Sarah's Space

Thing 23- I MADE IT!

2010-01-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

I am a changed person. In one of my graduate classes we studied our current educational system- its structure, forms of assessment, ideologies. It was crystal clear that students who were able to succeed in such a system were typically rule followers, able to conform, thrived in orderly environments. The students who didn't learn in this setting were deemed "failures" when in fact, their learning styles were only addressed in classes such as art, PE, music, etc. and not in the academic classrooms. It so many cases, this cycle continues today. The idea of Web 2.0 really allows students the opportunity to experience learning in their own, most productive manner. Students can jump right over the lower levels of Bloom's taxonomic levels because they will be experiencing their learning in a way that suits their brain naturally. They can jump right up to the higher levels of thinking without stumbling over the comprehension of material presented in a way that is inconsistent with the way their brain functions.

Before 23 things, I looked at the use of technology in the classroom as an extra thing, a bonus. I now view it as essential in facilitating the learning of my students. The videos in Thing 16 was the climax of my paradigm shift. The challenge- reworking my curriculum so that I can make it happen.

My plans:
I've worked on a few things for Bermuda Triangle and have more stewing in my head regarding presentation and projects. Over the next year as I prepare for my units, my goal will be to incorporate a Web 2.0 tool into each unit. Additionally, I will share these ideas with my colleagues who happen to be very receptive to innovation.

Obviously Web 2.0 is fluid, so I have bookmarked the 23 Things page on delicious and will continually check it to see what is new. Each "Thing" is presented in a way that doesn't intimidate me, so I feel comfortable checking it frequently. I plan to show a few of my favorite colleagues this incredible resource!

Take aways: collaboration, flexibility, fluidity, higher level thinking, reaching all students, convenience, ever-changing, socially oriented

Thank you for the amazing opportunity!

Thing 22- Online video

2010-01-03T09:15:00.000-08:00

Online video is essential in instruction! Students LOVE it for multiple reasons- different voice, presentation format, creativity, it's cool, and on and on... I have used TeacherTube and YouTube in my classes in a few different ways. TeacherTube is easy to navigate and is specifically oriented toward instruction. Students like the change of pace in hearing a different voice and seeing a visual example. I have also used this in teaching grammar- Grammar Rocks is on both TeacherTube and YouTube. Until recently, YouTube has been blocked from our server at school but the teacher computers have been enabled. I use YouTube for timely/current event videos most recently for Veteran's Day. This "Thing" introduced me to SchoolTube and this site seeems to provide a platform for student projects and presentations. I watched one that a student created explaining direct and indirect objects. It was awesome! This goes back to Thing 16 which enables students to express themselves in a way which they find applicable and creative.

Thing 21- Twitter

2010-01-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

My first thought is "Who cares what I'm doing?" People (including me) are so nosy! Using twitter for school would be a major stretch for me, but I could see lots of personal uses. I have been anti-facebook for some time now because I just don't want to have something else to manage all the time. Twitter seems a little less time-consuming and I could easily use it with my new iPhone. With my phone I get unlimited data, but not phone minutes, so it could save me that way. However, texting seems to do the job. I think my main problem is that I can barely update my own brain, much less the rest of the world.

Thing 20- Bookmarking with del.icio.us

2010-01-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

http://delicious.com/sarahhelferich
The bookmarks I selected all have to do with an upcoming research project that I assign in my language arts classes. Students have to research the theories explaining the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. I plan to use my bookmarks as a starting point for students to complete the on-line portion of their research. I found this "Thing" extremely beneficial. I can see endless uses with social bookmarking for my professional resources, instructional resources, and personal resources. I initially wanted to organize the bookmarks with files, but realized that the tags are what can really help me sort what topics I wish to use. I also found it really useful, but kind of creepy, that I could view other people's bookmarks. Maybe someone out there does a Bermuda Triangle research project with their middle school students and could just look at my list, copy it, and use it! (I was secretly hoping one already existed for me to use...) How efficient!

Thing 19- Intro to Social Bookmarking

2010-01-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

This must be an invaluable resource for those already using social bookmarking. The first group I thought of is the Literacy Coaches Network. This would be a great way to communicate in and around the toolkit. Also, I can see departments working together across districts, teachers working across teams, school improvement teams working together across the community. As I described in an earlier post, it is like you are working with people on the same team without having to get together to meet. It is another resource at your disposal!

