Sunday, February 26, 2012

Copyright_PPT_6340_NoeGranado_5th Version

After reading Chapters 8-9, Playing Music & Tapping Emotions, I decided to make 90% of the PPT with one Wordle image. As you click to the next slide, the image pops up in front of the Wordle. I did this so that the image of the Wordle would stick to the audience since the Wordle has the key words sticking out. This would be considered a "Tapping Emotions". I've also adding "Moody Melody" since Burmark mentioned it in the book. My PPT is looking better and the changes are making a difference. It's amazing of how much changes can be made to a document as we become more knowledgeable with presentations.

Chapter 9 - Tapping Emotion

When I was reading through Chapter 9, Tapping Emotion, I remembered the time I used to teach at Kaplan College. It was my third day on the job and the director had asked me to be the presenter for the incoming students as part of their orientation. Unprepared and not very knowledgeable about the College’s history I was forced to prepared my speech in fifteen minutes. I quickly went around and asked questions about the college and picked up hours of operation and my time was up. I walked into the room and out of nowhere decided to sit with the audience while the previous presenter was still finalizing her presentation. I blended in with the audience and decided to act as one of them. I asked questions: How do you like it so far? Do you know who your instructor is going to be? What do you think about the college? Why did you decide to come to Kaplan College? The presenter was then done and realized that I was sitting within the audience. She mentioned that their instructor was sitting within the audience and asked if they could notice who he was. After no one could point me out I stood up and went in front of the room to introduce myself and started talking about the questions I had asked when I was in the audience. Burmark mentioned, “Better to laugh yourself silly than laugh yourself sick. (Burmark, 2011)” It’s more than likely that moment tapped into their minds. They will never forget the day the instructor was within the crowd. I did this several time after that and it was a success every time. I knew that students would wake up and learn something from my presentation after knowing that I was within the audience. It has become a powerful technique.

Works Cited

Burmark, L. (2011). They Snooze, You Lose: The Educator's Guide to Successful Presentations. San Francisco: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated.

Chapter 8 - Playing Music

When I was reading through Chapter 8, Playing Music, it reminded me of the time I went to Math tutorial at UTB-TSC tutorial lab. The reason I’m taking online course is because I don’t have time to attend classes at the college campus. Well, I could not remember how to work out some mathematical problem our online professor had assigned us and no one was available to remind me. I went to the lab and the only person available to assist me was a young student listening to his IPod. I said to myself, “This guy is acting just like my middle school students he thinks he can tutor me and at the same time listen to his IPod”.  To my surprise he had one ear plug in his ear and the other ready for listening. As I asked he answered and changed the music as he needed throughout the tutorial. The kid gave me great explanations and helped me understand the assignment. He never turned off his IPod! Ever since then my students have been allowed to listen to music while they work on their assignments. They understand that if their grades fall below an 80% then they will no longer listen to music until they pick up their grades. Like Burmark said, “But, buttom line, can music raise test scores?” (Burmark, 2011).

Works Cited

Burmark, L. (2011). They Snooze, You Lose: The Educator's Guide to Successful Presentations. San Francisco: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Copyright_PPT_6340_NoeGranado_4th Version

After reading Chapter 5-7, Burmark was talking about Making the connection, Harnessing Humor and Starting with images. I had already change so that my PPT started with and image. I added a colored background so I wouldn't have any white space, which Burmark talked about in chapter 7. I also already had a humor slide, but I realized that it's not about having a humor slide, it's about how you are going to present you humor personality into the presentation. I also added some interactivity and removed the transition of the on click feature. In other words I must click on the next arrow in order to continue. I also added hot spots to the Wordle image, so that I could click on a word on the the Wordle image and it will link me to that topic. These are the only changes I've made thus far.

Chapter 7 - Starting with images

When I was reading through Chapter 6 Burmark start starts talking about looking at image and telling the story (Burmark, 2011). One might think that this type of strategy belongs in an English classroom. The principal in my campus assures that these types of strategies be used in every subject. If you are to walk into my classroom you’ll see posters of people who have change the world because of their integration in technology. I’ll point to a picture and the students tell me the story behind that person without knowing who he/she is. By the way it’s interesting to see that the quality of paper changes in this chapter. A word wall is present in my computer lab including culture images. I agree with Burmark, when she mentions that we do make a difference with our students (Burmark, 2011). It’s amazing of how much student pick up even when you think they are not listening, they are! They know when you are prepared to teach the material and when you’re just winging it. I’m always ready for my students and they are always ready for me. Chapter 7 had an interesting ending but she made her point, educators make a difference!

Works Cited

Burmark, L. (2011). They Snooze, You Lose: The Educator's Guide to Successful Presentations. San Francisco: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated.

Chapter 6 - Harnessing Humor

When I was reading through Chapter 6 Burmark mentions that adding humor and surprises will wake your audience and never forget the experience (Burmark, 2011). I totally agree. I remember, in high school, I had a teacher who would act out every emotion or sound effects in order to get our attention and it worked. The funny thing was that when you would run into him in the halls he was very timid and quite. Well, now I realized that being a teacher is basically been a Hollywood actor. Our job position is certainly not a teacher it’s a: doctor, counselor, Dad, Mom, sister, brother, neighbor and any other type of people that interacts with a k-12 student and we must be ready to act and change character when needed. No, teachers are not the boss. They are the boss but we are in control. Control of how we present during the time they are in our presence. Burmark mentions that smiles are free (Burmark, 2011). This reminds me of a poster we have on campus of kids of every race is smiling and it reads, “A Smile means the same thing in any country”. Another way I use humor in class is when I introduce Chapter one “What is a Computer”. I begin the class by giving the following instructions to the students, “Students, tell me what to do, and I’ll do it”. I stay silent and wait for instructions. Everyone is confused and maybe one will say, “dance, jump….”, and so on but once I explain that a computer receives instructions they laugh because they realize that they could have told me to leave the room, allow them to listen to music and so on. I agree with Burmark when he mentions that we should allow students to use their electronics because I do and it’s very effective (Burmark, 2011). Harnessing humor is very important for both the presenter and the audience.

Works Cited

Burmark, L. (2011). They Snooze, You Lose: The Educator's Guide to Successful Presentations. San Francisco: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated.

Chapter 5 - Making Connections

When I was reading through Chapter 5 Burmark mentioned a YouTube video searched as “Bad Dates” (Burmark, 2011). It reminded me of the time I was teacher Math to 7th Graders. As a first teacher, they gave me the toughest group of students. No matter what I did I could not get their attention until one day I realized that I had to make the real life connection. Using smartboard technologies, there was an interactive activity that demonstration the X and Y axis and the students had to give the coordinates in order to bomb the battleship. Instantly they understood the concept of the X and Y axis. I especially like the example used of Joshua Bell performing at a train station and people did not realize that he had previously performed and the cheapest seat cost $100.00. This reminded of the saying, “Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer”. Sometimes we need to catch the attention of the toughest students and make the difference that we teachers are set out to accomplish. Chapter 5 was about breaking barriers between your audience and you as the presenter. As a teacher, I agree since every year technology is breaking more barriers that any other topic. We must make that connection with our audience.

 Works Cited

Burmark, L. (2011). They Snooze, You Lose: The Educator's Guide to Successful Presentations. San Francisco: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated.