Thursday, July 5, 2012
Valley Academy
I am looking forward to my new job teaching drama at Valley Academy Charter School in Hurricane, UT. It opens this fall with 400 students enrolled grades K-7. It will emphasize fine arts and technology-my passions! I'm excited to get planning with the new faculty and make this school AWESOME!!!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Permission to film
This is our current permission form we use to film and publish our students' images, artwork, etc!
School Year 2011-2012
Parents and Students of Coral Canyon, ____________________________________
If your student is in Kindergarten, is new to the school, or I don’t have a written permission form from last year, I am sending this for you to fill out and return. The completed forms are kept and will be valid continuously unless revoked in writing by you.
Many teachers like to post student work, pictures and videos at our school. We have a weekly newscast, and this year all the classes will get to be the news crew! In the past they have been published on SchoolTube.com. This is a safe and monitored site. Other videos made by myself (Mrs. Young, the drama teacher) are published there as well. Please check out our work and see the nature of our media publications! You can view the videos by going to SchoolTube.com, searching for Coral Canyon Elementary and clicking on the name. Our channel’s address on SchoolTube is:
In order to publish media on the Internet or distribute pictures, videos, etc. on digital media, we need your informed consent. Please fill out and sign the form below. It is necessary to have this form on file at school so your child can participate. You have every right to say no! If you would not like us to use your child, please fill out the form below and indicate “No” on the appropriate line so we know and can sustain your wishes. Please return this to school ASAP. We welcome your input; if you have questions or would like to discuss this with Mrs. Young, please email kyoung@ces.washk12.org.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Talent and Performer’s Release
I give Coral Canyon Elementary School and its faculty and staff the right to use name, likeness, image, voice, appearance, performance, written work, art work, and work performed in digital media projects and/or newscasts. This grant includes without limitation the right to edit, mix or duplicate and to use or re-use this media or its copyright. I also grant the right to broadcast, exhibit and otherwise distribute this media. In consideration of all of the above, I hereby acknowledge there are no fees or other considerations due me, or my agent. This release will stay in effect unless I request in writing to have it removed.
Student’s Name: __________________________Teacher/Grade _________________
Parent’s Name (print): ____________________________________________________
Parent’s Signature: ___________________________________ Date: ______________
Email (Optional): ________________________________________________________
If you do not wish to grant us this permission, please mark below.
_______ NO, please don’t use my child for publishing as indicated above.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Film In Education
Film in Education
#1 Use film to document and share performances.
#2 Still life performances/Video yearbook
This is a vocabulary movie!
http://www.shiftworkshops.org/component/content/article/4-core-lessons/22-vocabulary-simple-machines
#3 PSA ‘s
Start with Public Service Announcements. These should be about 30-60 seconds long.
“Labeling”
“Smokes”
#4 Music videos.
“Tobacco Road”
#5 School News casts - CCTV
Making the News-Jan. 2010
4-15-11 News
9-23-11 News
#6 Character Ed Skits
The Tobacco Problem
The Friendship Team
#7 Special Tributes
Jill Foy tribute
#8 Fun projects:
Hungry Caterpillar
“Oh Say Can You Say?” for Dr. Seuss Week
Simple Machines
#9 Stop Motion
Claymation. The water cycle.
Multiplication.
#10 Interviews
#11 Opinion Pieces
#12 JAMMIN’ fitness minute
HOW TO Workshops!
Spy Hop Workshops for teachers website:
Great websites
The university I got my Master’s at:
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
School.....
I am teaching drama again, however due to unfortunate circumstances, only have the students for 1/2 of the year. I am trying to be creative in my thinking and have started an after-school drama class on Mondays and Thursdays for an hour. It will be covered by contract time. This opens up the possibility for a play! I am thinking about doing Suessical Jr., or Dear Edwina. I am excited for that! I have 42 students signed up and held my first class this week. It was a little crazy! I will probably have to move it to the gym because of the size.
I am continuing with CCTV this year. I have a whole page of new ideas and am excited for it! I'll do most of the editing because I have time during the day. I'll need help occasionally.
I love living in this beautiful country, and am so grateful for the opportunity to teach the arts. I try to look at the possibilities around me, not the limitations. Just looking at a beautiful sunset inspires me. I do love teaching drama!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
It's June!
