Will Richardson and Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach co-founded Powerful Learning Practice and they have made it their business to help educators transform their practice. They started out their session by showing this video clip:
What do you think this kid is trying to do?
Why did he use this platform to do it?
The discussion that Will and Sheryl held in this session was so meaty and powerful that I had trouble figuring out how to bring it to you in a blog post...and I almost didn't. Fortunately, I was able to find the majority of it archived here on Istevision. Please take the time to watch this and soak up their knowledge. It can really change the way you look at learning.
Are you connecting? What can we do to help you? Let's make it happen!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Personal Learning Networks in Second Life
Discovery Education teacher leaders in Second Life came to share with us about how to build your Personal Learning Network in Second Life.If you've never heard of Second Life, it's described on their site as "a free online virtual world imagined and created by its Residents. From the moment you enter Second Life, you'll discover a fast-growing digital world filled with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity."
So basically, most anything you can do in real life you can do in Second Life!
Educators everywhere are discovering that they are able to get just in time professional development by virtual participation in Second Life. The first step is creating an avatar and learning how to navigate your way around the virtual world. A great suggestion we were given was to find a friend that can help you. If you don't know anyone in Second Life now, simply friend one of these educators and explain you are new to Second Life. Their Second Life names are:
Beth Kohnke
Lor Fredriksson
Unklar Klaar
Vita Demina
Second Life allows you the ability to build your PLN by joining groups where opportunities are available. If you follow the Discovery Educator Blog and Wiki you will be able to see when activities are available.
Caledon Oxbridge University is a teacher friendly space. They have free dormitory space for teachers as well as a classroom available for teacher use. You just need to contact them to reserve it. They also have activities to help newbies enter into the world of Second Life.
Limitless learning is available to you. Jump in and get started!
New Technology Tricks for Old Dogs: Use What You Know
At Kathleen Risolvo's K-5 School in Chicago, IL they began integrating technology by planning some group activities in classrooms with a variety of technologies and found innovative ways to introduce these technologies to teachers in training.
One innovative training technique they used was a speedgeeking event - Kind of like speed dating where each station had a quick review of a technology tool or application that the attendees had to visit and then move on. I personally loved this idea and could imagine the possibilities for developing an event like that. Maybe a Google form at the end where everyone "scores" each new tool. Just thinking...
When planning technology based centers in the classroom Kathleen said that what makes them work is a specific task for each center. This would, of course, be after they had been introduced to the technology. It works to have them review a skill or research a topic. Here are some examples:
Interactive Whiteboard Center - Students must be comfortable navigating the board, make the activity self-checking and have expectations for individual student contributions.
iPod Center - Have them get videos online to watch and do an activity. One idea is to have them watch a screencast of how to do something on the computer and then do it.
Digital Camera - Used in movie mode, reader's response video or photo, interviews, all should be written out first
Teacher Guided Creation Station - This is your opportunity to work with a small group, should be higher level thinking using what the students know to create something, may need more than one rotation. Ideas include: powerpoints, newsletters, creating podcasts, movie making, tagging content and much more...
They had each student bring their own earbuds and carry them with them to each class.
Pedagogical and curriculum knowledge used to be all a good teacher needed to know, now technological knowledge is a must. The bottom line includes finding ways for teachers and students to get their hands on technology and use them to increase learning.
One innovative training technique they used was a speedgeeking event - Kind of like speed dating where each station had a quick review of a technology tool or application that the attendees had to visit and then move on. I personally loved this idea and could imagine the possibilities for developing an event like that. Maybe a Google form at the end where everyone "scores" each new tool. Just thinking...
When planning technology based centers in the classroom Kathleen said that what makes them work is a specific task for each center. This would, of course, be after they had been introduced to the technology. It works to have them review a skill or research a topic. Here are some examples:
Interactive Whiteboard Center - Students must be comfortable navigating the board, make the activity self-checking and have expectations for individual student contributions.
iPod Center - Have them get videos online to watch and do an activity. One idea is to have them watch a screencast of how to do something on the computer and then do it.
Digital Camera - Used in movie mode, reader's response video or photo, interviews, all should be written out first
Teacher Guided Creation Station - This is your opportunity to work with a small group, should be higher level thinking using what the students know to create something, may need more than one rotation. Ideas include: powerpoints, newsletters, creating podcasts, movie making, tagging content and much more...
They had each student bring their own earbuds and carry them with them to each class.
Pedagogical and curriculum knowledge used to be all a good teacher needed to know, now technological knowledge is a must. The bottom line includes finding ways for teachers and students to get their hands on technology and use them to increase learning.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Teacher, Teach, Thyself: Make Your Own PD Plan
A panel of educators shared their experiences and the tools they use to direct their professional development.How would you define PLN?
A PLN is a Personal or Professional Learning Network. One of the most common tools, currently, that has been a platform for building a PLN is Twitter. When you log into Twitter it says, "What are you doing? Educators general answer for, "What are you doing?" is learning. They are using it to share ideas, stay connected, and give and get instant feedback, in 140 characters or less.
What Tools Do You Use to Connect to Your PLN?
In this age of social networking, there are a plethora of tools used to stay connected. Twitter and Plurk are some of the most popular tools. Others include Classroom 2.0 ning, Skype, BrainPop site, Discovery Educator Network, and Edtechtalk.com/live. Facebook is also hugely popular and though some individuals stay connected to their PLN using fb, most use it on a personal rather than a professional level.
What are some of the networks in which you are a member and are active?
Panelist list:
Apple Distinguish Educator
Discovery Educator Network
National Council Teachers of Science
SmartBoard Educator Resource
Twitter
In a few words what has your network done for you?
Panelist and Participants Answers:
Discovery Educator Network
National Council Teachers of Science
SmartBoard Educator Resource
In a few words what has your network done for you?
Panelist and Participants Answers:
We are on there for our own profession learning which increases the learning for our students.
You can utilize your network for you and for your curriculum.
Let's me know who I need to go to get my questions answered.
Allows me to build relationships with peers globally and has expanded my horizons.
What is the one piece of advice you would give somebody just starting to build their network?
Most advice given was done so in reference to the tool Twitter:
Go in slowly and don't overwhelm yourself.
Start small and expand over time.
Please put a profile up there.
Give it time.
Too many people apologize about being lurkers. It's ok to lurk. Learn from others.
You have to put yourself out there.
It's ok to miss stuff.
Set up groups.
What myths, misinformation, and rumors can you dispel about using the tools you connect to your PLN with?
Myth: It is full of people posting useless information.
A PLN is about building relationships, giving and receiving information to increase the learning of all students. You get to know your PLN personally because you know them professionally. They are not just nameless people you are talking to, instead, they are learners, like you, who are well known and reputable in their field.
Literacy Isn't Enough: 21st Century Fluency For the Digital Age
Teachers should ask, "Why are students here?" "How is the world changing?" "How can we help prepare our students for successful futures?" The world has changed and will continue to change at an exponential rate. It won't stop changing, so we need to reassess what we need to do in education to make sure that our students have the necessary skills. Traditionally literacy is no longer enough. We must move beyond and equip students with 21st century skills.
There are 5 Skills:
1. Obsolete Skills: May have been relevant at one time, but are no longer relevant.
2. Traditional Skills: Once very important, but not quite as important now. They aren’t essential, but they do still have some value. For example, handwriting.
3. Traditional Literacy Skills: Reading, writing, numeracy, face to face skills. Fundamental skills needed to transport skills from one generation to the next. They are essential and meed to continue to be taught.
