Going to Sixth

Well, we got our grade assignments for next year, and I will be moving up to sixth grade. It is bittersweet for me because I love the fourth grade curriculum and age of the kids, but I will get to work with teachers I have not worked with before and my Mentor, Laureen.

This year I had some challenges with my team, in the sense of how they worked. I always felt that the teachers were very individualistic and I found it very challenging to utilize all of our talents to plan some good lesson plans. I think part of the problem is that our team is made of 5 teachers, all with different personalities and different work types. I feel that the combination of teachers was very laid back, but then they would carry this laid-backness into our team meetings. They would do well individually as a teacher, but lacked the team working abilities.

So sixth, I am excited to bring in more technology and tie it into the curriculum. I am also ecstatic that I will be able to work with some students for the third time. Although I am just completing my fourth year, I will be teaching my third grade level within my short time as a teacher. I know next year will be challenging, but I am excited to have a team.

Wii not We

Nintendo did it right! Last week, I made a purchase that I hope will make me a healthier and fitter woman. No, it was not plastic surgery or liposuction, it was getting the Wii.

Last Sunday as I sat eating breakfast and I read the newspaper, I noticed that Best Buy had the Wii gaming system in stock. Knowing that it was going to sell out quickly I jumped in my car and got to the store as early as I could, so I could be one of the lucky people to get my hands on the Wii. When I got to Best Buy, there was already a line of approximately 20 people for the Wii. I was able to get my hand on a coupon that ensured me a Wii system (there were only 3 coupons left when I got there. Phew!

As I stood in line, I realized that many of the people purchasing these systems were adults, not kids. As I stood there speaking with a few of the Wii enthusiasts, I learned that they were purchasing this system for themselves. As I spoke with them more, they were purchasing this system because of its interactivity. This gaming system got you off of your behind and made you move your body, in other words, exert energy.

In all honesty, that is why I purchased the Wii. I wanted something that I could work out with while having fun! Nintendo's Wii system does just that. With the Wii system, I also purchased DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). This is a game that requires you to move both your feet and your arms while stepping on a pad and dancing to the music. I can set it to workout mode and program a certain amount of calories. As you work out, you know how much you have burned and how many calories you need to go!

Traditional gaming systems have you sit on your bum and push buttons. This one has you become the characters in the games and work out. This is my second gaming system. I grew up with the original Nintendo, and have never been motivated to purchase another one until now. I am happy that Nintendo has come a long way and made their gaming system a "healthier" one!

EDC 665--Blog 9

Melissa asks: "From your experience in OMET thus far, what design practice has resonated with you the most? Why?

From my experiences in OMET thus far, two different design practices have really been effective in my learning, the first being learning adventures and the second being group learning.

Embarking on learning adventures was a very challenging concept for me, but it taught me the most! Learning adventures are tasks given to you and you complete the assignments by doing research and using prior knowledge to figure out the answer. Gary Stager's class was primarily centered around learning adventures. About every week or two, we would have a new task and question to answer. These tasks always centered around a certain concept and then an activity was performed.

I use learning adventures in both my technology club and my class. At each tech club meeting, my students are presented with a mission of what they need to accomplish. They are to use their prior knowledge and tools given to them to complete the task. I have found this to be very effective because all of my students are engaged while also learning new technology concepts. In my own particular classroom, I have used learning missions as a part of my curriculum. In science, we are studying rocks and minerals. While all students have read and learned about Moh's hardness Scale, they have not applied this learning. I designed a mission of giving them Moh's Hardness kits and using their knowledge to place the minerals in their correct places by conducting the tests of hardness, streak, and luster. Students also work in groups while completing this task.

Working in groups has also been an effective way of learning for me. I have found that when working in groups I learn from others who have given me input or who have more knowledge on a particular subject. I have been able to provide feedback to others about things I am more knowledgable of. We have been grouped in a variety of ways for our program, and have also had different tasks while working within the groups. It has been nice to know that I can trust my partners to carry their weight in group projects. Knowing that we have all come here for a common purpose of learning has been great! From previous group experiences (outside of OMET) I have been the one to carry most of the weight and completing the projects on my own. For once, I can see the benefit of working with others in an educational setting, I am learning from others in this way and I am helping them out in return.

EDC 665--Blog 8

Melissa asks: "In your ARP are your learners engaged in their learning? Why or Why not?"

According to dictionary.com engagement is defined as "to be busy or involved in." Being engaged in any learning activity is important because the student will understand the full meaning of the concept being taught. Students being engaged in the learning process will not only be able to actively guide their learning, and work collaboratively to solve technology missions.

Each class period is designed around a mission my students need to complete with teammates. The missions are student-centered and are discovery based, meaning that the students work together to learn the central concept for the day.

