IEP FOR ME, ME, ME!

Here's the dealio on this IEP project. I'm going to use my "Skeleton Woman" movie as evidence that I have advanced technologically. After viewing the movie, a power point presentation (that I still haven't actually created) will replace the typical notes on the overhead to which these students are accustomed. This all kind of acts as the anticipatory set to my unit on John Steinbeck's The Pearl.

Students will be asked to think about the differences between oral and written traditions in storytelling. Archetypes and Cultural Geography are themes that will run throughout the lesson as we see examples in The Pearl and consistently relate back to "Skeleton Woman."

Ultimately, at the end of the lesson, I would like students to either write or find a story from (or in the style of) oral tradition and make a movie with Movie Maker or Imovie. Integration, Baby.

Okie-dokie, movie's done.

Check out "Skeleton Woman," a really cool Inuit tale...

A lot of my images are works of Inuit art, mostly representing archetypes from the story.

I'm planning on using this project in the high school and the junior high. I will use the project to teach characteristics of oral tradition, cultural geography and archetypes. Peace.

Here lies my story map for "Skeleton Woman."

Students will "map" a story. They may write their own or find an existing tale to use for this assignment. Students will then make a digital story of this same tale with imovie or Windows Movie Maker.

Most images (must have at least 7) should reflect archetypes from the story, some images may show setting, themes, and characters. Story must reflect at least one instance of cultural/human geography.

Rubric

THREE IMPORTANT ONLINE RESOURCES

I believe the NCTE cite is, so far, my most highly valued resource on the web. Some others that can be helpful are Nettrekker, Alaska Stock Photos, Thinkfinity, and a Wiki that I recently stumbled upon called Teacher's Lounge.

I really think great photo sites like Alaskastock.com will be awesome for preparing powerpoints and providing culturally relevant perspectives in a non-linguistic manner. Who doesn't like to look at pictures?

Nettrekker, Thinkfinity, and Teacher's Lounge are all sites for getting or sharing ideas for lesson plans, activities and assessments. Seeing how other teachers have taught the same material is a great way to adapt a lesson plan or unit.

Participation in a professional online community

I have joined the NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English). Along with my membership, I also subscribed to English Journal and Voices From the Middle. I have received one issue of Voices, so far, but have yet to get a hard copy of EJ. I suppose I'll have to call someone...

As a member of NCTE, I have joined about a dozen communities within the site. Bulletin boards focusing on women in the teaching field, teaching reading in middle school, pre-professional development for upcoming teachers, teaching writing and technology are examples of some of the communities that I have joined.

I have not actually contributed to any of the discussions that I have perused in these online communities. I didn't really want to "post just to post"--I would like to actually have a high interest if I'm going to jump in...plus, if I'm going to comment, I want to comment on a fresh topic that is still "alive." A lot of the bulletins showed the most recent post as being a year ago or longer.

My favorite part, so far, of being a member of the NCTE is reading the professional articles that are posted. There are some really great ideas that I will certainly use in my own class someday. I have read many articles from EJ on the site, but I would still prefer to flip through the glossy pages from the comfort of my recliner. I really should call someone...

PS--Why is the spellcheck not working?? How can I convince people that I'm worthy to teach English if I don't have spellcheck????

Overview:



In their article "Assistive Technologies for Reading," Ted S. Hasselbring and Margaret E. Bausch highlight some of the technological programs which might help students with learning disabilities achieve greater academic success. Assistive technology is defined by federal law as "any item, piece of equiptment, or product system...used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities."

Some of these technologies include tools to assist the visually impaired, text to speech reading assistance for the struggling reader, and background information on reading selections to aid in comprehension. The writers warn that these assistive tools are not magical panacaes to whisk away imbalances in learning--the programs should be thought of and used as tools to achievement.



Reference Points:

• 10% of U.S. students get special education services


• 44% of these students spend at least 80% of their school day in inclusive classrooms


• 8 of 10 students with learning disabilities cannot read and comprehend grade leveled reading material

Reflection:

I did not enjoy this article. It was excruciatingly boring and painfully packed full of stats and percentages. I felt as though I must have a pretty extreme reading disorder while trying to process the information in the article. Maybe that's part of the problems in schools--the snorific qualities of much of the reading content. I would like to see if Wrangell's SPED department uses any of the programs highlighted in the article though. That will be interesting.

Overview:

In his article "The Overdominance of Computers," Lowell W. Monke suggests that the presence of computers in schools be reconsidered on the basis that inner resources like morality and insight should be developed before technological skills are taught.

Monke's argument focuses on his ideas that morality and knowing one's position in the world as a human being amongst human beings is a crucial foundation to build before giving students the immense power to impact the world through and with technology. He suggests that technology integration enters the curriculum in the last two years of high school. By this age, Monke believes that the moral framework would be ready to support the responsibilities and possibilities that students need to put technology to use that might actually benefit the world.

Plus, Monke points out that teaching grade school kids technology that will be long obsolete before they enter the adult world is a waste of time--time that could be spent humanizing students.


Reference Points:

• Computers are powerful tools that can do great harm to individuals and groups of people.
• There is not any hard data that suggests computers raise achievement--rather, the opposite might even be true.
• "It is the lack of qualities like hope, compassion, trust, respect, and sense of belonging, moral judgement, community support, parental care, and teacher competence and enthusiasm that keeps so many students imprisoned in ignorance."
• 2003 percentages of student tech use: High school 97%; Middle school 95%; Grade school 91%; Kindergarten 80%; Nursery School 67%

Reflection:

Overall, I agree with Monke's assertions concerning technology use in schools. I was shocked by the statistics showing percentages of technology use by nursery school and kindergarten students as being so high. I think Monke's stance against teaching technology which will be completely obsolete by the time the students are adults is relevent.

More importantly, I believe that the moral framework should be focused on in the earlier years of school. Honesty, integrity, compassion, and HOPE, are all far more important traits to have compared with typing, researching, or creating powerpoints.