1/23/07 Session Blog

The information presented on Tuesday was very helpful. Tracy's overview of the subscription services at Arapahoe was very informative and useful. I wish I had known about these sooner. Maybe something we could do as a voluntary faculty meeting. I can't wait to use these for Personal Survival and Sports Medicine. I am very interested in getting the teen health subscription for Physical Education and I hope it will be something well all use. Thanks, Tracy.
On a side note, I am also looking for an online athletic training text for Sports Medicine. The information changes frequently for injury rehabilitation and evaluations.

I really enjoyed the chapter 5 article on Structuring Learning around Primary Concepts. I learned a few years ago how to discuss "big picture" and breaking it down into little pieces. I learned from Cara S. - in volleyball she would show the skill and then break it down into little parts that were easy for the players to understand. She also explained why the skill was important and where it was used. I use this in my classes all of the time now.
My group was discussing the difference between constructivist teaching and active learning. I know I think I am using constructivist teaching sometimes and it's really active learning. I think the two blend into each other and can work well together but they are not the same.

I feel this session was useful. I will definitely use the "big picture" concept when breaking down skills in class. I will also use the subscription services for my class research projects instead of just using Google. Information from different sources is important so the students get more than one opinion or angle on the subject.
Thanks planning team! What a useful and motivational session!

Take Five 1/20/07

Returning to teaching after being on maternity leave for 11 weeks has been a little difficult. While I am excited to be involved with student processing and learning; I wonder what my 3 month old daughter is processing and learning as well. I think what am I missing - what will she figure out when I am not with her? In the future will her first steps or words be at daycare? Will I feel guilty? But in the last three weeks I have seen amazing progress in her socialization skills. I contribute this to being with other kids at daycare. She is stimulated all day long with other children talking to her and showing her how to play with different toys. They are teaching her how to communicate, socialize and share. Her personality has really come out. If she were home with me, I could not give all of that too her. Still, if I could be home with her I think I would. There are positives and negatives to both situations and I am trying to find all of the positives I can in my situation.
What has helped tremendously is the support from other staff members who are in the same situation or have had to do the same in the past. Arapahoe's faculty and staff is so friendly and sincere. I love working at this school because of my friends (faculty and staff) and the students. I appreciate every one's help and support. Arapahoe is a great place to work and it has made coming back into the "adult" world an easier transition that I thought it would be.