefit. One Jensen statement sticks with me in particular. “Demonstrate an attitude of gratitude.” Optimism is contagious. Pass it on. Thanks everyone. I enjoyed it!
My classroom is a better place after taking this class, because I am implementing ideas from our fabulous text. I have the desks in my room arranged in a U-shape instead of rows. This allows me to more easily access students and creates a better set-up for partner, small group and larger group work. I have students actively engaged in classroom activities; they don’t sit still for the whole hour. Students act out skits, write on the board and do a variety of activities. I also use a variety of alternate assessment techniques. For example, my German II students are developing posters and presentations to show their mastery of adjective endings and German holidays. I never lecture for the whole hour; instead I incorporate multiple shorter activities. On a personal level, I am trying to interact more with other “difficult” staff members. It is fun to give at least three different people compliments every day.
I really enjoyed reading the text. I found many great ideas and suggestions. I have incorporated a few ideas from music to dealing with problematic co-workers. I am looking forward to student's poems about the quadratic equation and student's review posters. I have approached my principal about the text and he is also interested in reading it.
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