I'm back to learning, at the Arts Express 2 day conference in SLC, UT. Peter H. Reynolds was the presenter and has some pretty awesome motivating tricks! He gave all of us access to two of his software programs. One is "Animation-ish" and the other is a "Stationery Studio." Great resources for teachers. Fullsail needs to look into "Animation-ish." That's an easy program that uses our artwork for an easy way to get animation into our students' hands. The stationery program has like 500 different templates to print out for students to do writing on. You can also do the writing on the computer and it prints out with really cute pictures around it on every subject under the sun. Fun stuff!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Wow! The ride is over, now for the vacation!
Gary and I are flying to Orlando Thursday to attend my graduation on Friday. I'm excited! We've never been to Disney World/Epcot Center before. I assume 2 days will never be enough time, but that's all the time we've got to spend there. It'll be fun to meet my classmates and enjoy each others company.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Final Presentation Video for Action Research
I was able to finish my video reporting on my Action Research. Here is the link! Please check it out and tell me what you think!http://web.me.com/karyoung/Action_Research/Embedded_Final_Presentation.html
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Master's Degree at FullSail-Year in Review
The courses that I have taken for FullSail’s EMDT have been challenging and fulfilling. I thought I knew how to write until I learned APA. I found myself in deep water and having a hard time keeping up. My mother had a stroke; I rushed up to be with her and my father and stayed for over two weeks in June. Planning the funeral and supporting my father and family had to be squeezed together with the first month of a challenging course. I felt like the CD, Sharon Wyly, was understanding and very supportive. I decided if I could pull it off that month, the rest of the year would be OK.
In July, I was so at home with the knowledge of Multiple Learning Styles. This is such a part of me it was like coming home. Everything we learned yelled, “Yes! This is why the Arts are so important in education!” I contend that the arts in education feed and teach the “whole child” and are what can keep a kid in school. Dr. Deason was an inspiration. I was assigned to a group that did a project on gaming in education. I enjoyed the group collaboration. I copied many of Dr. Deason’s comments into documents so I could go back and review them.
September opened my eyes to 21st Century learning, and was instrumental for me choosing my action research subject. I think this course is what sold me on the importance of technology in education in general. Dr. Siegel was a fun professor, and later in gaming I realized he’s pretty much crazy! I know that gaming needs to find its way into education. Not a gamer by heart, he turned my heart towards it.
Two of the reasons I chose this program were the music and film courses. The music class was difficult, but taught me so much that is practical and useful in my job and my love of music and film. Kathy Craven was an awesome film teacher; I learned a lot in her class. Each new project was a challenge, but I grew so much! These two classes directly influenced my AR, which was teaching film to students. Our end project in cycle 1 was a music video that also was my end project in our music class.
Flash was difficult, and LMO was too much reading, too much writing! Though I did enjoy Udutu. All in all, I have learned so much it is astounding, and I feel like a whole new world has been opened for me. What a ride!
In July, I was so at home with the knowledge of Multiple Learning Styles. This is such a part of me it was like coming home. Everything we learned yelled, “Yes! This is why the Arts are so important in education!” I contend that the arts in education feed and teach the “whole child” and are what can keep a kid in school. Dr. Deason was an inspiration. I was assigned to a group that did a project on gaming in education. I enjoyed the group collaboration. I copied many of Dr. Deason’s comments into documents so I could go back and review them.
September opened my eyes to 21st Century learning, and was instrumental for me choosing my action research subject. I think this course is what sold me on the importance of technology in education in general. Dr. Siegel was a fun professor, and later in gaming I realized he’s pretty much crazy! I know that gaming needs to find its way into education. Not a gamer by heart, he turned my heart towards it.
Two of the reasons I chose this program were the music and film courses. The music class was difficult, but taught me so much that is practical and useful in my job and my love of music and film. Kathy Craven was an awesome film teacher; I learned a lot in her class. Each new project was a challenge, but I grew so much! These two classes directly influenced my AR, which was teaching film to students. Our end project in cycle 1 was a music video that also was my end project in our music class.
Flash was difficult, and LMO was too much reading, too much writing! Though I did enjoy Udutu. All in all, I have learned so much it is astounding, and I feel like a whole new world has been opened for me. What a ride!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Karlene Young Wk 4 Project publication ideas
I posted before that I was going to try and publish my project to SITE. Since seeing others’ presentations, I have decided I would like to submit it to ISTE as well, and a shortened version with a short film clip to Edutopia. My classmates suggested that one. I feel like I would like to do a lengthier version to submit to a journal that would be much longer as well. We’ll have to see if I have time to do that this next month. I haven’t looked at the new class yet. One month left in my Master’s Program! Yea!!! I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s been a great ride.
