Trap Hill Middle School Digital Literacy Day

 

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Trapp Hill Middle School. This school is unique, there is a pilot program in progress, concerning DIGITAL LITERACY! The ratio of tablet to student is 1:1! It was a wonderful experience to meet the DYNAMIC Gina Dye who is the current Technology Integration Specialist. She went without lunch to fill me in on all the fantastic events that are happening with the introduction of computers into  the classroom.

Mrs. Dye took my breath away as she discussed the implementation of digital learning in her classroom. Believe it or not she is a math teacher and her students are loving math. You heard it here, loving math!

When I asked Mrs. Dye what the most extensive and positive change the computers had made in her students she used one word and she used it a lot MOTIVATION> Who wants to do math? It is my nemesis, my worst subject, my Achilles heel. I would much rather eat spinach, liver and worms. I am not in middle school! She said that her students had done over 130 thousand math problems, there are approximately 75 students in her classes. This is roughly 1,733.33 math problems per student! There are pie charts on the wall to depict the students progress, the color green represented areas that the students had mastered. Never have I seen so much green pie!! There is always a negative, the only downside is computer maintenance. Keeping these computers up and running with constant use is imperative. If a student does not have their tablet then the class has to revert to other methods.

We chatted for a long time about many things. She informed me about the importance of agenda's. The students know what they need to do and when it is due. They are responsible for their learning. We chatted about my digital literacy class, she even gave me tips on my upcoming assignment in wordle! Thank you Mrs. Dye, for everything, your time, enthusiasm and your tips for my homework. I plan to go back and watch the students in action. It made me laugh when she told me that punishment now is a worksheet and a pencil, boring!

This week we were to explore Second World. What a crazy experience for me with an infinite learning curve. Having never played a video game in my life I was starting with no virtual experience.

Second World is exhausting. You may laugh as it is a virtual world and you never leave your seat. But, there are worlds to fly over, endless walking, so much to see. A lot of extra energy is used when you walk into walls and get stuck behind a tree.

There were a lot of beautiful things to behold. In my mind I realize that I touched the tip of the iceberg. Some of my favorite places to explore were English city and Drive by ESL. Each of these places warrant further exploration and discovery. These locations will eventually find their way into my classroom!

Interacting with the other avatar's was similar to my high school experience. I felt like the nerd all over again. These types of interactions will take time and practice. It takes courage to enter a new world and try to chat with a stranger. My opinion of Second World is Under Construction!

Everyone gasp! This is a provocative adult image. Believe me I received an education far away from the classroom. "Griefers" were messing with me and I got sent to a bizarre site. It was a little like being new to a city and stepping into a bar and getting that feeling that maybe you are in over your head. My wish is that everyone had a virtual guide to lead them through some of the pitfalls. I watched a lot of tutorials, but there is nothing that prepares you for the real thing. The virtual thing??

Adobe Connect is a fantastic tool. My AHA! moment came this weekend when Shewyn had to guide me through Second World. Also she helped me tweak my e-portfolio. (TWICE) For some reason things were not cooperating with me. The screen sharing and the discussion with a real person helped calm me down and point me in the right direction. This is a great tool and even though it has a 2-D format and there aren't that many bells and whistles, no scantily clad avatars, this is a valuable learning resource, I know I was on adobe connect most of the weekend! Thank you Shelwyn you have unbelievable patience.

What a weekend for new experiences, a meltdown and a reboot! K

Will the real Wiki please stand up!?

Richard Buckland is a well-known professor. He talks about the wiki for teaching connected students or connected classrooms through a wiki. Much of the work is through tablets and laptops to this online wiki. I think maybe SF will use something close to this system to finish teaching this class. It seems to be forward thinking so it would seem so.

He compares his wiki to blackboard. Says blackboard takes too much time. He gets into this slow. It takes about 12-14 minutes before he takes off. He talks about the mistakes he's made in the 10 years he's taught his class this way. (I watched some of his other stuff where he was actually teaching like this.) He mentions tutors in this YouTube but it was in one of his other ones that explains that he works from their private diary to find when they are in trouble. He assigns a tutor who was in his class last year and understands. The tutor gets grade credit, plus something for their resume, and steps in to talk the student through the problem they might be stuck on.

Buckland's wiki system is what I visualize will be the near future of ESL. Your students would learn much faster with this system, and be way more engaged. They could log onto your wiki at night, read assignments, write a few lines about what is working, what's not. Learn by doing. You could use skype or connect to help your students if you had someone who needed one-on-one help or they are not going to make it, which you like to do.

