Blog #8

A: In chapter 7, Carol acknowledged that it is hard to care.  She gives several reasons.  Which reason is most validating to you, and why?  If you don't really connect to any of Carol's reasons, explain what you believe your "reason" is.
My reason that it is hard to care is for the one who stares with blank eyes. This is hard for me as a teacher because I know what work I put into my lessons, the desire and excitement I have more my students, and I understand how important it is for them to learn. When they have no expression in their eyes and show no interest in what I am putting before them it makes me think why bother? what is the point? It makes me want to give up on them.

B: Carol offers two final metaphors, what I call the "McNurlty Metaphor" and the "London Metaphor."  Which one do you connect with most, and why?


I connect more with the London Metaphor. I strongly believe that, If we allow ourselves to fall in love with what we do, we will be reborn countless times, always in a form stronger and more fully human than the one that preceded it. Life is a classroom, and in order for me to become a better teacher I need to take every moment of it in and grow and become stronger from it and apply it to make me a better teacher. 




C: Read one or two blog responses from two or three of your classmates.  Then, please give a brief message of encouragement to one of your classmates based on your reaction to their response that you read.  Leave your message of encouragement on their blog as a comment (at the end of the particular blog your are responding to).  Copy your message of encouragement and paste it into YOUR blog, telling me who you are responding to.




My Dear Heather Feather,

As I read your concerns about being able to teach your students on an individual level it kind of made me laugh.Not in a mocking you way but in an are you kidding me way. In my opinion that is one thing that you will not struggle with at all. One of your MANY AMAZING talents is to get to know someone on a personal level. You will be able to get to know all of you students and know everything that they will need. You are going to be an amazing teacher!!





Mckenzie,

You said in your post you are concerned about student's in your class who may have a difficult personality. I know that will be a hard experience but you are the right person to have that student. You are so kind to everyone and always make everyone around you feel loved and included. Though it make a little time to when over the student I know you will do it. You are going to make a great teacher!

Blog #7

If your approach to reading our text is anything like my first one was, you probably didn't take time to read all of the parts of Mr. Johnson's Unit on Buoyancy.  When I finally did read it, strategies for "Important, Focused & Engaging Curriculum & Instruction" came alive for me!  What helped was that I read it with eyes that finally understood how all of the hallmarks could really be "visible" in one unit of instruction!  For Blog #7, carefully read Figure 6.1 on page 70,  Figure 6.2 on pages 75- 78, Figure 6.3 on p. 79, and Figure 6.4 on page 80.  Really looking at this unit makes Carol's words on the surrounding pages inspiring and engaging.  So, after you have read the unit in the pages listed above, find 3 subheadings in the chapter that are very clear to you now.  Compare and contrast Mr. Johnson's ideas, YOUR ideas for your own class, and the 3 subheadings that are especially meaningful in that comparison. (By "subtopics" I mean the 1- to 2-paragraph sections surrounding the Figures in chapter 6.).  Is there something in what you are required to teach for which you could "plan the engagement" in similar ways?

I better understood the aim high subheading from re-reading figure 6.4. Setting up a detailed rubric like that and showing it to students helps to set the bar high for assignments and understanding. If we expect more from our students they will give us more. My ideas are similar to Mr. Johnson's because I will always have set expectations for each assignments that my students will have to aim high to achieve.

I better understood the Additional Strategies for Demanding and Supported Curriculum and Instruction subheading from re-reading figure 6.3. I think by have students consistently monitor their work through out the day and through out different projects it will help to minimize confusion on assignments as well as keep the students focused and engaged on what they are supposed to be doing. It helps them to become more self reliant.

I better understood the Use Tiered Approaches subheading from re-reading figure 6.1 and 6.2. Mr. Johnson provided good examples of tiering activities in away that effectively engages and encourages both groups. It is important to reach a wide range of students but have them completing the same activity. This makes them feel as equals.

Blog #6

4.1)   At the beginning of chapter 4, Carol includes a discussion between Charlie and his teacher, from a book called The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  I’ve read the book, and it’s gut wrenching, edgy, and sometimes over the top – definitely meant for mature audiences who are not especially sensitive to harsh language and difficult lifestyles.  But… this discussion moves me every time I read it.  Have you ever had this type of a discussion with a teacher?  Please tell me about it.

