I have been thinking of ways to make my class website more useful. And not just for me but for the students. I added a lovely quiz on assessment, but that is really more for my own information. Rarely do I have documents like labs and worksheets available for upload, but the one time I did, I added it.
Perhaps when I am teaching my own unit, it will be more useful. Other than useful applets and links to interesting information (that most of my students wouldn't bother clicking on), perhaps I can do something else.
Certainly I want to do a podcast from Cedar Point for them, since I won't be able to assign them to do their own (next year!), but what else?
Hmmm
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
A Classroom Web Page
I made a web page for my classroom. It was fun and easy but now I am a bit stumped as to how I can use it in a more effective way. I just know there are all sorts of useful things I could add that might actually help their learning (and not just entertain them).
So far, I have an updated list of assignments, a bit about the upcoming units, the expectations for the class in general, and some useful links. At first, I was just adding general links about physics, but recently I have added a number of links to applets that will hopefully be helpful to their understanding of fields and charges. Or the students might just get even more confused, hard to tell.
Also, today I just added counters on the bottom of the page so I can see if any of the kids actually ever looks at the site. We will see. For the first time today in class they were shown an applet from the website and so there might be a few more hits today than yesterday.
And of course, the most important thing on the website (I almost forgot - gasp) is the countdown timer to the Cedar Point trip a.k.a. The Only Reason Students Take Senior Physics!
One thing I would like to do but haven't figured out a way to implement is to have an RSS link thingie on it like I have for this blog so students can have the option of getting notified when the page is updated. I will figure it out someday, maybe.
So far, I have an updated list of assignments, a bit about the upcoming units, the expectations for the class in general, and some useful links. At first, I was just adding general links about physics, but recently I have added a number of links to applets that will hopefully be helpful to their understanding of fields and charges. Or the students might just get even more confused, hard to tell.
Also, today I just added counters on the bottom of the page so I can see if any of the kids actually ever looks at the site. We will see. For the first time today in class they were shown an applet from the website and so there might be a few more hits today than yesterday.
And of course, the most important thing on the website (I almost forgot - gasp) is the countdown timer to the Cedar Point trip a.k.a. The Only Reason Students Take Senior Physics!
One thing I would like to do but haven't figured out a way to implement is to have an RSS link thingie on it like I have for this blog so students can have the option of getting notified when the page is updated. I will figure it out someday, maybe.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Chicago is my kind of town
Have I mentioned I love teaching? Because I do. It is so much more interesting than bookkeeping. And way more fun than customer service.
So I went to my first job fair and it was fantastic! Granted, I crashed and burned in my first interview big time, but that is why I went to visit 9 different districts. They asked questions like, "What would be three adjectives that your students would use to describe your teaching," and "If I walked into your classroom, what would I see?"
Mostly I just blinked and replied with a few umms and errs. It was awkward. But eventually, I figured it out, found some good answers, and started thinking about my teaching in a way that let me talk about it with people I didn't know.
Still, I am sure I will never get hired at that one district in suburban Chicago. But the rest of Chicago, Boston, Seattle, San Diego, the Bay area, Colorado, and various places in Michigan won't know what hit them the next time I interview. And in a good way, really.
Woo!
So I went to my first job fair and it was fantastic! Granted, I crashed and burned in my first interview big time, but that is why I went to visit 9 different districts. They asked questions like, "What would be three adjectives that your students would use to describe your teaching," and "If I walked into your classroom, what would I see?"
Mostly I just blinked and replied with a few umms and errs. It was awkward. But eventually, I figured it out, found some good answers, and started thinking about my teaching in a way that let me talk about it with people I didn't know.
Still, I am sure I will never get hired at that one district in suburban Chicago. But the rest of Chicago, Boston, Seattle, San Diego, the Bay area, Colorado, and various places in Michigan won't know what hit them the next time I interview. And in a good way, really.
Woo!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
New Week, New Problems
This was not a good week for my students.