Thing 18- Building Your Personal Learning Network

2010-01-01T15:50:00.000-08:00

I checked on the Ning home page and was completely overwhelmed, so I continued down the list. I really like the MACUL PLN. It makes you feel like you are having discussions with others who are on your team. It is a great resource for finding advice or assistance when trying to experiment with various tools in Web 2.0 from a personal or professional standpoint. The collaborative atmosphere is very valuable. I also found the REMC bid list very interesting. I was even looking for a projector for a colleague as I searched the products available. If this isn't a well known resource for the purchaser at our school, it will be on Monday! The main problem that I could foresee with PLNs is time management. It seems like a lot of material to sort through when only a limited amount of time is available. The RSS feed seems like a more efficient way of sorting through information, but doesn't provide the collaboration that the PLN does. I guess each circumstance should be dealt with on an individual basis.

Thing 17- More Web 2.0 winners

2010-01-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

In trying to find something most applicable to what I teach, I selected docstacs. After a few enlightening searches in the teachers category as well as 7th grade english, I stumbled upon white papers. Yikes! In this day and age, plagiarism is a cinch! I was shocked by the number of papers that students could download and claim as their own. I have been so naive to think that they wouldn't do such a thing, but when it is sitting out there, it has to be tempting. This provides me with even more motivation for students to create unique and decisive projects in class.

I was pleasantly surprised by the How-To guides and other useful documents provided by this award winning 2.0 tool.

Thing 16- Teach Digital

2010-01-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

These videos forced me to look at the end product- what is the purpose of being a teacher? Is my job to prepare the students for the next grade level and to pass the next test? Or, is it to inspire and empower the students so that they may be successful in life? These videos really made me see how today's learners are so dynamic and our system of delivering instruction is so archaic. From curriculum to delivery of instruction to MEAP, I think our profession needs to take a stand just like the students in the videos. It is entirely true that we are educating students for the jobs that we were trained for. Many of those jobs will no longer exist and we haven't even come to realize what will exist when our students hit the workplace. This idea is what hit me the most. We need to be teaching our students how to be flexible, good communicators, and nurture each person's innate creativity. This new learning will change my teaching forever.

Thing 15- How to use Podcasts in Schools

2010-01-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

I keep bringing up my 9th grade daughter, but she constantly has her headphones in her ears and we need to interrupt her "listening" to talk with her. I can definitely see the use of a podcast to supplement instruction and provide extensions to classroom activities. The typical teenager naturally uses this type of media for their enjoyment, why not make it educational?! I'd be most likely to have students help, as suggested, in finding appropriate and useful podcasts. The next step may be to share them in class, similar to the use of teacher tube, and then eventually have students responsible for accessing the information on their own. The potential for extension for students who are "gifted" or "bored" is limitless when using podcasts. The major hurdle continues to be accessibility. If it is required, then we must provide the access. This is the area that I could foresee any major issues with administration.

Thing 14- Learn About Podcasting

2010-01-01T13:44:00.000-08:00

One podcast I have selected to use is Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. The pendulum has swung and now we are back to teaching grammar through direct instruction. To spice things up a bit, on Fridays I am going to use a grammar girl lesson and quiz to review rules with each of my classes.

Another podcast I have selected to use is Booktalks Quick and Simple by Nancy Keane. The booktalk podcast will be perfect for our school's celebration of March is Reading Month. In our daily video announcements during the month of March we include book talks and are always scrambling for titles and talkers. This list provides hundreds of booktalks already complete! (We just have to enhance the booktalk with a photo of the cover.)

Thing 13- Sharing Your Vision

2010-01-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

I actually completed this Thing last because I wanted to create a holiday card/slideshow for friends and family. I started on ZohoShow and found it difficult to use. I ended up using Power Point and Slideshare. It ended up to be time-consuming because I created a new powerpoint but the actual embedding was a cinch.

I will be sure to use this tool with students in group projects and presentations. They can revise and add information from their homes and then I can view each product for assessment purposes or they can present to the class.

2009 In Review

View more presentations from sarahhelferich.

Thing 12- Productivity Anywhere you have a browser

2009-12-05T15:12:00.000-08:00

Bubbl.us is a great brainstorming/webbing site. I can see using this in the gradual release of instruction for my Bermuda Triangle research project. I can use this to model, have students practice with peers, and then do their own when they have completed the research. I liked it because it was simple to use and modify. I would be able to tell if students were on the right track and had enough details and examples with just a quick glance.

