Back to the Classroom?

I often think about going back to the classroom. I don't believeI ever worked harder then when I was a teacher in the classroom, but I often think about going back. If I were to return to the classroom I would use technology...

• to engage students during the background/orientation portion of a lesson
• to organize and display student data to make patterns more visible
• web 2.0 tools to publish work creating an authenic audience and motivation to succeed
• to communicate with parents who have technology available to them
• to share lessons and ideas with my colleagues and hope that they will do the same
• to model 21st Century Skills
• to educate myself on what new technology is available to me and my students.

If I were to return to the classroom I would use technology.

I Absolutely Have a Way to Become Better as a Teacher

Site Administrators, coaches, and educators, Looking for away to start of the year? Check out the post at The Fischbowl. I Have Absolutely No Way to Become Better as a Teacher . The page was taken from Carl Glickman's Leadership for Learning: How to Help Teachers Succeed, a book I have not yet read. If a staff, team or teacher, were to break down each bullet into a positive phrase and then turn each phrase into an action plan, then teachers would absolutely have a way to become better as a teacher. For example: Take the phrase" I do not visit other schools or attend particular workshops or seminars or read professional literature on aspects of my teaching" Turn it into, "I visit other schools and attend workshops and read professional literature on aspects of my teaching." Now comes the action plan. Administrators can set up classroom observations throughout the year (even if it's somewhere in the district or even at a school site). Even if there isn't money to send teachers to workshops, coordinate with district or community leaders to have site based workshops that help teachers meet objectives or specific goals. And now... start a Book Club on campus or district-wide for teachers who are interested. You may even want to begin with this book, Leadership for Learning: How to Help Teachers Succeed.

Breaking all the Rules

While browsing the top 100 blogs at Technorati I came across an interesting Blog and apparently others agree because it is ranked 40 on their list, The blog known as The Wrong Advices, includes topics such as tech news and blogging tips and it seems lots of other stuff . One can view numerous articles and links regarding blogging. 10 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid is one of the articles linked on the site by John Chow.
Here is where I am missing the mark:

• not updating frequently (Hey it's hard I'm on the computer all day at work.)
• Not giving RSS (Am I really saying anything that worthwhile, yet?)
• Not being personal (That can be scarey)
• Not reaching out to other bloggers (Ok, I admit it I'm anti blogsocial)
• Not reading John Chow.com (ha! ha!)

Photo Story 3 Easy for Me

Photo Story 3 seems to be a program that educators are willing to embrace, so I like to let teachers and students know about it! It just might be a way to get educators to use technology in the classroom. Why is there buy-in?

• free- quick download for PC (doesn't seem compatible with VISTA yet?)


• easy to use- step-by-step wizard


• fun!

Although it doesn't allow for complex editing or a lot of creative freedom, it gets the job done. Besides, the less time teachers have to spend on administrative type steps, the more time they have to TEACH. And... because it seems simple, teachers may have the confidence to use it with their students of all ages.

Radio WillowWeb

Whoever heard of Willowdale Elementary School in Omaha, Nebraska? Until they started podcasting, not many. Today it's difficult to talk podcasting without mention of Radio Willow Web. Look them up on iTunes or visit their site Radio Willow Web for a little inspiration.

Podcasting

Interested in Podcasting? Tune into iTunes. Select Podcasts and then from the categories menu choose education. Here you will find an array of free podcasts to listen to. If you find one you like, subscribe to it and the next time you select update you will automatically receive the newest episodes of the podcast.

Blogs in Plain English

Still foggy on the whole BLOG thing? This video will clear you up.

Student Wiki Experiments

Introducing a group to wikis? Why not start with the wiki of all wikis, Wikipedia. Not only is Wikipedia a great model of what features a wiki includes, it also is a plethora of information. No matter if you are training a group of educators, health care providers or even Girl Scouts, there is going to be a page or ten on the groups' area of expertise.
1. Take the group to a page of interest.
2. Invite participants to read.
3. Now encourage them to participate by editing or adding to the information.
I guarantee participants will find their contribution to the internet exciting and a little bit contagious. This is only the beginning.

RSS Feed

So now that you may have favorite blogs, wikis,and podcasts to visit, cut down on the search time by setting up RSS feeds. This video explains it quite well in two simple steps: first set up a home (reader) to post the updates and then connect the reader and your favorite sites. ">

Sample Vlog

Here is a sample vlog used to publish a seven year old's research report.

6 and 7 Year Olds and Blogs

Next time someone asks you "Why Blog?" (and they will!)Let these 6 & 7 year olds from Nelson Central School in New Zealand tell them. They are a bit persuasive! You can check out their class blog at: http://room9nelsoncentral.blogspot.com/ Or their Rachel Boyd, their teacher's edublog at: http://rachelboyd.blogspot.com/

Don't blog for the sake of blogging!

Why are most of the blogs to my right currently untouched or vacant? Here is my take. A Blog is like a wrench or any other tool in a tool box. I have them, but until I need them, they will stay in the box. And some of those tools... I wouldn't know what to do with even if I did need them. Maybe one of those tools could help me complete a task easier, quicker or with better outcome, but I would need time to learn how to use it. The case with the blogs to the right? You don't use a tool you don't need. I don't say, I'm going to get a hammer and find a reason to use it. I say I need to hang this picture and select the best tool to get the job done. When a teacher says I need to teach my students response to literature and I need to select the best tool, a blog may be one of their choices.

