Cool Tools Reflection

Reflection Task

Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about these tools. Can you see the potential of this tool(s) for student learning or professional development? How can teachers or libraries take advantage of the tool you chose?

I chose MagMa for my new tool to explore.  I know students love watching videos.  I figure that if I can incorperate a youtube or other video to what it is I am teaching than that will be engaging for the students.  For now this is the only other tool I explored but I know there are many more that I want to find out more about.

Podcast Reflection

Reflection Task

Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about these tools. Can you see the potential of this tool(s) for student learning or professional development? How can teachers or libraries take advantage of podcasting, video, and screencasting?

For my task I did a podcast about myself as well a quick song for my class.  It was cool how easy it was to create the podcast and then post it to my blog as well as my wiki.  There are so many powerful ways this can be used in my classroom.  Something I just thought of was recorded sub plans.  For instance if I was sick and couldn't make it into the school I could create a podcast, post it to my blog, and call the school to have my sub access it.  I know I could use e-mail, but this way I could be more descriptive with what I wanted the sub to do. 

There is so much I can do in the classroom with video and screencasting.  I could upload videos of different lessons I do or example problems that are hard so students could refer back to an example rather than having to rigoursly take notes.  If I wanted to use online tools I could create a screencast to show the exact steps I want the students to do. 

The possiblities are endless when it comes to this technology.  I see these three tools as documented voice, video, and web directions.  All very powerful things.

Quadratic Formula Song

Solving quadratic equations can be a challenge for my Algebra II students.  One of the proofs we do is how to solve a quadratic equation for x using the coefficients. The proof leads to a somewhat long formula. To help students remember the formula I use a song!

My Podcast

Google Reader and Wiki Reflection

Wiki Reflection Task

In a posting to your blog, describe your thoughts/reactions/learning, etc. from the module.

   I set up a Wiki page that I hope to incorporate into my classroom next fall.  It is great how easy it will be for my students to access my site.  The only problem is our school is  little behind in the technology department where students do not have access to the internet when they are in my classroom.  Either way, I can put things on the wiki that I want my students to access.  As of right now I have one website that has materials directly connected to each class I teach.  This summer I will have more time to better compile that list.

Flikr Reflection

Reflection Task

Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool. Can you see the potential of this tool for student learning or professional development? Or just as an easy way to share photos that can be accessed from anywhere? How can teachers or libraries take advantage of social online photo galleries?

After using Flikr for about an hour I see it more as a place I would use to store and share photos.   I like the fact that I could send someone a link to see a photo album rather than having to upload a file and send through e-mail.  Eventually I will explore flikr more and find uses for it in my professional life.  I do see how this tool could be very effective for other fields of study; right now I am not sure how I would incorperate this site into my math curriculum.

DIIGO Reflection

Reflection Task

Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool. Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance? Or just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere? How can teachers or libraries take advantage of social bookmarking sites?

Diigo is an interesting tool that can be used as a central hub for storing, organizing, and sharing everything we have discussed in this class so far.  Right now, my primary use of Diigo is a holder of my bookmarks related to my professional job of teaching math.  In the future however I will be creating lists to hold information on coaching and for my personal interests as well.  I am glad I had a chance to be introduced to Diigo.  Without taking this class I don't think it would have happened.

Google Reader Reflection

Reflection Task

Since your Google Reader is not visible to anyone but you, describe your experience in your reflection posting on your blog. Tell about your experience in setting up your Reader, what sites you subscribed to, and anything else of interest. Did you find any feeds that were not useful? Did you find any unusual ones? What other tools or ways did you find to locate newsfeeds?

I just had my first experience with Google Reader, which is an aggregator for RSS.  Basically, any news feed I am interested in I can have instant access to new information through Google Reader.  I started by subscribing mostly to sports and news sites that I am interstested in.  I am a big Detroit Lions and Iowa Hawkeyes fan, so I added blog sites covering these teams.  I am also a former SDSU Jackrabbit so I am following their football program as well.  This reader will make it easy for me to keep up with my teams without having to waste a lot of time doing so. I also found a math blog to subscribe to, as well as a local news and sports site. 

I am still exploring with it but so far I like what I see.  I don't want to go overboard with what I am following right away as it may become overwhelming.  The possiblities are endless and I am excited for now to keep up with my personal interests and hopefully I can use my summer break to find profession related sites to follow.

Experience of a Lifetime.

My name is Scott Breyfogle and I am a math teacher at the Maple Valley Anthon-Oto high school located in Mapleton, IA, a rural northwest Iowa town.  I also am the head track coach, assistant football coach, and weightroom coordinator here.  This is my fourth year teaching at this school of about 220 students and has been a wonderful experience.  I feel like I am very organized person and am always prepared for anything that can happen on a given school day.  Nothing could have prepared me for what the last few weeks have been like.

If you have been watching the news or reading the paper, no matter what news or what paper, you probably saw that my small town was hit by a tornado on Saturday, April 9th at about 7:30 PM.  About 60% of the town was either damaged or destroyed.  The aftermath of this event has been absolutely chaotic. The blessing of the whole ordeal is that no one was killed and only minor injuries were reported.

Last week was a blur as school turned into town cleanup with the kids.  A lot of teachers and kids worked long hours alongside thousands of volunteers last week as we tried to move tin, trees, and construction debris to the curbs so they could be hauled away by the big rigs.  The whole experience has given me new perspective on a lot of things.  The most impressive thing has been particpating in and watching the cleanup process.  That first Sunday after the tornado I met a middle aged man from Parkerburg, IA.  I asked him if he had relatives or friends here and he said he was here because he had experienced what it was like and how many strangers helped him out. 

The stories of this tornado will live forever and the spirit of this small community of around 1300 people has been amazing.  We have a long way to go until life is normal here in Mapleton, but I look forward to being part of what is a bright future for this town.