Learning Styles

Looking back on my own learning experiences I recognize the transformation taking place in the world of education. I can speak of what I know best, and at the moment my comparisons are grounded in first grade. As a first grade student I remember (long ago) that most of the teaching was accomplished by auditory means. The teacher would be up in front of the class and there would be lectures followed by some sort of paper practice. This teaching strategy was often repeated over and over across the curriculum. I can remember similar teaching strategies while attending college. There were so many students that it would have been a challenge to operate in a different way. However, the professor would be up in front of the classroom lecturing students followed by independent study after course hours. This works for students who are auditory learners...not me.

I have always been a visual learner like 65% of the population. I learn best by watching and seeing what it is that I'm expected to know. For example, it seems that I never know where I'm at or where I'm going. Directions are impossible for me, but I see everything clearly when I have a map to look at along with landmarks and graphics. If someone tries to tell me directions it's almost as if it goes in one ear and out the other. However, if I have a map AND go there myself I will always get back to the designated spot! It seems that I'm a bit of a kinesthetic learner as well.

Using this information starts in my own classroom. Ideally it is important to know my students and their own learning styles. Yet, first graders are not quite at the point where they can really share this information with me in a useful way. It is really up to me to see how students are performing and cast a broad net of teaching strategies. It seems impossible to touch on every learning style for every lesson, but I do believe that small pieces can be added to a lesson to appeal to auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. Most lessons include some type of discussion, but in first grade a picture has the effect of cementing words together. The kinesthetic learning strategies are harder to implement with every lesson, but they can be as simple as a hand gesture. For example, learning long and short vowels can be tricky business. Combining multiple teaching strategies makes the task manageable. We say the vowel sounds while looking at matching pictures and making hand signals to distinguish between long and short sounds. Phew! The key is to combine teaching strategies when possible.

Photo Attribution:

Original Image: "Learning Styles Cartoon"

http://lmfarley.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Learning-Styles-Cartoon-300x225.jpg

By: Linda Farley

Creative Commons Image

Below is an image that I have located using Creative Commons. I understand that the image may look unusual, but first grade topics are often hard to predict. In science we are learning about organisms, and I have the pleasure of introducing this delightful creature to the classroom. First graders either panic or crowd the terrarium to catch a close up look at what is known as a Bess Beetle. I plan on using images like the one below to support the students who want to take a close look, but not too close. Images are a great addition to the curriculum that enhance student experiences in a safe way. Most importantly, images don't hiss!

Photo Attribution:

Original Image: "Shiny Beetle"

309466391_092792eae0_m.jpg

By: cyanocorax

Released under: Attribution-ShareAlike

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

My Flickr Page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/palmeradot

Google Shield!

Atomic Learning workshops are really stunning me right now! I just had to report on one more tutorial because it directly relates to my classroom concerns. I watched the tutorial, "Setting Up Search Preferences in Google," and I had no idea that this option even existed.

I can't even say how many times I have searched for an image (in my first grade classroom) to support a new concept or just offer a visual connection to an unfamiliar topic. I don't need to comment on what images pop up in Google when I search for "toys." Needless to say I search for images when the students are busy! However, there is a feature in Google that allows you to filter your searches. Going into Google there is a tiny little button marked "Preferences" on the right side of the image search bar. When clicking on Preferences there are options to which you can filter images. On my home computer with Safari the button is "Advanced Image Search," and this area offers a variety of options to customize your image searching. I will be doing this as soon as I get into my classroom on Monday, and I will be sharing this seemingly obvious way to protect young students from all the toys Google has to offer.

Clear Your Tracks

Just like walking through the snow or dragging mud onto your white carpet...you leave tracks online. The idea of my so called "digital footprint" being etched into my computer's memory is a scary thought. I am sure that even the safest computer user does not want to be spied on by their own device, such betrayal!

After watching an Atomic Learning workshop (Clearing your Internet Tracks on IE and Firefox) I have learned how to give myself some peace of mind online. Now I'm not saying that I frequent inappropriate sites, but I don't like the feeling of being tracked. All computers take snapshots of your usage every time you open Internet Explorer and browse the web. This is can be found in your History. To find this area go to your Tools and then Internet Options. You can delete cookies, files and change your settings to better protect yourself. This workshop inspired me to find this area in Safari. I'm an Apple lover, and on Safari a similar area can be found in the Safari drop down. Here you can empty your cache or change your online preferences. There is also a History tab that allows you to instantly clear your history.

