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"Five Things I Wish I'd Known About Literacy": Blog

This article by The Confident Teacher tackles the problems usually faced when teaching literature. From stereotyping to struggling to engage, this article provides possible solutions to every issue. I really enjoyed how this article addressed things that many English teachers are doing wrong and showing them how to do it right.

Three things I learned:

  1. Teaching vocabulary is not as simple as handing a student a dictionary. A more effective way to teach would be to have them engage in activities where they share their background knowledge about the word at hand or engange is some other way.

  2. You cannot improve boy's reading skills by getting them to read about football. Such stereotypes can be damaging to a person's reading confidence. A boy might like football, but like to read poetry. If they try to read a football book and can't get through it, it will be discouraging and possible discourage them from reading at all.

  3. Having a general understanding of literacy and teaching literacy are two different things. When teaching literacy, you need to be engaging as to not lose student's attention.

In my classroom, I plan to make sure to have engaging assignments to keep students interested in vocabulary and literacy. I also plan to destroy stereotypes in my classroom and have students read what they are actually interested in, not what they think they should be interested in.

The Article:

Five Things I Wish I'd Known About Literacy by The Confident Teacher


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1haIF35H_I5PpseZz6hrZE7jn5pSbbCZ4534X_lb-QPw/edit?usp=sharing

"Selecting the Right edTech Tools... Every Time": edWeb

Often times, schools have money to spend on edTech tools but do not know how to spend it. This edWeb shares tips on how to make sure that teachers are purchasing the right technology tools for the classroom.

Things I Learned:

  1. Curriculum needs to be considered when purchasing software. Teachers often purchase software that has nothing to do with their curriculum. Considering curriculum before making purchases can help avoid purchasing something that they don't need.

  2. Student information systems need to be considered when purchasing software. The software needs to be able to work on the school's operating system.

  3. Small districts have less resource, so they need to be sure to find more affordable tech options. They could look for websites that are cheaper but still usable or they can look for websites with teacher discounts.

When applying this to my future, I will make sure to really consider software before I spend money on said software. Teacher voices also matter, so I will be sure to give suggestions where I feel needed and share my thoughts.

link to edWeb: https://media.edweb.net/edWebinar/?view=20211004edweb9

"Shake Up Learning Show with Kasey Bell:4 Projects That Go Beyond Traditional Assessment [interview with Jen Giffen]":Podcast

Sometimes, the typical student projects and assesments can get boring and disengaging. Kasey Bell and guest Jen Giffen discuss four engaging ways that technology can help spice up student projects and note taking in everyday classroom use. Assesments don't always have to be boring, and Kasey Bell does a great job of finding engaging platforms for students to use to awaken their creative side.

Three things I learned:

  1. Instead of having students give a normal presentation or report, give them the tools to make a podcast. This is more engaging because you can have your students listen to eachother's podcasts and give feedback. Students are also more likely to enjoy the material if it is presented by a peer in a creative way.

  2. Ignite Talks are a great storytelling tool. Students get 20 slides and 5 minutes to give a presentation. This helps them build their rehearsing skills, as well as their timing and storytelling skills. This works for many grades, and a teacher can edit how many slides a student has to use.

  3. Sketchnote is a fun way to take notes but more creatively. There are drawing options and interactive activities that can be incorporated. It is a great way to capture and hold student's attention.

These are all great things to incorporate into the classroom. I especially love the podcast idea. This could be fun to do book reports or book talks with as an English teacher. Sketchnotes would also be great to use for note taking in my classroom.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6BaepdkeY1Acxi3bCwjmnV


"7 Things Teachers Say to Create a Supportive Classroom": Edutopia

A teacher's words can impact a student's entire veiw of a class. This article discussed how what a teacher chooses to say during certain situations can make or break the foundation of a class. Instead of using discouraging phrases, try to use phrases to bulid student's confidence.

Things I learned:

  1. The phrase "I believe in you" is very impactful to a student's confidence in the classroom. Saying that you beleive in someone lets them know that you care as well as makes them more willing to try at assignments.

  2. Admitting that you've made a mistake makes you appear more human in the eyes of your students. They will be more confident in their actions if the realize that their teacher has made a mistake as well.

  3. Saying things like "You've really improved" and "I admire" can make a student feel special. If it is evident that you are monitoring their growth, they are more likely to feel as if they've grown, therefore will be more motivated.

I can use this in the classroom by making sure that I am always aware of what I am saying. I need to always be building a strong, trusting, and encouraging foundation with my students. Building them up will only improve their learning experiences, as well as their confidence moving forward in their academic and non academic lives.

The Article:

7 Things Teachers Say to Create a Supportive Classroom

https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-things-teachers-say-create-supportive-classroom

Social Media in Education: Twitter

Twitter is a popular social media platform. It is used by many, and is a great way for people from all around the globe to connect with others.

Things I Learned:

  1. Educators use Twitter to promote their ideas as well as connect with other educators.

  2. Twitter is a great recource for inspiration for lesson plans.

  3. Twitter suggests people you might want to follow based on your likes, so it might suggest one with great educators to follow.

I will use Twitter moving forward to get inspiration for future lesson plans as well as to learn about new technology and new teaching strategies for other educators.


Social Media in Education: Instagram

Instagram is a platform of social media that is heavily reliant on visuals and audios such as photos and videos. It is more like Twitter than it is Facebook, while still managing to be completely unique.

Things I learned:

  1. Hashtags are a great way to filter content. When using a hastag, it is easy to see specific posts relating to the hashtag.

  2. Students can get involved by posting pictures related to their schoolwork to a certain hashtag.

  3. Instagram is a great way for educators to share their ideas in a more visual way.

Moving forward, I plan to use Instagram to get ideas from other educators as well as have students experience education in a creative and collaborative way.