Amandafrancis's Blog

What is one thing from this course that has impacted you enough that it is going to change your teaching?

i have learnt quite a lot from this two weeks workshop….some of the stuff i knew about already but i learnt some new stuff….i will surely be using some of the new ideas in the classroom….for eg, pixton, glogster etc……thanks to Karen for the insight on using more technology in the classroom…..these past two weeks has be AWESOME (Karen’s favourite word)….lol

Add a comment July 27, 2011

how to use pixton in the classroom

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xezzfx_pixton-for-schools-demonstration_school

Add a comment July 26, 2011

parts of the house

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Add a comment July 22, 2011

traditional classroom versus constructivism classroom

i have never used the constructivist appraoch in my classroom but i think that it would be a great idea to introduce it in my class in September….beelow i will compare the traditional classroom versus the constructivist classroom

Traditional classroom	*Constructivist Classroom*
Student primarily work alone.	Students primarily work in groups.
Curriculum is presented part to whole, with emphasis on basic skills.(bottom – up)	Curriculum is presented whole to part with emphasis on the big concept.(top – down)
Strict adherence to a fixed curriculum is highly valued.	Pursuit of student questions is highly valued.
Curricular activities rely heavily on textbooks of data and manipulative materials.	Curricular activities rely heavily on primary sources.
Students are viewed as “blank slates” onto which information is etched by the teacher.	Students are viewed as thinkers with emerging theories about the world.
Teachers generally behave in a didactic manner, disseminating information to students.	Teachers generally behave in an interactive manner mediating the environment for students.
Teachers seek the correct answers to validate student lessons.	Teachers seek the student’s point of view in order to understand student learning for use in subsequent conceptions.
Assessment of student learning is viewed as separate from teaching and occurs almost entirely through testing.	Assessment of student learning is interwoven with teaching and occurs through teacher observation of students at work and through exhibitions and protfolios.

Add a comment July 22, 2011

how can we stay connected

As technology is slowly taking over our everyday lives, I would use it in my classroom as often as possible. To stay connected after the summer IT course is over, I would find teachers who are teaching the same grade as I am and we can do skype calls, blogs, msn chats, facebook chats, and also cell phones.

Add a comment July 21, 2011

Snow white and the seven dwarfs

http://youtu.be/8gWiVs5Q0kc

this video can be used with any grade at the primary school. i would use it in a language lesson with my grade 6 students. after looking at the video, students will be able to analyze and critic the characters, setting etc. each student would give a sort versio of the story orally. they will also critic the story and at the end give the story their own endings.

Add a comment July 19, 2011

IT workshop

finally two weeks of workshop is done and i can finally settle down to enjoy my summer holidays…..these past two weeks went by rather quickly and though i didnt want to go to the workshop at first i have no regrets of attending…..i must say that Jen was very enthuasiastic about the project and she made me want to learn what she had to teach (thanks Jen)…..i am now better prepared to enter my classroom and use the web to inspire my students to learn….i also plan to do a mini workshop with the teachers at my school…..thanks to all those who made the workshop fun and exciting (especially kiki and chad)…..will miss all you guys….

Add a comment August 2, 2010

I-T workshop

It all started on Monday 19th July….i was kind of skeptical about coming to the workshop because i felt i was being robbed of my summer holidays….for 2 weeks i’d have to sit in a room and listening to people talk and talk and talk….but it’s day 5 and trust me i cannot regret coming here….i am even looking forward to next week….lol…i’ve learnt a lot of new ideas that i can take back to my classroom to make learning fun and interesting….now i can hardly wait for school to re-open so that i can implement all this knowledge in the classroom….thanks much to JEN i now have many websites that i can use to teach lessons……..examples of sites one can use:

http://www.wordgames.com/

http:///www.zimmertwins.com/

http://www.typing-lessons.org/

http://spellingcity.com

http://www.stopdisastersgame.org

do visit these sites….you’ll find intresting activities you can use in your classrooms

Add a comment July 23, 2010

NCIS

This is the cast of my favorite televison show: NCIS….I love this show and have never missed an episode….you guys need to check it out sometime….its on USA….do take a look and enjoy as much as i do…my favourite character is ABBY….she’s the IT girl…..