Happy Holidays

Greetings fellow students of SDSU, Since MJ's class is finished, i was hoping we continue using the blog to post some of our christmas and new year's experiences. Better yet, lets continue using the blog until the end of our program for support and sharing reasons. I really enjoyed reading some of the blogs and I do hope we can continue to post.

Sharing is Caring

by Melanie, Kubarii, and Lou Ann

We chose to do our instructional package on Palauan Culture because we see teacher's needs of these information. In class today, we realized that we all have the same concerns since most of our presentations were about preserving Palauan cultures. As some of us had stated during our presentations, we had learned a lot more than we expected. So why don't we post up our final projects here or somewhere where we all have an easy access to? The instructional packages we created for this class are useful for every teacher, so let's share. Let's share how to preserve our traditional cultures.

Mayl, do we have the site yet or not?

Christmas is around the corner..

I would like to take this opportunity to say Merry Christrmas and Happy New Year to everyone. Our journey is half way done, so if you feel yourself tired try your best to complete this journey with your classmates and friends. As the great Bob Marley sang it in his song entitiled Redemption Song, " Emancipate yourself from mental slavery cause not but ourselves can free out mind."

Happy Holidays

Hello All, I just want to say HAPPY HOLIDAYS and take care.

Grassroots Learning

Grassroots Educators: Andrew, Dean, Elwais & Marcia (cook)

This project for EDTEC 572 has made us realize that there is so much our culture has to offer in educating our children. Not only do we have a unique culture, we also have a pre-packaged system in place for both teachers and students alike. Though our project is still in the ‘rough’, we are optimistic that we can create an instructional and student package from our topic that is realistic, applicable, and all encompassing in terms of content areas that needs to be addressed in our current educational system.

Final Project

Greetings,

Our group final project is going well. We are trying our best to make it user friendly as well as effective way to deliver lessons as well as getting good results. While doing the project, we have learned alot of tactics we could in our own classroom.


Pilar

Guidelines for Final Presentation

Greetings!
Thank you for thinking ahead for the the presentation About your project (the instructional package).
1) Timeline: during your last Circle group meeting--the week of Dec. 14.
2) Content: Your team will make a presentation of up to 15 minutes to the class. Your classmates will provide feedback after each presentation, through in-class dialog.

What should you present?
ABOUT your project--why do you choose this topic, who it's for, how did you work together to complete it (success and challenges), teaching method used, lessons you learned from this project, etc. You'll be presenting to your peers and you are presenting as a Designer and developer of the instruction.

Example: See file attached (The Mission to Mars).

4) Grading Criteria:
Presented within the time limits
All members contributed to the presentation
Presentation is clear (about the project and what they learned)
The slides are not cluttered.
Answered audience's questions properly.

I am sure you'll have lots of fun with it. Wish I could be there.
--Minjuan

Final Project Update

Our project is nearing its completion. It's only a matter of integrating technology to finalize it.

Julia Wally and Pioria Asito

Final Project Update

mayleen ngiriou, janice yukiwo, nora abraham, esther rengulbai, pillar ngiraswei, and gwen rengiil



So far we have finalized our students' guide and now we're working on the teachers' guide. We are pretty sure that we will be ready before the presentation on the 16th.

Final Project Update

By: Lou Ann Sungino, Melanie Yangrelbug, Kubarii Joe

At this moment our group had come up with a topic for our final project. We have met and divided our parts for the project. We are still in the process of gathering information. Once we gather information we are going to compile them and come up with our instructional package. Hopefully by next week we will be able to come up with the whole package, because the student's guide depends on the teacher's guide. We'll do our best.

Group Final Project Update

Group Name: Lester Rekemsik, Mary Basiou, Romson Remoket, Thomas Borja, Delina Remengesau

Hi, MJ last Friday 11/27/09 we met as a small group and discuss about the our project. We came up with the Student Guide. As a group we shared some ideas on how to start with the students activities. Tonight as a group we continue to work with the same student activities.

