Teaching is such an inspirational experience and I cannot believe that I have been lucky enough to finally experience it. It has certainly been a very hard, but rewarding journey so far. Not long to go now before I can take a breath and regroup for next Term.
I am heading in to my next and final assignment for the term now. It may not be until that assessment piece is completed and submitted that I will make it back to my blog here.
So, during that time, good luck to everyone and I hope all is going to plan!
If interested, you can find my webquest here and my website linked to the webquest here.
Keep an eye out for Hiroyuki-kun and Karen who are assisting the students in the webquest.
Warm wishes
Kylie B
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Its a small world afterall!
To coin a phrase ... "Its a small world afterall", but I still wouldn't like to paint it! The whole time I was engaging with the Google Earth activity, I was reflecting back on my life and I couldn't get past a childhood song that kept going on in my head - "Its a small world afterall". It really has become a small world after all! How prolific the words to that 1964 Nursery Rhyme have come to ring true after almost half a century!
I could not get the song out of my head, so I went to youtube to see what would come up. I soon located many versions of the song and settled on the following with tongue in cheek.
Having accomplished rediscovering the nursery rhyme, I now wanted to recall the details of it and where it had come from. Wikipedia was were I headed intuitively because I always to to wikipedia to get grounding knowledge on anything. I was not disappointed and it only took me a minute or two.
As Wikipedia describes, "Its a small world afterall" is perhaps one of the most translated songs in the world. So, I could not help but to look for the following in Japanese, which of course I found on youtube also...
I grew up using dictionaries and encyclopedias and cannot do without either. I thought I was very old school until I realised that I had just transferred my habits over to the electronic world. It just so happens that these days, it is through the computer that I find all of the information I need. I have my dictionaries close by (both English, Japanese and Japanese script), but 99 times out of 100, I will use the immediacy of the internet for my answers. What is this telling me?
GOOGLE EARTH & GOOGLE MAPS
I have been so inspired by Joe Wood's blog on Google Earth. Having observed and assisted in a Learning Experience recently where my MT (Mentor Teacher) introduced the students to Google Maps, I am very excited about the applications of Google Earth and Google Maps tools in my pedagogy. Having seen their successuf application and how my MT adapted their use to a Year 9 SOSE learning experience, I will utlise them as a learning tool for cultural aspects of learning, also for storytelling, application of learned knowledge though recording of learned information in appropriate locations, geography, politics, just about any topic imaginable could include these tools. And what I could incorporate into my Japanese LOTE Planning!
WIKIPEDIA
As I have touched on above, I personally use Wikipedia for finding grounding information on about any topic I am engaged in. Having had discussions with my MT, and listening to the advice that she has given her classes, I have come to the professional conclusion also that Wikipedia is a fantastic tool for finding out about a topic and getting ideas. As it holds common licence, the concepts it can help learners with does not need referencing, but rather can give then a kick start in the right direction. I will be encouraging my learners to utilise Wikipedia, however, as an academic reference, I will be advising my students not to cite it.
This is the exact place that I went to when I first found out what I would be engaged in teaching this term at my Learning Site. And this is another example of the wonderful information availalble immediately at my fingertips: Japanese adjectives, a very complex part of Japanese grammar that I am teaching my Year 9 Japanese students at the moment. Incredible and I will not be wasting such wonderful resources!
Kylie B
I could not get the song out of my head, so I went to youtube to see what would come up. I soon located many versions of the song and settled on the following with tongue in cheek.
Having accomplished rediscovering the nursery rhyme, I now wanted to recall the details of it and where it had come from. Wikipedia was were I headed intuitively because I always to to wikipedia to get grounding knowledge on anything. I was not disappointed and it only took me a minute or two.
As Wikipedia describes, "Its a small world afterall" is perhaps one of the most translated songs in the world. So, I could not help but to look for the following in Japanese, which of course I found on youtube also...
I grew up using dictionaries and encyclopedias and cannot do without either. I thought I was very old school until I realised that I had just transferred my habits over to the electronic world. It just so happens that these days, it is through the computer that I find all of the information I need. I have my dictionaries close by (both English, Japanese and Japanese script), but 99 times out of 100, I will use the immediacy of the internet for my answers. What is this telling me?
GOOGLE EARTH & GOOGLE MAPS
I have been so inspired by Joe Wood's blog on Google Earth. Having observed and assisted in a Learning Experience recently where my MT (Mentor Teacher) introduced the students to Google Maps, I am very excited about the applications of Google Earth and Google Maps tools in my pedagogy. Having seen their successuf application and how my MT adapted their use to a Year 9 SOSE learning experience, I will utlise them as a learning tool for cultural aspects of learning, also for storytelling, application of learned knowledge though recording of learned information in appropriate locations, geography, politics, just about any topic imaginable could include these tools. And what I could incorporate into my Japanese LOTE Planning!
