These past few weeks since we have established our GAME plan, I have been trying to work on my goals. It has been very difficult because we are winding down in the school year. So to try new things is not easy as we are taking our final tests and cleaning out our lockers. However, I have been able to model and promote digital citizenship to my students. One of the aspects of promoting and modeling digital citizenship is "develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital age communication and collaboration tools."
Me and a fellow colleague of mine are working to create a nation wide discussion forum much like what we saw in this weeks DVD resource where Vicki Davis invited other teachers to discuss certain topcis through the web. In my wildest dreams, I would imagine this process looking much like those CISCO commercials on television where the classroom is equipped with a 70 inch flat screen t.v. and the picture is crystal clear, but it probably will not end up looking like that. We have sent out some emails to teachers in the southern part of the United States (Lousianan, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida) in hopes of letting our students who are in a remote part of eastern Oregon learn how those students who are their same age are dealing with the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Many of my students do not get to experience life outside of our small town and I believe that opening up their eyes to fellow Americans across the country will allow them to become more aware of their lives. While we have began sending out invitations to other schools, I am not too hopeful that this will work. I will let you all know my progress as we move on throughout the Summer.
Me and a fellow colleague of mine are working to create a nation wide discussion forum much like what we saw in this weeks DVD resource where Vicki Davis invited other teachers to discuss certain topcis through the web. In my wildest dreams, I would imagine this process looking much like those CISCO commercials on television where the classroom is equipped with a 70 inch flat screen t.v. and the picture is crystal clear, but it probably will not end up looking like that. We have sent out some emails to teachers in the southern part of the United States (Lousianan, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida) in hopes of letting our students who are in a remote part of eastern Oregon learn how those students who are their same age are dealing with the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Many of my students do not get to experience life outside of our small town and I believe that opening up their eyes to fellow Americans across the country will allow them to become more aware of their lives. While we have began sending out invitations to other schools, I am not too hopeful that this will work. I will let you all know my progress as we move on throughout the Summer.
Aaron-
ReplyDeleteThe project you are working on sounds great. If you want to add some middle school suburban and rural students from Kentucky let me know. We have an extremely diverse population, 40% free and reduced lunch kids and pro athletes kids.
It is a challenge to accomplish a lot of these goals as the school year winds down and comes to a close. I definitely have a lot to work on this summer!
~Meghan
Dear Aaron-
ReplyDeleteI think you deserve props for trying to get something new started in your classroom so close to the end of the year. I think that your students will get a very untold side of the story of the oil spill if you get a chance to talk with students that are being directly affected by the spill. I think that it is easy for the rest of us that are not being directly affected to be upset by it but we don't dwell on it or have to think about it all day like some of those families are having to. I think that your students will get a ton of benefit out of this project if you are able to pul it off.
Good Luck,
Ashley
Hey Aaron...I totally understand wrapping up the school year and not having kid to try stuff on. I wrote about the same thoughts in my own post. I am excited tough...I am moving to a bigger, quieter room at the end of a hall with a huge new smartboard being installed...can't wait! Shayne
ReplyDeleteMeghan-
ReplyDeleteIt would be fantastic to be able to work together with you and allow my students who seem fairly similar to yours as far as free and reduced(we may even be more than that I think). Like I mentioned, my students do not get much culture besides what they see in town. I will definitely keep you in mind as I prepare my curriculum for next year.
Shayne-
Its amazing what a change of scenery will do for your teaching spirits. I teach at a fairly new high school and I have the only room in the entire school without a window looking to the outside world. I feel like I am in a dungeon! I guess I should be happy that I have a job though, unlike thousands of other teachers out there.