Blog Assignment 4

I love this!

Eagle's Nest Radio is sharktastic! I loved the music paired with each part of the broadcasts. I especially like the voice manipulation they use for the Vocabulary Vault. That is something I want to do in some video I make. The kids seemed really enthusiastic about interviewing each other and sound like real reporters. The shark facts were very informative, the explorers were quite convincing, and the road to Rome was a blast from the past! Rockin' Riddles was a great questionnaire and the beat was fun. The kids also did a good job focusing on both sides of history such as the negative view of Native Americans towards Columbus Day verses the view of most people. The fierce gladiator piece in the last recording taught me many things that I didn't know. I never realized gladiators went to a special school, nor did I realize people ate lunch after watching men and animals be slaughtered.I also learned that Cleopatra was not Egyptian but Greek! Who knew...I do now.
Eagle's Nest has filled me with inspiration when it comes to audio podcasts. I am actually looking forward to trying out my skills. At first, I was nervous about incorporating music. However, with thanks due to the Eagle's Nest I feel confident about using music and the podcast. THANK YOU EAGLE"S NEST!

I love the creative technique in Langwitches that makes kids enthusiastic about reading. I can hear the excitement in their voices as they read their scripts. The pictures revealed that the printed script helped children follow along with the story as well. The kids must have loved making the accompanying noises. I can imagine them giggling along with the recording as they read the printed script in class. Another component of this project that I thought was genius was how they used smartboards and the recordings; basically TECHNOLOGY.
I am absolutely sure that the kids gained multiple skills throughout this project and loved every second of the learning process. This project assisted with reading, communication, pronunciation, listening, comprehension, time lines, smart boards, and different programs that enhanced their learning experience. I always knew from babysitting that kids, even toddlers, love to record and watch themselves doing everything. They are proud of what they do and they want others to see them and be just as proud. I am extremely happy that someone figured that out and used it in the classroom. I will definitely remember this method to help kids read, write, and communicate when I become a teacher. I am very excited about this!!!!

I found Judy Scharf's Podcast Collection helpful and interesting. Her collection is on my bookmarks' bar. I know it will come in handy. The video that she posted, About Audacity, has me messing around with Audacity. I also loved her layout of the schedule and different guidelines to follow when trying this out with students. One point that really stuck out to me was number 7, "Invite the principal, department chairperson, or some other person to come in and see the presentations.  Students will be very proud of their work." This is similar to what I said about the Langwitches project. Children want someone to be proud of them. I guess I should say everyone wants someone to be proud of them. This inspires kids, and adults, to continue learning and trying new things out. I believe when I get into a classroom of my own and try out the Langwitches project with my pupils, they will truly learn something and gain the confidence to learn outside of the classroom. I imagine the parents and students will be extremely proud and happy. I know I will be!