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!