KARNS/HARDIN VALLEY SHOPPER-NEWS • MARCH 7, 2011 • A-3
Innovative ‘appl-i-cations’ for Black History Month, more By Lorraine Furtner Sixth grade language arts teacher Robin Curry and technology specialist Steve Delapp at Cedar Bluff Middle School teamed up for an innovative podcast project for Black History Month. Both are members of the “appl-i-cators,” a teacher iPad users-group that marries technology and teaching to reach today’s students. Curry said she assigned significant African-Americans that students might not have heard of for the podcasts. Curry wanted students to grasp the importance of Black History Month. The 6th grade advanced reading classes of 54 students were divided into groups of three and researched their assigned person, and wrote a script, newscast or interview to play along with a slide show of pictures. Delapp showed the students how to record their podcast using GarageBand software and put the oneminute features on the school’s website, cedar bluffms@knoxschools.org. He will leave the projects on the website until spring break, March 14-18. Student Dawson Byard got it. He was paired with
Cedar Bluff Middle school teacher Amber Wehr gets assistance with her iPad from technology instructor Steve Delapp.
Cedar Bluff Middle School teacher Robin Curry (center) recognizes (seated) Dawson Byard, Alexis Longmire, (standing) Shaunna Acker and Austin French for what they learned creating podcasts for Black History month. Photos by L. Furtner Zeth Atkins and Eric Stickles to study the Tuskegee Airmen. At first the boys were disappointed because they all like sports and wanted an athlete to study. “Once we found out about their flying missions, we liked it,” said Dawson. “Did you know people came out to congratulate them and were surprised they were black? They treated them differ-
ent because of the color of their skin,” said Dawson. What did he learn besides how to use GarageBand? “That we (as a society) should learn from our mistakes and about what we should and shouldn’t do,” said Dawson. Look for more fresh ideas to come about as Cedar Bluff teachers are participating in a unique
training, sharing and brainstorming discussion for applying newly purchased iPads in the classroom. This is a challenge when only one unit is available per class. Many teachers at Cedar Bluff Elementary opted to purchase iPads with their coupon book money allotment, while PTSA bought the 12 in use at the middle school.
Delapp gave instructions and pointers during the meeting while others brainstormed and shared applications (apps) they had found helpful. Kara Evans, 5th grade teacher, said as she has shared apps such as “dictionary.com” with parents, they’ve given her feedback on apps that work well at home. Some ways that elementary teachers are using the iPads include: 3rd grade teacher Julie Lewis sets it up as a station for reading or multiplication in the classroom, and 2nd grade teacher Carol Bledsoe uses it for spelling and found an avatar animal that she can
“train” (record) to instruct students on classroom rules. Middle school teachers like Tim Smith gives students who finish classroom assignments early the opportunity to play educational social studies or word games. Josh Archer uses a free book sampler to allow students access to a mini-virtual library to help them choose books they want to read or use for research. One of his favorite apps is “Manual for the United States.” Delapp said many of the apps are free at first, or cost less than $5.
A cultural experience I-House lends diversity to campus and community By Wendy Smith The primary purpose of the University of Tennessee’s International House is to teach homegrown students about other cultures, and members of the community are welcome to participate – if they can find a parking place, says former I-House director Lee Rhea. Rhea recently stepped down after serving as director for seven years. On Tuesdays, students from various countries present a Coffee House with cultural food, crafts or even dance lessons. Each Thursday, Global Hour offers a forum for discussion of world events in the news. Language labs give participants the opportunity to practice foreign languages with a native speaker. Occasional Culture Nights feature dinner and an educational presentation about a particular country. A handful of Bangladeshi students presented Culture Night two weeks ago at the I-House. Nabila Khalid, the only University of Tennessee undergraduate student from Bangladesh, was master of ceremonies during the evening, which served up a Bangladeshi dinner, a slide show, traditional dance and Khalid’s performance of a Bangladeshi pop song. Culture Night is a bargain for community members at $7 per person, in addition to the $1 per halfhour parking fee at the University Center garage. “It’s cheaper than dinner and a movie,” says Rhea. The current location at 1623 Melrose Ave. is IHouse’s fourth home since it was established in 1969. One of the misconceptions about the facility is that it “sequesters” international students from their American counterparts. “That’s not what we’re about at all,” Rhea says. “We bring the world to the campus.”
The International House was established in 1969 to educate American students about other cultures. It has been at its current location at 1623 Melrose Ave. since 1995. Photos by Wendy Smith
Mowing GREEN VALLEY Edging LAWN CARE Blowing Affordable & Dependable Mulching Powell, N. Knox. Hauling Free Estimates Seeding 310-4621 • 599-3808 & more www.gvlawns.com
HOME IMPROVEMENTS Roofing, Painting, Siding, Gutters, Flooring, Fencing, Etc.
865-924-5119
“Design Your Home Colors Online”
www.RoofingConceptsDesign.com
KUNTRY POOLS
Call or text 388-1752 Pool openings starting at $150. Weekly maintenance, salt systems, in-ground & above-ground liners, professional fencing.
Installation Professionals, references avail.
The Bunnies are Here! Salwa Mostafa, a graduate student from Bangladesh, performs at a recent Culture Night hosted by the UT International House.
While the main objective of the I-House is to educate American students, it also offers support to international students. Students from around the world use the facility’s computer lab, television room, and space for studying and eating lunch. Where students gather, interesting discussions occur. Recent topics have included the threat of civil war in Libya and Tennessee state Sen. Bill Ketron’s proposed bill that would make it illegal to practice some forms of Sharia Law. “It’s fascinating to hear the conversations that go on here on a daily basis,” says Rhea. Khalid has enjoyed sharing her culture through IHouse events and international festivals on campus. She has found that while
some students are interested in learning more about other cultures, most undergraduates don’t appreciate the value of diversity. She worries that the university doesn’t offer enough assistance to international students, particularly graduate students who often arrive in Knoxville with no place to stay and no Social Security number. “I was lucky to have a sister here,” she says. “It’s really hard.” Rhea agrees. He’d like to see UT advise international students on housing, public transportation and obtaining necessary identification. Perhaps the campus should be more user-friendly to international students who choose to expand their minds, and share their culture, in the Knoxville community.
Catch up with all your favorite columnists every Monday at www.ShopperNewsNow.com
$35 Session
with a complimentary Gift Set! ($170 value)
CALL 546-5577 to schedule your appointment
www.reflectionsandimages.com