Thanks Diane for reminding me of the different types of ‘wax’ from days gone by. I remember the steps to playing a record. First you had to make sure you set the record player to the correct type of disc, then you carefully took the record out of the sleeve, blew it (although I am not sure I believe it really had an effect on the play), cleaned the needle, put the record on the spindle (w/ hole adjuster if necessary) carefully put the needle on the record and THEN you got to hear the song! Careful not to dance to close so as not to scratch the record!
My taste mirror different episodes and chapters in my life. There was one point were I was only listening to Christian music and was not quite sure what to do with all the other music I’d collected over the years. I soon grew out of that and found myself into big band, eclectic jazz, instrumentals, alternative music of various sorts.
My brother has the LP converter and it is great (he works for Delta and thus got it on Skymall.com also!)
I found that the best way to store your music digitally is to have a general place to copy or download your songs (your music folder) and also copy into iTunes or others and make playlist. Playlist do not save if your computer crashes. Song downloads do.
Phantom of the Opera…how does it move you?
Saturday, June 12, 2010
BP 24 Wk2-1 DB Quickie: CD Ownership, Music Sharing or Spontaneous Listening
Briefly share how you use music in your personal life: are you a CD collector, someone who gets their music off the Internet through friends or Peer-to-Peer networks or do you have a music subscription where you can listen to whatever music you feel like listening to at the moment? Or are you some combination of the above?
I have become a combination of the stated ways of enjoying music, as I have always liked collecting the hardback version of my music just like I still love an actual book. Music is a medium that acts as a language to translate what the heart and mind are thinking and feeling on the deepest, most honest level. I enjoy music for this very fact as I can always find a song to be my words.
I have hundred’s of CD’s, still have tapes and albums as well. Music goes with me everywhere, even in my classroom. The kids become accustomed to background music unlike what the normally listen to.
I have downloaded music from free and paid music sites, as well as have online subscriptions such as Pandora, AOL music radio and XM Siirus radio. I like them all, although for ease and versatility without the financial commit, although there is still something about an actual CD….
I have become a combination of the stated ways of enjoying music, as I have always liked collecting the hardback version of my music just like I still love an actual book. Music is a medium that acts as a language to translate what the heart and mind are thinking and feeling on the deepest, most honest level. I enjoy music for this very fact as I can always find a song to be my words.
I have hundred’s of CD’s, still have tapes and albums as well. Music goes with me everywhere, even in my classroom. The kids become accustomed to background music unlike what the normally listen to.
I have downloaded music from free and paid music sites, as well as have online subscriptions such as Pandora, AOL music radio and XM Siirus radio. I like them all, although for ease and versatility without the financial commit, although there is still something about an actual CD….
Monday, June 7, 2010
BP 23 Wk1 Reading: Art of Possibility, Ch 1-3 activity
I really like this book for it's direct nature and simplicity. The first three chapters are there to set the tone, get you thinking and open up to other ways of thinking and seeing things, almost through a different lens or another set of eyes.
You asked us the questions: 1. How can we think outside the box we live in? 2. What assumptions are we making that we're not aware of? 3. What might we invent that would give us other choices? 4. How are our thoughts and actions a reflection of the measurement world?
by asking "How can" instead of "Why do" already helps us to come outside our box mentally so that we can examine what defines the boxes in our lives. Relating to school, I have experienced boxing in the business of education instead of the art of teaching. I have experienced having to teach par down my teaching and discovery (the essence of science) to relaying the basic components of standardized testing for the sake of testing. Being a former scientist, this pains me as I understand that true learning comes with experimentation and exploration, not learning basics for a test that is not testing ability to think or apply logic. In spite of that, I realized that after getting the hang of what is required for the test, and being willing to put in the extra time and effort to create or revise lessons to teach the standards while doing experiments, I can live outside the box of organized education. The assumptions made is that the administration does not know what they are doing nor do they care about true learning for our students. I think to make other opportunities possible, we can come up with schedule variations to allow more experimental time in each subject area to make it more meaningful and connected to the world. We could devise or adopt other methods or parts of schools that work to incorporate additional exploratory skills, or affective education. What is think IS the world as we know it, therefore our thoughts direct our actions which are an outward expression of the world from our vantage point.
