| Sunday, August 20, 2006 |
| Cold Sweat and the shakes = ...... |
Today is Sunday...
I looked up the dictionary meaning for the word Sunday and discovered the following meanings:
1st meaning - First day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians. (I'm not christian... that's probably why I've been working all day instead of resting).
2nd meaning - The day after Saturday, and before Monday!!!
MONDAY!!!
Is the 1st official day of me returning to my role as "pre-service teacher"....... I can already hears the cries of dismay and the occasional shriek of terror....
...scary thing is though it's me doing those sounds of sheer terror.
Never fear though!!
I'm armed with pencils, paper, whiteboard markers, my laptop and believe it or not..... LESSON PLANS!! *grasps the edge of the desk before she faints dead away*
So to all my fellow pre-service teachers about to embark on their teaching rounds I wish you all the best and may it be a lot of fun :-D
Peace out
L.J
Homework:
"How did a fool and his money get together in the first place?" |
posted by L.J @ 4:22 pm  |
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| Thursday, August 17, 2006 |
| Is it time for a change? |
So what do you all think?
Is it time we had a change in education?
New learning encourages the use of technology and who knows the more hands on we are with technology on a daily basis might better equip us all for the future world.....
 What an exciting ideal hands on environment! I think It would certainly encourage student engagement and it is well known that.....
Student Engagement = Lower class behavioural issues
*claps*
Vaarwel
L.J
Homework:
Do chickens think rubber humans are funny? |
| posted by L.J @ 8:29 pm |
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| Friday, August 11, 2006 |
| New Design! |
w00t!
A New Design!!
To lead the way for my New Learning Blog!
It took a couple of goes because things kept going feral on me but now it's in working order!
So please leave comments on what ya think
waaeheey!!
L.J
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| posted by L.J @ 11:05 am |
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| Thursday, August 10, 2006 |
| 10 Things everyone should know about race |
This is just something I wish to share with people... I think it's kinda important.
TEN THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RACE
Our eyes tell us that people look different. No one has trouble distinguishing a Czech from a Chinese. But what do those differences mean? Are they biological? Has race always been with us?
How does race affect people today? There's less - and more - to race than meets the eye:
1. Race is a modern idea. Ancient societies, like the Greeks, did not divide people according to physical distinctions, but according to religion, status, class, even language. The English language didn't even have the word 'race' until it turns up in 1508 in a poem by William Dunbar referring to a line of kings.
2. Race has no genetic basis. Not one characteristic, trait or even gene distinguishes all the members of one so-called race from all the members of another so-called race.
3. Human subspecies don't exist. Unlike many animals, modern humans simply haven't been around long enough or isolated enough to evolve into separate subspecies or races. Despite surface appearances, we are one of the most similar of all species.
4. Skin color really is only skin deep. Most traits are inherited independently from one another. The genes influencing skin color have nothing to do with the genes influencing hair form, eye shape, blood type, musical talent, athletic ability or forms of intelligence. Knowing someone's skin color doesn't necessarily tell you anything else about him or her.
5. Most variation is within, not between, "races." Of the small amount of total human variation, 85% exists within any local population, be they Italians, Kurds, Koreans or Cherokees. About 94% can be found within any continent. That means two random Koreans may be as genetically different as a Korean and an Italian.
6. Slavery predates race. Throughout much of human history, societies have enslaved others, often as a result of conquest or war, even debt, but not because of physical characteristics or a belief in natural inferiority. Due to a unique set of historical circumstances, ours was the first slave system where all the slaves shared similar physical characteristics.
7. Race and freedom evolved together. The U.S. was founded on the radical new principle that "All men are created equal." But our early economy was based largely on slavery. How could this anomaly be rationalized? The new idea of race helped explain why some people could be denied the rights and freedoms that others took for granted.
8. Race justified social inequalities as natural. As the race idea evolved, white superiority became "common sense" in America. It justified not only slavery but also the extermination of Indians, exclusion of Asian immigrants, and the taking of Mexican lands by a nation that professed a belief in democracy. Racial practices were institutionalized within American government, laws, and society.
9. Race isn't biological, but racism is still real. Race is a powerful social idea that gives people different access to opportunities and resources. Our government and social institutions have created advantages that disproportionately channel wealth, power, and resources to white people. This affects everyone, whether we are aware of it or not.
10. Colorblindness will not end racism. Pretending race doesn't exist is not the same as creating equality. Race is more than stereotypes and individual prejudice. To combat racism, we need to identify and remedy social policies and institutional practices that advantage some groups at the expense of others.
L.J
Homework:
Is this ad racisit?
It was pulled in the only country (holland) that it was used after constant complaints.
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| posted by L.J @ 9:31 pm |
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| Those with ICT press the Y key |
 With technology on the advance and seeping into all aspects of our lives, should we be scared? should we embrace it whole heartedly? should we be cautious or throw ourselves at it? Indecision... a wonderful thing, we want to make the right choices but at the same time... we don't want to make the wrong choice.
