COMMENTS ABOUT THE FINAL PROJECTS (SANDRA FERNÁNDEZ)

CRÓNICAS VIAJERAS

This group talked of children with disabilities and as technologies help them to improve, to enter, to have more desire to participate etc. They spoke exactly of children with autism, with Down syndrome and people with motor disabilities. The conceptual map that they did was very clear and was very well organized, with the different difficulties, new technologies that can be used to help children, and the results and consequences.

I think it was a very full presentation where I learned more things about these disabilities and at the same time how use technologies to help these children. I learned about the various difficulties of these children such as: children with autism have difficulties in language, imagination etc; children with Down syndrome have less initiative, suffer more distractions etc; people with motor disabilities have motor and physical difficulties. To reinforce these activities with the use of new technologies is a good medium through cameras, tablets, whiteboards, mp3 to listen to music etc. Today the use of these technologies will help students learn in an easier way and help them for inclusion in the class. One thing I liked was learning that much whiteboards help children with Down syndrome because they are very visual for them and capture their attention immediately.

Finally they showed us a video about the technologies and the advantages afforded to communication. We saw in the video how a child is more motivated with a tablet than with a paper because in there are movements, music, drawings etc. Finally they showed us an application, it is a game for children with a disorder.

In my opinion I think it is a very full presentation and I think it is very interesting to know how the technologies can help many people. Today we live in a technological world and I think we should learn to use them at each moment and to know their usefulness in certain situations and the great benefits it can have.

TEAM PERK

The issue that had this group was ICT and improvement schools. They started the presentation with a video that spoke of use had to give technologies to improve learning. They make a great conceptual map divided like in 4 sections. They talked about several terms related to technologies such as: digital natives, digital divide, future teachers etc. Then they talked of using technologies which might have applications and mentioned the advantages and difficulties in the use of technologies.

They also mentioned the importance of introducing technology in the classroom and current technologies are part of the daily lives of students. They also spoke of how important it is that teachers receive adequate training and knowledge to use technology in the classroom. Teachers could improve these attending various courses on knowledge technologies.

Finally they talked about various technological tools and applications, ipod, robotics etc and how they can be used in the classroom to reinforce learning. One of the most important objectives is to improve communication between teachers and students through the introduction of these new methods.

At the end of the presentation they concluded with another video on the use of ipads in a school, very interesting to see how children learn and have fun at the same time. In my opinion I think we should introduce the technology in the classroom as students are more motivated to learn and we make learning more enjoyable and fun. On the other hand I think it is important that teachers continue training to get acquire good knowledge about how to use and introduce technologies. I think although there are teachers who don’t want to completely eliminate the traditional teaching is necessary to evolve and think about what is the best for our education and learning for our students.

UNKNOWNS

The theme of this group is the same as ours: Inclusive Schools. In their presentation they began giving a definition and appointing four authors who speak about these schools who are: Gordon Porter, Mel Ainscow, Tony Booth and Gerardo Echeita. Then they presented some general ideas and goals that have this type of schools such as: do not leave anyone apart give everyone the same opportunities, promote democracy and justice etc. They also talked about the benefits they can bring such schools how are for example the opportunity to learn about individual differences and learn to accept them, build relationships, appreciate diversity, parents involvement etc.

Although these schools offer very good things there are barriers to their development: political, cultural and didactic. They explained these barriers and after at the end of the presentation, in its conclusion they proposed some solutions to eliminate these barriers, there were 3 solutions that are: creating inclusive cultures, develop inclusive policies and develop inclusive practices.

They also talked two inclusive schools are Padre Piquer and Sadako. These schools defend the teaching of diversity as a quality, promote respect among all teach values, not focus so much on teaching content but seeking activities for your students to have fun, also give great importance to new technologies and defend its use in classrooms, are schools that want to give equal opportunities to all children, without rejecting anyone for their culture or disability, also they say it is very important to have a good atmosphere in the classroom etc.

In my opinion I think it has been a very complete and very visual presentation with the main ideas. I think it is necessary to promote these types of schools and inclusive education such as it would provide equal opportunities to all students to learn and not as currently depending on our properties receive a teaching or another. In these schools all are considered equal and I think this is very important. Another thing that strikes me is that they are very concerned about the involvement of parents in the learning process of their children and I think this is very important because it is necessary to have a collaboration among all.

