Journal 2

Affinity Group:http://communities.naae.org/community/feeds/allcontent
The affinity group I am currently following is the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE).  This is a group geared towards agriculture teachers and FFA advisors.  This group provides not only classroom and lesson plan supports but also support and is a community in which ag educators can discuss, collaborate and help other ag educators with issues that are unique to the profession.  For example, agriculture educators are unique in the way that they not only teach in the classroom but also have things such as school farm sites to manage as well.  I hope that by following this affinity group I can learn the different tricks and tips that more veteran teachers can provide to new and preservice teachers such as myself.  I also think this will be a great source to get lesson plan and project ideas that are new and unique.

Digg RSS Reader:
Over the past week I have been checking my Digg RSS Feed and have learned several things.  For example, I have found this to be a great way to learn what is going on in my desired field of agriculture through following specific blogs.  However, I have also learned that it is important to follow blogs that are updated on a regular basis. A few of the blogs and newstreams I had originally decided to follow are not regularly updated and have not been updated or had new blogs posted in months.  Because of the blogs that were not updated often I chose to follow and and many new streams onto my reader, which caused me to gain a wider perspective on the blogs I am following.

Q1: How can assigning my future high school students to follow an affinity group or create their own Digg RSS Reader benefit and enrich their classroom experience?
A1: By having students either follow an affinity group, that relates to both their interests and the class  specific subject, or by creating their own RSS reader feed to follow, students can gear the subject to their own interests, as well as gain a deeper understanding of the subject and pursue the specific interests.

Q2: How can using tools such as Digg RSS Reader and joining affinity groups help develop you as a teacher?
A1: Digg RSS Reader is a fantastic tool to use in keeping up to date in the field of your profession, both as an educator and in the specific field you are teaching.  Also, by joining an affinity group of educators who share your grade level, and subject you are able to gain a wider range of resources, both from what the other educators are using within their own classrooms, as well as pose questions to other teachers who may have a different perspective than yourself, as well as more experience than yourself.  Both of these tools can be a great assest to teachers and especially preservice teachers, such as myself.