Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Revise with Radar-4th Grade Writing-Pictures
What changes do you notice that were made to the house. How do you know? Can you explain?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Revise with Radar-4th Grade Writing-Video
What changes do you notice that were made to the house. How do you know? Can you explain?
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Housman Elementary: Author's Celebration
November 16, 2011 fifteen budding authors from Housman Elementary gathered to celebrate their writing! "Aaah, Oooh, Wow this is fancy!" were some of the many comments expressed from the young author's as they entered the latest rage in restaurants, La Librara de Housman. While voraciously devouring the house special, spaghetti and brownies a la mode, these aspiring author's celebrated their latest publications with spirited conversation over their craft. Awards were given as paparazzi cameras eagerly flashed to record this monumental moment. As the event wound down, a splendid time was had by all.
Please enjoy a few snippets below, of this red carpet event!
Please enjoy a few snippets below, of this red carpet event!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tool #11: WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!
The animoto shows my favorite tools that I plan to use.
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
Penzu is one site I plan to use when I work with small groups. I think it will be a great way to build conversations through this online dialogue journal. Students will have the opportunity to dialogue with each other about what we have read. I can also work with classroom teachers so that students can complete in class at a station given that I have limited time with them.
I believe our school will be transformed from all of us taking this course. It will look very different next year. It's an exciting prospect to see classroom's opened up to other rooms and beyond. The fact that we all are taking this together at the same time makes a big difference. We all have basic understandings of the possibilities and will have each other to encourage change. Our students will become better thinkers and creaters with so many options to learn and grow from. This question would be even better asked at the end of the school year when we have all had a chance to dive in.
Journey Complete! For now...
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
Penzu is one site I plan to use when I work with small groups. I think it will be a great way to build conversations through this online dialogue journal. Students will have the opportunity to dialogue with each other about what we have read. I can also work with classroom teachers so that students can complete in class at a station given that I have limited time with them.
I believe our school will be transformed from all of us taking this course. It will look very different next year. It's an exciting prospect to see classroom's opened up to other rooms and beyond. The fact that we all are taking this together at the same time makes a big difference. We all have basic understandings of the possibilities and will have each other to encourage change. Our students will become better thinkers and creaters with so many options to learn and grow from. This question would be even better asked at the end of the school year when we have all had a chance to dive in.
Journey Complete! For now...
Tool #10: Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship is truly at the base of everything that a 21st century teacher will do. Teaching and modeling this throughout the year, every year is imperative. I believe that the beginning of the year time should be set up to teach Digital Citizenship and as the video below suggests, setting up a social contract with students.
Brainpop has a great video to show students. It nicely explains what digital citizenship is, why it's important, and etiquette/netiquette behaviors to follow. However, digital citizenship goes beyond just following the golden rule. Teachers must also model how to find trusted sites when researching. Teachers will need to show students how to analyze several sites for key information and not just trusting one source. Plagiarizer is another area to address as well as siting sources appropriately. Just because it's on the internet does not mean it's yours to copy and use as your own. Atomic Learning will be a go to source to aid in all aspects of digital citizenship.
Taking that last step to tool 11...
Brainpop has a great video to show students. It nicely explains what digital citizenship is, why it's important, and etiquette/netiquette behaviors to follow. However, digital citizenship goes beyond just following the golden rule. Teachers must also model how to find trusted sites when researching. Teachers will need to show students how to analyze several sites for key information and not just trusting one source. Plagiarizer is another area to address as well as siting sources appropriately. Just because it's on the internet does not mean it's yours to copy and use as your own. Atomic Learning will be a go to source to aid in all aspects of digital citizenship.
Tool #9: Incorporating Devices as Tools for Learning
Why do you think it is important to tie the technology to the objective?
Without tying technology to objectives, then there is no real purpose. Using Technology in and of it's self is not the goal in education. Learning is the goal. Technology is a tool to reach that goal but not the goal itself. It is a means to an end. Therefore having clear objectives and expectations is critical. It is not so important that students create an animoto. However, creating an animoto that shows their learning on a given topic is relevant.
Why should we hold students accountable for the stations/centers?
Accountability is the name of the game these days and that most certainly includes students. Stations/centers are an opportunity for students to practice and apply what they have learned. They are an opportunity for students to create and go beyond. They are not playtime. Therefore, it is important for students to be held accountable for this time during the day of learning. Accountability can take many paths but students should have some way to account for themselves and what they have done. More Importantly, accountability is also another assessment tool for teachers. It becomes a way to measure learning and then identify what needs to happen next for students.
Visit 2 of the applicable links to interactive websites or apps for your content/grade level. How would you use them as a station?
is another app I love. It is not a free app, but PTA was able to donate through an itunes card. Once you've purchased a subscription, you are able to download the app on up to 5 different devices for the same account. Tales2go has just about every book imaginable for students to listen to. It's especially good for students to listen to stories they may not be able to read yet which in turn is one of the best ways to build vocabulary. It's like a read-aloud. Accountability, again the same as above. Multiple choices for responding either through technology or paper.
Without tying technology to objectives, then there is no real purpose. Using Technology in and of it's self is not the goal in education. Learning is the goal. Technology is a tool to reach that goal but not the goal itself. It is a means to an end. Therefore having clear objectives and expectations is critical. It is not so important that students create an animoto. However, creating an animoto that shows their learning on a given topic is relevant.
