WEBWOW

When teaching using a web-based curriculum I have to get some of the fun and interesting aspects of the web.  I want my students to realize the "cool" "engaging" "fun' parts of the web.  I do not want my students to associate everything that can be done online with the (lets face reality) a bit dry software they complete their work on. 

I introduced two of my favorite web 2.0 sights, maybe you've heard of them, maybe not but they rock and are part of what is awesome about the web.  Peace and Love.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/

http://www.ted.com/

Drive

Where does drive come from?  Is there a magic formula or recipe for the motivation, self control and attitude that is required for a person to reach their potential?  High School students are the antithesis of opposition to motivation.  How then to motivate, keep them interested, give them hope to keep moving forward in their education?  This is the challenge, to make the content relevant enough, the learning dynamic enough, that students feel the relevance to their lives.  It doesn’t come easy and it’s never cheap but all a teacher can do is try, to ignite the fire of education, to hold court on rampart of fools and give them a muscle to chew on.   Bring forth the assault, let loose the hounds and open the ramparts of future for a generation lost in pace.  

Self Awareness/ Strengths and Weaknesses? Self Efficacy

Building Self Efficacy

Objective:  Help students find confidence in their abilities.

Students will take the following quiz:

http://literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

(Partners)

Students will be using an interview format, commenting on their partner’s answers.

Discussion Topics:

1.       Confidence or Cocky? 

·         Ever a time when you were definitely Cocky?  Confident?

·         Does confidence help?

·         Confident Statements.  Cocky Statements.

2.       Strengths and Weaknesses.

·         What are your strengths?  Weaknesses?

·         Where should you focus?

·         Practice?  Will there always be someone better?  Choosing your battles.

3.       Positive Thinking and Problem Solving.

·         Solving a problem.  Possible to solve anything?  Alternative to thinking positive?  Who is it more fun to be around?

Prezi Project Lesson 9/14/2011

Objective:  Show kids with the first 10-15 minutes of class a web-based presentation program that they can use to create a project for completion of a unit in Social Studies. 

Procedure:  Direct class to the following website:  http://prezi.com/your/

Remind class that with every unit they must complete a project of some kind, (this can be a project, remind them) and then go into showing everyone the objectives…

Project needs to be relevant to the Unit being studied.  (ask for suggestions on a topic for the Prezi)

Project needs a source of information

This particular project will need to answer the following three questions.

• How is this topic relevant to my life today?
• Characterize the people involved in this particular topic?  (This is the overall theme of my class)
• Analyze 2 important events or milestones that deal with the topic.

Culture, Language, Climate Shock

I have arrived.   After a deluge of typical last minute job offers, hushed and rushed to the forefront of a mind torn between setting, people and ambition, there it lay.  Entering the classroom, or what can only be described as a staging area, sit new colleagues.  Transplants, over educated in a field fraught with froth, are the help and support.  The school runs from 3:30-9, computers are available but not present, you will use his room, this job will give you lots of time to ski.  You must teach what is on the software, our kids, these kids, what kids?  It begins with a feeling of shock, coupled with excitement for the possibilities.  No turning back now, it begins, I have arrived.