Where to begin? I find myself checking my Twitter, Facebook and Google Reader occassionally throughout the day! I decided to do that regularly because I never know when something really GREAT will appear. I found myself making a notepad full of thoughts, ideas, and website addresses that I think will be interesting to others as well as to me.
Hmmm . . . (note to self: need followers because no one is listening!?)
My day really started with helping a good friend with his new web page. Pictures say more than words sometimes . . . nope! Always! Never place your back to the words. It makes them seem invisible or unworthy or just not noteable!
My very first blog read note today was to say something about Will Richardson who had an interesting encounter with an apparant luddite! His chat today was about Technoslavery. Yes, I too have a handheld device that keeps me in touch with the cloud universe. Yes, it has presented some interesting comments by onlookers, who, I am sure wished that they could use the time standing in the grocery line - laughing over a friend's Twitter comment or reading an interesting comment in a blog! Rock on, Will!
Then I read about Learning Systems on the Committed Sardines Blog and thought about the statement that I had read in an early summer WR blog - "If we didn't have the schools we have today, would we create the schools we have today?" (2000, Tom Carroll) What do you think? Would we? I would hope not. I vote for the JG statement - "I demand a world class education for my kids!" which requires a teaching paradigm shift and an unprecidented committment to the amoebic like process that we now call education. I truly think that I certainly wouldn't create the walls, in a variety of formats, that I deal with today. And it isn't just the bricks and mortar that are a hinderance. I also think that fear of chaos, NCLB with its high stakes tests and legal ramifications are also walls with which to reckon. Moving on . . .
There are several issues that we are dealing with at Tech that made my blog reading really worthwhile for the staff at Tech:
Teach Paperless, now here is a blog with some real suggestions for assisting to make Tech a paperless environment. When Steve D said that we can do this; people said how? This can help!
How about cheating via computer? 6 Steps on how to reduce cheating on online tests had some good practical advice. Read it!
Are you a somewhat newbie to the tech in the classroom movement? If so this one is for you, Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools for Young Learners. Remember that I usually say take some baby steps. Here are some tools that are simple to use, easy to incorporate, and you won't look like a "newbie" to the kids. Remember, sometimes (?) they are smarter than we are. Introduce the lesson then the tool for the activity, maybe give an example of what it looks like almost done (you did this in the time that you really don't have, but you did it just the same), and let the kids go! Voila! Engaged kids! (Remember, the Media Center has equipment!)
Here are two for the English Department at Tech! (Nahhh! Everybody benefits!):
Daily Writing Tips has short explanations, examples, and two side bars filled with access to articles and categories.
The English Blog has many suggestions, assistance for grammar, spelling, punctuation. Just remember that it is from the UK and is slightly bent eastward. Otherwise, don't we speak the same language?
And finally something that Mr. Rogers and I discussed in the cloud. 2 Million Minutes, thats the time a freshman has until graduation. I will be getting the DVD and posters.
The following two videos demonstrate that failure is not a reason.
Hmmm . . . (note to self: need followers because no one is listening!?)
My day really started with helping a good friend with his new web page. Pictures say more than words sometimes . . . nope! Always! Never place your back to the words. It makes them seem invisible or unworthy or just not noteable!
My very first blog read note today was to say something about Will Richardson who had an interesting encounter with an apparant luddite! His chat today was about Technoslavery. Yes, I too have a handheld device that keeps me in touch with the cloud universe. Yes, it has presented some interesting comments by onlookers, who, I am sure wished that they could use the time standing in the grocery line - laughing over a friend's Twitter comment or reading an interesting comment in a blog! Rock on, Will!
Then I read about Learning Systems on the Committed Sardines Blog and thought about the statement that I had read in an early summer WR blog - "If we didn't have the schools we have today, would we create the schools we have today?" (2000, Tom Carroll) What do you think? Would we? I would hope not. I vote for the JG statement - "I demand a world class education for my kids!" which requires a teaching paradigm shift and an unprecidented committment to the amoebic like process that we now call education. I truly think that I certainly wouldn't create the walls, in a variety of formats, that I deal with today. And it isn't just the bricks and mortar that are a hinderance. I also think that fear of chaos, NCLB with its high stakes tests and legal ramifications are also walls with which to reckon. Moving on . . .
There are several issues that we are dealing with at Tech that made my blog reading really worthwhile for the staff at Tech:
Teach Paperless, now here is a blog with some real suggestions for assisting to make Tech a paperless environment. When Steve D said that we can do this; people said how? This can help!
How about cheating via computer? 6 Steps on how to reduce cheating on online tests had some good practical advice. Read it!
Are you a somewhat newbie to the tech in the classroom movement? If so this one is for you, Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools for Young Learners. Remember that I usually say take some baby steps. Here are some tools that are simple to use, easy to incorporate, and you won't look like a "newbie" to the kids. Remember, sometimes (?) they are smarter than we are. Introduce the lesson then the tool for the activity, maybe give an example of what it looks like almost done (you did this in the time that you really don't have, but you did it just the same), and let the kids go! Voila! Engaged kids! (Remember, the Media Center has equipment!)
Here are two for the English Department at Tech! (Nahhh! Everybody benefits!):
Daily Writing Tips has short explanations, examples, and two side bars filled with access to articles and categories.
The English Blog has many suggestions, assistance for grammar, spelling, punctuation. Just remember that it is from the UK and is slightly bent eastward. Otherwise, don't we speak the same language?
And finally something that Mr. Rogers and I discussed in the cloud. 2 Million Minutes, thats the time a freshman has until graduation. I will be getting the DVD and posters.
The following two videos demonstrate that failure is not a reason.
Failure and Michael Jordan
and a companion to this video. . .
Famous Failures
And that's how I feel today!
PS Here is today's Wordle and it really was about today!
Marge, I don't know how you do all that you do, but I'm glad you do!! Don't ever retire!!!!!!!!!!!!
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