Morning Scribe Report: Monday, July 14, 2014:
As we arrived in class today, we were disappointed to find the internet wireless not responding. But, have no fear! Our determined leaders summoned the “computer guy” to come save the day.
Mike Cook reviewed the purpose of Padlet, which is to post interesting photos that we have taken around town which reflect differences in British and American culture. We were reminded to note under these photos why they are significant and how they demonstrate the differences in our countries.
Several of us described different places that we have visited including Westminster Abbey, Paris, Isle of Wight, Churchill’s War Room, the National Gallery, and Hampton Court.
We reviewed our reading of Pytash Chap. 9. Deb noted the importance of having students take responsibility for their own technology use, while dealing with issues of finding projects that are meaningful and productive. Mike emphasized the necessity of scaffolding and preparing the students to use technology before releasing them to work on their own. Jeff and Mike talked about the importance of differentiating based on the individual student, not just the class as a whole. Wilda shared that this course has alleviated a lot of fear that she had previously had in teaching and using technology in the classroom. Mike and Wilda
discussed how teacher and student collaboration and self-evaluation contributes to learning with technology.
Our discussion continued with the question, “What should drive our writing instruction?” The act of writing, the skills, and processes of the writing process are the starting point with teaching writing. We need to ask ourselves in integrating writing and technology the following questions: First, what skill or standard are we addressing; what evidence-based best practice do we use; and then, thirdly, what technology can we use to best teach these skills?
Megan and Ruie noted that allowing time for writing in class is very important in getting students to get started on their assignments and facilitates motivation in students to complete their reading and writing at home. Mike noted that we need to make writing a safe space for students. Using journals, reflections, and other types of writing help to make writing more comfortable and more the norm, rather than a pressure-filled experience. Mike suggested a dedicated time to allow students to watch you, as a teacher, struggle in developing your own writing, in order for students to understand that the writing process takes discipline and work, even for experienced writers.
At this point, we realized the internet was working. After the scribe reports, Stephanie began her presentation on Highclere Castle, which many of us know from the Masterpiece Theatre series Downtown Abbey. We loved the Youtube video featuring the actors and actresses of the series.
Then, Erin shared her presentation on the Town of Winchester, home of Jane Austen. Some interesting factoids about this town are that the Anglican cathedral dates back to 648(!!), and the town has connections with the legend of King Arthur. In addition, many military museums are there for our exploring.
Ashleigh then introduced Chawton House to us. The manor was historically owned by the Knight family until 1993. Thomas Knight and his wife Catherine adopted the brother of Jane Austen. The Knights provided a cottage in town for the famous author Jane, and her sister.
Karla presented the Jane Austen House Museum where Jane spent the last eight years of her life from 1809-1817. She was an enthusiastic pianist, and she also enjoyed sewing. She wrote Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion while living at the home.
After a short break, Ruie showed us how to make a postcard using an acrostic poem and a zoom-in sentence. We then experimented mimicking the more complicated sentence structures based on the styles of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Joseph Conrad. Ruie then showed us how to write our “Impressions of England” poem using a “sensual” description of our experiences. These formats include a Poem of Opposites, A Poem of the Senses (using similes or the five senses), a Poem of Emotions and Senses (bring with the emotion as the title and use the five sense details to write the poem).
As we arrived in class today, we were disappointed to find the internet wireless not responding. But, have no fear! Our determined leaders summoned the “computer guy” to come save the day.
Mike Cook reviewed the purpose of Padlet, which is to post interesting photos that we have taken around town which reflect differences in British and American culture. We were reminded to note under these photos why they are significant and how they demonstrate the differences in our countries.
Several of us described different places that we have visited including Westminster Abbey, Paris, Isle of Wight, Churchill’s War Room, the National Gallery, and Hampton Court.
We reviewed our reading of Pytash Chap. 9. Deb noted the importance of having students take responsibility for their own technology use, while dealing with issues of finding projects that are meaningful and productive. Mike emphasized the necessity of scaffolding and preparing the students to use technology before releasing them to work on their own. Jeff and Mike talked about the importance of differentiating based on the individual student, not just the class as a whole. Wilda shared that this course has alleviated a lot of fear that she had previously had in teaching and using technology in the classroom. Mike and Wilda
discussed how teacher and student collaboration and self-evaluation contributes to learning with technology.
Our discussion continued with the question, “What should drive our writing instruction?” The act of writing, the skills, and processes of the writing process are the starting point with teaching writing. We need to ask ourselves in integrating writing and technology the following questions: First, what skill or standard are we addressing; what evidence-based best practice do we use; and then, thirdly, what technology can we use to best teach these skills?
Megan and Ruie noted that allowing time for writing in class is very important in getting students to get started on their assignments and facilitates motivation in students to complete their reading and writing at home. Mike noted that we need to make writing a safe space for students. Using journals, reflections, and other types of writing help to make writing more comfortable and more the norm, rather than a pressure-filled experience. Mike suggested a dedicated time to allow students to watch you, as a teacher, struggle in developing your own writing, in order for students to understand that the writing process takes discipline and work, even for experienced writers.
At this point, we realized the internet was working. After the scribe reports, Stephanie began her presentation on Highclere Castle, which many of us know from the Masterpiece Theatre series Downtown Abbey. We loved the Youtube video featuring the actors and actresses of the series.
Then, Erin shared her presentation on the Town of Winchester, home of Jane Austen. Some interesting factoids about this town are that the Anglican cathedral dates back to 648(!!), and the town has connections with the legend of King Arthur. In addition, many military museums are there for our exploring.
Ashleigh then introduced Chawton House to us. The manor was historically owned by the Knight family until 1993. Thomas Knight and his wife Catherine adopted the brother of Jane Austen. The Knights provided a cottage in town for the famous author Jane, and her sister.
Karla presented the Jane Austen House Museum where Jane spent the last eight years of her life from 1809-1817. She was an enthusiastic pianist, and she also enjoyed sewing. She wrote Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion while living at the home.
After a short break, Ruie showed us how to make a postcard using an acrostic poem and a zoom-in sentence. We then experimented mimicking the more complicated sentence structures based on the styles of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Joseph Conrad. Ruie then showed us how to write our “Impressions of England” poem using a “sensual” description of our experiences. These formats include a Poem of Opposites, A Poem of the Senses (using similes or the five senses), a Poem of Emotions and Senses (bring with the emotion as the title and use the five sense details to write the poem).