The prayer of St. Francis of Assis

The prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Assistive Technology

Hellen Khisa's Podcast

Mod 9: Podcast

Here is a link to the podcast I listened: http://iste.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=593535. The podcast was entitled, "ISTE Books Author Interview Episode 12: Christopher R. Bugaj and Sally Norton-Darr". They referenced their book The Practical (and Fun) Guide to Assistive Technology in Public Schools: Building or Improving Your District's AT Team

Assistive technology are the tools used to help students learn. They can be anything from a block of wood to complicated computer systems. Assitive technology is divided into three types. These are as follows:
1) Low tech
2) Medium tech
3) High tech
Low tech is anything that does not require electronics. Medium tech is anything that is an electronic device used for a specific purpose e.g. a reading pen. Complicated computer systems fall under the high tech category. You can use these for multiple tasks including things like voiced text and voice environmental controls.

In the classroom, you can use assistive technology through things like talking calculators for students who do not like math. When students have something like talking calculators, it can help them enjoy mathematics because they can hear the numbers. Assistive technology can help students do things that they have never done before. Anyone could use it in the classroom to help those students who may need extra support. It does not have to be expensive and any teacher can use it. Examples of classroom applications of assistive technology include pencil grippers, talking clocks to help students who have trouble with time, and enlarged text in books and on papers. Simple things like these provide students with the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and are very easy to find. They help students overcome any fears they may have about the classroom.

MOD 8: Part 2, WiziQ

In my Global cooperation project, I will use the WiziQ tool to connect teachers and students from the USA with the students from Kenya. The WiziQ tool will enable teachers and students to connect and meet live in the virtual classroom for an online interactive class. This tool enables people to communicate synchronously using video and audio or through text chat. They can share presentations, documents and images on an interactive whiteboard.

Mod 8: Part 1, Global Cooperation

The TalkingIT Global is a social network that connects students to global issues that affect us all. TalkingIT Global focuses on global issues that promote awareness and engagement among students. It uses an online social network that is aimed at raising awareness and discussion on a number of global issues.The ePals Global Community is also a powerful network that brings together students and educators based on areas of learning interests. Unlike the traditional social networks, where a person usually connects solely with people he or she knows in the real world, these sites encourage students to take action on issues that affect their local and global communities. They guide users to a deeper awareness of social, economic and environmental issues. The two sites build a bridge between learning and taking action to improve the environment. Therefore, they foster mutual understanding across continents.

When I go back to Kenya, I will use epals to connect with students from the USA (from my friends school), who will be studying Swahili language and connect with my class in Kenya who will be studying English. These interactions will help students in both continents to learn the language and experience some of the culture through this real-world connection. Learn more:
http://www.tigweb.org
http://www.corp.epals.com/our-approach.php

MOD 7: Sped - Teach American Sign Language.

I will use the sign language video to teach American Sign Language (ASL) to non verbal students who are deaf and have hearing impairment. I will also use this video to introduce the culture of the deaf community and to enlighten the students who are not deaf to learn about deaf culture. This is important because students who are not deaf will be able to communicate with the deaf students and this will enable them to be fully engaged with the deaf community outside the classroom.Learning the Sign Language will enhance their understanding of the deaf culture and help them to express themselves using their face, eyes, head and body movements.This video is for my subject area, special education.

Mod 6

Teacher SOL
Blog of a Special Education Teacher in Washington, D.C.

This blog deals with the things that attract me in teaching like how teachers should develop passion for the classroom. It is true that the current education system does not support educator's passions, especially with the standardized testing, budget cuts, and race to the top. Like the fifth grade teacher, Derral, I believe that passion comes from both the teacher and the students. In this blog, she has included Facebook, Skpye, email, and National Blogging. She is talking about things that can give a teacher passion in the classroom because they can use these resources in their classroom. The teacher is not just giving tests, they can use these tools to relate to the students to get them interested in learning.

Module 3: Social Networking Services

I have looked at the events that take place from the social Networking site and noted that it will help me teach students Christian Religious education - Theology. I will be able to interact with other students in seminars, retreats,internships and keep in touch with other Christians from all over the world. It will help us to correspond with other people through blogs, wiki and to plan for summer camps with students, their parents and my fellow teachers. Before planning for study
abroad, We shall discuss with the parents before the students sign up for any global trip. With the use of blogs and wiki, the parents will know the exact amount of money they are supposed to contribute as students sometimes double the amount of money needed.

It is exciting that I will be able to post my Christian Religious education assignments and students will review it with their parents. Click on the link and learn more;
http://www.wycliffenextgen.com/

Module 3 & Analogy

A learner is like the seeds whom the sower went out to sow, and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seeds fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other seeds fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Other seeds fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced crops a hundred times great.The four theories of learning can be compared to the four types of soil and since technology keeps on changing,the theories have changed over time to suit the learner.

Similarly, the needs of the learners of today are different from the learners of twenty years ago and knowledge is growing exceptionally as Gonzalez remarks,
"one of the most persuasive factors is the shrinking half-life of knowledge.The half-life of knowledge is the time span from when knowledge is gained to when it becomes obsolete,(2004)".
He explains that half of what is known today was not known ten years ago and that the amount of knowledge in the world has not only doubled in the past ten years but is still doubling every 18 months. In order to combat the shrinking half-life of knowledge, Siemens says, “technology is altering and rewiring our brains so that the tools we use define and shape our thinking." Therefore, the learners have to be well prepared to Know-how and know-what is being supplemented with know-where and understand where to find the knowledge needed.

In the video, The Changing Nature of knowledge,George Siemens explains the challenges we are facing in the society and how learning is changing.

Watch the video entitled, "The Changing Nature of Knowledge.".

I have really enjoyed reading my fellow colleagues’ posts about getting to know where they come from and their different hobbies. This clearly shows the uniqueness of students in any given classroom. This is a great idea which our instructor has employed to get us acquainted with each other electronically.
Three ways in which teachers could use blogs in the classroom;

1.Blogs provide a communication space where teachers can post announcements, assignments, homework,calendars,events and other pertinent class information.

2.Teachers can utilize blogs with students to develop writing, share ideas and reflect on work being undertaken in the classroom and extra reading practice for students. Students could read what the teacher has posted on blog or what other students have posted in the same class, or comments posted to a blog by other people.Teachers can use blogs to provide examples of classwork,vocabulary activities or grammer games.

3. Blogs could be used for lesson planning, note taking and file archive.Teachers could keep diaries or journals in the form of a blog, with structured activities related to a specific text that they are reading or using to teach. Teachers could also use blogs for calendars to mark important events that take place like birth days, homework or other class information like lesson plans, weekly and monthly plan.