I understand that you teach one day a week and it might not be for you right now but someone teaching 5 days a week would lighten their load, increase learning exponentially, and foster creativity.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1-8OOrBi0o‏

This is an excerpt from an e-mail that my mom sent me, there is also a link for the u-tube video. My mom and sister live in Florida and they have been my support, my cheerleaders and occasionally my shut up and go to bed team. 

We call my mom Einstein for some obvious reasons. The main one we will discuss here is that she is so intelligent. Her computer skills are amazing. My sister is the same and her photographs are on my ESL Everyday site. 

We have been on the cell phone since this class started. I don't know who is enjoying it more me or my mom. As a class I know that we must collaborate with each other. As human beings find every resource, every person in the community that can move you toward you goal. People are sent to you when you need help, allow them to help. ( I have an issue asking for help.....)

That said, thanks mom you are the most awesome techno-geek mom in the world. Sis you are right in there with her! I am almost there.

Appreciate and love you guys.

K

Digital Learning day in West Virginia!

http://wvde.state.wv.us/dlday/inwv2.html

Recently, I learned that Trap Hill Middle school is piloting the 1:1 computers this year! I was thrilled to learn that teachers in my area are using laptops creatively and loving it! There are almost 500 laptops in the school!

DIGITAL LEARNING DAILY!

My hope is to be able to observe this classroom soon!

You never know what is available in your area, supplement your education with every experience available to you!



The hotel that we stayed at in Thailand was like the Garden of Eden. There were pomegranate trees and flowers that I had never seen. The hotel was set on a slab of marble. Your shower was open to the outdoors. It was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. They day we got there it was raining torrents. When we pulled in my brother jumped out and was running around in the rain like a kid. He said have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your life??? To this day I have not.

My brother says we are not allowed to disclose the location of this small hotel. He doesn't want anyone else to know, so you didn't hear about it here!!! :-)

Singapore: Where it all began!

Summer 2011 I went to visit my brother in Singapore. I had the luxury of staying for a month. Singapore is a beautiful city. I had been to Thailand with my brother in the past. This time I was an experienced world traveler. My flight, I booked by myself and I made the 24 hour journey alone. My brother met me at the airport and we went to his beautiful apartment.

The next day I realized that I had brought everything but sunglasses. Now that I knew all I needed to know about travel, I took off walking and was ready for a great day.

Somehow, I got lost, terribly lost in the hot tropical sun. No one spoke English. My i-pod touch would not connect. Cabs would race by and look at me in disgust. There are special places to catch a cab in Singapore, I am lucky I did not get fined.

This was my aha moment! It is an odd feeling when no one speaks your language and you are so confused and utterly lost that you are in shock. I never want my student to have this experience. One of my students went without food for a few days when he got here because he did not have any support.

Funny ending to the story. I found this woman who told me to go to a place near the port and wave down the silver taxi. I waved down the taxi, told the gentleman my story. He has this huge grin, he says, OHHHHH! You Johns sister, get in sister we take you home. He said you two hours from home. I was two blocks from home!! He promised not to tell my brother but I got busted anyway,

As soon as I got home I showered, put my makeup back on and was prepared to admit to nothing. My brother came home and was asking about my day....with a look of horror he said what is wrong with your legs?

I had the worst ever case of the prickly heat and had to come clean......

Singapore ROCKS!

Thailand

My brothers girlfriend Pond, now his wife!

Home made Thai food! Delicious!

What can you say??

A good time was had by all.....

An unusual site in Thailand. 

*SIGH*

Cats eat bugs & lizards! Love em!

The entrance to our hotel

The office for the hotel. They had a dog named Hamburger!

Think my brother was late!

Me basking in the Garden of Eden

This is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I got to experience true Thai life. We visited my brothers girlfriend and her family. They had a huge party for the "farang woman." They whole village came. We ate food that was grown and picked daily. One day we all went up in the mountains and went down into limestone caves that turned in to beautiful Buddhist temples. That day we also got to visit the Buddha of Pak Chong, the most spiritual experience of my life. My brother and I were honored with gifts from the Buddha. My brothers girlfriend stated that this was the first time that he had ever given a westerner a gift. Thailand is unique, it has so much depth and beauty. The people and the food are the best I have ever found. It is a magical experience. My goal is to give myself the gift of teaching in Thailand for one year. My brother will be living here with his wife. I will have a home and support. You only live once! K