Keeping Busy in Class

I Love Lucy and Cognitivism

I love analogies. I am pretty much good for at least 5 to 10 daily. This not only helps me make sense of information for myself, but also allows me to explain things more clearly. However, I find in my special education classroom the students are really limited as far as things they are familiar with: pop culture, food, landmarks , music, celebrities etc... I am constantly giving analogies for my analogies and giving other examples until the students understand. It never dawned on me there are people that do not know about Lucille Ball or the Twilight Zone. I do have plans to show my class episodes of these classic shows. It is really important for the students to make a real life connection to concepts which are really abstract for them. Luckily I have computers and a projector. When I try to make a connection for the students and they still do not know what I am talking about I "google" and find an image. The other day we were discussing how Europeans brought over different diseases to the "New World" and I tried to explain the image of small pox. When I realized the students were not affected by, what I thought was a really gruesome description, I googled small pox and showed them images. Only then did I get the response I was looking for.
Technology is way to break down barriers for children, especially ones with disabilities. Technology can help increase the capabilities of these students. As a teacher it is my duty to provide the least restrictive environment for these children...and yes...utilize technology.
Here is an example of a lesson that will show technologies can help provide opportunities for students to access their prior knowledge and better organize new information:

The Boston Massacre
Students will

• Learn what happened during the Boston Massacre.
• Research different perspectives of this event.
• Have a class debate.

Materials

• Computer with Internet access
• Class Textbook
  

Procedures

1. Have students view "The Liberty Kids" video about the Boston Massacre
2. Briefly discuss the different viewpoints of the Boston Massacre: Colonists side or the British side
   
3. Then review what students saw in the video
   
   • Did the British really shoot for no reason?
   • Were the colonists, in fact, armed?
   • Did the colonists provoke the British soldiers?


4. Refer students to the following sites, where they can gather information to support their arguments.
   • Boston Massacre information
     http://www.crf-usa.org/bria/bria16_1.html#adams
     http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/index.htm
   • Crispus Attucks information http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2p24.html
   • Captain Preston's account
     http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1751-1775/bostonmassacre/prest.htm
   • Anonymous eyewitness account
     http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-anonymous1.htm
   • John Adams's trial speech
     http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-adams1.htm
   • Theodore Bliss deposition
     http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/d-bliss.htm
   • Robert Goddard deposition
     http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/d-goddard.htm
   • Benjamin Burdick deposition
     http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/d-burdick.htm
   • Richard Palmes deposition
     http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/d-palmes.htm
   • John Hancock anniversary speech
     http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-hancock1.htm
5. Students will be broken up into two groups. (Colonists and British) Students will have time in class to prepare for a debate. Students should write an opening statement and to think about the points they want to make in their closing arguments. Students will use Inspiration to organize their thoughts.
6. Students hold a debate. Debates will be videotaped
   
7. Conclude with a classroom discussion and watch video of debate. Students will analyze how they did.

An Inspiration

Before our class reads the book Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman, we discuss how we can make our community a better place. One of the things the students do is make a web on this topic. I had the worksheets already printed out and ready to go for this lesson. Most of the time when the students are asked to complete a graphic organizer they roll their eyes or let out a sigh of dissapointment. Perhaps it is because they know a writing assignment is following shortly. I had the C.O.W.S. this particular day and I guess I was inspired by all of the sighing in the class. So this 20 minute lesson became a two and half period lesson using the computer. I figured what was the difference if the students completed a web on paper with a pencil or using Inspiration on the computer. As soon as I told the students we were going to use the computer they straightened up in their seats and were ready to work. We went through step by step on how to make a web using Inspiration. The students were really on task and were having fun doing it. They were able to get creative using pictures from the clip art and changing the colors and textures around. My teacher assistants and myself were really impressed on how well the students worked. After we printed out their fantastic webs they used them to write paragraphs.

Scary or Exciting?

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Mascara and the Mayas

The other day as I was getting ready to go out and my mascara fell off my dresser right behind it. Of course I was running late and had to get my mascara quickly from behind my dresser. First I tried to move my dresser, to heavy. Next I got down on the floor and shoved my arm underneath my dresser as far back as it could go, didn't reach. I tried using a brush, a notebook, anything I could grab - I couldn't get it. At this point, ten minutes later I am about to freak out- just then my eyes connected with a wire hanger across the room....yes a wire hanger, Joan Crawford would be proud..... This had to work I thought to myself as I tripped over a pile of clothing to get the hanger- I slid the wire lasso under my dresser and walla! my mascara was pulled out unharmed.....I was now able to successfully get ready to leave my apartment......and how weird, I felt like I figured out what was in the box in Pulp Fiction or something....very accomplished.

What does this have to do with TEAM or anything really....well keep on reading if interested..... Could I dare to call this constructivist learning? Yes I do... I learned by trial and error, undirected, problem solving, thinking and by doing.

I would like to think I provide an environment in my classroom which encourages and fosters constructive learning... I teach a 7th grade self contained special education class and it is difficult to get them to remained focused.....Last week we started to learn about the Mayas. I presented the class with the questions, "Why would we want to learn about the Maya Empire?" Each student got a laptop and 2 periods to do what ever they needed to, to answer the question. I was amazed with how well the students worked and how interested and motivated they were. The students were calling each other over to their computers when they found out something interesting or found a cool picture. They had ownership in their own learning. (I am not sure if they even realized) When it was time for the students to share their information, it was hard to control the enthusiasm in the class. Everyone had something to share and everyone learned something...Most of them were excited to talk about how they sacrificed humans..... It was a nice change to see the students intrinsically motivated . This morning I asked them what they remember about the Mayas from last week...guess what? Many of them remembered what they discussed last week...two students even went to the library (yes, the library) over the weekend and brought in books about the Mayas. Usually I need to juggle in front of the class on top of chair to get that type of response....literally....

Reflections

I try to implement technology in my classroom and hope to become more confident in doing so. I would also like to learn how to increase my knowledge of the types of programs I could utilize in my teaching.