Why Technology?

Today was one of those days that actually make me feel like I've done my job as an educator.  Students were given a list of tasks to accomplish, you went to work, you were challenged, and you largely overcame. Not you, though, Grade 9s... you went to a Pep Rally.   I guess that counts, too...  ;)

In any case, to the Grade 10s who spent the day in the lab, I can't thank you enough for the effort you put into trying something new.  As a sign of my appreciation, here's what I'm going to propose... and yes, this will apply to the Grade 9s, too:

• the toolset given to you through your Google Accounts (shown above) will now be the basis for a lot of the work you'll do through the semester; the more you use it, the easier it will be for everyone
• today, you were asked to setup an account with Symbaloo... the main purpose of this is to easily allow you to collect and have access to a wide variety of tools that you can use over the next few months

• instead of overwhelming you with a bunch of new ideas every couple of days, I'll simply provide access to them via my own webmix which in turn, becomes available to you; let me know if you haven't yet been able to find this on Symbaloo and I can get you set up

I was able to talk with a few students who were absolutely committed to not using some applications and programs.  This goes for everyone... I appreciate that they can even bring their objections to my attention and explain why they have concerns.  I want to reiterate here what I've said to some of them: I don't expect anyone to have to like and become a lifelong user of any of the stuff we'll work with in class.  I have little control over how you use these tools outside of my classroom and it would not be reasonable for my to impose more than is necessary on your already busy lives.  

I remain committed to finding ways to effectively using technology as a way to enhance learning in the classroom.  I feel that you need to learn how to become more competent and confident with these kinds of programs as our world continues to embrace more portability and greater accessibility.  If we try something, and it doesn't work, we move on... no harm done.

Google and Symbaloo: the two hubs of your semester in Social Studies.  We'll make it work just fine.

~Mr. T

Remind 101

I have to say that I've been loving this app!  I hope that you've found it useful as well.  For those who have NOT yet signed up, I will be providing instructions once again during tomorrow's lab time.  It is a quick and easy way for me to send out reminders about deadlines and upcoming events (exams, etc).  Please take advantage of it.

~Mr. T

Happy Monday!

As much as I'd like to think it, there was no denying that there was a bit of this today...

I can't say that I blame you entirely.  Coming back after a long break can always be a bit tough.  That being said, we got some good stuff accomplished today.  Brief summaries will be provided in the appropriate class pages.

As I mentioned today, we now begin a period where we will see regular time in the lab to work on a variety of projects.  This time will be given not to mess around on YouTube or play flash games... you will begin to build your online portfolio via your blog.  You will have a number of simple tasks to complete on these lab days, with any leftover time able to be spent catching up on your other assignments.  While I will be helping those who might be less-technologically inclined, I will be depending on you to demonstrate your work ethic and stay focused.

If not, the 'World's Worst Superhero' may be called in to maintain discipline.  If only...

~Mr. T

Back to Normal

We're at that wonderful time in any scheduled break where our minds are beginning to prepare for the return to normal routines.  This is usually a sad experience for myself... I, like you, have immensely enjoyed a few much-needed days off and am ready to get back to the class next Monday.  That doesn't mean, though, that I have to be prefecly happy about it.

Class on Monday will mean a return to business.  We've made good progress so far but we have to get reconnected to the progress we've made.  Lab time is already scheduled for you to work through your blogs on a variety of different projects.  Despite reservations about the shift to MORE technology, this is the direction I will be moving the class and we need to do our part to get used to things.

Again, try not to get overwhelmed.  This will come with time and I'm fully convinced that you will be better equipped as students as we play with new applications and programs.  This will mean mistakes, yes, but that is how we learn.

Right not I'm sitting in a session at Teachers' Convention looking at a whole bunch of ideas that I literally cannot wait to share with you.  I guess that means I should pay more attention...

Enjoy the rest of your break and I'll see you in a few days.

~Mr. T

A Quick Response

After a day like yesterday, I think my situation can best be summed up below:

Thanks again for your patience as I get things sorted out.

~Mr. T

Sorry for Not Posting

Hey everyone,

Computer upgrades at the school, me coaching all weekend, and sheer exhaustion have meant no blogging for the past few days.  That should change today.

