Promoting Internet Safety to the Hyper-savvy

In my personal experience as a student using the internet at school, all that the "forbidden site" error signal succeeded in accomplishing was to ignite the curiosity for transgression. This particular forbidden site, regardless of whether it was the home of truly useful information or not, began to created a schism between life within and life outside of school.  Outside of the classroom, the student was free to investigate the information that school deemed inappropriate.  This schism is further extended with the advent of today's 3G driven technology, creating a real barrier between the student in school, and the information liberated citizen outside the classroom.  This problem I've confronted is the question of how educators can create responsible digital citizens without simply blocking their access to information.  How can we harbor a self motivated sense of heaviness in internet activities so that our students can acknowledge the permanence of what is posted on the internet?  

Perhaps our students need more than an authoritative “safe” or “access denied” black and white scale. As for most things, I believe the solution comes from being educated about the topic and the permanence of our digital persona. The why in this scenario is more important than the firewall; If we can teach our students that our persona on the internet is the same as who we are on a day to day basis, meaning, there is no schism between our digital persona and our physical self, than perhaps students will be more inclined to think before posting anything on the internet, be it good or bad. The internet is a highly useful tool which gives us equal and unlimited access to an infinite amount of information, yet if it is not used in a constructive manner, can be harmful and detrimental, especially to a young person who is not equipped with the proper skill set to differentiate between what is acceptable and what is not. 

Flipped Classroom

In an English classroom, discussion is an absolute necessity in order to understand and explore themes and essential ideas within texts. Often times, it is difficult to dedicate the necessary amount of time to a fruitful discussion, when one is limited to a 47 minute block of time. This becomes problematic, especially when reading a difficult novel which may require more explanation or supplementary information. For instance, while reading Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, understanding the Great Depression as well as the Dust Bowl was crucial for understanding the context and plight of the characters. When time is of the essence, and a novel needs to be completed in an allotted amount of time, prioritizing discussion and engaging anticipatory sets becomes difficult when you just need to get the novel finished in time. Learning about a "flipped" classroom helped me to deal with this issue. In a flipped classroom, a teacher will assign something to be viewed at home, for instance, I had my students watch a PBS documentary called Surviving the Dust Bowl. I also had my students create three thought provoking discussion questions, which they where to bring with them to class the following day. Instead of spending half of the class period watching the documentary, we were able to use that time to engage in a class discussion which proved to be greatly supportive in helping students understand the time period, as well as develop an interest in the topic. Having experienced the usefulness of this method, I plan to continue using the flipped classroom so as to spur self initiative as well as fruitful discussion within my future English classroom.

Technology Integration Plan

Before reading the anchor novel Of Mice and Men in my eighth grade classroom, I found it imperative to create an anticipatory set which deeply explores the time period of the novel, which takes place in the Great Depression era. To understand the plight of the characters, George and Lennie, who are two migrant farmers forced to lead a transient life in order to attempt to make a decent living. Without having an understanding of the economic hardships which were caused by both the Great Depression as well as the Dust Bowl, the novel loses its value as a critical social commentary.  

To begin, I would want my students to access information regarding both the Dust Bowl as well as the Great Depression so as to create a backdrop for the novel. I would begin my lesson with a “flipped classroom” in which students will be assigned to watch a segment from the PBS documentary Surviving the Dust Bowl as well as a scene from the film adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel Grapes of Wrath. These videos would be assigned to be viewed at home, while students will also create three thought provoking discussion questions based on the two videos. The discussion questions will be shared with me via Google Drive, while every student at my middle school has a functional Google Account which they use for submitting work as well as collaboration, ect.

I will project the discussion questions which the students submit to me on the Smart Board, which will serve as the guiding topics of discussion. The class will conduct a “four corners” activity in which each corner of the room represents an opinion, either strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree. I will then pose a discussion question using the Smart Board, which students will respond to by physically standing in the corner which represents their opinion in regards to the question. I will then ask each corner why they chose the stance that they did, which will spur both discussion as well as debate.

Next, the class will listen to a radio segment from NPR called Is the American Dream Attainable? Young People Struggle to Move up the Economic Ladder. I will also provide a written copy of the segment so that students can follow along as they listen to the broadcast- both auditory as well as visual learners will be able to engage in the lesson by providing both the audio as well as the written version. The purpose of the segment is to define what the “cost of living” means, as well as to see how it is difficult for many to live comfortably when the cost of living is high. By examining the cost of living during today’s economic downturn, I hope students will be able to compare and contrast that of the struggles of those who lived through the Great Depression.