MODERN STUDENTS

This group talked about ways of living together in the school, and they divided the topic into 4 parts as we could see in their conceptual map.

The first part was the school mediation, in this part they talked about why occur problems such as bullying, violence or exclusion and how it can be solved. After they had explained the objectives mediator to solve this and who could be the mediator, the mediator could be children, teachers or non-teaching staff employed. The importance of teaching good values to avoid such problems in schools are also named.

The second part was program to support peers that is in relation with the mediation, how to solve problems etc. This part was explained very well, they talked about goals, also about the keys of this program that are for example conflicts as an engine of change, shared responsibility… and also they talked about the results that could be obtained.

The third part was about "archeology of feelings", is a book that compares archeology with education and had 5 steps were: excavate, discover, investigate, protect and expose.

Part 4 was a school in Finland named Kiva that worked with bullying and online materials also to avoid harassment. To end the exposure they put a video of students students is another program that deals with the mediation.

In my opinion I think they have approached the issue very well, proposing solutions to current problems in schools. I think it's important to have good relations in schools, there is a comfortable environment for all etc. For this I think it is important to note the problems that exist and from there find the necessary solutions so that we can be as well as possible. I found it very interesting part of the book of archeology because they use a metaphor between archeology and the feelings that children can feel at school.

MUSICAL CHAIRS

This group had the subject of Community Learning. When we talk about this we are referring basically to the coordination between teachers, students and volunteers. With this method what is intended is to show that the school is not isolated from society and that collaboration not only of teachers and students is needed. Currently we just say that teachers are responsible for everything in the school and this is not because children need different kinds of support and motivation of both teachers as family to get their learning.

The main point of the work I think that focuses on explaining how society can appear at school because it is very easy to say but doing so is more complicated. Society appear in school through recognized as volunteers. When we speak of volunteers we can say that they are people who have no previous qualifications to teach class but that empowers teachers to engage in activities, give talks etc. All these things take place in the school.

I find it interesting to mention three words that seem to me important to carry out this coordination of the educational community are: collaboration, understanding and cooperation.

It will create a process to try that society has an important role within schools. This process has 3 phases:

-Dream: in this first stage it is where you will think all the possibilities for improvement for the center. These improvements can be physical, on methodology, reforms in classrooms etc.

-PRIORITIES: In this second stage must be selected among all the proposals we said in the previous phase the most feasible proposals that are most needed etc to our center. In short, the proposals that are to be realized.

-Working COMMITTEES: In this final stage of the process is the shift to implement everything we've decided to go above and solving the various difficulties we may encounter.

In my opinion I think it's a very important issue because it is necessary to know that in schools many more persons or entities involved and not just teachers. The school is now seen as something between teachers and students, in my opinion I think this is not so and we should understand that we have a very broad educational community where they enter teachers, students, families, volunteers etc. I think when we understand that we all have to do our part to get a good education, that will be the moment where things start to work better.

WANDERLUST

This group had the subject of Social and Emotional Learning. They started talking about why you should include it in the school as a subject, defending the idea of Rafel Bisquerra that was as important as math or language and help children to understand better how they feel, to prevent negative emotions, etc.

Emotions is something that teachers observe every day in class, observe their students, so teachers need to work every day with the emotions of students. Then they talked about the methodology of how to pass the ideas into practice, the Wanderlust team proposed that a good idea would talk every day with students about how they feel and how their peers feel.

They related this with multiple intelligences, because all children need to develop emotional intelligence, so have proposed an activity which is called "week of emotional intelligence." This activity would be to put students in different situations and they had to express how they feel about each of them and finally, also linked him with cooperative learning because if all students work together helping each other, if all students know how they feel their peers could also avoid situations of bullying for example.

Another thing I found interesting and explained very well is the importance of feelings that show teachers and how important it is that the teacher his students show happy before, because children have their teacher as an example and although not we we see the emotional situation teacher before students can affect them.

Finally they introduced the theme of empathy, which is the ability to put oneself in the other lufar. To develop this empathy in the classroom is important to address the emotions of children, to listen, to show their feelings etc. They explained how to work this in class and proposed an interesting activity: "Walk in my shoes". This activity would be put in the situation of another person when there is a conflict. After this again stressed the importance of teachers in this subject because students should have an interest, help them in every time they need etc. the importance of parents is also important as it should be interested in how their children feel and help when needed.

