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On our whirlwind tour of the 50 Nifty, my students are using the encyclopedia to do some quick research on states as we travel region by region.
Encyclopedia the BOOK, not Encyclopedia dot com.
It was quite funny the day I launched them. They had chosen their state and they ran to the cart and grabbed a volume.
"How do you turn this on?" "Hey, this book only has words that start with G!"
I had to hold my tongue carefully in reply to the first (I wanted to use the punchline from It's a Book), and I was incredulous when I heard the second. Their lack of knowledge about the way the encyclopedia works started with the fact that each volume contains a letter or few letters-worth of information!
Needless to say, we had an unplanned minilesson right there and then on the layout of the set, and then another on the structure of the articles on the states.
As we travel region by region and students repeat the research (landforms, economy, native people, settlers), every single day I have conversations with students reminding them to read the graphics, read the captions of pictures, use the bold headings as clues about what information is being presented, skim and scan for key words.
This is good stuff.
The thing I like the very most about the encyclopedia is that you can't just ask it the question and wait for it to give you what it thinks you'll want for an answer.
The thing I like second most about the encyclopedia relates to the first: you have to turn actual pages. The text sits still.
Also, when you use the encyclopedia, you don't have to wait for it to turn on, you don't have to log in, and slow Internet never concerns you.
And whether they believe it or not, everything they are learning about reading a book-encyclopedia article will make them a better reader of online articles.
Three cheers for the unsung hero -- the ENCYCLOPEDIA!
0 Comments on Using the Encyclopedia as of 5/14/2014 7:54:00 AM
If you have not made time to read Patrick Carman's multimedia books, I would highly suggest doing so. Patrick Carman is committed to creating multimedia books that hook readers and keep them reading. He has really done some amazing work and he has created some great stories that use so many types of media. The first book I read was SKELETON CREEK. I reviewed it on the blog right away and was excited to see how seamlessly Carman had integrated the various forms of media. This series has been hugely popular in the library since its publication. The newer series that Carman created is the TRACKERS series. This one was more of a spy novel and I reviewed the first book in the series on the blog last year.
Patrick Carman's new project is very exciting. He has created a series of short stories called 3:15. These stories require that you LISTEN, READ AND WATCH. This 3:15 series is published as an APP. The first episode, "Buried Treasure" has been released. There is a new episode due to be released every 2 weeks through summer. Then Season 2 Begins with more episodes. If you enjoyed Jon Scieszka's EXQUISITE CORPSE ADVENTURE creation, where you wait for a new online episode to be released, this follows a similar idea. One big difference in this and The Exquisite Corpse is that each episode in 3:15 is a stand alone story. The first episode is free and the second episode of 3:15 is due out tomorrow--March 29. It is called, "Reflecting Pool". It sounds like all of the stories will be published in a book this coming fall from Scholastic. Lots of ways for kids to discover these stories. I love that about Carman-he seems to be committed to giving kids many ways into reading.
A 20+ page text tells most of the story and leads the reader to the video ending.
I spent some time with the first episode, "Buried
2 Comments on 3:15 APP LISTEN-READ-WATCH, last added: 3/28/2011
Must Get i-Phone! That app sounds so cool. I'll bet my granddaughter would love it, too. I'm giving away a copy of Kristin Hannah's "Night Road" this week if you're interested ...
It may still be Day 1 here in the Western Hemisphere, but it's already Day 2 in Australia, where Susan Stephenson (the Book Chook) lives, so ...
Welcome to Day 2 of Share a Story ~ Shape a Future. If you're just joining us, then double welcome! We're glad you've found us and can't wait to hear your stories and ideas. (image credit: It Takes a Village logo created by Susan Stephenson at ToonDoo.com)
When we started brainstorming about the idea of a literacy blog tour way back in the Aughts (08 to be exact), we knew early on that we wanted to create a venue that showed how reading is relevant to a child's development, but also to offer literacy ideas in ways that were accessible to everyone.
Well, today's host, Susan Stephenson of The Book Chook, has taken that idea to a whole new level (and another continent)! She and her guests are talking about everything from "low-tech" storytelling and singing to letting kids create stop-motion videos. So let's get started ...
We hear stories before we read them, so it only seems natural that Susan opens the day with a pair of interviews with storytellers. Join her for her chats with Francie Dillon and Helen Evans at the Book Chook. Then *hear* some more stories ...
At Saints and Spinners, Farida Dowler shares ideas for Stories in the Bathtub.
At Dulemba.com, illustrator Elizabeth Dulemba talks about the future of reading in an article called Beyond the Printed Page.
Sometimes we have to be a little creative when it comes to getting kids interested in activities related to reading. If you're looking for ways to sneak in some literacy ...
Join Joyce Grant at Getting Kids Reading to get ideas on ways to Get Active Kids Reading.
Pull out all stops. Amy Mascott shares some of her tips for getting a little sneaky at Teach Mama.
Think pictures. Rebecca Taylor talks about Combining Art with Liter
1 Comments on Share a Story 2010 Day 2: Literacy My Way, Literacy Your Way, last added: 3/9/2010
Wow!!! I finally finished going through all of these great links and that is all I can say!! There is so much good stuff here that I have no idea where to even start!! Thank you!!
Once again, here is a post with my thoughts . . . http://www.tiftalksbooks.com/2010/03/share-story-shape-future-day-2-literacy.html
I can't believe September is already over! 237 days have been marked off the 2009 calendar...
There are lots of signs of the end of summer in this mosaic. There are the literal signs announcing the last Catholic church festival of the summer and fresh produce for sale, and there are the more subtle signs -- the sunflowers and the mums, the art at the Upper Arlington Art Festival and the end-of-summer feast.
We spent time with dogs this month. The puppies from the puppy video were at the same event as the poof-head Briards and the scruffy farm dog, Buster (Bess' brother).
