ePortfolios

I am excited to participate in this portfolio project. I see the benefits of having an up to date professional portfolio. For example, if one day I would like to transfer schools, my prospective employer can see my professional qualifications before granting an interview. This is a great tool to possess.

For the past two years I have required my students to create a portfolio of their projects to satisfy their final exam/project. Now, since Jessie (and her awesome technological savvy) has introduced ePortfolios, I am converting to a digital portfolio this semester.

Etowah High School has a partnership with google, giving each student a professional email address (firstname.lastname@etowahhighschool.net) Each student has access to the google platform and can use this technology to create an ePortfolio through Google Sites. I am anxious to see what these project will look like when complete. This semester is my learning curve. I hope to start next year with a clear idea of how to facilitate this activity/project to get a masterful final product.

We'll see how it goes...

Sharing the Portfolio

The e-portfolio is very useful for keeping records and presenting my professional career, especially teaching. It is easy to come back and modify and introduce changes and improvements as they occur. As a bonus, the e-portfolio is an excellent way to advertise the program I teach so that others will have an opportunity to view and evaluate when making education and career decisions. There are a lot of excellent and unparalleled benefits for using this option.

The students in reviewing will also be learning how to keep a record of their achievements and how to display their accomplishments for others to see. This will help to better prepare them for this electronic age we are living in. Also by maintaining the e-portfolio it could become an important site for the students that have completed the program and wish to reflect on their accomplishments while pursuing a career as well as provide a link for a reference. This provides a challenge helping to raise the bar for me and providing the opportunity to reflect and view those areas where improvement is needed in order to better benefit my students. There are a lot of great benefits to the e-Portfolio, Thank you NTI.

Ron

Portfolio

In the beginning it is always overwhelming to see all the requirements of a project and so it was with the portfolio. However, since I have now started the process and planned a few things out I am extremely glad I will have this finished portfolio by the end of the semester. Working on it in small chunks makes it very manageable and most of the artifacts are already made. It is just a matter of uploading and writing the descriptions out. It will be an invaluable tool to showcase yourself and help further your professional goals. One of my professional goals is to someday begin teaching at the post-secondary level and I think this portfolio will help with interviews and that process. Using Google Sites for this project is also awesome. I am impressed with it's capabilities. The fact that it is free and available to all is unbelievable. I could definitely see letting students use this site to create their career portfolio. I had my first experience with creating career portfolios with my student this year. I found that very detailed and thought out descriptions of the requirements, along with a logical process made it go smoothly (thanks to using what was given to me by a mentor teacher). I think giving the students the option to do it electronically would make the experience more pleasurable for them and I may trial that next year.

Portfolio

I believe that the on line portfolio poses as a wonderful investment. It is a convent method that is easily accessible to teachers and others allowing the opportunity to display your years experience as well as other vital information that you may choose to display. I am working on updating my resume as well as assisting my senior students with creating a resume for them to have as well. I have expressed to my students that this will highlight their professional talents. This has also been a wonderful activity to in cooperating into my lesson plans for my senior students .

Portfolio

The portfolio definitely enhances my professional growth. The portfolio has encouraged me to look at where I have been, where I am, and where I am going. It is easy to just take my experiences for granted. The portfolio is helping me look at the value of each experience. It has also helped me realize what professional areas I need to strengthen. The biggest way that it has enhanced my professional growth is by making me really think about my professional experiences. I have also realized that the portfolio can be useful for my students. It could be used to help my students think about their educational experiences. It is important that students reflect on their experiences. I also realize that a portfolio can be a valuable resource for my students. It would be impressive for them to have a portfolio to present to employers.

Portfolio

I believe having a portfolio will be helpful in my professional growth. The portfolio will enhance my ability to show the education and experience that I have obtained. Therefore, this will let parents know that they are getting a qualified and competent teacher for the curriculum their children are taking. The portfolio is a way my principal could maintain knowledge on my background and qualifications. The portfolio is a good tool to use as a resume for future positions. I’m thinking about attaching my portfolio to my school blog as an example for my students to view. The students would then have a way to see my qualifications and expertise. Then, maybe my portfolio would be useful to my students when they continue their education, especially if they attend a career tech college.

Portfolio

I have found that once I began editing and entering artifacts into my portfolio, I had difficulty calling it quits and logging off. I really like the fact that I can make changes now, as well as update my portfolio in the future. As for using this portfolio as an instructional tool, it's a great idea. I have helped students develop a portfolio in the past and have not really been successful. I like the Google idea which also allows students to make changes. As a teacher I can really see a difference in the portfolio of a Freshman vs. a portfolio of a Senior. The advancement of personal growth, goals, and quality of work is quite evident. I imagine that if I were to have begun a portfolio at the beginning of NTI I would probably be in the process of re-doing the entire work. Just as my students learn and grow, so have I in my ability to teach. Thank goodness!

Portfolio

In working on this project I have had an opportunity to reflect on what we have learned this year as well as life experiences. Many of these things we do without giving thought to them. When working on this I have found myself searching for improvements. Past experiences are often working habits. In my trade, bad habits have to go or time is lost, or perhaps worse. I constantly worked at time management, and procedures. At this point in life, changing professions was scary early on. However recently I have come to terms with this decision and have become comfortable with this. In doing so reflection is needed to achieve a goal as before. To me just learning the ropes will not make me comfortable. I expect excellence of myself, and my students deserve my best. My best will come when I find a stride in this new field. The portfolio project raises many bars, the counseling project many more. Looking inward is often uncomfortable to many. Who can honestly fool themselves? As I look at my students achieve, I also want to move foward. Many of these standards should be life goals for all of us. I have enjoyed the challenge so far, and hope I find the stride in this, that I achieved in my former life. I say this because the challenges of this profession is a life challenge.

Creating a portfolio has been very interesting this semester. The process of getting information online from your portfolio helps you be more organized as an educator. I plan to post my resume, lesson plans, pictures of students and activites of Crimnal Justice work. I also plan to incorporate the portfolio model into my lesson plans for my Criminal Justice students. I feel it will help organize and encourage my students for future activities in education, military and work force methods. For myself, the goal of profesional learning and implementing new technology to help me career wise is a plus when it comes to the porfolio mehtod. The portfolio has chalanged me to research all needed information concerning myself and applying it in a structure that could help me career wise in the department of education. I look foward to the completed work and time of the portfolio during the end of the semester.

The

Gerald on Portfolio

It sometimes is good to look back as to where we have been and the many changes that we have had in our career. In looking at my resume, it brought back quite a few memories. It reminds me of Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Less Taken," and you want to ask yourself what if. How any small changes or any small incidents could have led down a different pass all together. I think by doing a portfolio and keeping it up to date is a real good marketing tool. I have just looked over one of our teacher's portfolio from Western Michgan University, it is very impressive and I can see have it could be used to market oneself. I also believe if we have our students to do one, it might encourage them to try harder and apply themselves better. They might ask themselves, is this what I want to show my future employer? As for me, this is next to my last career change and I am difinitely not looking forward to the last one even though I will have no control over it.

Portfolio

I think the eportfolio is a great career tool. In doing my eportfolio, I have learned a new skill in creating a google site, I have updated my resume and it has made me go back and review how my lesson plans are helping my students to accomplish their own career goals for the future. I believe this will enhance my own professional marketing by creating a professional site where my personality, career highlights and technological skills can be displayed and shared with those I work for and colleagues with whom I currently network. It is an easy tool to use and I have even incorporated it into my own lesson plans.
I am currently using the eportfolio method in my Applications classes. I am having my students create their own websites where they can start to build their educational and professional resumes. They have loved the idea of creating their own website, and they like the technology involved. They have a scetion for their clubs, achievements, philosophy, resumes and educational/community involvement. Several students have said they are going to use this as a link to view on some of their college applications. I have really enjoyed sharing this information and they really like that their instructor is also having to do one for school!

portfolio

I think the portfolio is a very useful aid. This is a great opportunity to display our talents. The work that we provide indicates our professional experience. In the future, this can be used to further our career. I am hoping to keep mine as up to date as possible.