In order to connect the past and now, I will have students conduct a web-quest in which they will find the prices of the following items today and during the Great Depression: a gallon of milk, a gallon of gas, a loaf of bread, a new car, and the average cost of a four year college. I will also have students research the average annual salary of a migrant farmer, a public school teacher, as well as a doctor, both today and during the Great Depression. Students will use laptop computers as well as the books which reside in the classroom for the information needed to conduct the web-quest.

To put it all together, students will work in groups to collaborate and create a holistic way to present their findings. Students can use Power Point, Story Board, Prezi, or any other presentation format which they will use to organize their information in a way which will be efficient for presenting and essentially teaching the class. Their final project will be displayed on the Smart Board, while student explain their findings to the class. Following the presentations, a large class discussion will ensue which aims to restate the meaning of “Cost of Living”, and how its fluctuation greatly alters people’s ability to attain economical stability. Class discussion will consider the cost of the researched commodities, as well as compare the annual earnings of a farmer, teacher and doctor. Not only will these comparisons serve as a basic mechanism to comprehending the disparity in earnings, but also exemplify the high cost of necessary commodities which, in turn creates a high “cost of living”. 

Cost of Living Matrix

Auditory Processing

While driving to school every morning, I listen to NPR on the radio to hear the latest news updates, discussions about current events, politics, art, literature, psychology and sociology, and the list goes on. This public broadcast is especially important to me, while it sets the tone for my day, feeding my intellect as well as getting me to think about important topics which are current. On my way to school today, I heard the next chapter to a multi-part series which has been built upon daily. The series follows the making of a t-shirt, from the first step, which is buying the cotton bails (grown in Texas), to spinning the yarn (produced in a factory in Indonesia), to the sewing of the shirt (sewn in a factory in Bangladesh), and lastly follows two seamstresses in this factory. This series intrigued me very much, and I began to think about how every morning as I drive to school, I sit in a non-traditional lecture where I listen to in depth reporting on a multitude of topics, such as the production of a t-shirt. It then occurred to me that, if this type of learning could be so effective and fascinating to me, why couldn't I integrate it into my classroom? Once I arrived at school, I searched NPR.org and found the series that I had been listening to, in the form of an article, along with the audio clips which I had heard on the radio on the way to school. Considering the push for informational texts within the classroom in the common core standards, I figured this would be a great article to have students read along to while they listen to the audio clip. Students who retain information better from reading the text will have the opportunity to do so, highlighting and taking notes as they read, while those who process best from listening will also have the benefit of listening to the journalist, which also provides proper demonstration of annunciation, pacing, and pronunciation. While the topic harps on social, ethical, economical and political matters, as well as having pedogogical benefits, I believe the integration of radio/journalism in my classroom can be beneficial to an array of learners.

Google Docs

The middle school I am conducting my student teaching experience has employed a school wide use of Google Drive. Starting in sixth grade, students are given a Google Drive account which they are to utilize throughout their middle school career. In order to orient students with the multiple uses of a Google account, such as sharing documents to a teacher, fellow students, editing and working as a group and more, sixth graders spend a class period in the computer lab where the computer educator teaches students how to navigate their new account. Google accounts are a very useful educational tool, especially in the English classroom. When students are assigned a written homework assignment, essay response, or group project, our students simply share their documents with my cooperating teacher. Documents can be printed out and edited, or simply edited via computer using Google editors. It is also useful to use Google, while all documents are time stamped, and a teacher can see if an essay was edited last, or can even set a time limit for sending in essays or written work. Students can also collaborate for group work using this tool, while edits are done in real time. For example, I recently had students conduct a mock trial in our Language Arts classroom. While students worked in class to gather their evidence, many groups decided to collect their evidence and create their arguments on Google Docs, editing and adding their personal contributions on a document which they eventually shared with my cooperating teacher once it was completed. I find this to be a useful tool to integrate into my future classroom, while it eliminated paper usage, makes organization very simple, and also creates a sense of student independence and initiative as well as room for collaboration and creativity.