4. Traditional Skills with Increased Emphasis: Problem solving, graphic design. They are not new, but there is an increase in the emphasis due to digital media.
5. New Skills: Unique to the Digital Age. Social networking, on-line skills.
Students need to build a set of skills to move forward. Students can’t be just good consumers as they may have been in the past, rather they must also be good producers of content. Called prosumers these students need to simultaneously be consumers and producers. "What world are we preparing our students for?" "Their future or our past?" If kids leave the school without 21st century skills, they won’t be ready for our global marketplace.
Students must have the traditional literacy skills, while at the same time developing fluencys, or unconscious skills--sort of like riding a bike. There are three fluencys; Technology, Media, and Information.
1. Technological fluency: Students must have the transparent use of digital tools which focus on the head ware not the hardware.
2. Media fluency: Students must be able to look critically at media sources (blogs, wikis, tv shows) and how the information is influencing their opinions. Students must be able to use the most appropriate media to get their message across. Digital natives look like they have media skills but they have huge gaps in knowledge. We need to have students producing products, at all grade levels, all students.
3. Information Fluency : Students need the ability to unconsciously and intuitively get the essential message. They must be able to ask good questions, get answers and acquire the information. Digital resources are the raw materials, rather than the traditional paper based materials. Students must be able to analyze and synthesize. They need to be able to ask, acquire, analyze, apply (within the context of real life), and assess (on the product and the process. This is a cyclical.
What is our job?
We must progressively withdraw from our student lives teaching them to be independent self-directed learners. To often we teach them to rely on us for information fostering the dependency. Our role needs to be facilitator of learning, because information and data is growing exponentially. Teachers can't be experts in all areas, so we need to teach students to be thinkers and researchers and problem solvers. The digital natives of today are completely different and not the students we were trained to teach. If we want success, we must give them assignments that require thought.
Where do we go from here?
Visit this site http://www.committedsardine.com/ or
Email leecrockett@mac.com and in the subject line say, "I need to be committed."
There are 5 Skills:
1. Obsolete Skills: May have been relevant at one time, but are no longer relevant.
2. Traditional Skills: Once very important, but not quite as important now. They aren’t essential, but they do still have some value. For example, handwriting.
3. Traditional Literacy Skills: Reading, writing, numeracy, face to face skills. Fundamental skills needed to transport skills from one generation to the next. They are essential and meed to continue to be taught.
4. Traditional Skills with Increased Emphasis: Problem solving, graphic design. They are not new, but there is an increase in the emphasis due to digital media.
5. New Skills: Unique to the Digital Age. Social networking, on-line skills.
Students need to build a set of skills to move forward. Students can’t be just good consumers as they may have been in the past, rather they must also be good producers of content. Called prosumers these students need to simultaneously be consumers and producers. "What world are we preparing our students for?" "Their future or our past?" If kids leave the school without 21st century skills, they won’t be ready for our global marketplace.
Students must have the traditional literacy skills, while at the same time developing fluencys, or unconscious skills--sort of like riding a bike. There are three fluencys; Technology, Media, and Information.
1. Technological fluency: Students must have the transparent use of digital tools which focus on the head ware not the hardware.
2. Media fluency: Students must be able to look critically at media sources (blogs, wikis, tv shows) and how the information is influencing their opinions. Students must be able to use the most appropriate media to get their message across. Digital natives look like they have media skills but they have huge gaps in knowledge. We need to have students producing products, at all grade levels, all students.
3. Information Fluency : Students need the ability to unconsciously and intuitively get the essential message. They must be able to ask good questions, get answers and acquire the information. Digital resources are the raw materials, rather than the traditional paper based materials. Students must be able to analyze and synthesize. They need to be able to ask, acquire, analyze, apply (within the context of real life), and assess (on the product and the process. This is a cyclical.
What is our job?
We must progressively withdraw from our student lives teaching them to be independent self-directed learners. To often we teach them to rely on us for information fostering the dependency. Our role needs to be facilitator of learning, because information and data is growing exponentially. Teachers can't be experts in all areas, so we need to teach students to be thinkers and researchers and problem solvers. The digital natives of today are completely different and not the students we were trained to teach. If we want success, we must give them assignments that require thought.
Where do we go from here?
Visit this site http://www.committedsardine.com/ or
Email leecrockett@mac.com and in the subject line say, "I need to be committed."
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The iPod Touch/iPhone Application Support Group
Leslie Fisher is a gadget head. She loves to learn and share tips and tricks about her gadgets. These are her favorites about her iPhone and iPod touch.
Battery savers:
If you are not doing major web surfing turn 3G off
Other things is turn off bluetooth, wi-fi, location services, dim the screen, turn the phone off for a while.
Battery extenders:Kensington products for battery extension, Solio- uses solar power to charge your phone (great in emergencies), Mophie juice pack
Cool Cases:
Slider by InCase, Showcase by Contour, Speck Quickdraw
Cool Easter Eggs:
#1 Take a screen shot of your iphone screen by holding down the power button and home button and wait for a flash. It's now in your camera roll.
#2 Click the home button and it will take you to the first page of your applications.
#3 If you are on the web and you are typing in a website on your iphone/ipod touch you can hold down the .com button and it will give you other suffix choices.
iPhone 3.0 Software - Great sites!
How to use the top 40 iPhone 3.0 features
100+iPhone 3.0 Hidden Features
Some of the coolest 3.0 features?
cut, copy and paste
MMS messaging
Turn by Turn navigations
landscape almost everything!
Keeping up with new applications
Appshopper.com
It will update many times a day and review all the new applications. It will also allow you to only see itouch or iphone applications instead of both. You can put it in your Google Reader.
Teacher Productivity Applications:
SaiSuke: Built in calendar stinks! SaiSuke offers a plug into Google Calendar and displays your calendar (color coding and all) just like it would look like on Google. You could also sync with iCal and Google together. $9.99
Note Pad: By Polar Bear No Marker felt. Allows you to group notes into categories.
Evernote: Basically an extension of the online version.It allows creation of new notes as well as access and editing of any note. Can use the iphone camera and upload directly to Evernote to run, can tag notes as favorites which will save them to your iWhatever and allow access when you are not even on a network. Free!
Twitterfon: Twitter for your iphone. There are many twitter apps out there, but this one is Leslie's favorite. Will display direct messages and direct replies in different colors. One of the few twitter apps with search and trend functions. Can use built in camera to snap GPS tagged photos.
Remember the Milk: The iphone version of the popular Remember The Milk web based To-Do application.
Duck You Undo: How many times have you typed in a word only to have the spell check change it when you did not want it to? Duck You Undo will keep track of all of the spelling changes and queue them at the bottom of the screen to review.
Loopt: Uses GPS location services so it will show exactly where you are. It is supported by Facebook also. Only people you allow to can see where you are. Friends can request an update to show up on their SMS page. It can also notify you when someone is in a specific range. Hooks into Yelp as well. WEb version offers widgets to add to your blogs. Free!
Around Me: Uses GPS location services to find things around you such as banks, hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, etc. Free!
i-Finder: i-Finder uses GPS or towers to find your location. Will then provide GPS information as well as altitude. You can then store your location or even cooler, email your location to yourself or your friends. She used this when I got lost in a mall. Honest! .99
Soon....Tom, Tom Navigation! It will have turn by turn navigation. Can download a variety of voices including , New York cabbies, John Cleese, Homer Simpson. Should be released later this summer. Guesstimates at $50.
What's your favorite iPhone application?
