Do Schools Kill Creativity and Other Interesting Stuff...

This week for class we were asked to watch the video, "Do Schools Kill Creativity?"  I really enjoyed the video and watched it a few times because Sir Ken Robinson had a lot of really valid points, along with some great comical moments.  Sir Robinson talked a lot about how we have to allow for mistakes and that as youngsters we are extremely creative, but lose it as we get older.  He said this happens because all too often our creativity is limited or we aren't given the chance and then we end up losing what we once were good at.  I found this fact interesting, but as I looked back on my younger years of school, I remember a lot of being given so many specifics and not being allowed to "roam free" with my work.

Besides the video, we also created a Google Site to showcase our work so far.  For me, this was an easy task because I've created Google Sites before in college.  I never thought of using a Google Site to showcase work or even as an online portfolio.  Now, it seems like a great idea, especially with the ability to share with so many or so little people.

In my teaching, I have never thought of using portfolios to showcase work, but I think it is something in the future that I will explore.  Students will have a chance to show their creativity by creating the site, but also to show their best pieces of work.  This would be a great assignment to give at the beginning of the quarter and then allow them to work on it throughout.

We also looked at different software to evaluate this week and how to evaluate it.  I knew that a lot went into picking the perfect software, but I didn't realize how much one really should think about.  When it comes time to be asked to look for new software, I will be sure to take this route because it really does allow for the best possible options.

InTime Video

The InTime Video that I watched for class was titled "Producing a Daily News Cast."   I picked this video because I found it very interesting that this teacher produced a new show with her 6th grade students.  The students write the scripts, do the interviews and even use a editing software program to finalize the video.  This whole video intrigued me because as a middle school teacher myself, I could not imagine actually doing such an in depth process with 6th graders.  I know that you need to give ALL students a chance, but from experience I find that my students have a hard time navigating the simple programs on a computer let alone video editing software.

The idea of a news show is great because it lets the rest of the school not only see what is going on in other classes and around the school, but allows those students to see how fun and exciting technology really can be.   Lisa Carlon (teacher from the video) did a great job of really challenging her students and pushing them to explore technology.  She also incorporates other subjects such as English, with the script writing.

After watching the video, it did open my eyes to how much more I could explore with my students, even the 6th graders.  Our school does produce a news show, but it only comes out once a month and the librarian does all the editing.  I think maybe if I can explore some of the software they use in our schools news show and have the kids plays with it, then they'll become familiar and have a chance to possibly edit the show themselves.

Spreadsheets Galore

Over the last few weeks we've been asked to take a look at spreadsheets.  Spreadsheets are nothing new to me, but I know that they can be really intimidating.  I first was exposed to spreadsheets in high school, but I can't remember what we exactly used them for.  I know in my computer classes we did simple assignments out of the book, but we were never made to use them for organization or input of data.  As I got more into college, I used them more and more for classes, especially my business classes.  We did a lot of data input and for me spreadsheets were a lot easier to organize the data and made everything look nicer.  Besides assignments, I also used spreadsheets for the student organization I was president of.  Now, I use spreadsheets on a daily basis.  For me, I find that when things look nicer, they're easier to read and a better way to communicate.  I also teach my students how to use spreadsheets.  A lot of what I teach them is just the basics, but I want them to realize that spreadsheets can really make life easier.

My favorite feature to spreadsheets is the function feature.  It's great to be able to input data and then use a function to help you get your end result.  I've never really been good with math and it always takes too long to do it on pen and paper or a calculator.  When I learned how to use the functions, I felt that it made the process of doing everything all together.

Using spreadsheets is just another part of technology that can benefit people in many ways as long as they know how to use it.  In class we did the recipe assignment.  Something as simple as putting a recipe into a spreadsheet, creating a formula and allowing the computer to do the work for you, is incredible.  I never thought about using a spreadsheet for recipes, but it makes sense.  Having that function available to help figure out how much ingredients you need for different servings in a huge help.

As I continue to grow with my knowledge of spreadsheets, I hope to learn them for more than just simple data input and put them to use for things such as recipes.