During the second meeting the students had a mission to work as a team (groups of 2-3) and operate a camera/video camera and perform various tasks. These tasks included deleting pictures/footage, zooming in and out, and using some other functions like taking pictures in black and white or sepia toned. Upon taking pictures and filming, the students needed to connect and watch their footage on a television and a computer. Very minimal instruction was done for these components, but an "expert" (the teacher) was always available if questions arose.

Over the course of the next few technology club meetings, the kids will be creating and designing their own videos and brochures of pictures they have taken throughout our city. It is my hopes that my students continue to learn through discovery. As the concepts have gotten harder, I can sense some frustration and I might need to have a mini-lesson on a particular concept, so they did not get discouraged.

In the end, I feel that my students have really been engaged in what they are working on in the technology club. I have a consistent turn out of club members and each meeting they come prepared to be challenged. My students love these challenges and are learning more about how these various technologies work, while having fun! I have had confirmation that my students are engaged when they tell their actual teachers what they have learned and show enthusiasm when doing so!

EDC 665--Blog 7

Melissa asks: "For your ARP, how did you select the technologies that you are utilizing? How have your learners responded thus far?"

My Action Research Project focuses on the development of a technology club and various learning components that are involved with the process. I created this technology club for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students because I felt there was a lack of technology integration in the elementary curriculum. I wanted my students to learn various technological mediums, so that they can use their new knowledge within their classroom and homework assignments. My hope is also that they will train other students in utilizing the technology.

There following are the technological components that I am incorporating within my club:

1. Digital Cameras
2. Video Cameras
3. Video Editing Software
4. Creating a Brochure using Microsoft's Publisher
5. a Website

My goal is to utilize all of these mediums to create a brochure, video, and website illustrating fun and kid friendly places to go in the Santa Clarita Valley. My decision to include various mediums is such that I want my students to be well rounded in their exposure to technology. I firmly believe that my students will have much exposure and will feel more comfortable in pursuing the technological mediums further.

My students have had 3 one hour sessions of using the Digital Cameras, Video Cameras and Video Editing software, and the cease to amaze me. The first time we used the the equipment, I felt that my students would need two entirely different class meetings (1 to learn the digital camera, and one to learn the video camera, but I was surprised when they were able to complete their missions within one meeting.

My club is designed in missions (or mini learning adventures :) ) Each meeting the kids receive a mission that they needed to accomplish. The first and second mission had various tasks that they students needed to complete using the digital and video cameras. The tasks ranged from deleting footage, using various camera functions like zoom and color, as well as hooking and viewing the footage on both a television and computer. This first and second missions were completed by within 1 hour.

The next mission was to shoot video footage of the school and create a video highlighting various important places around our school. This was a two day mission because the students needed to prepare for their filming, shoot, and edit their footage. The preparation of shooting and the actual filming was easy for all students. The challenge came when the students had to edit the video. We ran into some roadblocks with the video footage from the digital cameras, but this also taught students that sometimes you run into difficulties using technology.

So, how did I select the various pieces of technology for this club? Well, I wanted students to have the opportunity to use technologies that they might not use at home or in the classroom, or have little experience in using. Also, knowing that my broader goal was to create awareness of fun and kid friendly places in our town, I had to choose technologies that would meet this goal.

Ultimately, my goal of this club is to utilize technology as a tool and not merely just teaching them how to use it. My hopes are for these students to identify with this concept. Time will tell.

Weight Loss Challenge and OMET teaming!

I finished my first week of the Biggest Loser Challege and I lost 2 pounds. Having the support of other people has been the best help for me. Having a team that strives to do the same thing is the most supportive environment. This is a fabulous parallel to the OMET program.

I feel that I am very successful in the OMET program, in part because we work as a team. We hold each other accountable and support each other both inside and outside of the program. We challenge each other to do our best and help each other through challenges. Not one person has refused to help even if they are busy with their own projects. I can say that teamwork is the best and easiest way to be successful!

MORALE

This past week was a rough one at work. I feel that the teachers' morale including my own is down. Many of the teachers at my school put in many hour sacrificing time in the evening and the weekends to make sure their lesson plans are very thorough and thought provoking for their students. The amount of time and effort these teachers put in though, is not recognized, and many people feel that they are not doing a good job due to this lack of recognition.

My team of five teachers' morale was shot down when I met with them and gave them feedback of how we were doing, per the principal. They were very upset, as was I. I feel that it is my job, as grade level chair, to help build morale, and let them know that they are doing a great job, but I can only give so much. After speaking with other teachers at my school, I have found that our grade level is not alone. Many people feel that their work is unappreciated and that there is severe favortism going on. I do not know what to do about it, but I hope with time, I'll figure that out. It is very hard to work in a place where Morale is low.

Technology in the Classroom

I am a big advocate for computer and technology usage in the classroom, but found it very challenging to do it in the past. Over the past few months I have been using it more and more to promote learning and I have found that my students are more involved in the subject areas we are working on. I have used computers more and more this year, because I now have a total of six in my classroom.