Thanks for your patience.

~Mr. T

Obligatory Late-Night Post

Lots of emails and questions today about all the stuff I've been throwing at you.  Yes.  I've given you a lot of new things over the past few days and I appreciate that some of you have concerns about how this is all going to play out.  Take a deep breath... hold... release...

My goal from day one was to try and provide you with more options for completing your work and succeeding in this course.  That means change.  It has taken me nearly five years, but I have become convinced that it isn't good enough to simply hand out questions, have you complete them, and repeat ad nauseum.  (FUN FACT: ad nauseum is a Latin phrase meaning something unpleasant that is repeated to the point of nausea or being sick).  If social studies is to become more meaningful and relevant, it means that YOU need to be more involved in your own learning.

Here are the general expectations in terms of technology that each of you will hopefully grow comfortable with over the next little while:

• Gmail... check your school account regularly for links to assignments and other relevant information
• Drive... complete and submit your work electronically by sharing/emailing complete documents to me; as someone pointed out earlier, you could literally do some of your work on your iPod given the right setup
• Blogger... ongoing digital portfolio where you will receive specific instructions for particular assignments on a weekly basis
• Groups... this will be primarily used as a forum; it is designed to be more open and less-intimidating then having a class-wide argument discussion... again, check you Gmail for instructions when they come up

Some of you are panicking because this is different to you.  Don't get too worked up over that...some of the best learning experiences that I have had in my life have come from being challenged.  Accept that this is going to be different and do your best to make it work.  I cannot ask for anything more than that.

Remember that this is only 'Day 5' of the semester.  There will be plenty of time to figure things out and get expand your comfort zone.  And as always, when in doubt, ask for help.  It's often been said that there's no such thing as a stupid question.  I prefer this Chinese proverb: "He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever."

We're in this together and we will make it work.  Just hang in there... there's lots more to come.

~Mr. T

Thank you

I know today didn't always go according to plan (sorry Grade 9's) but I wanted to thank all of you for helping me out as I was dealing with my weird day.  It makes a huge difference and is always appreciated.

~Mr. T

PS  First Discussion topic is up for Grade 10 Groups!..  Group members can and should feel free to participate.  Grade 9s will be up and running once everyone has their account working.

Reminder...

There are a couple of things that I need each of you to complete, and I don't want to to have to ask for much longer.

1.  Please make sure that you are getting your course outlines signed by mom/dad/guardian.  If I can get parent emails, this will be super helpful in my efforts to reach out to them and keep them informed on what's going on.

2.  Please send me an email with the URL (address) of your new blogs.  As mentioned in class today, you will probably have one assignment per week that you will be expected to share on your blog.  In order for me to follow up on your progress, I need to know where to look.  Please send these to me by the end of the week as work on your blogs will likely begin early next week.

Thanks again for your patience... I know I've been pushing this a lot but I am convinced that having these outlets will provide each of you with more tools to succeed.

~Mr. T

The End is in Sight!

I just combed through the digital mountain of emails gracing my mailbox (I feel so powerful and popular... but mostly powerful) and here are the most up-to-date results as of 7:53 pm:


Social 10-1 Period 1:  8/23 emails  ( 35% completion )
Social 10-1 Period 2:  22/23 emails  ( 96% completion... oh so close!.. )
Social 10-1 Period 4:  23/25 emails  ( 92% completion )
Social 9 Period 5:  10/30 emails  ( 33% completion )

While it is true that Periods 2 and 4 were taken to the lab, there is little else stopping the other classes from completing the task assigned to them this past Friday.  You have to ask yourself... who wants deep-fried glazed carbohydrates more?

WHO?

~Mr. T

Blogging: More than just Facebook 2.0

Barring crazy lab-scheduling, many of the students today were able to (finally) get their accounts up and running.  I appreciate your willingness to try something different.

My hope for students this semester is to be able to complete and present more of their projects online.  In my mind, your Google account already provides the ideal venue through Blogger mainly because the account it already set up.  The intent is to have you submit and display some of your work through this venue.  This will allow you to bring together different forms of media with relative ease.  More details will be forthcoming over the coming days and weeks.