Winning Strategies to Conquer Information Overload
Are you a connected teacher who needs strategies to assist you in conquering information overload? In this session, Kathy Schrock shared tools that will help you organize information and make it readily available saving you valuable time and energy.Em
ail: How do you manage it?
Set up email filters.
ail: How do you manage it?Set up email filters.
You can forward and file emails that are not necessary for you to receive all the time. How?
1. Monitor your email for two weeks to see what type of email you are receiving.
2. Create applicable folders or labels.
3. Look for the filter instructions.
4. Create your filters or rules so mail is forwarded and filed
5. Monitor the folders for two weeks
6. Re-evaluate to change if needed
1. Monitor your email for two weeks to see what type of email you are receiving.
2. Create applicable folders or labels.
3. Look for the filter instructions.
4. Create your filters or rules so mail is forwarded and filed
5. Monitor the folders for two weeks
6. Re-evaluate to change if needed
Use IMAP.
IMAP is an Internet Message Access Protocol. IMAP is useful if you check email on more than one computer or from more than one email account. It centralizes and synchronizes email.
Co
nquer Information by having hardware help you.
Stay connected with the Netbook:
Netbooks are cost effective and smallish. For recommendations on specific machines see slide 11 on the presentation. http://kathyschrock.net/score/score.pdf
Stay connected with a SmartPhone.
nquer Information by having hardware help you.Stay connected with the Netbook:
Netbooks are cost effective and smallish. For recommendations on specific machines see slide 11 on the presentation. http://kathyschrock.net/score/score.pdf
Stay connected with a SmartPhone.
Not sold on the idea yet? Watch this convincing short video.
If you don't have the need for all the bells and whistles and are only worried about email, try staying connected with the Peek.
If you don't have the need for all the bells and whistles and are only worried about email, try staying connected with the Peek.
Stay connected with a Chumby.
A little device that sits on your counter, attaches to a wireless network, and gives updates. A subscription is not needed.
Stay connected with an Amazon Kindle.
Read books without going to the book store. You can easily search, pay, and download to keep up to date. This text based browser on the kindle will go to all the mobile sites. Read blogs and wikis, and go to social networks. There is now an app for the iPhone/iTouch to be a Kindle.
Lowtech Tip: Get information captured without a SmartBoard.
Stay connected with an Amazon Kindle.Read books without going to the book store. You can easily search, pay, and download to keep up to date. This text based browser on the kindle will go to all the mobile sites. Read blogs and wikis, and go to social networks. There is now an app for the iPhone/iTouch to be a Kindle.
Lowtech Tip: Get information captured without a SmartBoard.
Take photos!
There are hundreds of online tools to help you organize and receive information.
O
nline Faxing: Faxage.
This on-line fax allows for multiple users and cover pages, faxes are all stored on-line, and you can be notified by email with the PDF attachment. The one downside is that you have to scan an item if it is not already electronic.
The single biggest thing to keep you from overload...
RSS
, Feeds, and Newsreaders
Aggregate your web content so you have one source for receiving updates. Two popular readers include Google Reader and Bloglines.
Get an iGoogle page.
O
nline Faxing: Faxage.This on-line fax allows for multiple users and cover pages, faxes are all stored on-line, and you can be notified by email with the PDF attachment. The one downside is that you have to scan an item if it is not already electronic.
The single biggest thing to keep you from overload...
RSS
, Feeds, and NewsreadersAggregate your web content so you have one source for receiving updates. Two popular readers include Google Reader and Bloglines.
Get an iGoogle page. iGoogle is your personalized page where you can add news, photos or stuff from across the web on your personalized page. This tool makes it easier and more efficient to check all your favorites.
Sign up for Google Alerts.
Would you like to know if someone writes a blog post using your name or writes something about an event at your school? This cool tool gives you the opportunity to receive an email to alert you. You can also insert a gadget into your iGoogle page.
Applications to help you harness information.
Be involved in Social Networks.
Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Nings, all these social networks lay the foundation for building relationships with others and for your own professional learning. If you aren't taking part, you are missing out on an essential PLN.
Mi
croblog with Twitter.
Sign up for Google Alerts.
Would you like to know if someone writes a blog post using your name or writes something about an event at your school? This cool tool gives you the opportunity to receive an email to alert you. You can also insert a gadget into your iGoogle page.
Applications to help you harness information.
Be involved in Social Networks.
Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Nings, all these social networks lay the foundation for building relationships with others and for your own professional learning. If you aren't taking part, you are missing out on an essential PLN.
Mi
croblog with Twitter.Kinda like IM but not, it is web-based and gives you the opportunity to follow others and for others to follow you. Type your message in 140 characters or less, and see where the learning takes you.
Use on
-line social bookmarking
This is an on-line account shared to any computer so you can easily access information you have tagged from the web. The social part of comes when you follow what others are adding.
Use on
-line social bookmarkingThis is an on-line account shared to any computer so you can easily access information you have tagged from the web. The social part of comes when you follow what others are adding.
Use Google Documents, Google Spreadsheets, Google Calendars
Collaborate efficiently with colleagues using these on-line sources that provide for multiple users to update and build products together.
Work in the Cloud: Glide OS 3.0
Works within the browser, cross-platform and 10 GB of online storage, 20+ tolls included, can install a syncing client, glide mobile for use on over 75 devices, and it transcodes the files. http://www.glidedigital.com/
Measure the quality of the information you are receiving
Make a list of the sources you read regularly, figure the percentage of the last 10 posts you found useful, consider the length of the posts you read and the rate at which the person posts, and eliminate the bottom 50%. Deciding what to keep and what to delete will help you manage the data clutter that may be collecting in your electronic closet. Ask yourself, "If I save this, will it mean anything in a year?" If not consider purging it.
Works within the browser, cross-platform and 10 GB of online storage, 20+ tolls included, can install a syncing client, glide mobile for use on over 75 devices, and it transcodes the files. http://www.glidedigital.com/Measure the quality of the information you are receiving
Make a list of the sources you read regularly, figure the percentage of the last 10 posts you found useful, consider the length of the posts you read and the rate at which the person posts, and eliminate the bottom 50%. Deciding what to keep and what to delete will help you manage the data clutter that may be collecting in your electronic closet. Ask yourself, "If I save this, will it mean anything in a year?" If not consider purging it.
If you embrace these helpful strategies it will help you organize information and diminish the chances of overload.
Tweet Up @NECC 2009
When I asked Suzanne (aka @shalls on twitter) if she wanted to attend a Tweet Up one night during NECC she said, "A what?" This year, ISTE (the organization that hosts NECC), had the forethought to plan a meet up for all of the folks that communicate on twitter. When you're at the conference sometimes it's hard to approach people and say, "Hey! I think I follow you on twitter!" So it was really nice to walk around with the purpose of connecting face to face with the members of our Personal Learning Network. If you haven't given twitter a try, you don't know what you're missing. It's the best PD you'll ever receive. Here are a few photos of the meet up!
The 10 Best Free Web 2.0 Tools for Teachers
Steve Dembo of Discovery Educator Network shares the 10 best free Web 2.0 sites to transform learning-both your students' and your own.Before sharing the tools he suggested that there are three broad rules for considering a tool a Web 2.0 tool. They are entirely web based, interactive, and they play well with others. This is his short list...