Cell Phone Use in School

While conducting a debate in class today, I noticed a student of mine using his phone as a recording device, so as to document the mock trial. What was interesting about this scenario was my reaction, which was hesitation. My initial reaction was that his device was not causing a distraction, in fact, he was using it as a helpful tool to document what was being said during the mock trial so as to be able to hone his closing statement, which would take place the following class time. After thinking about it, I told my student to put the phone away, which he argued was being used for educational purpose, to which I answered that if I see it, then I am required to take it away. He quickly assessed the loophole in my comment, and put the phone where I couldn't see it, which I was fully aware of and did not mind to address further. This situation caused me to look introspectively at my own opinions on the matter if cellular devices in the classroom, which I had not previously considered. Being in an eighth grade classroom, my students are on a cusp, in that they are not yet adults and yet cannot be considered children. While they are coming of age, I feel as though it is important to give students responsibility for their actions, especially ones they know the consequences to. While cell phone use is prohibited in school, I find that in certain instances they may be a beneficial tool for instruction and learning. While we live in a digital age, and most students can navigate technology fluently, it almost seems counter intuitive not to integrate technology into the classroom. The school I am in is not one in which students have consistent access to computers, and yet, the majority of students possess some sort of smart phone or device which can perform the same basic tasks. While cell phone use would have to be regulated and closely monitored, only allowing these devices to be used in class during allotted times, I believe the integration could be beneficial for many students as well as teachers.

Collaboration Canvas

Monica's original canvas focused on color theory, and how color affects how we see the world. She illustrated many different aspects of color theory, from the combination of different colors, to the connotations certain colors hold. She also included a poem about the color purple, which sparked me idea as to how I would incorporate color theory into my unit plan. While Vonnegut often uses the color blue as a repeated motif within his novel Slaughterhouse Five, I figured it would be helpful to delve into what the color blue means within the book, as well as how color is often used to symbolize ideas or emotions within works of art, poetry and literature. Vonnegut used the color blue multiple times to describe the color of the character, Billy Pilgrim's feet, while he is on the brink of frostbite and disease. Blue is used often as a reminder of our fragility and as a reminder of death, a dark theme which he stifles with the use of his apathetic and disillusioned narrative voice. This reminded me of the poem "Disillusionment of Ten O'clock" by Wallace Stevens, who describes the monotony and apathy of society with the use of color, or the lack thereof. This led to a connection to Picasso's Blue Period, in which he inadvertently expressed his depression and malcontent through a slew of paintings in which he used monochromatic hues of blue.

Canvas Remix

Unit Plan Canvas

Creating my canvas was a process which aided me in creating my unit plan on Slaughterhouse Five, which it enabled me to articulate and conceptualize my expectations. While the single lesson I had worked on for the previous Interactivity was a starting point, I needed to broaden what the unit as an entity would focus on, rather than honing a specific lesson. By writing a brief unit plan, I was able to focus on the overarching themes of the unit. An essential questions aided in focusing myopically on a single theme, while still considering relatability to the lesson plan as well as the unit. I very much liked the idea of adding photos and especially a video to the canvas, while it added another dimension to the unit. By viewing the trailer to the movie, students see visual synopsis of what they will encounter in the novel. Adding additional resources creates depth to the unit, while the sources I chose build upon important themes and background knowledge. For my unit on Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, I plan to focus on the fatalism which pervades the novel, which is implemented through the apathetic language ("so it goes", a crux of the novel which is repeated hundreds of times) as well as the broader theme of the degradation of the belief in free will.

Exploring Slaughterhouse Five

Technology and Pedagogy

I chose this lesson plan because I felt as though it was a holistic approach to incorporating writing, Literature, art, music and technology with even distribution. This lesson is exemplary of using technology as a crux, rather than a supplement within a lesson, which is beneficial as well as relatable to students. Instead of using technology as an adornment, this lesson is equally student driven as it is technology, literature or art-centered. I have found that, in terms of teaching strategies and Common Core Standards, in relation to English specifically, that there are no standards which align well with using different arts and technologies within a lesson. While W.11.12-6 mentions the use of technology vaguely, there is no snug fit for connecting literature to the arts using technology. I find this somewhat synesthetic lesson a highly efficient one, while it is mainly student-centered, and also engages all types of learners with a multitude of interests- which to me, is essential to achieving curriculum goals. The only other technology I would incorporate into this lesson to make it more effective is photography and film, while I believe these mediums perfectly embody the essence of "brief, urgent messages- describing a situation, a scene; when seen all at once they create an image of life which is beautiful and surprising and deep." (Vonnegut, 111-112), while film and photography do exactly this, capturing single images or ideas which, when put in a sequence and in a context, can express a grand idea or emotion.

