I've completed and emailed my assignment for my final evaluation, and I'm glad that it is something I will really use. I definitely learned some new ideas and was reminded of things I had let slip away. Today I did something unrelated to the course but a technological advancement nonetheless: I put the finishing touches on getting the Kindle and the IPAD into circulation. Perhaps it will increase reading. I hope so.
One thing I'm feeling as I come to the end of the class is that maybe I should get out. I never wanted to be that old guy who is mean to the kids and can't do the job. I'm not that; I'm kind to them, and I have lots of energy. I just don't share the faith that's sweeping the profession. No podcast can replace kneeling down next to a boy's desk and looking him in the eye. The apostles all say that that's not the intention, but it doesn't feel that way.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Week 4
This week I've able to keep up with the work much better. I don't think it's me; I think that the material is a shade less voluminous. Also, some of the beginning of the year mayhem has settled down.
I have already put thought into my culminating assignment, and I've prepared a rough draft. It's a realistic plan that will clearly produce benefits for Iona, so I'm pleased. Today created an Animoto account and threw together a ridiculous slide show just to try it. I don't think they could make that any easier. I also started getting a little instruction in Audacity from Darin. It's all going to work.
One piece that totally turned me off this week was the article about Voicethread and Death Comes for the Archbishop. I have grown tired of the steady push to turn everything over to the students. The idea of students "making their own meaning" and similar mushy concepts feels more and more like a shirking of responsibility. Doctors don't make their own meaning as they learn their profession. Neither do electricians, masons, firefighters, or orthodontists. In all of those and many others, someone who knows tells someone who doesn't yet know how things are. Why are teachers afraid to say that they know more than their students? Many of my guys have gone on to successful careers and have proven themselves to be more intelligence than I. However, when they were 17, I knew more than they did. I taught them. That's what I get paid for.
I have already put thought into my culminating assignment, and I've prepared a rough draft. It's a realistic plan that will clearly produce benefits for Iona, so I'm pleased. Today created an Animoto account and threw together a ridiculous slide show just to try it. I don't think they could make that any easier. I also started getting a little instruction in Audacity from Darin. It's all going to work.
One piece that totally turned me off this week was the article about Voicethread and Death Comes for the Archbishop. I have grown tired of the steady push to turn everything over to the students. The idea of students "making their own meaning" and similar mushy concepts feels more and more like a shirking of responsibility. Doctors don't make their own meaning as they learn their profession. Neither do electricians, masons, firefighters, or orthodontists. In all of those and many others, someone who knows tells someone who doesn't yet know how things are. Why are teachers afraid to say that they know more than their students? Many of my guys have gone on to successful careers and have proven themselves to be more intelligence than I. However, when they were 17, I knew more than they did. I taught them. That's what I get paid for.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Week 3
This week I feel that there is a little more material I can use. I have long wanted to incorporate podcasts, but I'm feeling a little more inspired now. I'm not sure how I will use them, but I'd like to get students reading some poems and novel selections. I'm using Diigo a little more for myself, but I'm not convinced that it's important for students to share bookmarks. That feeds into one of my doubts about 2.0: there seems to be a worship of information in volume instead of depth and understanding. If there is one word that has become overused in the last couple of years, it is "connect." Everything is a way to "connect," as if that in itself is virtuous. Sharing bookmarks is connecting, but it feels to me like a distraction from thinking.
The most interesting thing I've encountered is the material about digital storytelling. There is a lot that we can do with the literary magazine. I have so many ideas that I need to slow down and start small or else I'll get frustrated. Audio and video links, links for allusions, author contacts are all possible, and more.
The most interesting thing I've encountered is the material about digital storytelling. There is a lot that we can do with the literary magazine. I have so many ideas that I need to slow down and start small or else I'll get frustrated. Audio and video links, links for allusions, author contacts are all possible, and more.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Week 2
I was in despair early this week. I came very close to "dropping" the course in the sense of no longer trying to do the activities. I would simply read what I could and skip the blog and discussions. It's too much work. I can't cut my sleep any further, and I was shortchanging my students. The wetpaint wiki site takes a very long time to do any little thing from logging on to fixing a typo. I'm not a stressed out person, but I was early this week. I was somehow able to get it done, but I'm still considering this option.
I read a number of the materials including a couple of things about RSS feeds. What the author says is true; it's very easy. I'm not sure that I see how they fit into the literature classroom, but I'm going to try to think of a way. I also looked at the Twitter for Teachers site. As Vladimir said to Estragon, "I remain in the dark." Both of these technologies encourage shallowness rather than depth. I am trying to keep an open mind, but both seem to require flitting rather that settling in and thinking.
I also read some material about wikis and visited a couple of the examples for language arts. What I saw looked like group plagiarism. I didn't look at them all, but I was not impressed as far as I went.
So here I am: energetic, experienced, not afraid of technology, having a good chemistry with almost every boy I teach, and feeling like I should retire in the face of this wave that doesn't seem all that constructive to me, though it certainly is new and different.
I read a number of the materials including a couple of things about RSS feeds. What the author says is true; it's very easy. I'm not sure that I see how they fit into the literature classroom, but I'm going to try to think of a way. I also looked at the Twitter for Teachers site. As Vladimir said to Estragon, "I remain in the dark." Both of these technologies encourage shallowness rather than depth. I am trying to keep an open mind, but both seem to require flitting rather that settling in and thinking.
I also read some material about wikis and visited a couple of the examples for language arts. What I saw looked like group plagiarism. I didn't look at them all, but I was not impressed as far as I went.
So here I am: energetic, experienced, not afraid of technology, having a good chemistry with almost every boy I teach, and feeling like I should retire in the face of this wave that doesn't seem all that constructive to me, though it certainly is new and different.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Week 1 Post 2
My resolve to use a real computer was confirmed when the IPad led me to make two typos because of this blasted virtual keyboard and the machine's desire to complete and "fix" my words for me. I later logged on to a computer with a full keyboard and fixed the errors so I would be able to get to sleep. Of course, I'm typing this on the IPad.
I noted in the discussion tonight (Thursday)that many people seem to teach in environments that have less freedom than we do. Though it's a Catholic school and we walk the talk on many issues, we are remarkable free to use technology as we wish. Challenges from parents regarding books and films are extremely rare. It's a good deal.
I noted in the discussion tonight (Thursday)that many people seem to teach in environments that have less freedom than we do. Though it's a Catholic school and we walk the talk on many issues, we are remarkable free to use technology as we wish. Challenges from parents regarding books and films are extremely rare. It's a good deal.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Week 1
Right now (Tuesday at 9:51 p.m.) I'm feeling grouchy about what I'm learning. Using an IPad, I set up my Diigo account. The Diigo toolbar didn't show up in Safari, and I couldn't drag the applet to the Safari toolbar. I added the special Diigo for IPad browser. The first document is supposed to be a Google Doc about the browser, but I got a message that said I couldn't view it because it violates Google's terms of service! This after the nice sounding young lady in the video assured me that Diigo "plays nice." At least I had a Diigo account address to add to my Wet Paint profile. There I discovered that "easy edit" doesn't work on the IPad. The tools come up, but I can't type. The lesson so far: use a real computer.
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