Bloglines: This aggregater allows you to grab information and bring it to one central location. The advantage is that you don't have to continue checking an array of sites to see if there are updates, rather this one stop shop shares the updates for quick and easy access to new information. The social part of this site (plays well with others) allows you to see who else is a follower of the blog.Delicious: 
A social bookmarking site which allows you to store, share, and discover bookmarked sites. Forget the days of adding your sites to your favorites. The social part of this site, allows you to search within the delicious site and view the sites that others have bookmarked. It gives you the history on who bookmarked it, too. Tags allow you to tag the site for categorization. There is an RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feed which allows you to subscribe. If you find someone on delicious who is really organized, teaches a similar subject area, or has an area of similar interest to you, you could subscribe to their delicious tag, benefiting from their work. Also, you can bundle tags to make it easier for kids to search more easily if you use it in the classroom for students' research projects.
A social bookmarking site which allows you to store, share, and discover bookmarked sites. Forget the days of adding your sites to your favorites. The social part of this site, allows you to search within the delicious site and view the sites that others have bookmarked. It gives you the history on who bookmarked it, too. Tags allow you to tag the site for categorization. There is an RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feed which allows you to subscribe. If you find someone on delicious who is really organized, teaches a similar subject area, or has an area of similar interest to you, you could subscribe to their delicious tag, benefiting from their work. Also, you can bundle tags to make it easier for kids to search more easily if you use it in the classroom for students' research projects. Shar
eTabs: Allows you to add a list of links to a window (central location). You can click, tabify them, see the preview, and the site creates tabs so you can click through them easily. You no longer have to type the whole url in the address bar. (Read more at this blog for classroom application.)
drop.io Upload files (images, PowerPoints, word docs etc...) The beauty is that you can phone it in, fax it, email it, text it, upload it, and share it. The site also allows you to do a full podcast for free, as well as provides a conference bridge. There are many different views in the settings, and drop.io provides you a chat box if you have friends on the site. You can use it to post assignments to your students and they can chat with you about the assignment. You can podcast through this site via a phone, and like the others on this list, it too, is totally free.
JayCu
t provides you with a full videobrowzer editor. Upload media, drag and drop into the video tab, and you can cut/edit. You can add images and JayCut has all your transitions, overlaps, effects, and titles. Audio is simple with a drag and drop. How do you get it out of JayCut? Download it or simply copy the embed code. Another bonus is unlimited capacity.
t provides you with a full videobrowzer editor. Upload media, drag and drop into the video tab, and you can cut/edit. You can add images and JayCut has all your transitions, overlaps, effects, and titles. Audio is simple with a drag and drop. How do you get it out of JayCut? Download it or simply copy the embed code. Another bonus is unlimited capacity.
Edmodo, a private communication system built for teachers and students to share notes, links, and files.
Would you like to be able to easily poll your students, but don't want to spend money on a Classroom Response System? Try having students use their phone to text you their response. Poll Everywhere allows for 30 votes per poll for free. Set up many polls, download it as a PowerPoint, and as the results come in the slideshow will update. You can then copy, cut, and paste the results into anything. If you do want to do it in mass, they do have school versions for purchase. If every student doesn't have a cell phone, they can share their response via the computer. Just make sure that students have text coverage to make it a practical application in your classroom. 
xtra normal: Text-to-speed moviemaking. Students can write a script and create a movie set. They can change the scene, the background, and the language. They can add animation. The only drawback is that when they finish the video must render. It gives you an embed code or can be published to youtube. 
Livestream Allows a live free broadcast. 
Prezi, a presentation tool that is much more intuitive than PowerPoint. No borders and slides. Simply add your links and talking points to this non-linear presentation and easily navigate to access information. To check out Steve's presentation from this session visit http://prezi.com/117545/. Monday, June 29, 2009
VideoPodcast Your Way To Measurable Results
Would your teachers benefit from more class time? Is mastery really possible? Can differentiation 
effectively occur in today’s classroom? Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams say, “Absolutely!” As high school chemistry teachers, they recognized that students were ineffective note-takers and often struggled to complete homework independently. When the students got stuck at night, they would call a friend, give up, or cheat to make their way through an assignment. This led to gaps in student understanding which interfered with later learning.
This dynamic duo decided to begin vodcasting some of their lectures that were part of their regular class time to make them accessible to students at night and for review. After the first year, they reflected on the project and asked, “What does a kid really need from their teacher?” They decided that most kids needed interaction with the teacher when they are trying to process and understand the information, during homework time and not for the content of lectures. They needed to be able to ask questions and have them answered on the spot.
Upon refl
ection, they decided in Year 2 to pre-vodcast every lesson, and make the lecture part of their instruction the homework. Students needed to watch the vodcast and come to class prepared to apply their learning. Just imagine how much class time the teacher got back to actually dialogue with students about their learning, help them conduct their labs, and give them feedback on their assignments and assessments. Class time had value. The teacher was now meeting with every kid every day. One student asked, “Why are you making us do all the work?”
ection, they decided in Year 2 to pre-vodcast every lesson, and make the lecture part of their instruction the homework. Students needed to watch the vodcast and come to class prepared to apply their learning. Just imagine how much class time the teacher got back to actually dialogue with students about their learning, help them conduct their labs, and give them feedback on their assignments and assessments. Class time had value. The teacher was now meeting with every kid every day. One student asked, “Why are you making us do all the work?” Not surprisingly, by the end of Year 2, Bergmann and Sams had extra time on their hands, because students were moving more rapidly through the content and mastering it. Happily, the two teachers knew that they could now cover more content and in greater depth. Additionally, they had collected assessment data to prove this project was creating student learning gains. Pre-vodcast students with lower math scores performed as well as non-vodcast students with higher math scores from previous years. They also polled students and parents and discovered that the feedback was good, and there were not as many Ds and Fs in AP Chemistry. Kids showed up to class to work and learn.
In Year 3, Bergmann and Sams took it to a whole new level-Mastery Learning. Students began self-paced learning- (sort of). The teachers set up benchmarks during the year, but basically students worked through the Units of Study at their own readiness pace. When they got to the end of a unit, they took an assessment, if they scored 75% or better, they moved on to the next unit, if not, they had to go back and redo the unit. Students progressed as they mastered the content. (Now that's a novel idea!)
The benefits were apparent. Students became independent learners. They took responsibility for their learning, because they were no longer being handed the material. Students were active and engag
ed, so fewer gaps in understanding occurred. And, when a student was in Unit 6, the teacher knew that they had mastered the content in Units 1-6. In addition, teachers gave immediate and useful feedback holding students accountable for their learning and being able to articulate their thinking. No longer would kids simply be handed a graded assignment or test. Now, with this learning cycle, there is no place to hide. Every worksheet, assignment, and assessment was graded on the spot and oral feedback given by the teacher. I'm sure you can see the instructional implications of this type of on the fly, all the time, every single child differentiation.
The benefits were apparent. Students became independent learners. They took responsibility for their learning, because they were no longer being handed the material. Students were active and engag
ed, so fewer gaps in understanding occurred. And, when a student was in Unit 6, the teacher knew that they had mastered the content in Units 1-6. In addition, teachers gave immediate and useful feedback holding students accountable for their learning and being able to articulate their thinking. No longer would kids simply be handed a graded assignment or test. Now, with this learning cycle, there is no place to hide. Every worksheet, assignment, and assessment was graded on the spot and oral feedback given by the teacher. I'm sure you can see the instructional implications of this type of on the fly, all the time, every single child differentiation.Are you wondering about their vision for the future? They would like to see system wide implementation of mastery learning; they would like to add honors level learning; they would like an on-line community of likeminded people to collaborate to build a video library of vodcasts. I'm certainly intrigued! If you want to know more, think about attending their three day workshop to make it happen in your classroom. You can contact them through http://learningformastery.com/.