Karlene Young Wk 4 Publishing Project Frustrations
I have been particularly frustrated trying to get ready for the Wimba session this Saturday evening. We are supposed to look at our fellow classmates’ presentations, but so many were not done, it was almost impossible to get it accomplished. I am so impressed with some of my classmates! Erin Roe’s is good enough to be published right now. She is amazing and has done an awesome job on her AR. I think Fullsail needs to hire her to teach the music class! (Nothing against Repp.) I think she needs to present at a conference with her project. Hers was 39 pages long, and I emailed her the question, “What about the 2000 words?” I had a pretty good paper when I realized it was 3000 words, so I started chopping. I feel like mine is a little too jumpy and scattered now as an article. I loved how Erin’s was so thorough. So I am guessing that we need to have several differing sizes to choose from, but I should have kept the original 3000-word doc. I feel like I am not done with this assignment. I’ll comment after the Wimba session as well.
After
Well, last night gave me a royal migraine, and then I got the flu to top it off. Six out of eight of us in my household came down with it since Thursday. I’m glad I was pretty much done with my assignments! I loved the presentation part, and would have loved to sit in on all of them. But-enough torture! My classmates are totally amazing and I am very impressed with the majority of the AR projects. I hope we can all be published.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Karlene Young Wk 4 Response to Jacob Berry
This was his post:
Publishing Leadership Project
How often do you have a student fail the first six weeks? This student, lost and confused has to try and figure what he missed, and keep up with current classroom activities. I want to embrace the “Digital Native” in each student and allow them to not fall behind. With all the technological advances that have come about, why not allow our students a chance to gain a reprieve for their errors, a mulligan if you will. As educators our job is not to fail students, but to correct their mistakes and show them the right path. My Action Research embraces technology and promotes it as an avenue to help a student learn and not allow him to fall so far behind that we lose them forever.
Say goodbye to the way we learned. Blackboards are a thing of the past; digital projectors and smart boards are the wave of the future. I am not saying we should throw away the foundations we grew up on; I am stating that today’s youth needs to be taught at their interests level. We should incorporate the Internet in our lectures and activities. We should allow students to complete work online. Not only does this prepare them for college, but teaches them life skills that will be beneficially to their future careers. If we as educators do not change our mentality toward technology, we will expand the gap between our students interests and our own.
Baturay & Bay (2010) discussed how problem based projects made the learners feel more connected to the content. I have seen first hand through my project how students get into role-playing and acting out scripts. I have also seen how allowing them to complete an interactive video assignment, online, can help stimulate their understanding of the material. By creating engaging projects, we embrace the constructivist in all our students. Using the Internet is great when you have the resources to use. However in my school, two computer labs with 30 computers each are in use all day. The opportunity to use them is scarce.
I was told by an administrator that the bureaucracy of getting equipment took months, almost a full year. Computers sit in storage until the proper work is filed, and by the time it placed in a classroom setting, it old technology. In order to offer a credit recover system the educational system has to change. Technology needs to be distributed out quicker. If you want to motivate a student, give him access to a computer. I have seen how a student who could not use Microsoft Word, can grow in one semester, into a knowledgeable contributor.
The first step in creating a productive credit recovery system is to teach the teachers how to better reach their students through technology. Many teachers thought that technology meant PowerPoint slides with pictures. Technology can be Google maps incorporated with videos of a region of the world, while incorporating it into a class presentation of an area. Teachers need to be taught how to use the gifts at their fingertips.
Second step is to create an online curriculum that engages the students on many levels. The problem with classroom instruction is that over the years teachers become stuck in their teaching rut, unwilling to change. This style may not be as conducive to learning as they think. Why not take a step back and create a curriculum that is different from what they had in class. After all, why place the same content on the web, in the same approach as the teacher. If educators would spice up the classroom, theirs a good chance credit recover might not be necessary.
Third step is to educate the students to the basic skills of online work submission and how to use the Internet to their benefit. Prensky calls students Digital Natives, but my research has shown that it only goes so far. Students understand Myspace.com, but many cannot even use Microsoft Word on attach a document to an email. Before a student reaches high school, they should be able to do most common tasks for Microsoft Office products. I have seen first hand that assignments created by students with first hand knowledge of PowerPoint, are far more complex and engaging than those of less familiar students. If teachers at the middle school level set a good foundation, teachers at the upper level can build and increase students’ computer skills.