The draw back brings me back to cookies from my previous post. Cookies can help you find what you are looking for and make your online experience a better fit for you as an individual. Deleting your cookies is like walking into your favorite store where nobody recognizes you anymore! Moreover, I learned that parents will want the History tab to go unnoticed by their young ones who are beginning to explore online. The tracks children make should be monitored and if anything, used as a teaching point for safe surfing. I will be passing this on to my "new parent" friends!

Gone Phishing!

Again with the catchy titles! I chose to learn about "Avoiding Phishing Scams" on Atomic Learning because, like cookies, I have heard of the word but not the actual definition. Phishing comes from the idea that scam artists use email bait to catch easy prey online.

Most people have probably seen a phishing scam, and many have become victims. I for one hold the perspective of, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is..." However, I am surprised to realize how official some of these email scams can look. They are meant to tempt you or scare you into making impulsive decisions. Furthermore, I learned that one click of your mouse can release your private information or unlimited access to your bank account.

User beware. When it comes to your money or more importantly at times, your identity, you will never be prompted by official companies to release this information through your email. Always go to the source and look for direct messages after securely entering the website that you trust. Don't make yourself easy bait!

Cookies: Yum or Yuck?

I recently viewed a tutorial on Atomic Learning about "Explaining Cookies," and not the kind you eat. I have always heard about cookies, but never really knew what they were until now. I initially thought a cookie was a bad thing on the web, but that was the extent of my knowledge...just try to stay away from cookies!

After viewing the cookie tutorial I feel more comfortable with what a cookie is and what to look for while I'm online. In short, I learned that cookies are a website's way of getting to know you and providing customized service. Just like in Starbucks! (I like the idea of walking in and having my Hazelnut coffee ready on sight. The barista even greets me by name and continues a conversation that we started days earlier.) Cookies do the same thing on line. When entering a website, the site watches your interactions and gets a feel for what you like. Later, when returning to the website you have a friendly greeting of recommendations tailored to your previous preferences. These are good cookies known as persistent or session cookies.

I am not surprised to find that there are cookies that will leave a bad taste in your mouth. Tracking cookies do just that. They track where you go on the web and report your most intimate details to advertising companies. These companies can cross reference your information and website history to pick out private information about your lifestyle. While cookies can be blocked they will most often return. Knowing that these types of cookies exist is the beginning to safe experiences online.

Getting Things Done

“Anxiety is caused by a lack of control, organization, preparation, and action.” - David Kekich

I feel like this statement rationalizes my tidy nature and, at times, over-organization! David Allen's "Getting Things Done" technique has been in my life before I knew it even existed. The five stages of: Collect, Process, Organize, Review, and Do are ever present in my home as well as my classroom.

The collecting, processing and organizing phases work simultaneously for me. As soon as a task comes into my life I immediately filter that task into a prioritized category and decide how and when the task will be completed. It took awhile for me to manage this at first, but my Smart Phone played a big part in helping everything come together. I religiously use my iCalendar to remember dates and set alarms for when a task must be finished. When I scheduled an appointment I use my speaker phone so I can instantly plug in the information...or I'll forget. Items without an actionable date go into my Use Your Handwriting application on my phone. These are items that don't really have a due date, but need to be recorded...or I'll forget. All I need to do is jot a note with my finger and it is put into a list format with previous notes. It took me awhile to get these systems in place and I am still working on the part of reviewing. I check my calendar often as well as my note taking app, but every once and awhile something sneaks up on me causing panic. Unfortunately my process is not fool-proof. I still have notes and lists flying about because it seems that my mind just can't hold it all at the speed it comes in. There are even times when my students will ask about something and I need to write it down on the white board in big letters...or I'll forget! For now this is the process that works for me, but as technology changes I am sure I will do the same. (Below are google images of an iCal and Use your Handwriting screenshot.)

This Video Hit Home!

Social Networks in my Workflow

The more I dig the more I find to expand my social network. It seems that the possibilities are endless when it comes to making connections. Previously, my social span was Facebook and of course lots of texting. But I realize that I am seriously limiting my social range and opportunities for growth.

In a few short weeks I have joined, followed, and commented on a variety of sites. My RSS reader has connected me to Blogs and newscasts that have increased my understanding of social media. I have proudly become a member of Twitter and "tweeted" successfully! I have also found my CEP classmates and followed each one in hopes of keeping up with course happenings. Twitter has also connected me to more, and more webpages that I continue to bookmark on Diigo. It initially seemed that all of these sources were building up into one big pile. Now I see them as strands that branch out and intertwine with one another. Just as some notice 6 degrees of separation between people, there is just that with technology. I am positive that I could start from one end of my RSS reader and get to the other with just a few clicks!