My students do something similar to our portfolio. Their portfolio s a paper based with pictures. The students begin working on this at the begining of the semester of Advanced Skin and Nail. The portfolio is turned into me one week before finals. I require 12-15 hair styles, a resume, reference sheet, questions for potential employer and a picture of the ideal outfit. Then the students will have a complete portfolio when they begin seeking a job. In this industry pictures say a thousand words.

Portfolio

As I look back though the documents and materials I saved from my first year of teaching, I now recognize some areas that need to be improved. The first year of teaching was much harder than I had anticipated and many of my lesson plans were created on site (ie..between classes) and at the spur of the moment. The time restraints/challenges of attending NTI, teaching, advising HOSA, coaching cheerleading, and being a mom & wife led to too little time to develop great lesson plans and projects for the students. But I imagine this is where we all are. This portfolio creation will enhance my professional growth by allowing me the time to genuinely critique which areas need time devoted to them. I had not saved some of my previous work and really wish that I had. I have started to organize my artifacts and save them in INTASC
files for future use and add to each standard. I noticed areas that I had few resources for such as Standard #3 Adapting Instruction for Individual Needs. I am glad to be critiquing my work and see that I have a lot of work to do.

I will also start earlier in the year in helping the students create their own portfolios. One area to help enrich the students is the building of their resumes. Once the framework is completed it is much easier to add to it throughout the year. As a nursing student we had some of the nurses who had already graduated come back and talk to us about their portfolios and let us look through them. I think the advanced students (3rd year) could do the same to the newer Intro students. A visual is always a great learning tool.

Elluminate the Positive

If I were going to deliver a class via Elluminate I would want to consider how boring it is and I would try to think of ways to infuse it with life and excitement. Unfortunately I can't really think of any of those, so I probably just wouldn't use it. I feel that if people wanted to be at a certain place at a certain time, then they would probably rather just attend the class in person. Being stuck in front of a computer and having to hope that you'll be able to hit the "talk" button before someone else does, seems like more of a waste of time than anything. I would rather use uLearn, or WebCT, full time that have to schedule around a 2 hour window on Monday night.

As far as different activities, I would try to have a scavenger hunt type game where students would be allowed (and encouraged) to search for information on the Internet. I mean, if we all have a computer in front of us, let's use it to the fullest. Finding images that convey a certain feeling, or a link to page that has useful information on assessments, and then pasting them onto the whiteboard, would be a valuable and more entertaining way to utilize the software.


That's just my opinion.

ellumiante Live

If I were designing a course to be delivered via Elluminate Live, there are a number of things I would consider. First of all, I would need to ensure that my students had access to up to date computers to participate. Secondly, I need a feel of how much they know about operating a computer, their abilities to work independently with only online support and their comfort level with it. Some people need or like working in group settings while others are content with being supported from a distant location. These suggestions come from the practical experiences we have worked through during our sessions with the program. What is interesting is that no matter how much we plan, there is always something that comes up unexpectedly. In such cases it is good to have back up plans such as persons or sites to call/go to for assistance.

I would include activities that stimulate the visual and listening senses. I would develop interactive power points in which break out groups could answer questions. I would have students conduct activities together even though they are unable to see their partners. I would give them a topic to discuss and an outline to guide their conclusions and end product. .I would plan discussion groups and have students summarize information gathered. The one drawback I see to this form of learning is that students can’t physically role play or perform such interactions. Perhaps watching video clips of such behaviors could help accomplish this task. I would develop open email groups whereby the members could type in answers during group class discussions regarding different questions posed by the instructor. I thought of this as a spin off from racing our hands with the buttons and from the emails sent out that the entire could see. The possibilities of Elluminate Live learning are so varied because of the immeasurable resources to pull from with the internet at your fingertips.

Elluminate Live

Designing a course that was going to be delivered via Elluminate Live would require first setting a firm foundation with clear objectives for the course. Secondly, it would require preparing lessons plans to include teaching strategies that would incorporate the needs of the different learning styles. Thirdly, the design of the layout would need to be very user friendly and simple to navigate to facilitate participation from all the students in the group. I would use activities that encourage students to collaborate with each other as well as the instructor like small groups, discussions, and case analysis. I would also incorporate activities using the whiteboard that allowed students to be creative in a variety of ways with the content being covered. Students seem to be more engaged in the learning process when they are actively participating whether by interacting with each other or expressing their creativity. I would incorporate additional icons that expressed a wider range of responses from each participant. I also think a parking spot on the blog would be very helpful like we have in class to place questions or additional information that is needed.

When designing a course using Elluminate, the time frame must be considered. Make sure the time frame is adequate for the material you are intending to teach. Then, once you have the lesson plans established, make sure your lessons and activities flow smoothly. Activities should include group breakout sessions. Breakout sessions gives students the opportunity to learn from and teach their peers. I still have alot to learn about Elluminate, but I think it is great for people who have a long distance to travel. Elluminate is a great opportunity that allows students to work from home or a closer location to home instead of driving to class. We can still gather in groups, talk to each other through the Internet, listen to lectures being taught, and have group activities. I don't think my construction class would be easy to teach this way, but I like having class this way this semester.

Using Elluminate Technology in Transportation

I have enjoyed reading lots of good essays and blogs on how Elluminate can easily adapted to a lot of CTAE classrooms. I have also read some of the problems that would have to be overcome. I would have several physical arrangement issues to be solved. Not all my students have access to a updated computer and the Internet. I would estimate that less than half of my students have that access. The technology skill level would have to be raised for all to enjoy Elluminate. We could however use to school's computer lab by appointment. Elluminate does have order to it and the ability for groups to work together in an orderly manner. No one can interrupt! You have to raise your hand! How cool is that! While Elluminate is not perfect it can maintain some order at a higher level. It may be too slow for some students, and others will have to have intense computer instruction, or they will not be able to keep up. Also the biggest hangup in how do you corner teenagers to sit down all at once and do homework. Their schedule is crazy. Careful set up and lots of planning for the computer lab use would be the easiest way, but for only 25 students at a time. The size of the Elluminate groups should be smaller than what we use.

Areas of instruction in my classes could include interactive power point presentations and quick quizzes with instant feedback and verbal comments. Safety videos and small group projects could easily be done on Elluminate. Group assessments could be done on Elluminate. Some students who are not hands on or do not like to get their hands dirty would love Elluminate.

Elluminate Live

If you design a course using Elluminate Live, you would need to consider the timeframe  involved.  The first few meetings with the class would need to be practice sessions.  This would be necessary in order to get the class familiar with the technology.   This would include controlling the mic and the volume to get started. The class would also need to practice accessing and writing on the whiteboard.  Activities should include group breakout sessions that incorporate utilizing the technology.  Lectures appear to be very useful for this type of work.  The learner reviews the presentation up close and personal.  Also, saving the presentation or handouts for future use by the student is a huge plus to this new technology.

Elluminate Live Technology

To design a course using the Elluminate technology, I think will have several advantages for students as well as the teacher. The first thing to consider is how students will embrace this technology. The students of today are more prevalent to adapt to this new technology because of the use of internet and the way we communicate by cell phones, pda, and other electronic devices.

Some things you have to consider is the state standards and to make sure that you are following the guidelines that are required by the state. This would include equipment, materials and more importantly the course that is been taught for that particular class. The course syllabus should outline other information that would detail how the class would be structured.

Before using this technology students will have several training sections where they learn how to navigate and troubleshoot existing problems. To make this a successful transition student will be given several handouts that will be covered doing the course. This will include PowerPoint and learning modules that will help students understand the assignments before classes start.

Teaching a Course via Elluminate

In order to be successful when teaching a class using a tool such as elluminate, I think it is very important to remember the variety of learning styles that will be possessed by the students taking the course. So, it will be important to differentiate instruction just like being in a "regular" classroom to insure that you are getting across to each learner. It would be especially important to use a variety of teaching methods when the class period is rather lengthy. I think Dr. Burns has done a great job with this by lecturing for a while, assigning group work, and then bring us back in as a whole class for discussion. Also, it will be important to find ways to insure that each learner is involved in each class session. I think participation is important when participating in a course via elluminate. It would be important to ask yourself, "Is everyone involved?" With these two tools as the foundation for teaching the course, I think it will have a good opportunity at being successful.

