Educational & Artistic Portfolio

I remember asking my professor some days ago what the word ethnography meant. He gave me a quick answer, I recall. He said something like “Well, it’s a way of documenting progress about something”. I’m sure he didn’t say that exactly, but it was something like that. I quickly nodded and added the term “culture” replying to the first part of the word: “ethno”. So, merging both definitions, I would say that ethnographies stand for the documentation of cultural progress, and by cultural progress I mean it as a whole.

Yesterday, I was not able to come to class. I was actually giving a workshop myself on “Theater and Writing”, an integration of both disciplines. I’m proud of that. I feel that I’m still really young, and I’m already walking towards making a difference. I’m doing something where I’m sharing my knowledge and thoughts upon specific topics to a group of people that really appreciates that help and will “pay it forward” to kids that will appreciate it, themselves. And, not only that, but I’m feeling very comfortable in this particular professional area. Teaching has changed the way I see life, and that’s a good thing.

For this ethnography report, I can’t reflect on yesterday’s instruction, but I will take this opportunity to reflect on my whole course experience. I am really thankful about being here. The opportunity the BWP has given all of us has been “one of a kind”. When I say this Advanced Summer Institute defined my professional career, I really mean that. Before we reach the “last week”, I want to thank everyone I shared this course with, my partners and professors. To all of you, THANK YOU! I’ve had a life-changing experience and its all due to this, all.

Although sometimes it seems like we have everything we need to do what we do best, it’s always good to recheck and continue one’s training! That was exactly what we put our time and effort on today. Let me see, I needed to:

1. update my page… CHECK!
2. post my “Edutainment” article review… CHECK!
3. upload my Field Trip Movie and Newsletter… CHECK!

CHECK! I did all I needed to! Days like today are obviously necessary. These “get up-to-date” days are extremely helpful to know exactly where you are in a creative process. The interaction among the participants was very constructive. Everyone needs a little help every now and then, and that has brought us together!

Although I could not insert my documents on my posts and pages as I would’ve liked to due the “situation” (TECHNOLOGY GOING NUTS ON US), I got them uploaded on edublogs. That’s a step forward. This continuous training will develop skills that will stay with us if we keep consistent on our work. Keep it up!

What do you do when you buy a new tech appliance? Do you read the instructions for the equipment before using it or would you rather connect and start manipulating it? The answer to this question just might classify you as either Native or Immigrant in the digital language ambiance, according to Marc Prensky. You don’t know what I’m talking about? Check this article review for a whole bunch of information on this topic. Real nice study!

Edutainment: Future Education?

“Like WOWWW, teacher!!! SO much work to do!”, some students may reply to the amount of work they will have to get done for a course or two (or maybe seven). As teachers (I have learned through my few years of experience and today’s example), we must take in consideration our students’ need for extra time. Regular Education, I always say, is not for everyone, but Special Education techniques can, sometimes, be suitable for all students! To allow a student extra time to complete a task when he has proven that he really needs it to complete it, could give him or her the chance to explore possibilities to the “max” and aim for better results. Limited time could, sometimes, pressure students to a point where no “A” results are possible or imaginable. Tuesday’s class was, in this manner, “Extra Time Day”. Our Professor was kind enough to allow us additional time to complete our class work and assignments.

In order to complete and refine our Windows Movie Maker activity log, we started the day by continuing our work with this application. As we finished with this task and shared our Field Trip movies, my colleagues’ and I continued with the Newsletter assessment material, also regarding the Field Trip. The integration of various assessment forms to evaluate one single subject or topic, resulted a great strategy to ensure the student’s learning experience and, also, allow him or her to get involved in multi-tasking.

Luckily, I finished my Movie Maker activity log! In my next post I will present progress in my Movie Maker skills by posting the Field Trip Movie, an ode to the BWP. Also, more information on applications like Movie Maker and MS Word Newsletters, as well as commentaries on my personal choices and style will be offered. I thank my colleagues and professor for the fine feedback my work received and, special thanks to our professor for the kind “extra time” we got for our fulfilling progress in class.

Interactive classroom activities are awesome… but outside educational activities are even more exciting! The interaction between the students and their surroundings can result in positive impact in our students’ lives. These outside activities, as well as “inside the classroom” activities, must be logged down in order for the student to reflect on his or her own experience throughout the activity and take some benefit from it. Last Friday we went on a “magical” activity (chuckles) that involved stepping out of the classroom, walking to a train and traveling through the Art and Anthropology Museum in the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. For students, an activity like this could really impact them culturally in a way that they wouldn’t even imagine. Now, the activity alone should not be evaluation material for the class subject, it needs, at least, an assessment of some sort.

On Monday’s class we dedicated our time to log Friday’s BWP Field Trip experience through the use of audiovisual digital material. As I stated on my last ethnography report, I had no camera to take pictures of my cultural journey, but I brought with myself a sketch notebook. Quickly, as I arrived to the University, I scanned (or digitalized) my sketches so I could manipulate them in my computer through graphic design applications. As soon as I did that, I dragged them to a movie reel in Windows’ Movie Maker. It was certainly an experience. For some of us, the whole movie making task was not an easy one due to technological disadvantages in our computers, but this is something we need to be prepared of due to the lack of technological advantages in our classrooms. With this whole day activity, I learned that preparing classroom material is not, always, an easy task but, could always be fun! Patience, creativity and time dedication are key to the development of great classroom material like Movie Maker activity logs. Check it out for yourself!