Teaching the Nintendo Generation: Innovation Creates a Collaborative Classroom
Camilla Gagliolo has a passion for her job. She tries to engage her students and make them excited about coming to school. One way she does this is by using Nintendo DS in her classroom! Here is what she shared with us about using this fun tool with her kids.
Students today have access to many mobile devices that could be used in the classroom. They prefer learning online and want to learn with devices they have and use everyday.
Obviously, they prefer to learn with games.
Here are the top four things that elementary students use and do:
#1 Online and computer gaming
#2 Downloading music
#3 Communication by email, instant messaging and texting
#4 Maintain a personal website.
Why did Camilla choose to use Nintendo DS with her students? Check out this video made at the Robin Hood Primary School in Birmingham.
Nintendos are a great tool to use in the classroom because many children have them, they are relatively inexpensive, students know how to use them, there are many available software applications, it includes a built-in networking application called Pictochat, the learning is entertaining and games encourage learning.
Some immediate benefits to using DS were: limited or no training needed for teacher or students, networked classroom instantly, learning is transparent, allows for differentiation, teachers can tutor one on one without other students knowing, low cost and multiplayer downloads.
Here were some of the ways she used the DS in her classroom: student response system, math questions, skill practice, morning warm up, discussion questions during read aloud, finding evidence in the text they were reading, paperless classroom, station work, tutoring one on one, shared learning/instant networking, grammar practice and review.
Doesn't this sound like a classroom you'd like to visit or attend? What a neat idea!
Students today have access to many mobile devices that could be used in the classroom. They prefer learning online and want to learn with devices they have and use everyday.
Obviously, they prefer to learn with games.Here are the top four things that elementary students use and do:
#1 Online and computer gaming
#2 Downloading music
#3 Communication by email, instant messaging and texting
#4 Maintain a personal website.
Why did Camilla choose to use Nintendo DS with her students? Check out this video made at the Robin Hood Primary School in Birmingham.
Nintendos are a great tool to use in the classroom because many children have them, they are relatively inexpensive, students know how to use them, there are many available software applications, it includes a built-in networking application called Pictochat, the learning is entertaining and games encourage learning.Some immediate benefits to using DS were: limited or no training needed for teacher or students, networked classroom instantly, learning is transparent, allows for differentiation, teachers can tutor one on one without other students knowing, low cost and multiplayer downloads.
Here were some of the ways she used the DS in her classroom: student response system, math questions, skill practice, morning warm up, discussion questions during read aloud, finding evidence in the text they were reading, paperless classroom, station work, tutoring one on one, shared learning/instant networking, grammar practice and review.
Doesn't this sound like a classroom you'd like to visit or attend? What a neat idea!
Gadgets for Everyone!
Does anyone else love gadgets? Most teachers do! Leslie Fisher loves to share them!
Tripit.com Can be used anytime you make a reservation you send your itineraries to their email address at plans@tripit.com from your email and it will create your itenerary. So all those hotel confirmation emails and airline confirmation emails are put together. Share calendar formats with others. Use your phone to check itinerary while on the road. That way you're not pulling out a folder of travel information.
Yelp.com can be used by typing in your address and yelp can search for food closest to you. You can search specific foods. It is community driven so you can read reviews. Perfect for traveling or just looking for something new to eat around town!
Twitter.com Created by the guys that created Blogger. It is microblogging. If you just want to let someone know that there is a new iphone application you won't write a whole blog post about it, but you would twitter about it and everyone that follows you would then see that. You can have conversations with the people you follow also. It is limited to 140 characters for each "microblog" or entry.
Jott.com You join jott and it gives you a 1-800 to call and give yourself a reminder about something like picking up the laundry or remembering a birthday.
Remember the Milk is a similar application that is all about the lists you keep, so if you jott you can ask it to go to your Remember the Milk application. Nominal fee for jotting.
Evernote will grab anything: web pages, pictures, notes by using a web cam, phone camera or Evernote iphone application. It will sync these images or web pages today and organize them for you to find later.
Ustream.tv Allows you to set up a free account and post videos live as they happen. Perfect for recording presentations at conferences, classes for a student that is home sick and archiving lessons.
Mozy.com Are you backing up your computer regularly? Are you prepared to lose what is stored there? Online backup for Mac and PC $5.00 a month unlimited space. (2g free!) Install software, select files to be backed up and it's done! You can depend on it. Don't take chances, be proactive!
Orbicule Undercover If your Mac is stolen it will secretly transmit information once that computer accesses the internet again. The webcam will turn on and record the thief secretly. You can also install this on your iphone. It will send out a signal where your phone is and it will look like a game to the crook! Well worth the $ to you!
Smugmug.com You can get a professional level account as an educator. You are able to upload photos here for sharing. Consider possibly starting an account for all class photos where your parents can always have access to pictures they might want for themselves.
Sling Media External box that hooks up to your home theatre no matter how big or small and then uses a Internet connection to broadcast the signal to your CPU, Phone etc. You can watch your shows via wifi on your iphone or itouch. You can also attach a videocamera to the sling media and you are able to log in and view a live stream.
Leslie had even more things to share than these, but I couldn't keep up. I hope to catch up with her in another session tomorrow. Do you have any cool gadgets or apps you love?
Tripit.com Can be used anytime you make a reservation you send your itineraries to their email address at plans@tripit.com from your email and it will create your itenerary. So all those hotel confirmation emails and airline confirmation emails are put together. Share calendar formats with others. Use your phone to check itinerary while on the road. That way you're not pulling out a folder of travel information.
Yelp.com can be used by typing in your address and yelp can search for food closest to you. You can search specific foods. It is community driven so you can read reviews. Perfect for traveling or just looking for something new to eat around town!
Twitter.com Created by the guys that created Blogger. It is microblogging. If you just want to let someone know that there is a new iphone application you won't write a whole blog post about it, but you would twitter about it and everyone that follows you would then see that. You can have conversations with the people you follow also. It is limited to 140 characters for each "microblog" or entry.
Jott.com You join jott and it gives you a 1-800 to call and give yourself a reminder about something like picking up the laundry or remembering a birthday.Remember the Milk is a similar application that is all about the lists you keep, so if you jott you can ask it to go to your Remember the Milk application. Nominal fee for jotting.
Evernote will grab anything: web pages, pictures, notes by using a web cam, phone camera or Evernote iphone application. It will sync these images or web pages today and organize them for you to find later.
Ustream.tv Allows you to set up a free account and post videos live as they happen. Perfect for recording presentations at conferences, classes for a student that is home sick and archiving lessons.
Mozy.com Are you backing up your computer regularly? Are you prepared to lose what is stored there? Online backup for Mac and PC $5.00 a month unlimited space. (2g free!) Install software, select files to be backed up and it's done! You can depend on it. Don't take chances, be proactive!
Orbicule Undercover If your Mac is stolen it will secretly transmit information once that computer accesses the internet again. The webcam will turn on and record the thief secretly. You can also install this on your iphone. It will send out a signal where your phone is and it will look like a game to the crook! Well worth the $ to you!
Smugmug.com You can get a professional level account as an educator. You are able to upload photos here for sharing. Consider possibly starting an account for all class photos where your parents can always have access to pictures they might want for themselves.