It may be difficult to use this method of teaching when trying to grade on observation. For instance, in my course, Public Safety, it would be difficult to determine if the learner successfully mastered the technique of handcuffing. Maybe using a web cam would help with this? Other than when visually observing a taught skill, I think tools such as elluminate will continue to be more frequently used as technology continues to advance.

Well, I think it would be ideal for a Criminal Justice Program. Handouts and Power Point Presentations would be excellent to inform students from this program. I feel if your posting general information that requires knowledege about Laws, Corrections and Police Service it would be ideal. Some applications in criminal justice require hands activity and knowledege, but the information you receive the programs we have would be a great for getting that information out to students. Like all technology you will have concerns, because some people really enjoy the physical part of actually been in the classroom. You really see a shift of people studying online with services that we participate in on every Monday evening. I think my major concern for myself would be accountablity making sure I understand the information and flow of the information process. I enjoy the technology we use it's very convient and once you become familiar to the technology it's like been in the classroom. I feel everyone repects the new process and when I talk to other people who took NTI they feel we are blessed to have such a structure for our program.

Elluminate Blog

Well, I think it is ideal for lectures and PowerPoint presentations. But, if students are not comfortable with computers it would definitely be a challenge. I feel that this type of software program would not accommodate most CTAE courses, unless carefully outlined. Lectures could be done on Elluminate, but there would still have to be a regular class for hands-on activities and labs. There is some software with videos and game simulations for safety that could all be done on the computer. So, if I was to use this for a course, I could probably do 80% of a safety class with it. Students would have to get used to listening though. It would be something that would force the students to actually sit in one spot, follow along, and listen/respond in a limited period of time. This, overall, could help students realize that if they screw around, they will not pass. Most of us all seem to have the same issues........Classroom management and controlling the uproar of hyper teenagers. I feel if the students understood that Elluminate was a limited time frame course, and no make up lectures, this could shape them up! The downside to doing online courses is that most of our students do not have home computers, and if they do, they don't necessarily have Internet access. This would hinder some. I think the discipline issue would drastically drop, because you can mute people! No more interruptions!! I am enjoying taking this online-live verses just online without the option to ask immediate questions. I think Elluminate is a better choice than some other options but not ideal for CTAE/Automotive teachers in the High School setting.

Elluminate

Hello!  

I think using Elluminate is a great way to engage the 21st century learner.  The technology involved allows for discussion, lectures, presentations, and group work....however, it does not suit the traditional hands on lab classroom.  In a lecture based class such as history or english, this type of software is great.  But, when it comes to actually performing a task or activity, it is difficult to achieve the same level of involvement / results as compared to using elluminate.

If I were to design a course for elluminate for my program...it would have to be one that included a lot of videos or live feed of my screen for my learners to follow.  If I was to teach an intro to drawing course, I would need to be able to actually demonstrate the task to the students via webcam.  The whiteboard and communication tools would not be beneficial other than to ask questions.  So, when setting up the course, I would make power points with the objectives and steps, show those, then have a class session where I demonstrate the task, followed by a review session or "parking lot" session to solve any issues.  I would have to consider that not all students would have access to a computer with a webcam, nor would they be able to utilize the software (drafting) at home unless the county provided it to them.  So, elluiminate would only work for me if I were performing a lecture such as great architects, house styles, etc.  I would also have to consider that students are very good at sharing information, especially digitally, so I would have to devise projects that would not be easy to cheat.

Elluminate has been great and I enjoy using it.  Its fun, interactive, and adds another tool to the box.  Thanks!! Have a great week.

Elluminate

Elluminate is an excellent progam for a course that doesn't require lots of hands on activities. In my opinion it works very well with courses that are mainly lecture and discussion based. I see Elluminate being used successfully in a history course where the instructor uses lots of power point presentations and relys heavily on lecture to share their information with their class. Using other programs such as ULearn where a student can turn-in assignments to the instructor would broaden the effectiveness of this class. I could see it being successful with Foreign Language instruction. For maximum effectiveness I feel that Elluminate is for the adult learner. It requires discipline and a degree of responsibility that the average high school student does not have. Testing would be very difficult to accomplish with this program as there could be a high level of cheating. I think that Elluminate is made for the purpose that we are using it for at NTI. I am enjoying this program as it is freeing up some time for me that I need to spend with my family, job etc... It is an excellent program.

Elluminate Brainstorming

Although Elluminate Live is a great instructional tool, I would have to take several factors into consideration if I plan to use if to conduct a lesson. I would have to consider the accessibility of the hardware by my students as well as whether the demographics of my enrollment would benefit from the program's purpose. I have a considerable number of hands on learners who signed up for my class just to have a chance to learn in that manner. Actually being able to touch the materials and tools increases their chances of retaining the knowledge of the program. I would also have to consider my learning environment. Because my classroom is a huge industrial type environment, it would be difficult to introduce the hardware and software into that type of environment. Although Media Center time could be set aside to conduct the lesson, I believe you begin to comprise the purpose of the CTE classes.

Elluminate Live could be used to introduce individual subject areas at the very beginning of the lesson. In the case of construction safety, employability skills and communication skills, Elluminate Live could be used to present PowerPoint presentations discussing those subject matters versus having the students read from the book. But I have found in my subject area in particular, that once you have made the transition from lecture instruction to demonstration instruction, that it becomes difficult to settle the students back into a lecture mindset. Once I make that transition, I have chosen to use more of a cooperative learning approach in combination with the demonstration instruction to introduce another subject matter. I beleive Elluminate can best be used in my classroom at the very beginning of the school year.

Gerald on Elluminate

There are several important things that I would have to consider in designing a course for an on line presentation. One would be the maturity of the students and how I would be able to make sure that they were not doing other activities while the course was in progress. I think that some courses lend themselves better to be taught on line that others. So I would design courses that I could use power points along with my lecture. I would stay away from courses that require lots of visualization. My courses would be more of an information type. I would make my course more group friendly because of the time factor in dealing with individual students. It sure would be nice if I could incorporate a to way video so as to enable me to see what the students are doing and to enable the students to see me. This is now being done in some on line course. Assuming that the students have the proper equipment, I would want to make sure the students know the equipment and understand how to use the equipment. Sometimes there are problems with the internet so I would probably video my lessons so that students could view it at a later date, or they might just want to review the lesson. I personally like the on line classes because there are no distractions, and I think that I get more out of them because of the less interruptions.

Elluminate Class

There’s really quite a bit to consider when designing an online course. The first thing I actually will consider is what it is I want the students to learn and then move from there. I will then check the state standard requirements and match that to the curriculum I am trying to make. The next thing I will consider is the types of materials that I and the students will need. Lab equipment if there is some sort of lab, tests, and notes. Let’s also not forget about the lesson plans. All this of course must be electronically done to transmit over Elluminate. The cost must also be considered due to budget limitations for labs. I also must consider breaking down the teaching aspect and the timing of teaching the various parts of the material. Lots of PowerPoint presentations may be the best thing during the lecture. The labs for the class must be considered as well, how much space, procedures and maintenance of equipment. I would have to assume that all the equipment the student requires will have to all be available to the student before the session starts. I am assuming of course that the student will require some sort of hardware and then get on Elluminate. Since everything I just said is a rough draft, I am certain that I may have to revise some procedures as I learn how to really teach online!

Mamane on Elluminate

I would love to teach a course on Elluminate. I can only think of a handful of students who would enjoy online learning or be successful with it. If this were for a high school class, you have to consider, Do all students have access to a computer with Internet service? Also, are there any costs involved with an online class? What day would we "meet" online? Many students work or have extra curricular activities after school. A big question is, How do you assess the students? Of course, that may depend on what activities we would do online.

I can imagine any part of Broadcast Video Production that could be taught online would be any theory-based section of the course. Reading and writing seem to be most conducive to Elluminate learning nature. Unless there is the possibility to show the students how our editing program works, we would be limited to what can be shown on the whiteboard. One activity I could do is the Morse Code activity I do durng History of Mass Media. The students would be broken up into break out groups where they would translate a sentence into Morse Code. There they would practice "speaking" their sentence in the "dit, dah" method, or type it on the whiteboard. When reunited with the entire class, the other students would raise their hand if they can figure out what the sentence is.

