Linked to Learning

How could I resist writing a post at the end of such an adventure? I tried taking this course in the Spring and got so overwhelmed that I was almost scared to try it again. I think it has redefined how I learn and will teach. That is a big statement. I have never been confident even though I trained people on computer software in the late ’70′s. Yes, we had computers then. After being a stay-at-home mom for many many years, I felt so behind and I was. These tools for learning are excellent but most importantly I feel I can TRY anything. I always have loved teaching because I love to plan how to best connect my students with the excitement of learning. Without this course I would be behind again in knowing what to do to capture their attention and lead them into learning on their own. I always thought I had to be an expert on something in the computer lab before I dared take my students in but I know it is the process of learning that is just as important. I feel so good that I completed this course and I want my students to feel that exhilaration.

Thank you, Shelley. I had so much fun.

I have been going in a million different directions trying to take in all the information and learning opportunities of Classroom 2.0. Many of the questions I want to ask were answered here in the Forum section. I found a whole list of new books for middle schoolers and several suggestions for new books for boys. Teaching Writing with Web 2.0 Media was like attending a seminar and soaking up all the ideas. It is all about collaboration and communication. I think that is the essence of education and the tools are changing so rapidly for older teachers like myself. I would love to see our faculty set up a Ning for collaberating and communicating among ourselves. We try to get together and share but it is almost impossible with afterschool tutorials and duties. This would connect us. We must teach the students to approach social networking as responsible internet citizens. I am not even sure where we will go with this in the classroom but I know as teachers this is a great way to better ourselves.

I love my Google Reader and try to keep up with it every couple of days. I have added and deleted things. I really enjoyed the last blog I read about grading and assessments. The word assessment is a more personalized look at a student’s growth and not just a grade which seems to make comparisons rather than measure growth. I would like to become more creative and efficient at how I assess my students within the curriculum. This blog entry was very provocative so of course I starred it.

Even though I skim and trash much I love the connection to ideas and news.

I am having a love/hate relationship with Pageflakes. I love the idea of organizing a great deal of tools and information together on one page. This is big! I hate that I do not completely feel like I understand what I am doing with the “flakes”. I will keep playing though. I would love to use this for all the information, sites, and dates we like to keep going for the geography club. Many times students have conflicting schedules and we can keep this organized for everyone. I would love to have a place to share bookmarks and class pictures. This will provie one place to connect to a collection of podcasts.

Every year Debbie N. spends time collecting information from all of us to track the success of our summer reading program so we can make any needed changes. I love how we already have a collabrative spreadsheet to assimilate that information this year. How easy!!! Thanks Debbie for doing this because spreadsheets are hard for me to create. I used Google Docs last year with several students in my class. It wasn’t required but we showed them how and it was nice for those who always misplaced their flashdrives. I had a group presentation on Athens and Sparta that we used Docs so that they could all contribute. This is really helpful professionally becasue we often put together directions for an upcoming project. Every teacher has a few ideas to improve or modify the document. We planned a sixth grade evening at Emory this year and this tool would have allowed all of us to add to the calendar or checklist. I would like to create a form for signing up for our Geography Club this year.

I have again spent way too much time exploring. I finally looked back to see what my real task was to be. I did not see the filter option fro some reason on U Tube so I got quite a show. I did find two of our sixth grade novels’ authors and I loved the feel of getting to know them. They both have good websites but these interviews were powerful, I thought. I also found a documentary on how to explain the electoral college that will be helpful in class. I thought some of the choices on Teacher Tube were kinda silly and one historical video that I did have the facts straight. I did find one on MLK that takes his speech and has clips from the day in DC along with people reciting the speech.

I have been so excited about finally learning how to do a podcast. It was so fun and it was even easier. I am writing a column for my son’s newspaper in California and we are going to add some podcasting to the blog for the paper. The podcast below has a few ideas for how I plan to use podcasting in the classroom but I think this is just the tip of the iceberg for this tool!

I have spent way too much time on this thing!!!!!! I have been exploring sites and ideas for at least five days ( and nights!!!!). I own an ipod that I still am trying to master but I am so fasinated. I have songs on it only because my daughter helped me after I worked on it for an entire day right after I got it for Christmas. I kept asking my son about downloading podcasts and he does it but since he lives in LA he cannot DO it for me. I have now done it. I searched both I Tunes and NPR. My favorite podcast is one by Nancy Keane and she does book talks on bunches of books. I used this site last year with my students but now I have her ready to load on my ipod. ( maybe, if I can do it). I have had several parents ask me about audio books and I have found Audible Kids that has so many books and you download them to the Ipod!!!! I Tunes is not “old people” friendly but I will keep trying to get it mastered. I know the kids can do everything.NPR had some great podcasts during poetry month in April. I have been a bit frustrated in searching this site for what I want.I was not so excited about several educational podcasts because the speakers were either boring or almost unprepared.

Apple’s site about Podcasting in Education is so fun. I spend forever looking around and thinking about what I could do next year.

I joined Library Thing right away after a bit of exploring. I have a huge class library and it is very unorganized and I forget what I have. I am always asked for recommendations from students searching for the next book to read. This listing of my books is super and I plan to borrow Shelley’s CueCat scanner. I have not yet joined a group but I have followed several authors and found books I want to read. This is a powerful tool for me. I have students who read so many books so quickly and feel we now have a source for coordinating books with their passions. I have spent so much time searching and I now I have this at my fingertips. The reviews are well written and to the point.

I love to share new titles and look forward to viewing favorites of others. My library in its infancy can be found at http://www.librarything.com/home/debbiestephens.

I have really gotten hooked on my Google Reader. I need to spend some more time feeding it! I thought I would be overwhelmed but I have learned to scan and lately I have starred quite a few important ideas I want to capture and reread. My latest favorite was a blog by Christine about Interactive Power Points. I have been so bored with the traditional bulleted slides done in the name of learning. Learning requires so much more action and involvement.