As Saturn owners, we enjoyed our first Saturn Day at the Columbus Zoo. The baby elephant, Beco, is six months old, but still cute as a bug's ear. (Check out this video of Beco at the Columbus Dispatch.) My other favorite site was the orangutan chewing and playing with a piece of bubble gum!
The month's pictures end with a couple from the Casting For Recovery retreat. You can see all the retreat photos here. Thanks again to the Central Ohio Bloggers for their generous contributions to CFR last summer during the 48-Hour Read.
Project 365 on Flickr is one way I'm thinking about my own 21st Century Literacies this year.
Franki's post, "How Did They Make That," has gotten several interesting comments. In the post, she tells about her students deconstructing the Scholastic Book Fair video, not in terms of content, as she expected, but in terms of how it might possibly have been made.
One responder declared the video a marketing failure because the students looked beyond the content. Others agreed with Franki's positive take on her students' point of view.
But the comment I want to respond to today, in light of the hour I just spent working in iMovie and GarageBand making a video I could upload to YouTube so that I can share some huggable puppies with my friends, is from takini8:
"I think this generation are creators and producers. They are moving beyond the viewing that I did as a child. I watched videos and enjoyed them, they view critically and with an eye to creating. I think that's because they can create and publish so easily. I think its a really exciting perspective and look forward to what they do in the future. My problem is what to call writing today. I originally started calling writing workshop, author workshop, because I was focusing on authoring but now... what do you call it when they are blogging, creating photo essays and music videos? It's so much more than authoring."
What do I call Writing Workshop now? I call it Composing Workshop.
It's that time in the day when we use a creative design process to make things we want to share with an audience for some purpose.
We get an idea, try it out, tweak it until we get it just right, look at it through as many lenses as we can, then share it out with an audience.
It might be paper and pencil, word processing, a music composition, a comic, a movie with narration or a sound track, a photo essay, or (insert project here).
Yes, there are times when my students attend to the genres of paper-pencil composing required by our district and the State Standards. But once my students have a firm traditional grasp on the standards as defined by the state, they are encouraged to work with the standards/genres in the media of their choice.
Another message I hope to be communicating with my "composing workshop" is that the processes and skills that my students are learning are not to be used solely within the walls of school. My students, too, can have a personal composing workshop on a rainy Sunday morning sitting at their very own kitchen table during which they put aside all their other work/chores to make a video and compose the music for its soundtrack.
And now, because I know you're dying to see it, here is the puppy video I made this morning:
7 Comments on Composing Workshop, last added: 10/22/2009
I've begun calling mine the Creation Station. While we will continue to write, we're using our writing to create pieces for different audiences. When we began the wiki this year, I asked my students if they thought this was writing and they said no, just reading and talking. Once they realized that they compose a thought, write it, edit/revise to their liking, and then publish on the web, it was an "AHA" moment. So many possibilities!
I enjoyed this post. I enjoyed what Franki wrote about her students the other day. I found the conversation that started an interesting on. I believe it was a teachable moment. I love opportunities like that. I also find what you have done with writer's workshop interesting. I agree that it is important to cover district standards. I think giving children as much choice as possible is important, as well. This is just another way to give our students choice. What a great way to have an opportunity to incorporate tech into the classroom, as well.
I like the idea of calling it composing workshop. I think calling it as such would give students their own permission to think beyond paper pencil. Recently, during writing workshop my students were exploring with flip video. The idea's they were coming up with about how they might use it were amazing. My only response to them was "Go for it...anything is possible during writing workshop."
I'm fascinated by the idea of a composing workshop. I watch my boys spend hours on end drafting and revising and editing songs on Garage Band. Their process reminds me of what I do when I write. At the same time, they rarely, if ever, apply these skills to their writing. Hmmm. I love the puppies too. I want to learn to do some of the fancy stuff you do!
I love the value you have placed on the creating, thinking and communicating in your workshop! Perhaps we are growing a new generation that will proclaim, "I love to write!"
This month began with outdoor theater and the end of the school year.
There was an MG event and a fish-a-thon, and fun with "The Moniques."
Food seems to have featured strongly this month: fish and chips, omelet, chips and salsa, pastries, mutant strawberries, and Thai beef salad.
The yucca bloomed (those are little white moths to the right of the stamens!), and the prickly pear bloomed, and the lilies bloomed (and smelled positively heavenly). None of which were in my garden!
Willie Morris makes two appearances, as do mom's cats.
We were visited by two therapy dogs while mom was in the hospital -- this happy golden and a wheezy American Bulldog.
For me, meadowlarks are an iconic bird of the eastern high plains. It was a particular tragedy to find one dead in the gutter on Main Street. It likely fell off the grill of the vehicle it was not quick enough to fly away from.
Well, the last 2 days were a great reminder of why I do what I do. I think those of us who do any kind of writing or presenting do it because it energizes us. And the last two days in Saline, Michigan were definitely a reminder of that. I was lucky to be presenting with an amazing group of women including Debbie Miller, Ann Marie Corgill, Kathy Collins, Cathy Mere and Mary Lee Hahn. We also met some great teachers from Saline and other area schools as well as those attending all the way from Colorado. It is amazing that when people get together who believe the same things about children and literacy, the energy is contagious. So much learning occurred at the conference and in conversations with each other.
I had my antennae up for great new iPhone apps that I might want to try. And because I wanted to learn how to use my new Flip Video camera and the new version of iMovie, my friends were great sports by demonstrating favorite apps while I videotaped them. (We are thinking that Apple may want to hire us to do their commercials from now on. See what you think...)
Debbie Miller shared her new favorite iPhone app, a musical instrument on the iPhone--Ocarina. In the spirit of 21st Century Learning, the sharing definitely became social as others wanted to try. Quite a fun app and, as you can see, we had fun learning about it. Ann Marie Corgill learns the app from Debbie. I imagine we have all downloaded it after getting home since Debbie sold it so well. You may want to try it too.