I have actually offered to my students online learning similar to the ULearn modules. I told them that they can do the reading and activities at home so we can have more time to apply the theory in class. NOBODY was interested. Not even the most gung-ho video students. I think typical high schoolers want little to do with after-school learning. But that doesn't mean we can try.

Online course considerations

Creating an online course is challenging. You must consider what types of learners you may get. You may not see any students face to face, so having very detailed course expectations is important. When teaching a online course you must try to know all the ins and outs of the application. Because questions will arise about the new application. Its probably a good idea to have students look over the frequently asked questions section before they ask their questions. In my past experience will online course we were split into groups for the quarter and it was our responsibility to logon and complete assignments on time. We would only sign in once a week for instructor interaction. The instructor could see if and who signed on for group sessions. I experienced having to complete assignments with only 3 members of a 6 member group, communication really is the key in an online environment. With anything new it will have kinks in the beginning but they can be ironed out over time.

In the online environment writing activities are best. Groups or individuals can always create and submit written projects from anywhere. You could also have groups create and present a power point presentation about some course information. I like blogging as well it keeps everybody communicating by sharing your opinions and ideas. 

Elluminate

If i were using elluminate for a program I would really have to plan the course out. I think that I would use it for my broadcasting class as an after hour work question session as well as an in class way of me being able to help the students at their computers not having to walk around the room trying to get to everyone. The are definitely some pros to using it because of the fact that it advances the use of computer technology among students and gives the a chance to use the new technology. Students really enjoy using technology for the most part but then you have he few that don't enjoy computers. And that brings up the cons because some students don't enjoy using new technology they feel that the challenge is too much. You also run into the problem of those that can not pick up on the technology, and that slows everyone else down.

Elluminate Drafting Style

I will start off by saying; I think that a CTAE course would be one of the most difficult curriculums to conduct an Elluminate course in. Due to the fact that there is so much hands on exploration that takes place in our classrooms. For example, in Engineering Drawing & Design we deal primarily with CAD programs and the introductions of different views of objects. I would have to make certain all students had direct access to the CAD software I was introducing. Also, to be certain that the PowerPoint used in Elluminate had video capabilities. This way I could demonstrate the content area and they could download the video and have it on hand for future references. If not, I could learn more about the screen share command that Dr. Burns used in class this pass Monday. By letting the students have a visual of the exercise assigned, I feel I could demonstrate the use of the program well enough they could complete the assignment on there on. I’m confident enough in my abilities as well as the software utilities I could come up with something.

Drafting on Elluminate

If I were designing an Architecture and Engineering class to be delivered through Elluminate, I would definitely have to plan many different types of activities. First off, whenever I introduce a new topic, I am usually using some sort of CAD program to explain the skill. My Elluminate session would have to have video capabilities as the whiteboard would not be suffice for the lesson.

I also would have to take into account the need to practice the skills learned in the class session. In a face-to-face classroom setting, I am able to walk around the room and observe a student's progress. If I were using Elluminate, I would do the same by setting up individual break-out rooms and enter each room and have a few minutes of one-on-one instruction with the students. Break out room also could be used as we do in NTI. As a transfer-in, I could have students collaborate in their groups to complete some type of review assignment to reinforce the previous content.

These are a few ideas to get the creativity flowing. I'm sure as I began to use the software and it's capabilities, I would come up with different types of strategies for teaching the content.

Elluminate Live

I would love to use Elluminate Live with broadcasting students. I remember when I first began to edit. I had to call my "mac" mentor and communicate over the phone while editing and asking him questions. He had a mac with the same program and so he would answer my questions while we both looked at the software. All of this was done while we both had crooked necks from using the telephone against our ears. How nice it would have been to use the Elluminate system to work together with the new speaker/headsets. As a student, I have found Elluminate to be a great tool for learning. As a teacher, the resource would be a great tool for teaching. The interaction of a classroom or a program would encourage both learning and teaching. Broadcasting is already technical, so to incorporate Elluminate, seems natural. I can envision this software for my students. I could help them with problems and assignments when they are editing outside of the classroom. Not only would my students have interaction with me and other students regarding the lessons, but they would be fine tuning their "online" application skills.
One thing to consider is that not all students have access to computers. Maybe the software could be used in the classroom initially to train the students. After that, those students that have access to computers could benefit at home. Those who don't have at home computers could use computers in the public library or other hopeful options, such as a relatives home.
I would teach the main lesson in the broadcasting lab at school. Alternative learning and additional training could be done after hours for those who had access to a computer. I find that not all of my broadcasting students want to edit. Some prefer filming, anchoring and scriptwriting. Hopefully, the true editors will find a way to access the additional learning time via Elluminate.
I would initially set up with my students the Elluminate program. We would have in class training. The school would provide the headsets. After this we would establish a time for "group learning" online. Those students that need financial aid for headsets, I would provide out of the broadcasting budget. Since Elluminate is on the computer and editing is done on the computer, I can think of many activities to work on with the students. We could learn how to edit together and troubleshoot problems. We could investigate other websites that teach filming and editing tips and share them. One more idea is to work on scriptwriting together. You could visualize the script and discuss it via the internet. This new program venture would develop via trial and error. The reward awaits for those students who make the time and effort to take hold of the opportunity.

Elluminate Live

Designing a course for Elluminate Live would require meticulous planning. You have to have multiple backups plans in case your technology fails. You would also need a great deal of patience for the variety of technology skill levels of the students, and be patient with their technology hiccups. To piggy back off the skill levels of students, you would need to take into account their performance abilities when you create assignments and tasks for them to complete. Activities to include in Elluminate Live would require every student to be active and engaged with some type of responsibility/accountability. It is easy for a student to get off task on the “Internet”, so I would use grouped assignments. I would take advantage of the Internet and create research assignments while students are grouped, allotting time for researching and then a specified time to discuss what they found (maybe share links on the whiteboard).

Elluminate Class

Being that I'm a culinary teacher I feel that using a class structure like elluminate will only work for classes like sanitation or nutrition. Delivering information for classes like this is pretty much lecture. For high school students I feel that a class designed in this manner will be a huge challenge for most students, due to the fact that I feel they mainly need to physically see the instructor and utilizing more hands on techniques. But for a class that consist of mainly lecture it may work to the point that power points,group assignments and various whole class discussions will work because you can conduct a larger class size and possibly cover more information. I do feel that the challenges will out weigh the benefits when it come to high school students. Since you will not be standing in front of them you can't tell if they are really grasping the information being presented or if they are paying attention at all. For adults its great because with various schedules it makes it easier to jump online where ever you are when the class time start. Most teenagers are not that responsible to stop what they are doing to go and log in to an online class.

So all these things would have to be seriously considered before attempting some thing like this on a high school level. With so many distractions ( cell phones, television, ipod, etc) I feel that it would be easy for students to loose focus on what being taught. If this technique was used I know all activities would have to well structured and designed to hold the students attention. SO it would have to be something as a teacher you know they would enjoy for the duration of class. I would maybe have them teach portions of the lesson so they would have to be on point. Work on projects, create power points relevant to the lesson and maybe even design some games focused around the games shows we see on TV daily. This will make it much more interactive and maintain the students attention.

Me personally I enjoy our elluminate class when we work on group activities. It allows everyone an opportunity to participate in class because you basically have no other choice. I also really enjoy being able to be at home or work to complete class/assignments.

Elluminate

Designing a course for Elluminate would offer significant challenges for high school students. Although I believe that any course could be adapted to this technological format, the considerations for general population students would be enormous. First of all, the things I would need to consider; internet access, computer literacy, responsibility, dependability and of course training. Secondly, knowledge and assessment of the individual students would be an important detail in the initial planning phases of an elluminate course. Finally, Healthcare Science as the subject matter will offer a few challenges of its own as well as the high school setting itself. Considering all of these factors, I would be most likely to utilize this as a combination course, live dates and elluminate dates, and with advanced level students only.

The types of activities that I would like to use would include groups, small groups, whole group discussions, brainstorming, panel discussions, lecture, student presentation and group projects. I am not so sure how videos work within this environment but I would use it if adaptable. There are many positive attributes of Elluminate; however, I have difficulty visualizing the program for high school students. I think that it could allow a more detailed or in debt coverage of Healthcare Science theory, especially for the introductory courses. Additionally the technology at hand could improve student accessibility and utilization of technical tools for group projects and presentations. Ultimately, Elluminate has been a wonderful experience for me and has given me additionall insight into the technological advancements that are available to us.

