Video of Philosophy

Hello To All! 

I've decided to create a video of my Philosophy on Education.

It really just covers all of my thoughts from the past post but..

HAS PICTURES!!

So, you don't really have to read, just click the link below and listen to my voice.

>>>>Educational Philosophy<<<<

Enjoy the show! 

Educational Philosophy

As a teacher, I believe that learning goes beyond teaching the curriculum and the standards asked of me to teach students. 

My role as a teacher is to provide a safe and easy environment for learning.

To help students grow and mature within themselves and in the sight of their Heavenly Father. 

A student should leave...

• A classroom
• A grade level
• A school

                    ...ready for all that life has to give. 

In the classroom, I will use all and any resources that come my way.

Whether it be textbooks or chrome books, students will learn with technology integrated into the class. 

This new generation will learn...

• Web Safety
• A new learning experience
• Responsibly
• To stay engaged 
• Develop new skills
• Prepare and plan for their future

                               ...with technology.

However, I believe that a teacher is MORE than the person who has the credentials, knowledge, and critical thinking.

A teacher is inspirational and passionate towards their students.

I as a teacher, plan to do exactly this. 

To be MORE than my credentials, my knowledge, and my mind. 

I will be...

• kind-loving
• caring
• sweet
• loving
• patient
• spirit-filled
• inspiration

                   ...to my students.

Being a teacher means encouraging and supporting students to strive in their education and in themselves.

 

Being a teacher means moving the mind of their students along a path that prepares them for the journey ahead of them.

 

Being a teacher is being a teacher.

Classroom Management Tips & Strategies!

Hello to all!

🙋🙋🙋

This week, I would like to go over some tips and strategies I've learned in managing your classroom with.... TECHNOLOGY!!

Tip 1: Processes and Procedures 

• Use your resources: INTERNET💻
• Find online lesson plans
• Fun ideas and activities
• Video Lessons📹
• Flipped Classrooms
• This is basically a recording of your lesson so that students can look back for additional help.
• It is also great help for substitutes!!
• Storage☁️
• Store any lesson plans on a cloud so that it can be accessed from any device.
• You will never lose a grade book!

Strategy 1: An Ordered Classroom

• Grading with Excel✔️
• I'm going to be completely honest when I say...

"Setting up a grading system with Excel can be time consuming and frustrating.  After you set it up correctly, you can use it as a template and it suddenly becomes very simple and comes in handy!"

• Software Apps
• Many are used for assessments, behaviors, and encouragement!❤
• ClassDojo is an app that does exactly this! 

Tip 2: Connection with home

• Classroom Websites📊
• This could be a website, blog, or wiki, but this keeps parents up to date with projects, upcoming events, fieldtrips and  tools to use at home!
• Online Grading📝
• Having grades posted as soon as possible, so that parents can log in and see their child's progress.

Strategy 2: Texting and Emails

• Texts should have all key information for parents.
• Emails should contain any small details for parents to read when it has their full attention.

"Remember to answer parents questions first, by having organization, structure, and a plan for your class. The great news is that technology assists in all of these areas. I know that technology isn't the answer to all of the struggles a teacher encounters, but it does answer a couple!" 😉

Taming the Beast: RUBRICS!

🐯🐯GRRRR!!!!🐯🐯

Teachers, let's face it... rubrics can be a BEAST!🐅🐅

Creating a rubric has never been more time consuming, yet valuable to being a teacher.  It's the way we grade and evaluate a student's work, knowing if we have been effective teachers.✔️✔️

A rubric:

• Is the way a teacher evaluates a student.📝
• Gives the student a set of expectations for an assignment or project.📋
• Is used from the beginning of the project to the end.📆

When creating a rubric, just remember to P.L.A.Y.:👯👯

1. What are the PLANS you hope to accomplish with the assignment?✏
2. What are the LEVELS you will grade upon?😏
3. What are you ASKING for from your students?💭
4. What are YOUR EXPECTATIONS from students?🙋

Need additional help?💭 Click these links:

Tips to write a strong rubric

6 Steps to an easy rubric

Here is a link to my Google Drive:

Rubrics!! - Google Drive

This link contains some examples of rubrics that I pulled from other websites to give you an idea of what to put on your rubric.✊😉

Open "(Other rubrics)" and feel free to use these rubrics, but remember to modify the rubric, because it will most likely not fit all of the needs that your class has!✏

This link also has a rubric I created for my education technology class, please check it out!!✔️✔️

Bridging the Gap of Communication

Q: How can teachers keep in touch with parents on their child on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis?

