Locate/Research Teacher Resources, Blog Activity #2

The first resource that I found is a game website called coolmath.com/coolmath4kids.com. This site is a wonderful tool that students can use to learn various levels of math from entry level all the way to algebra and calculus. They can learn new lessons, practice with math exercises, or play fun math and science related games. There are some games on the site that I wouldn't consider to be educational in the form of math or science so it is important for the teacher to monitor the games and let the students know which games they are allowed to play. The non math and science games aren't bad in my opinion, they do promote problem solving and critical thinking skills and could potentially be allowed in certain situations as rewards. That being noted I would say that the subject specific games are more effective for the learning process. These games do a great job at allowing students to practice and learn math or science while using technology and games to do so. Video games are becoming more and more popular and utilizing this interest to promote education in a fabulous idea. There are many other wonderful games out there but this is just one of many.

Another resource that I used while in school and loved is the use of clickers. I personally am the type of student who gets very nervous or embarrassed when I answer a question and get it wrong. I will sometimes elect not to speak up when I would thought that I knew an answer just to allow another student to answer. When I first used clickers I thought it was awesome because I was completely anonymous alongside the rest of the class. I felt very comfortable while using them and I could still participate and answer every question. For teachers they are a very nice tool to use as well. You allow whole class participation and can assess the results to determine if the class is retaining information. If the class answers most questions correctly than you can note that they are comfortable with the information. If the answers are split or most get the question wrong you can note that they are struggling with that area and may need to go over it again. It's a win-win situation. These are a great tool to use for review situations to assess if the students are ready for a test or ready to move on.