Designing Elluminate Live

One consideration is the knowing and understanding the technical knowledge and ability of the student/client population that you are going to serve. Besides each person’s knowledge and ability, network connections, for example dial up, and Internet Providers will play a factor on how well each student would be able to connect and participate. Another consideration is the ability and age of each student’s computer, for example the IBM 5150 PC ;>) would be impossible to operate in today’s environment. The individuals’ technical understanding could be resolved by taking some courses to help them better understand and perform computer work online. There are several ways to resolve the hardware, software and connection issues. Certainly purchasing and upgrading would be the first and most convenient. Other ways to resolve the connection and hardware/software issue would be to borrow an up to date computer, go to a friend’s house, use one at school or go to a library that provides computers and computer connections.

Another consideration is each individuals learning style or modality. For instance the interpersonal learner that learns best by sharing, comparing and cooperating also learns from eye contact and body language to open communication channels with others. These learners usually try to see things from another person’s point of view, blending it with theirs, to help them gain more understanding. Often they try to maintain peace and cooperation in a group. They often learn from another person’s perspective. Generally they would be able to share, compare and cooperate on line but would not be able to rely on eye contact, (the evil eye, ;>), or body language. They quite possibly would be more reserved in sharing and restricted in learning by not being able to use their full sensory input. The use of web cameras would quite possibly remove those obstacles for the interpersonal learner, making it feel more like a classroom.

Generally there are positive and negative considerations for each of the learning styles pertaining to on line learning, Elluminate. This rule applies to life. Each learning style should be evaluated with a list of what is supported and what is not for the online classes. Also, it should be remembered that we learn from multiple styles having different allocations of how much we learn from each. It is finally up to us as students to manage how we learn by developing all of our learning modalities.

Thanks,
Ron

Designing an Elluminate Class

I think the content and your objectives determine how you want to design the Elluminate class. If you were going to do straight lecture with question and answer you could easily use Elluminate to deliver the PowerPoint and then allow students to chime in. You could have a reasonably large class. The more group work you want to do the smaller the overall class size should be. The training and time need to get use to the program is essential. I think plenty of time has been allowed in our class to get use to it. The pace has been good for me. However, our class is fairly large. The more people in the class the wider the range of abilities are in using this technology. More time may be needed to get everybody up to speed and comfortable with the technology. If you have a lot of content to deliver you may not have the time for that so you need to limit the size of the class. Also, I think instruction in etiquette is needed. How we interact on Elluminate is different than when we are in person in a classroom. Since we don't see faces and may not recognize voices it is more important to announce who is speaking. It is important to know about using the on and off mic button. I think most people have figured it out by trial and error. Also, facial expression is lost even when you hear the voice and misunderstandings or misinterpretations can occur more easily. Feelings can get hurt more easily, tension can build more easily, etc. I think this needs to be thought out and addressed in the beginning to help everyone realize and understand these things. I don't think you should assume everyone knows how to interact in this type of environment. Also, in small group all the members may feel comfortable jumping in but other groups may not. You may have a very silent group who are just waiting for someone else to start. You have a lot of silence wondering who is actually there and participating. I think that group leaders need to be assigned by the instructor before groups are assigned so that the conversation will keep going. Overall, I am enjoying using Elluminate for our class though I am still fearful of how group work will turn out.

Designing an Elluminate Live Course

When designing an Elluminate Live course, I would carefully consider the target audience or student population and perform a needs assessment to determine the overall design of the course and the objectives. The activities would include whole group and small group assignments using the some instructional strategies learned in NTI. In the Health care Science classes, Elluminate Live can be used to delivery the theory using power point presentations before mandatory on site lab experiences.

Truthfully, I would use the same design that Dr. Burns is currently introducing to us in this course. Everything is going well with our class now that we are more comfortable with the technology. Being a participant in this class and experiencing Elluminate Live really helps feel up to date with technology. This experience is also an excellent conversation "piece" when talking with friends.

Elluminate Live

There are always considerations with instruction. Is the equipment available to all students, and proper instruction for its use. I feel our students are more capable, and more at home with technology. Of course we need to have our objectives mapped, then make it interesting. With the internet at our disposal this should be easier. We can offer alternatives that require little effort compared to a traditional classroom. Time considerations to maximize participation, and careful planning would be essential to this type of setting. I subbed for a business class yesterday and the lesson plan for that day would have worked well in this setting. So many students fail their first semester in college do to the lack of regiment they received through high school, I believe this would help their transition. With technology levels of today, and the lower cost of this technology why would we not use it?

Elluminate Live

First, you would need to know how many students would be in the Elluminate Live class. Then, you would need to get a user license for that many students. Next, everyone involved would have to down load the Elluminate Live program, and have the equipment needed to participate during the online class. You would have to make sure you had your lesson plans and power points ready to go. At least one meeting is essential with the students in person to go over the rules and to make sure everyone has everything needed for the class. You would need a rubric explaining the expectations of the class. Also, a syllabus is needed to let students know the dates and times of online sessions. In addition, plenty of tech support is good to have during the online class. I would want to instruct an activity on the first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution. One activity on the topic could be open discussion. Students would choose one of the amendments. For example, they could choose the second amendment and open up the discussion by stating the federal laws that pertain to the amendment. Students would each have a time to discuss the contents of the amendment. Get students thinking by having them declare if they are in favor of or against gun control? Then, have both sides defend their views. Close out the lesson by having all students going to the teacher’s blog and give an in-depth account of their beliefs. This could lead into your next meeting online by having students rewrite the second amendment in the way they think it should be written.

Elluminate

One of the first things I would consider is what are my objectives for presenting a class on-line and who would my target audience be. Would it be feasible to have high school students
participate in an Elluminate course? This may not be the best option for HS but I can definitely see it becoming the new "way to teach" for technical schools and post secondary. With the economy shakey at present, an elluminate course could prove to be an ideal option for working students. I could also see NTI expanding and creating more elluminate courses in the future. I for one would love to have a constuctive discipline course offered. I think more material can be covered at a quicker pace than in an open classroom setting.

But, as a Healthcare Science teacher if I did use elluminate I would use it primarily for group projects/work. I really like the power points (I am a visual learner) and the ability to download and print off. I like the idea of collaborative learning. I would also use elluminate and offer it to other Healthcare Science teachers for lesson planning and getting new ideas for the material we need to cover. Sometimes as teachers we really don't have the needed collaboration within our own field of teachers. Maybe I will suggest this to the CTAE people and see what their thoughts are!

I think I would have a difficult time adapting to elluminate as a teacher. Kudos to those who are technical capable. I am technically challenged and find it very confusing from a teaching stand point. However if I was going to teach elluminate live, I would use consistant small groups. One I think it gives the students security. Secondly, it would be less confusing for me.

Given the opportunity to teach elluminate: I would teach to my advanced class. This would give me an advatage. I would know my students and their dedicated to education. I would use activities such as: question sheets, discussion groups, and some type of module. I am not sure how difficult this would be, but I am sure I would figure it out. Atleast I hope! :)

Elluminate

If I were going to use elluminate in one of my classes, there are lots of things that would have to be considered. The first consideration I would have to address would be if my students had access to the necessary technology needed to participate in the course. My students are from the lower economic level and alot of them don't have computers at home and rely on the ones at school or the library to complete their work. I would have to jump over that hurdle first. The second consideration would be their level of computer knowlege and ability to access Elluminate. I would have to educate them on the program, how to use it and how to hook up the headset and microphone and then assess thier abilities to use the system by trial and error, much like we have done for this class. Another consideration would be their level of maturity and motivation. As adult learners, we are motivated to attend these sessions and focus on each lesson because our job depends upon this and because we have paid for the course. I don't feel like most of my lower level students would have the maturity to attend class and pay the necessary attention that an elluminate lesson involves. As for the activities I would include, I would like to use short film clips, group work and PowerPoint lessons. The white board would be used for student presentations and of course classroom discussion would be a major activity.

