February 18, 2009

Homework:
All classes have pictionaries and synonyms due Thursday.

Today:
In some of the classes, I have introduced a new device we will be trying called the Engage Responder.  Itis made by Scantron, the company that makes the bubble sheets we use in school.  If I have time, I will explain this in more detail later.  Right now I am trying to figure out how to integrate it smoothly into our classes.  Like anything new, there will be starts and stops.  Real quick, there are two main benefits.  The first is that all students will be responding, hence the name- Engage.  The results can be displayed on the screen so we can discuss why many chose one answer over another.  The second way this can be used is for assessement.  Instead of running a bubble sheet, the answers are entered into the device.  When the student is finished, the score will be instantly available.  I am going to try this with Friday's Choosing the Right Word.  Most times, I walk around and glance at their books to make sure they are done.  This way students will enter their answers into the machine and I will know how WELL they did their homework.  Hey, it's an idea.  I will update you as things progress.

As of now, Sections 1 and 2 are doing sentence structure.  Sections 6 and 7 are slowly beginning sentence structure.  And Section 3 is helping me with the new device, but they will start a written piece soon.