Giving an A was interesting to hear again as I read this before in my teacher training program. I agree that grades are a measurement in how well you compare to your peers not always a measurement of how much you've learned or embodied. I do not believe that is the case all the time however. In cases where there is a specific idea that is not only measurable by specifics but by growth, then grades are a true reflection of one's learning. I aim to do this with my students and explain to them that is the purpose of repeats or revisions. It is to allow students to learn, attempt, get feedback, ponder, experience then demonstrate growth in their next attempt. Just like revisions of a paper, they should be graded according to the improvements not in comparison to someone else's.
You asked us the questions: 1. How can we think outside the box we live in? 2. What assumptions are we making that we're not aware of? 3. What might we invent that would give us other choices? 4. How are our thoughts and actions a reflection of the measurement world?
by asking "How can" instead of "Why do" already helps us to come outside our box mentally so that we can examine what defines the boxes in our lives. Relating to school, I have experienced boxing in the business of education instead of the art of teaching. I have experienced having to teach par down my teaching and discovery (the essence of science) to relaying the basic components of standardized testing for the sake of testing. Being a former scientist, this pains me as I understand that true learning comes with experimentation and exploration, not learning basics for a test that is not testing ability to think or apply logic. In spite of that, I realized that after getting the hang of what is required for the test, and being willing to put in the extra time and effort to create or revise lessons to teach the standards while doing experiments, I can live outside the box of organized education. The assumptions made is that the administration does not know what they are doing nor do they care about true learning for our students. I think to make other opportunities possible, we can come up with schedule variations to allow more experimental time in each subject area to make it more meaningful and connected to the world. We could devise or adopt other methods or parts of schools that work to incorporate additional exploratory skills, or affective education. What is think IS the world as we know it, therefore our thoughts direct our actions which are an outward expression of the world from our vantage point.
Giving an A was interesting to hear again as I read this before in my teacher training program. I agree that grades are a measurement in how well you compare to your peers not always a measurement of how much you've learned or embodied. I do not believe that is the case all the time however. In cases where there is a specific idea that is not only measurable by specifics but by growth, then grades are a true reflection of one's learning. I aim to do this with my students and explain to them that is the purpose of repeats or revisions. It is to allow students to learn, attempt, get feedback, ponder, experience then demonstrate growth in their next attempt. Just like revisions of a paper, they should be graded according to the improvements not in comparison to someone else's.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
BP 19 Wk 1 DB Quickie Comment http://web.me.com/aimeeholcombe/main_Action_Research/M.A.C._Blog/M.A.C._Blog.html
Aimee,
First, I absolutely LOVE the cover pic of your students with the technology message. It speaks volumes... I get ' "Be fearless like a kid and try something new... You may discover a new talent and have some fun!".
Your share about the trials and the triumph of your iMovie/ PowerPoint experience sounds all too familiar for us educators. We are the ones that prepare the leaders of the world, yet they often forget what it was like in a classroom and what is necessary to create future leaders. It is good to know that you are one born to teach in that you persevered in spite of 'boring power points, unexpected learning curves, and other issues' for the sake of your kids learning. The great thing about adversity is that we often learn much more than we originally planned to teach or learn! Funny way the universe has with humor. I often feel it makes me dig deeper in so many ways, but in the end I am often glad that i got the chance to learn something new that I never would have if it had not been for the glitches. Keep pressing on, your students will remember this moment. It was great that one of them was able to contribute to the solution with the contribution of the older software version. That is teaching and learning from both sides.
First, I absolutely LOVE the cover pic of your students with the technology message. It speaks volumes... I get ' "Be fearless like a kid and try something new... You may discover a new talent and have some fun!".
