May 2007 Blog Posts (125)

They got jazz

Ha! Wow! I got to watch a master in action. Our music teacher got these kids to learn how to EXPRESS! I had them in a good position for her "launching." They knew all the words to the songs, they knew the songs' contexts in the play...

What they didn't know was HOW TO MOVE.

Have you ever watched a gifted music teacher in action?

Oh, what a pleasure.

Talk about taking the ball and running with it! Passing, running, passing, setting up formations,… Continue

Added by Connie Weber on May 23, 2007 at 4:09pm — No Comments

Handhelds and administrators

The University of Southern Mississippi

has been a pioneer in the field of using handhelds for administrative

leadership. Each year they host a School Leadership Institute for

building-level administrators. One part of that institute focuses on

using… Continue

Added by Karen Fasimpaur on May 23, 2007 at 3:34pm — No Comments

Can we move a rubber tree plant?

I have been doing quite a lot of reading and commenting over the long weekend. This has given me a chance to read and contemplate what others are saying which is always good. Also, I’ve been thinking about

what the new school year will bring. With only 5 weeks left, the new

school year is approaching quickly while this school year is racing

towards its end.

I came across an interesting piece over at Harold Jarche’s site.…

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Added by Kelly Christopherson on May 22, 2007 at 10:42pm — No Comments

As the school turns....

As the class of 2007 exits and 2011 enters, we as high school teachers have much to reflect on. Though I am only in my second year of teaching, I often wonder if I have prepared my students well enough for life outside of the classroom. Teaching in a high school is much like being in high school, minus the carefree lifestly and lack of financial obligation. As each year passes and each class exits, another chapter ends. Good Luck to the class of 2007.

Added by Michael Seiler on May 22, 2007 at 7:39pm — 1 Comment

What is the definition of an educated person?

I was talking to my friend Steve Wyckoff this morning and he asked me this question. I want to hear how other would answer this and see what that conversation looks like. Any takers?

Added by Kevin on May 22, 2007 at 8:07am — No Comments

Machines are the easy part; people are the hard part

I just got Doug Johnson's book: Machines Are The Easy Part; People Are The Hard Part and...

It is chicken soup for the tech/librarian/educator/presenters soul. I am going to suggest that it be a study group book for the tech team at ESSDACK. There is logic and humor in it and the book is not only a refreshing diversion but it leaves phrases and mantras echoing in your head that you… Continue

Added by Kevin on May 21, 2007 at 11:40am — No Comments

Early Education

I was a teacher for 20 years and now work for a service center conducting educational workshops for teachers. My workshops this year will focus on Early childhood education.

Added by Gayle Delzer on May 21, 2007 at 8:52am — No Comments

My Real Blog...

I can't say that I like to double blog so I'll just point you to my "real" blog. Check it out at: http://edTechTrainer.blogspot.com/ Thanks, and enjoy!

Added by Jason on May 21, 2007 at 6:27am — No Comments

A Healthy Body = A Healthy Mind

Cross posted on educatorslog.in

With problems like obesity, diabetes, and other chronic ailments affecting children, it is high time we started giving diet, and eating habits that extra attention. I mean even in schools a proper effort should be made to drive children into knowing more about health foods, and a diet which is nutritionally complete. Gone are the days when ma’s and grandma’s added that extra sugar, into the child’s daily ‘dose’ of milk, or gave salt to have with… Continue

Added by Varnika Kapoor on May 21, 2007 at 3:00am — 1 Comment

End of the Year Technology Projects

I am slow getting up and going, I am currently taking a break from I-Movie. I am making a collage of pictures and video for my class and our first grade buddies to remember their year. Has anyone had their students do this? How did you do it? Did you do any other projects? I am looking for some new ideas next year.

Added by Tracy Piepho on May 20, 2007 at 9:20pm — 2 Comments

School's Out For the Summer!