Feedback and Grade for Final Project Propopsal

Happy thanksgiving, once again!
I hope you have turkey to eat in Palau. If not, I can send you some pictures of this roasted big bird.
I just posted grades and comments for your proposal. Apologies again for the delay (technical and also on my part). You did a fabulous job with it! Lots of your proposal are filled with details and the topics are very interesting and meaningful. I did not ask for changes since you are all on track. Minor wording changes are enclosed in my feedback on gradebook.
thank you all for your hard and excellent work.
-Minjuan

Blogging This Week (Thanksgiving!)

Alli！I won't ask you to share what you are thankful for!
Please post a update after your group work, reporting what you accomplished and what are your questions or challenges with the final project.
Also, a note for all bloggers: Please write your name at the end of your post, especially, if you use a pen name such as AaliyahAlana, BLADE, Dirra. We like to know who you are!

Better late than never

In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with kids being technogically literate. It just means their within the global learning mode and at least their open minded and intelligent enough to learn. As for us adults and educators, we should give our kids the opportunity to learn technology because its booming and the time is right. Again, as educators, let's all remember that we're way beyond the paddling canoe era, and slowly moving away from speed boat, next we'll be riding the concorde. This is where technology is leading us whether we like it or not.

Nothing's Wrong

This is exactly what we wanted our kids to be able to do. Its normal this days, a kid who's not exposed to computer at the early age is abnormal. And for us Bibbers, its normal not to be technologically literate and its OK to utilize our students technological skills in the classroom. This can elevate their skills and motivation level. When it comes to technology, we have to accept the fact that our kids will dominate us. Our main responsibility as educators is to provide opportunity for them to figure out what they can do with the technology today that will better their future generations just like what our fore fathers did for us.

Blogging Assignment Clarification

Alli! Sorry for the unclear information. I bet Marianne might have already informed you.
The Blog assignment, you may ignore what's written on the course website. You do NOT need to create any other blog. You'll just continue to post on this class blog, either in New Post, or Comments. You'll get the full points for participating in weekly blog discussions. There will be one topic per week, and I'll email you the topic by every Monday.

Any questions, feel free to email me.
Sulung!
Minjuan

Is It Just Me?

Is it just me or have you noticed that the moment we get up every seconds goes by rather quickly. People seem to think that the island life is so layed back and basically at a snail pace. Being an educator, it seems that every seconds of my time is precious. I dfo admire those people who take moments each day to reflect on the events of their day. Sometimes I wish I could stop the clock from ticking and do all I can. There are days I feel revived after a long day but, on some days I don't have the energy to last a day.

What's wrong

Kid's today are more technology oriented.
So as we see that they learn more from technology, let's create a network that will help kids learn what we want them to learn.

Traditional vs. Modern.

This is a topic that most people will choose according to what they like or what is best for the community. As educators, we have to intergrate them into our lessons. It is part of our job discription. We are always trying to improve ourselves and at the same time, keeping our history alive. If we don't, then we will lose our identity and hertiage that links us to our island. For the younger generation, they are more into modern technology because they like to sit infront of a computer and explore the world with a touch of a button. They are always looking for an easy way to do their work because the outside world is running at a fast pace. For some of us, not all, we are having a hard time keeping up with them. They have created their own language and use them freguently.


By osamu, joanne, aileen

Responds to Whats Wrong?

Kids know a days are not afraid to touch computers and search through the internet. Most adult get paranoid just trying to turn on the computer. Oh yes! You can be sure that our kids are that fast to learn things in the net then the books teachers use. It has to do with whats new and cool. Kids today are not interested in writing books and doing classwork inside the books we use in classroom! Believe me, if every table in my class has a computer and an internet connection where I can show them sites to read and do activities, no student would be bored or goofing off becuase they're really into the technology.

As for older teachers, It is understood that old people stick to traditional ways and hardly sway away to new technology. Therefore, it is not suprising that some don't have a clue of what they're doing with computer and the use of computer programs. That's why our educational system must constantly set up workshop to train teachers in new technology. But, Believe me, Palau Ministry of Education Computers are so out of date, I'm ashame to teach my students with them. Apple Mac...Are you kidding me!!! What year are we on... All the Ministries in Palau if you visit their offices use either Window XP or Window Vista. Modernize our education computers so that student can learn modern computer programs. Just my Opinion....

