Web Tools

Through the Teaching 2.0 course, I have gained a lot of web tool resources.  I learned about delicious during a course last summer and have added many bookmarks to my account; these need to be organized, badly! Diigo seems to be the top pick of the two by the other teachers in my class, so I plan to look into that one to use with my students in the fall, along with Symbaloo. Symbaloo looks is a more visually attractive bookmarking tool to use also--I may lean this way, especially with middle school aged kids--the more visually appealing, the better!

I've decided, with the new position I've accepted as an 8th grade comm. arts teacher, to complete my project using the Good Reads web tool.  Good Reads is a site in which the user builds their virtual bookshelves with books they have read or want to read.  The readers have the ability to rate the book, as well as give the book a review.  I can see this working really well within a middle school classroom; not only for students to find out what others are reading, but to also give the students the chance to practice critiquing and reviewing.

In addition to building this social reading network, I also want to begin student reading blogs.  I envision these blogs to encompass many aspects of reading-character and plot analysis, predictions, themes, connections to the text, etc. With my newly enabled Twitter account, I can hopefully find another school/classroom that we can socially connect with to help build our networks (both blogging and book sharing!).

Anyone know of another 8th grade class that may want to become reading networking buddies with a Wisconsin classroom?

Twitter!

I tweeted my second message last night! Amazing! Seriously, I went from following one person (my boyfriend) to following 42 in less than 24 hours.  All I had to do was let the tweeters out there know that I am new to Twitter and I was looking for a little direction.  I'm amazed at how many people were willing to help me build my resources to follow, how many retweeted my message to help me gain more people to follow, and how welcoming they were. In the past, I've spent a great deal of time searching for projects or books to read with my students; Twitter just seems like a really quick, relevant resource. I'm glad I got started :)

I am looking forward to adding more people to follow and sharing/borrowing resources from my Twitter friends! This is really the first social network for education I have used.  I have set up a delicious account, but never shared with anyone. Also, I learned about edmodo and today's meet towards the end of this past school year--I plan to use these in my classroom next year! Looking forward to it :)

Inspired...

This course has already inspired me! After just this first week of class, I've learned so much and realized how much my instruction is lacking in the 21st Century Skills.  Primarily, I teach middle school math and have found it slightly difficult to incorporate "cool" technology projects in class.  I have used You Tube videos to introduce or reteach specific lessons; even one in which Darth Vader teaches the Pythagorean Theorem, or the one where the teacher raps about SOH CAH TOA!  My students loved these, but I've always wanted to look for technology assessments. 

I found one today! Alan November has inspired me to create tutorials for other students. Now, I can't wait to get back in the classroom and incorporate this into my lessons. You know, they always say, if you can teach it to someone else, you will only prove to yourself that you have learned it!