Attention! Attention!

I think that an important part of education is classroom management.  A teacher can have a great lesson planned, but if he/she cannot manage the classroom it will not be effective.

When the students are getting carried away in an inquiry assignment or a cooperative learning assignment there are quiet signals for getting attention and gaining control of the classroom!

1) Teacher raises hand and the students stop talking, raise their hands, then wait for the rest of the class to raise their hands.

2) The teacher can turn off the lights which signals that the students must stop working and put their heads down.

3) The teacher can use a bell, piano chord, or musical tone to get attention.  The students then stop and look at the teacher until everyone is ready.

4) The teacher can clap a rhythm and have the students repeat it.

5) The teacher can use a whistle signal.

Teachers have to keep control over the classroom!  I think that these are great ways for teachers to keep control!  

Check this out!

While planning our lesson, my group and I checked out this website.
It is a multimedia instruction to help study and make lessons!  It gives presentations, videos, and learning tools in a variety of subject areas! 
Students can study...
1) Mathematics 
2) Social Science
3)Natural Science
4) Humanities 

You select which topic you want to study more.  For example, you can click on History & Goverment you will see four more options.  Then, you can click U.S. History.  Then, a long list of different historical events will come up.  You can study English Colonies, the Road to Revolution, or the American Revolution.  

Group 2: Inquiry & Cooperative Learning

Group 2 conducted a lesson on inquiry for Mrs. Benfer's 4th grade class!

Problem: students were given a series of clues!  The students were detectives for the day!

I thought that group two did an extremely great job!  The lesson was great.  I like how they incorporated technology into the lesson.

Cooperative Learning

Each group was given a separate task.  One group had to make a song.  It was wonderful!  The students were engaged in the lesson and loved it.  Another group had to make a poster and another group had to make a conversation.  I liked how the activities were different and unique. 

Group 2: Direct Instruction

Group 2- Declaration of Independence

Overall, I thought that group two did a wonderful job teaching the lesson!  We had to focus on three different aspects of the unit plan.  We focused on direct instruction, inquiry, and cooperative learning. 

Direct Instruction

Introduction- 

The teachers introduced themselves. 

 Also, they introduced a clap to focus the students.  (I think this was a good way to manage classroom behavior.)

 The group administered a pre-assessment using yes/no cards.  They told the students that it was a review of what they learned before.  However, they included questions that we did not go over.  The students were confused. 

Too much time was spent on the introduction and I don't think the worksheet was necessary

Development-   

Group two used a PowerPoint to explain the events leading up to the declaration of independence.

The slides were a bit wordy and was not "child friendly." 

They had the students use a graphic organizer which I think is very helpful!  

The teachers also modeled what to write in the graphic organizer which I thought was effective.

Guided Practice

I thought that the synonym activity was wonderful!  

Assessment

Diagnostic- group administered a pre-assessment

Formative- the group checked for understanding throughout lesson

What the Group did Well

1) It was clear that group two put in a lot of effort into their lesson!

2) Folders were a good way to keep the students organized

3) They communicated effectively with students

Improvements

1) Avoid using "ehh" and "mhm"

2) Make powerpoint more child friendly

Common Core

It is necessary for all teachers to be familiar with the common core standards!  Teachers need to make sure they use it in the classroom.  The following video is about common core standards: 

The common core standards provide a clear understanding of what students are expected to learn.  It helps both teachers and parents learn what they need to teach.  The common core standards provide young people with skills they need for the future.  Standards reassure that students are receiving high-quality instruction.  I believe the common core standards are highly effective.

Pinterest in the classroom!

I think that teachers should always try new things in the classroom.  Teachers should consider using...

Social networking is very popular worldwide!  Teachers should use pinterest in the classroom to engage students and can also use it  as ways to make new lessons.  

There are different ways that teachers can use pinterest.

1) add images during a lesson or class discussion

2) Find crafts and projects for school

3) Get lunch idea for kids 

4) Find new books to read and recommend  

Native American Project

We were asked to figure out how geography influences the different African American tribes.  Emily and I were asked to focus on the Iroquois tribe.  

We learned the following information:

History

™They first settled in the north-eastern part of North America around 100 A.D.

™Homeland: upstate New York between the Adirondack Mountains and Niagara Falls

™They then expanded through conquest and migration and gained control of most of the northeastern United States/eastern Canada

™During the American Revolution they were forced back into their original land.

™They fought along with the British in the war with France

Culture

™Lived in longhouses: large wood-frame building covered with sheets of elm bark  

™Open space was left at the top of the house to allow smoke out when they were cooking

™Their beds were covered in skins and furs

™They had to stay in one place because they relied on agriculture

™Longhouses were long enough to hold 30-60 people

™The women were in charge of raising the children and harvesting the crops 

Dress

™Clothes were made from deerskin

™The women wore skirts and moccasins

™Men wore breechcloths with long leggings

™They wore snowshoes in ritual dancing

™They liked jewelry and make up

™Tattoos covered most of their bodies

Languages-The languages were named after the individual tribes

–Mohawk

–Seneca

–Oneida

–Onondaga

–Cayuga

–Tuscarora

Reflection

I think that as future teachers, we need to be very knowledgeable about content.I  think that this project deepened my understanding of Native Amerians which will help when I'm a teacher!  

Unschooling

What is unschooling? It is letting children learn through their own experiences!  It includes play, work experience, and social responsibility rather than a traditional school curriculum.  Unschooling provides children with more freedom and prepares kids for the rapidly changing future!  

How is unschooling different from tradition school?

1) School has classes, unschooling does not

2) The kid sets their own goals instead of the teacher setting goals

3) During unschooling, the student is empowered to learn from his/her own self

4) Unschooling is not structured 

5) During unschooling, learning happens all the time.  

Reasons to Unschool

1) It's how entrepreneurs learn- Entrepreneurs take charge of what they need to know

2) It's much more natural- The school system is modern and famous people of history were learning through unschooling

3) It's freer- The student is free to learn and do what they want

What do I think about unschooling?  

I do not agree with unschooling or home-schooling in general.  I think that children should learn among other students.  They will not efficiently how to communicate with others and how to work with others if they are in their own house all day.  For any job, one must know how to work with others.  Also, I think that learning needs structure.  The common core standards is an efficient way to teach children, which is not provided in unschooling.  Also, unschooling will put many out of jobs.