My Reflection of Libraries Through the Years

Libraries have always been important to me. I have always been an avid reader, and I never had enough to read. I made trips to the library on a daily basis to get more to read. By fourth grade, I was introduced to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and loved it so much. They did not have Shakespeare at the elementary school library, so I started going to the public library to get more of the brilliant plays.

 In middle school, I started writing short stories. The library was my haven where I could research new things and incorporate them into my stories. I studied space, mythology, magical creatures, and everything I found interesting. The library became my favorite place. I practically lived there through high school and college. There was no place I would rather be. 





When I started to homeschool my son, I introduced him to the joys of reading. The library was where he learned to read. It has become a place my whole family love to visit. So, when he reached high school, and I started to think about what I wanted to do as a career. I thought about teaching since I have been doing it for so long already. When I looked into education, I found it. Library Science and Media. This was perfect for me. Libraries have been such an important part of my life for so long, it felt like it was meant to be. 

 Libraries have changed so much since I was a child. We did not have computers in the library when I was in elementary school. We had the card catalog. I learned the Dewey Decimal System by the time I was in sixth grade. I used it to find the books I needed for my research. 



There was a large reference section that you could not check out. There were encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and pretty much anything you would need to research. The encyclopedias where so vast, they were split into several books. These are what you used to find information to write research papers. There were overhead projectors that the teachers could check out and use in their classes. It was all very low tech compared to today.

 Today, libraries have several computers where students can research information. There is no card catalog, looking up books is done on the computers. DVDs are available to watch on a TV or computer. Now, you can even get electronic books that are read on a reader or a cell phone. Libraries are not as quiet as they used to be. Before, you were to work silently, so you don’t disturb other students. Now, there are many students working together in groups, and the libraries can be a bit noisy. I talked to a librarian recently, and he said that noise was one of the biggest issues with their study zone. 

 In the future, I believe the computers will be smaller, and more portable. There will be less physical books, and areas to access electronic books instead. Students will be able to use their portable computers to do research and find the books the need. More school assignments will be done over the internet, so librarians will need to be fully trained to use all the latest technology. Librarians will still have the responsibility to assist students in finding and using information. The biggest difference will be where they find the information. With all the changes over the years, I can’t wait to see what comes next.

My Introduction for School

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Multiple Intelligence

After taking the Multiple Intelligences Test, I really didn’t learn anything I did not already know. My top three intelligences are Language, Spatial, and Self.

 

Language

I have always been a reader, a writer, and a story-teller. I learn very well from researching and writing reports.

Spatial

I am a very visual learner. Charts, graphs, and maps are some of my favorite learning resources. I use color to sort out ideas, and keep them organized.

Self

I can work in groups, but I much prefer working by myself. My thinking is much clearer when I am not being distracted by other people. I do keep writing journals, and I always take time to review my ideas that I write in my journal.

The Ideal Learning Environment

For me, the ideal learning environment would be one where there is no lecture. Instead, the teacher could display the information on the board or via a video. Audio is the least effective form of instruction for me, so eliminating from my learning environment will make things much easier on me. I think that writing assignments, and solo projects would be the best way to assess my grasp of the information. I learn more when I am gathering the information myself, rather than being given it by the teacher.

References:

Assessment: Find Your Strength! Multiple Intelligences Retrieve at: http://www.literacynet.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

Meaningful Learning

Reflect on a time when a lesson was meaningful. Consider how the lesson relates to the five important characteristics of a quality curriculum.

This is a difficult question because there is not any particular lesson that I can even think of, let alone relate to. I remember specific projects that I have done, but no lessons. I think the problem is that when I was in school, the differentiatio0n was not used much. The teachers lectured or wrote notes on the board, and students were expected to absorb the information. I am a visual learner, so grade school was difficult for me. I learn best from visual aids and pictures. Writing on the board didn’t help much because everything blurred together. I learned a long time ago that if I wanted to understand something I was reading, I needed to separate ideas with different colors. The best curriculums are focused on students and their ability to understand, engages the students, and allows students to actively participate in gaining knowledge (Sousa, & Tomlinson, 2011). Rarely did the curriculum of the 1980’s engage the students and draw them in.

Then reflect on times when you were assessed on your knowledge.

I have had some good assessments and some bad assessments in my many years of schooling. The best assessment had options available. The worst one had no options, and was graded on factors that had nothing to do with the information we were learning.

