...and in the end.

I think rubrics are vital for students. Unless you know how you will be graded, you really don't know what to do. A rubric very plainly states what is expected and outlines each area that will be assessed. I really like the way clickers get students involved in the learning experience. Whether you are using clickers for tests or for fun class polls I think they a great tool. It also removed the embarrassment of having to raise your hand and get the answer wrong in front of the whole class. In my experience, kids love kidspirtation. It has created so many avenues for creativity and brainstorming. I assigned kids the same subject and was amazed by how many different creations they made, all of which were unique.

I really enjoyed this class. I picked up some great new ideas and can't wait to implement them in my own classroom. There were some topics that I was already very well versed in yet I now have a new perspective on, because of this class. I also plan to share some of the new ideas with my colleagues this fall.

Take A Picture, It'll Last Longer

I think that technology is all about visualizing information. You can only fit so many pictures in textbook. Many things must be described and imagined. Of course, using your imagination is a great thing and should be encouraged but there are somethings that just have to be seen. Like this one. You can't tell me that any written description would do this picture justice. Well, teaching kids is kind of like that. Having them learn about Peru and showing them the map from the textbook is great. BUT until they see a Llama, they are missing the whole point of that country. Seriously though, pictures speak louder than words in some cases and often times a video will do even better. There is a reason TV is so popular. It paints a picture that text and still images cannot do.