While my Action Research was on creating an effective credit recovery system, I can truly say that if we adopted many of the concepts I used in my project, for everyday teaching, my credit recovery system might not be necessary. Until then, I think that if teachers allowed their students to recover grades online after they fail a six weeks grading period, it would only help the student understand future concepts. Maybe we should take it one step closer, and allow them to do it every two weeks.
My research was too broad. I had originally started to show the cost effectiveness in an online credit recovery system. It soon morphed into a social/racial experiment due to the area I live in. In all reality, the research would have been more fluid if I would have focused on this simple question, “Would an online Credit Recover System help students under the content better?”
My response:
Hi Jake! Long time, no hear...
I loved the presentation. I have a few edits if you want them. (Let me know.) I came into the presentation first, not your web page, so I was not understanding what credit recovery was. I finally got an ah-ha moment half way through and it made sense. Knowing that, I think it would help your presentation to put in a sentence explaining credit recovery to the layman. (Me, in this case...) I think this is a great idea! I'm going to look over your website as well.
Karlene
Karlene Young Wk 4 Response to Leslie Perry
This was her post:
Wk4 Publishing Project #2: The Decision (Blog Post #2)
Ultimately, the decision of what to do came down to practicalities. I do not want to go through this experience to do something that will not be presented or printed. Since most of the conferences listed in the Resources section on this HW project are happening within the next few months, there is no chance of submitting to present there and no opportunity to apply for next year. As such, I have focused on preparing a document for submission. Step 1 done.
The next step was to dig deeper into the publications listed in the Resources section of the online HW page. Ultimately, I found the goals of the International Society for Technology in Education to be the site I kept coming back to and I felt their mission statement aligned with my thoughts on education and where I envision myself heading professionally.
Here is their Mission Statement:
“The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. Home of NETS and ISTE's annual conference and exposition (formerly NECC), ISTE represents more than 100,000 professionals worldwide.” (http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=About_ISTE)
I noticed that there are several publications produced by ISTE and I spent some time looking at the requirements for submission for these. Immediately, I knew that the most appropriate journal to submit my research would be L&L – Learning and Leading in Education. This journal is geared towards practitioners in education such as Superintendents, Media Specialists, teachers, technology coordinators etc. That would be the audience I aim to reach. In addition, the submission guidelines say “L&L articles emphasize practical ideas and provide how-to tips for integrating technology appropriately into K–12 classrooms, curriculum, and administration.” Once again, the focus on practical ideas for integrating technology aligns well with my writing and personal style. I also feel it is the most effective use of my time and energy for this project.
Getting down to specifics, I plan to write a “Feature” article. The description of this is:
“Features: These articles showcase successful projects or models that incorporate technology for staff development, student learning, or infrastructure implementation. Features illustrate how projects or models helped teachers use technology to make a difference in student learning. Features should be about 2,000 words.”
This description of what type of article is desired for L&L is exactly what my Action Research project presents. Additionally, in reviewing the online edition of this month’s L&L, I felt that the design of the magazine was done well, and important component since I am a also a professional graphic designer.
The first step was to actually join this organization. Without that, I couldn’t even look at the digital edition of the magazine. It cost $39 to become a full-student member. With that done, the next step is to send an email to the editor in advance of sending the article. In this email, I need to give a brief description of the article idea and why this is useful to L&L audience and includes the kind of technology used and primary effect on learning.
On we go…
Link to Submission Guidelines:
http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/Submit_Articles/How_to_Submit_Articles_to_LandL.htm
Leslie-
I am excited to get to know you and learn of your action research! I remember hearing you talk to the CD about the fact that you weren’t a teacher, you were a PTA president, and he said, “Just take it up to the next level.” Kudos to you! I too found SITE (just a mix of the same letters), joined the national organization over it, AACE, and am writing an article as well. I think I’ll look into ISTE as well. I’ll submit it to more than one place. You ought to look into SITE as well! Here’s the link to my blog post about it: http://dramamrsyoung.blogspot.com/2010/04/karlene-young-wk-2-possibility-for.html
Check out my AR site-this is the link to the Publishing Leadership Project: http://web.me.com/karyoung/Action_Research/Publishing_Project.html
I’ll see you in Wimba on Saturday!
-Karlene
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Karlene Young Wk 4 Reading The Finale Chapters
“If I cannot be present without resistance to the way things are and act effectively, if I feel myself to be wronged, a loser, or a victim, I will tell myself that some assumption I have made is the source of my difficulty” (p. 143).
