To restate my goals again, I’m working on modeling digital age work and learning and also engaging in professional growth and leadership.
I’m quickly finding numerous websites to incorporate into my teaching, but as far as reliable examples that deal with student blogging it’s hard to know what to look for. The internet is overwhelmed with examples and blogs, etc. It’s difficult to narrow it down. I’m beginning to think I may just build on what my students did last year. I have all of their wiki postings and may just use that as a base and start from there. I feel like I’ve done something completely different every year. I’d like to start with something I’m already familiar with and build upon that. Is that something I can do? This will be my fifth year as a teacher and I’d like to start building. Hope that makes sense.
Joining or even finding out about professional communities has been very difficult. Fellow teachers are difficult to reach during the summer. However, fellow cohort Marilyn suggested the following website (http://www.edutopia.org/). I’ve been able to look it over and they provide a discussion board for many things, but for middle school teachers in particular. I think that’s fabulous! I love hearing from all teachers, but what works in other grades may not work in the mid-level. Thanks, Marilyn!
Edutopia (2010) also presents 10 tips for project learning!! I hope my fellow teachers can check it out. You may find it useful! Click here for a direct link!
I’m still taking any suggestions! Also, helpful links that you’ve used are a plus! Keep them coming!
Valerie Gerdes
MS-English
Edutopia. (2010). The George Lucas Educational Foundation. Retrieved July 27, 2010, from http://www.edutopia.org/
Valerie,
ReplyDeleteI completely understand about wanting to go off what you have already built. I will starting my 4 year of teaching in the fall and sometimes as I sit a prepare things I feel like I am back at the first. There is nothing wrong with sticking to what works. I feel that sometimes we hear a lot about having to redo content and keep up with the ever changing world of education that we never stop to see what worked. I say if students enjoyed the lesson and it was engaging and interesting then stick with it.
Allison :)
Valerie
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to technology in the classroom I find that I am constantly changing from year to year and from week to week often. Because of the planning and preparation I have learned that if a lesson with technology is not give appropriate time I have to make changes often until I mastered that lesson with what particular technology tool that I have used. Do not fret, you may find yourself and your lessons evolving as much as technology itself evolves. And I agree with Allison, if students are engaged in the lesson and have reached the objective of the lesson stay with it.
Fayette :-)
I can see where you might feel that you need to stay with what you have. There is no law that will make the lesson plan police come and take you away for doing something that works another year in a row. I have to stress though it has to work and be effective. I wish there were lesson plan police to take some teachers away when they use the same old stuff that lacks so many skills students need. With that in mind, I think that you have a good start and need to know that with your research and resources that you are uncovering you should be able to identify things that you can take and use to enhance other lessons to make them even better.
ReplyDeleteYou are just like me at times I think...second guessing yourself maybe?? I know that you would change a lesson that did not work or was effective with what you wanted the outcome to be.
Marilyn Goodrich
K-12 Ed. Con.
That should have read....."or was not effective..."
ReplyDeleteSorry....