A Learning Revolution
So, as always at the end of the school year, I begin to consider what I did this year that worked, and what I did that didn’t work. I think about what I will do next year that will be revolutionary…
Revolutionary. Read the rest of this entry
Back to this Literacy Thing…
As if I don’t have enough on my plate with grad school and don’t have sense enough NOT to overbook my summer, I’ve joined a writing project. For 4 weeks, starting next month, I’ll hang out 7 hours a day, 4 days a week with a bunch of nice people in an nicely air conditioned room, considering my ability to be a wordsmith and find new ways to turn my new crop of scientists in training into writers next fall. Something I’ve always wanted to do actually. Read the rest of this entry
Digital Wanderers
Thursday was “Take your Child to Work” day. At one point during the day, I sat in a meeting with our school counselor and her adorable son. He honored me by letting me sit next to him as he slipped on his “Beats” headphones and pulled out his Ipod. The other teacher sitting at the table with us is interested in flipping her reading class and we’ve discussed piloting some flipped lessons before the school year is over.
We couldn’t even focus on the meeting. We watched in amazement as he deftly swiped through his games and music and muttered quietly to himself as he worked. He is so totally a digital native. Oh, did I mention he’s five years old? Read the rest of this entry
PBL + Technology = Student Centered Engagement!
So, the “Major Project” is completed. Students are currently doing the very last activity-writing a reflection blog post about what they learned – and I’ve read some very interesting thoughts on the matter. I gave them a list of questions as a guide as they write and the very last question was, “how can Mrs. Stone make this project even better next year?”
The answers I’ve read so far were nothing I expected: Read the rest of this entry
My #ETMOOC Experience: a reflection on reflecting
When I found this particular MOOC and considered joining it (knowing I was starting grad school and was about to begin the BIG class project about midway through it) I looked at it as an opportunity to connect what I was learning in grad school (I’m working on a Masters in Educational Technology) to what I want to do in my classroom.
It started out grandly. I learned a lot about what being digital really means and how, teaching children the importance of using digital media in a productive manner can and will benefit them in the future. I THINK I made a few friends out there, once I figured out the twitter thing. Well, people are following me now (that’s scary). Read the rest of this entry
In the Home Stretch…Welcome Spring!
Today is the last day of my annual spring break. It started anxiously, as I was scheduled for jury duty at my local courthouse. That, happily, fell through, so I spent the week pretending I wasn’t a teacher. Not as easy as that sounds, trust me.
When Spring comes hovering over the horizon in this part of the world, I find myself listening to the robins that have been gone so long, and watching the gulls that I wish wouldn’t come so far south of the lake. I’m looking out for the first buds on the plants and trees and smiling at crocuses and tulips, full of color, painting the drab landscape. Read the rest of this entry
Digital Citizenship: Putting Yourself Out There… Respectfully
In addition to this lovely professional reflection blog, I have a personal blog and a classroom blog. I actually haven’t time for any of them, but because all the noise in my head needs to be sorted and put somewhere, one of the three places works for me.
I’ve discovered, depending on which blog I’m using, I tend to get different responses. People treat what I say with a particular level of respect and acknowledgement that usually results in everyone involved learning something from the interchanges. A few people actually even think i’m brilliant or something. This is a good thing , I think. Read the rest of this entry
Introversion and Technology: Update on My Quiet One
So, we’re at the point in our project where the design teams have made decisions about whose building the space rover, whose preparing the presentation and whose making sure everything gets done. I was sitting at my desk Thursday watching my classic introvert work feverishly at the computer on her Glogster. One of her team mates was standing over her left shoulder, commenting and pointing at the notebook on the stand. She was responding and making changes and all was going well. Read the rest of this entry
Digital Citizenship: Getting Our Feet Wet
So, yes, we’ve been blogging at Planet Science. Its been going well. I’ve kept it all relatively quiet as we’ve learned how to conduct ourselves online and how to present ourselves in a way that we won’t regret in the future.
As we continue working on our Space Exploration Vehicle Project, we’ve reached the point where we need to consider how to present our projects. I’ve introduced my classes to some really great resources, and we’re all now very excited about what we can create!
Check out my Presentation Resource Tutorial.
It is my hope that, by using digital resources and creating a digital footprint, my students will learn the importance of being reflective as they move around the internet. After all, everyone is watching you, right?
Update on presentations in about 2 weeks. Can’t wait to see what they come up with!
