Tonight we joined Livonia High School in a video conference to discuss the logistics of delivering instruction to LHS students next school year through the Evangel/LA Tech Dual Enrollment Math Class.  For both schools, it will be the breaking of new ground as we connect students from North Louisiana to peers in South Louisiana.  Parent and students were amazed as we were able to chat face-to-face,  share desktops, and receive real time feedback via the use of students’ cell phones.  Evangel has participated in numerous video conferences this past year though none were designed for class to class collaboration.

Over the past year, the technology has truly turned our school into a place without walls.  Our students have connected with NASA, explored physics concepts, learned about animal adaptations, and even extracted their own DNA.  Through the use of this technology, teachers have been able to plan experiences for students not otherwise afforded.  Students have connected with real-world mathematicians and scientists to tie curriculum concepts to authentic experiences.

As we connect students to students, the possibilities are exciting.  So, welcome students of Livonia High School to A-5! Should be fun!

I tuned in to the March 18 DEN Ed Tech Connect with Tony Vincent and was blown away with the many things one could do with an iPod in the classroom!  Who knew one could use it as a hard drive or to review through flash cards, matching games, quizzes?  These ideas and many more are featured on Tony’s site www.learninginhand.com

Tony has posted 15 – 20 minutes videos to review the highpoints of iPod use in the classroom.  I am inspired!

I am so excited about my job!!!  I know, what’s new?  But, I JUST returned home from at weekend in Atlanta at the Ron Clark Academy and it was AWESOME!  I am so jazzed.  It validated stuff that I was already doing with my students, yet challenged me to do more.
New ideas:
1.  Home Visits- 10 minute chats with students and families in their home.  Set expectations, challenge the child, and, of course, encourage!
2.  Teachers sign a contract that states they will be available to the students until the students reach 21.
3.  Focus on cultural and global studies.
4.  Have students lead the class and then have others critique (lots of positive feedback and one or two things to work on)
5.  Have teachers film themselves and fill out their own observation papers.  One month later, repeat the process and after observation sheet is completed by the teacher, sit down with the teacher and review with them.
6.  Lots of teacher games!  I will share these with photos as I make them.

I hope to implement many ideas with the middle school teaching team.  I think consistency and teacher buy-in will be the keys to success.

I started a blog for my classroom about a month and a half ago -an effort of which I am really proud.  I have always wanted to be a regular blogger, REALLY.   I just didn’t have a clear sense of purpose.  I didn’t know my audience.  I didn’t see a point to add to the large amounts of information posted daily into the cyber world – who would want to read it?  Until…

It happened after a football game in late November.  Our team was in the playoffs.  We had just finished one of the messiest games of our season – not on the scoreboard but on the field.  Rain had come as a steady downpour on players and fans chilled to the bone.  And then it happened, I had my inspiration for my blog.  I knew my audience.  My blog had a purpose.  All that Teach42 had advised in 30 Days to a Better Blog became relavant.  For as the game drew to a close, the team (my students!) stripped themselves of their pads and proceeded to take the biggest mudbath I had ever seen.

 Fans laughed and cheered.  Much to our surprise, the opposing team dressed in WHITE joined our guys.  It was great!  I thought I’ll never forget this night.  Then I thought, “Honestly?  Will I honestly always remember this night?”  How many other “memorable moments” have I witnessed and then forgotten in my years of teaching?

So the blog was born.  Is it anything great?  Most may look at it and think – nah, not really.  But to me…to me it is wonderful for it is a simple record of ordinary days with extraordinary friends, my students.  And it makes us smile:)  You are welcome to stop by and leave us a note at www.ina-5.blogspot.com

It is beginning to look alot like Christmas everywhere I go! Yes, I know the leftover turkey is still in the fridge. But sleigh bells are ringing. Children are singing. There is laughter in the air. And there are SALES, SALES, SALES! Bargains to be had! Deals to be made! Like all, I have poured over the papers, salivated over the cool toys, made my list and changed it twice. Not wanting to miss a thing, I have surfed the web, toured BEST BUY, read top blogs, and tried to remember that it is better to give than to receive.

But even last night at a high school football game, I added to my list as I saw one of my students using her tiny HP camera to take both still shots and videos. Now I have a beautiful Nikon D70, but I don’t think it can take video… and WHEN will Apple release a video app for the Iphone??? I spent the earlier part of the day, comparing one camera to another and settling on the Flip. Then wondering, “Should I get the Flip?” I saw one at the DEN Summer Institute – it was compact and affordable. The new Flip has high resolution, still affordable, loaded with software, easy to use, and the cases are able to be customized with personal graphics!!! They are advertised as sleek and desireable – they had me at sleek.

Now, honestly until last night the Flip camera wasn’t even on the list. My only techie gift wish was for an eTrex for geocaching. Which makes me wonder what items should be on the list? Not wanting to miss the must-have’s, I invite you to share. Which top tech items do you think should be on everyone’s list?

My personal favorites (items I have purchased and never regretted):

• iPhone (LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!)
• USB external harddrive (Have files can travel)
• ActivBoard (Revolutionized my classroom! Thanks, Promethean!)

        Sample Game 

Okay, I admit working numerous math problems is typically not fun for most, but my students were literally begging for more!  www.Classtools.net is a really cool website that allows the user to customize templates that play like flash games.  There are numerous templates on the site, including arcade style (which is what I used), matching,  jigsaw puzzles, graphic organizers, etc.  To customize a game I only had to type in my questions and answers (I could have copied and pasted from another document), choose my game template, and save the .html file.  The games are free and extremely easy to make! 

In an attempt to help my son study vocabulary for the SAT in a fun (?) way, I stumbled upon  www.FreeRice.com .  FreeRice, a FREE website, has a custom database containing thousands of words at varying degrees of difficulty designed specifically for each individual user.

To play the FreeRice game, one simply matches the correct definition with the vocabulary word. If one chooses a correctly, FreeRice donates 20 grains of rice to the UN World Food Program to help end hunger. 

This free game is designed to help you while you help others.  You’ve got to try it!  

Bridget Belardi presented a session and field trip at the DEN National Institute on Geocaching, a treasure hunt for all to enjoy!  We used a GPS and coordinates to locate caches hidden around Silver Spring, MD.  While finding the prize was a thrill, we enjoyed seeing parts of the city we would not have otherwise have visited which was equally nice.  Bridget maintains a website, http://belardi.wikispaces.com/geocaching, full of info. 

Not sure you are ready for a live geocache adventure, try a virtual cache.  Math teachers should checkout www.mathbits.com