I am reminded that life is not fair, it’s the way things are. If I find myself in conflict and feel put out, or like a victim, I just need to turn the tables and say, “OK, what am I assuming? Is that the problem?” If I am assuming that every teacher in my school has as much passion and desire to have their students learn the arts as I do, I’m sure that’s false, no matter how much I wish it. I have to back up and see the whole board, and enjoy my dealings with all of the teachers and their classes. They aren’t all as supportive as I wish, but I can deal with that and enjoy those classes in a different way.
I loved the words about us living up to our potential, and having vision to take any downward spiral thinking into the arena of possibility. Marianne Williamson’s words ring true to my soul:
“You are a child of God. You’re playing small doesn’t serve the world….We were born to make manifest the Glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone, and as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same” (p. 178-9).
One of my favorite children’s songs is taught to every child in our religion from the time they are tiny. Liz has a great video of a small child singing this song. Post it here for me, Liz!
I am a Child of God
I am a Child of God, and He has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do, to live with him someday.
I am a Child of God, and so my needs are great.
Help me to understand His words, before it grows too late.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do, to live with him someday.
I am a Child of God, rich blessings are in store.
If I but learn to do His will, I’ll live with Him once more.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do, to live with him someday.
The truth can set us free. Free to be all that we can be. I have found harmony and peace reading this book. It has shown me a beautiful melody of life that is free to soar. I want to read and reread this book forever more! Thanks, Joe, for including this in our course.
References
Randall, N. & Pettit, M. (1957). I am a Child of God. Children’s songbook. (1989). Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. p.2.
Williamson, M. (2002). A return to love. New York: Harper Collins.
Zander, B., & Zander, R. S. (2000). The art of possibility: Transforming professional and personal life. New York: Penguin Books.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Karlene Young Wk 3 Project frustrations – Long windedness
I have a problem with being a little too prolific. I had all the ins and outs of my summary completed then I realized I hadn’t checked the word count. I had over 1300 words and it’s supposed to be 500-700 words. Yikes! Now the opposite problem faces me. I found a site I would like to send an article to for publication. It can only be 500-700 words, but Full Sail’s requirements say 2000 words for the publication project. ARGG!!! Help, my edit button is on overload. Any suggestions fellow students?
Karlene Young Wk 3 response to Andrew Barras – 100%!
Andrew’s post:
Week 3 Free Topic - Both sides of the coin.
One of the most fascinating things about people is how they can ignore things when they don't fit their beliefs. I think everyone does this to a certain extent. I still do. With the dawn of the Internet, it is easy now to find information that completely reinforces our own world view.
From this myopia comes the Law of Unintended Consequences, or as I like to call it, The Other Side of the Coin. No choice in life is a certain thing but some people think it is because they choose not to see the other side of the coin. For example:
No Child Left Behind. When it was written I at first liked the idea. Let's put down some standards for students to measure up to. Encourage success, and punish failure. Sounds good.
Of course there are many problems with this. Just the name itself is loaded with problems. No Child Left Behind indicates that all children will do equally well and nobody will fail (aka be left behind). The problem is when you look at the other side of the coin. If you want all children to do equally well then you have to hold back the high achievers too. Enforcing this standardization on everyone is a left over from the factory model education system. Teachers are handcuffed to Teaching to the Test.
The only skill the students will really have after they graduate is a skill of taking standardized tests.
So here is my radical idea. Disband the Department of Education entirely. Let states try 50 different approaches to education and see what happens. Let kids excel and provide guidance to help them get there. Over time the best approaches will become clear and will then be passed around to other schools. What makes this country great is American Ingenuity, not government.
Most critically, make sure from an early age young kid's native gifts are recognized and nurtured before the factory school beats it out of them. So who's with me?
My Response:
ME!! I am with you 100% I too was for no child left behind when I got my degree about 15 years ago. I went into education because I could see that teachers had no idea how to handle my kids that all had ADD or ADHD. But, now that I see how testing and making the AYP wrings the fun out of school, it just makes me sad. I think that's why I love teaching drama so much. It's a lot of fun.
Week 3 Free Topic - Both sides of the coin.
One of the most fascinating things about people is how they can ignore things when they don't fit their beliefs. I think everyone does this to a certain extent. I still do. With the dawn of the Internet, it is easy now to find information that completely reinforces our own world view.
From this myopia comes the Law of Unintended Consequences, or as I like to call it, The Other Side of the Coin. No choice in life is a certain thing but some people think it is because they choose not to see the other side of the coin. For example:
No Child Left Behind. When it was written I at first liked the idea. Let's put down some standards for students to measure up to. Encourage success, and punish failure. Sounds good.
