Chapter 4 Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers

Agreed, advance organizers help students focus their learning. A note-taking template(p76) is something that I will incorporate into my teaching all the while keeping in mind that "...a direct approach is most effective"(p77). Kidspiration and Inspiration software will provide the ability to project on board as we create graphic organizers in real time during class. These saved documents could be used for assessments. On the video topic I would like to know how you would suggest using the edit a video in my 7th and 8th grade Math classes. Lesson planning is taking on a new meaning!

Chapter 3 Providing Recognition

Audio E-mail and video conferencing are the topics that attract my attention in chapter 3. I think it would be great for me to learn how to give an audio message of praise and/or encouragement thru an email. Students and parents could view/hear these emails and possibly be aware of our positive regard for them and their efforts. Again, good communication is good communication.

Chapter 2 Providing Feedback

Wikis, blogs, instant messaging, and video conferencing are the tools that I believe can be used to enhance and enable communication between teacher and student. They will also provide great opportunity to reach parents in a method that can be shared by all. Page 42 of text says, "Games and simulations, for example, allow teachers and students to get near-instantaneous feedback during the learning process, allowing for immediate redirection or correction of misconceptions." It seems to me that the above mentioned tools are just a little more than games that we learn to play so as to enable us to play with others more frequently establishing a continum of learning and playing together. I can whole-heartedly buy in to that!

Introduction

Technology will be a greater part of our students lives than ever before. It is necessary for us, as teachers, to advance our knowledge about and how to use technology. Today's students require tomorrow's answers.