Christopher Potter

50, Male

United States

Profile Information:

School / Work Affiliation
Ruben A. Cirillo High School - Gananda CSD
Blog
http://mrpotter.edublogs.org
Twitter / Plurk / Other Account
mrpotter
About Me
I am a Social Studies teacher for Ruben A. Cirillo High School in Gananda, NY.
I teach 11th grade US Regents and 9th grade Global (dawn of time - 1750) right now. I have taught the entire Social Studies curriculum at least once in my career.
I am very interested in bringing new technologies to the classroom and this is one way I am trying to do that.

Comment Wall:

  • Christopher Potter

    It is good and it is bad.
    It is a mile wide and an inch deep. You can't deviate too far from what the state says or you will be playing catch-up for the rest of the year. So you get trapped in there very easily and can't expand on something if you are interested in it.
    But as you say, it is a great overview and does a great job of filling in the major blanks of history.

    The kids hate it by the way. Too complicated and too many tests at the end of the year. "But kids in other states don't have to take Regents." - The grass is greener effect.

    Apr 12, 2007

  • John Franke

    I really like your blog. I only had a few minutes to look around, do your students take part in your blog?
    If they do, how do you talk to them about internet safety and responsibility.
    Thank you very much for the invite. Have a great day.

    Apr 12, 2007

  • Christopher Potter

    Thanks alot. I added your blog to my blogroll.

    I have just started it, so my students haven't really used it yet. That's one of things I'd like to spend more time on. How can you use your blog to engage your students.

    Apr 13, 2007

  • Alan Dawson

    Hi Chris

    Nice to meet you

    Apr 13, 2007

  • Cory Peppler

    Great blog, Christopher!

    I wrote a little about Wikipedia in mine, too. I am also trying to figure out this whole trackback thing, so I'm going to try to trackback from my entry to yours. If it doesn't work, and just sends gibberish to the comments on your entry, feel at liberty to delete away!

    How else are we going to learn other than trying, huh?

    Apr 13, 2007

  • Cory Peppler

    Wow. I think it actually worked.

    Miracles never cease.

    Apr 13, 2007

  • Alan Dawson

    Hey Chris

    This is going to be a bit crazy because of the asynchronous chatting over the pond and over the different time zones as you aare possibly tucked up in bed at 3 or 4 in the morning. No matter. How old are your students? I used to teach children from 7 to 11 years old. Ive worked as a consultant to teachers of this age group for 2 years now. Im actively trying to get them to branch out and use blogging and wikis in this last year with limited success (2 out of a 100) but hopefully I will get the ball rolling in the next year. We Brits in education are still several years behind in the web world, although there are some areas where theyy are light years ahead.

    Alan

    Apr 14, 2007

  • Christopher Potter

    Cory: I got your blog post in my comments section. (You got peanut butter in my chocolate...remember those commercials? Sorry lost my focus. :) I don't know if that was what you were trying to do or not. But it worked.

    Apr 14, 2007

  • Christopher Potter

    Alan, my students go from 13-18.
    I am still a novice when it comes to using blogs and wikis as teaching tools. My district isn't happy with using wikipedia as a teaching tool.
    To make you feel a little better about your technology situation: We have 15 computers in our high school library. It is a small school, so that is an appropriate number. But, of the 15, 8 are dead, 7 still work, but are nearing the end of their usefulness.

    Apr 14, 2007

  • Alan Dawson

    Hey Chris

    This is going to be a bit crazy because of the asynchronous chatting over the pond and over the different time zones as you aare possibly tucked up in bed at 3 or 4 in the morning. No matter. How old are your students? I used to teach children from 7 to 11 years old. Ive worked as a consultant to teachers of this age group for 2 years now. Im actively trying to get them to branch out and use blogging and wikis in this last year with limited success (2 out of a 100) but hopefully I will get the ball rolling in the next year. We Brits in education are still several years behind in the web world, although there are some areas where theyy are light years ahead.

    Alan

    Apr 14, 2007

  • nigel stonham

    hi all
    i am into social networking, and want to extend it to kids, starting across kids in twin towns of vienna and mödling here in austria. you sound to be ahead of me, and i welcome your ideas...

    Apr 15, 2007

  • nigel stonham

    by the way, my motivations - an 8 year old billingual son in school here, and i am teaching english part time now as well.... https://www.xing.com/profile/Nigel_Stonham xing and ning, aha!

    Apr 15, 2007

  • Clifton Dancy

    Thanks for the invitation. I'm a newbie to the world of computer networking. Greetings from KCMO.