Is technology the answer?

I ask this question because I'm beginning to doubt the quality and the quantity of educational services we educators provide. I remember back in the day when teachers physically demonstrated certain task or discipline because of the limited resources. Now, teachers don't teach anymore. They are asked to facilitate learning by providing all necessary information, materials, technological assistance. And with growing dependency and reliance on technology, teachers are moving toward an era where their services are no longer physically required but only there should question arise. Is technology on the verge of becoming a key to educational success for without such, one could not succeed in life? Because for us Bibbers, it seems that way. What you think?..... comment please........

Technology and Students

Being a Lab manage @ George B. Harris i have seen the kinds of technology that are used or not used by our teachers to help in enhancing their teaching. I know that it is out dated, but if the teacher incorporates these technology into their lesson it would greatly help the students. Most if not all students and young people today are more experienced and have alot more knowledge with reguards to technology compared to the teachers. As teacher we know when to adapt a lesson to students who are having a hard time learning a lesson. So we need to adapt our lessons that will include technology that will enhance and make our lessons enjoyable for the students.

Respond to Technology

We do understand that the world is moving fast because of technology and we feel that we should be moving along in the same current as everyone else. It is hard to say this, but here we are learning about technology and how it could help us improve our teaching as well as student learning, but when we go to work at our school we could hardly see any computers in our offices or classrooms. Well, I guess that we may not have one available for us to really practice what we've learned at this moment, but maybe sometimes in the future.

Respond to "What's Wrong?"

I believe you are right. Technology has taken control of our kids these days. So the question is, as an educator, how do we use this technology to teach our children. A lot of ways can be done to integrate these knowledge of technology in our daily teaching. And as a Cohort Team of 09, I believe we can collaboratively create a blog where we can download lessons plans, activities, resources or create links to helpful website, etc..., and make the address accessible for other teachers as well as students for them to access and be able to learn and use whatever we have down load. Come on guys, we know our curriculum (inside and out), so we have an idea of what kind of materials and resources we need to teach a particular lesson. What do you say? Then we could say that the Teacher's control the technology to educate the students....How's that!

Mayl

Weather Change

Have you notice how hot Palau is when its sunny day? I makes me wonder about the global warming that's been changing the Earth's weather and temperature.

This can really effect our teaching, especially when our classroom is not aircondition. It gets really hot around 10:00 to 2:30 PM. At this time, I start to get complains from my students about the hot weather which effect the way they learn and cooperate in class.

I believe and have heard from our national leaders that education is the most important investment to your young leaders. But, this is all talk and no action. I believe that our classroom setup is the most influencial part of student learning. If the classroom setting is clean and cool for student's learning, then students would enjoy learning and not bothered with how hot the classroom is. I know our government can afford to sucrifice some of the so called off-island trip and use the money to help our education. Right know, our school condition is under staff and classrooms are hot and not pleasant environment for learning.

Teachers...2000late?

by: Andrew, Dean, Elwais & Marcia
I believe that as educators, we need to keep up with the times and changes, especially with technology. If we keep trying to teach the same way we did three, five or ten years ago...I'm sorry, ain't gonna work. It is true that our children are into the latest technological advancement more than we do. We have become 'old school' as our students and kids like to consider us. If we want to be effective teachers and administrators, all we need to do is teach the same things using a different method. In our case, we need to integrate the use of technology into our teaching. I mean, students are our business, right? Therefore, the question of 'what's wrong' becomes "What's the matters with us?" Let us be the trendsetters, the proactive teachers in our respective areas. I am calling for a 'no teacher left behind' when it comes to keeping up and teaching effectively with technology. So, how about it? Are we 'down' with the students?

what's wrong?

Has technology taken control of our kids? It seems that they learn more from the net then they do in class. Some older teachers have no clue on what to do and our kids don't have a hard time getting on the net. Like some elders would say, "our future is in our kids hand." Our kids are getting a head start on that.

Your beautiful dance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luBHHG8HB6E&feature=player_embedded
Thanks again, Esther! Thank you, all the dancers.

