Posted by Teacher Ria in Multimedia Center, Teacher's Corner, Teaching Resources, The Library | 2 Comments

Learning Position Words on P.E. Day

One of the highlights of this week in the Seniors Class was P.E. Day. However, rather than it being a typical P.E. day, I decided to integrate vocabulary building into the activity. Keeping in mind the song “Going on a Bear Hunt”, the kids and I played games that let us go over, under, through and around things!

The kids had a blast! I guess I can say I did too…even though I was dripping with sweat the whole time through since it was quite a warm day. I was huffing and puffing my way through it too, especially since I know I’m not very fit nowadays! The activity was quite a workout! Admittedly,  activities like these sure can beat even the best weight loss supplements in the market! Maybe I should do a little more of these and soon I’d see results…imagine that…teaching kids plus losing weight! Woot!

Anyway, for those not familiar with the song “Going on a Bear Hunt” , here’s how it goes (it comes in different ways, but here’s what I often use)

Going on A Bear Hunt
I’m going on a bear hunt
I’m not afraid!
What’s that?
Tall grass!
Can’t  go under it,
Can’t go over it.
I guess we will have to through it!
Whew!

I’m going on a bear hunt
I’m not afraid!
What’s that?
It’s a great big tree
Can’t  go under it,
Can’t go through it.
I guess we will have to climb over it!
Whew!

I’m going on a bear hunt
I’m not afraid!
What’s that?
It’s a bridge
Can’t  go under it,
Can’t go through it.
I guess we will have to walk over it!
Whew!

I’m going on a bear hunt.
I’m not afraid.
What’s that?
It’s a river!
Can’t go over it
Can’t go under it?
I guess we will have to swim through it!
Whew!

I’m going on a bear hunt.
I’m not afraid.
What’s that?
It’s a deep dark cave!
Can’t go over it
Can’t  go under it
I think we are going to have to go in it.
Shh!

I feel something furry!!
It has a big nose!!
What’s that??? (pause)

IT IS A BEAR!!!!

Run out of the cave
Swim back through the river
Climb back over the tree
Go into the house and slam the door. BAM!!
I wasn’t afraid. Were you?

Check out You Tube too, there are lots of fun versions of it. This is my favorite:

If you found this post interesting, informative and educational, feel free to take home my notes by subscribing here.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Multimedia Center, Teaching Resources | 0 Comments

Lessons from the Karate Kid

I was able to catch an early screening of the Karate Kid and I loved it a lot! I don’t really remember much of the first three installments of the film, but this last one was a blast

As usual, the teacher in me got to thinking about how I can use the film in my class. What really struck me about the film is that it is really more than just a story of karate (or should I say kung fu) but it’s a story about patience, perseverance and courage in the face of anything. On a personal level, it reminded me of the value of being centered and tapping into “quiet energy”. Another thing I was able to appreciate in the film is the reminder that life should be a balancing act between work and play.

The Karate Kid definitely has earned it’s rightful place in Teacher Ria’s shelf of movies to use when teaching class, particularly for leadership and self-development Read more of my review on Karate Kid here.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Multimedia Center | 0 Comments

No more Bio channel :-(

In recent months one of my favorite discoveries on television was the Bio Channel. From biographies of celebrities to shows like Intervention, Hoarders and I Survived, I spent countless hours watching the channel, even when though a lot of the episodes kept getting rerun and rerun. However, since Nat Geo has been having Air Crash Investigation and Seconds from Disaster on a lot, I’ve been switching back and forth.

After several days of hiatus from my Bio fix, I punched in the numbers 1-5-4 to catch up. It was a feature on LL Cool J, but I wasn’t very interested so I channel surfed. I told myself I’d go back later on because there was a feature on Sarah Jessica Parker. It slipped my mind to go back but when I finally did, I was shocked at what I saw: E16: service is curently scrambled. And it now reads Star Gold.

NOOOOOOOOO!!!! They took away my Bio channel!!! In the short run I had with it, I was able to get a lot of insights for my various psychology classes so it was really sad when I discovered it was gone. I hope it was just transferred and I just haven’t found it, but I haven’t received any updates from Sky. If you know where it is, do let me know please!!!

Posted by Teacher Ria in Multimedia Center, Teaching Resources, Toys and Playthings | 0 Comments

ASUS Disney Netpal Offers Fun, Safe and Easy Computing for Filipino Kids

Even as a child, I was always a techie. From V-tech goodies to the Nintendo and Family Computer, my mom always allowed me to play with these games because she saw that there was a learning potential to it. At first, she was quite stringent about controlling the time I spent on these devices. However, because I was able to maintain my grades and finish my chores all the time, she became more lenient about it.

