You may now call me Spielberg...=)

Today I made a movie!!!!!!  It's a masterpiece...in my mind. ha!  I thought it was so fun!  I have never used iMovie before, and it is so simple and fun.  To think that "I" could create something that resembles a film is remarkable. But it was an interesting project.  I kind of went back to my South African roots for this assignment.  I did a biography on Miriam Makeba, she was an international singer from South Africa who was exiled for her outspoken involvement in the anti-Apartheid movement.  She made Xhosa songs such as "Pata Pata" and "The Click Song" (because no-one knows how to spell how it sounds in English) famous around the world.  I organized a "South African Tea" at the Baptist Collegiate Ministries earlier in the Fall Semester, and had downloaded all of Makeba's songs to play as background music as the ladies and I drank tea and played South African trivia games.  So since I already had the "Pata Pata" song, it added a nice touch to my movie slideshow. 
I definitely will utilize this in my future classroom.  What a great way to get the students to feel like a community than to make a movie out of a field trip or class project.  There are also endless possibilities with regards to how you can apply this system to curriculum content.


I hope you enjoy looking and listening to "Mama Africa!"

Making things personal

First of all, I have to tell you something funny about class on Wednesday.  UT has just turned on the AC for all the buildings on campus, and of course, they can't set it at a normal temperature that would make us feel a slight breeze and be comfortable.  WE ALL FELT LIKE WE WERE IN ANTARCTICA!!!!!!!!!!!   We didn't stay the whole class period, we would've all turned into icicles by that time.
Our assignment in class was to catch up on any missed work, and then make our PLP profile a little more personal and professional...all at the same time.  We had to write a small paragraph about ourselves and our future educational goals, post a professional picture, and links to our Blog (this baby right here), and our classroom website.  Funny story.  When making my classroom website, I wrote in my name "Beth-Ann Duncan" to create the homepage, and some other person in Russia was named "Beth-Ann Duncan" and already had a classroom website!!!  What are the odds?!?!?!  So now when I sign into Google, I see the website that I created, and hers, because I haven't deleted it from my Google Docs profile yet.  I might keep it there a while. ha!
This assignment was pretty basic and straightforward.  It was nice to have a break from a big long assignment with lots of requirements from the rubric.  But hopefully everything is falling into place as the semester closes.  I feel like I have such a firmer grasp on technological content due to this class.  I mean, I now use Delicious DAILY!! 

Spreadsheets...are tricky.

Our assignment last week was to follow the specific instructions on a rubric to make a spreadsheet.  I have used Excel for years, but not at this level of advancement.  So silly me, I thought I could go ahead and finish the assignment myself....EVEN when Bill had said, "Now, let's all go through this one step at a time together, or, if you think you've got this, go ahead."  
Ok, there must have been something in the water that day, because in this class, I automatically STAY WITH THE GROUP!!!!  But I decided to be adventurous...and it led to a whole lot of confusion, and by the end giggles between me and my friend next to me cause she just zoomed through the entire thing.  But you know, I think my spreadsheet looks pretty good.  I feel comfortable going back and making another one, which is the purpose of these types of classes.  Getting used to using technology to benefit you in your future classroom.

Screenshot of my Spreadsheet:

Inspiration!!

 The Inspiration assignment was broken into two weeks, as our class is just a little slow at completing activities...always. =)  But I really liked the Inspiration program.  It is an extremely simple, and effective way to make visually pleasing graphic organizers in a small amount of time.  We had to make a graphic organizer of at least one topic, have three categories, three sub-categories, two notes, visuals, and the content standards for what we were creating.  I have a lot of interest in social studies, so I did a third grade standard on governments around the world.  My category was "Types of Government" and my three that I focused on were a "Dictatorship, Monarchy, and Democracy."  My organizer was pretty simple, but it could lead to a lot of discussion in the classroom, as I hit on issues such as Hitler's regime in WWII, the monarchy system in Brunei, and how the US has an extremely liberal stance on democracy compared to the rest of the world.  I believe this is a great tool for the classroom, and I hope my school buys the program so it can be used effectively for students.


Screenshot of my Graphic Organizer

Scavenger Hunt!!!

Today in class we went on a Scavenger Hunt!  It was a nice, fun activity that allowed us to explore the building and campus (and get some fresh air during class time). =)
I was in a group with Jessica and Katelynn, and we were designated the task of finding various shapes in the "world around us."  At first this seemed to be an easy task, but I challenge anyone reading this to go outside and find a hexagon...yeah...then come talk to me.
But we managed to get all of our shapes and had lovely chats while doing so.  We then came back to our computers and used our skills from the previous lesson to modify the images.  We then used these images to create a powerpoint on Google Docs, and the last slide was a screen shot of the original and modified images.  I'm going to put the link to the powerpoint up and allow the whole world to see the shapes we found!  Go for it! =)


Link:
https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dgphtrj_1d9fms565

My Collections Post!