When it comes to deciding which forms of technology should be included into the classroom, and which ones should be excluded, we automatically announce that we would like to see schools teach with tools that will be useful outside of the classroom, tools that will prepare students for the big wide world that is increasingly being bombarded with new techno-stimuli everyday. Often though the decision of what ICT tools will be implemented within a school are not decided by what is useful, stimulating and powerfully enriching, instead it is more often than not decided by what will fit into the schools budget and how easily will the new technology be accepted across the board.. (teachers, parents, adminstrators and students).
Teacher's are afraid of trying to teach students with new technology that in most cases.... the student knows more about the tool being used than the teacher. ("Well if they know more about it than me... what's the point of teaching it?") The point Ladies and Gentlemen, is not about "knowing" about technology, rather it is about interaction with one another through the use of these technological tools. Blogs are great being that they can act as virtual bulletin boards to all those who have access to them.
To go one step further and to encourage interaction online, I would reccomend the setting up of a Forum. Forums have become increasingly popular as they allow for mass contribution from all those who become members/users of the created forum.
Definition: An Internet forum is a facility on the World Wide Web for holding discussions, or the web application software used to provide the facility. A sense of virtual community often develops around forums that have regular users Internet forums are also commonly referred to as web forums, message boards, discussion boards, discussion forums, discussion groups, bulletin boards or simply forums. ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_forum
Classes can set up online forums within their subjects upon where they can communicate with each other and their teachers. The teachers can be given the role of "moderator" which allows them to monitor what is posted by all the users incase of online bullying or abuse of the system. A forum also allows teachers to post information on their subjects.
An example of an online forum: http://www.mediablvd.com/forums/index.php?act=idx
(here are a heap of messageboards/forums)
As a teacher I would love to have an online forum in which all my students could interact through technology. It allows for the introduction to emerging themes such as Netlish, Netiquette and a stronger understanding of differences between individuals. It also allows for more collaborative learning.
From my own experience of being involved in a large forum *points to MJJF in link section of this page* it is a great way to get resources and information. For example, there is currently a topic on the Middle East crisis, throught that topic plenty of users have provide the reason of the forums, members with: Opinions, advice, views, concerns, resources, information, personal experiences, referrences to articles and possible soultions.
All this information is given freely, and it is amazing how much you can learn in such a small space online. It also teaches you to sift through information with a more critical eye.
And that's all I have to share right now
cheers
L.J
Homework:
"Do bleached blondes pretend to have more fun?"
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| posted by L.J @ 1:24 pm |
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| Saturday, August 05, 2006 |
| Contribution and working together |
Wheee!!!!!
One of the exciting things about New Learning is that it encourages more group work than teacher.. lecture based learning.
The whole idea of incorporating group work is exciting as it teaches students how to interact with one another socially as well as how to delegate responsiblity within a group and becoming responsible with their set tasks.
New exciting ways of how to set up a classroom focusing towards cooperative learning and the use of idea such as constructivism.
One of these exciting new ways can be best highlighted by the TRIBES initiative. Which can be looked at in more detail at the TRIBES website: http://www.tribes.com
The idea of group work fits in well with New Learning as it combines well with the discovery phase within most classes where students begin to explore the smaller parts that make up a whole subject (This is where it combines well with constructivism).
Well that's my two cents for now
Adiós
L.J
More homework for y'all:
"If corn oil comes from corn, where does baby oil come from?" |
| posted by L.J @ 9:05 pm |
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| Hug your PC... we're about to embrace new learning! |
Hey Hey Kids!!
Ok so I've started exploring the world of New Learning and finding it difficult to coin a one sentenced definition as yet.
BUT! .....never fear I have narrowed down some of the fascinating things that are linked to New Learning and what it is alllllll *waves arms in big arc* about. This very blog that I am posting in is a perfect example of a step forward into how technology can be incorporated into the classroom on a regular basis.
For example as a teacher I could create a blog that could be useful for my students to all access (through giving them the URL address to this page). Then I can post useful thoughts, advice, ideas, resources, understandings and lessons about the topic of choice. The comments option at the bottom of each posting allows students to provide feedback on the postings made, if incase they don't understand something I have shared, or more importantly if they have something they wish to share to further other peoples' understandings of the topic.
It's easy to use and with the linking of other people's blogs or resources through the links section, communities can be created.
New Learning is about embracing technology and using it within the classroom, it allows for more interaction within a whole new scope of understandings, whether it be digital art or video analysis of sporting skills.
So c'mon peoples! get excited about New Learning like me!
Go on! Give your monitor a big hug! (that warm fuzzy feeling is probably static electricity.. dont mind that :P )
Grab that camera and start taking happy snaps!
Hopefully my next post will give more of an insight to some of the new ways in which technology can be used wthin the P.E department.
w00t!
Ciao for now
L.J
Your homework for this week:
Answer me this: "Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavoring, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?" |
| posted by L.J @ 5:53 pm |
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| About Me |
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Name: L.J
Home:
About Me:
See my complete profile
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It's slander
With the words you use
You're a parasite in black and white
Do anything for news
And you don't go and buy it
And they won't glorify it
To read it sanctifies it
Then why do we keep foolin' ourselves
Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual
- Tabloid Junkie
M.J
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