Nowadays, parents have to contend with more of these gadgets and distractions that can influence a child’s study habits. I am not a parent myself yet, but I think it might be harder to monitor a child’s fascination to these gadgets. In my case, I only had a few types of gadgets to choose from and I was hooked, what more now? Nonetheless, despite the potential for distraction computers and the internet can bring, I feel that it is a great learning tool.

I have not yet tried this particular netbook but I came across it’s press release and it seemed interesting. ASUS in partnership with Disney has come up with the Netpal which is designed for children and tweens. Reading through it made me one to check it out…for myself hahahaha! Wanna see why?

Manila, Philippines, May 06, 2010 – ASUS, the pioneer and leader in the netbook category with nearly 7 million Eee PC™ netbooks sold to date, announced the arrival of a netbook that is certain to put a sparkle into Filipino children’s eyes—the Disney Netpal by ASUS. The product of a collaboration between ASUS and Disney Consumer Products (DCP), every facet of the Disney Netpal—from its hardware to its software—is infused with the Eee PC’s™ trademark ease-of-use and Disney’s charm, making it a child’s study buddy and play pal, a perfect early back-to-school gift.

Globally launched last year, the ASUS Disney Netpal has Developed with parents and kids in mind, the Disney Netpal by ASUS boasts a durable, reinforced mechanical design, and offers a truly magical and engaging computing experience with its unique Disney user interface. Features include more than 40 robust parental control options, an 8.9-inch LCD display, Wi-Fi capabilities, Windows 7 Starter, and kid-friendly software featuring Disney characters and icons in stunning visual environments. Browsers and email have extra filters to assure that kids only get access to safe content, and parents can easily select whom children can correspond with via email. The Magic Desktop “gadget tray” offers a creatively designed 2D menu displaying Disney email, Disney browser and Disney parental control options.

Computing Is Fun: Disney-themed Desktop, Applications and Games From the lively Disney graphics on the LCD lid and Mickey-shaped webcam lens to the Disney-themed desktop* and special Disney applications, the Disney Netpal by ASUS perfectly captures the magic of Disney. Kids can dress their desktops—aptly named Magic Desktop—in a wide variety of customizable themes featuring the lovable characters from Disney’s and Disney∙Pixar’s animated blockbusters, including Cars, Club Penguin, Disney Classic Characters, Disney Fairies, Disney Princess, Vintage Mickey Mouse, Toy Story and WALL-E. Themes that appeal to slightly older kids, such as Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers styles, are also available.

Adding to the educational fun are Disney-developed applications such as Disney Mix* for music and media management, Disney Pix* for photo customization and organization, and Radio Disney*. The Disney Pix application features fun Disney Bobblehead software, which lets kids insert images of their faces on top of bodies, download them into videos and postcards and play wacky moving dance scenes, for hours of fun. The Radio Disney* widget streams real-time music and lets kids simultaneously submit song requests, if they wish. The Disney Netpal by ASUS also includes a driving game, memory game and photo scrapbook.

Computing Is Easy: Kid-friendly Magic Desktop, Applications and Widgets The Disney Netpal by ASUS is designed to go from package to play in just minutes. Its Magic Desktop is an easy-to-use interface specially tailored to kids, boasting large icons and visual instructions that make it easy for kids to operate the computer. Rounding off the Disney Netpal by ASUS’ kid-friendly edutainment features is a collection of easily-accessible widgets, including an alarm clock, a digital memo pad which inserts “reminder notes” on the Magic Desktop, and a calculator.

Computing Is Safe: Durable Design with Robust Kid-safe Features The Disney Netpal by ASUS is designed to be kid-safe, both in terms of durability and content permissions. In terms of the former, the Disney Netpal by ASUS has a reinforced mechanical design that can withstand significant abuse, a spill-proof keyboard that protects against inadvertent liquid spills, and ShockShield Data Protection that guards against data loss when the computer is subjected to impacts. It also has a stable embedded polymer battery, which is safer as it prevents kids from inadvertently accessing or removing the battery and thereby subjecting themselves to electrical dangers.

With regard to content permissions, the Disney Netpal by ASUS provides a kid-safe computing environment through robust parental control measures, such as allowing parents to choose the websites their kids can visit, the people they can communicate with via email, and the programs they can use. These permissions can even be scheduled according to a calendar, providing parents with a convenient, automated means of granting access on the days and times set by them. Parents can also pull up data to determine where children spent time, and for how long. Right out of the box, the Disney browser launches more than 40 safe, pre-approved websites.

