I am a student, studious, and tired!

This is a video that describes how I feel as a student. I feel it probably depicts many students, and how they feel. So I hope you enjoy watching it. This video depicts the life of me as well as my classmates. We have endured a long semester and felt studious as we accomplished endless assignments, projects, papers, and reflections. We are now very tired!

Jeanna's thoughts on the article Toward New Media Texts Taking up the Challenges of Visual Literacy.

Through reading this article I can see how diverse education can be if we use these programs that are discussed in the article. It is something to think about when we talk about literacy. Visual literacy is a fun and interesting way to communicate. It all boils down to communication. It is just another form of communication. Literacy is being able to comprehend what is being read, said, or seen. Literacy is also about being able to communicate to others your own writings, speech, and visuals.

I can really see how some people might have the opinion as the article says, "if the teacher that continues to focus solely on teaching alphabetic composition - either online or in print-- will run the risk of making composition studies increasingly irrelevant to students engaging in contemporary pactices of communication." (72) I do believe this. Even as a student who is not very visual literate, and it at times feels crippling when given assignments that require the ability to create and design the visuals. That is a horrible feeling. If I feel that way, and I am a senior in college, can you imagine how people in businesses and other places that have only been taught communication only comes from a form of alphabet text. We do need to teach with using the visuals so that we can be better understood, and so we can better understand someone. It might be the difference between getting a job or not because the one who can communicate who they are, and what they know the best is the one that will get the job. We should start young and build from there so our country will be on the leading edge of literacy. This will give the people in our country the ability to communicate most effectively with people in other parts of the world.

When we learn how to use the visuals, as the article calls it, than it will be like being an artist, as the article says. We will create and design things for the use of better communication that will benefit the people around us.

Jeanna's response to Chapter 11

Jeanna Rowell Response to Chapter 11
This chapter talks about teachers who are not preparing students for college level writing, and how teachers are still staying with the 5 paragraph format for writing essays. I think in order for teachers to began teaching with a broader range of writing strategies, the teachers will need to have an understanding of the benefits of Conley's strategies for writing, especially using the internet, and strategies of that kind. I think many times teachers do not deviate from the traditional format because they do not believe it will benefit students with the MCT and the ACT.
After reading chapter 11 it is clear to me that if teachers would use some of the strategies that Conley suggest, they would quickly find these methods would help students score higher on standardized testing. The strategies are very practical and interesting for the student to use. The text discussed authentic writing; however, many times when student’s are forced to write on a topic they have little or no knowledge about, or do not like, the student’s are not going to produce a paper that is of any substance. That is why I agree with Conley’s ideas on authentic writing. I really enjoyed this reading because it has so many ideas on how to get students to write. I will save this text so I can refer back to chapter 11 when I want to think of strategies that will help my students.

Jeanna’s comment about the smart board.

The only experience that I have had with the smart board is watching the teachers work the smart board. The teacher last year worked the smart board proficiently. The teacher I have now works the smart board using it to demonstrate her vocabulary activity. I think she created a flipchart from her book. I do know that a flip chart is like a file where you can create a lesson or strategies to go along with your lesson. I just have not gotten my hands on one. I really would like to take a class that teaches the smart board so that I can become proficient at using it before having my own class.

Jeanna Rowell’s response to Chapter 7

This chapter is great in the fact it makes us think about what we as teachers need to consider while teaching. It is so true about connecting students with their past knowledge in order to connect them to new knowledge. Doing this it will intrinsically give students the desire to want to learn more. The book presents a good question, "How do teachers activate prior knowledge?" I really started thinking about what would be good way to activate prior knowledge. Once the teacher has established the connection between proir knowledge and new knowledge than the students have motivation to learn. I think that the student’s motivations will prove itself in how well the student perform.
I think this chapter gives good examples on how to tap into student’s prior knowledge. I really like the strategy K-W-L. It is great for establishing prior knowledge and building new knowledge. I agree with the book that presenting information in an interesting way is vital to students staying interested in what is being taught. Making relevance to their lives is a way to do this. Making their prior knowledge connect with new knowledge will also inspire the students to give attention to what is being taught. It really is a relief to know that like the book says on pg 207, “that rather assuming that motivation comes from tricks or gimmicks, but that motivation can be developed through student’s curiosity, social interaction, and engagement.” That helps me to get a better picture of teaching because the idea is to get the students to intrinsically want to learn. I think that is more practical and makes more since to do what Conley talks about in the book because for a teacher it is exhausting trying to do a song and dance everyday to teach students. This way of teaching will teach students to be independent thinkers rather than being spoon feed by the song and dance.

