Podcast Reflection #9: 0071 TCT Sparking Their Creativity

This podcast was a great pick because it was full of internet resources and things you can do in the classroom to spark the creativity of your students. They started off by talking about how a young student was encouraged to spark his creativity by using different words, rather than the ordinary words. For example, instead of using the word old he used ancient. His teacher was proud of him for doing this so he asked him to read his story over the intercom at school to the principal. The student ended by thanking him (his teacher) and all other teachers who help students "find their spark, make their mark, and encourage them to dream big." This was the main inspiration behind the podcast and they discussed how this is something that should inspire teachers everywhere and that the mission of teachers should be to help students Find Spark, Make a Mark, and Dream Big! I think this is the best mission I have heard and it gives me great inspiration as a future educator to know that doing those three things can change a students life forever.

The TechChiks shared quite a few resources that I think will be great for the classroom. The first one is called Media College and it can be used for numerous projects but especially for film production. It has a number of tutorials to assist you in editing and making a video. The best part about this website is its FREE! The next website the ladies told about was Aviary which is a PhotoShop website that is also FREE! It allows you to edit photos, do touch-ups, add graphics and images, etc. It is something that could be used in the classroom for all students because it is easy and they will not have to pay at all! Next, the TechChiks talked about WebNote that allows you to take notes on your computer and add as a bookmark, that way if you want to share it you can. There is a drawback to this and that is there is no sign in name which means it is not secure. Our Courts could be one of my favorite resources I have discovered this year! It is a Civics website that was designed and created by Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner. It allows individuals, groups, or classes to play games and take test on Civics. Below I have listed four other resources that were talked about during the podcast. I think they are all worth looking at as I have explored all of them and they will be something I keep in mind when using technology in the classroom.

Quizlet

Story Ideas from CogDogRoo

Story Jumper

Zoodles

The TechChiks also discussed their two favorite iPhone apps of the week. One was called Flashcard Touch that allows you to search Quizlet and download the flashcards made there right to your phone! The other app was called GorillaCam which gives you a number of tools for your built in camera on your iPhone.