Sharing & Reflecting = Learning & Growing
Archive for May, 2010
Basics – 21 techie tchr topics
May 19th
What are the
?
Hmmmm. I am pretty sure that that is a very subjective thing and hard to really pinpoint. I guarantee you that your basics are different from mine. Some of my basics include knowledge of: wikis, blogs and podcasts. Here is my attempt at identifying the basics, a techie teach must:
- Know that there is a button to turn it off and on.
- Know how to maneuver around the QWERTY board.
- Know how to type
No seriously, basics would entail having at the very least a basic knowledge of word processing and the internet. Without this basic knowledge and training, technology training is difficult. The 21 things site talks about the basics as knowledge of computer shortcuts. There are always tricks and tips that make life easier and these shortcuts do save time and effort. Here is a link to Microsoft with some of the keyboard shortcuts that can make your keystrokes more efficient. Here are some of the Windows shortcuts that I could not live my life without.
Windows program key combinations
CTRL+C: Copy, CTRL+X: Cut, CTRL+V: Paste, CTRL+Z: Undo, CTRL+B: Bold, CTRL+U: Underline and CTRL+I: Italic
I honestly feel that the most important basic skill needed is Knowing that in many ways technology can improve your life and the lives of your students. Once we embrace this knowledge and work towards gaining skills and knowledge to this end, everyone wins. The students, faculty, parents and teachers all benefit from technology training.
My basic is a little more complicated and not as basic. I have grown accustomed to certain things in my life and I must continue to be privy to those things for me to function. My basics are:
Online Document Storage
I must have 24/7 access to my work. I do not always have the luxury of having my flash drive handy, and if I do, who is to say that it is the right flash drive?
Email account
How can someone live without one? I have, OMG, about 40. Yes, about 40. I have 1 personal, 6 for my classes, 2 professional and 30 for googlewave accounts that I set-up for my class.
Twitter/Blog Reader
Only way for me to keep in contact with what is being talked about within my profession. My Tweetdeck and my Blog readers are my means of speaking with my PLN. (For those of you not familiar with the term, Professional or Personal Learning Network, I like to think of mine as Personally chosen Professional Learning Network.) Imagine how much your spirit is lifted when you hear how another teacher is having the problems and looking for the same solutions that you are or how good you feel when you can show off a student’s great work.
Wireless Internet
I need to be connected to the internet without having to use a stinkin’ cord. It’s is bad enough that I have to put up with a power cord when I have to charge my best friend, I mean my computer.
And One Stop Shops like Google, Discovery Education and 4 Teacher
These sites allow you to do several things from one site.
The Discovery Education website includes various tools for teachers to use in the classroom which are aimed at specific grade levels. There are videos, assignment builders, online quizzes, and lesson plans. There are many subject specific resources for all subjects including English, Math, Science and Social Studies. There are over 9,000 videos split into 71,000 video segments to use in the classroom.
Google products allow me with one email address to have access to many of the daily tools that I use in the class. Google is a one stop shopping place for my blogging/emailing/blog reading/scholarly searches/organizing/news reporting/image hosting/mapping/googlewaving/class website hosting/document hosting needs. It is my ultimate goal to create a site for each Marking Period and within the Marking Periods I will have the Unit Plans and the daily assignments will be posted as announcements. Maybe. Still working on it.
4 Teachers.org has been around for ages. You can find current resources that align with standards, promote higher-order thinking, and support the development of writing skills. Monitor student research and writing, evaluate student performance, and create bilingual online lessons, classroom calendars, and quizzes in less time than traditional methods.
- QuizStar Construct online quizzes that can include multimedia.
- RubiStar Create customized rubrics in English and Spanish.
- Arcademic Skill Builders Educational Games for students to polish math and language skills.
- PersuadeStar Provides tools for students to write persuasive essays.
- Classroom Architect Design a floor plan for your classroom.
- Equity Locate resources and tools to help you meet the needs of a diverse classroom.
- TrackStar View thousands of online lessons or quickly create your own.
- Assign-A-Day Post your own online class calendar with hyperlinks and projects.
- Casa Notes Assemble take-home notes in English and Spanish.
- PBL Checklists Make custom checklists for multiple projects.
- Teacher Tacklebox Locate top-rated Tracks, WebQuests, and ThinkQuests for your subject.
- Web Poster Wizard Make and post a simple Web page within minutes.
- NoteStar Assist students with collecting group notes and citations for papers.
- Think Tank Helps student set up topics for reports. Use alone or with NoteStar.
- KidsVid Help teachers and students use video production in class support project-based learning.
Assessment & Evaluation tools – 21 techie tchr topics
May 19th
There are tons of resources to help you develop and use rubrics, checklists, online testing, etc. Well, personally I use (when I have 100 percent of students with computers)
Discovery Education
They have a wonderful system that allows you to provide the students with a link to an online test that can be completed and will be graded. You can opt for a report to be sent to your email address or you can check your test results by logging into your discovery education site.