Sling Media External box that hooks up to your home theatre no matter how big or small and then uses a Internet connection to broadcast the signal to your CPU, Phone etc. You can watch your shows via wifi on your iphone or itouch. You can also attach a videocamera to the sling media and you are able to log in and view a live stream.Leslie had even more things to share than these, but I couldn't keep up. I hope to catch up with her in another session tomorrow. Do you have any cool gadgets or apps you love?
The Missing Link...Preparing Teachers to Integrate SmartPhones Effectively
Wake Forest University presenters shared their pilot program of using SmartPhones with pre-service teachers within their classrooms. They explored whether the hardware and software tools were appropriate for formative assessment data collection and whether the teacher candidates recognized the value of the tools. Teachers used the handheld portable SmartPhones to capture video footage, take photographs, email parents, and record formative assessment information.Until recently, I haven’t given much thought to the use of SmartPhones in the elementary classroom, however sitting in this session got me wondering about the possibilities. At CCE, I think we use our own cameras and flip videos for many of the functions they mentioned, but one avenue we haven't ventured down is the recording of formative assessment data electronically, on the spot in real time, archiving it for reflection. So, I immediately thought, how could we start using this to assist teachers without adding more to their plate, and to fill a void that we may have?
Here's what I'm thinking--I don't know many teachers who feel good about keeping anecdotal notes when they meet with their kids in either small groups or individually. It seems that each year they try something new because they just don't feel that they've gotten it right or keep up with it like they should. They want to do it, but fall short of their own expectations. So, I'm wondering if a teacher created a spreadsheet beamed it to their SmartPhone and then used the handheld device to record their anecdotal notes while the conferring was happening if they might find it easier to keep up with. The benefit would be that it synchronizes to the computer automatically so the teacher could access the information at anytime and anywhere, it makes recording neater and more manageable to retrieve, and it gives the teacher the opportunity to sort and report information if it is kept in an EXCEL spreadsheet. The pre-service teachers from Wake Forest shared some of their work in this arena with spreadsheets and I think it is definitely a possibility. Of course if we want to make it a logical goal, we'll have to call on Melanie. Are there any takers?
Get a Life! Second Life!
Started in 2003, Second Life is a 3-D virtual world run by Linden Labs and has 14.7 million residents (avatars) from around the globe. It is a multi-user virtual environment where basic accounts are free, however if you chose to buy items, money does become involved. You can actually create, buy, sell, and travel. SL has an economy with Linden dollars ($1 = 300 L$). In fact, the virtual world supports millions of U.S. dollars.In 2007, users spent over 220 million hours in SL, and by the end of 2011, it is predicted that over 80% of internet users will have a virtual world avatar. Users must be over 18 and SL runs on U.S. west coast time.
When you register for SL, you create an avatar and chose a name. As you move aro
und in this 3-D virtual world, people know you by your avatar. You can walk, fly, or teleport to get from one place to another and you are able to search for locations to visit.The presenters, Joan Greene and Don Marchant, don’t support the use of Second Life with students (It really is an adult world.), but they do think there are many possibilities for professional development. You can work in virtual classrooms and other amazing learning spaces, and take part in simulations and role plays building environments collaboratively. You can visit the Alamo, attend University classes, and do science heart simulations, to name just a few.
Linden Labs su
pports a program focusing on the use of Second Life for educational, academic and serious applications. In fact, there are about 400 Universities holding sessions in SL. The University of Alabama is on SL and plans, this fall, to offer the first class for college credit in SL--a trend that is spreading like wildfire.I must admit that before this session, I thought a few of my colleagues had fallen off thei
r rockers when I saw and heard about their avatars. I mean, why in the world would they want to spend time in a virtual world when their real world offers so much. But, as I sit here watching the presenter’s avatar move from one learning experience to the next in SL, I have to acknowledge that the learning possibilities seem endless. In truth, I’m now thinking that if I don’t get involved in this virtual world, I will be turning a blind eye to a remarkable learning tool.
Podcasting and Podcatching for the Absolute Beginner
Are you a complete novice at podcasting and podcatching like I am? Then this session was for you!What is podcasting? It is a series of syndicated media delivered over the Internet. There are several episodes put together that people can subscribe to. Podcasting came about around 2004, we wanted our media at a time that was convenient for us not just the time it was on. Podcasting is unique because it is subscribable. It comes to you! The RSS feed is what makes it happen.
How are podcasts related to blogs? There are many blogs that support podcasting: Blogger, Class Blogmeister, Edublogs, WordPress. Show notes support podcasts by providing links that were discussed during the show.
Podcatchers are what support the podcasts. The most popular one is iTunes. iTunes U is a great supplemental curriculum piece where you an find things such as:
In the Power Search on iTunes you can put the names of several search terms to find what you need.
Podcasting can be used in our own learning and professional development, but it is a powerful student tool. 20% of the time should be production, 80% of the time should be learning. Uses in student learning: virtual field trips, career talks, study guides, vocabulary word of the day, spelling words, roundtable discussion in class, sports commentary, student almanacs, sound seeing tours and book talks.
Podcasting truly supports higher level thinking. Collaboration and creation empowers them to share their voice with the world and get real world feedback. Great podcasts don't live at the bottom level of Bloom's Taxonomy. It is also a great way to assess
student work for understanding of content.Examples of what kid podcast consumers are listening to: Smithsonian Kids, National Geographic Kids, Dragonfly TV, Webkinz Webcast, Super Why! Lucy Grey shared these podcasts that her kids listen to with a Belkin Multi-headphone splitter. Five headphones can listen to a podcast at the same time. Imagine the educational implications?
Libsyn, Bluehost, Dreamhost, your school server, iweb, GoDaddy, Podbean or Podpress are all great services to host your podcasts.
I know that podcasting is one of those things that I have barely dabbled in and would like to learn more about. The Apple Distinguished Educators that ran this session have developed a great wiki to go to for all of their resources. I can't wait to dive in!
http://podcastingforbeginners.wikispaces.com/
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Say Cheese!
Who in the world let Melanie Holtsman buy a brand new Nikon D60 before leaving for NECC 09? If you're like me, when you catch a glimpse of yourself in a photo, you crook your head, give a little groan, and think...Is that really me? Do I really have that big of a gut? 
From the moment we've landed, Melanie has done a spectacular job capturing our visit. Oh, she's caught me registering, sprawled out on the floor creating a plan for sessions, and mouth wide open screaming at her. I'm really thinking about sleeping with one eye open tonight, because I'm sure it wouldn't be beyond her to take a photograph of me drooling in my sleep and post it for the world to see. I'm wondering, when will the camera turn on her? And, does she really understand the intensity of a payback?
NECC 2009
It's 4:45 in the morning. There is not much that could get us up this early in the morning, but Suzanne Shall and I are excitedly waiting to board our flight to Washington, D.C. to attend NECC 2009. The National Education Computing Conference is the premiere technology conference. Last year we were fortunate enough to attend, and it changed the practice of our school completely. I wouldn't have my current position as Instructional Technology Coach at our school, if we hadn't attended this conference last year and seen the possibilities. So...our expectations are high for this year's conference. What will we learn? Well, stay tuned here each day next week because the blog posts will be plentiful. We want to share all we learn with you and hear from you...can't wait to get started!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Talking about Books Using Book Clubs to Foster Adolescent Literacy and a Love of Reading in Class, Outside of Class, and for Life
Presenters: Deborah Appleman, Carleton College dapplema@carleton.eduCarol Jago, www.caroljago.com, jago@gseis.ucla.edu
Deborah Appleman is professor of educational studies and director of the Summer Writing Program at Carleton College. She also serves as the Associate Director of the American studies department. Professor Appleman is on sabbatical for the 2008-2009 academic year. She is teaching college-level language and literature courses at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater for inmates who are interested in pursing post-secondary education. (Inmates can earn an associate's degree while incarcerated.)
