Reflections

Thus far in this course I have learned much more about the vast breadth of google applications as well as I have learned about other programs that are not offered on the mac. I am a mac user myself, but it is beneficial to learn about the programs that Microsoft offers as well because you do not always know what programs the school you work in will offer. 

     I have enjoyed using the blog, I think it is a great way for to communicate with your students because you are able to display many different mediums in one forum. It is also simple to use. 

   My favorite thing we have done so far in the course has been the digital story. I think it is a great way to introduce a lesson and capture the students attention. 

   The course thus far has been interesting, however, it would be helpful if there were more acknowledgement to the students who have already used many of these programs. Sometimes, while I feel that I always am learning something in class, there are other times when it is very repetitive to things we have already learned in undergrad. 

WillRichardson and Standardized Tests

I revisited Will Richardson's blog today, and once again I was pleasantly surprised to gain some interesting insights and perspective. I more specifically was encouraged about his post on the California Govenor vetoing the California state bill asking for more standardized testing in California schools.
    Most recently in one of my grade level meetings, there was a heated discussion with our administration about why we had not yet started our reading groups. Mind you, we had been teaching literacy every day and the students had had ample time to read through out the day, they had yet to be divided up in to leveled reading groups.
    This obviously upset the administration, however, to us, there was nothing we could do. Why? Standardized tests. Because of our frustration we calculated how much time we had spent during the first eight weeks of school on standardized tests. At our school this only includes AIMS and Gates. I know at other schools, there is much more to be done. We found that we had spent twenty school days, (the hours calculated to 20 school days) giving those tests and scoring them.
    Thus, when I read Will Richard's blog post I was in complete understanding with his frusteration and also the frusteration wtih the California governor.
    I think this can all be summed up with Albert Einstein's quote that Jerry Brown retold to the world, "Not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted, counts." Amen is right.  

Inquiry-based learning

     We do use inquiry-based learning in our classrooms at the school I work at right now. Over the past two years we have taken a long hard look at our curriculum flipping it upside down to look at it using the "Understanding by Design" method. By looking at the bigger picture first for each lesson and then making it smaller, it allows us, as the teachers to come up with essential questions for the students, first, rather than focusing on the content knowledge. The next step, after formulating the essential question (what you want your students to know), you decide what skills you want your students to be able to do after the unit or lesson. This system really forces teachers to think about how they are asking their students to gain these skills and with what means. In inquiry-based learning teachers not only need to ask the questions, but they also need to give the students the tools to be able to come up with further questions, and have tools to solve the question. I think inquiry-based learning is necessary and can be used in all classrooms, even math, where some teachers may argue that content is what is most important. However, I would argue that the skills the students gain to learn that content is much more valuable.

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