CTE, April 13th, 5th period; Technology in the classroom
Moderator: Daniel Paolicchi
Faculty in Attendance:
Robbie Quinn Matt Smyth
Kevin Frantz Cherie Roberts
Daniel Paolicchi Catharine Hollifield
Michael Kelly Jan Pippen
Robert Sawyer Beatie O'Connell
Roderick Russ Jo Palmore
Ed Tarkington Samuel Lester
Dede Clements
Daniel opened the session by directing our attention to handouts provided by Sarah (NETS handout about national standards for technology in the classroom).
The discussion started with Daniel's presenting tips given by Ed Gaffney in the previous session (Ed uses the "comments" feature through our electronic gradebook -- used for both praise and explanation -- particularly useful for explaining to parents why a grade was what it was; as Ed's classroom has no chalkboard, Ed frequently uses School Pad. He can save the lesson and load it to his web site making the notes accessible to boys who are absent. He can also set it up by dates from year to year and access what he's done when in the past. Daniel carefully noted that the notes do NOT replace a student's notes in class. Also Ed uses the first class "memo" feature to record who came to help class and when and what was accomplished.)
Part two was Daniel's showing some power point slides for use in Spanish I and II -- images, NOT words. The students generate the vocabulary as they work in pairs or as a group. Daniel had scanned pictures from texts as his departure point. Daniel then discussed the Language Department's use of Google Calendar (Sarah's idea!) to schedule our language lab dates -- this scheduling is considered by us all, I think, to be very helpful.
Part three was a demonstration by Ed Tarkington of his use of the program Drop Box which enables him to do digital grading while at the same time cutting down on paper use. He also uses the function with a folder for his class sponsor duties. He's found that once he's gotten used to the correction "macros (grammar, style, spelling, etc. corrections)," he can get to and return student work more quickly. Ana and Haywood also use The "comment" and "track changes" features on MSW. Ed pointed out that many college professors are moving to this kind of student assessment, and that it's a good idea for our boys to get used to functioning in this way.
Robbie was set to give a presentation on library technology, but we ran out of time! He will mail the presentation to us.
The lunch period passed quickly, and all presentations were helpful!
Respectfully submitted,
Beatie O'Connell, scribe
April 13, 2010
CTE Luncheon, April 13, 2010 - 6th Period Notes
Thanks to Jonathan Sawyer for taking and transcribing the notes for our session:
CTE Discussion/Luncheon 6th period, 4-13-10—Notes by Jonathan Sawyer
In attendance:
Malcolm Morrison
Cal Fuller
Kevin Hamrick
Will Norton
Dennis DeYoung
David Deutsch
Presenters (in order of presentation):
Anne Christeson (presenter)
Jonathan Sawyer (presenter)
Haywood Moxley (presenter)
Nicole Serrano (presenter)
Anne:
Anne shared several student projects with the group. She first showed student projects about the sculptor Rodin. Students had created interactive powerpoints that conveyed information to viewers through video clips, colorful photos, and text on slides.
Next, Anne showed a video in which her student had dubbed his reading of a self-written poem about penguins over a video depicting penguins in nature. The student-written poems were inspired by the AP French students’ study of a cycle of poems about the animals on Noah’s Ark. Students set their poems to video, slideshows, or music.
Jonathan:
Jonathan shared examples of student work filmed in class using the technology of the Flip camera. The camera was requested for the German classroom and provided by the generous Mothers Club. With such a tool, video can be shot with ease and immediately downloaded into a playable format on a laptop. The camera has a built-in USB stick that automatically installs/downloads necessary software when it is first used on a computer.
Raw footage can be downloaded from the camera to the computer in seconds, and the camera’s memory is then cleared to film more footage. With the raw footage, one can manipulate and edit the footage by splicing it, adding words/captions/credits, and even by adding music to it. Finally, one can finalize the project by making it into a “movie” file or by creating a DCD of it.
Jonathan has used the camera to record quick, simple student dialogues and scenes. He has also had students act out grammar concepts with physical motion and visual cues that
help instill the principles of the topic at hand.
Jonathan also shared the benefits of using the digital language lab for quick access to and review of student recordings and online media files.
Haywood:
Haywood shared his use of the “comments” function within Word. The English Dpt. now uses digital dropboxes for themes. With a digital file, the teacher can then edit using the comments function to make suggestions, provide criticism, and even to praise student work!
More specifically, Haywood has found it useful to create his own macrons/shortcuts for his toolbars within Word for use when editing. This allows him to mark common mistakes with the stroke of a key or two rather than having to write out the same comment time and again across many themes.
