Writing

Ok, so it has been a year, since my last blog! Ummm…I have been teaching.  As usual, I tried to keep myself busy this summer by continuing with my lifelong learning. I took a class. Boy was I disappointed. I don’t mind doing the work or even attending class, but I do mind spending my time, time that I could just be relaxing, it wasn’t mandatory, feeling uncomfortable in the environment.

So many outside factors played their role in my feeling this way. This has been a tortuous hot summer, the room was extremely cold, I just could not get with the program and lastly my goals did not match up with the goals and objectives of the class.
SO, what did I do? I stuck with the class= perseverance is EVERYTHING! I can’t say that I did not learn anything because I did.
1. I need to hone up on some technology skills. Education is quickly going to globally technology and those teachers who are not with the program will be lost.
2. I will definitely utilize some of the best practices and skills for teaching children to write that I learned from the class in my classroom this year.
As always, I promise that I will try to blog more and reflect on my feelings. Until the next time

Off again to a new start!

As an educator, I try to reflect on what works and what needs to be fined tuned in order to work. Every year before school begins, I stress about the students and now the families that will enter through my classroom door and my life.
I use to think that these students and their families were entering into my classroom only for a short amount of time and leaving with more knowledge and the stamp of completing the year with me. I no longer feel this way due to the fact that some of these families enter not with the intention of making the year successful for everyone but to see just how much degrading they can do to the teacher. Teaching is no longer about educating the students on how to get along in life and how to be better people by learning...it is about surviving as a person!
I pride myself with the gift of teaching and I life people. I truly do, but I don't think those are characteristics that will make a person successful in education today. Rather a person has to know who is who and whose toes not to pinch- just a little-even if it means helping the student to succeed.
So wish me luck this year as I embark on another year in the classroom. Pray that we remember why teachers TEACH!

1-20-2009

I don't think that I will ever forget the looks on the faces of my students as we all watched the inauguration of President Obama. We all witnessed history ,no matter what the differences of family backgrounds, religions, political affiliations and race. The commonality was "Change has happened and things would never be the same."

As a class , we discussed how the economy was not any one person's fault and surely not one person was going to be able to fix it. We discussed political time lines and civil time lines and people who have made a difference because they did not back down from challenges, and that it was the support of all who put these people's names in our social studies and reading books.

I want my students to know that they too, can make history, they just DID!

Yes, WE CAN!

Steven Covey has said it and many others have too. " Live out your imagination, not your history."
In all my years, I would have never imagined that people would STOP seeing color , but see the character of a man/woman!


As a teacher, I don't see color when I look out over my classroom. I see faces of hope!

CHANGE, HOPE...FAITH lives!! In God we can only trust!
It is about time that we as a country/planet realize that we need each other no matter what color we are or our beliefs.

Ok, so now Barack Obama has been elected. It is imperative that we as a nation support him. It does not matter if you voted for him or NOT- he has been elected the next President of the United States and YOU have a responsibilty to support him. Bury your hatred and unkindness, step up to the plate and be a team player.
In spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, Americans still have HOPE. There are more people than not that want to forget looking at a person's color and they realized that we are all created equally. "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
Maybe, I will see and live in a country where Not only will my child but me as well, will live in a nation where I will not be judged by the color of my skin but by the content of my character.

Ok America- we have a challenge, let's meet it!

My 4th Grade students' first blog

As promised, I am show casing the work that my students are doing in class.
This is their first blog!

The STAR badges for this month go to:
Jacob H. and Daniel P. for the best penmanship.

I have selected 2 other students to “show case” in our blog. Each student wrote a descriptive paragraph of a person, place or thing. They published their individual paragraphs in a brochure. Hat's off to Sarah R. and Abigail F. These two students did exceptionally well. I hope you enjoy their great work, as much as I did.