I have never had a conversation like this with a teacher; however, I have had one like this with my brother. He has a lot going on his life right now and for some reason he has never seen anything that he has done in his life as significant or worth it. He constantly compares himself to my husband (unfortunately). He says that he isn't smart enough to do anything and isn't capable of going to school. The reason that this bothers me so much is because he is the Head Core Man in the Navy, and has done so much in his life and has so much potential. He and I have similar discussions like Charlie and his teacher, and that is why it made me think of my brother. When I talk with my brother I tell him what I see in him, and tell him that he needs to find value in himself and what he is done, and know that he is capable of anything. Now relating this to my teaching....my brother has had an incredibly hard life due to choices he has made. As teachers we don't know the lives our students have lived before they come into our classroom, and we are only their to help them for a short time and then they move on to another teacher. The year that we do have them we need to set aside whatever they may think of themselves and try to build them up and teach them so they can have a real future and  have self worth and know that they are capable and though their work may be different from someone else, it is still amazing. I think that this is a big part of differentiation because it comes down to being the teacher that will give them what they need, and sometimes it is positive reinforcement and a push in the right direction. 

5.1)  On page 56 Carol says: “It is the teacher’s contract with the child to care intelligently, unyieldingly, and deeply about the individual’s strengths and weaknesses, dreams and nightmares, uniqueness and commonality.”  I felt this from Carol when she was my teacher.  It was a powerful experience that really did change me as a teacher.  Is there a teacher in your past who seemed to have this “contract” with you?  Please tell about it.

I had this type of "contract" with my 6th grade teacher. She believed in me know matter what. One instance that I often reflect on, was one day she noticed I was not being myself and she asked if I would like to talk privately wither her. I told her that I would. When we were talking I explained to her I did not feel like I was fitting in with my friends for various reasons. And something she said to me has always stuck with me. She told me that there will be times through out my entire life when I don't feel like I fit in, or someone doesn't like me. The only important thing was that I was always kind to whoever it was and I that I was always myself. I have tried to live by the advice she gave me when I was only eleven years old. My teacher didn't have to take time out of her lunch hour to talk with me, but she saw that I was in need and unyieldingly cared about me, so she did. I hope to be that in tune to my own students needs and develop that "contract" with them. 

Blog #5

For this blog, please find two different places where Carol makes a statement or quotes someone else, and this statement really touches you...  really calls to your heart.

In your blog response, for each statement, give the page number where it is found in the book, copy the most important portion of the statement, and briefly tell why it matters to you -- why it has significant meaning for you.  (Please do not use the quotes printed right underneath the chapter titles).


Pg 19
"In fact, because students do differ-so greatly, the premise of differentiation is that while students have the same basic needs, those needs will manifest themselves in different ways, depending on the students gender, culture, general life experiences, talents, interests, learning preferences, affective development, cognitive development, & support systems. Thus, the philosophy of differentiation suggests the same classroom often affects different learners in different ways.




This quote from Carol's book really spoke to me because of our multi-cultural understanding course we took last semester. It made me reflect on how many differences I may have in my classroom. Some teachers may look at is as a struggle to differentiate and know the different needs of their students. However, this is not the case for me. I look at the differences of my students as opportunities to learn something new and different from me. I look at it as my own learning experience. I also appreciate the phrase "those needs will manifest themselves in different ways" This spoke to me because I hope to provide a classroom that will allow my students to"blend out". Meaning that their differences will be present and they can discover who they are and know what they need.


Pg. 33 

"The nature of schools is such that teachers must continually address critical problems, serving largely as an expert "team of one". Wise teachers expand their team in a variety of ways--forming partnerships with their students, establishing relationships with like-minded peers who serve as "critical friends," drawing on the expertise of specialists in the building, and actively pursuing advanced professional knowledge through universities, books, and high-quality staff development.

This really spoke to me because I am a firm believer in the importance of team work and collaborative thinking.  I know that my idea may be a good one, but someone might have a better one. It is important to work well with the team in your school and the other members of the faculty as well as keep in touch with contacts you make through out your life because you never know when you will need to collaborate with them to help one of your students. 

Blog #4

The previous blog (#3) was a fairly difficult question, so this one will be quick and easy. Well, at least easy. AND, you get a choice! Choose ONE of the following items to answer and discuss in your blog entry #4:

Choice A) One of you found a "controversial" section of one of the readings for Blog #2. Read the 2nd paragraph on page 25 of The First Six Weeks of School and tell me what you think about that. Does it seem congruent with a "friendly" classroom, and a child-centered environment? Why or why not?

