Acsiler's Blog

Van Hiele videos

acsiler — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:26:08 +0000

After watching the Van Hiele videos I learned that the students could be very creative with shapes, had a lack of understanding of terminology and had a basic knowledge of geometry. The students could name shapes, but lacked the knowledge of terminology and had confusion when shapes were rotated if they were still the same shape. They did not understand the definition of similar or that if a math question is changed you can not just add a zero to get the correct answer.

The implications for instruction would be understanding that shapes can be found in everyday life. Understanding the definition of shapes and whether they are congruent or similar. Learning the different definition of triangles and also just spending time playing with maniputlatives. While playing with manipulatives helping students gather a deeper meaning of shapes and area and perimeter.

The videos were very brief, but represented what is seen in most classrooms and the understanding of most students.

Diagnostic Teaching

acsiler — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:17:04 +0000

My diagnostic teaching experience was a very rewarding one. I was very nervous at first and didnt know how I was going to get anything taught with the minimal amount of time I had to teach. As the days passed I begain to realize what I needed to do in order to make the most of the time I had and how to evaluate how far I could go in teaching them. The students were very adaptable and as the days passed were showing signs of improvment. They understood the concepts but just needed a little extra time with them. They used their strategies and in the end were able to understand their mistakes.

I feel that this project was very beneficial to them and to me also. It helped me understand how as a teacher you must be able to adapt to your students learning and go at a pace they can handle. It also showed me that with a little extra time and review the students that seem to not understand have the ability after all.

Fractions-Presenting and Representing

acsiler — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:01:19 +0000

After reading the article on fractions I began to realize that I never understood the meaning of fractions. For all of my higher math classes I always memorized the formulas and was able to get by. I can see how children today do the same thing. If they are still tyring to grasp the meaning of basic math, they are going to struggle with the concept of fractions. I like teaching fractions with real life situations. Bringing real life situations into the classroom helps give meaning to the math. Children are more inclined to try harder to learn the task because they see that they will actually use it.

Time is also of the esscense when it comes to teaching new concepts in the classroom. Having children at all levels of ability makes the task that much more difficult. Drawing pictures, using number lines and using manipulatives also helps in building the foundation of learning math. Fractions can be an intimidating topic and when presented to students in stages over time a better foundation is established and the student can build on this new knowledge.

Ten is the magic number

acsiler — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:21:57 +0000

I found this article to be very interesting and hope that it opens the door for debate concerning America’s school cirriculums. The idea of teaching math by memorization and skill and drill seems to be becoming lack luster and I think teachers and schools today need to become more open minded about how to teach our children. If our student’s are consistently being out performed by student’s in other countries then we as a nation need to look at what is working for those countries and develop a new and improved way to reach our children. Making math more meaningful and interesting can do nothing but help our students and promote a desire to learn. Many students do not have the ability to sit and memorize and their desire to learn is diminished when there is no other option. I believe this article shows a new way to reach our children and promote learning and understanding of numbers and how all math is intertwined and builds on itself. When the basic understanding is there the door opens for the students to find meaning in other types of math and a love of learning is developed

Math Reading

acsiler — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:18:50 +0000

I have found the most interesting reading has been in our book. I have enjoyed the chapter readings on how to decifer what children are thinking when they make math mistakes. The most interesting component is the fact that I am seeing the very same errors with the 3rd graders that I am working with. I enjoy working with this grade level and love watching “the light turn on.” I also find it fascinating that these errors are so common among children that they have been placed in a book with strategies to help correct their mistakes. My question is the why? Why do so many children have such difficulty with the same math tasks? Hopefully, with time and experience this will be easier to determine!

How can technology benefit student learning?

acsiler — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:12:31 +0000

Technology can directly benefit children in their homework and classwork. Videos, educational games, reference materials, maps, and the list goes on and on are there for students to view and use. The technology available can help students with learning disabilities find creative ways to overcome their issues. Students can type their thoughts and easily move paragraphs, insert data etc to help with their papers. They are no longer burdened with having to erase numerous lines of information or start a paper over because they “messed up”.Students can stay organized, type classroom lecture notes, easily share informationwith classmates in a rapid manner.

