Arends

#1 What are some of the behaviors of effective classroom managers as described in the Texas and Kounin studies?

Effective classroom management is so critical to develop. I know that as I have begun teaching this past semester, it has been the one area I find truly overwhelming. I want to be a great teacher, but I really struggled to manage twenty-six fourth graders.

One of the ideas suggested in this article is that classroom management "cannot be separated from the other functions of teaching." It must be part of the teaching. Half of the battle of classroom management is won when you can implement effective teaching practices. A lesson that creates a learning environment and maintains student cooperation will minimize discipline problems because the students will be engaged in the lesson.

On the flip side, if you do not have adequate management of your classroom, you cannot have an effective instruction. Teaching and management work together. When both are in line, great lessons occur. If one is failing, the other will as well.

So how can we accomplish both tasks? The article provides great feedback on strategies that work. First of all, in the Kounin studies, teachers were most effective who had well-conceived activities that flowed smoothly. In addition, they had great group management and developed instructional procedures that ran smoothly. The Texas studies also provide great feedback. The most effective teachers were those who:
-had procedures that governed behavior (i.e. talking, participation, turning in work, etc.)
-Had clear and concise instructions for students
-handled misbehavior quickly
-monitored student progress

Grabe Assignment

#1 What is the Big Six and how should it be used?

The Big Six is a set of steps students can follow in order to come to a solution. This steps include: task definition, information seeking, locating and accessing, use of information, organizing and communicating, and evaluation.

Initially, as I read through the steps it reminded me of the scientific method. I can still remember that goofy song my 7th grade science teacher made me memorize. As I continued reading about the big six, it reminded me of the process of writing a paper. However, I feel these steps can be incorporated into solving many different types of problems.

These steps are most useful when done in order. If you do not adequately fulfill one requirement, you may have difficulty moving forward. For example, the first task is to define the problem. What is it that you need to find out or accomplish? If you do not properly define your task you will have difficulty in the next step : information seeking. You will not be able to find the answer if you have not yet defined the problem.

McNally

#1 What technology integration advice would you give to a teacher with one computer in her classroom?

This article listed several great ways to incorporate the use of only one computer into classroom activities and management. Some of these ideas included creating a daily lunch menu, a word wall, and a class newsletter. As I brainstromed I came up with a few additional ideas. I remember when I was in fith grade, our class was divided up into five groups. Each group was assigned to a pecific day (i.e. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.) On this day they were to present a news program with a student covering the weather, local and national news, and a comericial. Each group could be given time before their performance day to research the news on the internet.

Another idea would be to incorporate paint. I could read the students a story and after every couple of pages, I could select a student to draw what they saw in their head using paint. Eventually, we would create a picture book for our story.

CPB Article - TV Goes to School

#2 How can teachers use video to promote student achievement?

Television can serve as a wonderful addition to teaching. Image teaching a unit on space to a group of third graders. How can you simply explain the concept of a solar system? For children of this age it's a little difficult to imagine from just a description. Now put those same children in a classroom with a video on space. Now they can see how the the solar system actually looks. They can actually be taken on a virtual tour of the solar system. Video allows them to see the bigger picture and grasp a difficult concept.

In addition to shedding light on difficult concepts, video has many other uses. It can help build a knowledge base, increase memory by incorporating multiple forms of instruction (text, sound, images, etc.), and spark excitement about a subject. Video can help transport students into the material they are learning.

Video can be a great medium for teaching. However, it can also be taken advantage of. When there is no motivation or connection to what is being viewed, then students will not remember what they watch. Video needs to remain a tool to enhance learning and not a babysitter or sole provider of instruction.

Reiser

How are the examples of Integrated Final Projects and the methods described in the Reiser article related? What would it take to teach this way? Is it worthwhile?

Both the Integrated Final Projects and the TEAMS approach focus on a theme and then branch out to include many different aspects of that theme through different activities. The TEAMS project focuses on four major subjects: math, science, social studies, and language arts. Each subject is touched upon through different activities during nine week unit. The Integrated Final Projects did not always employ the four subject areas. In addition, the activities listed would not take up a nine week unit. However, I really liked many of the ideas.

For me, teaching the way Reiser explains under the TEAMS approach is a bit unrealistic. It would require so much time to organize all of the different activities, set up the space needed, and not to mention, acquiring all of the needed materials (software, computers, Internet, etc.). I just don't think it is realistic to plan my entire curriculum around his idea. However, I do see the benefits of what he is trying to do. The activities are highly engaging. The students would be having fun without even realizing they were learning. I love the idea of having a theme and tying all of the subjects into that idea. However, I think it can be fulfilled in smaller ways. The Integrated Final Projects are much more realistic. I would definitely employ many of those ideas into my teaching.

Kauchak

#1 According to Kauchak (1998) what are three functions of teacher questions? What role does technology play with accomplishing these functions?

The first function of questions serves to assess current understanding. By asking questions the teacher is able to better understand what his/her students understand. From here the teacher can help build their knowledge base, correct misconceptions, and determine if they are ready to learn more. The second function is to increase motivation. Questions engage each student and feeds their desire to learn more. Good questions will challenge their thinking or ask them to look at a concept from a different point of view. Lastly, questions guide the student to new learning. As Kauchak states, questions help "students interrelate new ideas and integrate new learning with their current understanding." Questions can serve as the glue which helps students connect what they already know to a new concept.

Technology can greatly assist teachers in using the three functions of questions. Power Point presentations can provide images to look at, or ideas to debate. It will serve to help draw the students into the lesson, as well as giving them more information to consider. Blogging is also another great way to incorporate these concepts. As students we can ask use our blog to respond to questions that we have been asked. It allows us to fully develop our thoughts and verbalize what we have learned.

Harris

#3 Some critics believe there's no place for Internet projects in today's world of high stakes testing and emphasis on student achievement. What is Harris'(2000) answer to this criticism? What is your answer?

The response Harris supplies through her article is basically in today's world of high stakes testing and emphasis on student achievement there's a greater need for Internet projects. I would agree with Harris. The Internet is one of the greatest tools to teach curriculum. It helps create learning. Students are allowed to become an active part of the learning process. They become engaged and connected to what they are learning.

Harris also addresses an important issue: time. It seems that Internet assignments take a lot of time to prepare and to carry out. However, she made a very wonderful comment in regards to this truth. She said, "use of the Internet isn't really what occupies more time and space in our schedules; teaching well does." In order to truly be a great teacher, we must have lessons that help our students connect with what they are learning. Great teachers learn how to combine curricular goals into a single project. Thus, they are able to use great teaching methods and achieve the goals of the curriculum.

Assignment #1

Tennyson believes that constuctivism will eventually dominate educational goals. He would like only about 30% of learnig to be aquiring knowledge. This process is related to the "verbal information" we receive and the "procedual knowledge" we learn. Employment of knowlege is much different. This includes "contextual skills, cognitive strategies, and creative process. " It's the process of putting the knowledge we've aquired into use.