DEN STARS from
Schenectady City Schools, NY
Tracy Standhart
Sal DeAngelo
Meredith Bernadt
Christine Bernard
Leigh Feguer
Laura Canders
Danielle Woodard
Sue Olekoski
Sara Telban
Sheila Tebbano
Emily Dearstyne
Anthony Cimino
Laura Buzas
Katie Raymer
Diane Allegro
Kevin Dorsey
Rick DeCarr
Suzanne Bernadt
Leann Vacca
David Bub
William Mau
Melissa Montague
"If we teach today like we taught yesterday, we rob our
children of tomorrow"-
John Dewey, Educator;
Philosopher
"The future belongs
to young people who know where the knowledge is, how to get it, how to think
about it, and how to turn it into better work, better products, better lives."Rexford
Brown
New Page 1
"Technology is just a tool. In terms of
getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most
important." - Bill Gates
Good Books
my 'read' shelf:
Inspiration
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Learning is the discovery
that something is possible.
CDW-G and Discovery, Hall Davidson and Steve Dembo; team up to help you make sense of the web, computers, and all it has to offer you and your students. Conquer your fears and learn just as much as your students by utilizing Hall and Steve’s lesson plans, activities, links and resources, and videos to help make Web 2.0 fit seamlessly into your classroom. There is even a 16 page PDF document for you to keep with you for reference at all times. Visit http://cdwg.discoveryeducation.com/web2.0/index.cfm and star it in your favorites. This is a resource you’ll use over and over.
Here’s a blog full of websites, tips, and tools for you to peruse for ideas for using the SMART Board in your class. Be sure to click on and read through some of the older posts as well. There are still some great resources hiding on previous posts.
The NCES Kids’ Zone provides information to help you learn about schools; decide on a college; find a public library; engage in several games, quizzes and skill building about math, probability, graphing, and mathematicians; and to learn many interesting facts about education. There might be something you could use in your classroom at http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/index.asp.
I love my Flip video camera. Its a great little gadget for taking quick, short videos. It is very easy to use, there are no cords needed and you can generate still pictures from your videos.
Flip has just released a new, FREE, version of Flipshare - the software to edit the videos taken by the Flip video camera. Click this link to see an interactive video of the camera and software - http://www.theflip.com/demos/amazon/flipshare/#scene=sceneMain.
Here is a very short sample of a video I created in about 5 minutes from individual photos taken from videos - vid00156.wmv
I came across this saying today that relates to the stresses many of us are going through as we, here in upstate NY, had the official start to our school year today. Although we had just district and building meetings and no students until Tuesday, the stress of some major changes in building structures and building construction (which is not quite finished) are taking their toll on some.
So the quote goes like this ” INCH BY INCH, LIFE IS A CINCH. YARD BY YARD, LIFE IS HARD.” You can obviously draw the conclusion that having small realistic, attainable goals is going to be more of a success to you than big, impractical and unreachable goals.
So to all my friends and colleagues as we start a new year with students and families who are counting on us: take things in small, manageable and realistic chunks. Reap the benefits from those small things, because in the end they will add up to a huge success for both you and your students as you progress through the school year.
Why not join one of these really cool FREE webinars before the return to school? It is guarenteed you will have some great new tools to start the new year with.
All sessions begin at 11 AM ET. Register Here. It’s free and easy.
Web 2.0 Week
8/24/09 Get Your Glog On! The DE streaming Builders and Glogster
8/25/09 The Thread that Ties it All Together: Discovery Education Content and Voicethread
8/26/09 Two Roundtrip Tickets to Anywhere in the World: Designing Virtual Field Trips with Discovery Education Media and Google Earth
8/27/09 Learning Through the Funnies: Mixing Discovery Education Content with Free Comic Tools
Check out this jam-packed list of FREE webinars offered by Discovery Educator Network. Get ready for back to school with a visit to one , a few or all of the sessions listed below.
All sessions begin at 11 AM ET. Register Here. It’s free and easy.