Of course there are many problems with this. Just the name itself is loaded with problems. No Child Left Behind indicates that all children will do equally well and nobody will fail (aka be left behind). The problem is when you look at the other side of the coin. If you want all children to do equally well then you have to hold back the high achievers too. Enforcing this standardization on everyone is a left over from the factory model education system. Teachers are handcuffed to Teaching to the Test.
The only skill the students will really have after they graduate is a skill of taking standardized tests.
So here is my radical idea. Disband the Department of Education entirely. Let states try 50 different approaches to education and see what happens. Let kids excel and provide guidance to help them get there. Over time the best approaches will become clear and will then be passed around to other schools. What makes this country great is American Ingenuity, not government.
Most critically, make sure from an early age young kid's native gifts are recognized and nurtured before the factory school beats it out of them. So who's with me?
My Response:
ME!! I am with you 100% I too was for no child left behind when I got my degree about 15 years ago. I went into education because I could see that teachers had no idea how to handle my kids that all had ADD or ADHD. But, now that I see how testing and making the AYP wrings the fun out of school, it just makes me sad. I think that's why I love teaching drama so much. It's a lot of fun.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Wk 3 - Response to Mark Benn-21st Century Learning- Alignment to Real Life
Mark’s blog and video:
"Week 3-blog 2 21st century learning"
They are always showing videos from students and how they connect and want 21st century tools to learn. In this video they come from the teachers point of view, and it makes some very good points.
My response:
Mark- I loved this video. I am a visual learner, and it was so nice to find a video to watch and comment on! So, how come I haven’t found one to put on my blog? HMMM…. The concept I liked the most was that the teachers are aligning their teaching to the student’s real lives. That’s what is most important about 21st Century teaching. Thanks for the inspiration.
Karlene
"Week 3-blog 2 21st century learning"
They are always showing videos from students and how they connect and want 21st century tools to learn. In this video they come from the teachers point of view, and it makes some very good points.
My response:
Mark- I loved this video. I am a visual learner, and it was so nice to find a video to watch and comment on! So, how come I haven’t found one to put on my blog? HMMM…. The concept I liked the most was that the teachers are aligning their teaching to the student’s real lives. That’s what is most important about 21st Century teaching. Thanks for the inspiration.
Karlene
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Karlene Young Wk 3 – Publishing/Leadership project part 2 of 3 - Response to Laura Rebecca’s Post
Laura’s Post:
Week 3: this week's assignment--Leadership Project
This week (and last week) I have been focusing most of my mental energy to the final Leadership Project. I decided to go with the PowerPoint option, only because I am a visual person in terms of my learning style and my communication strengths, and conveying information in a visual medium has always been more comfortable for me. However, I am struggling with getting all of the necessary information on just a handful of slides (I recall the logistics of this were discussed in the Wimba, and I get it, but...) because, from an aesthetic perspective, I find a hard time getting all the information that I feel is valuable and relevant on five or six slides without clutter or just visual chaos.
To illustrate my conundrum: so far, I have my project down to a mere 19 slides (really, 17 if you remove my title slide and my closing slide) and I don't know what to cut next. When I teach my Film classes, I always tell my students to film as much as they can, because they'll never know what they may need in the editing room; on the other hand, the hardest part of post-production is not what to include, but what to edit out. I find myself in that very same situation. I wonder if some of it is emotional, this inability to "let go" of that which I have consumed myself with over the last ten months. Hopefully, in the next few days (as I don't have the luxury of time) I will be in a place where I can let some of the slides go, and aspire to succinctness rather than verbosity.
My response:
Laura-I feel your pain! I also went to take a look at your presentation so far. It actually inspired me! You have a good start, but you are so strong in video, have you thought about putting the info-especially from the lit review-into a video instead? I think I’ll just write mine as a paper, even though I feel like the visual is much more appealing. I think the final video project we are to do should in some way be tied to this presentation project. AHH! I’m in a quandary also.
Karlene
Week 3: this week's assignment--Leadership Project
This week (and last week) I have been focusing most of my mental energy to the final Leadership Project. I decided to go with the PowerPoint option, only because I am a visual person in terms of my learning style and my communication strengths, and conveying information in a visual medium has always been more comfortable for me. However, I am struggling with getting all of the necessary information on just a handful of slides (I recall the logistics of this were discussed in the Wimba, and I get it, but...) because, from an aesthetic perspective, I find a hard time getting all the information that I feel is valuable and relevant on five or six slides without clutter or just visual chaos.
