Three Ring

I happened upon this app called Three Ring, which seems like it could be a really interesting tool as a future teacher.  Basically, the app lets you take a screenshot of something and then lets you save these pictures into different folders and whatnot on the app itself.  It may be an easier way to save students work perhaps?Three Ring

The Artist's Walk

I was looking up the benefits of taking students outside for class and came across an idea known as the Artist's Walk. It was created by a teacher in Ontario. For the past couple of years she has taken her 8th grade  students on a walk every Friday morning. In order to engage her students she created a narrative guide for their walk. She chose 5 specific spots, a tree, school field,an area with rocks, top of a hill and a stream. For each stop, she collected some of her own reflections as well as those of poets, artists and others who have written about that characteristic. Afterwards she had students write and talk about their experience. Many students stated that they were able to notice things they never took time to notice before. She even had students create their own versions of the Artist's Walk. Some used the stopping points and found songs that applied to them and were able to relate this aspect to their lives in general. Other's were able to speak of the fact that nature can inspire writing and creativity. I think this idea is pretty powerful and can really open up the eyes of our students and take them out of their element. I wouldn't mind using this idea in a classroom one day.

Procrastination:Early Intervention

Procrastination. Most of us do it at some point in our lives. We can procrastinate going to an appointment, paying our bills or most importantly doing our work. We make up countless excuses of why we can't sit down and write a paper for class. I'll do it tomorrow before class, it won't take long, we tell ourselves. This paper is going to take forever, I'll work on it this weekend. In the time period it takes to reason with ourselves of why we should put off doing our work, the paper could have been researched, written and handed in. As a future educator and procrastinator myself, I think it's important that we intervene early when it comes to our students. I'm not saying we are going to stop our students from procrastinating. I'm just saying that we should teach students ways to avoid procrastination and reward and encourage that behavior. For example, when I'm having my English class write a paper I might give them time in class to work on it. I might also set deadlines for different parts of the paper. This gives them a head start and breaks the paper down into smaller chunks.  I might also try and use a reward system and motivate students to get things done. Maybe I'd give a couple extra  points to people who turned assignments in early. Another thing I might do is after a big project or paper was turned in, I might have a class where we just watched a movie and had a snack as a reward for getting things done and doing something fun and mentally relaxing. The point is that we should motivate and encourage our students to be and do better but also remember that we were in their shoes once.    

The Benefits of Teaching Foreign YAL

I noticed that a variety of blogs deal with young adult literature and what we may or may not teach to our students in the classroom. I think that as a teacher I would definitely be open to having my students read some foreign young adult literature. It would open up a new found appreciation for other countries and their cultures as well as create a new learning experience for students. You could also connect it to other classes that students may have. Some of the titles that I would be interested in teaching are Crutches in which a German boy is separated from his mother after the war and befriended by a legless German soldier. Another title is Hand Full of Stars in which a teenager from the Middle East keeps a diary detailing his involvement in an anti-gov newspaper. Shizuko's Daughter is another novel about a young Japanese girl who resides in America after her mother kills herself so that her daughter can have a better life free from her father and stepmother. There are many benefits to teaching foreign YAL to students. The hardest part is actually being able to obtain these books. It is best to look for them with small publishing co. and university presses.

iEarn (International Education and Resource Network)

When I become a teacher I really would like to do something that would connect my students with other students across the world exposing them to other cultures, ideas and religions. I really wouldn't mind working with iEARN (International Education and Resource Network). The non -profit organization is made up of 30,000 schools and youth organizations in more than 130 countries. It allows students to work on educational projects with their peers in other countries. These projects are significant.They teach students about major issues and concerns going on in other countries and allow them to work together on a common goal.   For example, a classroom in Colorado helped their peers in Botswana participate in a project titled the Eradication of Malaria. Students analyze causes and effects as well as prevention and the treatment of Malaria. I feel that something like this can expand a student's perception and strengthen their reason as well as teach them that they themselves are capable of creating change no matter age,ethnicity,economic background,etc. To see the impact that iEARN can have on a student you can watch the video above.

Team E-book or Team Paper Book?

Books, we've all read at least one, one time or another. You know, the covered thing with the pages in the middle. No? How about all that text on that kindle you carry around. Yes? Now you know what I mean when I say book, or should I say E-book. Is one form really better than the other? You can find a paper book anywhere. However, you can carry multiple e-books on one device minus the back strain. Paper books are cheap yet e-books are good for the environment. You can take notes in a paper book but in an e-book you can find these notes quickly and easily. You better have a lamp or a flashlight handy if you want to read your paper book. You can read your e-book wherever you'd like. It comes with display lighting. However,you need to be careful when reading your e-book. It may cause significant eye strain. Paper books don't come with that sort of warning. You can spill a cup of coffee on your paper book and you can still use it. Good luck spilling anything on your e-book reader. If that's the case, you better hope your warranty is still good, otherwise I'd try putting that thing in some rice. Paper books don't catch nasty software bugs that cause them to freeze up, but if that's the case with your e-book you need to get to a software doctor stat. I'd try the Geek squad at Best Buy. You don't have to charge the battery life on your paper book however some e-book reader's battery life last only a few hours. Whatever it is that you prefer, the point is that you just READ! Afterall, it's the words themselves that are the most important. 

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The Affects of Movies on Books and Vice Versa

Recently, I did a podcast on The Hunger Games with a fellow student. It prompted me to think about the affects movies have on books and vice versa. The whole reason I started reading The Hunger Games series was because I saw previews for the movie months ago and heard it was based on a series of books that people could not put down. I ordered all three books on my kindle and I too could not stop reading them. I was addicted. I told my girlfriend and my roommate about the books. They became addicted and then they told people about them. It spread like wildfire. I feel that movies can be helpful in elevating the popularity of a novel or a series of novels. I don't know a Walmart or Target that does not have all three books stocked on their shelves. The same may be said for the Twilight Series as well as Janet Evanovich novels. People like me see these movie trailers, find out they are based on books and want to read them. However, the same can be said for the influence of books on the movie industry. People fall in love with the characters and story  in a novel and  want to see the images they create in their mind come to life on the big screen. Hollywood knows this and takes these novels  and turns them into guaranteed box office hits. I feel that books help movies just as much as movies help books. It's something I'd call a win win.