1. Cape Henlopen State Park Beach by Sarah R.
Have you ever seen beach waves at Cape Henlopen? Well, come on down. When you step into Cape Henlopen Beach you forget about all the other beaches. There are lots of sights to see, like shiney dolphins. They look like they are flying throught the air. When you make sand castles, you can feel the rough sand between your fingers. You can exactly smell the sweet smell of salt water. You hear the relaxing waves crash by the beach. It is a great place to boogie board. This is why Cape Henlopen is agood place to go.



2. Paradise Cove by Abigail F.
Splash comes the fish, you can hear them at Paradise Cove, in the wonderful Bahamas. Paradise Cove is the most wonderful place to go fishing and snorkeling. The salty sea water is what I smell the most, but there is something else I smell. I smell a delicious hamburger that has just gotten off of the grill. When I went all the way to the snack bat, I was amazed that hamburgers, hotdogs, and grilled cheese sandwiches were grilling at the same time. I wanted everything. At Paradise Cove it is peace and quiet and also they have nice music. You can touch fish, coral, sand and sea shells. I want to go back to Paradise Cove.

Yeah- Abi F and Sarah R.!!!

Definition of a Hater

Wow! My aunt who is more like a sister sent me this article today by Maya Angelou and it was "right on time". Have you ever tried your darnest only to be hated on? It seems like the more ground you try to cover the more people who should be cheering you on-hate on you.

I just want to share this article with people in case they haven't read it. It is deep. Enjoy!

A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all their time trying to make you look small so they can look tall. They are very negative people to say the least. Nothing is ever good enough! When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters…That’s why you have to be careful with whom you share your blessings and your dreams, because some folk can’t handle seeing you blessed…
It’s dangerous to be like somebody else…
If God wanted you to be like somebody else, He would have given you what He gave them! Right? You never know what people have gone through to get what they have.
The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don’t know my story… If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too!
We’ve all got some haters among us! People envy you because you can:
Have a relationship with God
Light up a room when you walk in
Start your own business
Tell a man / woman to hit the curb (if he / she isn’t about the right thing)
Raise your children without both parents being in the home

Haters can’t stand to see you happy, Haters will never want to see you succeed, Haters never want you to get the victory, most of our haters are people who are supposed to be on our side. How do you handle your undercover haters?
You can handle these haters by:
1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are *(VERY IMPORTANT!!)
2. Having a purpose to your life? Purpose does not mean having a job.You can have a job and still be unfulfilled. A purpose is having a clear sense of what God has called you to be. Your purpose is not defined by what others think about you.
3. By remembering what you have is by divine prerogative and not human manipulation.
Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live…when it’s your time to leave this earth,you ‘want’ to be able to say, ‘I’ve lived my life and fulfilled ‘my’ dreams,… Now I’m ready to go HOME! When God gives you favor, you can tell your haters, Don’t look at me…Look at WHO is in charge of me…’
Maya Angelou

As Maya would say, "But still I rise..."

I associate with many but befriend very few- ME

Happiness is...

The past year has been turbulent, to say the least. All my plans to share my new found knowledge and technology skills with students were not implemented. Sometimes destination throws us a curve ball and we just have to ride it through.

Things will be different this year. My outlook on things are totally different and I am going with the flow of destiny and not against it.

There is something about me that has changed and I am not quite sure how to explain it, but I am happy! I think I could better say it by saying... I am truly blessed and thankful for everything. I am looking forward to the good that is in store for me.

There are times when I only see one set of footprints. It is at this time that HE carries me!