Carol Jago is a teacher with 32 years of experience at Santa Monica High School in California. The author of nine books on education, she continues to share her experiences as a writer and as a speaker at conferences and seminars across the country.
Carol Jago is a teacher with 32 years of experience at Santa Monica High School in California. The author of nine books on education, she continues to share her experiences as a writer and as a speaker at conferences and seminars across the country.
The speakers were so qualified to deliver this presentation as you can tell from some of their published works above. They inspired all of us to start a club before school, after school and even on weekends. The conversations they shared of the students were so empowering. Below is their suggestions of kick starting a book club. Check it out!!
Opening and Closing Questions
Getting Started: Some Suggestions for Opening Book Club Conversations
"Book Club is not my classroom. Book Club is not my classroom. Book Club is not my classroom." I love discussions with students about books and ideas where ever they happen, but I have to remember that the Book Club is designed to be a different experience than students have in class.
Here are some questions to get you started. Many of them are like the questions we ask in our classrooms. Maybe the difference is that since we have only a half hour or so, we really need to stay on the sidelines. One or two of these and kids will take off on their own. (In some cases I've tied the question to one of the books we've read.)
Questions about characters:
How does Susie (or_______) surprise you? Lovely Bones
What seems to be _______'s most important characteristic?
Does this character seem familiar? How is he or she like or unlike you? Getting In
What does it mean to be a winner? --in this book? To you? It’s Not About the Bike, In These Girls Hope
is a Muscle
What would it be like to have to fight so hard to learn? What was it like for these boys? Balzac and the
Little Chinese Seamstress
How (or why) has the author used a figure from popular culture to explore philosophy? Is he effective?
Simpsons, Tao of Pooh
Who do you like best (or least) in this book?
Who is the most important participator in the story?
What does _______ (main character or someone else) believe?
Questions about conflict:
What is the most important problem in the book?
Why is the story resolved in this way?
Would you have done what the character did? Did you like (approve of, disapprove of) the decision of
_______.
Other:
What does _______ have to say in this book (a character or the author)? What do you think about that
statement?
What are the "rules" of this world? Would you like to live there?
What idea or character do you think the other is most interested in? Who or what were you most interested in?
Was the book interesting (entertaining, important)? Why or why not?
What made the book worth reading? Worth discussing?
What did you find important in the text? (Or surprising? Or reassuring? Or troubling?)
How did you feel about a character, the end, a decision the character made.
What does mean to you. (Heaven if you read Lovely Bones, for example. Or getting into college if you read I Getting In. Or winning if your read Lance Armstrong or In These Girls Hope is a Muscle.)
Possibilities for students to bring to book club
Bring one important question that has to do with a character (or the problem, or the end of the work) to
talk about.
Bring a line or passage you really want to talk about to Book Club.
Transcript Excerpts
How does Susie (or_______) surprise you? Lovely Bones
What seems to be _______'s most important characteristic?
Does this character seem familiar? How is he or she like or unlike you? Getting In
What does it mean to be a winner? --in this book? To you? It’s Not About the Bike, In These Girls Hope
is a Muscle
What would it be like to have to fight so hard to learn? What was it like for these boys? Balzac and the
Little Chinese Seamstress
How (or why) has the author used a figure from popular culture to explore philosophy? Is he effective?
Simpsons, Tao of Pooh
Who do you like best (or least) in this book?
Who is the most important participator in the story?
What does _______ (main character or someone else) believe?
Questions about conflict:
What is the most important problem in the book?
Why is the story resolved in this way?
Would you have done what the character did? Did you like (approve of, disapprove of) the decision of
_______.
Other:
What does _______ have to say in this book (a character or the author)? What do you think about that
statement?
What are the "rules" of this world? Would you like to live there?
What idea or character do you think the other is most interested in? Who or what were you most interested in?
Was the book interesting (entertaining, important)? Why or why not?
What made the book worth reading? Worth discussing?
What did you find important in the text? (Or surprising? Or reassuring? Or troubling?)
How did you feel about a character, the end, a decision the character made.
What does mean to you. (Heaven if you read Lovely Bones, for example. Or getting into college if you read I Getting In. Or winning if your read Lance Armstrong or In These Girls Hope is a Muscle.)
Possibilities for students to bring to book club
Bring one important question that has to do with a character (or the problem, or the end of the work) to
talk about.
Bring a line or passage you really want to talk about to Book Club.
Transcript Excerpts
Deborah Appleman, Carleton College
Deep Talk- Discussing the Tao of Pooh
In book clubs, students seem willing to offer their perspective on themselves, on high school, and on life in general in ways
that feel more authentic and more substantive than what sometimes happens in class talk. Consider, for example, the following excerpt from a discussion of The Tao of Pooh:
Deep Talk- Discussing the Tao of Pooh
In book clubs, students seem willing to offer their perspective on themselves, on high school, and on life in general in ways
that feel more authentic and more substantive than what sometimes happens in class talk. Consider, for example, the following excerpt from a discussion of The Tao of Pooh:
Student 1: Well, I really enjoyed, like on page 112 of the same chapter that talks about how “enjoyment of the process is the secret that erases the myths of the Great Reward and Saving Time.” It just like shows, like, every year we go through Christmas and you just anticipate the gifts, but then once it’s over you’re just back where you started.
But that anticipation is the part that is the most fun. So it’s kind of not necessarily the reward, but the time before it.
I like that idea.
Like everyone just goes through high school and tries to get good grades, so that they can get into a good college.
But high school is four years of your life that you could be enjoying. Obviously, that doesn’t stop you from enjoying necessarily, but if you focused more on enjoying the process of your life… That doesn’t mean don’t work, but it just means, like, enjoy where you are right now. I think, you know, that people would be a lot happier.
Student 3: I thought Katie brought up an interesting point about how he shows contrast between Pooh and the Chinese proverbs. On page 68 and 69 when he’s talking about the Wu Wei, he says, “Literally, Wu Wei means without doing, causing, or making,” and then he kind of talks about that. Then, right at the bottom, he says, “Let’s take an example from the writing of Chuang-Tse,” and then right after that on the next page he goes, “Now look at the most effortless bear we’ve ever seen” and then he goes through examples of Pooh. I think it’s cool how he can, like, show the contrast and show the parallels between those two. I think it’s interesting.
Student 4: Well, what you where saying about high school, I though that was one of the most interesting things too.
And my favorite passage was, “ ‘It is today, sweet Piglet, my favorite day’ says Pooh” and that everyday could be his favorite day. And he just enjoys it. That would be incredible to embrace, and that’s what I like best about the book.
Flying On Their Own: An excerpt from the The Kite Runner conversation
What follows now is an extended exchange between two students. This exchange is particularly noteworthy for those skeptics who might be tempted to conclude that book club discourse merely changes the setting for participants who always dominate, in almost monologic turns. As Marshall (1991) points out, most classroom talk is comprised of student-teacher turns. Here
there is a sustained exchange with no mediating adult.
Student 1: I mean, didn’t he try to put him in the orphanage after he saved his life? It’s just ridiculous how much he
owed this boy and he still did that.
Student 2: But wasn’t the whole point of putting him into the orphanage that he could help him to escape?