"hini" or H1N1 vaccine should be via technology

Hello all,

The last week of class was very helpful to help us look into various sort of technology and sofwares we could use to teach in the classroom. The presentations were very helpful for us to see how students as well as teachers could collaborate through simple and fun technology that links everybody together with a click of a botton. I wish we could say the same thing about H1N1 vaccine. There have been numerous vaccination schedules throughout the hamlet here in Koror to vaccinate everyone and anyone who can stop by and get it. Despite these efforts, there are those of us who cannot receive the vaccine and wish that we could access it via internet. This way we could just press a botton and "bang", the vaccine comes out. Oh well, I think this is a SciFi technology that have yet to be discovered.

In any case, last week was very infomative and fun.

PCC Library URL

Sorry it has taken so long. I know I promised to send you the URL for the PCC Library On-Line Catalog. Here it is http://lib.palau.edu If you access it and need assistance, please call me at 488-3540 and I can walk you thru it again. I know during the presentation the time was limited and so we were sort of going fast. So let me know if you need help. I do hope the library catalog will help you find the materials available for your work.

Here are some Pictures

Greetings! I am now back to San Diego but my mind and heart are still in Belau! Here are some pictures I promised to post. Wish you well.
I am glad you all love blogging. Yes, feel free to comment to make the discussions more meaningful. Mesulung!
Minjuan

Alii Diaz...Comment Please

Alii everyone, the 'comment' at the bottom of each post has been enabled and you can click on it and post your comment. Ng kuk diak de ngar er a sar, you know. It's better to sign in because when you post your comment, google will not ask you to type a word verification. When you click on comment, a pop up window will appear with a box for you to type in your comment. You also click on the comment to see what others have to say about your post. Dirratumerang made the first comment. Bsa klou el perrrr..rotech! Ngika di ta el ulsemuul el dil.

I love reading the postings! They are very interesting and informative. Please find time to post articles as well as comments.

Sulang el rokui.

Presentation

Greetings! Can't believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas is just around the corner. Are you ready to give or to recieve. Well, with our presentation last week, everybody did a great job. Keep up the good work you guys...we have been through rough times but we made it this far, just hang in there...Few more classes to go!

With this new knowledge of technology, we could try and integrate technology with our lesson at least twice a week to make learning fun and enjoyable for the kids. When learning is fun and enjoyable, kids tend to learn faster... Thank you and Keep up the Hard work!!

Mayl

Education Vs Television

Have you notice how advance students are when it comes to new musics, movies, and technologies? How ghetto life and gangsta rappers influences most of their daily activities and their learning. I have seen students acting like 2pac, Akon, or any of those use to be gangsters who either school drop outs or been to jailed.

How is it that we cannot control our students learning in the way a television does. My students can recite a relics of a Miley Cirus music but cannot recite their multiplication table? How is it, that students can learn bad habbits but takes a miracle to teach them good habbits? Most importantly, how is it that most or more than half of students in a school don't even care about their education even with constant reminders from teachers on how important it is?

Is our teaching method not effective? I believe that their is no right teaching method to teach the students. Students know a days have to much freedom, both at home and at school. Going to the principal's office was a scary trip when I was still in elementary. Because I know that the principal will bit my hand with his stainless yard stick and after school when I go home, I get even worst bitting from my parents.

Off course it hurts, but we were well diciplined and well educated. We know our responsibilities and we get disciplined when we go off track from those responsibilities. Even at home, My brother and sister and myself cannot watch Television after 9:00 PM and we have to be asleep at 9:30 PM. Because of this, we were well behaved in school and more responsible.

I have students who sleeps in class because they watched Television until late night. I got a student who skip class because he played Playstation until morning. I even got students who call each other on the phone and stay online for hours instead of doing their homework or studying for test. I believe that parents treatment to their kids have a big influence on their daily life in school. If you strickly set curfew for their kids and monitor them when they're doing homework and studying for test. When Parents becomes actively involved with their childs education then the child can improve his grade in school. Remember the first teacher for the child is his or her parents.