OR...

Choice B) Tell me about any part of Principal Sylvia Allan's presentation that "struck a chord" in you, (either positively or negatively), and how you think it will affect you in your teaching.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED, did I mention LOVED Sylvia's presentation. It is so hard for me to choose one thing that she said that "struck a chord" in me, simply because there were so many it would sound more like a symphony rather than a single chord. But because I have to choose....The thing that stood out most of all was her story at the end about the special feeling that was in her classroom the last day of school. It is because of that feeling she described I chose to become a teacher. I hope to create an environment in my own classroom like she described. I want my students to cry when they have to miss school because we make it so much fun. Hearing her describe how much her students loved morning meeting sold me on it even more. I know that the type of community you create in the classroom makes or breaks the year. 

Blog #3

 With the reading you've done so far, about differentiation, can you see any differentiation I have organized for you in this course? Look at the assignments (listed on page 3 of the full syllabus and outlined on pages 7 - 11). Which one appears to you (not your friends, or study buddies, but to YOU) as if it may be the product and process differentiated for student interest? Briefly explain why you think so, and connect it to something you read in Ch. 1 of Fulfilling the Promise. 


Not to suck up or anything, but Dr. Peterson you really are the best professor I have ever had. That reason being is because you understand that  their are traits you must recognize to ensure learning. Those are the traits explained in Fulfilling the Promise, readiness, interest, learning profile, and affect. I recognized this as I listen to you in class as well as, when I read through the assignment descriptions in the syllabus. Especially when I heard/read that you give us a choice for our final project. I believe that allowing us to choose our final project is the product of differentiated instruction. You understand as a teacher that we have to be interested in what we are working on to understand the material at the level you expect. You know that because we are interested in something, we will work hard and really learn the material rather than begrudgingly finishing assignment simply for the grades. 

Blog #2

1. In the "morning meeting" readings you were exposed to several teachers who do morning meeting in their classrooms. Please find one of them, list his or her name, and explain what they do or believe about morning meeting.

I really enjoyed the article Bell to Bell Teaching, by Kathleen Stumpf Jongsma. Kathleen believes that every moment of the school day is valuable and can be used to encourage learning. She believes in using activities that help students to think on their feet as well as solidify information the students have learned in class. All of the activities she suggested can be used during morning meetings and closing time. The article is a great reference sheet to use when planning my own morning meetings.

2. In both part I of Differentiation in Practice and chapter 1 in Fulfilling the Promise, you find a short list of curricular elements that teachers can adjust and a short list of student traits or characteristics teachers can respond to. One of the books lists 4 of these, while the other lists only 3. What do you think changed in Tomlinson's thinking to add a 4th curricular element and a 4th trait to her original list?

The original 3 student traits or characteristics teachers can respond to are readiness, interest, and learning profile. Later Tomlinson added the Affect.. The original 3 curricular elements teachers can adjust are content, product, and process. Tomlinson later added learning environment. I believe that she added learning environment because they are key factors of differentiation. Students respond differently to aspects of a classroom and it is important to provide your students with a place that they all feel comfortable learning. I believe that she added affect to remind teachers to be aware each student feels differently about each subject and that when students are excited about what they are learning they are more likely to be engaged in the lesson.

3. In the introduction to The First Six Weeks of School you read about the importance of establishing a friendly, predictable, and orderly classroom as a "prerequisite for children's academic achievement." Is "friendly" as important as "predictable" and "orderly"? Why or why not? (Please refer to ideas you find in the introduction to The First Six Weeks of School.

I believe that establishing a friendly classroom is just as important of prerequisite for children's academic achievement as establishing a predictable, and orderly classroom. Being organized and being predictable are important; however, in order for the behavior of the students to be predictable and organized you need to have the students participate in activities that build trust between peer to peer as well as between student to teacher.  If students have developed a relationship with one another as well as with the teacher they will want to make the classroom a nice place and will follow the expectations, schedules the teacher has put in place.

