Recreating the Math Classroom

Throughout the semester, I was very back and forth about this class.  There were days when I thought the materials covered were elementary and days when I thought the materials were very useful.  Maybe the problem was that I have grown up with computers and have taken many technology classes prior to this one, so I was very familiar with many of the programs we were using or projects we were assigned.  The other big issue that I had during the semester was that I felt like we never applied our projects to the classroom.  It's extremely difficult to incorporate technology into the math classroom, and since we didn't center our projects around our subject areas, I was having a difficult time figuring out how I could make use of these things in my own classroom.  What I realized, however, was that it was all about imagination.  Any piece of technology can be incorporated into any single classroom, the teacher just has to be creative enough to find an idea that works. 

What I discovered was that I could give my students a great resource outside of the classroom.  By using what I learned about digital storytelling, I can create step-by-step video how-to's for any math lesson that we do in class and post it on a class blog or even a class wiki for my students to access.  This can be extremely helpful when studying for tests or even doing homework assignments at home.  It can give the students an extra resource when they don't have the opportunity to stay after for extra help or if they have a difficult time following their notes or the books instructions, and especially helpful for the students who had to miss school that day.  Using what I learned about poster designs, I could easily create my own posters for my classroom, all of which are math related.  I can create educational posters to hang in my classroom that will teach my students definitions or theorems about math in a very memorable and easy to follow way. 

What I really learned from this class, and all of my other technology classes combined, is that the possibilities are endless.  If I can dream it, it can be achieved, and that is the most anyone can ask from a teacher.  Using technology and all of the resources that I have been shown, I can bring life to my classroom and give my students an edge.  I can make learning, and math especially, fun and exciting again.  I can assign projects that will not only teach the students the material, but will teach them how great technology can be and how much fun math is.  Using technology, I have the opportunity to recreate the math classroom into an exciting and fulfilling experience for every student.

Facebook in Your Classroom: Effective Uses and Ideas

I do NOT like them Sam-I-Am

The second Episode of the Dr. Seuss Series is finally here! You can access both episodes below.  Any comments on how they went are welcome!

He got no place at all with a split in his pants...

I have posted a podcast in which I (Stephanie Beausoleil) am reading one of my favorite Dr. Seuss poems, "The Zode in the Road." It is a wonderfully zany poem (as are all of his works) about making decisions.  Enjoy!

The Jersey Animal Coalition: Determined to Fight Animal Abuse and Neglect

The Jersey Animal Coalition is a no-kill, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to preserve life. 
For more information please contact:

Jersey Animal Coalition
298 Walton Avenue
South Orange, NJ 07079
(973) 763-7322

To purchase a $5 t-shirt in support of this cause please contact Stephanie Beausoleil.

Questions for Will Richardson

1.  Why do you believe that technology is such an essential learning tool in the classroom?

• As someone that grew up in a time where technology hadn't quite made its grand appearance in schools, it is often hard to understand why it is so necessary.  I attended school for 7 hours a day and the most technology I ever saw was a PowerPoint or a video.  If I and all the other students I graduated with were able to succeed without a drastic use of technology, then why is it so essential to today's youth?

2. If the technological tools that you have dedicated your time to did not exist, what do you think you would be doing today?

• Just 20 years ago, the average person did not have a computer in their house.  If even one thing had gone differently in history, we may not have had the types of technological tools that we have today, in which case, we would be living in a VERY different world.  That being said, technology, as a career, is an extremely unique one, so it would be interesting to know what else Will Richardson is passionate about and could have made a future with.  

If The Devil Stole Kitten's Souls