YOU are the presentation

I found excellent instruction in several presentations on Monday. Sarah's presentation, in particular, was exceptional. Her topic selection was appropriate for the time available, and the visuals supported the information she was sharing. I also liked that her presentation focused on something special that happens in Portland; it was easy to answer “why do we need to know this?” when listening to her presentation. In addition, the visuals were engaging and elegantly presented. In sales talk, her presentation “made the ask” at the end; it gave us motivation to do something extraordinary and the information necessary to make it happen. Marc's talk, too, was fantastic. His introduction about that morning's weather was an excellent opener and got the audience immediately involved. He asked questions of the audience during the presentation, and skillfully incorporated the responses into the remainder of his presentation. His enthusiasm was palpable and contagious. His presentation balanced entertainment and science; his visual aids and videos showed the humorous and serious sides of tornadoes and the science behind their creation. Sara had the best save when the technology failed; reciting her own version of Middle English turned a potential disaster into an epic win. I was sure of her expertise and confidence in her content. Erin did a great job making a personal connection to her topic (though I wish she had talked more about her experiences and mentioned her special connection earlier in the talk). Roger used Prezi to great effect; the integration of photos and videos with the map gave an excellent overview of his adventures. I think Roger's presentation best maximized Prezi's capabilities.

The least engaging parts of presentations resulted when people seemed uncertain, whether from technological error or poor preparation of content. When we use technology in the classroom, we have to assume it's going to fail and have a contingency plan. Ryan's presentation had a clear conception and was thoughtfully prepared, but there was no back-up plan. When we have a presentation using PowerPoint or Prezi or a SmartBoard, we can't rely on the technology to keep students engaged. Even with excellent presentation materials, the teacher is still the presentation. Adequate time must be spent preparing what will be said. A few people seemed to spend more time on their visual aids and not as much time preparing what was to be said. In particular, Jerry and Andy seemed to know their topics well but didn't spend enough time considering how to share the information. Using time well was a challenge for several presentations. Sara's interesting overview of the development of English was a bit long for 12 minutes, and Roger's presentation was disrespectful of other people's time because it went well beyond the ending time for class without prior permission or warning. Tim's 1909 World's Fair was a great topic and his expertise was clear, but he tackled too much during his time. It would have been more appropriate to select a more specific component of the fair; perhaps mistreatment of different cultures at the fair or how the fair helped the University of Washington develop would be potential ways to hone the talk.

In my presentation, I'd like to find a way to increase student involvement. I would have students take a brief mindset quiz to assess their mindset; I'd let them score their own and keep the information private. I also said “umm” several times, which made me sound less knowledgeable. In the future, I will pause silently instead of saying “umm”. I had to refer to my notes in the middle of the presentation—but I had left the notes on the other side of the room, which showed a lack of forethought. I would put my notes on a note card for easier portability. While I talked about the Michael Jordan video clip, I let the other video clip stand on it's own. When I do this presentation again, I will make explicit connections between the second video and my talk's content. I really like the graphic organizer with the brains that explains the different parts of fixed vs. growth mindset. When I redo this presentation, I will put stops on different parts of the graphic organizer. Students will have an incomplete copy of the organizer and will fill in missing information. I'd also like to work on my close; I didn't feel as compelling as I'd like be.

I liked using Prezi for my presentation because I could integrate text, images, and video. One potential disadvantage is the time investment; a good presentation can take a long time to prepare and a short time to present. I'd use it with students for my mindset talks at the beginning of the year. In general, though, I'd use a SmartBoard for teaching math concepts. I wouldn't change from Prezi if I could redo my presentation, but I will use a SmartBoard for our final project so I can develop that skill set.