Student 1: Yeah, but I mean, come on, you can’t have children and your wife really wants a kid an you find a blood
relative, this little boy, who is sweet and you owe him a ton, I mean…
Student 2: He was trying to get him out, though.
Student 1: No, that’s good, but after his friend like came to Pakistan…
Student 2: But how’s he supposed to know before that he was a relative…
Student 1: No, but once he knew, he’s like, ooh, I just made the decision…
Student 2: But how would you react to that?
Student 1: I know it’s scary, but…
Student 2: It’s one of those situations that its hard to know. It’s hard to judge his moral decisions in that extreme circumstance that none of us has ever had to experience.
The conversation then resumes with other participants.
Student 6: Personally, I think Amir was kind of afraid to take Hassan’s son into his home because that would be a constant reminder of everything, all the things that happened in his childhood. And how much Hassan suffered for him, because he looked exactly like Hassan. I mean, don’t you think it would be kind of hard to go back and accept
this child who would be a constant reminder every day that you let Hassan get raped. I think that would be really hard. I think he had the chance to redeem himself, but it was just really hard.
Student 7: Do you guys think it made it more believable that he first didn’t think he should take him back, or do you think it would have been more believable if he had instantly though this is my future son.
Student 4: Well, it kind of goes along with how he isn’t really an adult yet. Well, he is an adult, he does go to Pakistan and decides to go into Afghanistan, but still he’s not, like, all the way there yet. I think he doesn’t want to be reminded of what he did and doesn’t want to take him home now, but once his journey is over, ideally, he should take Hassan back. And he should have to look at him and deal with what he did, and he just kind of owes him.
Student 2: I agree, like, I don’t want to sound too harsh, ’cause I did like the book. I think you are right. I think he was afraid of that reminder, but that is kind of weak. He saw what the orphanages were like, but if he couldn’t look beyond himself in that extreme of a circumstance, then that’s not that good of him. But, that said, I don’t think the author was trying to make him an awful person. It think a lot of it was to keep things going.
Student 6: And also, he’s only human too. It’s so much easier for someone on the outside, and most of us will never
be in that situation, hopefully. I think that just helped his character development, because at first you hate him because you know that he should take this boy back with him. And he doesn’t. But I think it is important to remember that Amir is only human, and that’s just something to keep in mind.
Student 8: I think Amir is portrayed pretty realistically in his selfishness and his fear of the unknown. Amir is really grappling with his past and his life.
Student 1: I think this book gets a lot of its effectiveness because Amir can’t really be blamed for all his shortcomings. He’s living an easy life, even though he’s growing up in Afghanistan. For us that’s, like, rough. But
he’s got this nice house, he’s an only child, his father takes him on trips, he gets to escape to the U.S. even though
that was kind of hard. I mean, you know, basically, even though he’s had life probably a lot more rough than we’ve had, it’s easier to understand him because, I mean, personally, I’ve had everything in life handed to me, like, on a
silver platter. Like, I have everything. And I think Amir kind of has that same kind of thing going for him and that kind of is what makes him who he is. If we think about it, we can see a lot of ourselves in him.
I think maybe that is why I have so much scorn for him, because I see exactly what I hate, not hate, but what I don’t like in myself, and what people maybe see in the mirror, and it just makes you think because there’s always something worse, there’s always somebody worse off. I think, reading the book we all kind of thought, just go into Afghanistan, even if you die it’s worth it. But, like everybody says, if you are faced with that decision, what are you going to do?
Teacher: But what do you do with the circumstances that you’ve heard? That’s what you’re talking about. Like, not to your credit or your fault that you are here and he is there? What do you think the book suggests about that?
Student 1: I don’t think Amir shows what we should do, rather more what we should try to avoid. Not that he screwed up entirely. But, um, I think Amir did do some good things. I’m gonna follow my dream and be a writer. He didn’t let his father make him do something he didn’t want to do. And he did take advantage of his opportunities as far as, like, education goes. But I think he lost sight of a lot of things, and I think that is what happens to everybody.
Student 7: Amir was really just able to accept things without standing up for others. And you need to balance those two. You need to be able to stand up for yourself, but Amir was really stunted ’cause he wasn’t able to stand up for others. So I think you need, like, both, in order to be the ideal person.
Student 5: But I think the book is saying there is no such thing as the ideal person. Because, the Hassan boy listens to everyone and obeys everyone, but he can’t stand up for himself. And Amir can’t stand up for others. And at the end he realizes that Baba made mistakes too. So he talked all about this human nature stuff, everyone makes mistakes, so that is really an inherent theme in this book.
Student 6: I think this book isn’t about courage but is about regular people who have human flaws, and they all make mistakes and I think this book is about how they try to deal with these mistakes.
Student 1: Then, what’s it really telling us to do? You know, Amir is really just trying to forget about it and leave, but it keeps coming back to bite him. So how do I compensate for all the chances and luck that I’ve been given? Like, what am I supposed to do?
Student 6: You have to just do to the best of your human nature. You can’t always do what the ideal person reading the book of your life would do. But, like, you just have to try, ’cause once you do something it’s done, you can’t go back and change that.
Student 1: Still, at the time you could change it. That’s what kind of irks me. I’ve always thought you can have your past and you can make mistakes but you have to get over them. So in that respect, I’m Amir, you know I was just trying to like, okay I screwed up, I was 12, trying to get over that, but in that respect, I am stuck.
Student 8: I think what you were saying about what do I do to compensate for all the things I have in my life… I am now just thinking about when you make a mistake, no matter how much good you do afterward, it doesn’t necessarily make the mistake you made any easier to deal with or more justified.
Not Your Everyday Book of the Month: Taking Reader's Beyond the Binding
Last year KK Cherney and I were contacted by children's book author Pamela Duncan Edwards and illustrator Henry Cole about presenting our school's book the month work with them at IRA. Our presentation focused on how a piece of children's literature can be paired with an adult professional text to deliver strategies to a faculty or classroom of students. We also illustrated how combining the forces of a school team with the works of an author and illustrator can impact engagement for both teachers and students.
Not Your Everyday Book Of The Month
Our Symposium was held on Thursday afternoon and while the crowd was small I can absolutely say it was a pleasure to work with KK, Pam and Henry. Thanks to Melanie Holtsman we were able to unvail our Chets Creek Book of the Month Wiki and showcase Pam and Henry's latest book The Old House. We even got a sneak peak at their newest, soon to be published, collaboration - stay tuned for some "perfectly piggy" fun!
View more presentations from dreamleader.
The Newest from the New Standards Project
One of the real highlights from the trip for me was getting to hear the latest research behind the new publications from the New Standards movement. Their newest findings about how students in the later elementary years acquire the all important skills they need for comprehension and written expression have been published in the work Reading and Writing With Understanding: Comprehension in the Fourth and Fifth Grades, by America's
Choice's Sally Hampton and University of Pittsburgh's Dr. Lauren Resnick. (This team also revised the Reading and Writing Grade by Grade book that has served as our standards bible for the last ten years.) This newest work develops the new Science of Reading which involves determining how students think as they are learning and provides ideas for use in the classroom, examples of student performance and detailed commentaries. Harvard's Graduate Scool of Education's Dr. Catherine Snow 
also shared the latest research that went into a revision of the Speaking and Listening for Preschoool through Third Grade standards. Practice of oral language skills and the need for meaningful accountable talk was reiterated as a way of building a student's experiences that will carry over to their reading and writing experiences. In my opinion these are must have professional reads in continuing to develop teacher insight and meaningful literacy experiences for students.
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