Self Protection or Government Protection

Today more than ever, children of all ages are using the computer. We utilize the computer for a vast number of reasons. Some of us use this tool for fun, for learning, for communicating and for teaching. Prior to the 21st Century, computers were not used for all of these reasons and research doesn’t really tell us if we encountered the problem of privacy and security before now. But I am sure that it was not as great of a concern back then as it is now.
Case scenario #1: I sat down at my computer to read my emails. So many emails spammed into my address. How can I stop this unsolicted mail? I want this type of mail stopped without having my address fed into other inappropriate sites. So, I just delete the mail, but it keeps happening. This will not be the last that I receive mail from these people. The receipt of these sites is now in my computer's history.
Case scenario #2: As a teacher, who is learning about the potential benefits of integrating blogs and wikis into my classroom instruction, I have joined a blog site. I can access the site from home, but I can’t access the site from school. What do I do now?
After reading, “Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful web tools for classrooms by W. Richardson and a few chapters of Wikonomics by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams, I decided that collaboration and communication through the New Web is the 21st Century's methodology of teaching. However, my concern for privacy, security, spamming, filtering and blocking has now become an issue.
The issue is: Is too much restriction in the name of protection, the best for our students? I am not so sure. I don't want the responsibility of my students viewing material that is not appropriate, but is there a happy medium?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deleting_Online_Predators_Act_of_2006
Although the DOPA bill's intentions were for the best, the bill was not well thought out to achieve its purpose. The bill would have prohibited schools and libraries access to “commercial Web sites that let users create public ‘Web pages or profiles’ and also offer a discussion board, chat room, or e-mail service.” Many schools currently have policies which block sites such as MySpace, and any other site that mentions sex or profanity.
http://www.schoolcio.com/showArticle.php?articleID=193502102 “The MySpace Effect”, by Christopher Heun , explains why MySpace is such a big enemy for schools. Some of the reasons sited are:
*inappropriate content/language
*cyber bullying
But that doesn't mean social networking tools should be banned. Some students will have access to blocked sites after school. In the article,” U.S. senator: It’s time to ban Wikipedia in schools, libraries”, by Preston Gralla, Sen. Ted Stevens suggest that there be a ban to access the Wikipedia, MySpace and other social networking spaces (blogs) in schools and libraries. He introduced Senate Bill 49. Some are referring to it as the son of DOPA.
There are some pros and cons of the Wikipedia, but I am not sure that banning it is the answer.
http://www.computerworld.com/blogs/node/4598
As an educator, I encourage the use of technology. I try to engage my students by having them use technology tools. We use the Internet to search, practice, learn, play games, and more. In the upcoming school year, I plan to do more with blogs, wikis, handhelds and videos from YouTube. As an individual, I use the Internet to learn, communicate and get information. So as a way to resolve this critical issue, I agree with such sites as, http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/schlibrariesandyou/parentsandcomm/ALA_print_layout_1_203195_203195.cfm ,” To Filter or Not: The Pros and Cons of Using Parental Control Software” that offer happy mediums to the issue of privacy and security. The article suggests such sites as:
” GetNetWise www.getnetwise.org A resource "to help kids have safe, educational, and entertaining online experiences," the site has a lengthy list of tools for filtering explicit content, to monitor a minor's access, or limit time online. Enter the type of content you are concerned with (i.e. sex, hate, violence, etc.), the type of technology (i.e., www, email, FTP), and the type of operating system of your computer, and a possible list of matching parental control software products will be listed with links.”
This coming school year, I intend to provide parents with websites that teach children how and where they can go on-line while in school. I will advocate for collaborative filtering and punishing those students that do not follow the policies, instead of punishing all students. I will also advocate for software that monitor all computers from a teachers computer. I think that we should embrace educating our students for the future and not prohibit them.
Wish me well- I’ll be new to this!

Is anyone concerned about the health risks associated with the use of technology in our schools?

