“I Learn, You Learn, We Learn” Blog

Because I am in the Historical Capitol of the US, it seems fitting for me to share with you this inspirational movie from Simple Truths. Enjoy.

Do I need say more? A terrific celebration with digital gifts for everyone!

 

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/>

If you are still questioning the validity of digital media in our schools,  read and watch the video below.  I have had the awesome opportunity to be a part of the Discovery Educator Network and I’m appreciative and grateful Schenectady continues to offer the DEstreaming service to our schools.  I use the materials from Discovery every single day in my classes and I can honestly say I don’t know what I would do without this invaluable resource.

I encourage any of you or your colleagues to become more acquainted with DEstreaming and if you’ve had a chance to view Discovery Science or Health, let your coordinators know how much you LOVE them.  In addition, if you are interested in becoming a member of the Discovery Educator Network (DEN), let me know. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I will be happy to assist you in the process!

Two days ago, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to examine how technology, innovative education tools, and digital content are transforming and improving education in America.  The DEN’s very own Scott Kinney, Vice President of Outreach and Professional Development for Discovery Education, served as one of seven panelists who testified as to how technology and digital content can improve American education in the future.

Citing recent research, Scott illustrated that students use technology profusely at home, while most are unable to use that same technology in the classroom.  Today’s tech-savvy students function by consuming, processing, and learning from media, in many forms simultaneously.  Scott asked the committee to envision an educational system that supported the use of technology in the classroom, therefore, supporting how students learn naturally.

30 Twitter Tips for Teachers

Our district had the fantastic opportunity to host Will Richardson for his presentation of A Web of Connections.  During an informal chat session for about 40 educators before his presentation, Will mentioned and showed a little about Twitter.  The mention of this tool sparked quite a bit of interest in this group of teachers. Many of them  set up accounts and are busy tweeting with each other and have found others around the country to tweet with. I know a couple have found some interesting people to collaborate with professionally about the content area in which they teach. Some even have some interesting ideas of how Twitter can be used as a classroom tool by their students.

The problem is it is blocked in our district(surprise, surprise). Twittering by our professionals has to take place after school hours away from our district network.  In time, I think Twitter might be something that teachers might eventually have access to. In the meantime, for those teacher who wish to begin using it, here is an article I learned about that might help some beginners get started: 30 Twitter Tips for Teachers

To find teachers using Twitter who teach in the same content area as you, check out: Twitter4Teacher Wiki

A Symposium on the Use of Video Games as Teaching Tools
The Third Annual Symposium, Presented by 1st Playable Productions, WMHT & Hudson Valley Community College

Save the date in 2009! The third annual Games in Education Symposium, free to educators from Pre-K to college faculty in the Capital Region, is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, August 5-6th and will take place at the Hudson Valley Community College. Stay tuned for a full schedule of events and more details on the Symposium.

Interested in participating? If you are a local educator using video games in the classroom, we’d like to include you in a workshop or panel where you can share what you have learned with other local educators. Let us know what you would like to share!

Information on our past presenters is available through our Resources page. To join our email list and receive notifications of updates send us an email.

* Kevin Dorsey, A STAR Discovery Educator from Schenectady City Schools, won a terrific door prize at this symposium last year!

Sometimes reading a quote or two can provide those “aha” moments  about values you believe in or things you want to achieve. Here is a book of quotes that can be a great gift or just something for you to read and enjoy.

http://www.simpletruths.com/flash_files/ibMOTQ/ibMOTQ.html

A  few weeks ago, a group of about 12 teachers from my district started a “book” club focusing on technology and literacy. To make a long story short, the books have not arrived yet so for the past few meetings we’ve been reading articles about emerging technologies in education.  Diane Wilkinson , the group facilitator and technology instructional specialist extraordinaire, chose some great reading to get our brains thinking and the discussions rolling.

Last night’s topic was cell phone usage in our schools. We have been a bit behind in talking about the issue in our district, but yes, we do have the “ban” policy.

Some of the questions that came from our discussion were:

1. Cell phones have tools that can take the place to tools districts are not providing for students.  Cell phones that students have have calculating and organizing capabilities not to mention built in photo and video tools. Web 2.0 applications readily available on the web can be downloaded for little or nothing onto phones .  Do we as educators have the obligation to tap into the tools the students already have and show them how they can be used for more than socializing or should we  deny students the use of the tools (they might have) because we don’t have them as resources to give to our students?

 2. The cell phone is a staple in our student’s world. Are  we doing them a disservice by not allowing them  and showing them how that tool can be used appropriately from 8am to 3pm while in school?

See excerpts of what Hall Davidson had to say at last year’s National Educational Computing Conference at http://ubiquitousthoughts.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/necc-2008-july-1-hall-davidson-on-cell-phones-in-education/.

Here are a few more articles or blog posts to ponder:

Making the Case for Cell Phones in Schools from Vicki Davis Cool Cat Teacher

Get Cell Phones Into Schools from Business Week

Cell Phone Curriculum - Wes Fryer

And for those of you who are still on the flip side:

Teens, Nude Photos and the Law - Newsweek

Explosion in Teen Texting May Have Unexpected Costs

Post your thoughts as a comment.

 For those of you who can find time to use your talents in the kitchen in-between blogging and tweeting, check out this wiki -  http://blogtweetcook.wikispaces.com/. What a cute and informative use for a wiki. I know I am going to link it to my class web page. Here is the first recipe I added to the site:http://blogtweetcook.wikispaces.com/Simple%20Ratatouille

Hmmm… those of you who add recipes and are DEN members, why not note you are from the DEN after your recipe post. Use this image if you like.

