Blog Post #5

I have always been a huge supporter of project based learning. I preferred to do projects over worksheets and test even in grade school, and I think most students feel the same way. English classes usually consist of a lot of reading and a lot of writing. Those skills are very important, but I want my classroom to be a little more lively than that. Project based learning isn't just a way to teach students. It is a way to make them want to learn, and it can also be a great tool that helps the students get involved with the community on a local and global scale. Anthony mentioned that project based learning is always evolving, and that is so true. When a teacher takes part in project based learning, the options are endless. There are only so many ways to ask a student a question, but there are countless ways to involve them with a project. One of the points that stuck out to me the most when Anthony explained project based learning was the aspect of student interest. I am so passionate about doing whatever has to be done to make sure my students learn. If that means projects everyday then I'm all for it. I think that is what separates the okay teachers from the outstanding teachers. A teacher who is willing to be creative and go above and beyond just printing worksheets and typing up a test is a teacher who will leave an impact.

Anthony also talked about a couple of online tools that I agree can be very useful. The first was iCurio. It is a filtered search engine that students can use that only produces educational media. This is a great tool! There is so much on the internet that we do not want our students stumbling upon. I think this is also helpful when keeping students on task. If they are only given educational options, maybe they won't be distracted by random websites that come up in their search results. iCurio also has an online drive feature. This is important in preparing students for life after school. Technology is becoming more and more prominent, and we are responsible for preparing our students for more than just standardized test. The other tool Anthony utilizes is called Discovery Ed. I love how he described it. Anthony said, "It brings the texts alive". By using videos, Discovery Ed gives the students a way to visualizes what they are learning. Videos are great tools for the classroom. Studies show that people retain information better when they see or hear it as apposed to just reading it.

These tools are great, especially for project based learning, but we have to make sure we are integrating technology into our classrooms and not just teaching technology. Our students need to be able to apply all these technology tools and not simply know how they work. Only knowing how these tools work and what they do will only get them so far. They need to be as comfortable with the technologies we show them as they are with Facebook or their smartphones. Knowing this will help them in the future as students and long after they have finished school.

Project Based Learning Part 1
Project Based Learning Part 2
iCurio
Discovery Ed
The Anthony - Strange Tips for Teachers Part 1
Don't Teach Tech-Use It!