Blog #1

1. What grade (and in which school) will you be teaching?

I will be teaching fourth grade at Copper Canyon Elementary

2. What is your favorite children's book?

To Kill A Mocking Bird

3. If you watch TV, what shows do you most enjoy?

Gilmore Girls

4. What movie affected you enough that you'd be willing to see it again?

The Blinds Side

5. What are you really good at?

School, water skiing, crafts

6. What is a talent you wish you had?

painting

7. Tell me your background in sports and/or athletics.

I danced from age 5 to age 14. Then played lacrosse all through High School. I currently run about 3-4 miles a day.

8. Tell me your background in visual arts, dance & drama.

I danced from age 5 to age 14. I've been in 6 plays, but I have no training.

9. What is your musical background? (Lessons? Singing? Instrument? Read music? Enjoy listening to music? What kinds?)

I took the piano for thirteen years. I love playing the piano, it is emotional therapy for me. Anytime something is bothering me or making me upset I play until I feel better. 

10. What would you be doing this summer, if you were not going to be an intern?

Working, and going to Lake Powell :)

11. What would you like me to know about you that I haven't asked?

I love life, and look at it as a big classroom. 

PDP: My Beliefs

As I begin my career as a professional teacher, I believe that it is necessary to use technology in the classroom, and in my lessons. However, it is important to keep in mind that in life you must keep a balance in all things. 


On a day to day bases students use technology more often than not, and it is important while teaching them to use technology to teach them the importance of human interaction as well as learning that you have to work for somethings. Not everything is instant gratification.


When I am a teacher, I hope to have the ability to use technology in a variety of ways. I would like my students to know how to really use the internet to their advantage in their education rather than as an escape from the reality of life. I want them to understand that it will help them to better their lives. 

PDP: Lessons Learned

I found all of the assigned articles and videos very interesting. The first video I watched was the Millenial Generation. This video was filmed only a few years ago, and in that short time, many of the questions the student brought up had already been answered and the technology has already been developed. I can't believe how quickly technology changes and progresses.


I agree with a lot of the concerns that the article "the new www" has. I have nieces and I have watched similar things happen to then. My niece claims that she cannot get to sleep at night if she does not have an i-pod in. I am very nervous about our future as a human race with the constant need for instant gratification. I believe that technology is one of the major causes of this.


Another video I found interesting was the Did you know video on youtube. The reality of the new technology coming our way and the effects it will have on our society is overwhelming at times. I could not believe that in a little over ten years their will be a computer that is capable of thinking the way the human brain does. It makes me wonder that if Disney & Pixar were accurate in their prediction of the future in the movie "WALL-E". That eventually technology will do everything for us,  and we will only live for pleasures and forget the satisfaction that comes from a days hard work.

PDP: Strengths and Weaknesses

According to the UNI survey and the NET Standards I discovered that my largest technological strength is my capability to develop and create technology enriched lessons that my students will enjoy. I also found that one of my technological strengths is creating graphic organizers for my students to use. Another strength I have is managing my class website. I have learned a lot in that area this semester and will feel very comfortable using that tool as a teacher. According the UNI survey and the NET Standards I realized that my largest technological weakness is my knowledge of computer terminology. I know how to do a lot of things on the computer; however, when someone tries to give me verbal instructions on how to do something on the computer I am not able to follow their direction very well. Another weakness that I have is my lack of knowledge of video conferencing. I have never used it nor do I understand its use in education.


As a teacher I would like to frequently use technology in my classroom. I feel that in the technological age we live in it is necessary to use technology in lessons to keep students engaged.I would really like to learn more computer verbage. I feel that it will improve my use of the computer as well as my ability to instruct my students while they are using the computers.
Over the course of the semester I have really learned the importance of chatting while working on an assignment on google docs. It has saved me so much time this semester!! I would like to increase my knowledge of the use of video conferencing because I believe that it will also be a time saver as I continue my education and as I become a professional teacher. 


I have an Apple computer, and at the Apple store they offer courses on learning how to use your mac. A way for me to learn more about video conferencing would be to attend one of these courses. As far as improving my knowledge of the computer language I feel that it will improve as I take more computer classes in school and as I use the computer more when i become a teacher. The best way to learn computer vocabulary is to use the computer. Another way to improve my computer vocabulary is to watch a video on youtube that reviews basic computer terminology.

Field 4 (we discussed that I could make this up for my missing November blog)

Doc,

We discussed in class Thursday December 2nd that I could make up this blog due to my confusion on the dates of fiield. It is for my missing blog in november.