Besides having the last test of the semester for my course and most of their other courses, they are preparing for finals next week. On top of that, there was a student death in the other large high school (during school) and a violent attack of a student who goes to my own school. The kids are stressed out and frustrated and tired.
I had three students who didn't sleep at all last night since they were up studying. I mentioned to them that sleep helps on a test as much as studying does. Of course, I didn't mention that I did the very same thing myself through high school and college. Some of us are slow learners (and I'm not talking about my students).
It was interesting if depressing to see the responses to the two difficult situations. The death in the other large high school here was responded to with flyers and information for the teachers to read in class, counselors and professional support staff as well as substitutes who were in the building just in case a teacher was having a tough time. The situation here was different and was responded to differently. There was a message from the principle and it mentioned that a student could approach a counselor if need be. My own mentor asked how many kids knew the student attacked, and about a third raised their hands.
The students seem unsettled by everything rather than depressed, though that could just be me reading into the situation. Anyhow, a few were discussing it rather than working and I just let them. Not sure if I was helping them deal with it or making things worse by not distracting them with physics. Ah well.
Hopefully next week will start looking up as finals begin and I have more time to get organized for next semester where I will actually start teaching.
Woo!
Besides having the last test of the semester for my course and most of their other courses, they are preparing for finals next week. On top of that, there was a student death in the other large high school (during school) and a violent attack of a student who goes to my own school. The kids are stressed out and frustrated and tired.
I had three students who didn't sleep at all last night since they were up studying. I mentioned to them that sleep helps on a test as much as studying does. Of course, I didn't mention that I did the very same thing myself through high school and college. Some of us are slow learners (and I'm not talking about my students).
It was interesting if depressing to see the responses to the two difficult situations. The death in the other large high school here was responded to with flyers and information for the teachers to read in class, counselors and professional support staff as well as substitutes who were in the building just in case a teacher was having a tough time. The situation here was different and was responded to differently. There was a message from the principle and it mentioned that a student could approach a counselor if need be. My own mentor asked how many kids knew the student attacked, and about a third raised their hands.
The students seem unsettled by everything rather than depressed, though that could just be me reading into the situation. Anyhow, a few were discussing it rather than working and I just let them. Not sure if I was helping them deal with it or making things worse by not distracting them with physics. Ah well.
Hopefully next week will start looking up as finals begin and I have more time to get organized for next semester where I will actually start teaching.
Woo!
Friday, January 9, 2009
First week back
Well, it is the end of my first week back to school - both taking classes and teaching classes. And I survived! But just barely.
My car decided this was the best week to begin stalling at random moments for no apparent reason, my alarm clock ran out of batteries (it isn't the kind that plugs in), and that was just the beginning.
My mentor teacher was unexpectedly absent on the day I finally was able to take my car in to the mechanic. "No problem," I said. "Plenty of time to drop off the car and take a cab to work. I mean, I do have almost two hours between when the place opens and when the first class starts..." I did not knock on wood, sadly.
So after dropping off my car at the mechanic and waiting over an hour and a half for The Cab That Never Arrived, the owner came out and drove me to school! He is going straight to heaven, for sure.
Anyhow, the kids didn't seem to mind me being a little late (there was a paid sub there though he didn't know the material), and I did a bit of lecture for them and helped them with the assignment. It all worked out.
But I have to say I am terribly glad to be finished with the week.
In other news, for Christmas I got a Harry Potter scarf in Slytherin colors (colours? heh) and with a Slytherin patch on it. I am so amused! Also some other cool stuff that is harder to explain but just as amusing or cool or pretty, depending. The break was good for me, even if I spent most of it writing papers.
My car decided this was the best week to begin stalling at random moments for no apparent reason, my alarm clock ran out of batteries (it isn't the kind that plugs in), and that was just the beginning.
My mentor teacher was unexpectedly absent on the day I finally was able to take my car in to the mechanic. "No problem," I said. "Plenty of time to drop off the car and take a cab to work. I mean, I do have almost two hours between when the place opens and when the first class starts..." I did not knock on wood, sadly.