Overall, I love the elluminate technology for myself, but I feel that it may be a little advanced for my students just because the motivation to attend an independent learning session such as this type requires just is not there most of the time.

Elluminate

If I were to do Elluminate lessons I would need to consider the knowledge base of my students as well as their interest levels and academic abilities. With that said, I can see how Elluminate could work for most students and in all of my curriculums. I believe I could easily implement lessons on medical ethics allowing the students the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of ethical issues. I would also like to try some group work and use the white board as a communication tool.
Reading and writing are really being pushed at my school and Elluminate lends itself well in achieving that goal.
One of the things I really enjoy about Elluminate is that I already know my classmates and can recognize their voices. With that said, as communication occurs, either with the white board, messaging, or voice, I can visualize that person.....guess I'm a visual learner. Knowing the people you are working with makes it fun and adds an element of interest. If I were working with strangers I would have a tendency to be much more reserve.

If I ... Elluminate Live

If I was going to be delivering a course via Elluminate Live, I would have to consider many things. First of all, I would have to consider my students. I need to know how much they know about technology so that I know how much time I need to spend teaching the technology aspect of the course. This would help the course run smoother and save time in the long run. I would need to consider the learning styles of my students. Do they need a Powerpoint so that they can visually see the lesson? Do they need to do an activity? Everyone learns differently, and that should be considered. I would have to consider the schedule. Some students may be teaching until 3:45, so I do not need to start my class at 4:00. I really like the Powerpoints and the group work that is possible with Elluminate Live. It is really nice to be able to read along while the instructor is talking. The group work allows students to check their understanding and to compare understandings.

Josh - Guidance Interview

I think that doing this assignment will be a huge benefit for me as I really don't know much about my school's Guidance Department. I have met the head of the department before and I think that she will be great to work with. I have also decided to interview a few of the other counselors as well. As I am wanting to not only do this project for this assignment, but for future North Cobb students, I intend to get the most out of this. Getting to know what services are offered by the department for students and teachers, will make me a better resource for my students, especially when they have personal issues.

I have enjoyed the blog experience so much that I am doing it with my students now. It is going very well and I think everyone should give it a shot if you haven't yet.

Interview Post

Hey!

I think that building a relationship with all staff is important - with guidance and administrators being right up there. Interviewing a guidance counselor will be helpful because I feel like I know my admin fairly well and interact with them on a daily basis. (By choice, not because I am in trouble.) :) I think that many different departments never see each other and I think there is a disconnect between guidance and many of our teachers. I interact with them but have never really had an opportunity to discuss matters that are important to me, my students, the future of my program, or how a better relationship can be developed through class presentations, collaborative projects, career testing, etc. This will be helpful to see things from their perspective and gain insight on what they do on a daily basis - or on a long term basis from working with an upcoming 9th grader all the way through graduation.

Thanks!
DP

Interview (KJ)

I think the most important aspect of this assignment will give me a chance to have some face time with the counselor of my chosen. I have chosen to speak with the ninth grade counselor at our school. Reason being, I have a ninth grade advisement class. It just made sense for me to speak with her and open the door to a better relationship with her and help give me a better understanding into my ninth grade students as well as the other students in my classes. I feel the more you learn about the trials and tribulations our students face on a daily basis, the better we can reach them on their level. Also, feel the more we inform the schools about our CTAE programs the more of an opportunity we have to give the students a look into a career field they might not have ever been exposed to.

Interview with Counselor

This week I had an opportunity to visit one of our Counselors at one of our home schools. Hopefully this will further open communications between the program I teach as well and the other programs in our school with the four county home schools that our students come from. Better informed students will be able to make choices that reflect their interest and career goals. Also communicating with the Counselors will make them more aware of our school and its programs as choices for their students when it comes to career counseling.

By visiting the Counselor I have gained a better understanding how much their job encompasses and how communicating with them can help me as a teacher. I thought I had an idea about their roles till the interview. I now have a much better appreciation for their role and the services they offer to the student, parent, teachers, school and community. The interview has helped by opening up two way communications on our common goal, preparing the students for their future.

Thanks,
Ron

Guidance Conselor Interview

I believe that any interaction you have with a colleague should be one that leaves both parties more eduacated and informed upon their departure from each other. I have already had many interactions with my counseling deparment-some of which were not so pleasant, but they all left me better informed about the counseling process and them about my program and it's structure. I have had to educate the counselors on issues from the meaning of my class titles to the importance of not having the students skip prerequisite classes. I am looking forward to expanding our knowledge base of one another through this interview.

I think the interview will not only help foster a better working relationship between myself and the counselors but it will allow me to share this information with my other colleagues as well. So many times teachers find themselves at war with the counseling department and in particular CTAE teachers. Specific programs have found themselves to be dumping grounds for the more challenging students with the conselors not having knowledge of the curriculun and the success of the student within it. The counselor's find themseles in difficult situations with having not only to please parents, students and administrators but have to follow specific federal mandates as well which some teachers are unaware of. I would like to make my interview public in some way either by email or as a presentation at a faculty meeting to help close the gap between teachers and counselors.

Counselor Interview

Interview

I think that this assignment has the potential to impact in a number of ways what happens in our programs as well as students lives. First and foremost, I think it will increase the collaboration between the counseling staff and me regarding the best interest of students who are currently in the healthcare science program. Secondly, with a greater understanding of the counseling department’s mission and what services they provide I will be more proactive and less reactive to student’s social, emotional, career, and academic needs. Thirdly, I think students will benefit directly from the collaboration and proactive approach by receiving appropriate, timely, effective interventions that will impact their overall academic performance and future career goals. Lastly, I think it will give me an opportunity to share with the counseling department about the healthcare science program and the advantages it offers to students who are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare.

Counselor Interview Project

Interviewing a counselor can be beneficial in many ways. I believe that the counseling office at my school has a wealth of resources for both my students and myself. Having a one on one conversation with one of the counselors on staff, I hope will enable me to take advantage of the resources available. I also believe that this interview could serve as a way to promote my program. Anytime a counselor sits down with an existing student, or even a new student, I want my program to be one of the first that they suggest! This interview could be used as a time for me to sell my classes to the ones who set the schedules for students. I look forward to completing this assignment and hope that it is a good experience.

Counselor Interview

I am looking forward to my interview with our guidance counselor and learn more about her tasks. I believe this assignment will have a threefold effect on my program and students. Counselors provide invaluable resources of support for students in academic, social and career settings. Academically, counselors assist my students in deciding technical pathways to pursue. They help them to plan curriculums and map out courses they need to complete in order to finish the pathway. Counselors help students seek opportunities to experience various career opportunities through course placement, career testing, presentations and counseling. Ultimately, counselors help students balance their academic loads with the social and personal aspects of their lives. Often times, students are at the crossroads in their lives. They are trying to balance school with social acceptance, family challenges and the mere physical aspects of growing up. Although I am knowledgeable of the subject matter I teach, my insight related to the tasks of the counselor are very limited. My ultimate goal is to ensure the success of my students. Having counselors to help my students develop a academic maps, guide them through the curriculums and see to it that social and personal challenges are minimized that impede their opportunity to succeed.

Counselor Meet and Greet

It is often difficult to understand what exactly a job intales without actually getting some one on one feedback from a person working within that specific field. Therefore, I look forward to speaking with a counselor at my school so that I may gain more insight as to the details of his or her workload. Some of the things I know counselors are responsible for are student schedules, helping with personal or school related problems, enrollment, college planning, etc. I almost think of them as the department that handles the majority of the school "issues." I can think of several counselors at my school that I know I will actually enjoy talking with and honestly, this assignment makes me wonder why I haven't taken the time previously to do this on my own. I think that having a good relationship with the counselors can be beneficial to my program because counselors play such a large role in the development of student schedules. I look forward to this opportunity to build a connection that I do not currently have. This will be a fun assignment!

Interview

I think this will be a great assignment and very informal due to the fact that we are the first school in the Atlanta Public Schools system to integrate the Small Learning Communities. Interviewing our guidance counselor will help me understand how the system breaks down each student’s data. Obtaining this vital information I think will translate to the teacher understanding more about a student and their particular needs within the classroom.

I think this will be a great benefit to me as well as the students. This will allow me to access the student by their learning styles and their behavior needs. I really feel that this will ultimately help me to be more effective as a teacher and provide my students the best learning environment possible.