Field was a really great experience. I went into it saying that whatever experience I had was what I needed to become a better teacher, reguardless of if it was a good or bad experience. The first week of field was a little rough. Our teacher did not introduce us to the class and did not make us feel very welcome; however, as time progressed things got better. The students loved having us in the class, and really enjoyed our lessons.

I feel that over field I improved most in the area of classroom management. The first couple of days was really rough, but as we reflected on our experiences and applied what we learned to later lessons I felt a lot more in control.

I really enjoyed integrating technology into my lessons, and the students really enjoyed it. When they saw that we were going to use the laptops they were so excited. Our field teacher only does a lot of direct instruction so they enjoyed the variety of instruction while we were teaching. I also feel like we reached a variety of learning types. Over all, field was a great experience.

What I am Learning: Digital Story Reflection

Digital Story Reflection

Westland Elementary School is a traditional calendar school located in the middle part of West Jordan, Utah at 2925 West 7180 South. Westland Elementary was opened in 1972 and was remodeled in 1996. Westland is one of 32 schools in Jordan District. The Jordan District serves more than 49,000 children living in the communities of Bluffdale, Copperton, Herriman, Riverton, South Jordan, and West Jordan. Utah. My cooperating teacher was Sara Weston, 4th grade. Ms. Weston’s class is made up of 28 fourth graders- 18 girls and 10 boys. The students range in age from 8 to 9 years old. Twenty-four students are Caucasian, 4 Hispanic, and one  Polynesian.

We developed a good relationship with Ms. Weston over the course of the field experience. She was willing to answer any questions that we had about her classroom and supported the completion of all of our required field assignments. She was impressed with our digital story and said it looked like we had put a lot of time and work into creating it; however, she said that as a teacher it is not a realistic use of her time. She could find a video created professionally that would be as applicable to the lesson without all of the extra time spent creating it.

Though Ms. Weston cooperated with the completion of the lesson we gave her on how to create a digital story, she felt it was a waste of time. She did not understand how it was applicable to our training to be better teachers, especially because she will never use the information she gained from the lesson. She felt that we knew how to make a digital story, and that we were comfortable during the instruction.

The training session with Miss Weston went well.  She was very cooperative and listened as we showed her our digital story and then continued to show her the program we used and how to use it.  Miss Weston thought we did a good job on our digital story and found it neat that we were able to make it.  However, she said it was not  a useful product for her and that she would not use it in her classroom. She said if she were to use a digital story she would find a more applicable one online. This way it would save her a bunch of time and unnecessary work to make one herself and it would be more professional.  

The service-learning experience went fine.  We did a good job in showing/teaching Miss Weston our digital story; however, she found it not applicable to her.  She told us that she would never use a program like this to make a digitial story and that it would take up too much of her time.  Based on our discussion with her, we found the service-learning experience to not be effective.  It also took up a lot of time to complete to simply show to the class for a few minutes.

Our cooperating teacher did not gain a lot from the experience.  As we have stated above, she found it unnecessary for her class and would find a different way to get the information across.  She stated that teachers are very busy already, and having to make her own digital story would simply take too much time. She did think the program was creative but would not use it in her teaching career.

From this experience I learned how to create a digital story and use a program I would otherwise never have learned.  I learned that college students can make a great tool engage students. However, I learned that making a digital story is far too time consuming and that the time making it and preparing it for the students is not worth the effort. There are more professional videos available to use.

The digital story in my opinion was not worth the time and effort.  We put a lot of work, time, and consideration into making this video for us to find out that it was not necessary.  I don’t believe the students learned more or benefited more because we made the video.  If I were to use a digital story when I am a teacher I would find an applicable one that was professionally made. This would save time.  Therefore, I did not find this assignment worth my time when there are already many great tools, resources, and videos to use.

What am I learning: Field Week 3

We used our digital story as part of our lesson. The students were impressed by the fact that we made a movie, and asked their teacher if they could learn how to make one themselves. Our class really enjoys technology. The only problem I found with using the Digital story was that our students were not engaged during the movie. It was hard to keep them focused, they spent a lot of the time visiting with their neighbors.

I have learned that using technology as a teacher is very important. It gives a variety to lesson plans, as well as provides examples of the technologies available to the students. Field has been a great experience and I feel like I have learned and improved a lot.

