Last WeeK , week 10.   The End is here.

It is so hard to decide what was useful for me. It would be easier for me to say that the last useful issue was dealing with Rubrics, because Rubrics is a topic that I handle since more than two years ago.

The rest of the tools, and topic were so useful, and now are part of my teaching.

I used to use blogs, but only to inform my students about specific tasks, now I have the big picture on this great tool. I liked so much to write on my blog, writing down my experiences on a diary or journal.

The ABCD model is been so useful to, because it had helped me to narrow my expectations, on my students, what do I expect them to do, considering the Bloom taxonomy, and also the new digital taxonomy. The ABCD is helping me as a map, letting me know where I really want to take my students.

This course was also offering great tools for teachers such as Twurdy, this search engine is a big help telling us how difficult the articles are.

An amazing and incredible bookmarking DELICIOUS, WOW, I can say that I love it. This has been so useful, because where ever you are, you can check your links, and there on that page you can classify them, this is great!!!

All the links that the course offers me about listening and speaking are good tools. I couldn’t believe that at the web we can find esl-labs.

This course every week surprised me. When I was finishing a week, my thought was, well after this great topic, what else is coming? Because on that moment I thought that, the material for that week was the best, but it wasn´t there were more best coming…..

I can´t stop mentioning what else was amazing, but webquest, killed me!!!

I couldn´t believe when I saw my creation at the web, for the entire world, and I did it with the instructions, from this magnificent course.

The course was not only about links, ideas, it also contained good articles that teachers should know like independent work, PBL, assessments, projects, learning styles, ideas to teach large classes, how to use one computer at the classroom etc.

 As I mention before I can´t believed what the course invite me to create, I got surprised when I did (just as a sample, because it is short) a JEOPARDY game, yes, an interactive game!! Puff! Amazing, you can feel so good when you see the product.

I learned how to use Google docs. I got many ideas and links to create games, puzzles, crosswords, hot potatoes, etc.

During these ten short weeks, I had the opportunity to elaborate a project; I decided to use a webquest, to improve the reading skill at my students. As teacher I can mentions that this was a great experience for my students, they like the webquest, even though they did not realize that they were reading.

At the end I evaluate myself about how am I integrating technology in my classroom. I could see that I have too much to do, and this is my new and next challenge for me and also my students.

Everything on this course is through the web; through the web it is very easy to send links, instructions, task, etc. I wouldn´t be able to finish this course if I did not have a good teacher, a good leader, a good friend. Janine.

Janine you are so kind, I love the way you were leading this course.

Of course another part of this course was my nice, respectful, responsible and professional web classmates that now become my  friends.  

Now that I ask myself what is comming next? well, first I am going to have time enough to apply all these new knowledge, to practice, to implement and improve my teaching skills, and also I will look for a similar course, so good as this one.

                                                 WITH ALL MY LOVE SINCERELY      ANDREA.

                                                        WEEK 9  !!

It has been very interesting topic for this week. Learning style, I already knew about the topic. But I did never think on technology and learning styles. When I was writing my post at nicenet about what I read and what kind of activities can I use to connect learning styles and technology, I post some examples, but now I am thinking that I can plan an activity where all the learning styles were involve. Honestly something that I have done is after checking the predominant learning styles of a group I prepare my class focusing more on that dominant learning style, now after reading how important is and useful to give a class capture the attention of most of the students. But I was thinking that maybe I can use a tool where I call the attention of all kind of learners. It could be a PPT with music with visuals, graphics, and activities where the kinesthetic take part of them tool.

Maybe I am dreaming, but maybe we can, why not? If we do not try, who is going to do it??

Teacher Resources.

Right now I think that on this week 8 we got a long list of teacher resources.  What I think is that although these resources are on the web, free for everybody, we have to be conscious about the way we use these tools.  I think that we have to plan an ABCD objective for each activity, like puzzles, scrambles, bingo etc. I have seen that many teachers use them because they did not plan anything, or because they just want to wais time, to have students doing something instead of use them as a tool connected with our lesson plan programs.

