How to use a blog to improve learning.

Hello World,

I never know how to start my blog post.  I have often started with "Hello World".  I think it makes me sound welcoming and that the entire world is paying attention to me.  It's really just a way to convince myself that the world loves me.  If I promise to stop talking about this now, will you promise to not dash my hopes of world domination?  Good, let's move on then.

The actual reason for creating this blog is to help my students understand my teaching better.  It will also be used to help me get a better reading of how well my students comprehend the material.  The learning experience will begin prior to entering my classroom.  When the blog has new material for a particular class, I will send a tweet to inform those students who follow me.  This will allow students to gain prior knowledge about the upcoming lesson.

When on the blog, there are three tools which will be used to enhance the learning experience for those in my class.  The three tools are "Lesson Links", the polls for each class, and the comment section.

• Lesson Links - The lesson links are located at the top of the page, just above the posts.  These are links (most often the www.khanacademy.org) to video on the subject my class will be learning the next day.  Students will watch the videos in order gain prior knowledge on the subject.  This will allow my students to feel more comfortable with the material and work to a better understanding.

• Class Polls - Each class will be asked a poll question.  The class poll are located at the right of the page on the side bar.  There will be two possible types of questions.  The first type will be an opinion about what the most important or relevant part of the video was.  The second type of question, which will be the more popular type, is an example of a question the students might see on the homework or assessment.  This will allow me to see how well the students understand the material.  I can make changes to my lessons depending on how well the students do or do not understand the material.

• Comments - Label "Questions for Mr. Adelmann", the Comments are located, like most blogs, below the post.   Here students, after watching the videos, will ask questions about anything they did not understand or want more clarification.  This will let me know what questions students have before they enter the classroom.  I can then prepare answers or explanations before meeting with the class.

Hopefully, my students will use this blog as a tool to better understand their studies.  Please let me know what you think.  I would love to hear suggestions before I start using this with my classes.

Thanks & have the best day you have ever had,

J. Adelmann

Studying for Quizzes

Hello World,

From time to time, I will use my blog to communicate with my students (because Lord knows that I am not communicating with them in class.)  This is one of those times.  Above are some links to the Kahn Academy website.  Kahn is a great website you can use to help enhance your understanding of my lesson.  (But we know you are all paying such close attention that you don't need any enhancement.)

Geometry should check out the trigonometry.
Algebra 2 CP II should check out the Solve Quadratics by Graphing
Algebra 2 CP I should check out the Solve Quadratics by factoring

Feel free to check out the rest of the website and see what else you can learn.

Happy Studying,
Mr. Adelmann

Where to Begin?

Hello World,

Before I begin, I must give credit to my brother John for the "Adelmannia" which this blog holds.  When we were young, he would draw "Adelmannia" in the same font as Def Leopard's Pyromania album.  It was cool then, and I think it holds up.

I am taking a class to held me expand my PLN (Personal/Professional Learning Network).  The goal of the class is how to make me a better teacher.  (My student's really wanted me to take the class.  Why do you think that is?)  The problem is that I just don't know where to begin.  We have discussed twitter, blogging (which you are currently enjoying.  Enjoying alot!), and a whole host of other social media which will make me a superior educator!  The only problem is that I don't know where to begin.

We started off with Twitter.  Holy Moly!  That thing ... place?...what ever it is?...is mind blowing.  For a guy who has struggled with a reading disability his entire life, twitter is a lot of reading.  Then you throw in hash tags and at signs, so then reading is boarding on impossible.  I am not sure how to use it in my classroom.  In fact, I find it much easier to connect with members of the Track & Field world, than members of the Math world.  Maybe, like many educators, I don't have a ton of time to send on the computer.  (That dang family of mine!  Always wanting to spend time with me!  Where do they get off!)  Maybe its just a matter of spending more time.  I would love to hear about how a high school math teacher has used twitter in his or her classroom.  And I am not just talking some gimmicky use of the website, but a true technique to enhance learning.  If you know of it, please let me know.

The second tool my class has discussed is this blog, which you know by now is AWESOME!  Well maybe not awesome, but it has potential.  I have some ideas, just no ideas on how to make them happen.  This blog may get better.  But like anything, I must keep up with it.  And that of course takes me away from my family.  And my family is really cute.

So, I am doing my best to embrace all the benefits of social media.  But you have to know, I would much rather be enjoying this bright sunny day.