Journal Two with Concept Map

We continue to look at online assement by looking at concepts maps. I had used Inspiration in the past with my students but have never really used them for myself. I have attached my Inspiration concept map on Moodle learning. Also look at my links for an example of a Moodle activity I do with my eighth graders.

Journal One

For my assessment class we are reflecting on the use of blogs for online learning. I had created some work on webpages and wikkis, but had never created a blog. It seems like a good activity for reflective journaling and for sharing information and ideas with collegues. Several articles point to the use of interactive communites as a burgeoning assessment option for regular and online classes.

Lynn Coyer coyerly@medford.k12.wi.us
509 E. Clark
Medford, WI 54451
United States
Medford Area Middle School
Medford


My Philosophy: I believe that teaching is the interactive communication between student, teacher, administration and community. Teaching is the process of learning, sharing and responding to current educational expectations.
My Community: Medford is a thriving rural community that supports both agriculture and industry. The community is committed to offering quality education, services, and social opportunities to its population.
My Environment: The mission statement for Medford Area Public Schools is "to provide an educational experience in which students acquire the skills to succeed in the 21st century through resourceful management and quality instructional programming." The district supports four buildings and a total staff of 170 certified staff members and multiple paraprofessionals. The district aims to offer quality academic and extra curricular opportunities for the student environment to support the mission statement.
My Classroom: My classroom is a dynamic environment that strives for high standards and diversified student learning opportunities. It is a place of action and interaction where student and teacher work together to reach learning goals. I have taught several curricular subjects for the district and currently have 7th and 8th grade students for reading and English. Here is an example of some of my assessment strategies when using reading and writing together.

assessment.ppt

All about me...

While looking at my profile, you can see that my interests are diversified. Most of what I have to do comes from my passion for the English language. I am either reading plays, reading comic books, reading the classics or in someway reading something. Our first assignment was to present ourselves. While the profile may show the "normal" things that make me "me", there is a lot more that anyone involved in literature could piece together and come up with a uniquely "Lynn" profile.

The attached picture is my children performing Peter Pan on one cool fall day. In this picture they are 24, 20 and 14! We put on shows all the time. Two of my three are theatre majors and the third (the one in the red) is my stage manager for our current high school production.

The other part of me is my comic book collection. It now takes up most of a recreation room in my basement. I am big into Spiderman, Captain America, and my favorites of all time X-Men.

I love classic literature and plays. I am a big Shakespeare nut and even teach a little of the Bard to my middle school English classes. I guess some people "are what they eat." I prefer to think that I "am what I read."

Online Learning and Assessment

While I am keeping my theme of theatre for those who are interested, I also am adding information on online learning and assessment. Feel free to comment on either topic.

My first blog...

This is the first time I have attempted a blog. I love theatre and am the theatre director for the high school and middle school programs at Medford Area Public Schools in Medford, Wisconsin. I will be posting information about our upcoming season as pictures become available.
LYNN