Now I am working on linking my new found personal connections with my professional life as a teacher. This is somewhat daunting since my first graders are not quite ready for the keys to navigate through most social media. Moreover, there are boundaries that I have with the parents of my students, so my personal Facebook account is not an open option. I am leaning more towards using Twitter to establish a foundation of social communication. I have started a Twitter account along with my co-workers in first grade. Through this account we are planning on tweeting throughout the day and providing classroom updates in real-time. Eventually we are hoping to pass this task off to students in class as a "job." I am really looking forward to using more aspects of social media as my Twitter experiment gets off the ground!

My Changing Thoughts Supported by my RSS

While being brave and checking my news feeds this morning I came across a study centered around Blogs. The article, Study: More women, traditional media are blogging, interviews Shani Higgins - CEO of Technorati Media. A piece of the article went as far as calling Blogs "the center of the social media universe." While I don't think I would go that far, I would say my opinions about Blogs have changed through my RSS feed. I originally assumed that Blogs were mostly used by people who wanted to be heard. I thought that Blogs were started by the average Joe to author thinking, post creative moments, or share personal updates. Now I see that big businesses and corporations have their own place in the Blogging world. Higgins' article said it best, "They (Blogs) are bridging the gap between opinions and real time happenings."

I enjoy the Blogs that I am following and I am finding more and more Blogs as I go along. It seems that great Blogs think alike, and they link alike. I began trying to follow each Blog and kept adding them to my RSS reader because I was so impressed by the content or creativity. After an adding jag I closed down my RSS feed and went to bed. This morning I opened my browser to a feed busting with Blog news. I was instantly overwhelmed and decided to narrow down my following scope. Deleted but not lost forever, a light bulb! I added my list of Blogs to my Diigo account so that I can return to the great minds that will enhance my classroom and way of thinking. Thank you social media!

While my RSS reader has changed over the course of a week I know that it will continue to do so as I change in the world of technology. I still have a lot to learn about RSS readers, and I am looking forward to incorporating them into my teaching. I am thinking about creating an RSS reader to attach to my classroom website. In my own experiences I have found articles that I would love to share with parents, discretely of course. These articles impact my teaching, student learning, and my overall perspective. Why not spotlight them in the parent community?! Please follow me on my way and let me know of any great finds!

My RSS Blogs

I've been checking in on my RSS page for a few days now and I find myself drawn to the Blog updates the most. I started out on the Blog I chose to follow, The First Grade Parade. I love the pictures posted as an update for their 50th day of school. (I am a visual learner, and pictures always catch my eye.) What's even better is that I haven't had my 50th day of school yet! I can't wait to use some of the ideas like the root beer float directions and her Unit of Study around the number 50. Thank you Mrs. Carroll!

In my search around The First Grade Parade I found a link to another awe-inspiring Blog, The First Grade Jungle. Of course I had to add this to my RSS page. I love the idea of taking a topic like popular foods for the Holidays, pumpkin pie, and attaching so many learning opportunities. There can be color mixing to make orange for the pie, the How-To writing for "How to Make a Pumpkin Pie," and tying it all together with food at the end. What first grader doesn't enjoy food?! Every teacher deserves recognition for a job well done, so I posted a comment describing my appreciation for her connection to the non-fiction unit of study - How-Tos. I encourage fellow first grade teachers to check out the First Grade Jungle...

The Start of My RSS

Creating my own RSS account was a bit overwhelming. I watch the news on TV and catch up on fun facts with family and friends, but I am not yet established in digital current events. I have websites and Blogs that I visit on occasion, but not daily!

The thought of customizing my own "digital newspaper" was thrilling. However, I almost had to check my Google Calendar for some spare time. I started slowly with the four feeds suggested by my CEP course. Those can be found on the right hand side of my page. Then I dug a little deeper and everything just started popping up on it's own. I found some news feeds that always catch my eye as magazines on my way to the check out counter. All of my news feeds are in the middle of the page. Then I added a Blog that I "borrow" ideas from on Pinterest all the time. A few more Blogs later and the left side of my page was complete. After hours of browsing I searched for a few fun gadgets like a weather feed and a cooking site.

Overall, I was happy with my site when it was finished. Everything that I am interested in is in one place, and easy to find. I do have to admit though...I like it best when all of the feeds are closed. When they are open I am overwhelmed all over again and feel pressure to read everything all at once. Hopefully my transition into this new technology will be smooth as I become more comfortable with all the bells and whistles. Take a look below for a quick snap shot and let me know what you think...