lisa's blog

4th and final blog

2006-08-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

I have a web site, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. How many potential teachers can say that!
Yes, it was grueling, I don't get some of it but I would attempt, (at a slower pace) to do most of the lessons again in class with students.
I think the claymation would be a very positive, interactive session especially for HS kids that may not be focusing on school that much. I noticed most of the claymation done in our class was kinda violent, but yet funny. Hmmm.
Kids who don't achieve high scours the "regular" way may greatly improve their assessment of their own abilities through this endeavor.
I know a lot of different things were reviewed briefly in this class so that we could have an overview of the potential and amazing contributions that technology could make in our classrooms.
I have also found many other links and Internet sources that I had not known about before just for teaching. That is a great help.
You may be getting questions from me down the line when I get stuck on some of these techno things!
In many ways, of the 4 classes taught this session, this class has the greatest future usage for me. CIA as well.
An important factor in a class like this is if you fall behind from the start, you may be lost for quite a while. With so many other obligations from other classes, it can become a real stresser.
You made yourself available and that was a great help! I know you stand behind what you teach so there was no fear that I would be left to sink.
nuf fo now, lisa a.

Virtual art museum

2006-08-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

blog away. I am waiting for the animation! Another class I thought of would be to have the students create characters, design them ,think about their personalities, likes, dislikes, what type of being they are etc. Then each would write a few lines for that character and we would link them all together in an animated cartoon. It could be hilarious. We can submit it to contests for short subjects or animated subjects. We can send them to politicians to show them the importance of ART and CREATIVITY so they give us money.
Then, the student can go home or do it on paper, and continue to create his cartoon character.
Perhaps this is a character they will have throughout their school life and beyond. It will grow with them and metamorphosis.
The linking of somewhat abstract cartoons into a combined effort is very pleasing to me. They will go where no person has gone before.
We could also take our characters to various museums and let them visit different artists. We can study Cubists, individual artists and innovators in art. We can link with other countries! Talk to art students there! Wow!
Our cartoons beings can help us to express where we are having difficulties.
Perhaps we can link to actual museums and have them interact with us.
I do wonder if for art, will the students have access to computers? We have been so cut in finances.
So then my question would be what simpler techno items can I incorporate? Well digital cameras can by loaned as they are in this class. But if there are other suggestions for limited resources, please do tell me.
The Power Point can easily be used for the cartoon story! I love that. In fact it may be better.
Their are many internet sites for use on this. I like http://www.wylieisd.net/train/Integration%20ideas.htm and http://www.edselect.com/visual.htm
Right now I just feel a bit overwhelmed but I am waiting for more time to put this all together as I am very interested in learning from my students what they know on the Net etc. But I don't want to look like I don't know anything so I must keep up and look good. I know they will respect me more if can keep up or go beyond them! After all, I am the teacher!!
We can create a Virtual Tutor so that the kids learn by teaching others what I am teaching them. Hmmm. I'm sure it will sink in deeply using this method. I'm gonna do this one!

2006-08-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

I see that our blogs should be on the course, I thought at first it also included things that we liked so please ignore the jazz one but do come if you like jazz.
This blog is it's replacement.
I would like to have the students take a photo (or two or three) of themselves every month during the school year in what ever stands out for them during that month. At the end of the year, they would have a bunch of photos that could be put into an album with copy that they would be saving along the way that was written when they took the photos. Now we can edit the photos, we can add creative copy, titles, banners and if they have music they like, they can add that. Now we save it all as a wonderful memories from that school year. So with this project we use digital cameras, computers and we learn to see through the camera lens and we write copy.

Another idea is to a pick a subject we like and do a story on it.
I found an interesting web site:
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/science/
I looked up science just to see what would come up. There was a great interactive lesson on how to care for your pet and other really neat stuff.
If anyone has good art links, please do share them!
The student picks an art topic, finds a web site for it and they have the class do a lesson from THEIR lesson plan.
Now that they'd know what we have to do every day, maybe they'd be more apt to do their homework if they knew how much we put into creating the assignment, but then maybe not.
Ciao, Lisa.

how i learn best with techno stuff

2006-08-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

I learn by breaking down things into small increments especially techno stuff. I get lost quickly if I can not follow what is happening from the start. Tutorials are ok, but what if you have a problem? No one is there to help so you have to wait until you can ask someone and by then, you can't really say what happened as it was some time ago.
It's good to learn on the spot with guidance. Everyone should be able to keep up. A concrete method is best for me. We will do this and this and get this. That is best.
Scattered teaching actually makes it worse. If we do a little of this and a little of that, I am lost.
I must concentrate on one thing, get it, and then go on.
For this blog, I had to do this twice as the firstcopy seems to have disappeared. Hummm.
I love this stuff, but it takes me a minute to get it. I can see great use for all of this and I think students would love it.
As an art teacher, I especially want to know this. Photoshop is wonderful, but I could not get the tutorial photos to load. This is the type of thing that makes me really like doing it step by step with an instructor at hand.
I need a little extra help from the start, then I should be fine.
I will think of my students as potentially having this techno block and I will work with them step by step.

Jazz August 2nd

2006-07-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

Jazz on Wed, August 2nd
Howdy, so what are you folks doing for fun? I am trying to do some of the things I was doing prior to the MAT, just as a way of remembering my former life. It also makes me happy.
I play the saxaphone, not well, but if it’s the blues, I stand a better chance of palying well with others. Improv is a little scarey but I do it. I much prefer at this point to listen to others paly their saxaphones. I belong to the Jazz Exchange which is a great group of folks that love music and wants you to be able to listen to terrific jazz, maybe get some history along with it and all for a low price of $5.
The first Wednesday of most months at 7pm at the Paschel Winery is where the fun is. And it so happens that this coming session, August 2nd is a presentation on the fabulouse saxaphone players of jazz!!!
This should be awesome as the valley has many choice players. I get there early as seats run out but you can bring your own folding chair. From personal experience, I can tell you the window sill is not comfortable.
If this sounds good to you, just drop me a note if you need more info.
The Paschal Winery is located at 1122 Suncrest Rd. in Talent. 535-7975.