Blog Post #2: Random thoughts!!

Since Ed said that we were on our own for this blog post...I spent a good portion of my evening thinking about what I was going to write about.  I thought of looking up a good article on line and responding to it, possibly looking at something in the text book and responding to that as well.  Then I got to thinkin'....we have a major focus in this class on technology - our text book Curriculum 21 has a major focus on the use of technology in our curriculum planning to help prepare students for the real world.  WELL, my question is, what do you do when that technology is NOT available?

At Washington Academy, we have many things....we were lucky enough to just open up our Fine Arts wing last fall - which included a really nice art room, 4 new class rooms, and a proper band room.  We are also lucky enough to be breaking ground this June for new tennis courts and a track.  We have an expansive Industrial Arts program where students learn everything from making their own boat to fixing a car motor.  But, what are we lacking??  We are lacking the 1 to 1 laptops that almost all other Maine schools have!!  We do have a library that offers a number of laptops that travel to the class rooms where they are needed and the library itself has a number desktop computers that are available for students to use.  Also, a number of students do have their own computers (especially our international population, who are never very far from their computers.)

So, what is the issue? The issue is, how do I - as a teacher - provide all of these awesome tools to my students and get them the opportunities that I think they deserve, when we do not have the basic technological needs at our school?  Another issue we have is that all the teachers are given MAC laptops, which are great.  However, a number of the students with their own computers have PC laptops...which is sometimes an issue because of different programs etc.

I admit I do not use a ton of technology in my classroom.  All of my notes are done using power points and I do take the students on a number of virtual field trips throughout the school year.  I have also done some running documents on Google Docs - in which I post something and have the students respond to it.  I know I could be doing more...but how do I do that when not every student has access to the technology?

Blog Post #1: Experiences with Curriculum...

To be very honest, I do not have all that much experience with curriculum.  When I started my current teaching job at Washington Academy, I was handed a fairly old curriculum and was told to "work with it."  I basically follow the skeleton of it and have added some different topics and also different ways of assessing my students.  Last school year, Washington Academy went through the accreditation process with the NEASC.  Throughout that process, as a school community, we had to look at our curriculums and see what direction we were headed in and if we were correctly serving our population of students.  Because Washington Academy is a semi-private school, we have a little more leeway with how we want to teach.  For me, that gives me the opportunity to explore topics that my students are truly interested in.

The curriculum for my World History classes is pretty straight forward.  I teach my students four major concepts: History, Geography, Economics, and Civics.  Within those four major concepts we look at things like: politics, the foundations of government, economic systems and how they work, places, regions, locations, human systems, comparative history, and interactions of people, culture, and ideas.  We cover topics like: Prehistory, the Rise of Europe, The Renaissance and Reformation, etc... I like to think the students receive a pretty well rounded World History education.

WELCOME!!

WELCOME!!!

Well here we are...at my very own blog!  I've never had one before because I didn't think I had anything special or important to say...well...I guess we will see!!  This blog was created for my EDC 533 class...Dynamics of Curriculum.  I hope that you find it enjoyable!

Thanks for checking me out