    Apr 16, 2007

  • Christopher Potter

    I appreciate you saying it, but I don't think I am ahead of anybody else here.
    For example, I barely remembered to use my new-found "Google Earth" powers to demonstrate the major landforms of Africa today during my Global 9 class. Using misdirection, the tool of every good teacher & magician in time of need, I had them work on something while I marked off Olduvai Gorge, the great rift valley, the size of the Sahara, etc. in GE and then brought it up on the project and wah-la, worked like a charm and they really learned alot from it..

    Apr 16, 2007

  • Nalini Lasiewicz

    Hi Christopher:
    Thanks for the invite. I look forward to all the creativity being expressed here. NL

    Apr 17, 2007

  • Reuven Werber

    Hi Chris,
    Thanks for the invite!

    Reuven

    Apr 17, 2007

  • Jeff Smith

    Thanks Chris for the invite. I work for the Los Angeles School District as a Ed Tech Instructional Applications Facilitator(ITAF). I was a secondary math teacher and math coach.Now I'm working with K-12 teachers in integrating technology into their curriculum.We are currently developing instructional strategies with collaboration tools in the classroom such as video conferencing.

    Apr 25, 2007

  • Ginger Lewman

    I'm interested in hearing more about your Global class. What's it? I'm guessing more than simply geography? What is the story?

    Apr 25, 2007

  • Michele

    Thanks for the invitation Christopher! I look forward to picking your brain for tech advice.

    Apr 25, 2007

  • Karen Phillips

    Hi Chris - thanks for the invite! Looking to network with people who share my passion for teaching with technology!

    Apr 26, 2007

  • Christopher Potter

    Welcome all! I am also very interested in connecting with all of you!

    Apr 26, 2007

  • pete whitfield

    Hi Chris
    This is a great place to be! Looking forward to sharing ideas.

    Apr 30, 2007

  • Jeanette Tranberg

    Hello from Norway Chistpher. I look forward to connecting and exploring in Classroom 2.0 :O)

    May 8, 2007

  • Dee Martin

    Thanks Chris for the invitation and hello to everyone. I'm looking forward to learning and hopefully contributing here!

    Dee

    May 9, 2007

  • Christine Southard

    Hi Chris from NY. I'm Chris from NY. :)

    May 13, 2007

  • Yvonne Mattix

    Hi from KS.....thanks for the invite. I'll be looking forward to hearing ideas on how you incorporate tech, WEB 2.0 with your classes.

    May 16, 2007

  • Mary Woodard

    Hello fro Texas! Thanks for the add - I look forward to learning from everyone here in this community!

    May 17, 2007

  • wallowamichael

    Christopher, greetings from the other coast.
    I'm actually not directly on the coast (I don't think Penfield is, either) but at least we can each get to the ocean without going to another state!
    I'd love to hear your ideas for integrating technology in the classroom. I have the most trouble convincing my Social Studies and English teachers that they need to add more technology into the delivery or curriculum in their classes.
    Have a great day!

    May 17, 2007

  • Saundra Hopkins

    Hi Chris!
    I'm in Seoul Korea. I'm looking forward to exchanging ideas with folks from all over.

    cheers!

    May 17, 2007

  • Jerry Talandis Jr.

    Hi Christopher,

    Thanks for adding me as a friend. I'm an English teacher living and working in Japan. I look forward to our future communication and collaboration.

    Jerry

    May 20, 2007

  • Adam Blackwood

    Good morning (as it is) Christopher. I work for a government funded agency called the JISC, established to support and promote e-learning for all post-16 organisations in the UK. Waking up to another.. rainy day here in sunny England!! :) It will be good to hear from other people.

    May 31, 2007

  • Ray Tolley

    Hi, Chris,
    I, too, am trying to push the boundaries in education. Having taught for 45 years I'm still eager to learn new things and share ideas.
    My present research is into VLEs, PLEs, and blogs etc.
    I really want to see things take off in the UK!
    Best Wishes,
    Ray T

    May 31, 2007

  • Phil Pound

    Hi Christopher, thanks for the invite, I look forward to getting to spend more time within the cr2.0 world in the next week and seeing what folk are working with.

    Jun 4, 2007

  • Jennifer Verschoor

    Hi Cristopher from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
    I´m an ESL teacher incorporating new technologies in my English classes.

    Jun 17, 2007

  • berniec

    Thanks for your invitation. I teach English for Specific Purposes in southern France. I love experimenting with Web 2.0 sites as teaching auxiliaries.

    Jun 17, 2007

  • SHANG Xian-fu

    Thanks for your invitation. I am working in CAS (SCIENCE ACADAMY OF CHINA) .My wife is a K-7 computer teacher , I usually surf on the web with not busy to help her a lot , collecting teaching materials , talking about new method .

    Sep 3, 2007

  • Clif Mims

    I'm curious to know if you and your students are enjoying your history class Ning.

    Mar 7, 2008