My Philosophy of Tech‐enhanced Teaching

Animoto is building my understanding of 21st Century learning design (21CLD) as it is a form of expressing my beliefs with regards to teaching with technology. 

Learning With Technology

Tellagami

Hello Students and Parents!

I hope you found the last activity a unique learning experience. We have been learning much about media literacy and the importance of critical reflections within the media. For this week, we are going to work with Tellagami; a mobile app that lets you create and share a quick animated Gami video. This is a website where students are able to create a review (based on anything within the media- a book, movie, magazine) and they will be required to present their review through the avatars within Tellagami. Please make sure to support your review with evidence and strengths/room for improvement. You will be given class time to prepare your rough copy and transform/transfer it onto Tellagami. 

Parents, this task relates to the Ontario curriculum as it is within the media literacy strand and oral communication of the Language curriculum.  It allows students to explore a unique way of communicating what they learned through an interactive activity.  If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to send me an email. 

Media Literacy Strand

LA.8.1.3

By the end of grade 8, students will: (Responding to and Evaluating Texts) evaluate the effectiveness of the presentation and treatment of ideas, information, themes, opinions, issues, and/or experiences in media texts (e.g., explain how a series of newspaper stories on a controversial issue captured and maintained their interest; explain the similarities and differences in the treatment of a particular topic or theme in different media texts and evaluate the relative effectiveness of the treatments; as a class, evaluate the media’s coverage of a social or environmental issue over a two-week period)

Oral Communication Strand:

LA.8.2

(Speaking to Communicate) use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes;

LA.8.2.3

By the end of grade 8, students will: (Clarity and Coherence) communicate in a clear, coherent manner, using a structure and style appropriate to the purpose, the subject matter, and the intended audience 

LA.8.2.4

By the end of grade 8, students will: (Appropriate Language) use appropriate words, phrases, and terminology from the full range of their vocabulary, including inclusive and non-discriminatory language, and a range of stylistic devices, to communicate their meaning effectively and engage the interest of their intended audience (e.g., use imagery, figurative language such as similes and analogies, and other stylistic elements such as idioms and onomatopoeia to evoke a particular mood in a dramatic monologue or an appeal for support)

LA.8.2.7

By the end of grade 8, students will: (Visual Aids) use a variety of appropriate visual aids (e.g., photographs, multimedia, diagrams, graphs, charts, costumes, props, artefacts) to support and enhance oral presentations

Story Bird

Hello students!

In Language this week, we learned about narrative stories. For your Language activity (due in two weeks), you are required to log in to Story bird and build a narrative where you can create a story of your choosing. Make sure you narrative has all the required aspects such as characters, setting, an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and an ending. Be sure to complete a rough copy within class time before posting your information online as you create your slides and continually save your work.  

Parents, this activity relates to the Language Arts curriculum. It allows students to explore a different way of communicating what they learned through an interactive activity.  If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to send me an email. 

Related Ontario Curriculum expectations (Grade 8 Writing): 

LA.8.1

(Developing and Organizing Content) generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;

LA.8.2

(Using Knowledge of Form and Style in Writing) draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience;

LA.8.3.8

By the end of grade 8, students will: (Producing Finished Works) produce pieces of published work to meet identified criteria based on the expectations (e.g., adequacy of information and ideas, logic and effectiveness of organization, effective use of form and stylistic elements, appropriate use of conventions, effective presentation)

Some other online resources!

Some of my favourite websites I use regularly are:

• The Hamilton Spectator: This is a great site for updates regarding current events and status on the local community and within the city. Feel free to use your local newspaper online website if you reside outside Hamilton. 
• Dictionary: Students, if your having trouble understanding a word...this is an efficient tool for learning the meaning of many English words. 
• Twitter: This a website with the most up-to-date information on any event or status of events or individuals/organizations.

Online resource: literature

An online resources I personally recommend for online homework help is:

Sparknotes: Having trouble understanding a text or certain literature? This is a useful tool for a more in depth look (ie. videos, test prep, summaries) and study of novels.

Welcome students!

                                                                                                 ©2013 F. Mamo

 My name is Fadia Mamo and I am a teacher candidate at Brock University in my fifth year of the Concurrent Education (Junior/Intermediate) program. I am  of Assyrian (Catholic) descent who was born in Baghdad, Iraq and I came to Canada when I was nine years old. Coming from a family of teachers, teaching has always been my passion ever since I could remember. 

Some fun facts about myself:

• I was born on October 30th (The day before Halloween)
• I have an orange cat
• I have two younger sisters
• I love playing tennis and badminton

Some things to expect from this blog are regular updates on resources you may use or tips you can take for your educational purposes. Feel free to use any of the resources or tips given here. Please do not hesitate to contact me at my email: fm10yp@gmail.com.

I will continue to update this site as often as possible, including any links that might be useful. Please feel free to comment on any of the posts.