I've been using the same old blog for the past several years (http://drheigle.blogspot.com/). It's been a catch-all for EDUC 675 and my travels. This seemed like a good time to split off in a new direction with a blog that is education only... although education covers a big piece of the map. If you are reading this (what a dumb statement, of course you are reading this) you are most probably enrolled in EDUC 675 OL Spring term at Otterbein UNIVERSITY. Each of you will soon be going through the same process I just completed to begin your own blog. For me and for the course the blog is a Journal, what we used to call a Thought Rambling. This is a place for me to "lecture" (in a good way), to muse about new stuff I've discovered, to suggest places for you to explore on the web, and a place to ask questions that seem important for us to consider.
As you come to know more about me you'll discover that I am a "Thought Rambler" my self. I have wide ranging educational interests and like to think about using found resources in unusual ways to teach and to learn. For example, when I taught sixth grade during the last Ice Age I found a roll of black plastic trash bags. To make a long story shorter, my class and I discovered how to use a hot iron to weld the bags together to make a giant balloon which we inflated with a window fan. We made one big enough so the whole class could sit inside... we could even project movies on the outside and watch them on the inside. We learned about air pressure, measuring, welding, geometry, volume, etc. Most of all we learned that by working together and solving problems we could do some pretty cool stuff. The bag welding was a little dangerous I guess but few worthwhile objectives in life are without some risk. The internet is my current roll of black plastic bags... the internet is kind of uncharted educationally and it can be risky but the payoff in student engagement and creativity is, to me, well worth dodging the potholes.
Join me in this journey of journaling and risking... respond to my posts, even if only a few words and I'll do the same for your posts.
When you taught 6th grade, did you teach science? Math maybe? I would like to hear more about the black trash bag adventure you had with your class!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely a "thought rambler" myself. The thing is that for years I've been writing in a journal- recording my private thoughts/feelings,etc. It's a whole new change to have blogs and like post things for the world to see. Not sure if I'm quite there yet, which is why the whole facebook/twitter thing hasn't quite flowed with me. So, we shall see...
ReplyDeleteI loved your idea to teach concepts in science and math! What a fun class it must have been. The students always remember something so "outside the box" and novel, and hopefully it will spark their imagination to try some other experiments and make new discoveries!
ReplyDeleteI loved the trash bag idea to teach Science concepts... such a cool activity for the kids and a fun way for them to learn. When doing activities in such a creative way, kids learn to work together as a team, communicate and problem solve with out even realizing they are doing it.
ReplyDeleteI like your thought-rambling style... it makes me laugh to read things that are actually going through your head ("if you're reading this (what a dumb statement...)"). :-) I also liked the black trash bag activity. One of the science teachers at my school would LOVE that! What a great social-skill building activity, too!
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