A: With TECHNOLOGY!

(You really should have seen this coming.)

Using Excel or Google Forms, teachers can close the gap and send periodic emails based on each student throughout the day. The same can be done for parents!

By having parents create a Google Form, they can send emails addressing any concerns that they have very easily. Making contact simple and efficient.

Take a look at my Google Form and Parent Contact Log here: Communication Week

Q: Does this mean that parents will be sending me millions of emails on questions and concerns they have with their child?

A: NO! Simply answer their questions before they ask!

Q: So how do I get started on creating my own Google Form?

A: For teachers, follow this video: Creating a Google Form: For Teachers

 (For parents, tweak this one to you liking, if you have any questions, ask your child's teacher.)

Q: Why is communication important?

A: Communication is important because:

• It re-establishes the goals throughout the school year
• Improves academic performance
• Teachers are experts on teaching
• Parents are experts on their child

Cracking the Code...

As technology continues to become a part of everyday life, teachers need to take advantage!

An idea I learned about this week was the use of a QR code.

What is a QR code?💁

• A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode that is readable by smartphones.

Where have I seen QR codes?💁

• Product boxes
• Newspapers
• Sale Papers
• Brochures
• Museums
• Stores

How is this useful for teachers?💁

A QR code on a teacher's phone📱 can:

• Scan in who did homework✏
• Choose who to call on🙋
• Present a PowerPoint without a desktop PC💻
• Digitalize and file documents🗃
• Create PDF's from whiteboard notes📋
• Conduct an assessment📝
• Project student work as a document camera🎥

How do you use a QR code?💁

          You will need a device. (This ranges from a smartphone to a desktop with a WebCam) Then you will need to download an app that will scan a QR code. 

Click on the link for your device for a free QR code scanner:

• App Store
• Google Play
• Desktops/ Laptops (Better with a WebCam)

How do you create a QR code?  💁

          Just use one of these sites!

✔✔QR stuff ~This one has more options and includes using video

✔✔Go QR~This one is simple and easy to use!

👏Great! You've cracked the code! ✊👍

Scan any of the codes throughout this blog for more information on how to use QR codes in the classroom or for yourself!

One question I have concerning QR codes is:

"How can I explain QR codes in a simple and easy way so that any age group can understand?"

Green Screen Project

Wouldn't it be great to have a fieldtrip like those featured on the Magic School Bus?

Yet, because teachers don't have a "magic school bus" we can't take our class on those exciting fieldtrip. 

With a green screen, teachers can now take their class on a fieldtrip and have a class picture or class video. 

Green screen technology is really simple and easy  to use with the right software.

Teachers can:

• Paint a wall green
• Use green wallpaper
• Hang a green table cover

Using a green screen in the classroom is fun and educational!

As a simple assignment, I would have students watch the news in the morning, then tell me a couple of things they remember. It important to have students up to date with some current events. 

Then the student would stand in a green screen and give the news that they learned that day from MEMORY!

Here is an example my cousin and I made together using the green screen:

Students can use a green screen for educational  and recreational  purposes.

I had another cousin take a smaller video talking about space after I read a book about space. He simply stated things he likes about space.

I used the "Green Screen Live Video Recording," but I wouldn't recommend it for teachers that plan on using it. This app is free and a little difficult to use. 

Will Technology Benefit or Damage Students in the Classroom?

