The RSS Reader page is the greatest creation I have done on the computer. The four required feeds are very informative.
The most frustrating part of this assignment is probably my internet service. I live out in the country so my internet connection is very slow. I will think I am finding some great articles for my SIG group or for my RSS Reader page only to have the connection stop loading. The weather was another factor that affected the internet. When I first started writing this reflection, I was only concerned about the internet speed. This last week I was without it from Sunday to Thursday night. I never realized how much I enjoy using it and relying on it for work and school.
I really don’t know how many times I have been on my iGoogle page. I think it is fabulous. I have told my colleagues and some of my students about diigo and Googledocs. I keep rearranging it. I still don’t like the arrangement but will keep working at it. Here is my Jing link to iGoogle page:
http://screencast.com/t/eEBAtt7eGe
http://screencast.com/t/LtlBIiuy
The article in NPR is very interesting that Obama wants to increase spending for education. Two days later, Governor Snyder comes out that he wants to decrease education in Michigan by 4%. I will watch how this plays out. It is interesting to watch the education union debate going on in Wisconsin. My sister told me that someone caught the governor saying he was trying to bust unions. One of my colleagues told me that she subscribes to the Wisconsin education news feeds on Facebook. It showed that states with collective bargaining test scores were so much higher than states without collective bargaining. This is something I will continue to follow.
My favorite feed is the Steve Spangler blog. I really haven’t found anything I want to blog about yet. However, the labs that I have found are amazing. Now I just have to find the material to do them. I love the freezing pipes. I think it is very appropriate with the weather we had at the beginning of the month. I will continue to follow this feed especially with the funding cuts. I have minimal, lots of out-of –date science supplies. I will use these ideas for hands-on students activities.
I did comment on the Edublog page. Teaching at an Alternative High School is challenging. I am constantly telling my students to put their phones away. When I found the Ultimate Guide to Getting Started With Blogging and all the steps, I thought I was in heaven. Now I have to get it started. Here is my short blog:
http://screencast.com/t/x8sH9s7C
While searching for articles, I did find one on how few US students perform well on the science portion of standardized tests. I feel as a teacher that we are pushed to teach them 3 main subjects but I have not seen these subjects talked about on the tests. Graphs are pushed heavily and my students push back.
Physics Today also had an article about the discrimination of women in science. It took a different approach to the subject. They said that there should be a study on what is deterring women’s involvement in the sciences. They suggest that society as a whole does not expect and/or support young girls to go into the science field. Are we as teachers squelching the female scientists of tomorrow? It makes me look at the way I approach my students now.
I enjoy reading the articles on school spending. There are so many different views. It is unanimous that something must be done but no one has found the solution. I am very interested to see how President Obama’s call to increase spending for education. The politics of Washington will change his proposal but it is interesting to watch. Governor Snyder has proposed to cut education by 4%. Where is the balance?
I chose most of my feeds based on education and science education. I also picked CNN to keep me up with the news and espn due to my love of college sports. Go green!
I am really excited about my SIG group. I am anxious to gather all the information and apply it at my school. I have been telling my principal and superintendent that I would like computers for my classroom. The school system has purchased lab software that the regular high school can use but I can not. I could have so much more hands-on experience with my students. The SIG project will show me how I can do this myself.
I do know that I have to do more research at school. My internet service is too unpredictable at home. I could not even make my print screen option at home to work. Now that I am at school, I must show you that I can do it and its above freezing!
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