I also learned my new favorite app--Notebook. I was sitting in the audience, listening to Cathy Mere's inspiring keynote, watching Ann Marie write furiously in her notebook. I wanted to write down so much of what I was thinking because of Cathy's talk but my notes app was not really what I wanted. So in the first few minutes of the keynote, I figured there must be a better app. I searched the Apps store, found a great new app called Notebook, purchased it, learned to use it, took notes on Cathy's talk, showed it to Ann Marie who also purchased and used it. Don't you love that? Finding what you need and being able to use it immediately. I must say that that this is a great new app. So useful. It allows me to create new notebooks for different things--conference notes, my writing, books I want to read, etc. Within each of the notebooks, I can create notes and reorganize as needed. I can also search my notebooks. It is such a great tool for keeping notes and things in a more organized way than other notes programs I've seen. I can see lots of implications of this for kids but right now am excited about using the app myself.
Other exciting things include Jenny's new blog. Jenny made us feel so welcome. We know you'll love her new blog, Literacy Conversations.
Also, rumor has it that Cathy Mere may have a new avatar on Twitter soon!
3 Comments on Saline, Michigan and some new iPhone Apps!, last added: 6/14/2009
Woohoo! I love the video...and the comment about the gradual release of responsibility. I just got my new iTouch this weekend after seeing all of you play this weekend. I am looking forward to trying some new apps. My 6 year old just played a free memory game...lots of fun!
Thank you also for linking my blog. I hope that I can live up to standard set by the other blogs you have mentioned. I am learning and growing! Thank you for inspiring me to start.
So, I have been thinking a lot about Smartboards/Interactive Whiteboards. They seem to be all the talk these days and I am loving learning about all of the new tools available. We have a Promethean Board at our school and I used it in the library for a week a while ago. It was very fun and I loved lots about it. The kids were totally engaged, of course! I could see so many possibilities after playing with it for a bit. I would love to have one for my classroom and for my family room--it is quite impressive. A little addicting, actually. I can see why it is all the talk these days.
The thing is, I have spent lots of time online searching for great uses of the Interactive Whiteboard. I think there are pretty amazing things that can be done with it to support literacy, especially in Reading/Writing Workshops. I can also see huge possibilities for early literacy in general. There must be people out there doing lots with interactive writing, shared reading, revision, etc. But most of the samples and things that I am finding are pretty traditional things--a more interactive whole-class chalkboard, I guess.
So many literacy teachers have been looking for the same types of things--clips of Interactive Whiteboards being used in ways to support the way we know kids use reading and writing.
I visited a friend's classroom who did some great things with book previewing (She should start her own blog so she can write about what she is doing with the board--hint, hint..). Several teachers in our school are using it in very smart ways. But the examples I find that really match what I understand about literacy development are not that easy to find.
When we visited our daughter's orthodontist a few weeks ago, I noticed that he has a very cool (small) Smartboard in his office. He used it to show us our daughter's x-ray, to jot things down and play with the x-ray a bit. It was very fun to see it being used. But I left there thinking hard about the size of the boards that I am seeing in schools.
I loved the size of the Smartboard in the office--it was about the size of a 40 inch TV. I started thinking about all that I could do with a board THAT size in class. I could use it as I do the easel--for minilessons, in small group work, kids could use it in booktalks, etc. After seeing that small board in the orthodontist's office, I started to think of so many possibilities. I know that they are also possible with the larger board but a different size invites different work, I think. The possibilities I imagined with the large interactive board focused more on whole group things and limited a bit of the way I thought about its uses.
So, here is what I am wondering--
Why aren't more of the Reading/Writing Workshop people out there writing about ways they use the boards to support literacy development? How can we somehow collect great clips and posts of great uses of this tool in Reading/Writing Workshops? I imagine it is out there but, why can't I find these samples easily? Am I looking in the wrong places?
Are Interactive Whiteboards for schools only available in the larger size? Has anyone invented a SMARTEASEL yet? If so, where can I get one and how much are they? I have seen the tables but would love to find a SMARTEASEL. Is there one out there?
Does the size of the Interactive Whiteboard that I am seeing in most classrooms invite more whole class teaching because of the size? Or are lots of people using it with small groups, book talks, etc. I can see huge implications for student-led booktalks and am hoping to do more with that next year.
If anyone knows of sites or blogs that focus on Interactive Whiteboards in Reading/Writing Workshop or have answers to any (or all) of my questions, please let me know. I am fascinated with this tool and see huge possibilities. It seems that for people using this tool well, it is just embedded in all that they do, so they don't mention it much. It is just an invisible part of their teaching just as all of the tools are. But I am one who learns and thinks from seeing good teaching and I would love to find more clips/posts that show these possibilities in the Reading-Writing Workshop. I would love to find a place where Reading/Writing workshop teachers can go to see the ways in which people are using these. (I know the National Writing Project is doing some great things with tech in general in lots of places.)
Please share!
10 Comments on SMARTBOARDS in the Reading/Writing Workshop-Thoughts and Questions, last added: 6/4/2009
Franki, I have had a Smartboard in my room for a few years now and use it constantly. But then I do blogs as you know. I think it is interesting that you ask about a SMARTEASEL because one of the things I think of is my blog as chart paper --- that is, we do tons of brainstorming and all sorts of stuff on the blog as a class (using the Smartboard)that I used to do on chart paper. (I find it a lot easier generally to type than to handwrite in front of the kids, but the way.) I also love, love, love my Smartboart for annotating. If you search my class blog (blogs.dalton.org/edinger) you can find examples of this with Charlotte's Web, Mourt's Relation, and Pilgrim Broadsheets. Yesterday on my other blog (educating alice) I posted about about conference presentation I did a couple of weeks ago about blogging with kids and gave a link to the wiki we did that may be helpful in a related way.