Last night after blogging, I decided to read my classmates blogs. The title of Marie’s blog, Addressing Important Parent Concerns, was surprising. I had never really considered addressing that issue; however, my eyes were a little strained. I put off reading her blog and went to bed. As a follow up, I thought about researching concerns of parents with the use of technology and the effects that technology use is having on students. I wasn’t surprised at the findings because, like I said, I was suffering from a couple of the effects myself. I wasn't paying close attention to the signs of discomfort becasue I was interested, engaged and participating in my technology education. I was doing exactly what we want our students to do. But with every pro there is always a con, lurking in the background. I don’t feel that these cons out weigh the benefits of using technology in the classrooms, but they should not be ignored either. Fortunately, these obstacles can be addressed and overcome.
Schools can ensure the effective use of educational technology in the classroom by addressing all these factors: placement of computers for equitable access, the amount of usage time to decrease the effects that the amount of use will have on the student users, and how we use the many tools of technology. I am not sure that schools can do too much with the size and design of the tools. What I mean is, most of these tools are very small. For example, the handhelds are so small that they can fit into the pocket of my jean shorts. Oh yeah, and the cell phones, I lose my cell phone every day and I have to call myself just to find it. And the smaller the laptop the more appealing it is to us. I am sure that the Geek Squad is trying to ensure that the tools are practical and easier to manage. Look at Tony Vincent and Karen Fasimpaur, the tools that they traveled with to the MAHETC conference could have been packed into my purse!
In the last month, I have been spending hours and hours on the computer. My time on the computer has been due to having to complete assignments, researching and practicing all the methods of what I have learned about the new tools of the Read/Write Web. Because of the amount of time that I have been spending on the computer, I can feel the difference in my body. My eyes are tired, my neck feels tense and I'm a little cranky, so my family is saying.
In the article, “How to sit at your computer”, Martin Ferretti states, “Sitting at the computer for extended periods of time could cause health problems if you don’t keep the proper posture, especially backaches and the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome.”
As I read the article, I thought to myself, if I am suffering from some of these things, surely students have to be at somewhat greater risk. They are using these tools more than I am. I have been ignoring the signs. What will students do? The critical issue here is: Although incorporating technology into curriculums has a vast amount of benefits, there is some health risks involved with the use of technology. How should these health risks be addressed? Who will address them and when?
Another article that caught my eye-get it-is “How Computers Affect Eyesight”, by Tracy Perez. http://www.parents.com/parents/story.jsp?psrc=storyrl&catref=chd37&storyid=/templatedata/child/story/data/computers.xml
My interest was sparked mainly because I had experience some eye strain and found it difficult to insert my contacts lenses, after using the computer the previous evening.
Perez reports, “The incidence of myopia (nearsightedness) among children is increasing at an epidemic rate because of the popularity of computer games and hand-held toys, says Cary Herzberg, a pediatric optometrist in Aurora, IL. This kind of nearsightedness is a symptom of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), says Dr. Herzberg. CVS occurs as a result of prolonged staring at computer images (or pixels), which are more difficult for the eye to focus on than letters on a printed page. "Our visual systems were never designed to handle this type of close work, so we're asking our eyes to do some very demanding things when we stare at a computer screen for hours a day," Dr. Herzberg says. "This kind of work takes its toll on adults, so imagine what it does to young children whose eyes aren't fully developed yet."
I have to admit, I am seeing that more of my students are wearing classes. My daughter had to see specialist becasue she kept complaining about headaches and her pediatrician could not determine the cause. We finally had her eyes examined and yes, now she wears glasses. I never thought to associate the computer with her need for glasses.
Yet in another article (oh yeah) they are out there, the author reminds us that children use the computers in a different way than we do as adults. Even though they are going to experience the same types of symptoms, their ability to be cognoscente of what is happening to their body is low. They are more likely to ignore the symptoms until it is too late.
http://tifaq.org/kids/parents.html
Well, now I am really concerned because I want to know what can I do as a parent and an educator. So I went blogging! Yes, there were blogs out there in reference to this critical issue, I came across a great blog at http://www.technewsworld.com/story/52677.html. The title of that blog, “Kids and Tech: How Much Is Too Much?” the author gives great advice “to practice what you preach.” So if I want my daughter and my students to be aware of the risks, I need to know what the risks are and learn what to do to decrease the effects of the risks.
If this issue is to be resolved, we must address this critical issue? Here again, teachers need to know how to train students to recognize when too much is too much. We need to learn what the appropriate way is for students to sit, view and use the technology. In “GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS INTERESTED IN REDUCING THE RISKS OF COMPUTER-RELATED REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY IN CHILDREN” at http://www.rsihelp.com/children.shtml the author suggest several ways to eliminate some of these risks. The suggestions include:
*teach students good posture
*Use the keys instead of a mouse
*avoid laptops when possible
For more suggestions visit http://www.tipmonkies.com/2005/05/14/how-to-sit-at-your-computer/ How to sit at your computer. I think I will start off my school year with teaching my students these precautions. I will try to model the correct way to sit and type on the tech tools.