Spread Sheet

Web 2.0

While conducting my student teaching this semester, it’s hard not to notice the complete disconnect between the technologies thrust upon teachers within the school from top down, and their implementations. For example, since the beginning of the year I have heard endless qualms from all the teachers I have encountered about the difficulty and utter uselessness of the ten separate accounts teachers are required to utilize- one for their grade book, one parent portal, one curriculum changes, one for attendance, one for progress reports, ect. The problem is not that these technologies are ineffective, but in practice it would be sensible to have software in which all of these utilities could coincide in conjunction with one another. Many teachers within the district have made it their mission to supply the schools with Google tablets, while all students and teachers are required to have a Google account which is frequently utilized for a multitude of purposes. In fact, Google had a promotion which would sell their tablets at one third of the cost to schools, a proposition which was brought to the school board, but was turned down.

            While technology, if used efficiently, could be a liberating tool from the antiquated “lecture style” classroom structure, giving autonomy to students to learn in non-linear ways. Instead, because of the political and economic structures which keep the business-like model of schools intact, students must continue to succumb to the socialization and ideological agenda inherent within our educational system. We have not traveled far from Common School-like doctrine, using schooling as a vehicle to instill ideologies which benefit the economic and political need of the times. While I do believe that technology such as computers could be highly beneficial within the English classroom, I find it imperative that students as well as teachers receive the proper education in how these technologies work, in order to use them efficiently and creatively. Web 2.0 can be a fantastic way to implement non-linear content within the classroom. Using Google Drive to collaborate and share essays, blogs, podcasts, and even lessons can be a highly effective tool for student-centered learning. By empowering students to be the agents of their own education, as well as supplying both students and teachers with the proper background and skills to utilize these technologies, the linear dynamic of the classroom could have the potential to be a catalyst for divergent and critical thinking. 

History of Technology in English

Books continue to be a highly influential,yet in many cases antiquated, medium which instill schooling's implicit curriculum- not very different from the lessons taught from McGuffey's Eclectic Reader.

Fakebook

I recently discovered a new technological tool which I plan to implement into my classroom as I student teach. This semester, the first novel my eighth grade students will be reading is Of Mice and Men, which we plan on beginning the second week of October. While I personally find this to be a fantastic read, John Steinbeck being one of my favorite authors, I cannot be so sure that my students will feel the same way. For this reason, I have been searching for ideas to infuse into my lesson plans, so as to make the novel both more palatable, as well as relatable- even further, enjoyable!

From my research, I discovered a tool which many English teachers have been implementing with great success, called "Fake"book. Fakebook is a website that imitates Facebook in form, which I plan to use as a unit long project, which aims to focus on character development throughout the novel. While Of Mice and Men is primarily character driven, I believe that a lesson which focuses on analysis of these characters will be beneficial for students' overall understanding of Steinbeck's novel. By using this tool, I believe that the characters will come to life for students via Fakebook, a technology that will make characters and their development palatable and concrete.

My plan is to break up each class into six groups, one group per character (Lennie, George, Candy, Curly, Slim and Crooks). Each group will make a Fakebook for their character, each Fakebook consisting of a "profile picture", an "about me" section, "personal information" (name, age, employment, where they live, relationship status, ect.). The "about me" will be an elaborate written description in the voice of the character, also having specific requirements which will be met by the end of the project/novel. The "about me" will change and become more involved throughout the unit as the character progressively during reading-becoming more elaborate and "layered", along with their relationship with the character. By the end of the novel, the person viewing the profile should have a holistic understanding of the character which coincides with Steinbeck's depiction, according to the novel.

Each character, or group, will be required to post three "status updates" per week. The statuses posted will be direct quotes from the novel (said by their character), which students deem important to the plot, major themes present in the novel, as well as their character's development.

Fakebook allows the administrator (teacher) to link related pages with one another. Each character will "befriend" the remaining five characters, allowing groups to interact and submit posts to one another. I find this a very handy which can be a catalyst for students to think critically about their character, while they will have to pose thought provoking questions to one another each week , answering  the questions in they way which they believe their character would respond- empathizing with, as well as analyzing their characters motives and conflicts as if it were their own.

