Week Overview This week we explored inclusive technologies and accessibility. This included how technologies such as websites and apps can be made accessible as well as tools and technologies, specifically designed to support inclusion. Tools such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text, screen readers, closed captioning and adaptive keyboards can help students with differing abilities access learning. Using…
Signed up for a one-time beginner wheel throwing class at a craft studio near my house. It was $20 for an hour and a half of throwing, and you could keep 2 pieces. It was just me in the “class” and it ended up being just free time to practice. The lady running the studio,…
I really enjoyed the topic this week! I’m always looking for ways to make education more fun and engaging for learners. I’ve said before that so much of our responsibility as elementary educators is getting students to want to come to school, to get curious and to be motivated to learn. Gamification and game-based learning…
This week I was finally able to get back into the studio to glaze my three pieces. Glazing is the process of applying a paint-like solution of minerals to your bisqued (already fired in the kiln once) piece. The minerals then melt at high temperatures in the kiln creating a glassy effect that seals the…
This week we discussed integration models that are used to help teachers use educational technologies in their practice effectively and meaningfully. When I first read about these models before class, I assumed they were for designing an online classes. It wasn’t until discussing with my peers that I realized that they can be used for…
I still have one more session of glazing then I’m done the pottery class! It’s had to reschedule last week’s class because I was away but I am hoping to have the makeup done sometime this week. Because of this it’s been over a full week since I’ve been in the studio, and over 2…
This week we had the opportunity to attend two virtual professional development sessions through Focused Education. I had written in my previous post about the Digital Classroom, we had a guest speaker give us a broad overview of the many Focused Education Resources. This week we attended sessions that went into greater detailed for one…
This was the final week before we get to glaze our final pieces! We had lots of time to trim our remaining pieces, and pick the final 3 that would be fired and glazed. The three pieces above are the final three! Trimming Re-Do I only had 4 things to trim today, 2 bowls and…
Focused Education Resources This week we had a guest speaker, Mike Siverton, who spoke to us about the professional development sessions we are to attend next week. Prior to this, I didn’t know what to expect for the sessions, and felt neutral about them. Now I am quite excited! He went through some of the…
Next week is another trimming session followed up by a final class dedicated to glazing our final pieces, so today was our last day on the wheel. It was another humbling day. Today was meant to be a day for plates / doing any final projects we really wanted to try. The instructor did a…