Archive for the 'Blogs I Follow' Category

#CLMOOC

Published on June 17, 2013 in Blogs I Follow and Introduction. 0 Comments

“What’s that?” you say.

It stands for Connected Learning Massive Open Online Course.

I have signed up to participate in a MOOC with the National Writing Project. Last month I tried on the MOOC in Google+ called Mozilla Webmakers and found that one put me way out of my depth.

The current project seems much more suited to me, my place on the tech learning ladder, and it connects me with other teachers. It is intentionally simple in its pacing and learning curve so that beginners can learn comfortably.

Week 1 gave us the project of introducing ourselves. How handy was it for me to find Matt Gomez (a Texas kindergarten teacher) posting about using Vizify. I added it to my Scoop.it/Kindergarten curation and now I have the tool at my fingertips.

For my own introduction, I posted my newly created Vizify Twitter video and then continued on, filling the rest in for a more complete bio. I can go back and edit it any time as well.

After posting my own project, and having it checked out by others, I found the Vizify site was going wild, with others from #CLMOOC trying it out as well. I’m sure Vizify was thrilled by the bump up in traffic. Here’s my updated project. I think I will add more images to reflect a broader picture of me.

Vizify_001

The MOOC opened on Saturday and on Sunday evening the organizers, including my own mentor and fellow Norris teacher Kevin Hodgson, held a Google Hangout where I was an invited participant. The thoughtful conversations helped me make new connections and have a new and clearer understanding of where the project is going.

google_screenshot

I love to learn and this MOOC seems well suited to my needs and interests.

Why not check out the #CLMOOC project? The enrollment is still open and will run for at least 6 weeks.

Wondersay!

Published on June 12, 2013 in Blogs I Follow, Introduction and Science & Tech. 0 Comments

wondersay starI am testing out a new web tool, Wondersay, presented briefly today by my fellow teacher and blogging buddy Kevin, @dogtrax. He happens to be an amazing teacher and is part of the team presenting a new adventure in learning – Making Learning Connected MOOC, which is sponsored by the National Writing Project, #nwp. The massive open online course starts in just a few days so watch for the latest news and information on the project.  Here is a very cool FAQs page created by #dogtrax. I think when they role it all out, it will be an amazing MOOC.
My Wondersay creation is directed toward the arrival of new classroom families.  Yes, I know this year’s class hasn’t left yet but the new families visit early and that day is tomorrow!

made on Wondersay – Animate text with style

Bloglovin’

Published on June 11, 2013 in Blogs I Follow. 0 Comments

This is thrsse one you want.

I have looked far and wide to find a quick and easy tool for feeding my addiction to blog reading. With the July 1st departure of the popular Google Reader, I have been researching a suitable replacement.  Long ago, I decided that I have so many blogs worth reading that I needed an easy tool for aggregating their posting.

Enter – Google Reader.  Every morning I would breeze through a nice organized collection of new posts by some of my favorite bloggers. This was a living thing! I would add and remove content all the time and had great control over what I was reading.  Alas now, Exit – Google Reader.

One night, my Australian friends (as I like to call them) and I were participating in a Blackboard Collaborate Fine Focus session on alternatives to Google Reader. I thought I had found the tool for me but since adding it, I needed to repeatedly login and struggle through the layout.

Then a tweet caught my eye and I set off to check out a recommendation. That brings me to Bloglovin’.

bloglovin'

It’s clean and organized without a lot of work. Yep, this is the one for me. Check it out if you want an easy alternative to Google Reader and even more especially if you get your blog feed via email – ugh!

Inspiration For Goals

Published on January 22, 2013 in #30in30, Blogs I Follow and Literacy. 1 Comment

I’ve been thinking about, writing about, working on plans for goal setting with the children in kindergarten this week.   The goals we wrote in college evolved something like this:

  • to teach something (what)
  • by way of some action (how)
  • so that (why)

Backward planning is the way of things today.  Now we look at goals  from the center of this diagram moving outward.  The image comes from @SimonSinek and his blog Start With Why.  He fueled me with inspiration for the coming work. 

You can be inspired as well by checking out his TED Talk.  I love a quote from the talk linked above.  “Martin Luther King gave the I have a dream speech, not the I have a plan speech.” 

Let’s look at how we can drill down a goal, working backwards while focusing on the child’s dream.  In order to be driven by inspiration, the talk about goals has to pique their passions, their own individual passions. Please keep in mind that I am still finessing what this work will look like.

  • I want to be a successful learner so that I can make a difference.
  • I want to learn strategies to read well – so that I can make a difference.
  • I want to learn to read – so that I can make a difference.
  • I want to know all my letters and sounds – so that I can make a difference.
  • I want to hear the sounds in words – so that I can make a difference.

 Parents and teachers – raise your hands if you want to support the children as they work toward their own goals.   Thought so. 

Another #30in30 post.

 

 

Kids and Goals

Published on January 20, 2013 in #30in30 and Blogs I Follow. 1 Comment

I recently read an interesting post at Edutopia by Maurice Elias, Helping Students Set Goals and Find Success.  In it he asks

“Is It Worth It?

Why is this worth the trouble?  You are banking on the well-documented contagious effect of success.  Akin to Malcolm Gladwell’s concept of the “tipping point,” at some point, specific goal achievement allows students to try tackling other goals, using the same approach, and the supports available from peers and adults in the school.”

I recently wrote about how we are using goals as teachers and I mentioned that I would like to work on kid goals before the year is over.   This post has moved the idea forward in my mind.  I think it will be a valuable use of our small group Work Board time to talk about setting short term personal goals – goals that I feel confident students can achieve with support.

I have made plans to do some goal work with students this week.  Check back here at the end of the week to see how the process works out.

 

Another #30in30 post.