Copyright

Have you ever found a video, worksheet, poem, book, or short story you would like to use in the classroom with your students but have been scared of using it because of copyright issues? I have, and it's pretty frustrating, especially when is a really good one.  Well, I have found a solution to it! Recently I read an article about copyright and how teacher can be able to use copyrighted material in their classrooms without breaking the law.

Their is something called "fair use", this is like a "Advance To Go" Monopoly game card for teachers, that is part of the 1976 Copyright Act in section 107. With this benefit allow teachers limited use of copyright material within the educational field, and only dedicated for teaching.  Did you knew about that? Well their are some guidelines you need to follow in order to not break any laws.  Here is a link to a website that has created a creative and interactive portal to learn about Copyright laws and the "Fair Use" clause:

Copyright Bay

After reading about all this, I took a quiz that to my surprise I got 75% on my first try! Today I took it again, scoring a 100% which means a lot because most of the questions were tricky. The answer to this quiz were shocking! Many things that I thought weren't breaking copyright rules were! But thankfully I know better now, which will let me incorporate great resources to my future lessons. Hopefully copyright laws are modified in the coming years to our benefit as educators.

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

After reading both parts of the Digital Natives,Digital Immigrants articles by Mark Prensky, I can make sense on how the Digital Immigrants (my teachers), struggle with success in their classrooms.  I remember how difficult sometimes it was to pay attention in class because how uninteresting was the way my teachers presented the materials.  After I took my education courses in my undergrad, I believe it was due to the lack of meaningfulness in their lessons.  But after reading this article I realize that was a combination of that and the lack of the "native language".

It's impressive to see how the digital natives evolve and adapt to the fast pace changes in technology. This is why I agree with Prenksy on the topic of the Digital Immigrants.  I believe that in order to have your students be interested in what your teaching and learn it, you need to understand the way they think and react.  It's important that we teachers be on the vanguard of technology and keep ourselves educated.

For me it was impressive to understand clearly how important the manufacture and design of educational games is important.  Students nowadays spend more time with their digital gadgets and devices, making it essential to have something educational they could spend their time in on them, rather than social networks and regular games.  Some examples of games that I believe posses some educational value are Words with Friends and Scramble with Friends.  Such games expand vocabulary to the players, making it essential for students.

I believe that their is many changes previous teachers need to make.  Nevertheless, we the Digital Natives need to keep in track with the ever changing pace of technology!

WebQuest Project

While researching what was a WebQuest project I found out many great examples that provided me with a great idea. I have once created an English Language Arts unit based on stereotypes, and how those stereotypes affected the way students interact and treat each others. At the end of that unit students would have created different banners using their writing samples and works they have created during the whole unit in class. The idea of incorporating a WebQuest in this unit helps me take it to a whole new level of social interaction.

In this idea that I have my students will use the following academic Common Core Standards:

Grades 9-10

Writing:

Text Types & Purposes
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

Reading:

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

Listening/Speaking:

Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically (suing appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation) such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose (e.g., argument, narrative, informative, response to literature presentations,) audience, and tasks.

ISTE.NEST.T:

1. Creativity and Innovation
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

The Final Product:

The final product of the WebQuest project is aimed to create social transformation by using creativity, leadership, and diversity. Student's will create a video in which they will present data, stats and information that will prevent students from bullying, also providing information to those students being bullied to get help. This videos are going to be transmitted during the school bulletins.

Scoring PowerPoints

After reading a pretty interesting article by Jamie Mckenzie about how to score PowerPoints, I have build up my opinion on the matter.

We as teachers must of the time assign oral presentation and we incite our students to engage in the use of technology to present their topics.  But when is time to evaluate their presentation is difficult to know what criteria to use in order to evaluate correctly the work of our students.  In his article Scoring PowerPoints Mckenzie establishes what I believe is a concrete, powerful, and effective way to evaluate such assessment instruments.

One of the first things Mckenzie mentions is the fact that the teacher needs to set the example.  We need to provide our students with guidelines that will serve as molds of the end product we are expecting them to present.  I agree with this idea completely, because by doing so students will know what to do during the creative process and have expectations about their future grades.  In the article he mention many important aspects on how to construct a PowerPoint presentation, but one of the most I agree on is the fact that you don't need to add a slide full of text.  The presenter has to have clear that the abstract of his ideas is what goes on the slides while he presents in an orally matter the meaning those abstracts convey.  

Trying to find something to disagree on with the author, I read the article various time with many failed attempts.  He makes the idea concise and precise in order for us teacher to be successful when assigning presentations.  If you are smart enough and follow his advice you might take the complications about powerpoint presentations in your classroom.  It might even provide you with better creative skills for your own presentations.

Go ahead and read the article! Hope you enjoy it.

Getting To Know Me

Hey everyone! My name is Joseph Roman.  I'm 24 years old and I was born in Puerto Rico.  I attended the University of Puerto Rico in Humacao, where I did my BA in English as a Second Language Education K-12.  I finished my requirements last December (2011) and graduated last summer (2012).  I've been living in California since January and to be honest I love it! Even though I miss my mom and rest of my family and friends I think living in the states is the best thing that has happened to me.  I love poetry... I've been looking forward for some free time to go and read some classics! But with my busy schedule it's been hard.  I was working to obtain my Single Subject Credential in English but I had to put those plans on hold for the moment, that's why I'm working on my Masters classes now.  I love to read and I'm a social media junkie! I'm currently reading this book series called Beautiful Creatures and it's pretty awesome. 

I'm currently not teaching, but I can't wait to be in front of the classroom teaching! It's my passion and my vocation to be able to provide my students with knowledge helping them construct it along the way.  This is because I have a Constructivist teaching philosophy in which I truly believe.  When I'm out and about I like to have fun! I like going to the movies and to the mall.  Maybe having some drinks with a few friends (yeah few 'cuz I barely have some here in Cali), and spending time with the family.  

If you're wondering if I do something special I would say no, but some people close to me say that I'm pretty good listening and giving advice to people.  In my family most of my uncles, cousins, and relative are somewhat artistic.  Is either music, singing, dancing, or painting but most of my family members know how to do something! Except for me... LOL I think that maybe my talent is writing poetry... But I've always written free verse... So I don't know how that works...

If your wondering how that looks like go and check it... www.joey-6988.blogspot.com and let me know what you think! 

I love listening to music... I believe it's what keeps me moving forward everyday.  I love all types of music but I the ones I like the most is Pop and Rock.

Favorite bands are:
 Paramore and 30 Seconds to Mars! 

I hope with this you would have a glimpse of who I am and if you have any questions... hit me up on the comments!