Mission Geek Teacher

Watch out ,Pam, Belgica, Monica, Marie, Jeanell, Tara, and Miss Karns, I am on a technology mission. I promise I won’t be” carrying a special agent badge and dress in black pants, white shirts, a black clip-on tie and white socks with polished black shoes”. Nor will I be arriving at my school in a black-and white Volkswagen Beetle. (Although, they are cute.) And I won't be applying for a job with Best Buy. (Tapscott 2006) My mission is to become a “Geek Teacher!”

I can remember back at least 10 years ago when it was not cool to be a geek. But today Geeks use wikis, handhelds, blogs, cell phones and iPods to collaborate new ideas with others. They brainstorm, manage projects, swap service tips and socialize with their peers. Why can’t I do these things as a teacher? Can I bring the tools to my students so that they can survive in the new flat world and possibly become a Geek themselves? Do you think my mission is meaningful? Will I survive the mission? I don't know but my mission has begun.

My mission began this past Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at the Mid-Atlantic Handheld & Emerging Technology Conference. The conference was held at Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD. The collaborating sponsors probably organized the conference by utilizing wikis, blogs and cell phones. The sponsors of the conference, Salisbury University, Wicomico School District and Seaford School District, of Delaware, seem to be leading this community in technology.

I have been to several conferences before, but I really had mixed feelings about attending this one. I did not know what to expect. Were there going to be a bunch of “Geek Teachers”, administrators and others attending that would not be sympathetic to those of us who know very little about technology? Was the conference going to be over my head? Would I learn anything useful that I would be able to apply to my personal and professional life?

Tony Vincent shared a vast amount of innovated and exciting technology tools and stats. Having someone like him open a technology conference was brilliant. Saying that I was amazed, just would not do the opening session any justice. And this “young man” started out as a teacher? Wow! I felt my brain reshaping itself as he presented. (Karen Fasimpaur, “My Virtual Distributed Brain: Thriving on the Chaos of Information Overload”)

My quest for becoming a Geek Teacher was quickly being fueled and I no longer felt as though the mission was impossible. Net Gens were born between the years of 1982 and 2002. I began teaching in the year 1992, so I missed a few of these students, but the majority of them are just coming through. And they need a Geek Teacher!

I looked around and saw so many attendees using their palms to take notes. But there were a few of us trying to keep up with paper and pencil. The presenters all kept reiterating that you have to practice the skills to be good at them. If it was not apparent before it truly is now. I did not enjoy sitting there with paper and pencil, with a palm hidden in my purse. Oh yeah, let me tell you about it. I have the pleasure of being an employee of Seaford School District. http://www.seaford.k12.de.us/ All teachers were given a palm to use for Dibeling our students and tracking their progress. But there is so much more that I could and will be doing.

Ok Tara, my interest was sparked to see what I could have been doing! I too went to http://www.nwhandheld.org/research.html and K12 Handhelds. Both sites were loaded with activities and lessons to do with elementary students. I have no excuse for not doing these activities with my students, other than- “ I did not know how to properly use the tool.” And I did not take the time to practice or investigate the tool.


The issue here is: How can a teacher become a Geek Teacher?