Pricing and Availability

The Disney Netpal by ASUS is available already in the select ASUS authorized dealers at Php19,990.

Specifications

Model	Disney Netpal by ASUS MK90H
Operating System	Genuine Windows® 7 Starter
Display	8.9″ LED-backlit
CPU	Intel® ATOM N270
WLAN	802.11 b/g/n
Memory	DDR2 SO-DIMM 1GB expandable 2GB max
Storage	160GB HDD
Interface	3 x USB 2.0 ports
Camera	0.3 M Pixel
Reader	MMC and SD (SDHC supported)
Audio	Hi-definition audio CODEC Built-in stereo speakers Analog Mic
Dimensions	248mm (W) x 173mm (D) x 28.7mm (H)
Weight	1kg with battery
Casing Colors	Princess Pink, Magic Blue

* Only available on models running English operating systems.
** Price may vary by location and specifications.
*** Subject to system configuration and usage.
Note: Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit www.asus.com for more details.

Sounds like fun, huh? pero sige na nga….I’ll look for a more adult mini laptop or netbook for myself!

Posted by Teacher Ria in Multimedia Center, Teaching Resources, The Library | 0 Comments

Notes from a Wimpy Kid’s Diary

Teaching self-esteem and social skills are probably two of the most difficult concepts to impart. I guess, even learning these two can be tricky at times, what more for a tween or a young adolescent, right?

The movie The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, based on the book with the same title by Jeff Kinney, is a fun and insightful look into a middleschoolers world. It highlights issues and concerns that children between ages 10-16 face, especially as they navigate the tumultuous world known as school.

The struggle for autonomy and establishing one’s identity are two crucial issues that occur at this period of life. Often times, this causes a lot of stress and pressure to a young child’s life. It causes one to question who they are and what they will be in the society they live in. As adults, we tend to think that they are resilient enough to make it through this period, especially if they too went through similar experiences.

Watching that period of life through Greg and Rowley’s eyes, the lead characters who are best friends, reminded me of struggles I went through as a fat kid in 6th grade. I remember how puberty started kicking in then and I was not a very pleasant sight to behold! I recall being the butt of jokes to many of my prettier and slimmer classmates, and though I took it in stride, I realized that this had a long term effect on my life, both in positive and negative ways.

Although I haven’t read the book yet, I believe both the film and the book can be valuable resources for your tweens who are entering that crucial place in their life to help them learn to recognize the value of being true to yourself and loving who you are.

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid opens on April 3, 2010 in local cinemas.

photo credit: Wikipedia entry on Diary of a Wimpy Kid (film)

Posted by Teacher Ria in Multimedia Center, Teaching Resources | 2 Comments

Meeting the Greek Gods with Percy Jackson

I’ve always maintained that movies are great springboards for classroom discussions. The flick Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is definitely one of these movies. The story revolves around a young boy who discovers he is half man, half god and is accused of stealing his uncle Zeus’ lightning bolt. Through the adventures of Percy one gets to appreciate Greek mythology and ancient history.

Whilst I try to avoid recommending movies over books, I realize that for some learners, the visual stimulation of movies really just works better. Through movies I find myself able to get the students in a more active discussion, compared to me just telling the story or lecturing about things.

A few questions I keep in mind when choosing a film, however, are the following:

1. How accurate is the information in the film?

2. Does the storyline benefit the discussion in class?

3. Is this of interest to my students?

Overall, I often pick more modern movies as compared to old documentaries because it is more able to capture the attention of the viewer. I am not discounting the value of documentaries and classics but sometimes, students are just not able to relate to them.

Here are some movies I enjoy using in my classes and it’s corresponding theme/topic for discussion:

• Human Development
  • Up
  • The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Love, Relationships and Interpersonal Skills
  • Enchanted
  • Love Actually
  • Valentine’s Day
  • Juno
  • The Story of Us
• Leadership and Self-Awareness
  • Gran Torino
  • Invictus

Posted by Teacher Ria in Multimedia Center, Teaching Resources | 2 Comments

TV: Yay or Nay?

One of the most controversial teaching tools I can think of is television. For the most part, studies point to it’s detrimental value and how it has corrupted young minds. While I do not contest that, I still would like to think TV can be a good venue for learning, especially when augmented with activities that broaden the lessons being taught. Further, learning is not limited to wathcing educational or informational channels, such as National Geographic and The Discovery Channel. I think what is key when using television as a medium for learning is making sure one monitors or picks the right shows to watch.  Selecting channels and looking at Direct TV Packages, for example, can allow parents to make sure their children and teenagers are making the most of TV time. Direct TV Offers various Direct TV Deals ranging from entertainment to family line-ups.

