Tag: Different Ways

Mar 25

What Am I Missing Here?

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Ed News
March 25, 2014

I need a fresh perspective on something I’ve been struggling with this school year. My reason for gamifying my courses was to motivate and engage more of my students whether they are gamers or not. Last week I reiterated something in blog post that I’ve learned in over 22 years of teaching, that no ONE …

22 Years, 8th Graders, Autonomy, Badges, Choices, Class Time, Different Ways, Experience Points, Gamelab, Grade Classes, Learners, Learning Environment, Learning Science, motivation, Own Pace, Perspective, Pink, School Year, Science Concepts, Sentences, Struggle, success, Topi
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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2014/03/25/what-am-i-missing-here/

Feb 09

Adding Inquiry

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Science
February 9, 2014

I use Carolina’s STC/MS Energy, Machines, and Motion kit (EMM) with my 6th graders. The lessons in this kit are well structured to take advantage of how people learn by making sure every lesson starts by eliciting prior knowledge of students with questions that students investigate through different labs. The procedures are laid out, step …

Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2014/02/09/adding-inquiry/

Aug 14

More Math Learning Quotes

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Ed News
August 14, 2013

[This is part of a series of posts I’m writing as I reflect on another online course I’m taking this summer, Stanford University’s EDUC115N How to Learn Math. Sure, I’m a Science teacher but I have taught Math so I’m familiar with Math instruction. Besides, we do use Math in Science so it’s not like …

Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2013/08/14/more-math-learning-quotes/

Jul 26

Growth Mindset

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Assessment, Ed News, Grades & HW
July 26, 2013

Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2013/07/26/growth-mindset/

Jan 04

Mass Production Feedback

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Assessment
January 4, 2013

I’ve written about some of the great training I’ve had on Assessment for Learning (AfL) also known as formative assessment. I’ve gotten some great resources but frankly there is way too much. It’s quite overwhelming to keep up with my everyday work of guiding students along the learning experiences that I’m preparing for them AND …

Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2013/01/04/mass-production-feedback/

Jul 15

My Two Cents on Standards

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Assessment, Ed News
July 15, 2012

Okay, so this is a rant. There, I’ve said it. I’ve just been so put off by all this common core (next generation in Science) standards stuff (I didn’t write what I was actually thinking), so I thought I’d put my thoughts here on my place to think things through and learn. What I hate …

Adolescents, Chimacum, Cool Project, Cool Things, Curriculum, Different Ways, Education, Fit, Focus, Freedom, Job, Learning Environment, Match, Next Generation, Perspective, Politicians, Rant, Science Standards, Science Stuff, State Science Standards, Subtle Distinction, Suburb, Two Cents, Wa State, Wan
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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/07/15/my-two-cents-on-standards/

Jun 18

When is Extrinsic Motivation Okay?

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Ed News, Grades & HW
June 18, 2012

I’ve been looking into gamification and how it can help motivate students to have fun and learn Science. I would love to make certain lessons, projects, or activities look like a game to motivate students to learn boring things like vocabulary. I’d like to do that without points, badges or too many rewards. I’ve abolished …

Autonomy, Badges, Bare Minimum, Bugs, Different Things, Different Ways, Extrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Motivators, Game, God, Learners, Mindset, Motivator, Playing Games, Rewards, Science, Vocabulary
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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/06/18/when-is-extrinsic-motivation-okay/

Feb 16

Awards as a Habit

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Ed News
February 16, 2012

A little over a year ago I wrote about some issues with award ceremonies in schools. I shared some of the things I was learning about rewards, punishments, and competition in schools with the staff at my middle school. We discussed it and are looking at alternatives that work best for all kids. Teachers were …

Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2012/02/16/awards-as-a-habit/

Jan 31

Uploading Photos with the iPad

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Ed News
January 31, 2011

My students are using two fantastic apps for uploading photos and pictures from their iPads to put on their blogs. If a student gets a photo on their iPad or draws a picture here are two apps for them to upload: The Photobucket app is fantastic! It’s free and creating accounts are free. Students just …

apps, Blog, blogs, Different Ways, Free Students, Hosting Service, Ipad, Ipads, Own Ftp Server, Photo, Photo Library, Photobucket, Photos Pictures, Reason, Server Account, Upload, Upload Photos, Upload Pictures, Uploading Photos, Url
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Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2011/01/31/uploading-photos-with-the-ipad/

Jul 21

Goals for my Students

By Alfonso Gonzalez in Class News, Ed News
July 21, 2010

Stream table exploration to see how to save homes.

After July 20th’s #edchat on the Goal of Education (see archive here) I got to thinking about my goals for the children I help educate. It helped me, with my thinking, to read “Backwards Design and Integrating New Technology” because I integrate technology whenever I can. I need to continually ask myself if what I …