Just recently I had an embarrassing experience with my fifth grade music class. I was using You-tube to recapture Christina Aguilera's mishap while singing the National Anthem. Keep in mind before the fifth grade arrived I had shown this clip to 5 other classes and had no problems. I pushed the replay button and voices over the You-tube began to spout expletive laden critiques of Christina's performance. I couldn't get it to stop, quick enough. A student came over and showed me how to get back to what I was originally playing, and encouraged me to add selections to favorites to avoid these pop-ups. I repeatedly apologized to the class. After this embarrassing faux pas, I went to the principal to inform him of the incident. I wanted to make sure he didn't get blind sided with angry phone calls from parents. Fortunately, nothing came of it. The students were very understanding and "mature" enough to handle the situation.
Hello, my name is Linnetta Jones and I am a certified K-12 music teacher. I have taught in the Council Bluffs School District for 11 years. My first 9 years was with K-6 but the district recently moved the 6th grade to the middle school, so I currently teach K-5. I enjoy working with the younger students because they still enjoy being alive, they’re enthusiastic and like having fun in a variety of ways. In a nutshell, the pre-pubescent are more fun to teach.
I love allowing my students to create musically, whether it is through movement, the use of instruments, or through song. I've adopted using the flip camera with the students so they can make self improvements. My goal was to lessen my feedback and allow students to discover ways to improve their creativity. I have also incorporated the use of You-tube. This provides other ways to get ideas, and helps the students discern appropriate behavior and techniques from inappropriate ones.
I have found it very useful to demonstrate live performances through the use of the Elmo and You-tube. The Elmo has taken the place of the overhead projector.
As students finish up there compositions, the Elmo allows for immediate feedback from students while they perform an individual's compositional piece.
I feel I have begun to create an effective learning environment supported by technology with the resources I have available. I'm excited to learn more about affordable, preferably free technological applications that I can incorporate during our 30 minute class time.
Yikes! I had a similar experience in my class just a few weeks ago. I was playing a you tube video clip and after it was finished the "related clips" popped up on the screen. Well, one of the clips was highly inappropriate and the "relation" to the clip I showed was very distant. Nevertheless, I too felt an OMG moment! Since it was a college class I may have been a bit safer than K-5 but it was still embarrassing!
ReplyDeleteI've begun relying more and more on you tube since it's so convenient and easy to access. There are some definite pitfalls/dangers.
I've only recently come across the "elmo" projector. I must admit the first time I heard of it I thought it might be a new toy for my 3rd old son who loves Elmo from Sesame street.
As I commented in Tyler's blog post, adding links to your blog post would be really helpful. So if someone (like me!) doesn't know too much about elmo projectors you can add a link to a website with more information. Or perhaps even a picture of what one looks like.
Thanks for sharing your story - it's a good reminder!
I LOVE your OMG moment. I am sure your students were totally understanding. I think they appreciate your efforts more than they would critcize your mishap. When I use youtube in my classroom (watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFSrINhfNsQ) I feel nervous when those screens pop up after the video. Keep up the good work...I am sure your kiddos love seeing Christina Aguilera!
ReplyDeleteI have had many simiar issues as mentioned by Linnetta,Danny and whomever HS Teacher is (Mary is that you?). Currently, I have no idea if I'm even answering the blog I was trying to answer. I am figuring this out as I go so bare with me.
ReplyDeleteI was teaching a speech class and the students were preparing informational speeches. One of my students was writing an informational speech on the Hersey (as in candy)empire from its beginning to today. She asked me if I had an idea of a "good" introduction. Ha, I said to start with a gingle like "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't." I said that was the Almond Joy Mounds commercial song. She said she had never heard it. As usual, I forget that my experience with pop culture is very different than that of my students. They don't even know who OJ Simpson is for Pete's sake. Anyway, I asked her to come over to my desk and we would find the commercial on line for her to view. I clicked on a site titled "Mounds and Nuts" and to my surprise, it was porn...hard porn. And to make matters worse, my computer locked on it and would not let me close out. I eventually pulled the plug out of the wall. I was MORTIFIED! On top of that, I had to fill out an incident report so that I did not get fired for viewing porn at work.
I often find myself in situations like this, not porn. Situations where I am faithfully trying to intergrate technology into my lessons and have epic failure. The students know more than me, although they are called the I-generation for a reason. I am grateful and fearful at the same time for this class. I know in spite of myself, I will learn something that will help me be a better teacher.
By the way, we really need a spell check for blogs...anyone know how?
ReplyDeleteCeic I don't know about the spell check in the comments section, but there is a little "checkmark" abc button in the create a post area.
ReplyDeleteI can completely relate to your experience Linnetta! I think that it is times like those that are really humbling for me as a teacher, I realize that when it comes to technology I am just as much of a learner as my students are. There are times in the computer lab that I am trying to do something and the students show me an easier way of getting it done. I love what you said about lessening your feedback and giving students the opportunity to develop their own through technology, what a great thing to teach students to do! I remember covering a music class one time and I was just amazed by the use of technology in those classrooms, the kids were composing their own music using garage band... how cool! I agree that this will be a great opportunity to learn from each other about technology in our classrooms.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is great that you can use youtube in your classes. We don't have access to that in OPS because of the filter. Just like we don't have access to this blog becasue of the filter. With all of this technology comes so much more responsibility for students and teachers. These times are great for teachers to learn with students. We can become more like coaches or facilitators while the students work with each other.
ReplyDeleteLinnetta J.
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I will attempt to understand and use Web 2.0 technologies by exploring question #3
I will also do #3, explore Web 2.0 technology and provide a general overview of the website YouTube.
ReplyDeleteCeic
I often use YouTube for sample speeches. I occasionally experience the problem of inappropriate comments showing up on the screen or inappropriate same-topic videos appearing on the right side of the screen. The kids always seem to be on the look-out for those.
ReplyDeleteAs long as I have the video downloaded at the beginning of the day, I can usually freeze my projector while I load the full-screen version of the video so I am able to prevent the viewing of those things.
Linnetta & Ceic - could you please post those comments to the week #2 blog post? That way all the students in the class will make sure to see your topics. Thanks.
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