Your share about the trials and the triumph of your iMovie/ PowerPoint experience sounds all too familiar for us educators. We are the ones that prepare the leaders of the world, yet they often forget what it was like in a classroom and what is necessary to create future leaders. It is good to know that you are one born to teach in that you persevered in spite of 'boring power points, unexpected learning curves, and other issues' for the sake of your kids learning. The great thing about adversity is that we often learn much more than we originally planned to teach or learn! Funny way the universe has with humor. I often feel it makes me dig deeper in so many ways, but in the end I am often glad that i got the chance to learn something new that I never would have if it had not been for the glitches. Keep pressing on, your students will remember this moment. It was great that one of them was able to contribute to the solution with the contribution of the older software version. That is teaching and learning from both sides.
BP 22 Week 1 Wimba Session"Course Intro and Projects"
This first week's Wimba session was very informative, yet a bit overwhelming (in a good way). I am a visual learner/ logical learner, meaning I need to see things and put in a certain order to enable me to understand and comprehend it best. That goes for words and pictures. There was so much great information, I could not keep up with it all in 'real time'. I had to take screenshots, notes and go back to the archives in order to take apart and sift for the key components. Joe, you are very helpful and yet still challenging use to be the best we can with everything from the 100% starting off with GPS to the login and password requirements for each dashboard assignment. Looking forward to completing and fine tuning my AR Website during this month.
BP 21 Wk 1 DB Quickie
"Share an experience about using media in the class where I had to come up with a solution or work around where the technology was not working according to plan."
The most recent and quick thinking one was when a flip chart that I created, complete with hyperlinks and several applications kept shutting down on the Promethean board, just when the kids would get to the point of responding, pen in hand. After several attempts, I started to think of the quickest way to continue the lesson and keep the kids engaged without loosing any more of our precious 50 minutes. I remembered that I had also made overheads of the some of the slides. I turned the Promethean board off, used it as a backdrop for the overheads, and switched the cords attached to my computer from the Promethean board to the flat screen and continued the lesson with a few minutes lost. The kids were able to get the background info and their notes from the overhead and we still played the games, but with me clicking for the kids via my computer mouse instead of using the pens for the board. They did not mind since they still got to play the lesson. Funny part is they thought is was all part of the plan!. Thank goodness for integration of technology and not total replacement!
The most recent and quick thinking one was when a flip chart that I created, complete with hyperlinks and several applications kept shutting down on the Promethean board, just when the kids would get to the point of responding, pen in hand. After several attempts, I started to think of the quickest way to continue the lesson and keep the kids engaged without loosing any more of our precious 50 minutes. I remembered that I had also made overheads of the some of the slides. I turned the Promethean board off, used it as a backdrop for the overheads, and switched the cords attached to my computer from the Promethean board to the flat screen and continued the lesson with a few minutes lost. The kids were able to get the background info and their notes from the overhead and we still played the games, but with me clicking for the kids via my computer mouse instead of using the pens for the board. They did not mind since they still got to play the lesson. Funny part is they thought is was all part of the plan!. Thank goodness for integration of technology and not total replacement!
BP 20 Wk 1 DB Quickie Comment http://web.me.com/cmills5/MAC/Blog/Blog.html
Dedra Thornton Week 1 DB Quickie comment to Chuck Mills:
Chuck, this sounds like the ideal situation to land in your classroom being that I see you as the 'tool guy' that likes to us his technology wits to create a solution to whatever problem is presented- all for the forward movement of classroom learning. What a great solution and the fact that either you were granted permission or you chose to 'beg for forgiveness' later. Which ever one, I am sure your students are happy that you figured it out.
Sunday, June 6, 2010 - 07:31 PM
Chuck, this sounds like the ideal situation to land in your classroom being that I see you as the 'tool guy' that likes to us his technology wits to create a solution to whatever problem is presented- all for the forward movement of classroom learning. What a great solution and the fact that either you were granted permission or you chose to 'beg for forgiveness' later. Which ever one, I am sure your students are happy that you figured it out.
Sunday, June 6, 2010 - 07:31 PM
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