In my opinion I think it is an issue that should be worked in the classroom, because it is very good teaching material to students but we must also know how they feel, understand them, understand what may feel in each situation etc. I would find it interesting to devote a session of one hour a day so that all children could express themselves, describe what they feel, how they feel every day etc. I also find very important the involvement of parents and teachers in this topic to understand our children. And finally, I also think it is very important the role of teacher and must show happy, interested in classes, as if showing bad emotional feelings students will notice and this can influence them.

DUMBLEDORE TEACHERS’ ARMY

This group did their work about leadership and school. The group was divided and one part did a job and on the other a member of the group made an individual work. To begin I will answer the questions proposed in class by the teacher.

Why is leadership Important in school?

I think it's important leadership in schools because there needs to be someone willing to make decisions and to say what needs to be done to accomplish different tasks in schools. I think it is important also because leaders know the needs of students and different proposals will have to look for them and to improve learning. I also think it is important to carry out rules and that they are responsible to see if all students are receiving a good education or if you need to change something. To sum up I think a leader is important in school as long as limits are established to not reach situations where the leader thinks is the best and who rules over all, but the leader has to know that he is the reference person to others but has to deal with them, see that failure in education, proposing different solutions to problems, new methods. A leader is important and will act as an example to other members of the schools.

What are the main Characteristics of a good leader?

To be a good leader we can talk about some characteristics that I think are important they should have: a good leader must know how to teach good values for the educational community is willing to collaborate, should be positive people who can face challenges, find solutions give good ideas etc, a good leader must realize the situation in reality and from there look for possible changes or creating the things that should be necessary, must be a good communicator to communicate their plans to others, it must be a good person an example for others as people will notice it, must always be open to learning new things and seek advice and not think that being a leader is the one who commands, be organized.

For this presentation, the group was divided and made two jobs. They were not presented in class so hung their work on the blog. Some ideas I have drawn from their presentations is the importance of having a leader, they have also spoken of school effectiveness. There are different types of leadership depending on the person who supports the most weight and objectives, these types can be: instructional, transfomrational, moral etc.

Also they mentioned the different characteristics of school effectivenes, for example: teaching and learning effective, good behavior Among students, student self-discipline etc.

OUR GROUP

In our group we have the subject of inclusive schools. First we decided to introduce the subject with a definition. Then we talked about when we talk about inclusion often confuse this term with integration and that although they are very similar differ. In the integration the group of "different" people have to try to adapt to society while inclusion in society is changing to see that we are all equal and that no one has to adapt, but we are the same group. Afterwards we present some of the general characteristics that offer these types of schools that are for example: defending diversity, heterogeneity, promote equal rights for all, focusing on the process of the child during the course and not in the note an exam build an educational community, teach different values such as justice, democracy etc.

Then we focus on finding information about the thinking of 4 authors that talk about inclusive schools are: Gordon Porter, Tony Booth, Mel Ainscow and Gerardo Echeita.

Although these schools propose many good things, there are barriers that prevent their development to be effective. These barriers are: political, cultural and didactic. We also talked about strategies that could be carried out to remove these barriers and to successfully develop this type of inclusive education. These strategies are: creating inclusive cultures (building community, including Establishing values), producing inclusive policies (Developing the school for all, Organising support for diversity) and evolving inclusive practices (orchestrating learning, Mobilising resources).

To conclude, we seek two videos about two schools in Spain where we could see how it works in these schools and the main characteristics that present. One of the schools was in Pontevedra and is the O'Pelouro that is focused only on college students where coexist in the same place all types of students regardless of differences that may exist between them whether cultural, gender, disabilities, etc. never are separated depending on their abilities, the student is who choose about their learning etc. The other school is Amara Berri and speaks a little of the same, which is a school where several teachers working in the same class and not like now that each class has a teacher only have the mediatheque as the essential source of information, promote use of new technologies, considered as a quality differences etc. Finally we put our conclusions that we had after performing this work.

In my opinion I think that inclusive schools are ideal for students, which is encouraged above all respect for others, where all students have the same rights and the same opportunities and are not judged by anything or anyone. The methodology in these schools makes the child learn and not really memorize as currently happens, children are free to propose their teachers about things that interest them. They are schools where the relationship between parents, teachers and students is essential and the collaboration of all is sought. Are schools where children will not only learn but to have fun, teach them not only material but teach them to be good people values. I think if everyone put on their part we could change our schools and our education could be better.