Sunday, September 26, 2010

My first shot at an Infographic...

This is my first attempt at an infographic.  I'm trying to find new ways to communicate information to parents.  Any thoughts?  Any feedback?  Put it in the comments section....

Web 2.0 tools

So I've been working on revising our "Reading Strategies" class. Our district has charged us to increase the use of technology in the classroom and is starting this process through this class.

I've creates a google doc (here: https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1tMZCmqQq8WaxWS05uQYG93vvaKwaXFGFVUlXlDsT1ig&hl=en#) to help me organize web 2.0 tools by curriculum topic. I'm hoping people continue to add and edit t

I stumbled across this resource on "A new way to lecture" outline a number of web 2.0 tools. I thought it was great! I hope others find this resource helpful.

A%20New%20Way%20To%20Lecture

Friday, September 17, 2010

Game Theory

21st century learning is (in my opinion) where technology is like air.  We all have it, we all need it, we all use it without even thinking.  This article below demonstrates how one middle school is breaking the mold of the traditional boring classroom.  So exciting!


Tuesday, September 14, 2010

My School is Broken!

I just finished watching Seth Godin on one of his TED talks (located below). I began to think to myslef: How many systems do we have in our school systems that are broken?  How many need leadership like the people reading this to step up?  I know we can't solve all the problems in our building but we also shouldn't stand for anything less than the best for our kids and our community.

I often say to myself:  "We have to do a better job," when thinking about something that happens during the school day.  I don't beleive there has EVER been a day I have been at any school building when I've said, this was perfect, it can't be better than this."

Enjoy the video, think about what's going on at your school in your job, at your company and take steps to make change.  The last thing I want to be is someone who complains about something.  That's not my style.  I just fix it.  So don't admire the problem, fix it.


Seth Godin at Gel 2006 from Gel Conference on Vimeo.

NOTES FROM VIDEO:


1.     The not my job people
a.     When you see something that does work and you let it happen.
b.     When you see something and there's a sign to help navigate the problem.
c.  No one steps up to fix it.
2.     Selfish jerk
a.     Use the ability to tell a story to hurt your customers.
b.     Officially licensed apparel
c.  Make something more difficult than it needs to be
3.     World changed
a.     Someone is designing a model in another era (hello education!)
4.     I didn’t know
a.      Someone removed from the situation designing the process.
5.     I’m not a fish
a.     Person designing isn’t the one that is going to use it.
6.     Contradictions
a.     Blood stop instead of band aid.
b.     Professional gum - seriously?
c.     Windows operating system for wine - that doesn't make sense. 
7.     Broken on purpose
a.     Jimmy Chu shoes – not for shoes, for fashion