Why should we hold students accountable for the stations/centers?
Accountability is the name of the game these days and that most certainly includes students. Stations/centers are an opportunity for students to practice and apply what they have learned. They are an opportunity for students to create and go beyond. They are not playtime. Therefore, it is important for students to be held accountable for this time during the day of learning. Accountability can take many paths but students should have some way to account for themselves and what they have done. More Importantly, accountability is also another assessment tool for teachers. It becomes a way to measure learning and then identify what needs to happen next for students.
Visit 2 of the applicable links to interactive websites or apps for your content/grade level. How would you use them as a station?
I looked through several websites. They are probably very good for other content areas but for reading, just ok. I am a teacher of reading and work mostly with students who struggle. The bottom line for students when it comes to reading is that in order to get better they have to read. While games and skill help have a place, spending more time on that then actually reading will not help students improve their reading. Therefore, I am not a huge fan of "reading games". It becomes too easy for students to spend more time with "games" than reading.
So as far as apps and links go for reading. I LOVE 
There are many stories, plays, and poems for all grade levels to read. The new STAAR test will include drama and poetry. This site has plenty of that. They can be downloaded to read on a device, read as a webpage or printed out in PDF. You have the option of reading along as you listen, or read it to yourself. For accountability, I usually have students respond in a reading response journal. However, other possibilities include; wallwisher, blogger, googledocs, big huge labs, and many others.
There are many stories, plays, and poems for all grade levels to read. The new STAAR test will include drama and poetry. This site has plenty of that. They can be downloaded to read on a device, read as a webpage or printed out in PDF. You have the option of reading along as you listen, or read it to yourself. For accountability, I usually have students respond in a reading response journal. However, other possibilities include; wallwisher, blogger, googledocs, big huge labs, and many others. is another app I love. It is not a free app, but PTA was able to donate through an itunes card. Once you've purchased a subscription, you are able to download the app on up to 5 different devices for the same account. Tales2go has just about every book imaginable for students to listen to. It's especially good for students to listen to stories they may not be able to read yet which in turn is one of the best ways to build vocabulary. It's like a read-aloud. Accountability, again the same as above. Multiple choices for responding either through technology or paper. I took a look at "Studyladder" and few others and they are ok. I don't think I'll use them however. For other content areas, they are great. But, again, I would rather students read, whether it is something online or an actual book or article. However, technology comes in through student responding to the literature. 
is an online journal site that students can respond to also. An account must be created. I would create 1 account for the class or in my case, small group of students, to use and treat this as a "dialogue journal". What's better though, instead of a dialogue between teacher and student, it becomes a dialogue between multiple users on the same topic. This I will use. It can also be accessed through mobile devices, so student can easily respond on an itouch or ipad. This can even be used as a follow up from a story read in a guided reading group. This becomes another way for the itouch/ipad to have a meaningful use in education. I would encourage others to give this a try.
is an online journal site that students can respond to also. An account must be created. I would create 1 account for the class or in my case, small group of students, to use and treat this as a "dialogue journal". What's better though, instead of a dialogue between teacher and student, it becomes a dialogue between multiple users on the same topic. This I will use. It can also be accessed through mobile devices, so student can easily respond on an itouch or ipad. This can even be used as a follow up from a story read in a guided reading group. This becomes another way for the itouch/ipad to have a meaningful use in education. I would encourage others to give this a try. Soaring up to Tool 10...
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tool #8: Taking a Look at the Tools
I think it's really great that classrooms will have so many devices available in the classroom. "In the Classroom" is the biggest key to advancing technology in schools. I learned how to create a itunes account through Spring Branch for the ipad I am borrowing this summer. I will be sad to give it up. I also learned about the webcam and how it works on the mini dells.
As far as managing the devices in the classroom. I don't have a classroom and will not have devices to manage. I will be working with teachers and pulling small groups. I have limited time (30 minutes) with the students I work with so not sure that I will be using that much technology with them. There will be times I do and we will set rules accordingly. However, in classrooms I feel setting up "Techsperts" is key. Children are quite savvy, and can help each other which will take a huge burden off the classroom teacher. It will be important of course to set up rules "How Devices are used in our Room". It will also be imperative to establish proper ways of responding. Consume, Critique, Produce (CCP) framework is the perfect way for this. Students should spend time consuming responses and then critiquing them. From there teachers can create checklists of what should and should not happen when responding. That way when students produce, they will know what is expected because they were part of creating those expectations.
Climbing on to Tool 9...
As far as managing the devices in the classroom. I don't have a classroom and will not have devices to manage. I will be working with teachers and pulling small groups. I have limited time (30 minutes) with the students I work with so not sure that I will be using that much technology with them. There will be times I do and we will set rules accordingly. However, in classrooms I feel setting up "Techsperts" is key. Children are quite savvy, and can help each other which will take a huge burden off the classroom teacher. It will be important of course to set up rules "How Devices are used in our Room". It will also be imperative to establish proper ways of responding. Consume, Critique, Produce (CCP) framework is the perfect way for this. Students should spend time consuming responses and then critiquing them. From there teachers can create checklists of what should and should not happen when responding. That way when students produce, they will know what is expected because they were part of creating those expectations.
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