Assignment 5

Eagle’s Nest Radio: All Roads Lead to Rome

These kids are so cute! The host speaks very proficiently. I learned about architecture like the coliseum, gladiators, and history of Rome. Did you know Romans were responsible for creating aqueducts? What about their thirst for violence? Do you know which Cleopatra was famous? It was the 7th. I thought Cleopatra was from Egypt. She was actually Greek.
The information was enlightening and interesting. This is the best history lesson I have ever heard. What a wonderful way to teach children so many skills. They were able to learn basic historical knowledge of the Romans and their culture, while they explored with technology and interacted socially. This is true education. The additional picture affirms they enjoyed this learning experience.

Langwitches

This podcast is inspirational, to me. I plan to make one of these in my classroom. They explained difficult words and expressed their understanding of new vocabulary. The teacher is able to assess their reading comprehension skills without administering a standardized test.
It is fulfilling to hear such enthusiasm about reading coming from such young children. Children who enjoy reading have a direct correlation to being successful students. In addition to doing a fantastic job teaching these youngsters numerous life long skills, this teacher has shared their success and her innovative ideas with the world. Now other teachers can grab the torch and follow in her footsteps.

More on podcasts

This video was extremely informative. It includes the benefits of podcasting, student and faculty approval, and links to help you learn to podcast with step-by-step instructions. I have already personally experienced the enthusiasm of my own students while working with technology. I was not shocked to hear the students in this video point out some obvious positive aspects of podcasting. The teachers are very eager to engage their students in learning and the end result is happy principals and happy parents.
I really appreciated how well rounded this video is, but it was a slightly lengthy. It is well worth the time to watch. I plan to take advantage of the tutorial links at the end. I already have a few ideas to use in my classroom for some podcasts. I am eager to have my students get as excited as the ones in the video are.

Practical Principals


After watching each of these I was able to gain some insight on the value of technology in the classroom. The students are overwhelmingly excited about what they are doing. The podcasts really give them an opportunity to be a part of the learning process, as opposed to sitting in a desk and listening to the teacher bore them to death. The teacher is able to cover materials called for in the curriculum and teach technological capabilities, all the while opening up new doors for her students. These are the lessons they will go home and tell their families about. I firmly believe learning is a hands-on project. Once I went to this workshop and the lady passed out worksheets with a picture of a balloon. Then she passed out red crayons. She told all of the teachers to color the balloon red. Then she asked, “What can you tell me about red balloons?” The room went quiet. What else could we say; it was a red balloon. Then she got out a bag full of balloons and passed them out. She let us blow them up, let them go, tie them, wave around, and anything else we could think of doing. Then she said, “Now, what can you tell me about red balloons?”
Of course, red balloons are just an example, but it applies for all areas of learning. In order to learn, one must do; and in order to teach, one must be able to learn. I cannot wait to apply some things that I have, recently, learned to my class curriculum. I know my students will be just as excited. You should have heard them beg to watch the video “Reading to My Class,” I previously posted. They thought they were awesome before. Now they know they are.