To illustrate my conundrum: so far, I have my project down to a mere 19 slides (really, 17 if you remove my title slide and my closing slide) and I don't know what to cut next. When I teach my Film classes, I always tell my students to film as much as they can, because they'll never know what they may need in the editing room; on the other hand, the hardest part of post-production is not what to include, but what to edit out. I find myself in that very same situation. I wonder if some of it is emotional, this inability to "let go" of that which I have consumed myself with over the last ten months. Hopefully, in the next few days (as I don't have the luxury of time) I will be in a place where I can let some of the slides go, and aspire to succinctness rather than verbosity.
My response:
Laura-I feel your pain! I also went to take a look at your presentation so far. It actually inspired me! You have a good start, but you are so strong in video, have you thought about putting the info-especially from the lit review-into a video instead? I think I’ll just write mine as a paper, even though I feel like the visual is much more appealing. I think the final video project we are to do should in some way be tied to this presentation project. AHH! I’m in a quandary also.
Karlene
Karlene Young Wk 3 Reading – It is possible!
Benjamen Zander is a true inspiration and awesome motivational writer. I wrote down two gems this week from chapters 7-9.
Page 119: Performance is not getting your act together, but about opening up to the energy of the audience and of the music, and letting it sing in your unique voice.
For our Celebration of the Arts last week, the 1st graders were darling. I tried to get them to see they just needed to get up and have fun and feel the music for their dance and accompaniment with instruments. I was out there trying to pair up students whose partner wasn’t there, and I got to dance with several students that were alone. The energy of the audience was electric, and we truly had a lot of fun.
Page 126: The Practice of Enrollment
1. Imagine that people are an invitation for enrollment.
2. Stand ready to participate, willing to be moved and inspired.
3. Offer that which lights you up.
4. Have no doubt that others are eager to catch the spark.
The arts are what truly lights me up, and I am always throwing sparks out hoping to inspire students to love the arts. Children truly are “eager to catch the spark.”
Zander, B., & Zander, R. S. (2000). The art of possibility:
Transforming professional and personal life. New York: Penguin
Books.
Page 119: Performance is not getting your act together, but about opening up to the energy of the audience and of the music, and letting it sing in your unique voice.
For our Celebration of the Arts last week, the 1st graders were darling. I tried to get them to see they just needed to get up and have fun and feel the music for their dance and accompaniment with instruments. I was out there trying to pair up students whose partner wasn’t there, and I got to dance with several students that were alone. The energy of the audience was electric, and we truly had a lot of fun.
Page 126: The Practice of Enrollment
1. Imagine that people are an invitation for enrollment.
2. Stand ready to participate, willing to be moved and inspired.
3. Offer that which lights you up.
4. Have no doubt that others are eager to catch the spark.
The arts are what truly lights me up, and I am always throwing sparks out hoping to inspire students to love the arts. Children truly are “eager to catch the spark.”
Zander, B., & Zander, R. S. (2000). The art of possibility:
Transforming professional and personal life. New York: Penguin
Books.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Karlene Young Wk 3 Free Choice - A Celebration of the Arts!
On April 16th, Coral Canyon Elementary had a Celebration of the Arts after regular school hours on a Friday afternoon. It was 90 minutes long, and was an amazing day. A big majority of the student body of 620 came back with their parents to participate. We estimated probably 400 students and another 300 parents and family members attended. We had the teachers display a large amount of the student’s artwork. Some were from class projects, and some from Mrs. Dodge’s Art class. They do amazing work. The district brought us eight art display boards that we filled as well. The student body had all made butterflies as a tribute to one of our first grade teachers that just passed away with cancer. We called it our “Butterfly Garden.” It filled our lobby and went down the halls. We had many strung on fishing line across the ceiling as well. It was beautiful.
I made some nice frames from mat board, and printed about 40 photos from my Film Techies’ work. I had 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10 prints. The display also had a poster explaining the different shots we learned in shot composition, with examples of each. It looked very professional. I had each print labeled with who took the photo and tried to include each student that was in the classes.
The choir (not under my direction) performed to start off, and later fifth grade performed a waltz and then had their parents come out and waltz with them. I taught all of fourth grade the Virginia Reel, our state dance. We only had about 15 of the 100 fourth grade students not show up and dance. For an after school program, that was outstanding! They were totally wonderful! It seems no matter how rough the rehearsals go, they always seem to pull it off with flying colors when they have an audience to perform for. We also had six of our school storytelling winners retell their stories in the library where people could come in and listen.
