Blog Assignment #7

What can you learn from these conversations with Anthony Capps?

By: Samantha West, Javious Williams, and Orlando Nieto

Group Blog

The videos for blog post number seven was anything but boring. We found that the project based videos were quite interesting. Watching the videos was like being able to watch a radio station morning show. Anthony Capps had a great description of Project Based Learning. We could also tell that he was interested and excited about being able to do the projects with his students. We found the project were the children had to research and learn about Iraq the most interesting. Mr. Capps actually let a student change his topic because a parent did not like the other topic. That shows that the teacher is willing to work with the parents and that they are not just by standards. Mr. Capps could really teach other teachers on what should be going on in the classrooms. His students are learning creatively and in their own way. When a student learns in Project Based form he or she can use the information for the rest of their lives other than just for the test. To have a teacher like him is what every parent wishes for at the beginning of the year.

“Additional Thought About Lessons"

By: Javious Williams

From the conversation with Anthony Capps, I have learned a lot of helpful information that I was unsure about. Anthony Capps videos are extremely helpful to any student that is planning on becoming a teacher in the near future. For my individual part of the collaborative assignment I choose to watch the "Additional Thought About Lessons" video. From the conversation Dr. Strange and Anthony Capps had in this video, I discovered information about how to develop a lesson. A lesson is at least 4 layers thick. When planning a lesson, you have to think of the lesson in terms of how it fits into your yearly plans and you must make sure that the lesson covers all of the state standards. The next layer of a lesson would be the unit. A unit is usually from six to eight weeks long. Your unit should be planned in ways that are useful and should connect in some way. After you have planned your unit, then you break the unit down into weeks. Teachers have to be able to teach everything that is cover in that unit in a matter of time with the few weeks they have. That do not mean to speed through the lesson just to say you covered everything in class. All students should have some type of clear understanding of what is being taught before the teacher moves on. The last layer of a lesson is the daily plan. The daily plan is how you deliver to your students so that you have something to get their attention and keep them engaged while you deliver the content. 
Here is a link to where I obtained my information http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB3uKpOKQwA.

"Anthony-Strange tips for teachers list"

By: Samantha West

The many tips that I was giving were really good tips. I knew they were going to be before I even watched the video because I had two really good teachers who were doing the video. The first tip was that you have to be willing to learn. This is so true. You can never expect your students to learn anything new if you yourself are not. Showing your students that you are interested in a new fact lets them see that they are just the students but you are too. The second tip is that you have to learn to be flexible. So the internet is down on lab day, is the whole class period ruined? NO, be flexible, be creative, and above all do not be boring! The third tip was that being a teacher is hard work, but it is worth it. This tip I already knew! I know that the work is never really done when it comes to being a teacher, but the reward is so much greater. Always start with an end goal in mind. What a great tip! If you never think things through more than likely things are not going to work out correctly. Also, if you set a class goal to reach by the end of the year or semester, the students are more interested in what you have to say and are excited about upcoming projects. 
Here is a link to where I obtained my information http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLne0iMZXJQ.