Concept Maps

This week in my tech class we experimented with a few different programs for creating concept and orginizational maps. These can be such useful tools, especially in upper grade levels, for teaching about different ways to organize ideas and the purposes for doing so. I created my own concept map on bubbl.us and another on Xmind. Both are good programs, although Xmind was a little more advanced. I would suggest bubbl.us for novice learners as it was far more simple and straightforward and yet still functional, fulfilling the purpose of a concept map. Xmind could be used for older students as a tool for giving presentations or projects or I might even suggest using it as a tool for your own purposes in teaching or presenting. Good Luck!

Podcast- Educational Raps

haha I posted my very first podcast....and it was a RAP! so technically, I should be extremely embarrassed considering I sound completely and utterly silly but mostly I was just happy to have something posted that actually worked! Feel free to listen, hope my freestyling skills give you a good laugh : )

http://classroomhiphop.mypodcast.com/index.html

Positive Reinforcement

There is nothing like a little healthy competition to motivate excellent behavior in a classroom. My mentor teacher I have been observing the past couple weeks has recently implemented a reward system for her students. In groupings of desks have become teams; the Hot Air Balloons, Airplanes, Trains and Sailboats. A picture of each hangs over the groups and she rewards them points by tacking on clothes pins to the pictures throughout the day. These are their points. At the end of the week the winning team gets to choose between extra reccess time, computer games, or a treat. I have noticed a markable difference in behavior since. Such a little thing can have such a big impact. Not only this but they are learning team work as well. This post has other additional ideas to try that I thought were also creative and simple.
http://www.teachercreated.com/blog/?tag=managing-student-behavior