Teachers can use up to date educational real life videos to enhance their lesson plans, use smart boards to teach with, find educational games for students to use if they need a challenge or if they are struggling with a topic. Teachers can communicate with parents easily and know that the paper did not get lost on the way home. There are numerous ways technology can enhance student learning if it is used in a productive manner.

Technology has helped make the world seem like a smaller place and can expose children to places and people from other countries and cultures. With education and understanding they will learn tolerance and acceptance of people and things that are different from them. Technology can be a beautiful thing.

What issues are related to internet use in schools? How can you address them as a teacher?

acsiler — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:59:24 +0000

Issues related to internet use in schools are good and bad. The good issues are teaching children how to stay in tune with the latest technology available. Teaching them how to find information that might not be available at their local library. Helping them find information on topics they are interested in.

Yet, with the good always comes the bad. Children are being exposed to websites that are inappropriate and to pictures they would have never otherwise ever seen. Children are being so overloaded with information that it becomes very difficult to know what is right or wrong information. Teachers are being challenged with teaching internet safety, plagerism, copyright laws, and child safety in general. Teachers will need to keep abreast of the latest technology and help their students make wise ethical decisions.

Movie

acsiler — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:02:04 +0000

Watching the movie only reiterates what is being said about the ease of information. Children today are so inundated with information that it is hard for them to sort out what is good and bad, right and wrong. Children expect fast information when they want it and without having to work hard to get it. They do not know the meaning of going to a library and sorting through books and researching a topic. This can be both good and bad. Like everything else in the world there are pros and cons to multimedia and the ease of access. What is worrisome is that children are losing the ability to have face to face communication and find it easier to type their feelings instead. This can lead to ethic issues and also issues of cyber bullying and internet predators. As parents, teacher, role models etc it is important to maintain an open line of communication with children and keep abreast of the latest technology so that children are still being monitored and taught how to hold conversations and express their feelings.

Top 10 List

acsiler — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:06:30 +0000

10. District policies require that school districts get written permission from the parent of a child <18 year old to use the internet

9. Districts install filters and software to control student’s access to inappropriate material

8. Cyber bullying is a real threat and needs to be reported to local law enforcement

7. Wiredsafety.org teaches users how to preserve the records of cyber bullying for law enforcement

6. Telephone texting can lead to cheating on tests

5. Chat rooms are a favorite place for online predators to have access to children

4. Read all copyright laws before copying workbook pages

3. Teachers can rent pre-recorded video if it is being used in the classroom for teaching students

2. The school district can read all emails that you send or receive

1. Never reveal personal information in usernames and passwords

Is it fair?

acsiler — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:25:56 +0000

Is it Fair? After reading the story on Rosa you begin to see the struggle families face when trying to do what is best for their children. Being faced with a child that needs a special cochlear implant, having a language barrier, and needing to move and find a job to be near a school would be completely overwhelming.

Having waited until Rosa was five instead of two years old to have the implant suggest that maybe there were economic reasons, maybe they have not lived in the States very long, maybe they had not heard of the implant until that time. Needing to “make up for lost time” also creates another problem for the family. By demanding that the family learn to speak English would be beneficial for all of them since they are going to live in the States, but demanding that they have an English only spoken home is a bit extreme.

Yes, it would be the MOST beneficial for the school and the parents if she heard the same sounds that she would hear at school. Yes, the gap would probably be closed quicker and easier for all involved. Would it really be beneficial though to have Spanish speaking parents who are learning English for the first time to only speak in English to their child if their English is going to be broken and more than likely not pronouced “correctly?”

I think that stating that there would be NO progress for Rosa if she did not live in an English speaking home is also extreme. The school needs to provide some data to the parents showing proof that there is no other alternative. Show them information that shows the gains in living in an English only home versus what happens when the child hears other languages being spoken. Can the school not accomadate them with a Spanish speaking teacher? Does Rosa even know how to speak English? These are questions that need to be answered before a final decision is made. Then the parents can decide h0w they want to proceed.

Trying to navigate through all of the scenerios to help the child and the family would seem to be more beneficial than stating that “it is our way or nothing at all.” If this is the only school available for oral and auditory training for children with this type of disability, then the school and family should be given all the case scenerios and then decide what is best for the child. Is some oral and auditory training not better than none at all?