Mary and Janice post on 5 min presentations

You did great everyone and thank you for informing us many things about computer technology that we could use to enhance our teaching. Now we are more active in participating facebook activities and we are planning to use google earth to teach our students with the geography of the Pacific Islands in our Social studies classes. Online library URL is also helpful. We can now find book titles we want to use as additional resources in our teaching different subject topics. Our last project to do is still to work along with our librarian to develop a project on different school activities into a podcast. It is still on the planning.
Again, thank you MJ and everyone for the presentations well done.

Mary and Janice post on 5 min. presentations

A Teacher's Challenge

English is a [silly] language. There is no egg in an eggplant. No ham in a hamburger, and, neither pine or apple in a pineapple. English muffins were not invented in England. French fries were not invented in France.

We sometimes take English for granted, but if we examine its paradoxes, we find that…quicksand takes you down slowly; boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

If writers write, how come fingers don’t fing? Shouldn’t the plural of phone booth be phone beeth? If the teacher taught, why can’t the preacher praught? What the heck does a humanitarian eat?! Why do people recite a play, yet play at a recital? Park on driveways and drive on parkways?

Let’s face it. English is a silly language.

Taken from the IRA Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota at http:www.ahajokes.com/eng.html

Hello all,

Just want to say that last week was very informative and we learned alot. Unfortunately internet problem couldn't let us participate fully on some of the activities. All in all, we learned alot....

Teacher's Humor 'Haijo'

All work and no play makes a person dull. At least in my book, it says so. So here are but a few things about and for teachers to ease those lines on your foreheads, tense shoulders and the bloodshot eyes (although, for Elwais, this may be a different story). So here goes...

Teaching Animal Names

One day, a teacher was attempting to teach the names of animals to a class of 5-year-olds. She held up a picture of a deer, and asked one boy, "James, what is this animal?". Little James curiously stared at the picture with a disheartened look on his face and replied, "I'm sorry Mrs. Smith, I don't know.". The teacher was not one to give up easily, so she then asked James, "Well, son, what does your Mommy call your Daddy?" Little James' face suddenly brightened up, but then a confused look came over his face, as he asked, "Mrs. Smith, is that really a pig?"

Homework Jokes:

PUPIL: Teacher, would you punish me for something I didn't do?
TEACHER: Of course not.
PUPIL: Good, because I didn't do my homework.

TEACHER: Did you do your homework?
PUPIL: No teacher .
TEACHER: Do you have an excuse?
PUPIL: Yes, it's all my mother's fault .
TEACHER: She kept you from doing it?
PUPIL: No, she didn't nag me enough!

TEACHER: This homework looks like your mothers writing.
PUPIL: Of course, I used her pen!

The Ngiratumerang Cohort Motto

I am going to exercise, eat right, Sleep right, detox, destress...because I want to have a long life.
That is the only way I am ever going to keep up with my work at SDSU and PCC!

Tia el saul. Check out more at jokes4teachers.com

More Pictures of Palau

See my Chinese blog: http://blog.sina.com.cn/bellelune
The third post is about the famous silent presentation. It was truly inspiring! All your presentations were thoughtful, informative, and fun. I had a great time. Mesulung! You are united liked one and shouldn't you continue as a cohort to Ph.D.？

Pictures of the beautiful Palau

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_49edadcd0100fpsf.html
Thank you for wishing me well! I had fun at the island, but worked most of today. Leaving in 2 hours to the airport. I'll be in touch about what to do next week.
You all worked very hard and deserve a break!
Until we meet again! Meantime, like Johvanna said, "I'll see you on Google earth".

Wish you well, MJ

I hope you had a nice day at the rock islands. It started out nice and sunny but this afternoon it turned. Maybe that just added more "flavor" to your day. It's been great having you here. Please find another opportunity to come back. With your input in this class, our work becomes more interesting to say the least. Godspeed and God Bless.

Alli and Mesulang!

Thank you all for the beautiful and interesting presentations! You are a marvelous group. I learned so much from the silent show, in particular.
Grades will be posted when I get back to the high-speed net in San Diego. Enjoy the rest of the class and keep up with your excellent work and amazing energy!

Testing

Hello there you all! Check out the sunset and think how beautiful

is our island of Palau. Take time to reflect upon what our mother

nature has to offer for us. You'll never know what might be in store for you. See how far you've came!