Franki, There's a really nice little article in INSTRUCTOR about whiteboards this month. It's probably more basic than you need, but some interesting stuff about student engagement, especially for struggling readers and writers.
A couple of years ago, I saw Penny Kittle at a conference. She had a notebook computer, that projected onto a screen. She did an amazing writing lesson in front of the group, then had the piece already saved on her computer. I don't know if she has a blog, but she might be doing some stuff with hs writing and whiteboards.
Please keep us posted about the information you find. I used the SMARTBOARD in our building a few times this year, but I wanted to branch into using it in my Reading Workshop and I looked for resources online to help get me started and had no luck. There are so many things online for the SMARTBOARD that just feel like a fancy worksheet to me.
I share your thinking too about Smartboards and need to explore this tool. I'm interested in following your thoughts and learning. My ortho used a smartboard too and then I realized I needed to learn more.
Although we have had Activboards in our classrooms for a few years now, this is the first year I've absolutely viewed it as a necessity, and not just an expensive whiteboard. I use it throughout the day to teach interactive lessons, manage my literacy centers, view our own book blogs and post comments (blogging is a new experiment--they're loving it so far!) perform math problems using Activotes (which gives me instant feedback) and on and on. I can also download pre-created flipcharts at the Promethean Planet website (www.prometheanplanet.com) and edit them to suit my teaching style. I can't imagine going back to classroom without one now!
This is really interesting. We do Reader's Writer's workshop here and we are planning to add a lot more Smartboards next year (only a few now). I want to follow your discussion to see what you find. I have been collecting links in Diigo, but not seen a lot about R/W wkshp uses, just like you. Thanks for raising the question!
I'm 120 days into the Project 365 challenge on Flickr, and I'm still having fun!
In June, when I'm halfway through the year, I think it will be fun to pull together some of the small themes that have emerged: the cat, blooms, pictures out my classroom window, food pics.
Carrying my camera with me at all times has continued to change the way I look at and interact with the world. We stopped and watched the geese with their nest in the median of a shopping center parking lot, and I took pictures until Papa Goose came at me with his neck out, hissing. I didn't get a shot of Lynn's wine glass at our book club dinner because the waiter brought our food and the moment was gone, but I lost myself in the red of the wine and the way it was sparkling in the afternoon sun.
It may or may not be related to this photo project, but I'm starting to use my writer's notebook again -- capturing "snapshots" in words -- and it's good to get back to that.
Earbud--a tiny marble sheathed in foam to wear like an interior earring so you can enjoy private noises wherever you go, protected from any sudden silence.
This poem got me thinking about all of the 21st Century gadgets we can't live without, but which create barriers that separate us from other real, live human beings.
This makes me smile, as my oldest son wears his earbuds almost constantly. It does make chores around the house more enjoyable! I'd love to listen to audiobooks with them but I don't know if I could stand them in my ears.
I've been thinking alot how the Internet was suppose to be a vehicle to connect us more but how isolating it can be. Blogs for instances strike me as islands. There's connection to be enjoyed but you have to go to the individual. Very different from when online surfers met up at message boards. To me, message boards cultivated a kind of community that isn't quite replicated in the blogosphere. There is community, but it takes so much more effort hopping from one island to the next.
Sorry for going off on a tangent. Like I said, the idea of connection and interaction has been on the brain.
This post is coming from someone who is definitely not gadget-savvy, so take it with a grain of salt, and it's off topic (not about earbuds) -- but sometimes in the grocery story or out on the sidewalk, those gadgets actually make me raise my head and look at people, because so many people now sound like they are talking to themselves (in the past, we would have thought they were seriously deranged) when they are actually on a no-hands type cellphone, talking into a little microphone and asking someone at home, "So, do you want marinara sauce with three cheeses or do you want the kind that has porcini mushrooms...." I look up and notice them talking to themselves and think about them & feel some compassion & connection, compared to just keeping my head down and getting where I need to go or buying my groceries. Of course, the people doing the calling don't connect with me, but there's this little moment when I remember to look at the people around me and not just stay in my own little sealed off errand-running world.
Like I said, I'm not a gadget person - I still can't even figure out a remote control for the TV, and I listen in awe as people rave about their iPhones, but I do feel these few odd moments when I think about people and their lives, who is at home waiting, what their day has been like. The reality is otherwise - the people who are shopping/walking/constantly connected electronically to someone else aren't even occupying the same space with me, mentally. My oldest son defines "cyberspace" as where you go when you're talking on a cellphone (which is why there are so many accidents when people use them as they drive.)
As I have been working with K-5 students, I have been thinking about what it means when we think about creating in a 21st Century world?
I have always been committed to a Reading/Writing Workshop and know the power of books and text for readers and writers to grow. I know that having mentor texts when writing is critical. But, with the new tools and the new formats for creation, finding mentor pieces for our students becomes a little bit of a challenge.
One of the things I know is that before we can ask kids to create a slide show or a video or a Public Service Announcement, they need lots of experience watching these. And they also need to learn how to "watch like a writer". To look at mentor clips and think about what makes them effective. What things did this writer/creator do that you might try?
I remember avoiding PowerPoint when working with teachers for a long time. I loved the flexibility of my transparencies and hadn't seen anyone use it in a way that worked for me. Then I watched Katie Wood Ray use a PowerPoint in a talk and I was inspired. She had created something that could work for me. I used her as a mentor--thinking about what she had done as a PowerPoint creator, that was different from the others I'd seen. What had she done that I could learn from? I had a vision that made the move to PowerPoint worth it.
As a writing teacher, I know the power of mentors and mentor texts, of keeping a writers' notebook and of writing myself. If I am going to invite students to create videos, slide shows, etc. I know that having gone through the process myself will be critical. And I know that helping students find mentors that match their needs will be key.