In order to help student understand the processes of turning themes in and receiving them back in digital form, Haywood has also created “jing” videos and screenshots of the steps necessary for correctly editing and turning in a theme digitally.
Jing is available as a free download at jing.com
Nicole:
Nicole presented on the uses of wikispaces and Google reader in the classroom and in preparation of lessons. She has created a wiki for her English class. On this website-like page, she posts lessons, links, videos, handouts etc. for her students’ use.
One particularly convenient function of a Wiki is its ability to notify all members/followers of it (students) via email of any changes made to the Wiki each day. So, if Nicole changes an assignment or adds an important attachment to an assignment, her students are notified via email of this change, and they are directed to visit the Wiki for more information.
Within her Wiki, Nicole has posted videos of Canterbury Tales rap, animations of John Donne’s metaphysical poetry, and downloads of student work (examples). Nicole also touched upon her use of “Google reader” to stay current in her field of teaching, find and share good lesson plans and classroom ideas, and to find articles of interest to the debate world.
6th period CTE was full of great ideas, and it was interesting to see the myriad ways in which different teachers from different departments bring technology into instruction, organization, and evaluation.
Thank you to all who shared ideas and attended.
CTE Discussion/Luncheon 6th period, 4-13-10—Notes by Jonathan Sawyer
In attendance:
Malcolm Morrison
Cal Fuller
Kevin Hamrick
Will Norton
Dennis DeYoung
David Deutsch
Presenters (in order of presentation):
Anne Christeson (presenter)
Jonathan Sawyer (presenter)
Haywood Moxley (presenter)
Nicole Serrano (presenter)
Anne:
Anne shared several student projects with the group. She first showed student projects about the sculptor Rodin. Students had created interactive powerpoints that conveyed information to viewers through video clips, colorful photos, and text on slides.
Next, Anne showed a video in which her student had dubbed his reading of a self-written poem about penguins over a video depicting penguins in nature. The student-written poems were inspired by the AP French students’ study of a cycle of poems about the animals on Noah’s Ark. Students set their poems to video, slideshows, or music.
Jonathan:
Jonathan shared examples of student work filmed in class using the technology of the Flip camera. The camera was requested for the German classroom and provided by the generous Mothers Club. With such a tool, video can be shot with ease and immediately downloaded into a playable format on a laptop. The camera has a built-in USB stick that automatically installs/downloads necessary software when it is first used on a computer.
Raw footage can be downloaded from the camera to the computer in seconds, and the camera’s memory is then cleared to film more footage. With the raw footage, one can manipulate and edit the footage by splicing it, adding words/captions/credits, and even by adding music to it. Finally, one can finalize the project by making it into a “movie” file or by creating a DCD of it.
Jonathan has used the camera to record quick, simple student dialogues and scenes. He has also had students act out grammar concepts with physical motion and visual cues that
help instill the principles of the topic at hand.
Jonathan also shared the benefits of using the digital language lab for quick access to and review of student recordings and online media files.
Haywood:
Haywood shared his use of the “comments” function within Word. The English Dpt. now uses digital dropboxes for themes. With a digital file, the teacher can then edit using the comments function to make suggestions, provide criticism, and even to praise student work!
More specifically, Haywood has found it useful to create his own macrons/shortcuts for his toolbars within Word for use when editing. This allows him to mark common mistakes with the stroke of a key or two rather than having to write out the same comment time and again across many themes.
In order to help student understand the processes of turning themes in and receiving them back in digital form, Haywood has also created “jing” videos and screenshots of the steps necessary for correctly editing and turning in a theme digitally.
Jing is available as a free download at jing.com
Nicole:
Nicole presented on the uses of wikispaces and Google reader in the classroom and in preparation of lessons. She has created a wiki for her English class. On this website-like page, she posts lessons, links, videos, handouts etc. for her students’ use.
One particularly convenient function of a Wiki is its ability to notify all members/followers of it (students) via email of any changes made to the Wiki each day. So, if Nicole changes an assignment or adds an important attachment to an assignment, her students are notified via email of this change, and they are directed to visit the Wiki for more information.
Within her Wiki, Nicole has posted videos of Canterbury Tales rap, animations of John Donne’s metaphysical poetry, and downloads of student work (examples). Nicole also touched upon her use of “Google reader” to stay current in her field of teaching, find and share good lesson plans and classroom ideas, and to find articles of interest to the debate world.
6th period CTE was full of great ideas, and it was interesting to see the myriad ways in which different teachers from different departments bring technology into instruction, organization, and evaluation.