Prior to this class, my primary in-class technology was an overhead. I occasionally used an LCD projector to project problems onto the board instead, especially during small group review. After this project, I want to learn how to incorporate more technology (especially the SmartBoard). How often I use such technology will depend on the resources of my school. I especially like interactive white board's ability to capture notes. Students often need to review material several times before they can move information from short term to long term memory. Being able to post the day's notes on the class website would increase accessibility of content for review. When presenting lecture material, it doesn't matter what visual method is used as long as the teacher remembers they are the presentation and students must be engaged. The most important question a teacher should ask themselves when preparing direct instruction is “What are the students doing when I'm _________?”

expanding spheres of influence

As teachers, we have the opportunity to transform our communities. An essential component of effective community organization is strong relationships. Often, people are motivated to action only by personal connection. As teachers, we are organizing our classroom communities. Students respond to us as people, not because they want to learn our content. Social networks offer an avenue for strengthened relationships and thus provide further access to course content. As much as some teachers might deny it, we are sales people. I sell math. Learning the material in a course is always optional. We must give students a reason to learn, and a strong personal relationship is often a compelling reason. Time is our most precious commodity. When we have 200 students, it's hard to make a personal connection by attending a performance or sporting event for each student. Social networking sites allow interactions on our own terms, on our own time. I can spend quality time with my family, and log into Facebook after my kid is asleep. In addition, social networking provides an excellent way to model positive online interactions and monitor student stress levels/concerns/joys. Social networks aren't going away, and our students aren't going to stop using them. Social networks are an opportunity to further expand our circle of influence.
I think precautions are a necessary part of social networking with students. Setting strict privacy guidelines, adding students to a list that has specific settings, and monitoring content are important considerations when using social networks with students. “Helping educators to understand personal, professional, and societal responsibilities is an important professional development matter. It is incumbent upon those in the profession who are informed to share recent thinking about the conscientious use of technology, about the negative consequences of using technology, and about personal freedoms and choices. Such knowledgeable educators should also be responsible for sharing their wisdom about advancing technological tools, because it is through informed decision making, rather than prescribing what should and shouldn't be taking place, that innovative uses of technology will best be supported” (Carter, Foulger, Ewbank 2008). Because teachers are public figures, it is fair to hold teachers to a different standard in public. The internet is part of public space in today's society, and our actions there should be governed by the same standards that influence our choices in any public place. In my experience, the more we model high standards for ourselves, the more students are willing to hold themselves to high standards or respond when we have high expectations for them. Natalie Munroe ignored her status as a public figure (Webley 2011). However, the consequence for her actions didn't need to be suspension from her job; the natural consequence of destroyed relationships with her students is a much more serious affect. She should have had to return to her classroom and repair the damage by showing up every day and using her actions and words to rebuild the trust she destroyed. The school missed a teachable moment; the school community could have practiced learning from a mistake, healing, and forgiveness. Instead, they opted to punish and move on. What does this response teach our students?
Cyber-bullying is a threat in any middle or high school, and we must monitor for it. The Hoffman piece (2010) details story after story of how cyber-bullying has impacted students and discusses a wide range of strategies employed by the adults involved. Issues of free speech conflict with concerns about student safety. This is another reason social networking with students is important; it gives us access to their online world and help us be more proactive when conflicts arise. Further, as Ramig (2009) explains, “it is difficult to have a conversation about Facebook or Twitter if you aren't using these tools yourself.” As we've talked about in our character class, schools, families, and communities must work in concert to promote moral behavior. It's not solely our responsibility to supervise students' online lives, but we are part of the team.

a change is gonna come

I remember my first computer, an Apple IIgs from my grandma. She was a teacher and got the computer through a program at her school (in 1988). I played Oregon Trail, Math Blaster, Number Muncher, and any other game I could get my hands on. I loved the computer so much I used to type my 4^th grade spelling words three times (instead of writing them, as assigned).  Digital native?  Yes, I am.

