Monday, October 15, 2012
Score 1 for Technology
As it turns out, using technology in the classroom actually does work! I planned a language arts lesson for today, part of which included having the students decode a word in the context of a sentence frame. The word was "imprecise," and the sentence discussed an archer and his terrible aim. I could have written this up on the board, but the students begin to lose focus during even the short period of time it takes to get the words up. Instead, I used the iPad app "Show Me" to create a very short video of an arrow hitting, then missing a bullseye. The sentence was written at the bottom of the screen. My voice over read out the words to them, and I watched in amazement as my short, terrible video made their eyes light up. They were focused and staring at the television, and as soon as it was over they got right to work. I think if I had made them wait while I wrote the sentence up on the board I would have lost some of them. Instead, they got to see a silly little video that still got the point across! Easy. So easy.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
I am old. Or something like that.
I had a moment the other day that made me feel very "out of the loop" of technology. I didn't know I was old enough for that yet. It's silly, but the moment stuck with me.
My CT was explaining a math concept to the students who were having a difficult time understanding, and she was searching for another way to reach them. It was warm, and the class was slowly drifting off into that lovely half-sleep that is the bane of the existence of every teacher. She was discussing the topic of something building on itself, and out of no where she landed on the game "Plants V.S. Zombie," where apparently your weapons supply builds on itself and you never actually lose any weapons. Your stock just gets bigger. Now I hardly remember the point she was trying to make, but I do remember that the students' collective head reared up at the mention of this apparently-familiar game with which I am very unfamiliar. They all began to cry out excitedly as she pulled up pictures of the various game components on the Apple TV, and suddenly it was as though she had never lost them for a moment. The only person she had lost was me! My CT has a 15 year old son who apparently plays on his iPhone, but I have a sneaking suspicion that she loves playing the game as well. She knew an awful lot of details, including the strange names for every single weapon. I, however, did not.
And, as I was snickering in the back at how excited she was getting, one of my students turns around in his seat.
"What are you laughing at, Ms. Phelps?" he said.
"Oh I just have no idea what she is saying! I've never played Plants V.S. Zombies before."
The back half of the class that had heard me slowly turned to face me.
"What do you MEAN you've never played Plants V.S. Zombies before??" they cried as they rolled their eyes at me, who had apparently just fallen several feet from grace.
My laughter died quickly after that. Guess I had better learn what the heck they are all talking about, or risk fourth grade shaming.
My CT was explaining a math concept to the students who were having a difficult time understanding, and she was searching for another way to reach them. It was warm, and the class was slowly drifting off into that lovely half-sleep that is the bane of the existence of every teacher. She was discussing the topic of something building on itself, and out of no where she landed on the game "Plants V.S. Zombie," where apparently your weapons supply builds on itself and you never actually lose any weapons. Your stock just gets bigger. Now I hardly remember the point she was trying to make, but I do remember that the students' collective head reared up at the mention of this apparently-familiar game with which I am very unfamiliar. They all began to cry out excitedly as she pulled up pictures of the various game components on the Apple TV, and suddenly it was as though she had never lost them for a moment. The only person she had lost was me! My CT has a 15 year old son who apparently plays on his iPhone, but I have a sneaking suspicion that she loves playing the game as well. She knew an awful lot of details, including the strange names for every single weapon. I, however, did not.
And, as I was snickering in the back at how excited she was getting, one of my students turns around in his seat.
"What are you laughing at, Ms. Phelps?" he said.
"Oh I just have no idea what she is saying! I've never played Plants V.S. Zombies before."
The back half of the class that had heard me slowly turned to face me.
"What do you MEAN you've never played Plants V.S. Zombies before??" they cried as they rolled their eyes at me, who had apparently just fallen several feet from grace.
My laughter died quickly after that. Guess I had better learn what the heck they are all talking about, or risk fourth grade shaming.
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