Counselor Interview

I look forward to completing this assignment this week. I gave both of our school's counselors a preliminary question page to look over. They were very excited about the interview that I will be conducting. I have had a few good interventions that were handled by our counselors to perfection. I knew both of our counselors outside of school before I started teaching. They are Saints. The many job responsibilities that they have are awesome. During my preliminary talks with them, they both say that they only have about 25 percent of their day to do their real job. I have noticed that they work very close with the social worker and the school nurse. Those two are only part time for one day a week so the counselors have to do their jobs also. The paperwork and reporting detail looks horrendous. I do look forward to doing my report.

Counselor Interview

I have not conducted the interview with my counselor yet; however, I can't wait.  I believe that it will give me a much better insight as to how the scheduling system works, as well as lining students up with pathways for their education.  I also want to understand the counselor's thought processes to finding the exact fit for students, lining up their classes/schedules.  I believe that it will also "connect" me with the counselors.  This will help me understand if they have a good understanding of the classes in the Healthcare Science pathway.  This will greatly benefit my students because we'll get students into the program who really want to be there and the counselor and I can  move them closer to a career of their choice by understanding each other.

Interviewing a counselor became my assignment for the week. I feel this process helped understand what the counselors deal with and the stress at times they submit themselves to. Mr Hardy at Morrow High School became my task. I really feel comfortable speaking with him because from the first day at Morrow he helped me gain knowledge on how to recruit students for my program. When I first came to Morrow I actually had to go from class to class recruiting students to make my program of Criminal Justice interesting to the student body and he had a big hand in my success. I feel the program runs better when your administrators and counselors involve themselves. I have heard horror stories from other schools in my county how CRJU has become a dumping ground for students who continue to show bad behavior, but I beleive because of my relationship with the coounselors I receive students who really and truly want to learn about Criminal Justices Information. Couselors can make your studentgs who you receive be the blood line of your program.

Interview with School Counselor

I am hopeful that the interview with the school Counselor will give me an extra opportunity to explain the Health care Science Pathways again. I have already had many discussions with the school counselor regarding the need to place students in my class when they can't find an appropriate fit. These are usually the students that do have an interest in health care and are usually the ones that will cause class disruptions. Most importantly I want to discuss class size and find out what can be done to limit the class size to around 20 students. Large classes in HSTE Pathways are difficult to manage when performing hands on skills and making certain that all have meet the criteria. I am very curious about the practices and procedures used for placing students in the HSTE classes. Certainly there has to be a set of guidelines used to make these decisions. I am also concerned about the push for every child to go to college and the realistic expectations for every child. I really don't hear much in my school about the Technical School/College approach and the good opportunities offered in those educational settings. I a really looking forward to the face to face opportunity to sit and have that one on one conversation with the School
Counselor. I can see that she works very hard but she also seems very relaxed mosted of the time even during the hectic scheduling time. If nothing else comes out of the interview I hope she can share some of her techniques for relaxing with me.

Mamane on Couselor Interview

I have yet to conduct my interview with a counselor, and I can't wait to get it done. I understand, now, that, as teachers, it's crucial to have a good relationship with the counselors. Ultimately, they are the ones who choose your students for you -- in a way. That is, those students who did not choose your program are placed in there by counselors. It's important that they understand the dynamic of the courses you teach and where those course take the students. I have had several phone conversations with counselors regarding the students they put in my classes. This year alone, I've had several students placed into my program who have had trouble with the law -- one in particular who is COURT-ORDERED to attend school and who spent time in jail for STEALING. Great candidate for a program that deals with thousands of dollars worth of equipment...

At this point, I really need to understand the counselor's point of view. I know they have a job to do, and it would help me be more patient with the decisions they make (one counselor in particular knows my concerns with their "dumping" students in my program). I've decided to develop a brochure on Broadcast Video Production for counselors to have on hand to give to students who can't decide which pathway elective to take. I think that would take some of the burden off of the counselors who have to find a spot to plug in students. Ultimately, this should help "align" students to the pathway best for them.

Counselor Interview

Well, I didn't initially think that the counselor's did a lot during the day, but when I actually tried to track one down to set up an interview it was really difficult! I think this interview project will cause me to achieve a difference perspective and appreciation for what our counselor's actually do. From speaking with one counselor for a few minutes, they are panicking about graduation now. We, as teachers, get the bulk of our graduation work/duties at the end of April or May. I've never really understood their thought process on putting students into my automotive class. The majority of my first year students tell me they were just signed up for automotive. Also, I have eight students in ONE CLASS, that are wonderful probationers of our school probation officer. In my opinion, that is why that class period is so...... less than desirable! So, it would be interesting to me to know exactly how much thought process and consideration is put into scheduling students for classes. Also, what factors are taken for students that continue to fail the same subject, such as Algebra or Literature. CTAE courses mandate a certain amount of mathematics, science, reading and writing. Ideally, we as CTAE Teachers, do not want to have the students that refuse to try to learn reading and writing. Well, I hope I get a lot out of the interview. I definitely have some big questions to ask! Have a great weekend!

Counselor Interview

With this interview, I am hoping to establish the kind of relationship with the school counselors that I have never had before. For example, the interview may create an environment where I can request not to be “dumped on” as my class seems to fill up with students that hates being in my class. It is very difficult to actually manage a class when you have half the students in your class did not sign up for it. It may also give me an insight in the protocols or procedures counselors follow to create schedules. Sometimes I often wonder about what it is they are thinking about when they make these schedules. From my finite point of view, because I do not do the job of course, counselors seem to just throw people in my class because of convenience! I could be wrong, but the result is always undisputable. The students that end up in my class are wonders why they are in there.

Interview

Yeah... this is something i said I wanted to start doing before the beginning of the school year so that counselors can have a clear understanding of what goes on in the culinary classroom. As we all know Career Tech is treated like a step child but in all honesty our programs are just as important as core classes. I feel this will really strengthen the program because once the counselors get the understanding of all the things involved and the detail that goes into anything that we do they will place the students there that ONLY want to be in our classes. For me dealing with so much dangerous equipment can cause harm to a lot of people if someone does not follow procedure properly or listen carefully to instructions. Career tech is also the saviour for many of our students that are not college bound, we given them other alternatives and show them that can achieve anything they set there mind to. Retrospectively it will make the programs grow and gain better recognition, when others see so many students coming out of our programs continuing on to make it life career. Sometimes I feel that our counselors are a little misinformed when it comes to our programs, they don't see nor understand the ineptness that goes into our finished products ( students). This is one assignment I feel will give great benefit to Career Tech.

Interview assignment

Anytime an assignment makes us seek out new information there will be a positive benefit. I have not done my interview yet because I am still trying to decide what benefit I want from this assignment. I was initially leaning towards doing an interview with a technical school administrator because I felt a need to start building better bridges for my students to the community and get better opportunities for them to experience health care. However, after reading the posts this week I see a lot of benefit in interviewing the school counselor. I have not had much interaction with my counselors at all. At our school all teachers are expected to participate in a twice a year event called arena planning where students have the maps to be completed for their four years and go to each department to get counseled on what classes to take. Students have come to the career tech department and ask questions to determine what the classes are like. We ask get to ask the students questions to help determine what their likes are and what their goals are. I would like to know though, what the counselors know of my program and how they help students decide to take my classes. I have had good experiences so far with students wanting to be in my class overall. Next year, however, we are going to a modified block schedule and it has been stressed that all classes will be scheduled to capacity because new teachers will not be hired, hopefully no one is laid off, and normal attrition of teachers will not be filled. This could impact my class in that I will have more students who are not interested in health care. I do feel that now is an important time to may the connections I need to make with the counselors and find out their perspectives on my program.

Interview

I think it is a wonderful idea to interview faculty from different positions at school. I am looking forward to interviewing one of our counselors to get an insight into what she deals with daily. I have spoken with the different counselors many times with student issues. But I know they do a lot more than just put out fires! My youngest daughter is a junior this year at the school I work at and she has an interest in counseling. So this interview will serve dual purpose. Perhaps the information I gain will help her also in her quest for a career. It is also my hope that this interview will help me to better understand my students and their issues. I am sure that the counselors have a totally different take on my students than I do.