I found that many of my students were very unmotivated to write, yet I needed to find some way to reach them, especially since fourth grade students take the STAR writing test (MARCH 4). The writing genres that students are supposed to know how to write are response to literature, summary and personal narrative. While some of these are harder than others to write, I feel that I am very prepared, as we have done an intense writing unit since January. While it was unplanned for me to use the computers, I found that once I had students write their final drafts on the computer using Microsoft Word, others were motivated to finish so that way they could write type theirs up as well. We have typed up 3 writing assignments this year and I feel that their writing has greatly improved.

Another computer project that my students have been working on is a Powerpoint assignment highlighting one of California's 21 missions. Each student chose a mission and conducted research on it. Each student is creating an 8 page CD cover as well as designing a 4 slide PowerPoint of the Mission. The Powerpoint includes, an intro slide, Mission Beginnings, Mission Chronology, and Mission facts. While I did not teach this project last year to my students --the computer lab teacher did so--- I had to do it this year because my students only had computer lab time in the beginning and end of the year. I did a Powerpoint introduction and modeled the lesson in about 15 minutes. I taught them how to start a presentation, format slide deisign, as well as import images while doing Google Searches. The fifteen minute lesson was all kids needed to know and they were able to function on their own for their first slide creation.

As the kids were creating their slides, I could tell immediately, those students who were comfortable using a computer, and those that were afraid a simple mistake would mess everything up. Some lacked confidence, while others were experienced. I found it interesting that those that had little computer experience were not as experimental with their presentation. They wanted to make sure that every thing they did was correct. Now that most of my students have designed 4 slides, I believe that their confidence level in using Powerpoint has grown. Most are animating the slides and using slide transitions. My next step though, is teach kids how to create a well- balanced slide show with continuity in font color and appropriate animation, but that is another lesson in and of it self.

I am very proud of my teachings because it was done in a very short amount of time--in comparison to the computer teacher's time allotted. I'm excited to view the final products. Each student will receive all of the other student's Powerpoints on a CD to put it in a CD case with their cover design.

WEIGHT LOSS here I come!---GO TEAM!

Beginning March 3, I will be embarking on a new chapter of my life, weight loss. I have struggled with weight ever since I finished high school in 2000. Putting on the weight could be attributed to a lot of things, stress, depression, boredom, and the lack of time to prepare and eat a healthy meal. I often find myself snacking on foods because it either tastes good or to "take a break" from my busy life. Things do have to change though. As a person that has high cholesterol and diabetes run in my family, I have to consider the risks that are involved with weight gain and eating. My father died at 60 due in part to these matters, and I do not want to be a casualty as well.

In college I was up a little over the 200 pound mark and knew I needed to make a big change after I was disgusted with the way I looked in a bathing suit. I joined Weight Watchers because that was something that I could easily follow. I had much support from my family and friends, which helped me to be successful. I lost about 50 pounds on the program and kept it off from approximately 3 years. Over the past 2 years I have gained weight which I think is attributed to my hectic life schedule at both work and school. This year alone (since starting OMET) I have probably put on 25 pounds. I did try starting Weight Watchers again because I was successful with it before, but found that I was wasting money and not attending meetings. They say Weight Watchers is a successful program because you do it with others and join in on their celebrations (weekly meetings). Unfortunately, I did not put forth the time and make connections with others and did not lose any weight.

On Monday, I am going to try a new technique at weight loss. Our school district is starting a Biggest Loser contest, a spin off of the TV show. On the TV show, contstants are divided into two teams. The team works together and weighs in together and sticks by each other, while also supporting each other. The teams work together to lose the most weight and the team with the highest percentage of weight loss is considered the "Biggest Loser" of the week. Someone on the losing team is sent home. I am a dedicated watcher of this show and I enjoy watching everyone lose weight and supporting each other throughout the program. The show motivates me to lose weight and have these successes as well.

Our district's competition is very similar to that of the TV show. School sites form as many teams of ten as they would like. Each team of ten is responsible for motivating each other and supporting each other with weight loss. Every person that joins this competition is responsible for pay a $20 fee, and the team with the largest percentage of weight loss will win half of the money submitted, while the school site will get the other half. I think that this method of weight loss will be very beneficial because we will be working as teams to get the pounds off. All of your teammates are counting on you to do well. Everyone is not responsible for just themselves, but the team as well.

I think doing things as a team and having the support is very important and people are more successful that way. We work together and support each other as a team in this program, and I believe that is why we are each successful. During my last Weight Watchers stint, I did not have the team member support, and was not as successful as I could have been. During the next 12 weeks, I hope to lose 20-30 pounds (I'd like more, but I know that is not feasible), and continue my way onto a new healthy life style....GO TEAM!