Teacher Web Reflections

Describe at least 3 ways how you see the use of a class web site could be used to support your future teaching. Provide specific details for each example.I plan to use a class web site for multiple ways after the teacher web project. I know I will definitely post the homework assignments on the site. If I have access to technology that I can record my lessons and blogs, then I will put the pod casts on the site. Also there are good ways to assess where students are at mentally with your subject. I will therefore have weekly questionnaires similar to the ones we had to complete on project work days.
Identify what you see as the top 2 ways students could use a class web site to enhance their learning and provide some justifications for your selections.
The top 2 ways to use a class web site for students in my opinion is to have student assessments like we have done. I know it’s not much for their learning at the time, but it allows the teacher to give students struggling more help. Plus you can prepare to challenge students doing really well. Another good thing that students can use it for is to listen to podcasts or watch videos of the lesson, giving them more help preparing for tests.

Think about the page types and features of the Teacher Web system. What do you feel where the 2 strongest features or page types within the Teacher Web system? Why do you see these as the strongest?

I definitely think that the essay answer pages, and the grade report pages are the 2 strongest features of the teacher web system. The essay problems for the same reasons discussed in question 2. I think the grade reports are nice for students because they can check their grades and see how they have done assignments. This keeps them from being blindsided by a grade halfway through the semester, and having to spend the second half catching up.

Engaging Students with Concept Mapping

On Monday I went to http://www.inspiration.com/ and looked at different ways to use concept mappings in the classroom. I thought this was a very good idea because I know that I am the type of learner that enjoys seeing things explicitly broken down into parts. I found four different ways to use in a mathematics classroom.
You can use them for breaking down any complex math concept or specific things like addition of fractions, prime factoring, or probability. I think the best way to use concept mapping is for probability because it allows the students to see every different combination possible, which is perfect for students before they actually understand the reasons for different combinations. Another way I plan to use concept mapping in my classroom is through the use of prime factorization for numbers. I actually remember doing this in school and it was a great way to show me how you can break down large numbers into smaller primes in ways such as that. I also used it quite a bit when I was tutoring at my community college, showing students how to break down things like x5y3 so that when taking the cubed root, it was much easier to determine what factors out. In conclusion I think that concept maps can be used in any setting, or subject because most of the time they are just your thoughts put out in a sequential order or connected somehow