What I am learning: Field Week 2

This was our week to teach our lessons. For our technology rich lesson, we decided to have our class research Utah's Native American Tribes using the mobile computer labs. We brought in a lap top for each student and gave them different topics to research. The kids loved getting to find information using the laptops instead of a worksheet or a text book. The lesson didn't go exactly as planned but the students really enjoyed it. We also showed our Digital Story this week. The kids enjoyed it and were impressed that we made it ourselves.

What am I learning: Field 11/3-11/10

Our first week of field we have spent most of our time observing, as well as preparing our lesson plans. Our digital story is coming great. we decided we wanted to tell the story of the Utah of the Native Americans and tell how they have impacted us. We have our storyboard complete, and all of the pictures lined up. We are ready to put music to the lineup this week.
We have also finished preparing our technology rich lesson. We are going to show our Digital story to our students to introduce our Native American Unit, and then have the students work in Cooperative Learning Groups researching the different tribes. It is part of the 4th grade curriculum to learn to use search engines, and use the internet to do research. We hope it will go according to plan, keep you posted.
As far as the Technology our class is learning, they are developing their typing skills. Most students are working on the home row in their keyboarding rotation but a few are on other rows.
Until next week....

What am I learning: October 21, 2010

This week in class we worked on our Digital Stories in class and researched different acts and laws having to do with copyright. It was really interesting to learn about the different laws and acts.

What am I learning: Digital Story 1

What? 

This week we learned how to format a story board for our Digital Story. We watched a lot of great examples of how our digital story should evoke emotion, and tell a story.
So What? 
I think that learning each of the steps to making a digital story week by week will solidify my ability to create a digital story. As a future teacher, learning this will allow me to teach my students these skills as well my colleagues. We are learning this so we can have another tool to use to grasp and hook our students on what we are learning.

Now What? 

I would really like to teach this skill to my future students, I think it will be a great tool for them to use as they continue their education. I could even make this a collaborative assignment to help the students learn how to work in group. This skill can be used and integrated with any other core. it is a great skill to have.

Key Assignment: Vidcast Reflection

                                                               

Key Assignment: Vidcast Reflection

The name of our vidcast is The 3 R’s, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. This vidcast meets the Health Education curriculum for grades 4-6, Standard 3, The students will understand and respect self and others related to human development and relationships, objective 1, Practice ways of showing respect for self and others.

We chose to do our vidcast on recycling because we feel that while it is important for students to show respect to their family members and peers, it is also important for them to learn to respect their surrounding environment. We believe that part of respecting others is to understand that where we live, where we go to school, or where we play is home to everyone. We all deserve to have a nice place to live. Students will benefit from the vidcast. It will teach them to treat their surroundings with respect; they will learn to take care of what they have.

Our vidcast relates to the Health Education Standard 3, by allowing the students to develop knowledge about different ways to respect those around us. Recycling is a form of respect to others because it makes it so future generations will have everything that we have. It is also a form of respect because it keeps our earth clean for everyone.

The potential drawback of using this vidcast in the classroom, is that students’ may not receive support at home helping them to recycle. Though this is a drawback, recycling in the classroom will be enforced. This may help students want to continue to recycle in the future. We plan to show this to our future students to initiate recycling in the classroom at the beginning of the year. We will track how much we recycle each month, and see what we have preserved by doing so.

What am I learning: Vidcasts

What? This week we were introduced to vidcasts. Our assignment for the week is to create vidcast with our class partner. The vidcast can be something to do with the core or a "how to". My partner and I chose to do How to Recycle.

So What?

As a teacher, student, and colleague I can use vidcasts on many different occasions. Vidcasts can be used to teach a lesson when if I ever have a sub, or to excite the kids about a new unit we will be studying, use it as a sort of "trailer" to introduce the unit. As a student I could use a vidcast in a presentation. I feel we are learning this technology to provide us with another way of presenting our material as a teacher. As a colleague I can use vidcasts to share my material with fellow teachers.

Now What? 

As a future teacher, I don't know if I will use vidcasts. I feel like in some cases they can be kind of cheesy. However, I will teach this technology to my students so they can utilize it in their own lives. I will have them do research on what we are studying and have them create a vidcast and present it to the class. Though vidcasts are not the thing for me I still think they can be beneficial for others.