Resolution: If you are fortunate to work for a district that provides you with the equipment to work with Net Gen students, it is your responsibility to use the equipment. I think every presenter stated” You learn by doing, so do!” I could have been allowing my students to use palms to write research papers, practice handwriting, listen to historic speeches, and practice math skills downloaded for free from the Internet! FREE!
Students and teachers are integrating the use of palms in every subject. They are using then to download information to others via the computer, reading books and highlighting information. This leads me to my mission. My mission is to introduce my students to blogging and to use the palms that are available in my school. One idea that I came across when I went to http://www.nings.com/ was to use the palm along with the elmo and project a story. By doing this, I can interact with the entire class as we point out the main idea and details that support the main idea. I have already downloaded my excel grade book to my palm. More is yet to come.
In Tara’s blog, “Palms in the classroom”, she quotes some very interesting pointers from “Competing Visions of Handheld Computer Use in the Classroom”, by Wesley A. Fryer.
By storing information from the handhelds, into computers:

• the teacher can assess individual skills.
• Instruction will be teacher centered (directed) but students will be more actively involved when using palms.
• Information can be stored in docs and not lost.
• The learning environment is more authentic.
  

To quote Karen Fasimpaur, “Textbook learning is neither engaging nor up-to-date.”
Maybe I will decorate my classroom this year with black and white checkered Volkswagen Beetles and have mini computer name tags on the students’ desk. I think it is time to run my classroom like Best Buy. Do I accept the mission? Sure I do, I do not want to washed away like sand in tidal wave storm nor do I want to fall off of this newly flat world. My mission is NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

Teaching a “New” Teacher “Old” Tools of Technology

We are all familiar with the old saying, “teaching an old dog new tricks”. After reading a blog by Monica, I remember how I felt as a new teacher trying to learn the already established customs of the school that had just hired me to teach. Can you remember that feeling? Maybe these words will help you empathize: lonely, afraid, uncertain and uncomfortable. Thankfully, those feelings changed as the first year came to a completion and you quickly learned the customs. I am sure that for those of us who feel like a “new” teacher learning “old” tools of the technology trade and the Web 2.0," this too shall pass”.
The importance of technology in our everyday lives is so important that we can no longer resist the knowledge. I can’t help but to think that lots of teachers feel this way. The resistance is not with the technology, but rather with the time, money and ability to use the tools. Again, the Read/Write Web is here to stay-or at least until a newer better version comes along!
Let’s look again at the standards for technology. In the article, Technology Foundation Standards for All Students http://cnets.iste.org/Students/s_stands.html , the standards are divided into six categories. Students have to master all six standards. The site links to the Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for All Teachers, Curriculum Examples, and Scenarios.
I must admit that I never really bothered to pay attention to these standards until recently. My initial thought to these standards was ,“Sounds like Greek to me!” Seriously, many of us were driven into shock when the original standards for subject content came down the pipe. But now, we are so familiar with the “Curriculum bible” that when we don’t refer to the standards/GLEs or include them into our instruction, we feel as though we are breaking a commandment. I can’t wait until the day that I feel this way about the technology standards.
In his blog," Will Richardson: Connective Teaching: How the Read/Write Web Challenges Traditional Practice", (http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com/blog/2007/02/will_richardson.html, Will suggest that teachers do whatever is necessary on their part to prepare themselves for integrating the New Web into their instruction. “Networks are crucial and the best way to stay current is to network with other passionate learners who want to learn the things you do. As educators we must have a willingness to share and be transparent.”
As more teachers are encouraged to utilize technology in their own personal lives then perhaps they will see the benefits of learning how to incorporate technology and its socialization aspect into student learning. Because of the mandated standards for technology; more teachers are rethinking and evaluating this critical and crucial component of education. Jeanell is right in reference to if the president acknowledges importance, it becomes important to all. In her blog titled “What the Presidential Candidates Should be Promising”, she quotes:“If the president understands the importance of technology then he will pass that down to the rest of the country who will then begin to understand the value of technology who will then pass that on.”