My favorite assessment was in English class my senior year. We had just finished our unit on Hamlet, and we were given a list of final projects to choose from, using any of Shakespeare’s works. I chose to modernize A Midsummer Night’s Dream and present it as a play. A large group of my classmates joined me, and we traveled all over town, filming or production. We were assessed on how well we understood the play, which we showed through the modern translation. It was a lot of fun, and we all learned a great deal about Shakespeare.

 The worst assessment I ever had was in biology class. We were supposed to dissect a frog, and draw a diagram of the organs. This really was a problem for me. I am not the most artistic person, and my drawings were sloppy and hard to recognize the organs. I did label them, but that did not help my grade. This was the final for the lesson plan, and I failed it. We were supposed to be assessed on our ability to recognize the different organs, but I was marked down for my poor artwork, rather than my knowledge.

What types of assessments stressed you out the most and why?

Standardized tests used to strike fear in me for weeks prior to the tests. It was common knowledge that these tests were to find out if you know what you are supposed to know, and if you failed, you were not smart enough. As least, that is what a child preparing for these major tests believed.

Which ones did you feel were least threatening and why?

I really liked projects and reports. These types of assessments allowed me the opportunity to show what I felt was most important in the lesson plan. I had a say in what I was doing, and I like that.

Why do you think it is important that teachers should consider multiple approaches to assessments?

I think different types of assessments are better suited to the different learning styles. If teachers use only one type, it could put some students at an unfair disadvantage because they have trouble with that type of assessment. It meets the needs of each student, rather than just a few (Sousa, & Tomlinson, 2011).

How do you think your learning would improve if you were given options?

Options allow students to choose something that works well with their learning style, Students gain more from activities focused on their personal learning styles, and thus are more likely to achieve their learning goals (Sousa, & Tomlinson, 2011).

Reference:

Sousa, D. A. and Tomlinson, C. A. (2011). Differentiation and the brain: How neuroscience supports the learner-friendly classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Why I Chose to Homeschool

Why I Chose to Homeschool

         In 2004, my family made to move to Texas, and we were faced with a serious dilemma. My son, Abe, had just finished his preschool, and was scheduled to start kindergarten. The problem was, here in Texas, he was too young because his birthday is at the end of September. He was so upset because he wanted to go to school.

        A few weeks later, I found the answer. We were at the public library, and the homeschool coalition was giving a presentation. I never even thought of homeschooling. My father was a math teacher, and he believed homeschooling should be illegal. My husband and I really did not believe we would homeschool our son, but we decided to watch the presentation.

        The presenter explained what it took to start homeschooling, where we could purchase books and resources, and what lessons were required. She also explained that homeschool students were doing as well, if not better on Standardized tests, and that the coalition offered band, drama, sports teams, and  co-op classes. We were really impressed with the presentation, and started thinking about homeschooling Abe.

         When we got home, my husband went online to verify the statistics that were presented to us, while I went online to research kindergarten curriculum. My husband found that the statistics were correct, and I found a highly recommended curriculum for my son. I went to the coalition, and took their course on the rules and regulations for homeschooling in Texas. We decided to start him off with homeschooling, and then putting him in public school when he was old enough. We thought this would be for the best, so we implemented it.

           Over the course of one year, Abe completed the curriculum for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. He was thriving with homeschooling. That summer, we enrolled Abe in summer camp, however, he only manage to attend for about a week. That was when he had his first panic attack. He started seeing a therapist, and was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and crowd phobia. This made us rethink sending him to public school. We decided to continue homeschooling. Here we are, ten years later, and one year from graduation. I think choosing to homeschool Abe was the smartest decision I've made.

         The technology that I had access to at the time, was essential to my choice to try homeschooling. We used it to find the statistics and curriculum. I wish I had the technology that is available now, back then. There are so many new technological advancement in curriculum and grading that would have been extremely useful.  

Reference:

COLLEGEATHOME.COM (N.D.). Some Fascinating Facts about Homeschool vs Public School Homeschool World Retrieve at: http://www.home-school.com/news/homeschool-vs-public-school.php

Whyihomeschool (2011). Why I Homeschool? Sir Ken Robinson - multiple intelligences.  Retrieve at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RumyGvl-vk

Technology Integration Matrix

What is the Technology Integration Matrix?

The Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) is a way of evaluating technology integration into the classroom to improve the learning experience for the students. The matrix consists of 25 cells.There are five learning environments within the TIM: Active, Collaborative, Constructive, Authentic, and Goal Directed. There are also five levels of technology integration: Entry, Adoption, Adaption, Infusion, and Transformation. 

Where do I fit into this Matrix?

I found it fairly difficult to determine where I fit into the matrix.  As a homeschooling parent, I do not use a Collaborative environment, but as a future educator, I think collaboration is extremely important to a student’s education. I like to have my students actively engaged in using technology. I think students need to be actively involved, or they lose interest. I am also goal-oriented. I have incorporated technology into my lessons to help my students build an understanding of the lessons.

After careful consideration, I feel the environment if fit into best is the Authentic Environment. Many of my lessons are centered on local and global issues. As a homeschooling mother, I have tried to incorporate lessons that will help prepare my son for the future. My son wishes to be a journalist, so many of my lessons focus on local, national, and global issues.

The integration of technology that I use is Adaptation. I like to assign the tools my students use, but the students use the tools on their own. For example, I recently assigned an English project that requires the use of Blogger. My son has decided to lay it out like a newspaper, and each blog is a news story. This is not exactly what I had in mind when I made the assignment, but I feel it was a clever way for him to connect to the project.

 Reference:

Florida Center for Instructional Technology. (n.d.). Technology Integration Matrix. Retrieved from http://fcit.usf.edu/matrix/

Technology in Education

Technological Developments in Education

Technology has been responsible for many improvements to the education system over the years. Researchers have determined that, when used for more ambitious learning goals rather than basic skills, technology can help students develop higher-order thinking skills, creativity, and research abilities (Boss, 2011). Technology has drastically increased access to information. Research that would take days to find, is now at a student’s fingertips. Some of the greatest advancements have happened in the past fifteen years or so. Kids today are living in the Interactive Age.  The biggest developments in educational technology are the internet, laptops, IPads, EBooks, interactive whiteboard, and online classes.

The internet allows students access to unlimited amounts of information. Students can learn about different cultures from people of that culture, from their own classrooms. Laptops are used to access the internet from anywhere. IPads can hold a large number of apps that gives students a new and exciting learning experience. IPads are extremely useful for children with disabilities, providing them with access to educational material that will help them advance. Students have been forced to carry several heavy books to and from school. EBooks put all of those books into a small device that students can easily carry in their pocket.  The interactive whiteboards make the classroom an interactive learning center for the students. But the best development I have found is the online classrooms. Students can complete their education from the comfort of their own room.

Reflections of the Past

Things have changed drastically since I was a student. I graduated in 1992, so we were still very low-tech. Back in the 1980’s, we had some technology, and we thought we were so advanced. Looking back, our technology was practically the Dark Ages compared to the things kids have today.

I remember our teachers giving lessons on the overhead projectors. Setting up the screen was always a pain. I recall laughing when the teacher would accidentally let the screen go before it was hooked in place. The screen would roll back up and fall off the stand, so she had to start all over again.

         Our teachers often used slide shows to give lessons. These were really fun. They had a corded remote that you used to advance the slides. So often, the slide would jam up, and the teacher would need to readjust them in the middle of the lesson. There was no sound, just the teacher explaining each slide.

 We used to watch school films on the old two-reel film projectors. These were cool at the time. The teacher would put the film reel on the front, and an empty reel on the back. Then she would thread the film through the player, and onto the empty reel. If the tape snapped, you could tape it back together, and have a skip in the film.

  We had a few computers in the school’s computer room that we could use for school assignments. These eight to ten computers were used by the entire school, so getting access was not easy. I remember skipping lunch in middle school so that I could work in the computer room. It was the only time there were openings.

 In high school, we got cutting edge technology, a television with a VCR player. We also had a hand held video recorder. I remember using the video recorder for an English project, and playing it in the VCR. We did a production of Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. I remember the sound quality was terrible, but for the time, it was the best we could do.

          I imagine all of these things seem primitive to kids of today, but these were what we had then. I wonder what the next generation will think of technology today. Will they find it as ancient as today’s kids find ours?

  References:

(N.D.). Components of a 21^st Century Classroom Retrieve at: http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/infographic/21st_century_classroom.html

Boss, S. (2011). Technology integration: A short history. Eudotopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-history

 SMARTEduEMEA. (2011, October 3). History of educational technology [video file]. Retrieved from  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFwWWsz_X9s