Wow! I  wanted so much to attend the DENny Awards last night, but unfortunately I had a prior commitment.  When I checked the national DEN blog and my email this morning I was really very surprised to learn I won one of the awards!

Back in December, I took a hiatus from posting to my blog. I had a very difficult task of prioritization due to the responsibilities of my job. Last September, I returned to the role of being a classroom teacher in my district. Previously, I was in the position of an Instructional Technology Facilitator, a position funded through a grant. I was in that position for eight years prior to this past September.

Upon returning to the classroom, I found it wasn’t as easy as I thought. Although I was teaching the same thing I did prior to being a technology facilitator, Family and Consumer Science, I felt like a was a new teacher. Changes in state curriculum, changes in building and district policy and changes in students made the task of getting reacquainted as a classroom teacher overwhelming.  It forced me to give up some of the things I previously did including my DEN blog, which I looked forward to and loved.

Needless to say, when I read my email this morning, I couldn’t believe anyone would  still remember my blog let alone consider it for an award. Although my blog was inactive for awhile, being in the classroom gave me a chance to use DEstreaming and all the wonderful tools we talk about with students. I couldn’t do that before. It has also given me a second chance to experience the “teacher perspective” of trying to juggle everything. Teachers really do have unique jobs and have to wear so many hats.

About a month ago I contacted Steve with questions about my blog in an effort to get started again. This seems as good a time as any to give it another go. I hope you will continue to follow and post your comments and thoughts as you learn about what I post and share it with your colleagues.  

Thank you DEN ( and everyone else) for following the “I Learn, You Learn, We Learn Blog! You are truly the best part of my personal learning network!

As we move towards the end of a year and the beginning of a new, it’s time to reflect and evaluate activities and priorities of the past and for the future. For this reason, I am going to be taking a hiatus from my blog.   

I am still honored to be part of the DEN and will continue doing whatever I can to support NY, and especially

Schenectady, in using Discovery and all they offer.  

Thanks to all who viewed, read, used and shared a resource, tip or technique; from the I Learn, You Learn, We Learn blog.  

Warmest wishes to everyone for a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season.

In the Teacher Tools section of  DEstreaming you can find themes to fit just about any topic.  Each theme includes video segments, lesson plans, discussion guides, related resources and student activities for each grade level.

* Before clicking on the link below, open a new window and log in to your DEstreaming account.

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This weeks theme is: Early American History

From the roadblocks faced by the Constitution’s framers to the three-dimensional personalities of our country’s founders, give students a well-rounded look at early American history.

 Web Wednesday is a feature of the online “Big Deal Book”. This Wednesday’s theme is Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy. Check out the book for more online deals. You’ll find everything from grant opportunities to free and inexpensive finds

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Stock Talk
Who was Dow Jones? What stock has been in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) since the DJIA started? What are the only Nasdaq stocks in the DJIA? See how well your students do in answering these and other stock-market questions in this online quiz. Then see below for ideas that will help you integrate financial literacy into your curriculum.

Dollars and Sense
The Stock Market Game™ program offers a vast library of learning materials correlated to national voluntary and state educational standards in Math, Business Education, Economics, English/Language Arts, Technology, Social Studies and Family, and Consumer Sciences.

The program teaches and reinforces critical-thinking and decision-making skills, cooperation and communication, independent research, and saving and investing. In playing The Stock Market Game, students use real Internet research and news updates, making the simulation an even better mirror of the real marketplace. Game dates, fees and competitions vary by local program.

Bull or Bear?
InvestWrite®, an innovative national writing competition produced by The Stock Market Game™ program, adds a critical-thinking component to help reinforce concepts learned in the classroom.

Every student currently registered in The Stock Market Game program with a valid team login ID and password is eligible. Students participate by writing essays in their grade division: Elementary (4–5), Middle School (6–8), High School (9–12).

Every InvestWrite assignment introduces or relates to investment principles linked to The Stock Market Game program. Each assignment ties to various lessons throughout the curriculum.

Both teachers and students will have a chance to win gift certificates, laptop computers and trips to New York City or Disney World in Orlando. To participate in the InvestWrite competition, you’ll need to complete the online pre-registration form. In addition, by December 5, 2008, you’ll need to submit a short and simple online entry form for each student’s entry.

 * Web Wednesday is a feature of The Big Deal Book - Amazing Resources for 21st Century Educators

If you love nature, beautiful photographs and inspiring music…you’re going to love this short inspirational movie.  

Click here to watch movie

Get a jump start on your classroom lesson plans for next week. Include DEstreaming video content and make history come alive for your students.   Visit the Calendar within the Teacher Center of DEstreaming for more videos of history during this week.**Note - Before clicking on the links below, sign in to your DEstreaming account

Science - Dec. 11 - 1719: First American sighting of Aurora Borealis

Math -Dec. 9 - 1968: First demonstration of the computer mouse

Social Studies  - Dec. 8 - 1941: U.S. declares war on Japan

Arts & Humanities - Dec. 12 -1913: Stolen Mona Lisa recovered

Language Arts -Dec. 13 - 1843: Dickens publishes A Christmas Carol

Health & Guidance - Dec. 11 -  1844: First use of a dental anesthetic

Famous People -Dec. 8 - 1765: Eli Whitney, American inventor

Dec. 7   Pearl Harbor Day

Image Above is of a work man reading about the attack of the Japanese on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It can be found and downloaded in the image section of DEstreaming.

Workman reads about the Pearl Harbor attack.. IRC. 2005.Discovery Education. 22 November 2008
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>