Zoho show seems to be much like the idea of google docs, except formatted as a presentation. Using the same concept as Google docs, the presentation can be shared without having to e-mail it. Students could also put together a class project, each person/group adding a slide.

The Diigo site would be perfect for student use in a research project. Students can add or visit a set collection of sites that gets them on the right track in their research. I can see this functioning much like the teacher who had students blogging as a study hall.

As we delve deeper into Web 2.0 I can see the process and experiences of educating children becoming vastly different that the way we currently deliver instruction. From my amateur view, I can see all of my instruction being anchored from my Teacher Blog. All of the assignments and projects would be much more student driven with me as the facilitator rather than the deliverer of all pertinent information. Once the issues of hardware are addressed, it will certainly be the means by which students experience school. I sure am glad that I have taken part in this course now!

Thing 11- Online Productivity Applications

2009-12-05T14:54:00.000-08:00

It seems certain that Google docs will replace the current Microsoft Office applications. I would bet that in the short term as many of these software companies merge we will see a Microsoft brand of on-line productivity applications.

As is always the challenge, students without a home computer or internet access need a way to research, communicate, and word process school work. Google docs would allow them to do what they need to do without worrying about compatible software and keeping track of jump drives. So many times students have sent or brought me papers on jump drives or through e-mail that my computer didn't recognize. If students were to create their papers and projects on Google docs, we could just access them off of my teacher computer in the classroom to print, view, or grade.

I think it would make perfect sense for me to set all of my students up at the beginning of the year with a google account so that they could all have the capability to create projects and presentations without the issues that software brings. Now, if we could just get them all reliable internet access and the hardware, we'd be all set! It is so sad that the hardware has to be such a limiting factor when there is so much amazing technology out there.

Thing 10- Make a Wiki

2009-12-04T18:28:00.001-08:00

How simple! Creating a wiki is easier than the creation of a blog. The only thing I am finding difficult is how to plug the wiki into my blog.

I can see using the wiki as a tool for collaboration between Literacy coaches in our district, as well as other Professional Learning communities. I can also see this providing a great medium for collaborative projects with students in the classroom.

Thing 9- Wikis

2009-12-04T17:26:00.000-08:00

The Coolest Cat site is amazing! What enthusiasm! I added this as a feed into my Google reader. The collaboration she describes in the projects sounds like it is of high quality and highly effective. The collaboration that wikis encourage as tools for reviewing for tests is extraordinary and meaningful. Wikis also seem to provide a unique and creative authentic assessment.

Thing 8- Interesting RSS Feeds

2009-12-04T16:03:00.000-08:00

During Thing 7 I spent a lot of time finding pertinent feeds, but I did add a Best of the Web blog for grammar in this activity. This feed provides all sorts of grammar hints and will be beneficial as we intensively teach grammar on a daily basis- it is BACK!

I was most intrigued in finding personal blogs. I just can't imagine having the time to blog on a personal and private level as some people do! Wow, this was eye-opening!

In case anyone were to find my posts interesting, I've added an RSS feed to this blog.

Thing 7- RSS Feeds

2009-12-04T15:11:00.000-08:00

Since I haven't ever really used the internet for getting my daily news, it was a challenge for me to find 5 RSS feeds that I might actually enjoy. I did find that most major sites offer feeds and I think I will benefit from these as far as "ease of use" is concerned. Hopefully these feeds will keep me abreast of new and fresh ideas regarding teaching, parenting, and other things in which I am interested.

I can see this being beneficial for students during a project when students need to find specific information and I only want them to use certain resources. Providing them with an RSS feed will focus the searches of the students.

Thing 6- Copyrights & Fair Use

2009-12-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

What have you been told that you may have discovered is incorrect?
I was under the impression that anything a person copies, including photos, needed to have credits given. I also thought that using any copyrighted material without permission was illegal.

What things that you believed about copyright have now been challenged?
I thought that copyright was cut and dry, but now I understand the concept of Fair Use. It is a relief to know that educators can use copyrighted material in their teaching without having to cut through a bunch of red tape.

What new things do you think you will incorporate into your teaching practice now that you know the reality vs. myths.
I won't be nervous to copy pages of a book or a photograph for use in a lesson. I will be more likely to incorporate these types of resources into my lessons.