Happy week

My name is Elwais Beketaut from Palau. I am a teacher here in Palau and am taking an online class from SDSU (San Diego State University). I really enjoyed taking these online classes from SDSU. This week of November 2-6 is the most interesting and happy week for me and my friends who are taking this online classes from SDSU, because our instructor Minjuan Wang from SDSU is here visiting us and introduced us to some tools we can use on the web that can help us in our classroom; especially our blogs. This is why I am busy writing on my blog right now and writing to you.

Thought of the day....TGIF

"The people who influence you are people who believe in you." -Henry Drummond

Welcome to your Blog!

Thank you all for posting. Glad to know you like all these new technologies. I just granted Aileen and Yutaka Admin rights. Johvanna will have the same "power" when she signs up. Please ask them to add you to the blog or change the template (if you get tired of the current green).
To add authors, they'll click "Setting" then "Permission". Aileen and Yutaka, feel free to try it out, as long as you don't delete this blog.
This week, feel free to post testing messages. We'll start discussions on this blog from next week.

Practice blogging

Hello everyone, my name is Yutaka Gibbons Jr. This is my first time to blog so it is just a practice until I get familiarized with the program. Have a great night!!

Thought of the Day...

"The kids in our classroom are infinitely more significant than the subject matter we're teaching them". -Meladee McCarty

MOE SPIDERS

Yutaka Gibbons Jr. #10. MOE-SPIDERS wins again!

MOE-Spiders Cheerleaders!

Alii, thanks MJ for sharing and the invitation. I'm sure everyone will benefit from all the wonderful things you have shared with us and the many more to come. I sincerely hope for a better connection so everyone can have a better and easy access to blogging. Anyways, have to for now, will blog soon.

Palau Biibers

Greetings from Elwais Beketaut, Dean Terry, Marcia Inacio, and Andrew Tabelual. We are a group of teachers/principal from the beautiful island of Palau persuing our education with San Diego State University. Biib is a chosen name for the blog due to the fact that it is an indigenous bird of Palau with beautiful colors of the rainbow. The colors also represents the beauty of Palau, its rock islands, diving attractions and the friendliness of its people. Palau is known as one of the seven wonders of the world for tourist destination for its underwater world, rock islands and weather.

Our Own Blog

Our picture looks great. We are indeed the "Biib Bloggers" of Palau. I'm glad to be a part of this class to learn new technology ideas that we could use for our own work. Way to go MJ!!!

For the better

Hello, its good to be part of the blog, lets all continue to blog and share what we know for the better of our community and education. Thanks to MJ for always making things look so simple and fun even though its still not so easy as it looks to me, however I hope we'll all get to kau- blogging more often very soon. Thats it for me now and more blogging later.

One of best way to relief stress...

Fishing! The secret is to have a professional fisherman take you fishing. He will know all the great fishing spots, all you have to do is throw your line out there and wait for the catch. Weekend was fun, catching all those keremlal and melangmud!

How to Get on this Blog and Post

Here is our class blog: http://belaubiib.blogspot.com/
Many thanks to Aileen for typing in all the addresses. She is amazing!

Once you check gmail and accept my invitation, your name will show under Contributors.

To blog, go to: belaubiib.blogspot.com
Sign in using your gmail account, click New Post, type, and Click--Publish Post

Considering the slow Internet in Palau, you may blog in teams of 4-5 members.
On Friday, Nora's team will show us how to blog (as their 5-minute demo).
I'll then discuss next steps.
Thank you for your hard work in the last two days.
See you Wed!
Minjuan

Our Class Photo

The very first one with me..Thank you all for the fun activities tonight.

testing

Aliii! just trying out the blog.

Ke de merolang...

Hi everyone!!! My name is Aileen Mikel. I am a Math teacher for grades 5 to 8 at Airai Elementary School. This blog is a part of our EDTEC572 class and after waiting for our slow internet connection, we are finally on the road to blogging, thus my title - "Ke de merolang...". Hopefully, this blog will help keep us all connected on our LONG journey towards attaining an Education. Well, more posts later!!!

Alii Alii!

Hello everybody! My name is Kathy Tellei from the beautiful island of Palau.