So, my summer goals are two-fold. First, I want to create my own "notebook" of creations. I feel like I need to play with these new tools and collect samples of things I do authentically with the newer tools--What do I photograph and why? When do I send a video of the kids to my parents? How do I use Keynote when I work with teachers? What am I interested in and how do different tools help me collect, create and communicate?
Second, I want to keep my eye out for quality mentor pieces. When we expand our definition of author, the questions are the same. I want a collection of clips and pieces that I can use with students as they begin to think about their own creations. These clips and pieces seem a bit more difficult to find than the books and writing pieces I share with students. As a teacher, it is the same thinking but different tools.
Whether my kids are creating poetry or a video Public Service Announcements, the questions are the same--they all revolve around looking at quality work and asking yourself:
What decisions did this author make in order to create this piece? What makes it effective?
The specifics might be different but I imagine we'll still look at solid leads, word choice, organization--those traits of writing that we know so well. But we will also look at the tech decisions-which might be considered the craft. Why did the author decide on the background music? How does the length of transitions impact the meaning?
When I look at clips with this lens, it is interesting what I find. The kids are discovering so many things about creation just by watching quality clips and thinking about the decisions made in the creation.
These are two clips I've found this week to begin my collection. I don't know if I'll ever use them but they'll be in my toolbox:
I imagine, as with any inquiry, once I share a few of these, the students will find many in their worlds and begin to watch with the eyes of a creator. These will just begin the conversation. As I continue to reflect on the goals for our students and the definitions of 21st Century Literacies, looking critically and learning from mentor pieces seems key in the process of creation.
2 Comments on Mentor Texts--My goals for summer, last added: 4/24/2009
Not surprisingly, I love your thinking about mentor text for student products created using 21st century literacy and thinking. It really isn't different from mentor text for writing workshop. :)
I am pretty addicted to great thoughts from people around the globe who are really embracing smart, authentic ways to engage 21st century students. Here is another round of what I've found. I feel so lucky to be able to learn from so many people.
Wesley Fryer shares the story of his son's Thursday Folder and the many, many worksheets that his son gets in a good school. A great read with some powerful photos to let us know just how much time some kids are spending on worksheets. I think, as teachers, we often justify this by knowing that most of our day is more authentic. But I think time is a factor. Why would we waste even 5 minutes of a child's time on a worksheet when they can be thinking, creating, and communicating. Every choice we make as teachers is a choice about how we spend our time in schools. For every worksheet that students don't do, they can do something meaningful.
I was excited to read about the "Just Write" Celebration at Georgetown Elementary School. The school is having a week long celebration of their writing and using lots of tools to get their writing out there. Each class is writing and using Lulu to sell published books to parents, etc. Many of the books filled with student writing can be downloaded free. The principal, Theresa Reagan, is behind this initiative. It is fun to spend time reading some of the student writing. A great school wide celebration!
I have been doing a lot of thinking on the writing process of the 21st Century and was happy to see this post by Bill Bass.. In preparing for their own district Film Festival, Bill and colleagues visited Effingham, Illinois to see the 6th Annual AHA Film Festival. Sounds like the videos were amazing. Bill's reflections remind us that good teaching, no matter what the tool, is about process.
Tea for [Web] 2.0 (Don't you just LOVE the name of this blog??) has a great post on Professional Development, creating a buzz about new tools and more. A great read with great insights about how to move forward.
Wesley Fryer shared a great link on Twitter entitled What Makes a Good Project? It is a short article that will start lots of conversations. I think it is a good reminder that projects--whether they use new tools or not--have to be worthwhile.
Thinking a lot about new tools for writing and communicating, I am anxious to order and read this new book, co edited by Kevin at Kevin's Meandering Mind. The book TEACHING THE NEW WRITING, is due out in May. It is so nice to see writing experts taking on this topic.
I finished reading THE ELEMENT by Ken Robinson over spring break. I loved this review by Angela Maiers for several reasons. She hits the important things about the book and she has used a slide-show format to review the book. For as many book reviews we do on this site, maybe we need to play with some new formats!
There is a great post at Education Week called "What is Your Department Discussing and Doing?" . Ryan Bretag talks about how critical both conversations and action are to moving forward. He also gives us several links to content organizations' position statements that relate to 21st Century Learning. The links are an invaluable resource and can start some great conversations that can then move to action.
Another post at Education Week/LeaderTalk that really made me think ahead was "New Paradigms Needed" by Pete Reilly. In this post, he argues that we need a shift in the ways we envision classrooms and deploy technology to our students. He says, "That new paradigm is a classroom environment that allows each student to explore, communicate, collaborate, analyze, publish, and pursue their interests, passions, and curiosities. In order to do this they need to have “ubiquitous access” to technology."
Finally, the article "Science is Failing to Inspire Some" is a wake-up call to how testing and the current skill/drill environment is is meaning that more kids are learning to hate science. This is an interesting article from the science community.
1 Comments on 21st Century Visits, last added: 4/12/2009
Another round of great sites I've found that help me think about 21st Century "stuff". In no particular order. Just some posts that helped my personal thinking recently.
MEET ME AT THE CORNER is a great site for kid videos. I have been looking for videos that kids can study as "mentors" when they create their own. This site is full of not only kid-friendly videos,but videos made by kids, videos on how to make videos, and more. A great resource if you are thinking of movie-making with elementary students.
KIDS WHO THINK is a blog that I love. Fun weekly challenges invites kids to use their creativity. So many great ideas--Kids are sooo smart! I worry that we are missing this kind of learning in schools and this reminds me how critical these experiences are for kids.
Kip's post Time to Reflect was key to me in my thinking of how to infuse more technology into my days. The debrief and reflecting is key in our day and I worry that we are losing that in our hurry to "teach" things. I can see the share and debrief as the critical piece of a workshop with new tools. No matter what tools are available to students, the reflective share is key.