Thing 5- Photo Mashups

2009-12-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

Well, after this experience, I told my daughter that I just might have to join Facebook so that I can have the coolest wall! I love the character strips- you can do so much with these! I currently use a powerpoint slide for my daily agenda. I could see myself switching to a blog with many of these eye-catching tools! Or, at least applying them into my powerpoint slides. Now I am getting excited. How do you like my new header?

Thing 4- Photo Sharing

2009-12-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

I recently spoke with another educator about the challenges of having students make connections between a piece of literature and their own experiences. One of her strategies was to display a photo or piece of visual art on her data projector that had an obvious connection between what her class was reading. The task was for students to use the visual as a writing prompt and comment on the connectivity. As the year progressed, the visuals became more obscure and less obvious and gradually students were able to stretch their thinking to create these connections. My first question for her was "Where do you find all of the pictures?"

Photo sharing is a perfect tool for finding these visual prompts and could be applied across the curriculum! I hadn't ever thought about the usefulness of photo sharing in the realm of school. It could be used endlessly in conjunction with teaching to show students photos of people and places they are studying. In a more dramatic manner, students could create photo essays and share them on Picasa. I'm sure the students could even come up with more creative and useful ideas.

Thing 3- 7 1/2 Habits

2009-12-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

The easiest of the 7 1/2 habits for me to manage is the 4th one- having confidence in myself as a competent and effective learner. I can think of at least three areas of my life in which this habit applies.
1) My first instinct is to respond with my learning how to be an effective parent. I feel like I am fumbling through this particular challenge without knowing the answers to anything! I seek out and appreciate the advice of other resources that might be able to provide me with support or knowledge.
2) The second way that I feel like I am an effective learner is in my household projects. My dad happens to have a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to home improvement. My husband and I bought a 100 year old house seven years ago and it has needed serious improvements! Throughout this time period, I have often sought the advice from my dad on how to fix things, starting first with changing a light fixture. Now I regularly complete plumbing, electrical, and construction, as well as aesthetic changes to the house. I attribute my success in this area only to taking the risk of learning how to accomplish these projects. The projects in and of themselves are quite easy, but my dad has taken the intimidation out of the equation and made learning the processes enjoyable.
3) I should probably comment on my teaching, as well. Within 4 years, I went from teaching 5th grade to 7th grade math to 7th grade language arts. Needless to say, one cannot be intimidated about learning when changing grade levels and subjects! Seeking the expertise of my colleagues is a daily occurrence!

The most difficult of the 7 1/2 habits for me to apply is definitely the concept of Play. Who has time for that!? My nature is very task-oriented and I am totally a list checker. Too many chores to do, too little time! In overcoming my difficulty with the idea of play, I am going to set aside time, just as I have carved out time for this course, to implement many of the Web 2.0 concepts into a family oriented blog space to share with relatives who are thousands of miles away. This will be my one and only New Year's Resolution!

Thing 2- Blogs

2009-11-02T16:52:00.000-08:00

What makes a good blog?
I really appreciate well organized blogs with clear headings. I also found that I like bold faced words that highlight key concepts and important points in each post.

How can blogs enhance your existing school's website?
Teacher blogs can provide the bridge between daily lesson plans in the classroom and grades posted on the grading program for parents to view. Our middle school students are transitioning from the elementary school where parents and teachers can closely monitor assignment completion and progress to the high school when students should be much more independent. The teacher blog with weekly plans and assignments can provide a valuable tool for both students and parents.

In addition, the blog can provide a format for students to respond to a prompt or present a project in a public setting. With an authentic audience, students are more likely to prepare a high quality assignment.

Are blogs an easier way to self-publish?
Once you get through the logistics of learning to post on a blog, it is an incredibly simple way to self-publish. As mentioned earlier, the bar is raised when students have an authentic audience. It seems like a natural setting for the technology savvy students that enter our classrooms.

23 Things- The First Thing

2009-10-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Blogging with a group of strangers is throwing me out of my comfort zone. Unlike my teenager who seems to be more candid when texting/facebooking/IMing, etc., I feel like I need to be careful and make sure that what I say is meaningful and important. With a professional audience I feel like the bar is raised! Perhaps this concept is the true challenge of the course for me- to stretch my thinking and communicating as a professional.