Just recently received this via email. It is a 6:35 min. video where a renowned drummer breaks down rhythms into fractions! He shows how technology is used in creating music. Listen carefully, he says something quite profound about technology and creativity towards the end! I am passing this one on to some of my Math teacher friends!!! :-)
The Futures Channel / Hands-On Math___________________________________________________________________________________
The Rhythm Track
When students ask, "Why do I need math? I'm going to be a musician!", introduce them to world-renowned drummer Ndugu Chancler. This six-minute movie contains amazing drumming, a breakdown of the mathematics of rhythm and a professional's opinion on technology and creativity.
Watch this classroom favorite: http://www.thefutureschannel.com/dockets/realworld/the_rhythm_track/
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
StudyWiz Spark Survey
I found this survey interesting, yet not surprising at all. Most parents want technology integrated into their childrens' lessons and those parents are often quite involved. My experience with using Gaggle net proved that most of my parents wanted access to online updates on classwork, homework, and projects. With that in mind, I feel that school districts that have prohibited the use of emailed progress reports, should reconsider the decision. As a parent who gave teachers permission to email my child's progress reports, I felt it was a very useful tool. When teachers updated my child's grades, they were able to send the updated progress report immediately. I saw the emailed progress report as an effective use of technology as a parent communication tool.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
New Technology Standards: Administrators, Teachers, and Students
New technology standards for administrators should reflect the direction in which all globally competitive schools should go. I feel the administrator should model the use of technology, thereby raising the bar of expectation for the use of technology throughout the school. In the end, it will be the administrator who seeks funding for a globally competitive, state of the art school.
No, administrators have enough to consider without additional standards outside of the School Improvement Plans. As a future administrator, my overall reaction to the current administrative standard is just a concern over what the revisions may mean for me as an administrator, teacher, and friend.
No, administrators have enough to consider without additional standards outside of the School Improvement Plans. As a future administrator, my overall reaction to the current administrative standard is just a concern over what the revisions may mean for me as an administrator, teacher, and friend.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Gaggle Net
www.gaggle.net is a safe, free website that I used with all my classes last year. Its use had to be approved by Central Office, but once we got it, I used it!
Gaggle allows the teacher to set up accounts for students. The teacher sets the amount of access the students have to other classes or students throughout the school. Students can send email, chat, blog, and use the message board (which is similar to our Blackboard discussion board.) Another wonderful feature is that parents can use Gaggle to view the teacher's blog.
Students could set up profiles and blogs using their own photos. All photos were sent to the teacher's email for approval, so very few inappropriate photos were submitted. Any questionable language used on a blog, in an email, or in a chat was sent to the teacher. Many students lost their chat privileges because of the language they used.
I set up a profile and blog on Gaggle net for parents and students. I used my blog to post homework assignments, projects, rubrics, and as a means of communicating with parents. My blog had a few thousand hits over the course of the school year.
In the message board, I assigned literature discussion questions and writing assignments. Students could email their assignments and post their writing assignments to their digital lockers provided by Gaggle. The digital locker provides students with a place to save and store their work for any class.
Once one teacher sets up accounts for students, the students could use that account for any and all classes. Teachers have full access to each student's account, so if any problems arise, teachers can suspend student privileges.
Just wanted to share information about Gaggle net. Teachers liked it, students and parents loved it!
Gaggle allows the teacher to set up accounts for students. The teacher sets the amount of access the students have to other classes or students throughout the school. Students can send email, chat, blog, and use the message board (which is similar to our Blackboard discussion board.) Another wonderful feature is that parents can use Gaggle to view the teacher's blog.
Students could set up profiles and blogs using their own photos. All photos were sent to the teacher's email for approval, so very few inappropriate photos were submitted. Any questionable language used on a blog, in an email, or in a chat was sent to the teacher. Many students lost their chat privileges because of the language they used.
I set up a profile and blog on Gaggle net for parents and students. I used my blog to post homework assignments, projects, rubrics, and as a means of communicating with parents. My blog had a few thousand hits over the course of the school year.
In the message board, I assigned literature discussion questions and writing assignments. Students could email their assignments and post their writing assignments to their digital lockers provided by Gaggle. The digital locker provides students with a place to save and store their work for any class.
Once one teacher sets up accounts for students, the students could use that account for any and all classes. Teachers have full access to each student's account, so if any problems arise, teachers can suspend student privileges.
Just wanted to share information about Gaggle net. Teachers liked it, students and parents loved it!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Welcome!
Hello everyone!
I am excited to have a little fun with this blog business! Looking forward to exchanging ideas through blogs!
See you!
I am excited to have a little fun with this blog business! Looking forward to exchanging ideas through blogs!
See you!
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