For those of you who have not ventured to Twitter yet. Ryan Bretag has a 30 Day Twitter Challenge posted. He has some great advice for those of you missing out on the fun! 30 Day Twitter Challenge
I am always intrigued by any new information about the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia. This article was recently posted which includes some interesting tours and thoughtful practices.
One of the posts that solidified some of my own thinking was from GENERATION YES BLOG titled "Educational Technology Doesn't Work". I continue to worry that anything on the computer is being tagged in the same category. For me, the key to quality instruction with 21st Century tools is about creation and information. Games and online worksheets cannot be put into the same category. But that seems to be what is happening in many cases.
"The process of integrating technology into our libraries and classroom spaces seems daunting at first, much like climbing a mountain or eating an elephant - but if we simplify the process, start small and work our way up and out, great things can and will happen."
5 Comments on 21st Century Thinking-My Blog Visits, last added: 4/6/2009
Franki- GReat, great links. Thanks for the video link to Wooranna Park. I loved Kids Who Think but my what helped me most in my journey with tech is CArol's post on Integrating Tech One Byte at a time...small steps and collaboration.
I love to read your rounds Franki! So many ideas in one place, thanks for taking the time to do this. I wanted to let you know the link for Meet me at the Corner is not working...(an extra letter? a missing letter?) thought I let you know.
Last year, my 9 year old decided that she did not want gifts at her birthday party. She had heard about other kids who had used their birthday party as a way to give back to a cause they cared about. She knew she wanted to do something, but she wasn't sure what. I happened upon the organization THE READING VILLAGE and shared the site and mission with my daughter. Since Guatemala and literacy are two things that we care deeply about, we knew that this was the right fit. For Ana's birthday, she asked her friends to bring books written in Spanish, instead of a gift for her, to the party. After the games and crafts, Ana opened the presents which came wrapped. Kids loved watching as each book was opened. The variety of books we received was amazing. Kids often chose books that they loved when they were younger to share with the children in Guatemala. These books were sent to Linda at THE READING VILLAGE and Ana plans to do things like this for all of her upcoming birthdays.
As a parent, this birthday party was perfect. Since presents were not the highlight as they often are, the kids enjoyed each other and being together. They also enjoyed the fact that they were celebrating a birthday by giving something to others. Such a different kind of a party.
Ana recently attended party and the little girl collected things for the Humane Society at her birthday party. I love to see kids who find causes they believe in. I often worry about what service learning will turn into in schools if whole schools or whole classrooms take on projects that do not mean much for each student. When the teacher or the school chooses a cause, we take away students' role in finding and contributing to causes they care about. I think it is so important for kids to find causes that matter to them, personally, and to find ways to make a difference.
If you have not had a chance to hear Dr. Tim Tyson or to visit his blog, it is inspiring for educators. His goal: Using Technology to Empower Meaningful, Global, Student Contribution. Spend some time on MabryOnline looking at the contributions these students are making and it is happening in school.
Kids have always been amazing in the way they work to make the world a better place. But, I think the tools of the 21st Century have made it easier for them. The tools make it possible for everyone to know about issues that concern them and to make global contributions--no matter how old they are. Our children have learned to use these tools in powerful ways. I am amazed that children so young are so selfless and have been finding so many ways that children are making such a difference in the world. Not surprised, but always amazed by children. And inspired. So, I thought I'd take a few minutes to share all of the amazing things I have found lately--where kids are making a difference. I know there are others and so many more that are never made public, but here are a few that I've found recently, that I thought might inspire others. Enjoy and be inspired!
This blog, A YEAR OF CHARITABLE DEEDS shares a year in the life of a family who is committed to 365 Days/365 Charitable Deeds. This blog began on December 31, 2008 and began like this:
How difficult is it to do a little something helpful now and again? Is it really that tough to pick up an errant piece of trash and dispose of it properly? Does it really cramp our style to hold the door open for someone? To improve some one's day by offering a simple smile?
In this age of jam-packed schedules, never-ending technological distractions, and rush-rush-rush attitudes, are we really so busy that we can't lend a hand now and again?
I love following them and their mission. So many ways to do good in the world.
This Public Service Announcement was produced by Noah Gray, a 16 year old, WE NEED A NEW "R" WORD. It is a very powerful video and will definitely make a difference in people's perceptions. Created for the Special Olympics.
Following this first video, youth delegates created this video in the reaction to the use of the "R" word in Bill O'Reilly's show airing February 9. This clip is as powerful, if not more powerful than the first one.
Zach is the creator of LITTLE RED WAGON. The number of projects that this 5th grader has already done is amazing. He has done many many things in the past few years to support different causes. His site is inspirational and the videos he has included add to the understanding of his mission. A boy who is making a huge difference in the world.
Laura's Blog 25 Days to Make a Difference was started for this reason: In December of 2007, I decided that the best way to remember my grandpa during the holiday season would be by living my life like he did, by making a difference and being a leader. I decided to honor my grandfather’s memory by trying to make a difference every day for twenty five days. I wanted to be able to do little things, like kids my age typically do, instead of HUGE things that are sometimes hard for kids like me. I decided to write about my adventures here, and I also created a challenge.
How about Capucine who I learned about from Stella at Mi World-Mi Mundo. Capucine, a four year old, is helping to make sure that her friends in Mongolia have books. She would like to open a library for them. Capucine already understands the power of her words, the Internet, and making a difference.The new book 10 THINGS I CAN DO TO HELP MY WORLD by Melanie Walsh is a great one to start conversations with kids on contribution. I also think they would be inspired by seeing some of the things other kids are doing. I know I am.
7 Comments on Kids Are Making Huge Contributions: The Best Thing About the 21st Century, last added: 3/7/2009
Franki- Wow! Great Stuff! Thanks for pulling together all of these amazing individuals.