There are those who say, "Technology will do more harm than good."
Technology can:

1. Be a distraction.😵
2. Cost money to be constantly updating.💲
3. Cause too much dependence.❓
4. Damage a student's daily encounter with others.👤
5. Make it easier for students to cheat.💬

Here are some articles to look at that explain probable issues with technology in the classroom:

• 5 Problems with Technology in the Classroom
• The Problem with Technology in Schools

There are others who say, "Keeping up with technology is key."
Technology can:

1. Bring comfort to the new generation of students.😁
2. Individualize instruction.👦👧
3. Provide resources outside of a student's environment.🗺
4. Bring creativity to a higher level.🎨
5. Make learning fun!🎆

Here are some articles that explain the benefits of using technology in the classroom:

• Benefits of Technology in the Classroom
• Why Use Technology?

What does Elizabeth say about Technology?💁

"Just like with all things, too much of something can be harmful. There should be a balance and a limit to what happens inside of the classroom. If a teacher has the resources and skill to use new technology in the classroom, then they should. The way students interact is different with every classroom. Setting a time with technology and without technology is important. Technology has many benefits, and many of them should be used. Avoiding the probable issues will be difficult, but it comes with being a great teacher."

✔✔Here are two other articles about solving some issues of using technology in the classroom:

• 6 Potential Issues of Bringing Technology in the Classroom
• Problems & Solutions with Technology in the Classroom

Newsletter

This week I created a newsletter!! And let me say... was it FUN!

I researched a couple of Newsletters before actually doing one and found how resourceful they all were. I wanted mine to be that same way and thought of some good topics for a family to read about. 📄

A couple of topics that I pondered about were:

• Volunteering in the Classroom & Events
• Fundraising
• Carpooling
• Rules of the Classroom
• Santa & Halloween
• Parent/Teacher Meetings
• Making time for your child

However, I did not choose all of these topics to write about in the Newsletter. I tired to make it as sweet and clear as possible. 😁

Check it out: Welcome Back Newsletter

In the newsletter, I mentioned a couple of math websites for students to use at home that I tried myself!🙋🙋

FunBrain- FunBrain is a great website for children of all ages and I used it as a kid. Today, I love math and it brings good memories knowing that the website continues to exist!😀

CoolMath Games- CoolMath Games has math games, but it doesn't... There are some games on the website that seem to be just a simple game, and others are secret math games. The line is pretty thin, but it's a great starter math website.😎

FreeRice- FreeRice is definitely my FAVORITE! For each answer a student, or anyone, gets correct, 10 grains of rice are donated to the World Food Hunger Program. Not only are you increasing your math skills, but are helping to end world hunger!🙌

Unit of Study Reflection

Hey everyone!🙋

I have created a presentation on a reflection of my unit of study..😊

In the presentation and paper, you will find:

• What is my unit of study
• Why I chose the subject
• What apps I used 
• What needs improvement

Enjoy!👍

Presentation

Paper

Technology & Lesson Plans!

I have created a unit of study that incorporates an app your daily  lesson plans!

Instead of rewarding students by allowing them to play on an educational app, make the app a resource.

This unit of study focuses on the basics for creative writing. The main focus of this unit is Poetry.

The Storybird app is used for all lesson plans and the WeVideo app will be used for the assessment. (Not in these lesson plans.)

Click on the links below!

>Unit of Study
>Lesson Plans
>Additional Resources

Chapter 3

Highlights on Chapter 3!!!😁

This chapter talks about ways to integrate technology into language arts and provides some examples on how to do it.

Technology I would integrate into my classroom:

• Reading: Have students record themselves reading on any audio software and listen to it at a convenient time!🎧
• Vocabulary: Have students create a word cloud!☁ In this way they can look up synonyms and relate the main word with the description words.
• Book Study: Have the students read the book along with informational text, then watch the movie and compare! 🎥
• Poetry: Have students work in groups and create videos for a particular poem. Make it competitive and have classes vote on the best!👍👎
• Writing: Have a class blog! Teacher would create a blog and all students would be required to correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and improve vocabulary!🙋

Chapter 3 also spoke about how to find information online such as:

1. Primary & Secondary Sources

2. How to cite sources correctly

3. How to broaden/ narrow a topic

4. Avoiding Plagiarism

✔✔✔

I think students will really benefit from all of the technology that is being integrated into the classroom.

My 5 Apps

Apps are great for integrating technology into the classroom and having fun with students!

If I had a classroom and my school just purchased Chrome books for my students I would have them try a couple of apps and see which best suited my class.