Interview

I really think that interview the counselor  at my school will be informative because of the fact that I speak with her on a regular basis. I learned early that school counselors can be a big help to you if you can get them on your side. This is a fact because the are the ones who adjust the schedules for the students. In past school years I have ended up with some of the schools most troublesome student in one class together, but because I had a good relationship with the counselors I was able to have those students moved from my class the next semester. 

Another good point to having a relationship with the counselor is when comes time to make the schedule for the upcoming school year you can have more input on what time you want a certain class to be and which students maybe able to be placed together in your advanced classes. I have a great respect for high school counselors because their job seems to be very tiring and never ending because of the many things that they deal with scheduling and etc, seems that they never really get the chance to actual council someone.

Interview with counselor

I look forward to the interview that I have set up with the school counselor this week. It is "counselors" week at the school. So, I plan on getting my interview for my class but plan also to do a story for the school news. I believe that the interview will enlighten me as to the vast responsibilities of our school counselors. I have a mindset about what I believe they do, but do I really know ? I am familiar with all three of my school counselors. I see them as busy, caring and directed. There has been some opportunity to see them intercede in a meeting or counsel with a student. However, I have never really taken the time to ask what their job description encompasses. I feel that the discussion with them will give me deeper insight into what a high school counselor does for its students. By understanding this better, I can better promote the counselors and their services to my own students. Better yet, as a broadcasting teacher, I can promote all of the counselors as an entirety to the student body.

Dallas,J Counselor

I do believe the interview is going to be a real plethora of information. I personally will be interviewing my SEVLT who is the counselor at my school. But she has also been in many setting of the educational process. Being that our school is all IEP students our counseling staff has to have good credentials. The information we can gain I think will be very useful, and the resources that can be learned as well. If you probe you will find that the councilor is probably the most important person in the school. Our councilors have so many connections with help for our student not only in school, but after school and their families. I know alot about what our councilors, but after this interview I think I will really know what they do and how to use all of the resources that we can use for our students.

Dallas,J Sharing Information

Hello all! I don't know how many of you have a co-teacher or paraprofessional in your class room. If you do here is a good suggestion. Inform your para. or helper of the things we have been learning in NTI. I have a para. in my class who has been in the teaching business for many years before NTI was established. As I have learned new things in the class and found so many new ways of doing things, felt it necessary to school my paras with this information. This is part of the cooperation that must be in the classroom. If the students see a flaw in the teamwork they will exploit this fast. There must be teamwork for the class to operate correctly. I was having trouble before with this para not wanting to follow the lesson plans, and wanting to do things the way he felt. After several team meetings and me sharing the information from NTI with him he completely turned around. I think all paras should at least have to take the summer class of NTI,also, this would greatly help teachers in the classroom. Especially the ones who have been teachers in the past.

Counselor Interview

I expect to gain valuable insight into a counselor’s roles and responsibilities. I believe that knowledge is power and in the end will always be an asset. Since I am not in a traditional school, I have given quite a bit of thought to this project and appropriate questions to ask my counselor. She has already been helpful in many ways some probably traditional and some could be a stretch, I am actually unsure. I have had a couple of students who were homeless and she has helped them in many ways. She has asked me to assist students that were badly in need of “extra help” in order to graduate.
I have seen her be very tough on a student with a tremendous amount of absenteeism, but yet she gave him another chance. I really learned something from that encounter.

The interview questions hopefully will elicit the information I need to improve my program. For instance, one question that I cannot wait to ask is “How is the information about my program communicated to other counselors? I have had many students tell me that their counselors or advisors knew nothing of my program and others have told me that they were told it didn’t exist. On another occasion, I had a student placed in my class after two thirds of the program was complete and the student was seeking certification and was told she could catch up. SOooooooooo………I expect improvement.

Counselor

I haven't conducted my interview yet because I am still thinking about various ways to formulate my interview questions. I am in a different position than most because our school is changing from the "block" style learning day to the "hybrid" or combination of traditional and block class lengths. This will greatly affect my program as well as the ways counselors place students. The counselors may be considering a new approach on how they look at recommending students.

We will have 7 periods daily with an optional zero period, and a study hall/"enrichment"/homeroom period two to three days a week. Thursdays are professional development days and students won't come in until about 9:30 in the morning.

There is so much going on in our school with the new schedule and with budget cuts that it's hard to speculate about how it will affect my program. Nonetheless, building a solid relationship with counselors would definitely be a valuable asset to the courses I teach. Effective communication will give our counselors a true perspective of what the courses have to offer. For example, when I first began teaching they were telling everyone my class was like "CSI", which is not even remotely close and some students were disapointed with that. These efforts will also keep our counselors up to date on changes with our curriculum or other areas of the program. If the counselors have a greater knowledge base of what I teach, they will also be able to compare those qualities to the qualities or interests of the students to make a "match" or effective placement which is a benefit to the students.

Counselor Int.

I have become very familiar with our counselor this year. This is my first year at this high school. My experience last year made me very aware of the benefits of having communication with your school counselors. You can see what students are interested in your class and decide which students you would or wouldn't accept in your class. Sometime the counselor will say give you advice on what to expect from the students.

My counselor this year has been a great help. She keeps us aware of scholarships and any opportunity that will benefit my students. She also holds different classroom meetings for our students about financial aid, colleges etc. Also she is a good person to talk to about anything. Interviewing her for my project will assist my classroom even more.

Interview

I have set up an appointment to interview one of our school counselors. We have 3 school counselors and they are incredibly busy with over 2000 students to place in 4 blocks every semester and all classes must be toward their graduation goal. It took the counselor 2 days just to find a good day for me to come in so that I could do the interview, so I know they are always backed up. It astounds me that not only do they do all the scheduling, but they also help students with crisis issues, help with all standardized testing and help arrange assemblies and speakers to the school in general. I believe that knowing this information will help me to appreciate the counselors even more than I already do. It will also help me to know when to send a student to a counselor and when I need to just tell the student that just because they want to take health occupations but is now placed in cosmetology (because that is what they put on their schedule card last semester) they cant' just randomly change their mind at anytime during the semester. I will also be able to recommend resources to students that the counselors offer and know more about what may be helpful to the students throughout the year.

Counselor

After assessing the responsibilities facing the counselors, I already have a new appreciation for them. Just considering the social issues that arise, this alone seems insurmountable. Given all the other requirements to see our students to graduation, their patience, resolve, caring, and logistical skills far exceed most I have known. I am fortunate to work for and be a part of North Paulding High School. Being surrounded by professionals in every aspect demands me to give the best of myself to the benefit of my students. I believe good communication with the counselors is essential for them to do their job well, this in turn will benefit our programs. These professionals are often taken for granted. Without their diligence we all would fail our wards.

Counselor Interview

When we were given this assignment, I was really excited. I was quick to decide that my choice would be an interview with a counselor. From the information I would learn, it would help make a connection between my students and me. I have not had the interview with a counselor yet, but it is scheduled. Maybe, after the interview, the counselor can come in my classroom to show how teachers and counselors work together as a team to meet their needs. I am looking forward to this chance to learn more of how to help my students. It will possibly show where my students are going with the information I'm teaching them, and help them process the information. If they are having trouble with processing it, I might be able to recognize it before it gets away from us. The key to this is to catch it early, before they feel overwhelmed. This will also show the students a bridge between the teachers and the counselors. This will also help in communication with parents as well.

Counselor Interview

Interviewing our counselor gave me a much better insight into their role. The way it can help me is when I have a question about a student, I should start with the counselor. I did not realize all the data that they have even before a student enters high school. They work with all of our middle schools counselors informing students about the difficult curriculum at our school so as to help students to make better decisions before applying for the lottery( we accept 200 students a year out of 500 application).. Also, by meeting with parents and students they help weed out students that should not be at our school. This process along with our summer boot camp for freshmen that the counselors run for a week each year help students and parents make better decission. Our students have to do on the average of three hours of home work each night. Because of this we get better prepared students which makes teaching a much easer job. One of the things that I plan to do in the future is to bring the counselor into my classroom to make students more aware of the services that they offer. I think that this could help students make better decisson and prepare them better for college and the type of career program that they want to purpose.