OK......Tuesday officially ends my school year at the grade school. Classes at the college have been out for more than two weeks now, so I get my first "official" day off on Thursday. And now, those months that teachers took the job for - June, July, and August, right??? If they only knew! I've been shopping for my Christmas Program and am trying to get a grasp of what I'm going to be doing for the tech side of my job. ISTE looks to be one of my very best friends! I have already been…

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Added by Marsha on May 20, 2007 at 9:16pm — No Comments

My interview with Steve Hargadon

Last Friday I had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Hargadon and the conversation became a three part podcast that is packed (thanks to Steve) with useful information for educators and network administrators, as well as administrators in general. The podcast is available on this page and should be up on iTunes soon. Steve is very generous with not only his time but his ideas and I recommend listening in. I welcome other people (of any experience level) to drop me an email or message right… Continue

Added by Kevin on May 20, 2007 at 11:42am — No Comments

VLE implementation in schools

Calling all HoDs/SLs for ICT, Network Managers and LA advisors for ICT/VLEs

I have recently been granted a Naace research bursary to investigate the implementation of VLEs in schools (in the UK). To that end I am now consolidating my proposal and planning out the details of a research tool. Before I circulate the finished version of my questionnaire/survey I would like to trawl further opinions on the progress of VLEs, bearing in mind the expectation that every school…

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Added by Ray Tolley on May 20, 2007 at 6:07am — 1 Comment

Roadside treasures

I was driving down highway 14 from Zenda Kansas, (I think) and when I came to a "T"in the road and had to turn right toward Hutchinson. I had spent the morning setting up teleconferencing equipment at a school there. Across the street from my intersection was an absolute treasure. It was am old gas station/grocery store, right out of an "Edward Hopper" painting. I was in a hurry but I crossed the intersection and pulled into what used to be the place to fill your tank. I got out of my truck and… Continue

Added by Kevin on May 19, 2007 at 1:00pm — No Comments

our music teacher

Desperate to get my class to get into their respective characters while practicing their parts for our musical, I hunkered down next to our music teacher, crumpled down onto the chair, spent. We at last had a few moments alone. "I can't go on. I can't get anything more. I don't know what to do."

She stares at me, warmly, a twinkle in her eye revealing that she sees that once again, I've gotten myself into trouble by stretching my limits far beyond what others would think is… Continue

Added by Connie Weber on May 19, 2007 at 10:14am — 2 Comments

Getting Started in Classroom 2.0

Ready to start regular blogging. Have been dabbling
here and there. How many blogs shall I mainatin? It's time to make one
of my blogs my edublog. Which shall it be? Then feed it to other
like-minded communities I follow....hmmm. Too many services to choose
from.

Added by Madeline (Slovenz) Brownstone on May 19, 2007 at 7:45am — No Comments

Early morning thoughts

Hi All,

4:00 AM seems to be my natural creative time. This morning, as I woke from a sound sleep, realizing it was Saturday and there was no reason for me to be up, I began thinking about my purchase order for next year.

Along with the usual markers, post-it pads, and fun-tak for the walls, I began thinking about subscriptions - online subscriptions. Were there sites I wanted to use but needed to pay for? Groups I wanted to join that weren't free?

And then I realized,…

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Added by Lisa Parisi on May 19, 2007 at 6:11am — 2 Comments

End of the year

Like many of you, I am busy getting everything together for the end of the year and the inevitable drudgery of testing. In NC, we now have a Science end-of-grade test for 5th and 8th grades. I have inevitably changed some of the approaches I have used in an effort to cover the broad, shallow curriculum that we have and to try and prepare my students for the test. It is a little soul crushing, this testing protocol that seems so de rigeur these days...

Usually at this time of year I… Continue

Added by Shawn Moore on May 18, 2007 at 8:09pm — 2 Comments

Presentations of Learning

I’m sitting at Pleasantview Academy, a project-based learning charter school, watching a presentation of learning by students here. The kids are showing multimedia projects, websites and . The kids have archived their learning in these presentations and are sharing them with parents and teachers and it is fun to watch them nervously showing them to the audience. There was the history of the Hutchinson salt mines, The history of the railroad, math and statistics form the recent trip this class… Continue

Added by Kevin on May 18, 2007 at 6:25pm — 1 Comment

Cool Tools - Open Source and Freeware

By Alix E. Peshette

I love Open Source and Freeware! As a past junior high computer science teacher, I was always looking at software prices and multiplying them x 34 workstations. Even the least expensive software took a pretty large bite out of the department budget. I spent a lot of time researching, installing, testing and using…

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Added by Alix E. Peshette on May 18, 2007 at 3:23pm — 5 Comments