Digital Storytelling Week
8/3/09
Thinking Outside the Slide: Creating non-linear PowerPoint presentations and learning centers with Discovery Education Media
8/4/09
Digital Storytelling Made Easy: Using Discovery Education Content with Animoto and PhotoStory
8/5/09
Director’s Cut: Discovery Education Media and MovieMaker (PC)
8/6/09
Director’s Cut: Discovery Education Media and iMovie (Mac)
Leadership Week
8/10/09
The Information Society is HERE: Are our schools up to the task? with Dr. Scott McLeod
8/11/09
Policies, Safety and Social Networking
8/12/09
Web 2.0 for Administrators and Others: Schools, Tools, and the 21st Century
8/13/09
Data Driven Decisions with Discovery Education Assessment
Science Week 8/17/09
Myth Busted: Easy Ways to Integrate Digital Media into Your Science Classroom
8/18/09
Getting Your Hands Dirty with Discovery Education Science
8/19/09
Differentiating Instruction with the Discovery Education Science Assessment Manager
8/20/09
More and Muir Tech Tips for Going Green
Web 2.0 Week
8/24/09
Get Your Glog On! The DE streaming Builders and Glogster
8/25/09
The Thread that Ties it All Together: Discovery Education Content and Voicethread
8/26/09
Two Roundtrip Tickets to Anywhere in the World: Designing Virtual Field Trips with Discovery Education Media and Google Earth
8/27/09
Learning Through the Funnies: Mixing Discovery Education Content with Free Comic Tools
“If you’re coasting, you’re either losing momentum or else you’re headed downhill.”~ Joan Welsh
“We are either progressing or retrograding all the while. There is no such thing as remaining stationary in this life.”~ James Freeman Clarke
“The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.”~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
“Momentum is the most unstoppable force in sports. The only way to stop it is if you get in your own way, start making stupid mistakes or stop believing in yourself.”~ Rocco Mediate
“Commitment is the igniter of momentum.”~ Attributed to Peg Wood
I love PhotoStory 3 and Windows Movie Maker for creating stories in the classroom; however, the UDL Book Builder deserves a few shout outs for being a free online tool to create books and stories. Along with the tool itself, there are tips for authors, model books to explore and resources galore for creating the online books. I think I’ll have my 7th grade students create children’s books using this site as part of my Child Development unit.
There sure is. Over at The Apple .com there are 10 great technology enhanced ideas for getting kids juiced about the dreaded book report. Why not try one of these in your classroom:
1. Let students create a cartoon version of the book they have just finished.
2. Let students create a short video clip about the book.
3. Create a virtual poster advertising the book.
4. Encourage students to create their own virtual bookshelves with Shelfari or GoodReads.
5. Book Adventure is an online reading motivation program.
6. Bookcasting is a recorded audio podcast about a book.
7. Allow students to create a timeline of events in the story they just read in an online timeline.
8. Wikis are an excellent place for students to share book reviews.
9. Excite and motivate students to read with Book Wink .
10. Voice Thread is an amazing site that allows students to create web 2.0 slide shows that become interactive and collaborative.
Summer school is fun for teachers too! The DEN is hosting an amazing series of webinars on many topics of interest: Digital Storytelling, School Leadership (one with Dr. Scott McLeod), Science Integration of Discovery Education, and many Web 2.0 apps. Visit the Discovery Summer School Webinar Series web-page for the complete list and registration information. Remember….. these awesome PD opportunities are FREE!!!!
Image - Skateboarding to Summer School (Color). . 2009. Discovery Education. 27 June 2009 <http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>
Here’s a blog full of websites, tips, and tools for you to peruse for ideas for using the SMART Board in your class. Be sure to click on and read through some of the older posts as well. There are still some great resources hiding on previous posts.
The NCES Kids’ Zone provides information to help you learn about schools; decide on a college; find a public library; engage in several games, quizzes and skill building about math, probability, graphing, and mathematicians; and to learn many interesting facts about education. There might be something you could use in your classroom at 
Here’s a short and sweet list of just 10 ways you can easily begin to incorporate 21st Century Technology Skills in your classes. Check it out at 
I love my Flip video camera. Its a great little gadget for taking quick, short videos. It is very easy to use, there are no cords needed and you can generate still pictures from your videos.
I came across this saying today that relates to the stresses many of us are going through as we, here in upstate NY, had the official start to our school year today. Although we had just district and building meetings and no students until Tuesday, the stress of some major changes in building structures and building construction (which is not quite finished) are taking their toll on some.
Summer school is fun for teachers too! The DEN is hosting an amazing series of webinars on many topics of interest: Digital Storytelling, School Leadership (one with Dr. Scott McLeod), Science Integration of Discovery Education, and many Web 2.0 apps. Visit the 