Thank you to all who shared ideas and attended.
April 12, 2010
Wiesbadeners Visit- German Exchange
On Sunday evening (4-11-10), a group of fifteen German students and their accompanying teacher arrived in Nashville after a week in New York. On exchange, the students are staying with host families/students associated with MBA, Harpeth Hall, Brentwood High, and Centennial High. Now in its fifth year at MBA, the GAPP (German American Partnership Program) exchange brings students from Wiesbaden, Germany to Nashville each spring. 
Three MBA students are hosting this year. Freshman Chris Habermann is hosting Dustin Walpert, sophomore Jake McDonald is hosting Niels Jungjohann, and junior Collin Brannon is hosting Marco Goebert.
During their two-week stay in Nashville, the Germans will attend school, visit downtown Nashville and experience the Wildhorse Saloon, canoe on the Harpeth River, travel to Lynchburg's Jack Daniel's Distillery, and visit Sewanee. MBA's German Program and Herr Sawyer are excited to welcome these students to Nashville and to have them become a part of the MBA community.
Special thanks to all host families, teachers of the exchange students, and the MBA administration for their support of the German exchange program.
Herzlich Willkommen in Nashville, Jungs!
February 19, 2010
German Essen-Tag! YUM :)
Herr Sawyer's German classes enjoyed a day of German food and culture today. The menu included belegte Broetchen (open faced sandwiches/ rolls), Kartoffel-Chips (potato chips), Schoko-Kuchen (chocolate cake), Leberwurst (liver-wurst), Salami, Schinken (ham), Kaese (cheese), Butter, Marmelade, and Nutella. Each student also received a bar of German chocolate. Refreshments included Mezzo-Mix Spezi (a German soft-drink), Mineralwasser (sparkling mineral-water), and Apfel-Schorle (Apple juice/sparkling water mix). Many of the goods were imported from Germany through the website GermanDeli.com
This fun day of food and culture is made possible annually by the generous allocations provided by the Mothers and Fathers Clubs. All German students and Herr Sawyer say "Vielen Dank!" for this special day!
February 13, 2010
Why France is the best place to live in the world.
International Living magazine, for the fifth year in a row, has voted France the best place to live in the world. The results are based on ratings of a number of factors, in which France scores high on almost all categories, including health care (100 points), infrastructure (92 points), and safety and risk (100 points). The magazine quotes a young Australian expatriate living in Paris. When she delivered her first child, she received almost five full months of paid maternity leave, and could take another seven months off unpaid, but with her job guaranteed upon her return. AND she got to spend five days in the hospital after the delivery of her healthy son - something unheard of in the U.S. The magazine asserts, "Its (France's) tiresome bureaucracy and high taxes are outweighed by an unsurpassable quality of life, including the world's best health care." The United States slipped from third to seventh this year, mostly because of the economic crisis which has hit harder here and in Great Britain, now ranked 25th, than in most of Europe. Read the whole article: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/02/11/france.quality.life/index.html?hpt=C2
February 11, 2010
The Age Old Question
Why study the Classics? According to many, including the philosopher Schopenhauer, the real question should be "Why not?!"
"From what I have said, it is obvious that to imitate the style of the ancients in their own language, which is so very much superior to ours in point of grammatical perfection, is the best way of preparing for a skillful and finished expression of thought in the mother-tongue. Nay, if a man wants to be a great writer, he must not omit to do this; just as, in the case of sculpture or painting, the student must educate himself by copying the great masterpieces of the past, before proceeding to original work. It is only by learning to write Latin that a man comes to treat diction as an art. The material in this art is language, which must therefore be handled with the greatest care and delicacy."
I'm swooning! (You can read more here.)
"From what I have said, it is obvious that to imitate the style of the ancients in their own language, which is so very much superior to ours in point of grammatical perfection, is the best way of preparing for a skillful and finished expression of thought in the mother-tongue. Nay, if a man wants to be a great writer, he must not omit to do this; just as, in the case of sculpture or painting, the student must educate himself by copying the great masterpieces of the past, before proceeding to original work. It is only by learning to write Latin that a man comes to treat diction as an art. The material in this art is language, which must therefore be handled with the greatest care and delicacy."
I'm swooning! (You can read more here.)
February 4, 2010
'Creme' of the Crop
Inspired by Madame O'Connell's love for French culture, Douglas McWilliams shared a decadent treat with his French II honors class yesterday-- creme brulee. What a sweet way to return from MBA's snow-cation!
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