Google Documents
Google Documents can be used to create tests that can later be printed out or checked from screen after sorting. Google Documents allows you to create a surveys and checklists to be used by the students. Because of the collaboration possibilities, the students can create assessments for the entire class. Sample vocabulary quiz Character Analysis
Holt Rhineheart Winston
Their online My.HRW site allows teachers to create writing assignments and online tests for students to complete. A great resource for teachers and students. They also have great resources on their Rubrics This site has lots of other resources to check out
Monitor student research and writing, evaluate student performance, and create bilingual online lessons, classroom calendars, and quizzes.
Wiki Examples
May 17th
I am always speechless at times like this. I followed a link to see our blog listed as a wiki sample.
I like to know who is looking at my classwork. Why? I don’t know. Inherently nosy I guess. I have discovered from my Feedjit feed that our wiki has been listed as a sample wiki via Love Wikis / Wiki Examples. Thanks for the shoutout. Mr. Tony Vincent
Office 2010
May 16th
I have been using Microsoft 2010 for the last few months and I am in love. In love I say.
I wrote a post about how much I looked forward to using it and I am still happy with my choice to download it.
Office 2010 Beta Applications
Office 2010 lets you work how, when, and where you want, letting you get things from a PC, the Web, and even a smartphone.*
See what’s new in your favorite Office applications:
Online Jeopardy Game
May 16th
Custom Flash Jeopardy Game Maker Tool: “You can use this form to make a free Jeopardy game.
When you are finished, your game is immediately available for online play or downloadable for offline play!”
Prefer this Jeopardy Game to the many PowerPoint versions that I have used in the past. It allows you to easily adjust points, has music and is fairly easy to set up. Hope you enjoy
Ever used Evernote?
May 16th
I am fairly new to Web 2.0 tools (a user of less than 2 years) and I have tried many things to help me get and stay organized. Evernotes is something that I have discovered and use often. For me Evernotes is an invaluable tool when I am on the phone and I need to copy something from a Twitter feed. I copy my information and then I create an Evernote and email it to myself. I can later retrieve the information that I need. I have recently come across this article 100 Different Evernote Uses « garry huang from last year by Garry Huang where he lists 10o ways to use Evernotes. He has inspired me to expand my uses.
Next schoolyear I want the students to use Evernotes to keep track of research information and other odds and ends that they need/want to collect and save. I am in the process of setting up the requirements for this Evernote Research Assignment.
Will post more when I have more.
http://www.evernote.com/about/video/
Funny Exam Responses
May 16th
I came across this blog when I was looking for ?? who knows and it keeps making me laugh. The funniest exam answers « garry huang. It deals with those responses that we get that are funny and make us laugh. Not the standard I don’t know which has become I.D.K. More like
State the theme of Romeo and Juliet, and explain how the play’s message might be applied to today’s society. Make at least two references to details in the play to support your ideas.I really didn’t read the story and I wasn’t listening when you explained it so I probably should get an F on this quiz. But because your constructed response are always worth more and this is an answer to a constructed response question, I am hoping that I will get some credit for this answer and maybe those points will make the difference and I will get a D and not a F. :}
Now this one listed in his blog I would not discredit as totally foolish because Romeo does continuously demonstrate the ignorance and selfishness of youth
some of the others are funny
How you can not laugh at close by in response to very close? C’mon
Anyway check it out.
I am still laughing
Shakespeare Unit
May 9th
Romeo:
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.
We are currently studying “Romeo and Juliet“
This is the ?th year that I have done Shakespeare with my class. Each year I do something new. This year was a “planning” year for me. I did some of the assignments, but I did not spend as much time as I normally do. Did the students suffer for it? I hope not. I made sure that we went over the basics: literary elements, plot elements, character development and monologues/sonnets/soliloquies/oh my. My Scholars will have to demonstrate their understanding of the play by:
- completing a variety of comprehension check ins
- speak in the language of Shakespeare
- create blog posts in the voice of a chosen character
- creating a Sonnet/Monologue Movie
- creating a PowerPoint/Movie that changes the ending of the play
- create a brochure that researches an issue from the play (the need for effective communication with parents, combating hate crimes/violence and suicide)
“Romeo and Juliet“ Assignments
- For background knowledge, the students will complete a webquest for Romeo and Juliet WIKIPAGE.
- Scholars will be studying the Characters from play and the Key Facts about play . Here is the plot diagram for the play. Click here for a variety of Power Points or click here to see 2 videos about the movie.
- The class will also create Insults and Compliments. Compliments will be posted onto the Class Blog and Insults will be posted onto the Class Blog as well.
- We did not have time to Illuminate a Sonnet and create a Sonnet Movie using Photopeach, but it was planned.
- Here is a GoogleSite that I created to house some of the many Shakespeare resources that I have accumulated.
Pictures, Avatars, Representations, oh my
May 2nd
What image to use when? I am always at a loss when I am asked for a picture. Do I use an Avatar? Do I use a distorted image? Do I use a wordle or seal to represent me?
Thanks for comments