Technology with Intention

Interesting article about how to use technology in the classroom. It is worth the small amount of time to read.

http://www.billingsmiddleschool.org/beta/2010/11/26/technology-with-intention/

Wikis in the Classroom

Are Your Students Using Wikis to Strengthen Vocabulary Skills?

By Patrick Ledesma on November 8, 2010 6:47 PM | No Comments | No Recommendations

Think about all the ways you promote content vocabulary in your classroom.

Got that bulletin board? Got that word wall? Got a few posters with pictures and words around your classroom? Do students keep a notebook, graphic organizers, or flashcards of important words?

What about wikis?

Yes, wikis.

A wiki is a website of one or more pages that allows people to add and edit content. The most famous wiki is Wikipedia, that online encyclopedia that anyone can add and edit content. While the issue of using Wikipedia for research may be controversial, my focus here is creating your own wikis so students can generate their own content for classroom purposes.

If your district doesn't provide a place to create wikis, lots of educators create wikis on websites such as PBWorks and Wikispaces.

Wikis are a powerful instructional tool for students to develop and practice vocabulary.

Why? When I learned about wikis a few years ago, as a school based technology specialist, I needed to find a way to highlight the instructional value of using wikis so I could convince other teachers to try this new technology.

During that time, building vocabulary using Marzano's research was a major focus in my district. Although technology was not always included in the strategies, using wikis fit almost all of the strategies to promote vocabulary.

What if the students collaboratively developed a class wiki for their content vocabulary?

This is how it works. You assign each student a word or group of words to research. After they have completed their research, they create a page for each word in the class wiki. When students are finished, the class will have their own wiki showing their classroom vocabulary.

It's like a "mini Wikipedia" of content vocabulary for your class that can grow throughout the year!

Here are some of Marzano's vocabulary strategies and why wikis are very useful.

1) Students restate the explanation of the new terms in their own words.

Wiki application: Give the student a vocabulary word(s) and instruct them to research and write their word(s) in a way that is understandable to their friends. This encourages them to restate their explanation in their own words.

2) Students create a non-linguistic representation of the term.

Wiki application: Tell your students that they have to include a picture that illustrates their word. A picture is non-linguistic! (This is terrific for geometry!)

3) Students periodically do activities that help them add to their knowledge and vocabulary terms. Activities can include comparing similarities and differences, classifying, metaphors, and analogies.

Wiki application: Tell your students to give both examples and non examples of their vocabulary word. Or, they can use analogies or metaphors if your subject allows it. (Advanced user tip: using the "Tags" feature in a wiki for each definition is actually requiring students to classify their words. Neat!)

4) Students discuss the terms with one another.

Wiki Application: Here is where things get fun. Since it's a wiki, students can edit each other's definitions. With your guidance, after students have completed their own words, you can have them look up each other's words, analyze what is written, and edit to improve the definition.

Think about the higher level skills students learn and practice as they build on what their classmates have published.

5) Students are involved with games that allow them to play with the terms.

Wiki Application: When your students have finished creating the wiki, you now have a permanent and readily accessible online resource for content vocabulary. What kinds of activities for review, remediation, or enrichment can you create that will encourage your students to access their wiki regularly throughout the year? Lots of possibilities!

And just imagine how useful these wikis will be when you start reviewing for those standardized tests. Your students and parents will have all their important words for the year all in one place.

Using Graphic Organizers to Structure and Format that Wiki

You can use graphic organizers to help students with their research and note-taking. One helpful graphic organizer that I like is the Frayer Model, which requires students to write the definition, characteristics, examples, and non examples. Here are a bunch of Frayer Model examples.

Or, create/edit your own version of the Frayer model using the Marzano strategies you find helpful.

Yes, the Frayer model has been around since the 70's, but it's still terrific for keeping students focused, and it will ensure that all students have the same type of information in their definitions. When you have students do the research, they should fill out their information either electronically or on paper using the good 'ol Frayer format before they edit their wiki pages. This will provide consistency in the structure, format, and content of the definitions.

So, developing vocabulary is in one instructional meaningful way to use wikis.

If you teach a subject that uses vocabulary, add wikis to your arsenal of vocabulary activities!

