Quirky ideas

Lately, I have been using Facebook as a way to see what friends and aquaintances are doing and as a way to see information from individuals and organizations. I responded to a query from NEA (National Education Association) and am posting some pictures they are interested in.


This is my "toolbelt" or tool pocket that I've been using in my room for years. I sling it over my shoulder or tie it around my waist, or set it on the table when I'm starting a project such as a bulletin board. You can see the the needlenose pliers that I use to pull out staples that are stuck, large marker, a razor cutter, tape measure, scissors, and pencil.









A top view shows more of the contents such as a stapler and staples, staple remover, poster tape, regular tape, string, razor scraper, and roller scissors.






















I think the kit has saved me a lot of climbing up and down to go after more staples or tools during my work. I drop the used staples into a pocket after I pull them out and throw them away later, keeping the floor clean. It's nice to have everything in one place wherever I decide to work on a project!














Update:  NEA actually published my idea in one of their magazines and posted it on one of their webpages!
http://www.nea.org/home/34050.htm

Student blogging

I made a new blog for students in my fourth grade class last month. Two problems with it are finding enough time for students to blog at school and how to enforce some standard for appropriate length and conventions, especially spelling and punctuation. Students are prone to think of the blog as a place for short messages such as "Hi, how are you?" and I would like them to use it as a place for more thoughtful posts and responses. Eventhough many of the posts and comments are in my mind too short, still it is providing them a place to communicate. It is another place for them to experience written language in a meaningful way and I think that makes it worth the time it takes me to set it up and the time it takes for them to use it.

Fourth grade blog

I found a good place and a way to start a blog for my students. Using google email I was able to set up an id for each student, but all postings and comments are emailed to me before they appear on the blog. This protects the students, so that everyone can see the blog and everyone can comment, but the comments come to my email for approval before becoming visible on the blog. Students were posting at home, but have stopped posting, so I guess they're losing interest. http://shelton4s.learnerblogs.org/

VoiceThread

Here's an example of a really easy way to share a podcast using the VoiceThread site.
Listen to a story from Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar:

Trying something called Voice Thread

I subscribe to several newsletters that are delivered to my email inbox. Recently, I saw an article on a site where podcasts could be posted as comments around a picture or video. Since I am still waiting for the italk microphone for my ipod and don't know when they will ever deliver it, I decided to try it. The site is called Voice Thread and is free to educators. I have been waiting to find a fast convenient way to record students reading and this provided a way for students to take turns reading from a story. It took quite awhile one afternoon, but the class was excited about it and it wasn't too hard to accomplish. The results can be seen here: http://voicethread.com/share/25478/

Geeks Book Circle

Doing a lot of new things lately. Read the book Geeks by Jon Katz and had a "book circle" discussion last month. One of the participants was good enough to post the pictures and audio to her website: http://web.mac.com/mskellyteach/iWeb/geeks/Welcome.html

David Warlick Technology Summit

David Warlick came to talk to Jefferson County Public School personnel. I like the way he makes his presentation materials available online. No paper notes and handouts. One small problem for me was that we were not told that there would be a wireless connection available. I should have known, but the venue was the Arvada Center for the Arts, which I didn't think was wired. I didn't bring the notebook computer, although I sat next to the principal, who had brought hers.

The presentation was good, the venue was great, the wireless connection was too slow. I'm beginning to see a new etiquette among presenters. They make their work and their presentation materials available to the general public.

I was inspired to begin a blog on educational matters and thoughts after this random thought: As geeks must step out of their world to fully participate in life, the world of computers is emerging and we must step into that world to fully participate in education, eventhough it may at first seem a little "geeky" or awkward.