Now that I have explained what I did to learn how to use Picassa, here is my Collections folder.  Enjoy!

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=117767344961957666483&target=ALBUM&id=5582215597237224833&authkey=Gv1sRgCO-5ku7u_obDxwE&feat=email

Can you Picassa?

Wednesday in class we were super busy!  First, there were two web 2.0 presentations, one for Smilebox and another for Picnik.  I feel like I must have been hiding under a rock for like 10 years after hearing all of these presentations and realizing there are some amazing tools to help me use technology I have known nothing about.  
After the presentations, we learned how to use Picassa, and had to complete a lesson loading 5 images onto Picassa from different sources.  There had to be a screen short, a camera short, a web picture, a scanned picture, and a picture pulled from a CD.  This seemed like a very simple task...but no, no, no....have you forgotten who you're dealing with???  The technically inept.
Poor Bill had to deal with half of the class finishing the task in 15 minutes, and the other half (a.k.a. me) wondering which machine in the room was the "scanner."  As you can see, this class is probably going to save my future job in education, and I am very thankful.  Afterwards we worked on the very basic structure of our teaching website.  This, I feel, is going to be an interesting lesson.  So I looks forward to doing more on this subject!  Now....IT'S TIME FOR SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!!

Simply Delicious!

Today Blakelee and I presented our Web 2.0 tool presentation on "Delicious!"  I am very glad I picked Delicious for my web 2.0 tool.  It is not only a simple tool, but I have already implemented it into my everyday use.  
Delicious is a social book-marking website where you can save bookmarks to a website where you have an account and can access from any computer.  Gone are the days when the only bookmarks you have are chained to your personal computer, with Delicious you can pull up research articles anywhere there is an internet connection.
This is a great tool for the classroom. It saves SO MUCH time for teachers, allowing them to save pictures or articles they want to show their class and can pull up immediately, or work as a tool for collaboration between colleagues.  You can add friends to your Delicious account and share links.  Don't ever save links to emails and send them back and forth ever again!
I am extremely glad to have learned about Delicious.  It has already helped me in my education classes.  I research links in my dorm room, save them to Delicious, and then the next day when I go to the library I can pull up my Delicious site and work on them immediately.

Requirements

Bill was not here today, which was sad.  But we got to meet Prof. O'Bannon, and boy did she put us to work!  I know that we were supposed to go to the TEC Lab to find materials to find materials to start making our lesson plan, but....as you know from my title....my technological savvy is not the best, so when Dr. O'Bannon began rapid-fire questioning us about our progress in class, I believe all the knowledge I had gained leapt out the window as I panicked to think of all of the professional terms I needed to know.  Bill is always so patient and goes at our pace, which I'm sure must irritate him at times, but he was definitely missed!  
This lesson was spent working on creating our wiki's for our Web 2.0 presentations.  I was supposed to present today, but had not accurately completed the assignment so Dr. O'Bannon allowed me and Blakelee to wait for the next week.  Although it was a tough lesson, I feel caught up on the requirements for the course.  But I am ready for Bill to return with the pace I can handle. =)

Everybody wants to be a Rockstar!

Today in class we learned how to compose a lesson plan using websites and information sources for research.  Before starting in my elementary cohort this semester, I had NO idea about how much effort and intricate planning go into preparing lessons.  There are so many guidelines and standards which all have to be met...needless to say it is a very daunting task.  I have struggled with my first direct lesson, so learning about how technology could be a tool to help me in this area was a big help.
The web offers an enormous amount of information on lesson planning.  The job of the teacher is to make sure that they research websites correctly to prove their validity and determine whether or not they will promote advanced research and learning.
I worked alone doing the Rockstar sheet, which was an assignment using the web to answer questions on a hand-out.  But the answers weren't just cut-and-dry, you had to actively choose the one you thought was the most accurate and represented to material best.

Understanding Webquests

I feel that learning about webquests and their ways to aid classroom projects was a good use of classroom time and I know that I will use these in my future classroom.  Since going into the schools these past few weeks, my anxiousness regarding my preparedness in terms of materials and lesson plans has increased dramatically.  


But being able to see utilize webquests has calmed me down slightly, as the web has provided ready-made group projects that I can critique and tweak to my liking.  This is going to make the future at least a little easier. =)

Webquest: Propel - Human Body Systems

http://questgarden.com/91/10/6/110129122419/

This project is for students between grades 4-6.  It takes a change from looking at the world around us and focusing on the mechanics that happen inside of our body.  This webquest challenges students to explore their inner body systems!


Work will be done in partners and pairs will choose a body system to research. Learners have the option of studying the Nervous System, Skeletal System, Circulatory System, Respiratory System, Digestive System, or Immune System.  After researching the internet for information on their topic, pairs will make a powerpoint to teach the class about the particular  body system.


The webquest offers extensive research materials on each body system being studied, and the links are easy to find and use.  Even when the learner is on the links, there are fun and interactive ways to learn the material presented.  


