The rapid pace of the changes in the world today can be overwhelming!  One of the biggest challenges of being an educator in the 21^st Century is keeping current with our instructional practices.  I have subscribed to a few blogs I have found to be extremely helpful to me in my work as an instructional leader.  Kathy Schrock’s Kaffeeklatsch is one of my favorite blogs. Webster defines kaffeeklatsch as an informal gathering to drink coffee and chat.”  Kathy is Director of Technology, for Nauset Public Schools, Orleans, MA.  Additionally, she began authoring her own digital Resource Guide for Educators, which she started in 1995 to share her online resources with others.  Since 1999, Discovery Education has hosted her digital resource guide.  Kathy also has a reputation of being a “gadget queen” and up-to-date on the latest and greatest in K-12 education.  Kathy Schrock’s blog is filled with everything from tips about gadgets, Web 2.0 applications, and software/hardware issues to sound pedagogical practices tested, tried, and proven to work with students.  This is an incredible resource to utilize as an educator striving to keep current on instructional practices that work.   

The Thinking Stick is another one of my favorites.  Jeff Utecht authors this blog.  Jeff currently serves in a role as the Elementary Technology and Learning Coordinator at the International School Bangkok.  He has worked in five different schools in four different countries as well as consulted internationally.  Jeff’s message in his work is grounded in understanding the uniqueness that each school culture brings with it and embracing the diversities of  your schools leads to deeper more meaningful learning.  Jeff often times posts commentaries on technology in education articles written by visionary leaders in the field.  One of my favorite posts I still refer to often is Evaluating Technology Use in the Classroom.

TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas worth Spreading.  It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design.  Since then its scope has become ever broader.  On this blog, viewers are able to view and listen to riveting talks by remarkable people, free!  One of my all time favorites is Dan Pink on the science of motivation. 

Gardner speaks about the need to “cultivate the five minds and illustrate the best ways to do so.  My advice would be to begin by subscribing to the three blogs I have mentioned above and then read, think, and do! 

Posted on June 22nd, 2010 by Terri Stice
Filed under: Uncategorized