So after dropping off my car at the mechanic and waiting over an hour and a half for The Cab That Never Arrived, the owner came out and drove me to school! He is going straight to heaven, for sure.
Anyhow, the kids didn't seem to mind me being a little late (there was a paid sub there though he didn't know the material), and I did a bit of lecture for them and helped them with the assignment. It all worked out.
But I have to say I am terribly glad to be finished with the week.
In other news, for Christmas I got a Harry Potter scarf in Slytherin colors (colours? heh) and with a Slytherin patch on it. I am so amused! Also some other cool stuff that is harder to explain but just as amusing or cool or pretty, depending. The break was good for me, even if I spent most of it writing papers.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Glog like the wind!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Strange Tales from MAC
I made a (short) comic while going to a webinar put on by Lewis and Rena.
Strange Tales from MAC from Rera on Comiqs
Also, we just finished our own webinar. Dan and I showed the participants all of the wonderful excitement to be found on the QuizStar website. We showed them how to make a quiz, and then made them take one. I'm sure all of you lovely readers would get a 100%, but the average from the webinar participants was only about 40%. So sad. Though there aren't any graphics or neat options like randomization or auto-score in the blogspot version, take it and see how you do!
1. What is Rebekah's middle name?
A. Maria
B. Stewart
C. Stephanie
D. Zoltan
E. Molley
2. Why did the chicken cross the road?
A. To get to the other side.
B. Because the MAC program required it.
C. It involved higher order thinking.
D. To get free pizza.
3. Why did the monster cross the road?
A. It was tied to the chicken.
B. It was running from its mentor teacher.
C. There was beer pong on the other side.
D. Because the MAC program required it.
4. The MAC program at the University of Michigan advertises on Facebook.
True
False
5. Knock, knock. Who is there? SMACer. SMACer who?
A. SMACers Rule!
B. Cherry flavored Lip SMACer!
C. SMACer upside the head for assigning another paper.
6. In one or two sentences, tell why you think Rebekah and Dan are the best, ever.
(type your response above)
7. Which classes are your favorites? (Choose all that apply)
A. Educational Methods
B. Educational Literacy
C. Diversity in Education
D. Educational Psychology
E. Educational Technology
F. Research Methods in Education
G. Ms. Randall's Physics class at Huron
8. What is the name of Dan's new child?
A. Jennifer
B. Alexander
C. Abby
D. Daniel Jr.
E. Charlie
Strange Tales from MAC from Rera on Comiqs
Also, we just finished our own webinar. Dan and I showed the participants all of the wonderful excitement to be found on the QuizStar website. We showed them how to make a quiz, and then made them take one. I'm sure all of you lovely readers would get a 100%, but the average from the webinar participants was only about 40%. So sad. Though there aren't any graphics or neat options like randomization or auto-score in the blogspot version, take it and see how you do!
1. What is Rebekah's middle name?
A. Maria
B. Stewart
C. Stephanie
D. Zoltan
E. Molley
2. Why did the chicken cross the road?
A. To get to the other side.
B. Because the MAC program required it.
C. It involved higher order thinking.
D. To get free pizza.
3. Why did the monster cross the road?
A. It was tied to the chicken.
B. It was running from its mentor teacher.
C. There was beer pong on the other side.
D. Because the MAC program required it.
4. The MAC program at the University of Michigan advertises on Facebook.
True
False
5. Knock, knock. Who is there? SMACer. SMACer who?
A. SMACers Rule!
B. Cherry flavored Lip SMACer!
C. SMACer upside the head for assigning another paper.
6. In one or two sentences, tell why you think Rebekah and Dan are the best, ever.
(type your response above)
7. Which classes are your favorites? (Choose all that apply)
A. Educational Methods
B. Educational Literacy
C. Diversity in Education
D. Educational Psychology
E. Educational Technology
F. Research Methods in Education
G. Ms. Randall's Physics class at Huron
8. What is the name of Dan's new child?
A. Jennifer
B. Alexander
C. Abby
D. Daniel Jr.
E. Charlie
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