I've always be interested in technology as a means to efficiency.  I have an uneasy relationship with technology, though, because my minimalist beliefs are in conflict with the constant barrage of information produced by technology. As Prensky (2001) explains, “Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite. They prefer random access (like hypertext). They function best when networked. They thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They prefer games to “serious” work.” It's essential for me to be the boss of my technology. So much stimulus can make the technology seem like it's running the show. I didn't get a cell phone until I was 25. Though I now have a smart phone, I have turned off any instant notification features. I enjoy finding elegant solutions to common problems using technology. Our grocery list is on a shared task management application, linked to a Google calendar for meal planning. 

 

As a gamer, I'm also a digital immigrant because I came to video games as an adult. I'm partial to Nintendo products, and love anything Mario (Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time is a favorite). Gaming has taught me a lot about teaching and learning. In a video game, a person can, without consequence, test different strategies and take many tries before continuing. Often, there are multiple paths from start to finish. As a digital immigrant, many opportunities for practice were essential in achieving any level of success. Gamers exhibit qualities we'd love to see in all students. Prensky (2001) explains the advantages of a brain trained as a digital native: “thinking skills enhanced by repeated exposure to computer games and other digital media include reading visual images as representations of three-dimensional space (representational competence), multidimensional visual-spatial skills, mental maps, “mental paper folding,” … “inductive discovery,” … “attentional deployment,”, and responding faster to expected and unexpected stimuli.” Jane McGonigal's TED talk, “Gaming can make a better world,” eloquently elaborates this point:

As learner, I've used technology as a tool for self-directed learning. In high school, we used computers to type papers in English. In history class, we'd make videos (VHS, mind you) in response to project assignments, but it wasn't part of the curriculum to use video. In college, I used technology as a research tool. None of my classes used any technology beyond class listservs (1997-2001). As a research tool, technology definitely improved my learning experiences because I was able to pursue specific topics of interest to me without regard to resource scarcity in my school library.

Prensky's articles reinforce my belief that technology must be integrated into classrooms to engage today's students. He poses a challenge: “Today’s kids are challenging us, their educators, to engage them at their level, even with the old stuff – the stuff we all claim is so important, i.e. the “curriculum” (2005). We must meet this challenge or we will fail to educate our students. My only reluctance is access: though students may have access to technology at school, some students will not have access at home. Doesn't this put such students at a disadvantage because they won't be able to develop technological proficiency at the same rate as their affluent peers? Equity issues make integration of technology into schools with large at-risk populations essential, since such students may not have other opportunities to develop said skills.

Introduction

Each part of my name has significance.  My mom is Greek, and loves the story of Cassandra, a prophet that was correct but disbelieved.  My middle name, Maria, comes from my Yiayia (grandmother in Greek).  My last name, Duprey, comes from my father.  His family immigrated from Ireland in the 1820s.  He grew up in orphanages in Michigan and never knew his family, but he has spent the past decades researching his background.  Because he had to create his family, I feel pride in sharing a last name with him and I feel like I come from such a strong immediate family and extended family on my mom's side.  When I got married, I didn't change my name.  It means too much to me to be a "Duprey."

My endorsement area is math.  As technology will create many future jobs, and math is the basis of computer science, I see math as a gateway to jobs of the future.  Students that have access to excellent math educations will be able to participate in these future industries.  I see math education as a civil rights issue because many at-risk students don't have access to excellent math educations and are limited in their future prospects as a result.  Robert Moses, a civil rights organizer from the Freedom Summers in Mississippi in the 1960s, now runs The Algebra Project, which works to every child has a right to a quality education to succeed in this technology-based society and to exercise full citizenship. They achieve this by using best educational research and practices, and building coalitions to create systemic changes.  Math education is the civil rights issue of our generation.

I love chickens!!  Backyard chickens, specifically, make me excited.  They're so useful!  As I learn more about polluted and industrialized food sources, food self-sufficiency has become important to me.  Backyard chickens are an essential component of a well-functioning micro-farm.  Eggs supply valuable and economical protein, dung is an excellent fertilizer for crops, egg shells enrich compost, and chickens manage pests by eating them.  Chickens have vast biodiversity and have evolved to survive in a wide range of climates.