Here's a quote I read recently: Volunteering for something is the ultimate experience in democracy. You vote in elections once a year. But when you volunteer, you’re voting every day about the community you want to live in. Anonymous
This is great stuff, Franki! Thanks for sharing this. Another organization that empowers kids to help other kids from around the world is Free the Children. I wrote about them here.
Wow! Thanks for the mention of our family project here on YOUR blog! :) Charitable Deeds has been a fun project and I'm glad to see others are enjoying it, too! :)
I am participating in Project 365 on Flickr this year. I'm not following the rules exactly, so even though I have "joined" the group, I haven't really. Here's why: I can't take a picture a day. Or enough pictures each day so that I can choose one per day. (And if I take two really good ones on the same day, I want to use them both!)
The goal of taking 365 pictures in a year is like my goal of reading 52 children's novels in a year -- sometimes I'll go days without taking pictures and then "make up" the lost time; sometimes I go for weeks without finishing a book until the next chance I have to read multiple books. As always, the day job gets in the way of this project...especially this time of year when I get to work in the dark and leave for home in the dark. Kind of limits the photo ops, as it were.
Rules or no rules, this is a fun project that has made me more aware of the world around me -- of shape and color, texture and contrast. I carry my camera with me at all times now, and that alone has been worth its weight in gold. I am learning to navigate Flickr. I made the mosaic on fd's Flickr Toys. This is one of the ways that I am working on my 21st Century Literacies.
6 Comments on January Mosaic, last added: 2/4/2009
I'm glad you're doing this and doing it in your own way. I started a project similar to this on my own just to make myself take more pictures, since I used to have (amateur) photography shows and all. I still carry a small camera every day but have gotten out of the habit of the Daily pics. Thanks for nudging me to pick it up again and like you, I'll figure out my own rules.
I love when Jen Robinson shares her daily visits on her blog. She gives us so many great links and we get a little window into her thinking about literacy. I thought I would begin to do the same type of thing with my 21st Century Thinking--posting about my current thinking and linking to some great posts that helped my thinking each week-- or whenever I seem to be finding lots of good stuff around the topic.
If you don't know the work of Michael Wesch, his video "A Vision of Students Today" was one of the first that got me thinking that this was something I needed to think about! This week, I found his post entitled, From Knowledgeable to Knowledge-able: Learning in New Media Environments at Academic Commons. My favorite line from this article "Nothing good will come of these technologies if we do not first confront the crisis of significance and bring relevance back into education."
I have found it interesting lately that the technology piece seems to be growing critical at a time when our schools are focusing more and more on testing and skills. So much bigger than technology is the issue of significance and relevance in our schools. But, my thinking is these new tools can encourage us to think harder about significance.
On another topic, there has been a lot of talk about blogging on the blogs this week. Is it already an outdated thing? Will people stop blogging soon? This article by Will Richardson addressed the issue of why blogging is still hard. He says, "Blogging isn’t about what I know as much as it’s about what I think I know, and I find that to be a crucial distinction. For me, it’s the distinction that constantly makes this hard. It’s also the distinction, however, that makes blogging worth it."
I agree and hope that blogging stays around for a while. For me, it is a way to make sense of my own thinking about books and teaching and it has also been a way for me to expand my network and learn from and with others.
Doug Noon at Borderland writes about What We Measure. This post addresses several of the things that have been concerning me lately--especially those dealing with testing and literacy. If we only teach what is easily measured, we are in huge trouble. When you look at those skills needed for 21st Century learning, the problem gets even bigger.
Chris Lehman "Motivation, Motivation, Motivation", Chris Lehman writes about motivation and the ways so many schools are running these days. He says, "If we want to move away from Theory X, we have to offer a different vision of our schools. We have to create a vision of schooling that does not assume that accountability trumps responsibility."
This may be one of my favorite posts of the week. For me, I loved seeing this profile of Rachel, all of the ways that this 5 year old is making sense of her world--using the tools that she needs. From a dad who can see all that she is capable of and who celebrates her many literacies. I was drawn to the post because I always love to see writing and drawing by young children. It will always amaze me. But the tech and movies that were also part of her day made the post complete. A 5 year old in a 21st Century world, learning and growing in a place that values what she has to say. What could be better than that?
An older posts that I just discovered hit on my own thinking this week--much of which came from talk at the English Companion Ning. So many of us, who have just joined in on blogs, twitters, nings and more, are often the only ones in our schools or districts who are excited about the possibilities for our classrooms. Ryan Bretag shares his thinking about Local, Global or Glocal on his blog. He says, "Many of us are excited about Global possibilities but sometimes at the expense of local collaboration." This post helped me to realize that for me, it is about both. Networking with colleagues from across the country and world gives me energy and helps me see possibilities. But I also need a group of local colleagues to think with--to go through the day-to-day struggles with. It can't be an either-or for me. And I imagine that is true for many of us. Both of our networks and the ways that they come together, are needed for our personal learning.
That's it for this round. Hope you found some links that helped stretch your own thinking. It seems like information-overload some days but I think it is well worth it!
5 Comments on 21st Century Thinking-My Blog Visits, last added: 1/13/2009
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Has anyone shared this video with you? It's interesting (and maybe slightly about relevance) but for me it's disturbing that as we cut to images of new technologies it's still a talking head.
We received an advanced copy of Patrick Carman's upcoming book, SKELETON CREEK. This is a middle grade novel--a ghost story and mystery. I am thinking 5thish through 8thish grades. (I am never sure when it comes to ghost stories.)
SKELETON CREEK is a format that is totally different from anything I've ever seen. As Patrick Carman says, "It is a book and a movie at the same time." Here is how it works. The main character in the story, Ryan, has had an accident and is stuck at home in bed recovering. The accident occurred when he and his friend, Sarah, were exploring the spooky dredge in their city, trying to uncover a secret. It helps Ryan to write about his experiences and thinking, so the book is actually Ryan's journal.
