Carla Faulkner

We have been talking about Communication Skills and Internet Safety.  Another to keep you safe is to learn about different types of drugs and what they do to you.  Below are 4 groups of drugs that we will be discussing.  In an email, tell me what you know about each group.

Legal Stimulants

Illegal Stimulants

Depressants

Club Drugs

Ok…so if you made it back here, you are doing good.  This is called a blog.  When I am not here, your work will be posted here.  If you miss something, check the blog.  

So, lets talk more about communication.  You need to read the following articles and email me.

Article #1.  http://youthdevelopment.suite101.com/article.cfm/listening_skills_for_teens

#1.   Give me three components of good listening.  Do you do those components?  How can you become a better listener?

Article #2  http://www.forwardface.org/pdf/articles/communication_skills.pdf

#1.  Do you do this in class?  Give me some examples 

Tell me about verbal, non-verbal communication.  Tell me what you know.  

Now…tell me more about communication skills.  What other types of communication do you have access to?  Think…we are using communication right now.  

It doesnt’ seem that this class would ever end but here it is.

So, what did I learn.  I learned more than what I could tell you.  I have learned that I have not been incoorperating enough technology, the wrong technology and I had no idea the resources that exist.  If students could experience the wealth of information in this class as I have had… test scores would soar.  This course was very intimidating to many and anyone reading our complaints could tell that.  Most of us were put into a corner and had to learn new stuff that intimidated us.  Just like our students feel.  It made me approach my students a little different.  

As far as what I would change… I have no clue.  I have a great idea of the value of technology, the right technology.  I think this class should be required all undergrad education classes.  If teachers know what is out there we can incoorperate more.  Besides the getting on everyday and writing everyday, it was a pretty good class but… I understand why the class is set up like it is. 

Valuable information is an understatement.  Most of everything discussed and done has been valuable in some since.  I think we have to understand that students (graduate and middle/high school) have been mislead about technology.  Going through my intern year of teaching, the Kentucky standards discuss that we must show technolgoy in our lessons.  Well, considering I that I had a 33 year veteran teacher as my mentor, she didn’t know anything other than powerpoints and slideshowes.  Not the technology we discussed here.  That shows that more teacher, administration, and students need to understand what we have that our fingertips.

As far as my project.. I have done a tutorial for students in my classroom. 

http://sites.google.com/site/faulknerhealth01/

I don’t know if I have posted or not but I will do it again.  Last outpost was crap when I first started.  I didn’t understand nor could I follow along.  The skills it takes to play a mud is much different than just typing and reading.  I am not a fast reader nor a fast typer.  Needless to say… the mud has improved that.  The typing skills are a lot of the home keys.  Not a lot of odd letters like z or q.  There are some but not a lot.  It does make you use the ‘ tic marks when casting spells.  Reading ability improves with getting use to the game.  You realize you dont’ have to read every single word but can pick up on things like “That really HURT” or bleeding heavily gives you an indication that you need to pay more attention.  This game can be used for all of types of reading comprehension and typing skills.  But the only down fall is that students these days are used to graphic and bells/ whistles.   It would take ‘making’ them play it to get good at it.

Ok… i appologize for not posting as much as I have in the past but swimming season has started full force.  Two meets this week and practice in between.  I will try to post more this weekend.  I hope everyone is having a good week.