Talia’s Blog

I have found the 5 Dont’s of Classroom Blogging which Samantha posted to be very useful when especially if teaching Blogs. The points are simple and straight forward, and I believe may make it easier for the teacher to teach their students about blogging.
The points are:

1.DON’T just dive in.

2.DON’T confuse blogging with social networking.

3.DON’T leap at the freebies.

4.DON’T force a sequential style.

5.DON’T leave the blogging to the students.

I was made aware of the program Mathletics whilst on my last practicum, and find it a program which the kids really look forward to participating in.
I agree with Tim’s comments on Mathletics and personally think that it is a great program, as it not only allows the students to work in a different environment (not just in the classroom with pen and paper) but it also allows them to verse other students using mathletics all around the world, quite amazing !
Another positive attribute to Mathletics is that students may work on it in their homes.

I believe Mathletics is a great way to get children to enjoy mathematics, which doesn’t happen a lot!!

Digital Storytelling

I found an interesting website http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/digital_storytelling/digital_storytelling.htm which related to my topic of digital storytelling. The article Digital Stories informs teachers and students of the use of digital storytelling and how it may be incorporated into the classroom. Digital Storytelling is said to be “mini movies” which can be created by anyone. They are made by using cameras, computers, scanners and photos which may be taken from your own photo album.

“Everyone has a story to tell and new technology means that anyone can create a story that can be shown on a website or in a digital presentation.”

website: http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/digital_storytelling/digital_storytelling.htm

After reading the encounter Samantha had with regards to her internet (A point to consider), I could really sympathies, as it has been my biggest problem these last couple of months. THE PROBLEMS WITH INTERNET!!

I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t able to check my email for any reason on any one day, but I do know that I would not be very happy. The internet is so rapidly becoming apart of everyone’s day to day life, just like the mobile phone has. Today, young people especially, don’t know what to do with themselves if they leave their phone behind for 1 hour, let alone a whole day. The internet is having the same effect. This would be my only real concern with incorporating large lessons into the classroom involving the internet. As I stated this story in Samantha’s blog;

On my last two practicum’s, my classes were in the computer labs, with a lesson plan ready, all the children logged on (20 minutes later – year 1 class) I was to discover that the internet was down. This can cause a lot of stress to the teacher and disappointment to students,
As I said in the Samantha’s edublog the real lesson is to have a back up lesson just in case.

I do strongly believe though, that the internet is an extremely invaluable teaching method!