Jeanna Rowell
Lesson Plan

Curriculum Standard: 4th grade
1. Develop an understanding of the state in relationship to the expanding horizon theme.
a. Describe the history of people who first lived in Mississippi.
2. Demonstrate the ability to use social studies tools (e.g., timelines, maps, primary sources, globes, compasses, graphs, technological resources, grids, schedules, etc.) (C, H, G, E)
Big Idea:
Geography: Where were the Native American Indians of Mississippi located in Mississippi?

Preparation
1. Introduction: TW show a modern map of Mississippi. TW tell students that this is Mississippi today. TW will point out where we live on the map in Mississippi. Teacher will ask does anyone have any relatives that live in Mississippi and where do they live? TW look for those location on the Mississippi and tell the students this is where they live according to the map.
2. Teacher will tell the students that today we will learn about where the Native American Indians of Mississippi were located in Mississippi in 1650.

Guidance:
1. TW Show the American Indians of Mississippi map of 1650.with present day boarder on the smart board. The name of the website for this information is Mississippi History Now.
2. TW tell some of the history of the Native American Indians of Mississippi. TW point out on the map where each tribe is located on the map as he/she tells about that particular tribe.
3. TW tell how Natchez built their homes on the high land over looking the Mississippi River. The Chickasaw lived in the northeastern part of Mississippi. The Choctaw lived in Southeastern part of Mississippi. Pascagoula and Biloxi were in the corner of southeastern coastal area, and Houma were in the corner of the southwestern part of the state. Tunica and Chakchiuma were in the Mid-western part of the state along the river. One little tribe were in the middle of the state toward the south called Ofo.
4. TW asks questions. Which group lived on the largest area of land?
Which groups were the smallest groups? Do you think that the smaller groups were influenced by the larger groups? If so, who do you think would influence who? TW will ask one question at a time and allow for response to the question.
Application:
The teacher will hand out a Mississippi map that has the boarder outline only.
The student will draw on the map the boundary lines for each tribe, and label the portion of the map with the correct tribe.
SW color the map to resemble The Native American Indians of Mississippi Map from 1650. It will be on the Smart Board to use as a guide.
The materials needed are crayons, markers and pencils, and 23 copies of maps.

Chapter 5 by Jeanna RowellHow we as teachers select text for our students is one of the many challenges we face. When selecting text it is important to keep in mind the purpose for the reading that the students are doing. It is true the knowledge, experiences, and motivations is the key to how we approach the selected text we choose for the students. I do believe that it is true that motivation can help a student over -come the problems that students may have with the text. If the text that the student is reading has interest and prior knowledge, than the student is more likely to understand what the text is saying and not give it up. The prior knowledge helps the student to connect the dots to the new knowledge. Also, if the student is motivated to read the text, he/she will problem solve on how to understand what the text is saying even if the text is a little challenging to read. He/she might use tools such as, note taking, out lining, highlighting the text. Motivation is a strong element in getting students to read. The different kinds of text give its purpose for that particular text. If an Informal text is well defined, and states the information clearly, than it is a good way to get students to read necessary text for learning information. At the same time if it is presented in a foggy, not clear way, than it is just words. For this reason I do believe that as a teacher we should state the purpose of why we are reading to get the student focused in the direction you want the students to be engaged. Give prior knowledge about the text before the students read it. This will began to build their schema to begin to get them engaged before they start reading. If the students are about to read an informal text, before you begin, let the students know why it is important that they read this text, and it fits here in their lives. If it is a narrative text the teacher can state the relevance is to be entertained. Whatever the teacher feels would feel would be helpful to the student in making the connection he/she needs to stay engaged in the text.Another way that teachers can engage students in text is technology. Many times students prefer to read things that are on the computer. With all of the resources and links for the students to go deeper into the understanding of a topic, it is good way to motivate students to read. These resources help the students to be an active reader. With students who have attention problems technology helps them to state engaged many times. I do not think that reading on the computer can take the place of a good magazine in the hands of the students. The pictures and things that go along with the magazines can keep a student engaged. We as teachers need to continually consider the audience, the schema, and the knowledge to keep the student motivated to read. When we do this we will have excited, engaged readers in our class.