Getting Started

I am still trying to process how to launch iPads in the classroom.  These are just thoughts.

Edmodo:  Kids come in and check assignments in Edmodo

Evaluation of Edmodo and VoiceThread Apps

I like them both and am adding them to my list of must haves for my class.

Edmodo:  I like the ease of it, and because it makes my current Edmodo classes easily visible, I want it.  Kids will not have to go through any steps other than touching on the Edmodo app.

Voice Thread:  Great! I can use it for a lot of things: quick book checks, tickets out the door etc.  Of course kids will need to email me, but it won’t take long, maybe a minute.

In summary, thumbs up for both.

Long Overdue App Talk

I have received my iPad and begun checking out apps.  So I don’t bore my self I am going to discuss the new ones I have download then comment after exploration.

Newly downloaded: voicethread, dictionary and edmodo.

I will be back later to discuss the use of.

iPads: A New Year

I was fortunate to be selected to pilot a program this upcoming year using iPads in my class. Interestingly enough, I have never even held one of them. Honestly, from I have read I can’t wait to.

Wired Educator has a lot of articles and reviews new app releases.  I going to RSS this site.

My plan is to document what I am doing and how it is going here.  Also, I will be keeping a list of resources I find.  Somedays I will probably have multiple posts as my research continues.

This is also going to be a great opportunity, I hope I can do it justice.

Flipped Out

My 6th grade team did a biodiversity project.  All the disciplines did some sort of data collection except mine.  My classes interviewed and filmed the other classes.  I know for sure that my students in my classes learned more from the project because they not only did the collecting of data, but then also filmed the others.  In other words they double dipped so to speak.

The movies turned out great and can be viewed at Community.

One thing that I learned that made the process very easy was that to edit the footage from the Flips, open iMovieHD ( the older version) and import from the Flip camera directly, not from the Flip software.

 

Compare and Contrast

I watched  a live stream from the 2011 ASCD conference that really inspired me in the classroom. It was presented by Harvey Silver of Silver, Strong and Associates, and it is well worth watching.  The title of his presentation was the Strategic Teacher.

The presentation consisted of two parts, the first on using the strategy of compare and contrast. Powerful is a mediocore adjective to describe  it.  It made so much sense that I couldn’t wait to apply it.  I took his principles and applied to the NYS ELA test coming up in May.  In Book 3 they present two related readings to the kids coupled with a graphic organizer, two short response and an extended response.  Quite often the extended has presented the similarity of the two and gives them the task of which would they prefer, a lifestyle, a way of helping, a lesson etc.  So, what I did was take the c/c strategy and applied to the persuasive/opinion part of the test.

Often, myself included, we make a quick a decision without analysis.  My task was for students to recommend either the story of “Perseus” from Bernard Evslin’s Heroes, Gods and Monsters or the movie version Clash of the Titans also about Perseus.  The results were remarkable.  Probably these were the best 5 paragraph essays I have read consistently in years.  Not only were they great, but the percentage of students completing the assignment blew me away.  It made sense to them.

Next Step:  I am going to do it again this week on the topic of Heroes.  Also, I am going to explore how to use this strategy in multiple choice questions.

Inspiration: The Webinar

Webinars are great!

When I first conceptualized this idea/blog, I never thought how technology could influence me in the classroom.  What do I mean by this?  I really was not thinking outside the box.  I was stuck in the activities that I could do in my classes using technology not I was getting via technology. This weekend the ASCD had a conference in California.  I live in New York and as much as I would have loved to have gone, there was no way.  Actually, I didn’t even know about it.  I learned about through an email from Thoughtful Press (Silver, Strong and Associates).  Harvey Silver was presenting and his session was going to be streamed live.  I love this guy.  About 12 years ago, I was blessed to have partaken in a week-long workshop in Binghamton.

I missed his, it will be archived, but what I did see three others (so far), Bob Sullo, Peter Reynolds and Curriculum 21 guru Heidi Hayes Jacobs.  I will address each one. separately. Each presenter blew me away in some form.  I have gone from the beginning of the year engrossed in my work to dormant to alive. This transformation was brought possible because of the technology on my lap.

This is global education at it’s finest.  This weekend I went to California and I didn’t have to pay a cent.  I have to capture this in my classroom.  I am going to find a classroom  in Greece for my classes to Skype with.  How cool is that

 

Professional Development

Lately, I have been doing a lot of professional development online.  One site that has been very useful is Simple K12.  A cool site with webinars and handouts.  One site that I used this week was Class Tools. They have a bunch of different gadgets on it, but I especially liked the Random Name Selector and the Countdown Timer.

The Random Name Selector was great.  I input the names of the kids before class and it selected them rather than me.  It was a great!  I didn’t feel like I was playing favorites and it kept them on their toes.

The Countdown Timer was also very useful.  I told the kids that had to be quiet for the alloted time and if they were they could talk for the rest of the period. They were silent.

One kid said, “Where do you find these things?”

Go to Simple K12.  It is definitely worth the time.

Flip Video Workshop

Just want to see if I can upload a trial video from FLIP.

I-Pods and Reading

About 10 years ago, I made a comment to our then support teacher that I thought that some kids would benefit from listening to a book while reading it.  She disagreed and today I still have teachers that disagree with my thoughts.  However,  research has proven me accurate and the Read 180 uses audio versions as well in their program.  So I went out and bought shuffles and subscribed to Audible.

Have they made a difference?  I think so.  The kids are keeping up with the reading and they are comprehending.  Are they following along in their books?  I don’t know.  I do know that they are doing better in class and they are improving their listening skills.

Just a thought.