Issue: How can teachers prepare themselves in order to implement technology in students’ daily learning? Who will prepare teachers for this task?

While thinking about a solution to this, I decided to agree with Monica on this one. Thanks to Monica for finding and sharing another blog by a fellow teacher, titled “Resistance, Education, and Change”. (www.chrislott.org/2007/07/18/resistance-education-and-change) Mr. Lott offers us good advice as to how to solve our issue.
“Mr. Lott identifies an underlying cause of educator resistance to technology as being fear of the time commitment, but as he points out, learning to use and utilizing technology will not add to your time commitment, just manipulating the existing time more efficiently.” New teachers quickly adapt and learn the old ways and sometimes they even bring new ideas or customs that make the school even better. With the new tools that are being developed, learning the new web is more user friendly. If your school is not promoting the web as efficiently as you need them to, find a mentor, blog or be a student for a day. Do what is needed to learn. Who is to say that this "new" teacher won't come up with new and improved methods of learning the Web 2.0!

Technology for a Diverse Net Generation

How often do we here the words differential instruction, IEPs, constructivist instruction, student centered learning activities, ELL/ESL and a host of other educational buzz words? Well, if we are worried about educating the Net Gen, we can not afford to forget these subgroups of the Net Generation. These diverse groups of students learn best through peer-to- peer, hands on, visual and kinesthetic learning opportunities. They want to be a part of creating projects and solutions too. I can only imagine what this would do for these students self esteem.
Now that I am bloggling, tagging and researching, the Web 2.0 is like a candy store with so many choices. Presently, one of my favorites is Will Richardson’s site! Will Richardson is the author of the Weblogg-ed blog (http://www.weblogg-ed.com/), and the author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.
After reading Richardson’s, "The New Face of Learning",
http://www.edutopia.org/new-face-learning it is more apparent that the Web 2.0 is for all types of life long learners. Richardson poses the issue and question of, “And what happens to traditional concepts of classrooms and teaching when we can now learn anything, anywhere, anytime?”
Intriguing, enlightening and overwhelming are just some of my present emotions as a teacher and a student. My own learning has been completely revamped as I have become a participant in my own life long learning. I have only just begun with blogging and wikis. When we develop a passion for something, we begin to enjoy that activity. Since my plunge into the Read/Write Web, I am willing to change my teaching- to include all my learners. Will Richardson’s delicious site led me to other sites where teachers share how they are using technologies and techniques that leverage this newfound network in ways that look nothing like what's happening in traditional classrooms.
As educators we struggle with reaching all students, closing the gap, effectively teaching diverse students and the way we're losing control over the content we used to own. It is plain to see that the traditional way of rows of seats and hand me down information is no longer effective. How will we as educators and learners incorporate this new found technology for all diverse learners? Perhaps this type if inclusive teaching, began its grassroots with Dr. Hawkins. I hope to follow in Dr. Hawkins' footsteeps. Dr. Hawkins served for seven years as director of the Center for Children and Technology in New York City.
http://www.edutopia.org/node/307 "The World at Your Fingertips" states, “This can be seen most dramatically in the ways that assistive technologies empower students with disabilities, allowing them to contribute in ways never before possible. It is increasingly clear that all students can benefit when technology is used intelligently to provide meaningful content and powerful tools for learning.”
When I visited the site, I immediately tagged it. There is so much that a teacher can do with diverse students and technology.

Issue: How can interactive technology offer richer materials for learning, affect the way time is used in schools, and support ongoing professional development for teachers?
Solution: The world is made up of all types of people and we all learn differently. So why not use technology to capture the attention of all diverse learners and assist them with their learning? We can use technology to help students to read, learn a language, and communicate with others like themselves. We have at our finger tips so much to assist us. Audio books, e-books, blogs, computers that help with writing skills and spelling are just some of the technology tools that can be used to assist diverse learners.
I would like to hear some of the ways that you have used technology for your special population of students.

Why be a blogger?