I create a verb exercise, for one of my beginners group. I also practice with Google doc.

The idea to have these exercises done or to be able to elaborate yours covering your students needs is a time saving for teachers like us, who are busy all day all night.

This week is full of work.

I will start mentioning that my project was running so good, until I started writing down at the computer. On my journal report for this project I wrote clue words, phrases, sentences, some aspects for me, but when I started putting everything, in order, like translating from those clue words etc, took me some time, days later I decided to include the new tools that I learnt on this week, and as I did not have enough experience with these tools, it took me more time to do it. But I think that I am killing two birds with one stone, working and practice the new tools.

But the thing began to complicate a little more, when I saw these great virtual lab. How incredible it is that it exist something like this tool.  I asked at  nicenet  if after this course we will be able to use it. I need more time to go deeper with this tool, at first it was kind of complicated to understand how it works.  

(Frank Sinatra song!!!)

Today I feel that ……………  THE END IS NEAR…….

(Frank Sinatra song!!!)

After reading all your post on my blog I start feeling that I will be missing you!!!

I have learned from your post, and also I have seen that all of you have a big heart!!!

That is why you are teachers, good teachers, interested in growing in your careers, ready to transcend.

 I started working on my project, my students are motivated, I love what I am doing, and at the end I will see how much they love this kind of work.

I feel that I invited them to a trip, the immediately answer was YES!!! Then they were ready with their luggage. To travel somewhere…………

The only one who knows the route of this trip is me.

Any way all of them are ready on the boat. (They do not know where are they going) but they trust on me.

When you see in front of you this kind of students, hungry for something new, thirsty to work using technology, is when you reflect on yourself, how important is my teaching to them.

When they are like little birds eating in your hand, you can do whatever you want with them. Then you can change the perspective of your teaching, and your student’s life.  

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I feel very sad. It looks like no one likes my project or things like that.   

I thought it would not be difficult to find a partner, but now I see everybody looking for one, but no one pick others, I already asked directly to tow people, I am still waiting for their answer.

I am so excited with this project, when I invited my students the first reaction was that they felt proud of her teacher, and that was a nice feeling. Everything began, one day when I share to them about the way I got enroll on the course, specially I mentioned about this to my students because they are always saying that to be writing their essays for their journal file is not useful, But when I narrated the process how I got involved emphasizing the 2000 essay words, is when I connect them to the real word and their question what for.?

What I am trying to do in my project is to use as many as possible new knowledge from this course, and to see how it works, I decided to motivate my students reading process with a web quest. The topic of our unit is adaptable for this situation. I found interesting material to set on my web quest, where I tried never to forget the goal, Push my students to read, and find out how useful reading is.

                      

What a great week. Week 7.

We almost finish with this week, if someone would ask me about the most interesting week, I wouldn´t answer, every week in this course is surprising me.

I have read about constructivism before, but I never imagine my students building their knowledge.

The point is that this course, open my mind and now I think that I am able to generate independent and autonomous students. When I start reading the articles, writing my thoughts, and reading my web mates opinions, is when I realized what I can do. This idea did not stop there, after reading the article about one computer in a class, my mind start flying so far. My classroom only contains an obsolete TV with a VHS, and a broken DVD. But I have my own technology stuff such as a lap top, an iPad, and also I have access to internet at my room, so I can start modifying my teaching inviting my students to be independent and responsible for their learning process. Talking about this process, last week I invite my group to be part of this project, I invite one of my most enthusiastic and a participative group, the answer that I got was a strong yes!!! (I did it with the pertinent permissions and authorization) The only question that comes to my mind was while each student is going to be working at the computer, what is going to be doing the rest of the group?

As I have to teach everybody the same, I think that I have to plan another kind of independent work for them, so everybody is busy. As my groups are small groups at last 25 students, I think that this is not going to be difficult.

Let see what is next.......