MOVIE

An 11 minute movie clip from Sir Ken Robinson that could challenge your thinking about education, take a look:

http://bit.ly/RSArobinson

Message for Parents

Helping Your Child Succeed at School

Ron Mirr, Iowa Parent Resource Information Center, www.iowaparents.org

The Iowa PIRC staff has adapted and prioritized 12 ideas for parents to consider to help their children succeed in school. We have put them in order based on what we are finding from various research studies. Feel free to reproduce this and share with students’ parents. You are your child’s best teacher! Research shows that children whose parents are engaged in their education are more likely to achieve academic success. Use the following checklist to plan how you can best help your child learn. As you organize your efforts, make sure to start at the top of the list and work your way down. It’s okay if you can’t do all of the things on this list! If you only have time to do one thing, work on the first item. As you have more time to work with your child, keep heading down the list in order. It is essential to be as positive as possible as you support your child. Don’t forget, these ideas are effective for children in all grades PreK‐12!

1. Have high expectations for your children. Kids rise to a challenge. Make sure your children understand the clear expectations you have for them and how well they should do in school. Talk to your children about your expectation that they will continue their education after they graduate from high school. Encourage your students to talk with their counselor and their teachers about their options

after high school. While it’s OK to reward your children for successes, as your children get older it is important to help them develop an

internal desire to do well in school that doesn’t require rewards.

2. Talk to your child about school. Ask specific questions to draw out your child. Instead of asking “yes” or “no” questions, ask “How do you think you did on the math test?” or “What is something funny that happened at school today?” or “What did you do during PE?” It is very important as you talk with your child about school to help him/her believe in him/herself and have the confidence to know that s/he can succeed. (See Questions to Ask Your Children Besides “How Was Your Day” at (http://bit.ly/9N81ND.)

3. Get “connected” with your child’s teachers. Teachers and parents should be equal partners. This doesn’t mean you have the same role, but you are both equally important players in supporting the success of your child. Ask teachers about their expectations. What are students expected to master by the end of the year in each class? How will each teacher be gauging your child’s progress toward these goals? Ask about the best way to get in touch if you have questions. Ask what you can do at home to support what is going on in the classroom.

4. Make sure your child has a quiet place to study and to learn at home. Find an area in your home that is free of distraction where your child can concentrate on homework and other learning without being disturbed by other distractions. Listening to music while doing homework is not the best way for all students to focus on their homework. Be available to offer suggestions if your child has a question. Make sure your child spends enough time learning at home. A commonly accepted rule is 10 minutes of learning at home per school night per grade level (e.g., 3rd grade = 30 minutes, 6th grade = 60 minutes, 9th grade = 90 minutes, 12th grade = 120 minutes). Students should spend time learning at home every night even if they don’t have specific homework.

5. Get your child “connected” to the school. Students who feel “connected” to adults and other students at school do better academically. Encourage your child to join a club, participate in intramural activities, go out for a sport, or join a music group. If what your child is interested in isn’t offered as a school club or activity, work with the school to start one.

6. Check your child’s homework, but don’t do it. Offer to check math problems, proofread written papers and look over spelling words. If you find a mistake, point it out to your child and help him/her figure out the correct answer. Remember to also point out what your child did well in his/her homework, too. If your child is having trouble encourage him/her to contact his/her peers or look for an online resource. Also encourage your child to ask for help from the teacher. Remember to help your child practice how to ask for help in a

positive way. (See Homework at http://bit.ly/cdaU5p.)

7. Find out about homework assignments and school tests. Use your district’s online computer system or teacher’s webpage to monitor homework assignments and get in the habit of checking it regularly. If you can’t find the information you need about upcoming classroom assignments, contact your child’s teachers and ask them to post when there’s an important project or test coming up. If you feel like you need more information, contact your child’s teacher(s) and ask them to post more information that can help you know how your child is doing and how you can support him/her at home.

8. Talk about your own learning. Discuss with your child how you plan, solve problems and think about the future.

9. Post a family calendar in a central place. Write down important school dates, including due dates for projects and tests. Encourage your child to add to the calendar and to check it daily. Help your child learn to plan and prepare ahead. As your child gets older, help your child take the lead for regulating and organizing homework and study time with you as their coach.

10. Go to school meetings and events. Attending concerts, plays, assemblies, meetings, and other activities is a good way to become familiar with your child’s school community and develop relationships with other parents.

11. Volunteer to chaperone school dances and drive kids to school competitions. You’ll meet other parents, school staff, and your child’s classmates. In this way you can also develop a network of other parents with whom you can share information and discuss ideas.

12. Find a way to make your voice heard. If you have the time and the desire, ask to be part of school committees. Attend PTA/PTO meetings. Many schools now have parent and school teams that share ways to further build a family-school partnership for student learning. Ask to form or join such a team. Adapted from “10 Tips for Middle School Parents” found at www.schoolfamily.com and including the work of Karen Mapp, Anne Henderson and K