Blog Post #5

If You Built a School
Krissy Venosdale is very passionate about teaching and her students. She wants her classroom to be the most exciting place her students ever visit. Could you imagine students being excited to return to school on a Monday? I imagine her students are. She wants her classroom to be like the world: busy, chaotic, and always in motion. She wants her students to remember their time together. I hope to bring this excitement and joy to my classroom.
If I was able to build a school it would be big and colorful. I also would like signs welcoming the students in. I would want every teacher to make the students feel welcome at all times. I would require creativity and technology in every lesson. Students could be creative while using technology or have a separate activity using some type of art. The students would be allowed to make serious suggestions on what they would like to learn. I think it would be a good idea to have the students have a chance to teach a lesson at least three times a year. I would hope to make my students want to be at school and learn.

Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
This virtual choir was just pure brilliance. It is amazing that things of this nature can be achieved with the technology we have today. I would like to see this shared at every high school. There are so many possibilities with technology and each student needs to be aware of the possibilities.

Katie Gimbar on Flipped Classroom
The idea of flipping a classroom seems to be a great idea. I like how she focuses on each learning group. You will always have the three levels higher, middle, and struggling levels. The higher fast paced learners usually like to help teach the others. It is always a positive way for students to interact when they can help each other. In her flipped classroom she has the students engaged and actually working ninety percent of the class time while she is only lecturing for ten percent of the time. Students tend to get bored when a teacher lectures for too long.
The students are required to watch videos and take notes. This allows for the students to work at a pace that is right for them. If students do not watch the videos at home then they are allowed to make time during the day to watch them. Most students like to come to class prepared. If they are prepared they will be able to get in their groups to work collaboratively.

Dr. Lodge McCammon Dr. Lodge McCammon's FIZZ - Flipping the Classroom
Dr. McCammon states that we have to much lecture in the classroom. This is very true. Sitting in a classroom listening to someone is very boring and inefficient. We lecture the students and send them home to their no teacher parent. Most parents complain they can’t help their child with homework because they do not know how to do the work themselves. Having the videos would help the parents learn about what their child is learning. The students are able to work at their own pace and review the video again if they need to. This helps to create classroom time for the students to be hands on.

Ms. Munafo Flipping the Classroom - 4th Grade STEM
Ms Munafo expects students to watch the videos and fill out a form pertaining to the video. The students will watch the video and work a few problems. They will be able to ask questions and address problems they encountered while trying to work the problems. Some students may even come to class with ideas on how to help other students. I like the way this works. The students are able to get the lecture at home then going to school for the help. Most students today are getting bored during lecture at school and by the time they start their homework they have forgotten how to work it. The videos will be around for the students to review as needed.