Kudos to those who were prepared for their quizzes.  Each class was told to prepare for daily quizzes as a quick learning check to see if content has been understood and if you are doing your part in learning the material.  These quizzes, while not necessarily an integral part of your overall grade, give me an idea about where you stand and will be reviewed on a frequent basis.  I will do my part to provide fair notice but this is something that each of you must do on your own.

I suppose it's time to invite each of you to begin delving into the world of current events.  It should come as no surprise that I LOVE to talk about what's happening around the world.  There is always something happening somewhere... this is the beauty of social studies.  I would suggest that you take 5 or 10 minutes on a daily basis a look at a story or two.  Follow the links in the sidebar, open a newspaper, or watch a few minutes of a newscast.  Current events add relevance and meaning to what can be dry content.  Please be prepared to bring something to talk about.

All in all, I like the way that things are taking shape and I am excited about the possibilities this semester.  Thanks for an uncommonly good Monday.

~Mr. T

More Shameless Bribery...

My most recent check on the assignment completion reveals the following numbers.  Note that some class sizes are still fluctuating a bit.

Social 10-1 Period 1:  5/23 emails  ( 22% completion )
Social 10-1 Period 2:  9/23 emails  ( 39% completion )
Social 10-1 Period 4:  10/26 emails  ( 38% completion )
Social 9 Period 5:  8/31 emails  ( 26% completion )

We still have some work to do in order to get this crucial step done.  As such, I will be offering a class reward for the first group to achieve 100% completion.  Try not to let your imaginations get the better of you... most likely this will involve doughnuts.  Still.  Some doughnuts are better than no doughnuts.

*NOTE: For those who have already set up their accounts, I have sent survey to the emails provided to me. Please complete those for 1,000,000 certified Mr. T 'Cool Points.'

~Mr. T

Groundhog Day!

At the risk of dating myself more than I would like, today would be a fantastic opportunity to enjoy one of the all-time theatrical greats: Groundhog Day.

If you are of the mind to enjoy a bit of light-hearted frivolity at Gobbler's Knob, you should see this film.  No... you MUST see this film.

You're welcome.

~Mr. T

Geography 101

One of the criticisms of the current social studies curriculum is the perceived lack of emphasis on geographic content: the general challenges from not really knowing where things are in the world.  In a course where we are focused on globalization, there is a hope that students at least have some sort of concept about how our planet is pieced together.

I read in a recent article of a university professor who provided students with a brief pop quiz on geography. The results were disappointing to say the least.  A local opinion of the matter claimed that "[t]oday's students are not dumb, nor stupid, nor lazy. Joe, Bobby, Sue and Ann have simply tossed their 'useless information' in the proverbial trash in order to make room for the more complex stuff."

I've been intrigued by the debate for a while so I decided to try this with my classes today.  Each student was given a blank map and tasked with labeling as much as they could in about ten or fifteen minutes.  Continents, oceans, countries, etc... it was all up for grabs.  All this was intended to be was a glimpse into where we stood in our view of the world around us.

First of all, kudos to each of you for handling the surprise with a sense of humour and a willingness to laugh.  Some of you know that geography is not your strong suit.  That each of you were willing to try was good enough for me.  Second, please remember what I told you in class today: geography is only a small part of a solid understanding of social studies.  In and of itself, your ability to pick out a random country on a map does not make you more or less of a student.  This was simply an exercise to see where we stood on one very particular aspect.

I've started to look through the many maps now on my desk, and some of you have impressed me.  Others have some work to do.  Here, though, are some of my favorites from today:

1.  Africa was labelled as Europe
2.  The Caribbean simply referred to as 'warm places'
3.  Australia was probably the most identified country, after Canada and the US
4.  A few American cities became full fledged nations... Baltimore is the new Algeria

I will be holding onto these maps and revisiting them towards the end of the semester to see if there's a change.  That being said, be reminded again that geographic knowledge in and of itself will not make you an expert in the course.

A reminder to both Grade 10s and Grade 9s... remember to follow the instructions given to you to complete the setup of your Google accounts.  Don't forget to send me the email with your information and be sure you are sending this to the CORRECT email address.

Have a great weekend!

~Mr. T