Any possible way to get students interested and engaged in the classroom is absolutely imperative, especially in an English classroom in which analysis is reached mainly through discussion (not to mention that English does not tend to be most students' favorite subject).The integration of technology in the classroom should be used, in my opinion, only when it is beneficial to students overall comprehension and engagement with the topic (teaching typing in first grade, for example, is unnecessary and excessive to me) and I believe that Fakebook can be used as an effective tool to promote productive group work, character analysis, and deciphering of themes and key elements, which makes it an effective technology to utilize within the classroom.

Technology Autobiography

One cannot deny the importance as well as influence of technology on our daily lives. Through our daily travels, communications and activities, it is impossible not to encounter a form of technology, whether it be driving a car or flipping a light switch. As a person strongly influenced by the Arts, my relationship with technology, specifically in the world of the Arts, is one of strong polarities. I understand the value of technology and appreciate its advancements in the medical world, sciences, as well as modern daily conveniences. The windows of opportunity are endless from the vantage point we have positioned ourselves at in when considering both creativity and discovery. And yet, when I sit among a circle of friends, and rather than sharing ideas, beliefs, experiences, or any kind of organic human interaction, I often find myself staring at a group of individuals unaware of their surroundings because they are too busy twiddling away at their i(phone, pad, pod, fill in the blank). Without responsible technology use, being constantly connected turns to over stimulation and isolationism. And yet, the unlimited access to an infinitesimal amount of free information is a great equalizer and can be used for wonderful purposes. Its implementation in the classroom is both successful as well as crucial when used correctly, and can be a great tool to connect students to the subject.

Throughout the course of my life, books have been the most essential and influential technology. As a young child, my mother would read to my brother and I daily, which fostered a long-term love of reading. I always connected most to authors and poets were able to manipulate characters, language and themes and make them both simple yet unbelievably concise. It takes an incredible amount of awareness and fine tuning to capture an idea, emotion or circumstance which many have shared and stitch an image with language to make it concrete and specific. This is the art of writing which infatuates me. A book is a technology which constantly informs us of what it means to be a single component within a larger macrocosm, the common  connection being the human condition. From it, we learn to empathize with the experiences we all share, as well as introducing us to those which we have not had the chance to encounter.

In second place, I chose the pen, because it is the technology which enables expression. Without it, I could never materialize my thoughts and perceptions. While a book provides a window to insight and creativity, it is a technology which one observes; the pen allows me the physical and visual process I need to actually create and elaborate-doing rather than absorbing. While some are able to immediately translate their ideas from their mind to the computer, I do not work most efficiently doing so. In order for my thoughts to be produced in the most concise and fluid manner, I must first free write, then create an outline to collect my thoughts- the physical act of writing helps me to produce, while visually seeing my idea on paper helps me to organize, add and eliminate. By becoming aware of these tendencies, I have learned that in order to learn new information and retain it, it is imperative for me to write it down- thus making the pen an essential tool for my learning.

I choose the computer as my third most essential technology with great caution. My love for this technology far exceeds my hate for it, though I am overly conscious of not abusing the computer for its alluring yet unproductive abilities. The impermanence and constant evolution of the computer and its abilities amazes me, in that its uses and bounds are more or less limitless. What frightens me is the growing dependence on this alluring tool- having no sense of direction due to a dependence on GPS, not having the ability to communicate coherent thoughts to one another due to constant impersonal communication via a lifeless technology, the impending death of the art and personology of the handwritten word, ect. And yet, like most dysfunctional relationships, I must admit to the beauty of a technology which allows any person the access to limitless information regarding just about any topic. I use the internet to inform myself of topics which are important to me, such as politics, current events, educational discussions, as well as a means of answering questions and exploring topics I have very little familiarity with. Unlike the book and pen, the computer is an extrinsic means of learning new information, which creates an important balance.

Like the majority of the young people who shared their most influential technology, these technologies are ingrained in who I am. Without them, it would be difficult to internalize information and express what I have deduced. Life as I know it, as well as the lives of the young people in the video, would not be the same without these essential technologies- for they are a part of how we identify ourselves, and the means of which we do so.   

Hello there, my name is Suzanne and I am currently an English Education major at Montclair State University. I believe literature and poetry are crucial forms of expression because it teaches us to empathize with one another through an awareness of the human condition, as well as providing the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with new perspectives. My passion for literature and poetry encompasses a large array of subjects and authors, from Hesse, to Kincaid, Stevens, Murukami and Bradbury (among many others). I very much look forward to sharing my eclectic passion for literature and writing with my future students, and hope to incorporate their own passions into my lessons so as to engage and interconnect with different strengths and backgrounds in the pursuit of creating life long learners.