Since both Pinterest and Evernote were new to me, I was nervous
about creating accounts. When I saw the lengths of the instructional videos I
thought it was going to drag and bore me. Following the steps on the videos
really helped. Sometimes, I felt like it read my mind and answered the question
I was thinking about. These are great tools for creative and diverse lessons
inside and outside of the classroom. I was impressed. I felt like a kid in a
candy store once I figured out what Pinteret did. In more than one occasion I
had to stop myself from looking for things of my own personal interest instead
of what I was assigned. I even went ahead and created my own personal Pinterest
account to separate. I see now why teachers are addicted to this site. I see
this as “hands on activity” modernized encyclopedia. The versatility of Evernote
is amazing. I think this will help me with lesson planning. I love the fact
that I have installed it on all my devices and can easily access my files. I can’t
wait to sink my teeth into this program.
One way I would use Pinterest in my high school math
classroom would be to create foldables. It is proven that students learn best
when they can own and create their knowledge. Students would get on Pinterest
and search for the foldable that they believe fits them best. These foldables
will be used to create a vocabulary section for their notebooks. Another
assignment would be to have the student create an account and pin pictures that
show what we are learning being used in everyday life. For example, geometric
shapes like the octagon are used for stop signs and UFC cage fighting rings.
Student would pin a picture to their board. Almost like a virtual scavenger
hunt. I could even have students use Evernote with these other assignments. In
the foldables assignment they can describe why they chose the format they used
and include what they would have added to it. For the scavenger hunt, they can
also use Evernote to complete a write up of the terms seen on the pins they
used. These write up could be passed on to the rest of the class to compare within.
The possibilities of creating lessons are endless. I’m sure when I become a
little more familiar with Pinterest and Evernote, that I may be able to use
them more often in my classroom.
Hello Saul: I was also worried when I saw the videos, I thought I would be on those apps for hours trying to figure it out, but was really on them for hours just having fun. Virtual scavenger hunts sound like a great idea. It brings in the real-life into the classroom. The fact that Pinterest displays primarily pictures, it aids visual learners in their education. I have already uploaded all my lesson plans onto eEernote and have share the link to all my colleagues in our organization. And have also began to share theirs. We have created a lesson plan database where I was finally able to find a really good lesson on proofs.
ReplyDeleteSaul I thought the videos were going to be challenging as well, but they really did provide you with a lot of useful information. I really like your idea about foldables. I like the fact that students are held responsible for their own learning. They have no excuse to not doing an assignment if you are literally letting them choose how they will do the assignment. I believe I will use this assignment in my Math Inclusion Classes.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to sources for lessons and assignments, the organization element that both applications offer to students and teachers is like the icing on the cake. High school teachers (like yourself) that teach several periods in a day can organize their work with Evernote by using notebooks and stacks.
ReplyDeleteHi, Saul, glad to know that you had so much fun playing around with Pinterest. Indeed it is addictive. One pin always leads to another. I like your ideas using the Pinterest and Evernote in your high school math classroom. They sound very viable. I am sure your students will be able to find great pictures of foldables on Pinterest.
ReplyDelete