Storybird is slow....

Story Bird still hasn't cleared my story to embed here so i'm posting the link instead... here ya go

Story Bird Silence

Discussion

Chapter 8: Let Your Students Create

Question 1 (Ch. 8): How can partnering get students motivated? How can partnering motivate the "so-called slackers" in class? Provide examples.

Students get motivated about learning the same way we do by incorporating what interests us. Where do our passions lie? As a teacher this is the most important thing we can do, and we have all heard it a million times already get to know your students! That link between their interests and out curriculum can very well have the potential to get that slacker student motivated about learning again. If a kid likes football and struggles in math make a football math lesson it isn’t that hard to be creative in the classroom.

                                                                                                                  

Chapter 9: Continuous Improvement through Practice and Sharing

Question 2 (Ch. 9): Think about your current or future class(es). What can you to do to move yourself towards higher partnering level? How can you improve your partnering skills through iteration, practice, and sharing? Please provide some concrete examples.

Creativeness and flexibility are key without a doubt. Those two skills are what are going to improve my overall teaching ability and partnering. Without those two you can’t create something new that will connect and you have to be flexible enough to go with a student’s tangent. You never know what you mind up starting. It could make them have that light bulb turn on or it might lead them down a new path of interest!

This is a movie i created for a class i have been working with, some of the photos were edited with photoflexor

Animoto Video

Fact or Fiction???

Partnering

Question #1. How would you physically set up your classroom to embrace partnering? Why? Support your answer.
 For partnering in my future first or second grade classroom I would like to have tables instead of desks. To keep it in small groups at most times. I would prefer to have them easy to move out of the way. Like if they were on wheels so that we could have more room for active activities instead of stationary ones. I also like the idea of a big carpet area for discussions with the whole class. They tend to be inviting and the kids look forward to getting to spend time on the carpet with their teachers.

 Question #2. What level of partnering do you think would benefit your particular grade level or expected grade level? Why? Support your answer.
 My classroom would need to be simple and easy to maneuver for my students. Easy to move around, and easy to integrate. I would want to set it up for an idea with stations. The first graders find stations easy to understand and it gives them a sense of independence. Which is something I want to use my partnering to help them realize, the students are all taught curriculum but I want to make sure that through my usage of partnering that they become better people and realize their potential.

Social Justice????

Video streaming by Ustream

Vodcasts take one.... and two... and maybe a podcast too....

Video streaming by Ustream
Video streaming by Ustream

Blog Day 2/2/2013

Guadalupe Estrada, Clarissa O’Connor, Erica Vasquez, and I made a presentation on “blogs” in Saturday’s class. Tell us what you thought — what did we do well, what suggestions do you have to help us improve, what do you still want to know about blogs?

I thought the Prezi presentations were good! My group is doing the Prezi class so shame on you for showing them before us! Overall I really enjoyed it, really felt like a lot of people learned some great information. Kudos to the Fab Four!

~Blair

Who Am I?

My name is Blair Talley and i graduated from NMSU in May 2012 with a Bachelors in Hotel restaurant and tourism management. Yeah no connection to that and elementary education I know. Anyways i'm pretty simple I live to be active. I am a rugby player (blindside flanker for anyone who knows what i'm talking about) I am also a Scuba Diver working on my instructor certification. I coach Volleyball and am a substitute teacher, and my Corgi is my child.

Yup thats me in a nutshell!
-Blait