Blog Post #13

Brian Crosby from Agnes Risley Elementary School in Sparks, Nevada posted in his blog titles Learning is Messy about the importance of education, awareness, and equality.  In this video, Brian demonstrates that many younger students need help developing a schema for the world; experience  is needed to build this schema.  He surveys that majority of his kids do know their city, country, or address.  But it's not their fault! Brain stresses equal, meaningful, and motivational environments for all children regardless of economic standing.  Moreover, Brian uses blogging to help the students develop this schema, connect, share, and become globally aware.  Also, blogging is a authentic avenue for creativity, an real audience, and to work on reading and writing skills.  Furthermore, Brian is an advocate of active learning empowering students to become learners through collaboration and utilizing free tools available.  My favorite part of Brian's video is when he included Celeste, a student who could not be in his class physically due to illness with the rest of his students.  Definitely life changing and moving.  Also, his students learned how to launch a hot air balloon with their high hopes and hopes from across the world! How awesome?!

 "It is hard to be able to imagine what could be if you don't know what is."  

Mr. Paul Anderson teaches AP Biology in Bozeman, Montana.  His blog titled Bozemanscience.com
Mr. Anderson has a podcast on the Blended Learning Cycle.  I liked how he began my including in his introduction all of his inspirations to try new things in his classroom.  He includes flip, explore, apply, some of his personal experiences among other ideas.  This quote stood out to me in his podcast: 

"Reminder: It's not fair to tell your students that grades aren't important if you are ultimately giving your students grades."

This quote stands out because I remember one of my teachers mentioning something similar.  I did not understand why grades are not important in grade school is my job.  What am I doing here then?    hard Teaching the importance of education in grade school is difficult.  Using a head fake like Randy Pausche mentioned might be helpful.  So teachers are there to make learning interesting enough to be important!  I notice, even in college,  many students receiving degrees and memorizing the study guide.  When I ask a question with application, they do not have a clue.  How are you supposed to be a professional when you are memorizing facts? Understanding and comprehension and applying that knowledge to different situations is key.  Having passion for what you do is also important.

Blended Learning basically blends online, mobile, classroom learning with the Learning Cycle: Engage, Explore, Explain, Expand, Evaluate.  "Its a great way to present material and material to be learned.  Brian's acronym to his blended learning cycle is QUIVERS.

QU- Question: phenomenon or hook in learning; grabs attention
I- Investigation: experiment data, labs
V- Video
E- Ellaboration - reading, physics, diagrams, importance, understand
R- Review - explanation and application
S - Summary Quiz

I appreciate and will definitely utilize Brian's idea of blended learning.  His blended learning cycle is his little mission statement that helps guide and remind him throughout his teaching.  As a teacher, Brian feels more involved.  Also, I liked how Brian mentions, "you don't really learn it until you can explain it."  This is so true! Starting with a question and figuring it out.  Now that's a fun way to learn.

"The power of the question and the power of learning in the science room."