Wow! I have actually crossed this finish line. I must admit there were many days when I did not believe it was possible. I have learned sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much through this online experience. My deepest thanks to Julia for her guidance, encouragement and wise counsel. Also, many, many thanks to Shelley for providing such a practical, hands on, applicable experience.
I begin this school year with many new ideas ( for a 30 year plus educator this is pretty good). Julia has provided the wise counsel of choosing one or two, and going from there. I will take that counsel and move ahead into the 21st century of technology!
Finally, something I know a little something about! I got intrigued with the Ning several months ago when it was introduced at our school. Those involved (not sure exactly who – well Julia, for sure) created suspense and intrigue by sending out teasers on the school email. I am slowly but surely getting to appreciate what this is and what it can do. My preplanning agenda from my principal had me referring to the Ning, so I get the feeling it will not be the last time I use it. My daughter says I have my own version of “Facebook”, so I feel as if I am definitely moving into the 21st century!
The misunderstanding of those in leadership has a thread running through it. For many, it is assumed that if you are a leader in your company, your organization or wherever, then you must be an outgoing person. In reality, this is only an assumption. Many corporate leaders, while gifted in their thinking and vision, experience physical stress and anxiety when required to attend a cocktail party.
This article reminds me that first, stereotypes are just that, and not everyone fits in a box. Television has helped us create images in our mind, and I believe we miss out when we only look for the “expected”. Second, I believe it is important to view leadership in ways other than identifying the person who is the loudest and talks the longest. I like to ask myself the question, if the building were on fire, who would I trust to lead me out to safety? Finally, I believe it is imperative that we celebrate “strengths”. It is through finding what is “right” about a situation or person, rather than what is “wrong” that truly allows us to grow.
I thoroughly enjoyed this assignment. The use of color, graphics, layout and design made this activity a very appealing one to me. Just like my students, I always appreciate the opportunity to have choices. Pageflakes allows me to tailor my learning experience based upon where I am and where I would like to go. The convenience of having the information “right under my nose” results in efficiency of time and makes it more likely that I will gather new information.
I am still in “awe” of the many ways Web 2.0 is and will change my life. The simple fact is - having students gather information through these technology vehicles is motivation in and of itself. They are competent with the web, and I believe this competence will breed competence as they explore content areas unfamiliar to them.
Google Docs has been one of my favorite lessons. My mind is racing. As we open a new Learning Resource Center at Greater Atlanta Christian School, the possibilities for this tool are endless. We have been looking for a way to support not only the students in the Academic Support program, but also a way to make this center a vehicle for promoting life long learning for all of our students. Google Docs is going to help us tremendously with this endeavor.
Here are three ways that we will use this tool. First, we will use it as a communication tool between students and parents. In the past, students have used the website to look up their grades and write them down on a spread sheet. We not only look at current grades, but look at trends throughout the semester. This can now be done on GoogleDocs with copies made available to both mom and dad as well as the student. The second way we will use Google Docs is to provide a document of organizational strategies to our community as a part of our website. It will include resources and websites on this topic. Finally, I will use GoogleDocs to create a presentation about the new Learning Resource Center, allowing my colleagues to assist me in this endeavor.
I must admit I felt a bit shaky with the use of this tool. It is definitely user friendly. I prefer the use of the phone instead of the microphone on the computer. I am simply unaccustomed to hearing the sound of my voice. This will take some getting use to.
The popularity of YouTube and its magnetic attraction is something that cannot be ignored. I thoroughly enjoyed this task and found a number of video clips that I will use to “make a point”. Working with students who have a variety of learning challenges, I believe it is important for each of them to understand the specifics of their learning challenges. Since language is often one of those challenges, using more words to explain what they have difficulty with makes no sense. The use of video to help them understand makes all the sense in the world.
I have a goal of having each of my students make a video clip explaining their specific challenges, and the instructional methods that have been successful for them. My hope is to have these video available to their teachers. Instead of teachers looking at more words, they will be able to see the student instead of the problem.
The following video will be used in my class to give hope to my students. Unfortunately, conventional education has failed some of our greatest contributors to society. I am thankful they did not give up, and I trust my students will persevere as well.
The use of podcasts is a totally new concept for me. However, I am very intrigued with this avenue of learning. Because of my familiarity with PBS, I explored the PBS podcasts first and found them to be quite informative. As with other parts of the internet, my main challenge is developing the skill of scanning to find the information and resources that will be most applicable to my needs. I also explored Podcast Alley, and again, felt a bit overwhelmed with the volume of choices. Having the time to locate appropriate material is a definite must. I am interested in learning from my colleagues how they are utilizing this aspect of technology.
It was a most pleasant surprise to read the closing lines of the article “Our Googley advice to students: Major in learning”. The author closes the article with the comment, “Learning, it turns out, is a lifelong major.” This very clear concept must be a day to day reality in a field where innovation, creation and change are the norm. The human resource department at Google is looking for individuals with “analytical reasoning, communication skills, a willingness to experiment, team players” who have “passion and leadership.”
If our schools are going to provide individuals with these attributes, our conventional mode of teaching and learning MUST change. Teachers must be willing to accept more than “the one right answer”. Tests and exams must have choices other than the standard “a, b, c, d or none of the above”. Creativity must be celebrated and our classrooms must provide risk-free opportunities. We no longer exist in the simplicity of my grandmother’s one room schoolhouse setting. Students are required to read, interpret, sort and synthesize volumes of information. Many of the terms and technologies were not even dreams when my grandmother taught 1st through 8th grade in that white pine floor school house.
If Miss Atteberry were here to experience schools today, she would be the first to sign up for a Web 2.0 class. She always wanted her students to be on the “cutting edge” in their learning. It is time for many of us to step into the 21st century, and make certain our students are prepared for their future work setting and the major of “life long learning.”
The issue of organization continues to be an ongoing battle for me. Keeping myself organized, helping my children keep up with their organization, reminding my husband of events, items, and places to be, as well as guiding my students through the challenges of staying organized. While many individuals are being diagnosed with attention deficit disorders, I am not convinced it is the individual who has the problem. Instead I question the possibility that this may be a cultural disease, rapidly devouring the sanity of us all. In the end, it really doesn’t matter. The fact exists that we have more to keep up with in less time. These are “rich country” problems, as pastor Andy Stanley recently noted (http://www.northpointministries.org/player/player.jsp?occurrenceID=3074) in a sermon at Northpoint Community Church.
So, in order to keep up with all there is to keep up with, I have explored several sites that help with organization, calendars, lists etc. I found 30boxes.com, http://30boxes.com to be very helpful. The calendar feature provided on of the most user friendly experiences I have had when it comes to calendars. The simplicity and convenience of this tool allows instant success when recording upcoming dates and events.
I will definitely share this tool with my students as yet one more opportunity for them to choose an organizational tool that meets their own needs.
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