Some of your colleagues have just started using blogs with their classes. Check out the links below to see what they’ve done and how they are using them! Make sure to look at the students’ comments!
4th Grade Example (click on the article title or on “Whee!” to see student comments)
If you are interested in trying this with your class, feel free to contact me. I’ll be glad to help you get started!
Roanoke Reads (http://www.roanokereads.org.vt.edu/)
I very rarely recommend a single website for you to view…I usually like to put together collections that you can look at when you need them. BUT, I have to make an exception this time for two different reasons:
1) One of our own teachers helped create this awesome parent resource and will presenting it at the Virginia Roanoke State Reading Association Conference.
2) It’s sooo well designed! We can all take tips on how to lay out an attractive, easy to navigate website from this example.
It’s a super resource for parents (and you too)! Be sure to check out the second grade section to see our own contributor to this great resource!
During the FLASH program (Fun Learning After School Hours) at GWC, six students in grades 3-5 worked together to write, record, and produce two podcasts and a promo! The students learned how to use a program called Audacity to record and edit audio. They also worked together to pick a theme for their podcasts and to devise segments for each theme. They even researched information, wrote a script, and recorded audio for their own segments! While we ran out of time and they were unable to put all the segments together themselves, they had input on how that would sound too. They were very proud of their hard work (I wish you could have seen their faces as they listened for the first time)! If you’d like to listen, visit the podcast section of the GWC website http://www.salem.k12.va.us/gwc/podcasts/CarverCast.htm. These podcasts were purely fun (since this was a FLASH class), but just think how neat it would be to have your students create a similar podcast on an SOL topic! Contact me if you are interested. If you teach grades 3-5 at GWC, you may already have an “expert” student in your class to assist!
Today we are talking about ways that Web 2.0 tools, such as wikis, blogs, podcasts, and many others, can be used in classrooms to enhance learning! I’d like you to experience leaving a comment on a blog. Find the link for this article that says “comments.” Click on it, and post an answer to at least one of these questions:
You do not need to leave your email address or a webpage. Thanks for sharing! Not only will you have a chance to comment on a blog, you will be helping other teachers and me!
I need some help! In the past, people usually email me the names of new students that need to be added to AR or tests that need to be deleted. Usually when I receive the email, I’m in the middle of working on something else, so I can’t handle it immediately. Lately when I’ve gone back to work on it, I have had trouble finding your requests in my email…they just get lost in all the other things that are coming in. Since people don’t use the same subject lines, it’s hard to even search for them. I’m really afraid that I’m going to forget to do it for you, and in some cases, I already have. So, I’m going to make two changes:
1. I need you to start putting requests for me to add students in databases on the help page. This way I have one place to look to find them when it’s time for me to do it. *Remember*–I need full given names (first, middle initial, and last) and ID numbers.
2. Teachers have permissions to delete tests from a student’s account (if they take it by mistake, for instance).
To do this, you login with the password “admin.” On the top bar, click on go / reading practice. Select your class’ name and click OK. In the top pane, click on the student’s name. Click on the test in the bottom pane that you want to delete. Press Delete on the menu to the left. It will ask you if you really want to delete the test. Click yes.
If you are having problems, I’ll be glad to show you personally. Thanks for your help!
Announcing the first annual “K12 Online 2006″ convention for teachers, administrators and educators around the world interested in the use of Web 2.0 tools in classrooms and professional practice. This year’s conference is scheduled to be held over two weeks, Oct. 23-27 and Oct. 30- Nov. 3 with the theme “Unleashing the Potential.” The K12 Online 2006 blog has just gone live. Click here for a one page printable flyer in PDF format.
Check out this great article on Web 2.0 sites from Solution Watch. Some are for older students, but there’s a bunch listed that teachers might like too!!
If you are reading this blog, then you’ve found my new “newsletter” for the technology happenings at your school. Welcome! Yes, and that’s what this is….a blog. I am going to be blogging to keep you informed! Why? Because I can tell you what I need to tell you without having to wait until I put out a newsletter each month. A blog also has advantages for other reasons. You will be able to look back at past “news” if you need to. You’ll be able to look for information I have written about certain topics using “tags” or categories. I will be modeling for you a use of technology that I think would be very useful for your classroom. And, the coolest part….blogging is actually two way communication! See that “comment” link right below this article? If you click on it, you can leave a comment about the article you are reading. It’s even possible to have a nice discussion via the blog comments.
So, let’s lay some ground rules:
1) You do not have to comment, but please do if you have something to say.
2) This is NOT another form of a “help” page. If you choose to comment, please keep the discussion about the topic of the article to which you are responding. Also, please do not leave comments about wanting to schedule a time with me—this is best done through email.
3) You do not have to leave your email address, but it would help me to at least know what school you are from….and your name if you feel comfortable. First names are fine.
4) Remember that this page is part of the Internet. Anyone can read it. Do not use kids’ names.
5) Be honest. If you don’t like one of my ideas, feel free to say so and tell me why. If you have questions, ask. If you have suggestions, please share. If you used an idea and it went really well, tell me. If it was a flop, tell me that too. Remember that others can read your comments as well, so what you say may help someone else.
So, that’s it! Go for it! I will remind you once a month to check this blog in lieu of sending out my monthly newsletter. You can visit anytime…I will post new articles regularly…you don’t have to wait for my email!
PS—Blogs also use something called RSS feed (you see it mentioned in the box to the right). Using this feed might make it easier to keep up with this blog, and to keep tabs on a bunch of other really neat stuff on the web. Keep a look out for webpages that have an RSS feed. You might see a little orange xml or rss icon to let you know. For now, just try and notice, and I’ll explain more about it later.
Be thinking about a permanent arrangement for your students in the computer lab during the next few weeks. As you assign seats, please record your students in the computer lab notebook located on the table in the lab. Assigning seats will allow students to
Once you have assigned seats, please require students to stay at their computer unless there is a technical problem. If you need to rearrange seating during the year, please just update your seating chart.
Two suggestions:
* Assign students by numbers–that way they can also use the same numbered laptop when you are using the cart.
*Don’t forget, the projector in the GWC lab is hooked to computer #3. If you plan on using the projector or having me work with your students, you might want to leave this computer open.
I love working with teachers, especially when I get to come into their classrooms! It gives me a chance to work with the kids too! I was able to do that a lot last year, especially towards the end of the year, and I’d love to keep it up. As you get to know me better, you might want to think about how you request my help. I don’t mind meeting you in the lab to teach your students how to use a certain program, BUT, I’d like for you to start thinking more about the content you are teaching rather than about the technology. So, instead of, “Can you come teach my students PowerPoint?” let’s change it to, “I am teaching about Famous Americans. Can you help me think of ways to incorporate technology into this unit?” Here the focus is not on the technology in and of itself, but on technology as a tool to assist you in teaching content. What you teach in the lab should augment what you are teaching in your classroom. That’s what it’s all about! After you decide what technology goes with the content (and I’ll be glad to help you think of ideas), then I’ll be more than happy to help you implement it! And, as I said before, that’s the part I love! Ask me!