Hello everyone out there in the tech universe! After attending a tech conference in February of this year, I decided that I really needed to "jump on the tech bandwagon!" There are SO many teachers all around the world that are using the most amazing technology in their classrooms and I, although I am ahead of some, am far behind a lot of them! So far I have implemented twitter and skype in the classroom and I am really seeing the value as we learn how to best use both of those resources. I also have received an iPad by being a tech coach at my school (a job I willingly accepted!) and have been starting to use it as a tool for inquiry and learning in my classroom.
Looming over my head has been a desire to check out the "world of blogging"! As a college student I was obsessed, as were the rest of my friends, with livejournal. Livejournal was a way to blog (very similar to weebly) and share ideas with friends and those out in "cyber world". I loved having an outlet to write my thoughts and ideas, an outlet where I would receive feedback and advice. I felt like my voice was being heard and my thoughts were being listened to. It was a great writing, reflecting and critical thinking tool for me that I really valued during that time in my life!
Since the era of facebook, I have shifted all of that "idea forming" into simple status updates and picture-tagging and there is a part of me that really misses writing and documenting my feelings, thoughts, and ideas.
Since I'm a mega-nerd-teacher that thinks about teaching 24-7 I figured a teaching blog would be a great way to voice all of my thoughts about teaching, education, and inspiring students! Not only will this weebly be a way for me to excercise my writing skills and feel like my voice is being heard, but it will also be (hopefully!) a place where my students will be able to voice their thoughts, opinions, and pieces of writing in a way that they feel like they are being heard.
I've found many great articles on the value of educational blogging such as: http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/3721
http://suite101.com/a/5-benefits-for-creating-a-classroom-environment-for-student-blogs-a285167
http://primarytech.global2.vic.edu.au/information-about-educational-blogging/
http://supportblogging.com/Educational+Blogging
http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/08/27/why-my-six-year-olds-blog.aspx
and many more that I would love to post if only my school's internet protection would stop filtering out the world "blog" when I search for it! Ahhh! All in due time :-)
So, there is my first entry! I'm excited and passionate (surprise, surprise!) about starting this blog and eventually, hopefully!, having my students blog as well!
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“Teaching in the Internet age means we must teach tomorrow’s skills today.” – Jennifer Fleming
"Teachers need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum instead of viewing it as an add-on, an afterthought, or an event." – Heidi-Hayes Jacobs
“We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.” – David Warlick
“It is not about the technology; it’s about sharing knowledge and information, communicating efficiently, building learning communities and creating a culture of professionalism in schools. These are the key responsibilities of all educational leaders”. – Marion Ginapolis
“Education is evolving due to the impact of the Internet. We cannot teach our students in the same manner in which we were taught. Change is necessary to engage students not in the curriculum we are responsible for teaching, but in school. Period.” – April Chamberlain
Looming over my head has been a desire to check out the "world of blogging"! As a college student I was obsessed, as were the rest of my friends, with livejournal. Livejournal was a way to blog (very similar to weebly) and share ideas with friends and those out in "cyber world". I loved having an outlet to write my thoughts and ideas, an outlet where I would receive feedback and advice. I felt like my voice was being heard and my thoughts were being listened to. It was a great writing, reflecting and critical thinking tool for me that I really valued during that time in my life!
Since the era of facebook, I have shifted all of that "idea forming" into simple status updates and picture-tagging and there is a part of me that really misses writing and documenting my feelings, thoughts, and ideas.
Since I'm a mega-nerd-teacher that thinks about teaching 24-7 I figured a teaching blog would be a great way to voice all of my thoughts about teaching, education, and inspiring students! Not only will this weebly be a way for me to excercise my writing skills and feel like my voice is being heard, but it will also be (hopefully!) a place where my students will be able to voice their thoughts, opinions, and pieces of writing in a way that they feel like they are being heard.
I've found many great articles on the value of educational blogging such as: http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/3721
http://suite101.com/a/5-benefits-for-creating-a-classroom-environment-for-student-blogs-a285167
http://primarytech.global2.vic.edu.au/information-about-educational-blogging/
http://supportblogging.com/Educational+Blogging
http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/08/27/why-my-six-year-olds-blog.aspx
and many more that I would love to post if only my school's internet protection would stop filtering out the world "blog" when I search for it! Ahhh! All in due time :-)
So, there is my first entry! I'm excited and passionate (surprise, surprise!) about starting this blog and eventually, hopefully!, having my students blog as well!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Teaching in the Internet age means we must teach tomorrow’s skills today.” – Jennifer Fleming
"Teachers need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum instead of viewing it as an add-on, an afterthought, or an event." – Heidi-Hayes Jacobs
“We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.” – David Warlick
“It is not about the technology; it’s about sharing knowledge and information, communicating efficiently, building learning communities and creating a culture of professionalism in schools. These are the key responsibilities of all educational leaders”. – Marion Ginapolis
“Education is evolving due to the impact of the Internet. We cannot teach our students in the same manner in which we were taught. Change is necessary to engage students not in the curriculum we are responsible for teaching, but in school. Period.” – April Chamberlain