WIKIPEDIA
As I have touched on above, I personally use Wikipedia for finding grounding information on about any topic I am engaged in. Having had discussions with my MT, and listening to the advice that she has given her classes, I have come to the professional conclusion also that Wikipedia is a fantastic tool for finding out about a topic and getting ideas. As it holds common licence, the concepts it can help learners with does not need referencing, but rather can give then a kick start in the right direction. I will be encouraging my learners to utilise Wikipedia, however, as an academic reference, I will be advising my students not to cite it.
This is the exact place that I went to when I first found out what I would be engaged in teaching this term at my Learning Site. And this is another example of the wonderful information availalble immediately at my fingertips: Japanese adjectives, a very complex part of Japanese grammar that I am teaching my Year 9 Japanese students at the moment. Incredible and I will not be wasting such wonderful resources!
Kylie B
Saturday, May 1, 2010
...tubing
As I enter this next study week of my learning journey, I am excited to see that I will be learning more about youtube. I remember saying to one of my colleagues at our first Residential school down in Rockhampton back in Febgruary of this year "I never go on youtube, I don't have time and I don't know why I would need to". WELL - haven't I done a bit turn about!!! One of the first places I go now to source ideas and information in youtube.
The reason I look to youtube for information and tools when planning lessons is for pedagogical reasons of creating authentic learning tasks for my learners whilst simultaneously trying to give many and varied learning strategies in any given lesson to accomodate the different learning styles of my learners. Youtube and similiar applications are a good time length (not too long) and they can be used to stimulate learners, give visual and creative cues and can be used in combination with other pedagogical strategies such as linked with questioning and group work.
The following is a series of youtube videos I found that compliments the current Unit of Work I am engaged in with Year 9 SOSE students which is titled "You have a Voice". Each video in this series relates beautifully to the topic of Democracy being discussed and even covers the history of it too. I intend to use these videos to convey information to the students, whilst keeping them engaged in the learning process. I will compliment these videos with questioning techniques, group work, and use them to lead in to the lessons. The series is called "in search of Democracy".
Introduction
in search of democracy Part 1
in search of democracy Part 2
in search of democracy Part 3
in search of democracy Part 4
in search of democracy Part 5
in search of democracy Part 6
in search of democracy Part 7
in search of democracy Part 8
in search of democracy Part 9
in search of democracy Part 10 - Conclusion
I have also included some videos here that are relevant to my Year 9 Japanese class. I love the simplicity, the visuals that the students have access to and importantly, the ability to hear the words pronounced by a native speaker of the target language which is, of course, very important for intonation and discourse. lessons. This just shows how much information, and valid educational information at that, that is available at your finger tips.
And finally, it was only this afternoon, before I began this work, that I discoverd teachertube. I found this simple but succint video I wanted to share with you all titled "Why let our students blog?" . It says it better than I could, and it doesn't even have any spoken words in it, illustrating just how powerful ICTs can be in pedagogically designed learning experiences!...
The reason I look to youtube for information and tools when planning lessons is for pedagogical reasons of creating authentic learning tasks for my learners whilst simultaneously trying to give many and varied learning strategies in any given lesson to accomodate the different learning styles of my learners. Youtube and similiar applications are a good time length (not too long) and they can be used to stimulate learners, give visual and creative cues and can be used in combination with other pedagogical strategies such as linked with questioning and group work.
The following is a series of youtube videos I found that compliments the current Unit of Work I am engaged in with Year 9 SOSE students which is titled "You have a Voice". Each video in this series relates beautifully to the topic of Democracy being discussed and even covers the history of it too. I intend to use these videos to convey information to the students, whilst keeping them engaged in the learning process. I will compliment these videos with questioning techniques, group work, and use them to lead in to the lessons. The series is called "in search of Democracy".
Introduction
in search of democracy Part 1
in search of democracy Part 2
in search of democracy Part 3
in search of democracy Part 4
in search of democracy Part 5
in search of democracy Part 6
in search of democracy Part 7
in search of democracy Part 8
in search of democracy Part 9
in search of democracy Part 10 - Conclusion
I have also included some videos here that are relevant to my Year 9 Japanese class. I love the simplicity, the visuals that the students have access to and importantly, the ability to hear the words pronounced by a native speaker of the target language which is, of course, very important for intonation and discourse. lessons. This just shows how much information, and valid educational information at that, that is available at your finger tips.
And finally, it was only this afternoon, before I began this work, that I discoverd teachertube. I found this simple but succint video I wanted to share with you all titled "Why let our students blog?" . It says it better than I could, and it doesn't even have any spoken words in it, illustrating just how powerful ICTs can be in pedagogically designed learning experiences!...
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