As a teacher I think that learners should be able to know about their body and get a firm understanding of the importance of their health.  This webquest is a great opportunity to work on higher-ordert thinking and expand knowledge about the body learners could immediately utilize to help themselves.  The webquest is set out in a very simplistic manner, yet is still interesting and colorful.
The rubrics given demand that thorough knowledge of the content be acquired before higher grades be given.   


I would use this webquest in the future, as I am not very familiar with the human body, and feel like this is a site that I could benefit from, as well as my students.

Teachers Helping Teachers

Our assignment in class last week was to consider all of the elements involved with choosing and critiquing a web page that you will use in the classroom.  We were allowed to choose any web site on the internet for our assignment.  This proved to be a bit of a challenge because since this is a piece of work I will be graded on, I wanted the perfect website.  The unfortunate part of this story is that you could spend years searching for the "perfect" website...and I only had an hour and a half.  I initially was going to choose a site through our materials given by Kathy Schrock, and found one made by teachers that gave great ice-breakers for the first day of school, but I wanted something with a little more information.

That's when I went back to our dear friend, Google, and typed in 'teaching websites'.  This opened the floodgates and thousands of options were available.  But part of the assignment was to prove the validity of the website and search through it to find out whether the information you're getting has been accounted for by a body of education.  

I finally chose a site called "Teachers Helping Teachers."  It was created by the director of the Pacific Singers Musical Theatre Group, a man named Dr. Scott Mandel.  The site is basically a place where teachers can come and post any lesson plans on any subject and use any of the lessons already posted for their classrooms.  It has been in use for 15 years, and teachers from all over the country take advantage of this resource.  All educators that leave lesson plans have to post their name, email, and name of the school or teaching status.  I enjoyed reading all of the different ideas and can see myself using this resource in the future for my classroom.

Settling In

The initial hustle and bustle of the semester has faded.  I've successfully been to all of my classes and managed to get the general feel of the kind of effort necessary for success this Spring.  I've really been enjoying my education classes.  The Urban/Multicultural cohort has been a great fit for my personality, but I think one reason is that the professors have been so amazing.  I finally escaped from the mass chaos that is the department of Arts&Sciences and realized my motivation levels have perked up along with my interest in class.  Going into the schools last week was an amazing experience.  I was with 2nd grade teacher Rebecca Tipton, and she just lifted my spirits with her encouragement.  Her class adores her and rightfully so.  She is obsessed with Australia and there are literally over 200 stuffed kangaroos in this little prefab.  Her gentle approach to dealing with her students takes an incredible amount of patience and determination.  I feel so blessed to be able to work and learn beside her for these next two weeks.  
I'm pretty pumped about having a blog...even if I'm still trying to figure out to use it.  Bless you, Bill, you've got a tough job getting this old African to master the world wide web.

The Journey Begins - Hello Internet!

Hello everybody! My name is Beth-Ann Duncan, and I am a Psychology major with an Elementary Ed. minor.  It is an exciting year for me because not only do I graduate on May 13th (it's been a great four years in Big Orange Country), but I'm also getting married!  So whenever my lovely urban/multicultural colleagues see me next year, I'll be Beth-Ann McDonald.  But I'm change is not something new in my life.  I am getting still getting used to living in America! My parents are missionaries, so I spent 15 years of my childhood in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.  It is an amazing place, if anyone is thinking of traveling, you should go there!  We call it PE for short...so now you already know some of the lingo. 

Education has always been such an important part of my life.  I have such fond memories of all of my school years, and becoming a teacher was such a natural option for me to choose.  There is nothing else that I want to do with my life.  I believe in the importance of a firm foundation in literacy, and that every child should have the opportunity to access high-quality literature.  I am also planning to gain an add-on to my teaching certificate in Special Education this summer at the Summer Institute.  I've worked with children with special needs my whole life, and during my Ed. 100 course I was able to work with an autistic learner who excelled due to his teacher's knowledge of his disability.  I want parents to feel comfortable using my classroom as a bridge for their child to enter in mainstream studies, and hopefully will get the opportunity to do so.  

I have spent the past three summers working at First Baptist Concord and Manley Baptist coordinating and leading Upward soccer camps for K-5th grade.  I love how team sports create opportunities to teach lessons and it's something that builds character.  In South Africa, my family and I worked with a school for hearing impaired and children with cerebal palsy for 10 years, leading Sunday Schools and doing other various activities with the kids.  

I love to play sports.  In high school I played field hockey, water-polo and soccer.  Besides soccer, there isn't a lot of opportunity for those, but maybe one day...who knows?  One of my biggest passions is reading, and I also parallel that with watching the ORIGINAL Law&Order with my family.  We're all crazy and think it's amazing and real.  I also love taking walks with my fiance, going out for coffee and chatting with my friends, and doing activities at the BCM, the Baptist Collegiate Ministries.  So that's me in a quick glance!