Because of the danger that Patrick and Sarah seem to get into, they are now forbidden to see each other anymore. But with technology, they communicate via email. Then Sarah begins to send Ryan videos of her own findings.
Here's the way it works. You read about 20-30 pages of Ryan's journal, emails, etc. Then, as Ryan checks his email and notices another video from Sarah, you go to your computer to watch the video.
When we got the initial information about the book, I was not sold on it. BUT, because I have committed to "stretching my thinking" about these things AND because I know Carman's work, I decided to give it a try. The package came, I previewed the book and read the accompanying letter and was really not sold. I am a reader who likes to be lost in a book. The idea of having to stop every 20-30 pages, go to the computer, and watch a video did not appeal to me at all.
Well, my opinion changed rather quickly. I loved it right off. Funny thing was, I found myself counting the pages until I could see the next video.
The story is very well done and this format could only work with certain stories. I have seen other attempts at this book/tech connection for novels but this is really the best I've seen it done. They are so interconnected that one doesn't work without the other. The text and video work together perfectly to tell the story.
I was trying to think through the things that make it a different kind of read for me. First of all, it took me a long time to "like" Sarah as a character. Because you meet her through video and not text, you actually see and hear her--unlike envisioning her on your own if you were reading. But, I came to like her soon enough so all was well. The combination of knowing some characters through writing and others through video took me a little while to get used to but it worked.
The other difference is that the videos make the story a little bit scarier than it would be if the info was in the text if that makes sense. In other children's ghost stories, you aren't actually seeing the scary stuff. You are seeing it in your head. But actually watching a video MAY make it scarier for kids. Now, I am not a scary book/movie person. So I am a bit sensitive to this. For some readers, more scariness might be welcome. For me, I have to read things like this during the day! And the lights had to be on when I was watching the video clips!
Killer cliffhanger at the end of this book and I am a little angry at Patrick Carman for this. (I forgave him quickly when I remembered how much I love the book. ) Seems we'll need to wait 6 months for the 2nd (and final) book. So, be ready to be slightly annoyed at wondering for a fairly long time.
One of the things that Patrick Carman says about the book is that he is hoping that the 20 page read followed by video clip will appeal to reluctant readers. I have to agree with this. Having worked with many, many reluctant and struggling middle grade readers, stamina is often an issue. They like a book but interest dies out. With this book, it is very hard to lose interest because you are reading until the next clip. It could be a huge support for these kids. Even though it will certainly appeal to others.
So, I am so glad that I made a commitment to stretch my thinking a bit about 21st Century Literacies. Otherwise, I am pretty sure I would have missed this book. The concept did not appeal to me. If authors can continue to play with formats like this one--formats that match the storyline and add to the storytelling, then I am all for it. It opens up so many possibilities for publishers and for student writers.
A couple of weeks ago, we blogged about a shift in our blog reading and our professional thinking. I thought I'd check in and let you know how that's going with me.
One of the shifts that seemed likely to happen while we were at NCTE was that I would become a 21st Century cellphone user. I was around people who text, tweet, chat, and check email by phone. People who would be lost without their cellphone. Me? Oh, I have one. It's off most of the time unless I'm traveling. I can't pull a signal in the empty part of CO where my mom lives. I can text and talk, but nothing else -- no email, tweets, or even photos. So it was obvious: if I was going to participate in the 21st Century literacies of cellphone usage, I would need to ramp up my phone.
I did a bunch of research over Thanksgiving break, and here's what I found out: connectivity costs. Big time. About $70 per month (for the two companies with signals strong enough to get to my hometown), and that's not counting the $50-$200 for the new phone. I'm thinking it's a lot healthier to use all that $$ for my health club membership.
You see, currently I pay $25 every three months for my GoPhone plan and I regularly roll over most of my balance--I don't even use $25 every three months.
So much for the cost comparison. Now, what about making the shift in the way I use my cellphone?
Only a handful of my close friends and family are avid cellphone users. The rest range from those who function just fine with a land line, thank you very much, to a few mavericks whose heels are dug in in resistance to the very idea of cellphones. So with whom would I be talking or texting or emailing when I got a fancy new phone and a super-duper plan? Hmm... And when would I be talking to them? Not in the car while I was driving. Not at home when I could be talking face to face with my man and my cat. Not in restaurants. Not at work. Not while walking around in the grocery store. (These are examples of cellphone usage that drives me CRAZY! Maybe I have more in common with the mavericks in my life than with the avid cellphone users!!)
Bottom line: no new cellphone for me. I'll stick with being ahead of the curve for people of my age group on blogging. And ahead of many teachers of ALL age groups on the amount of technology my students use on a regular basis. (I'll save that for another post.)
Here's my one positive move in terms of "stretching my thinking"--I'm no longer on the verge of Twittering. I tweet. This is something I can do with the computers I already own and the Internet access I already pay for. And Twittering can be used to make the world a better place.
6 Comments on Stretching Our Thinking -- Checking In, last added: 12/8/2008
I'm with you Mary. Plain ole calling w/ some texting and I'm good. I have a twitter account (teacherninja, natch) but don't yet see the point of it. Any clues?
I loved the progression of your logic about updating your phone. I think I would have been a little disappointed if you made any other decision than the one you did. I love your points about when you wouldn't use your cell phone, as well. :)
), and I was incredulous when I heard the second. Their lack of knowledge about the way the encyclopedia works started with the fact that each volume contains a letter or few letters-worth of information!
. I 
series. This one was more of a spy novel and 
Must Get i-Phone! That app sounds so cool. I'll bet my granddaughter would love it, too. I'm giving away a copy of Kristin Hannah's "Night Road" this week if you're interested ...
http://jayayceeblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/reading-night-road-and-giveaway.html
Welcome back Franki and Mary Lee! (Hope you had a good week away.)