  1. Socrative: is an online student response system that allows teachers to create polls and quizzes for their class and monitor their students progress and response in real time.

  2. Biodigital Human: is an app that shows a 3-D human, meant to teach anatomy and health. Best part? FREE!

3. Remember the Milk: is a time management app that allows students to manage tasks from a computer and connect it to their smart phone. It is available online and offline!

4. WeVideo: is a video editor. Students can work together on the same video and make changes together. Upload your own video and edit it to make it perfect! 

      5. Storybird: is an online storybook making website. As an educational tool where students can read stories that were created by other users. They can also create their own stories. 

All of these apps can be found on the Chrome Web Store and they are FREE!! I believe my students would enjoy learning and using these apps in the classroom.

Do You Pedagoo?

I've joined an online community called Pedagoo!👪

Pedagoo is actually a collaborative blog where you can share  and learn  from other teachers and share your own thoughts about the classroom

There are also Teach meets which are parts of Pedagoo Events

• Learn and trade teaching materials with other teachers
• Speak and learn from other teachers
• Is open to teachers all around the world

This is a game of Periodic table pizza box Battleship! 

#Pedagoofriday

This online community has some great perks:

• Members of this community are the ones who run it!
• (This means that they'll be constantly making the website more efficient!)
• It has many fun #hashtags for teacher to connect back to Pedagoo
• #Pedagoofriday is when teachers post a picture or a story about their school week!
• Pedagoo is a growing online community that allows teachers to share and ask questions about the classroom. 
• You can connect it to your Twitter!

Pedagoo is free!! If you want to sign up, click the link below.  Enjoy!😁

pedagoo.org

Oklahoma Technology Standards

I've posted some links for Oklahoma Technology Standards:

1. https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
2. http://sde.ok.gov/sde/oklahoma-academic-standards
3. https://www.iste.org/standards 

• I have checked these and they do not tell a teacher how to educate their class. 
• They are free and incorporate all levels of education!!

These technology standards the following subjects:

• Math
• Science
• Social Studies/ History
• English
• Technical Subjects

These standards are meant to engage students and encourage them to do more than most.

Let us start off by saying...

Hello to all visitors!!!

I just wanted to thank you for reading my blog and I hope you continue to keep up with my updates for the next months. I will start off this blog by telling you a couple of things about me.

• I have been a follower of Christ for about 2 years now and I absolutely love living with God inside of me!


• I am youth leader at Living Word Church and I also lead worship occasionally for the youth group.🎤 


• My goals with my youth group are to encourage them to make changes in their school by setting an example of Christ.✝

In the picture above, I made a flower crown and the background is the beautiful Yellowstone Park.

Although I am an extroverted person and love talking to people, I can be shy at first. Sometimes it's easier for me to connect with a person and reach out; other times I will hardly speak! I have a heart for serving God and His people!!!😁

🚘The past 4 years, I have traveled more than I ever thought I would. I have been in and out of the country and have had the privilege to travel within the U.S. with my family.🚘

🛫I have two experiences outside of the U.S. I am a Latina and some of my family lives in Mexico, so we regularly travel to Mexico. 

I spent my spring break on a missions trip in Haiti ministering an orphanage filled with the most spirited children.🛬

🎓 I graduated from Family of Faith Christian School last May and was fortunate to go on a missions trip to Haiti with the seniors.🎓

🙏My mother had been praying for an university for me to attend my junior year in high school, and was led to Family of Faith University in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

I had been praying for a career to follow along with being a missionary. I was praying that God would reveal to me if I was to pursue medicine or become a teacher. I decided to stay at Family of Faith and take courses in Education and in missions. 🗺

About a month ago God reveals my path: Missionary Teacher!! 🙌 I chose to continue my education at Family of Faith because God has led my family here. Slowly, Family of Faith became my family and that made it easier to stay!💖

Professionally, I think technology in education is important within its limits.

I believe that technology has benefits that could be used in the classroom, but I would prefer to have students connect and learn from each other.

Personally, I think some technology is overrated, other things I find fascinating. People are too disconnected from each other and lack attention.