Do we laugh at the same jokes?

Even monkeys see blogging as an answer! I wonder if our students do? Do we speak the same language as our students? Do we laugh at the same jokes? If connecting with our students is as important as research states, then maybe blogging is a way. What are your thoughts?

Wonderful Wiki

Go to: http://flatplanet.wikispaces.com/About and check out the power of wikis and technology. Two classrooms, two countries, one wiki, one project. We're not just talking pen pals, we're talking Environment. Students are having high level discussions and collaborating across the country on environmental projects. Who wouldn't want their child to have this experience!

Blog Island Deserted?

Blogs can be awfully lonely too! Contemplating two thoughts... is this really a Blog? Although I am interacting with the web, no one is interacting with me. According to Will Richardson blogs link, "... analysis and synthesis that articulate a deeper understanding or relationship to the content being linked and written with potential audience response in mind." Ok I've got the first part. I'm missing the second part. I have an audience in mind, but not the mind of an audience. I need interaction and responses. Interact with me, darn it!

It's the Thought that Counts!

Have you been blogging? podcasting? how about thinking about it? That's a start, right? Students in Ms. Conforti's class taped their Haiku poems and uploaded them for everyone to listen. Ms. Colwell's first graders are learning about podcasting. They look forward to making more first grade podcasts too! What are you doing or even just thinking about? It's the thought that counts!

Vacation Blogging

Vacation time can be educational time when you include blogging on your itinerary. Bloggers can share the sites they visit and the adventures they experience while communicating with the family or students back at home. By including pictures and web-based links, vacation bloggers aren't just telling about a vacation, they're allowing others to experience it too! With blogging, students won't just visit the Grand Canyon, they will have to immerse themselves in it, so they will be able to share it with their audience. Students will be more interactive visitors and more responsible internet browsers in order to find links that capture the Grand Canyon at its best. No internet on the road? ...just create the text and add links when back at home. No computer? ...add the information later. Students who go on vacation during the year, could blog it! Students who are studying a country can create a blog about it! While blogging can be a writing project for students, it can be a teaching tool for teachers. Teachers can use a blog from their own vacation to help students learn content. If they are visiting a mission they can blog their trip and teach students about missions. It can serve as your scrapbook too!

Shopping Bargains

Mary went shopping! Wal-Mart has mp3 recorders online
for $48 including shipping. They're $69 in the store. You can have them
shipped to the store for pick-up and save $6.

Also.. check Circuit City. They had a Sandisk for $39.99

Happy Shopping

Fluency podcasts!

Guess what Mary is up to in 2nd grade at Pioneer School?
Mary has recorded some of her children reading (for fluency) and emailed parents so they could listen to their child at home. The parents were excited to receive the email and were impressed with Mary's technology use! Go Mary! Share your stories too, successes and not so successes are all welcome.

Free Tech Training

Part of being a tech leader is helping your teachers allocate their resources. Do you have teachers at your site that still haven't got their feet wet with Powerpoint? Here is a no pressure training for them. March 20th 3:30-5:30pm Sign up at http://www.edtechnetwork.org/. Dream of using PowerPoint in your classroom? Let’s turn your dream into reality! Not only can an effective PowerPoint help engage your students, it can allow you to preserve your lessons, so you can reteach and review at the click of a mouse. Join your colleagues from across the nation for a FREE live, online experience right from your classroom or personal computer. You can even receive professional development hours! Spaces are limited!

Educational Difference: One Blog at a Time!

Though El Dorado Co. educators would rather be venturing out soaking up the sun on this bright, sunny day in March, they are inside diligently typing on their laptops. They are joining the millions of online consumers and producers and attempting to make a difference in education one blog at a time. Initially their attempts are to reach audiences back at their school sites, but with the internet, they know the potential reaches well beyond the El Dorado County line.

Blogging and the Brain

Can Blogs Help Students? Is blogging Good For the Brain? The internet is dripping with articles emphazing the strengths of Web 2.0 technologies like blogging.
Giving Voice - In her own "words" illustrates why teachers should be using technology in the classroom. Amanda an avid user of many 2.0 technologies explains, "If they see me write they don't know I'm autistic".
So how can we get teachers to embrace technology's newest collaboration tools? The search is on...

Blogging Tasks

Check out this 6 year class from England at http://priestsic6.learnerblogs.org/They use their blogs to communicate to parents and publish work, but more interestingly to communicate assignments to students. Students are assigned "Blogging Tasks" and can choose from an array of activities including: reading and responding to each others blogs, posting their own comments, exploring online links and voting.

Blog Impact?

If you are wondering where blogging may impact your life, check out some of the educational blog sites. There are professional development blogs, reflective teaching blogs, University curriculum blogs, teachers/student communication blogs and poetry and book club blogs to name a few. If you are still wondering if a blog may impact your life at all, check out some of the blog insights made by 8th grade students at http://anne.teachesme.com/2005/07/09#a2979.

It's important to make sure technology use helps to meet a lesson objective and doesn't stray from the purpose of the lesson.