Good Morning!

After a very stressful beginning of the school year (starting my national boards, family medical issues, school drama--which I HATE, and having my first student teacher) I am finally getting into my groove again!

With that said... I am posting several student teacher binder inserts I will be using this year. I have made a student teaching handbook that explains school and classroom procedures, expectations of her (or him) and of me, teaching tidbits about management, engagement, differentiation, and such, and encouraging clips, articles, and pictures.

I'm so glad to be back!

Kleinspiration: ClassDojo: Your Simple Class Solution for Active Engagement K - 12!

Kleinspiration: ClassDojo: Your Simple Class Solution for Active Engagement K - 12!

My Own Nephew

My 19-month-old nephew Josiah is DEFINITELY a digital native.  He knows that he can call me from his mommy's phone just by finding my picture, that the phone also stores all things Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and that it is fun to play on the 'puter (as he says).  My sister took this photo and texted it to me just before Facebooking it to her wall.  Amazing.... and all the while my mission is to inform teachers about using technology in the classroom.  This picture is certainly worth a thousand words.  How can we as educators engage students that come home to all this technology?  What are you doing in your room to challenge the natives?

Bloom’s Digital

View more presentations from Mike Cawley

Another Interesting Quote

Reading, math and science are the foundations of student achievement. But to compete and win in the global economy, today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders need another set of knowledge and skills. These 21st century skills include the development of global awareness and the ability to collaborate and communicate and analyze and address problems. And they need to rely on critical thinking and problem solving to create innovative solutions to the issues facing our world. Every child should have the opportunity to acquire and master these skills and our schools play a vital role in making this happen.”

MICHAEL DELL, CEO, Dell, Inc.

Quote from the NCSS Position Statement on 21st Century Skills

“In the twenty-first century, participatory media education and civic education are inextricable” (Rheingold, 2008, p. 103)

Glogster

Glogster is the techno-version of creating a poster to present in the classroom, but with HUGE benefits!!!! First of all.... no slipping on the crayons or markers that have rolled off the desks and no glue residue on the floor.  Second, parents aren't griping about spending even more money on school supplies, and you don't have to shell out your hard-earned money.

Students research a topic or online, or read a book. or complete an assignment and then use Glogster to create a digital poster.  With the available in-program options and the ability to "grab" anything the students find on the web, Glogster is the perfect Web 2.0 solution to the traditional show-and-tell poster.  The attached example is a "found" glog about 21st century education.  I have developed a glog to use the first day of school and at the back-to-school night we offer for parents.  As one of our first Get-to-Know-You assignments, students will create glogs as a group establishing their team name and mascot that will be displayed around the room for classroom management purposes.  What uses can you think of for a glog?

What is literacy in the 21st century?

Readin', wRitin', and Rithmatic... these are the literacies of the 19th and 20th centuries.  A time reflected by the factory model economy that drove our America to a great world power.  But what about now?  What about today?  Are the students in 2011 destined for the same future as the students from 1911? or 1991 for that matter?  

Literacy in the 21st century is characterized by

• critical thinking and problem solving skills,
• technological fluency, and
• effective oral and written communication.

How are we as teachers supposed to reach these students and teach them the way they learn?  Watch the video that follows and comment with questions you have to get our discussions going!