I have been going back and forth with my feelings on blogging; trying to figure out just what to say in a blog or whether or not I am blogging correctly. So, I decided to blog on blogging and being a blogger!
“Can the last person to leave the edublogsphere change the record please?” http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs/2007/01/can_the_last_pe.html, caught my attention. The author’s views on blogging helped me to “find my voice”. So, if that is what blogging is all about, why wouldn’t teachers and students grasp the concept and go to the web with it? With restraints such as, organized templates and reader subjectivity taking precedence over just allowing the blogger to “find their voice, no wonder there is so much opposition against blogging!
So, once again, I am making a commitment to becoming a blogging, and to introducing blogging to my students.

Blogs were designed to be for- and not for form or content. As I researched different articles, many of them were against blogs or could not find the importance of them. If we as a community continue to feel this way about blogs nothing is going to change in the manner in which we teach our students and they will not be prepared for the real world. Students will not be encouraged, engaged or motivated to learn. "Let's show them how important these tools really can be in achieving the goals to which all educators aspire: to have successful, confident, participating learners who understand and engage with the world around them".(McIntosh 2007)
As I am writing this blog, my mind is spinning with ways to incorporate blogging into my curriculum and to take advantage of this tool that I am learning, experiencing and participating in. I teach fourth grade in a school that is not departmentalized. Most of my students despise writing and social studies. In the past, I have used power points, handhelds and the “elmo” to stimulate some interest. I know now that I could be doing so much more!

I am fortunate to teach at a district that collaborates with teachers and assists us in bringing technology to the forefront. I can just image the interest that will be sparked as my students’ blog on different subjects or research different topics using blogs and responding to them. “Rather than being passive recipients of mass consumer culture, the Net Gen spends time searching, reading, scrutinizing, authenticating, collaborating, and organizing (everything from their MP3 files to protest demonstrations). The Internet makes life an ongoing, massive collaboration, and this generation loves it. They can’t imagine a life where citizens didn’t have the tools to constantly think critically, exchange views, challenge, authenticate, verify, or debunk. While their parents were passive consumers of media, youth today are active creators of media content and hungry for interaction.” (Tapscott p.47)
As Marie blogged in, Using Web 2.0 Tools with Younger Students , implementing the components for blogging is certainly not easy, but students love to see their work published and shared. It is exciting, motivating and rewarding for both teacher and student.
Just glancing at the activities featured on http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/, I realize that I can do so much more with blogs and wikis.
I guess I could sum it all up as saying that blogging is indeed a wonderful tool that should be utilized in classrooms and not only just for reading and writing but with other disciplines too.

The issue that comes to mind is: How can you objectively grade students on this technique without squashing their voice? If we grade them at all, are we making blogging just another task? One solution to this, would possibly be to have students blog and set them up with a Bloglines account to follow blogs on topics that they are interested in. They can read and report on news articles or basically anything else they want to. This is something that will encourage them to read, to write, to learn about the real world and to interact and collaborate with others. I think that these objectives just about cover all the GLE and standards. Or, I could just do a simple post count and give points. My main goals would certainly be to increase the use of project base learning, attach learning to students’ lives, provide real world application through global communication and to allow students to showcase their work for others to view. I can certainly do all this through blogging.

Absolutely All About Me

Originally, this blog has been created as an assignment for my post-graduate class, Technology in Education.

I teach fourth grade with the Seaford School District. Since diving into the 21st century world of the technology, I have learned that I more than an educator, but a lifelong learner! I have embraced some of my fears and challenged myself to change those things that can be changed.

Not only will I use this new wealth of knowledge, to better educate my students, but I will use it to stay connected to the "every changing" "wiki" of a world and educate myself. I am glad to be ME. I am just who God intended me to be- I am a part of this peer sharing global world, welcome to the part that I elect to share with you.


One of my favorite quotes: "Never look down on anyone,unless you are offering them a hand to help them up." Reverend Jessie Jackson