You might think that I'm doing most of the teaching in the classroom due to my title as "teacher", but it's not really the case all of the time. In fact, throughout our Argument Writing Unit, I have learned a few things about technology and the students!
If you were to ask me before this school year if all of my students thought that virtual socializing was an important part of their lives, I would have undoubtedly said, "Yes!", but now that we are developing our arguments on the basis that we think virtual socializing benefits or hurts friendships, I'm finding that my original assumptions were starkly invalid!
As it turns out, some of our sixth grade friends don't feel that virtual socializing is important and is actually detrimental to friendships. Cyber bullying has come up often in their evidence and I can see their point, that it's just another way to hurt someone.
When I was growing up, bullying was tangible where one kid could verbally or physically harm another, usually in person or over the phone. Email didn't exist, the internet didn't exist, so fights were handled face-to-face. Now many students are dealing with a whole other element to bullying, and many are finding that the internet provides easier access to this side of growing up.
However, many of our students love technology, and I have found it to be rather handy this year using the blog to communicate with students, especially after school hours. It has been a great addition to our learning and the kids enjoy expressing themselves electronically.
Despite my efforts to put together this blog for our literacy community, my biggest learning curve is with the plethora of websites out there in cyberland that are strictly for virtual socializing!
Here are just a few that I've recently discovered, thanks to my knowledgable students:
1. www.oovoo.com - a video and instant messaging chat site
2. www.panfu.com - a great site for kids to learn languages and play games
3. www.fantage.com - another kid site where they can create avatars, play games and chat with friends
I'm sure the list could go on, and on, and on, but the truth is that I don't think there is enough time in the day to keep up with all of the virtual socializing out there!
Whether we believe that virtual socializing is for better or for worse, I know that I have a lot to learn about where my students are "hanging out" online.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Calling On the Community
Now through the end of the month, the Pyne Arts School will be taking part in a food drive that will support Hunger and Homeless Week here in Lowell.
The fifth and sixth grades are collecting canned vegetables (check for expiration dates), paper towels, and laundry detergent.
Donations can be made to our classroom and we can tally how much has been donated as a class. If we have the most donations, we will win a party, but the truth is that the more we do to help others is a reward in itself.
I hope to see some great donations come in this week!! I will be certain to bring some in to help out the project.
To read more, click on the link below.
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/projects/awareness/index.html
The fifth and sixth grades are collecting canned vegetables (check for expiration dates), paper towels, and laundry detergent.
Donations can be made to our classroom and we can tally how much has been donated as a class. If we have the most donations, we will win a party, but the truth is that the more we do to help others is a reward in itself.
I hope to see some great donations come in this week!! I will be certain to bring some in to help out the project.
To read more, click on the link below.
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/projects/awareness/index.html
Monday, October 15, 2012
All I Wanna Do is READ!!!
Our stellar PTO has helped put together a Scholastic Book Fair here at the Pyne for this week! The fair will be open to students throughout the school day, but I have set up a time for the sixth grade to go, browse, and buy!
Both sixth grade classes will have the opportunity to spend some time perusing on Thursday, October 18th during their reading block for the first 15 minutes of class.
The book fair will also be open after school on Wednesday from 3:30-4:30 if any parents want to and are able to come at that time.
There are also donation bags for every teacher in the library with a "wish list" attached, if parents would like to buy a book for a classroom their student(s) is in. As teachers, we greatly appreciate any and all support we can get!
We hope to see you here, and don't forget to send in your student with some money on Thursday!
Happy Shopping!
http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/jgpyneartsmagnetschool
Both sixth grade classes will have the opportunity to spend some time perusing on Thursday, October 18th during their reading block for the first 15 minutes of class.
The book fair will also be open after school on Wednesday from 3:30-4:30 if any parents want to and are able to come at that time.
There are also donation bags for every teacher in the library with a "wish list" attached, if parents would like to buy a book for a classroom their student(s) is in. As teachers, we greatly appreciate any and all support we can get!