Third and second grades have done two rounds of Reader’s Theatre in my drama classes. The teachers chose two groups that they wanted to perform, and they performed in their own classrooms for their parents. They did a great job. They are very expressive and love to perform. I make sure they all have some sort of mask or hat or other small costume piece, and they feel like a movie star.
Then first grade did a whole grade reenactment in the gym of a book entitled “Giraffes Can’t Dance,” by Giles Andreae. I have enough costumes from past plays that I was able to get costumes or masks on all 115 students. We had learned it as separate classes, and then the teachers let them choose which animal they wanted to be, and each group of animals came out to do a dance. The jungle dance at the first featured a jungle band with African drums and other rhythm instruments. The whole grade got out there and boogied. Then the Warthogs waltzed, the Rhinos Rock and Rolled, the Lions tangoed, etc. We did easy little instructions for each separate dance and they mainly just acted! It’s a great book; I would recommend it to any teacher looking for a fun story to act out. They were very cute, and the parents loved the performance.
The afternoon ended with a screening of this semester’s Film Techies films and stop-motion. Everyone seemed to love them. We also aired them on the news again this week. It was an enormous amount of work, but well worth it. The parents love to see their children perform. It is a requirement of the BTS grant program I teach under, and I look forward to an even better celebration in the future.
I made some nice frames from mat board, and printed about 40 photos from my Film Techies’ work. I had 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10 prints. The display also had a poster explaining the different shots we learned in shot composition, with examples of each. It looked very professional. I had each print labeled with who took the photo and tried to include each student that was in the classes.
The choir (not under my direction) performed to start off, and later fifth grade performed a waltz and then had their parents come out and waltz with them. I taught all of fourth grade the Virginia Reel, our state dance. We only had about 15 of the 100 fourth grade students not show up and dance. For an after school program, that was outstanding! They were totally wonderful! It seems no matter how rough the rehearsals go, they always seem to pull it off with flying colors when they have an audience to perform for. We also had six of our school storytelling winners retell their stories in the library where people could come in and listen.
Third and second grades have done two rounds of Reader’s Theatre in my drama classes. The teachers chose two groups that they wanted to perform, and they performed in their own classrooms for their parents. They did a great job. They are very expressive and love to perform. I make sure they all have some sort of mask or hat or other small costume piece, and they feel like a movie star.
Then first grade did a whole grade reenactment in the gym of a book entitled “Giraffes Can’t Dance,” by Giles Andreae. I have enough costumes from past plays that I was able to get costumes or masks on all 115 students. We had learned it as separate classes, and then the teachers let them choose which animal they wanted to be, and each group of animals came out to do a dance. The jungle dance at the first featured a jungle band with African drums and other rhythm instruments. The whole grade got out there and boogied. Then the Warthogs waltzed, the Rhinos Rock and Rolled, the Lions tangoed, etc. We did easy little instructions for each separate dance and they mainly just acted! It’s a great book; I would recommend it to any teacher looking for a fun story to act out. They were very cute, and the parents loved the performance.
The afternoon ended with a screening of this semester’s Film Techies films and stop-motion. Everyone seemed to love them. We also aired them on the news again this week. It was an enormous amount of work, but well worth it. The parents love to see their children perform. It is a requirement of the BTS grant program I teach under, and I look forward to an even better celebration in the future.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Karlene Young Wk 2 Publishing/Leadership project part 1 of 3 -Possibility for Publishing
I have finally found a place that I could realistically submit a brief paper to. (The submission proposal length is a 1-3 page paper, 625-1875 words.) It is SITE, the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education. There is a sub-group called SIG, Digital Storytelling Committee, which also includes Digital Video. Their next conference is about eleven months away in Nashville, Tennessee. The guidelines for the paper are very detailed and succinct, so I will have to work hard to get it done in the next two weeks, but I think it’s doable.
As I was going to register for AACE, which is the parent company, I discovered that I had an account already. Too much water under the bridge, I’ve totally lost track of all the sites I’ve joined, how about the rest of you?
There is a new topic from this year that is Teaching with Technology: Engaging Students through 21st Century Learning. They want to discuss the latest and most effective ways to engage today’s students. I think this is a great place for many of us to submit our papers to. I hope this may be beneficial to many of you as a viable alternative.
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