Growing up, my mom was not very strict with me when it came to television. For the most part, she allowed me to watch as much as I wanted, as long as my homework was done. She also was not very limiting, although she had guidelines about what I could and could not watch. For me, I think she was quite effective. However, comparatively, I noticed that some of my young students are exposed to much more questionable content as I was back then. Here are some suggestions I can think of as a teacher to make sure kids are getting more of the good than the bad from television:

1. No TV during mealtimes. I think that while the TV helps keep kids seated long enough to finish their food, it sets a bad precedent that lasts almost a lifetime.

2. TV does not belong in the bedroom, especially their bedroom.

3. Watch TV together. TV time can be a form of bonding, then afterwards, do a follow-up activity related to the show you watched. For example, when watching the show Art Attack (or similar shows), why not actually do the project afterwards?

As a whole, the advent of the television can be a slippery slope to take. However,  like anything else, when done in moderation, it can be a good thing.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Multimedia Center, The Library | 2 Comments

Moving Storybooks

Yesterday I watched two movies, both based on books. I finally got to see New Moon with some of my friends in the evening, but late afternoon, to kill time, I decided to check out A Christmas Carol. Being a teacher, I am both glad that storybooks are being made accessible in film, but on the other hand, I tread carefully because lately, I notice less and less kids read books. Most just wait for the film. It seems that books take a back seat more and more as children get older. Many times, it only becomes a bedtime prop for infants and toddlers.  For example, when I was talking to one of the kids I work with, he did not know that A Christmas Carol is a classic tale. Because of that, I tried to find some of my favorite books to share with the class. Further, to encourage reading, instead of the usual kris kringle done on the holidays, I asked the kids to do a book exchange instead.

To be fair, it’s really nice to see how many of my favorite characters in books have taken on a life outside the pages of the storybook. Take for example The Rainbow Fish. There are many activity sets and play sets or games that are inspired by the story. For me, this takes reading to a higher level. Another big favorite is Guess How Much I Love You. I have seen nursery accessories, furniture, and even clothing inspired by the touching tale of the little Nutbrown Hare who asked his father if he knew how much he loved him.

I suppose in the end I can say having stories made into movies and more can be a good thing. If for anything, hopefully it inspires people to take on the printed form of the story too. It definitely did that for me when it came to the Twilight series!

Posted by Teacher Ria in Multimedia Center, Teaching Resources | 1 Comment

Making the Most of Your Broadband Internet.

I would like to think of myself as a modern teacher. For the most part, I try not to teach in the typical, conventional ways. That’s why having a good laptop and a reliable internet connection is very important for me. When I lecture, I often try to stream in videos, download media or photos, and show websites and the like so as tobe able to hold my students attention. However, even though our school has a wireless network available, sometimes it is intermittent. Plus since it’s a school, there are sites that are blocked, such as You Tube. This is why it is important for someone like me to have a wireless broadband connection all the time.

However, using these wireless broadband dongles or usb sticks means spending my own hard-earned money. After all, I cannot ask the school to reimburse me for it because they actually provide internet access right? So I try to find ways to maximize every peso of my load.

Here are some tips for making your Globe Tattoo Broadband surf faster as well as to minimize expenditures on your part:

1. Switch your preferred network settings to 3G only. You can do this by clicking on your Globe Tattoo Connections Menu. Then, click on Tools. From there click on  Options , then Network. From there choose the settings I mentioned above.

2. Set your browsing settings to time-based over kb-based. By going time based, you are charged a set amount for the time you are browsing. This is recommended if you plan to do what I do in class, which is browse sites and download media. Here, you are charged only Php 5.00 for 15 minutes, whereas if you are using the kb-based settings, you pay Php 0.15 per kb. The latter is more recommended when you’re just checking emails but for my purposes, time-based is more practical.

3. Don’t laugh but: DO NOT LOSE YOUR USB STICK! Last week I lost one of my usb gadgets and now I have to replace it. Definitely losing your equipment will be a waste of money, right? One thing you can do to not lose or misplace your dongle is to personalize it. The Globe Tattoo Broadband New Skins, for example, will set your stick apart from the rest.

check out the Globe Tattoo Broadband Gallery and see what’s hip and new. You can even

submit your own design and get a chance to win Php 5,000!