We hope to see you here, and don't forget to send in your student with some money on Thursday!
Happy Shopping!
http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/jgpyneartsmagnetschool
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Arguing Our Point
If your students seems to be arguing a little more at home, it might be because we are developing our argument writing and analyzing skills.
For the past week, we've discovered times when we've needed to state a claim in order to to get what we desired or needed. We are beginning to understand why it is important to gear an argument toward a specific audience, because if we wanted a new bike, chances are, we wouldn't try to convince our little brother or sister to buy one for us since they may not have the funds to do such things!
But we know that arguments don't always come in the form of words, either. We discovered that arguments can show up in pictures, in song lyrics and of course any advertisement!
Now that we have honed in on who arguments are geared towards, and why people need to state their claims or opinions in an argument, we will be moving on soon to develop our own claims and opinions about issues that face sixth graders every day!
For the past week, we've discovered times when we've needed to state a claim in order to to get what we desired or needed. We are beginning to understand why it is important to gear an argument toward a specific audience, because if we wanted a new bike, chances are, we wouldn't try to convince our little brother or sister to buy one for us since they may not have the funds to do such things!
But we know that arguments don't always come in the form of words, either. We discovered that arguments can show up in pictures, in song lyrics and of course any advertisement!
Now that we have honed in on who arguments are geared towards, and why people need to state their claims or opinions in an argument, we will be moving on soon to develop our own claims and opinions about issues that face sixth graders every day!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
School House Rocks!
The Pyne Arts is going to ROCK in November with the upcoming Pyne Arts Performance Group's play, School House Rock Live Jr.!
The kids have been working extra hard to make sure their vocal chords and acting and dancing skills are top notch, and why wouldn't they be, especially with the guidance of songbird Ms. Cowart, dramatic Mr. Rose and movin'-and-groovin' Miss Silva?
The whole school is looking forward to seeing our elder middle school students up on stage, telling us a thing or two about commas, nouns, magic numbers, and adjectives!
Dates are November 13 and 14 at 6:00 pm in our lovely cafeteria. Check out the blog below to keep updated on the kids performance!
See you there!
http://pyneartsshrljr.blogspot.com/
The kids have been working extra hard to make sure their vocal chords and acting and dancing skills are top notch, and why wouldn't they be, especially with the guidance of songbird Ms. Cowart, dramatic Mr. Rose and movin'-and-groovin' Miss Silva?
The whole school is looking forward to seeing our elder middle school students up on stage, telling us a thing or two about commas, nouns, magic numbers, and adjectives!
Dates are November 13 and 14 at 6:00 pm in our lovely cafeteria. Check out the blog below to keep updated on the kids performance!
See you there!
http://pyneartsshrljr.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 1, 2012
Testing... 1, 2, 3
I know how much students LOVE tests, so that's why our first Social Studies test will be this Friday, October 5th!
We have been studying South America for the past month, so expect to see a study guide at home later on this week. I am also trying to figure out how to upload documents to the site so that families can view some of what we do here in class.
The tests for Social Studies are comprised of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 vocabulary matching questions and 3 open response questions, which usually the students create. However because it is the beginning of school, these will be teacher-generated, but after this test, the students will provide the questions for each test.
The students will be allowed to use their books for the open response piece of the test, however the first ten questions will be on their own without support.
Students will have part of their study guide with them tomorrow after school, so be on the lookout!
Happy studying!
We have been studying South America for the past month, so expect to see a study guide at home later on this week. I am also trying to figure out how to upload documents to the site so that families can view some of what we do here in class.
The tests for Social Studies are comprised of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 vocabulary matching questions and 3 open response questions, which usually the students create. However because it is the beginning of school, these will be teacher-generated, but after this test, the students will provide the questions for each test.
The students will be allowed to use their books for the open response piece of the test, however the first ten questions will be on their own without support.
Students will have part of their study guide with them tomorrow after school, so be on the lookout!
Happy studying!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)