Summer to me

I made this video using animoto! It was pretty simple to use - I had to keep taking away pictures....who know 30 seconds was so short! :-) I also was disappointed I couldn't use music from iTunes, but I completely understand!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

I just want to say how much I am enjoying this project. It is so great to explore all these neat programs and be able to do it on my own time. I was reading an article this morning about professional development for teachers and one of the things they mentioned was how valuable and meaningful professional development can be when teachers have ownership over it. To me, that is what this is all about. We are teachers after all - dedicated to teaching AND learning - and being able to take ownership and responsibility for our own learning is key! Isn't that what we keep telling our kids!?!??!

Also, I want to encourage people to check out other folks' blogs - there are some really cool and exciting things people are doing - please leave comments! It's fun!
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and staying COOL!

Good Reads

I joined Good Reads today! It's this great website that catalogues books you've read and you can rate them and add reviews. I really like it becuase it also helps me find books that I might like! It's free and fun!

www.goodreads.com

Prezi

Hi all! So tonight I've been working on Prezi and I love it! I think it is a great new way to make presentations interesting and once I figured it out (which took me quite awhile) it is easy! I found out how to embed videos and that is much easier than PowerPoint. I also think it is a great way to map out ideas and concepts because you can zoom in and out - looking at details that make up the big picture!

This week I've been busy taking an AP Biology prep course at Goucher College and today we shared with our fellow teachers activities and lessons that work for us or that we've developed. One of the teachers showed how she uses Prezi and I got so excited that I knew what it was! When I got home tonight, I set straight to work trying to make a presentation for plants.

http://prezi.com/cp6rquhl3kd1/

PLANTS on Prezi

Wordle

Ok, to be honest, I really like this idea - I can see it used by students to figure out what the most important vocabulary words are or themes in a document....I might have them create these for a unit or units, but the interface, or useability of Wordle was just annoying. It took me awhile to figure out how to change the colors, how to make it what I wanted, and if you go away from the page by accident, you lose everything. Also, I tried to add the html code to my blog and it gives you this code after you finish so you can put it on a website or blog, but when I pasted the code the wordle bacame fuzzy. So I had to actually use my snipit tool to save it, then upload the image. Maybe there is an easier way, but I couldn't figure it out. So I'll have to think about this more. Maybe I create them? But then that loses the point.....hmm......

Photo manipulation

I used Picnik to make some collages of flowers and my trip to Longwood Gardens last year. I found it to be easy and was impressed by all the features I could take advantage of for free. There were some editing tools that you had to pay for which would have been nice, but overall, I think it would do for most things. I am not sure what I could use this for in my classroom, but I have to say, it is nice to know it is there! Sometimes you get an idea of something you want to do, and knowing what this program can do can help!

I had to save and edit each picture and then I made a collage. The popup feature helped me figure out how to do it because it walks you through the steps the first time - very helpful!

So I've been reading "Teach Like a Champion" and I really love it. The best thing about this book is that it gives the reader actionable techniques they can use in the classroom. Lemov describes scenarios and situations that every teacher has faced and using the techniques he shows you how you can fulfill your teaching philosophy. For example, if you want to have high expectations for your students (don't we all?!?), one way to do this is the No-opt Out method.

It is not good enough for a child to say "I don't know" and shrug off taking responsibility for their learning. It is important that students know that in your class everyone works and puts forth 100% effort. If they sincerely don't know an answer, you can cue them into it without giving it away, or have other members of the class do this. BUT this is the key: you never let the "I don't know" student off the hook. Always complete the circle and get them to answer the question. Even if you are repeating it - it's ok! They then see that you praise them for their effort and for ultimately getting the answer correct. These things in some ways are obvious and straight-forward, but this is just one example of 49 techniques! Also, I love that the book comes with a CD so you can actually watch the technique in action. Awesome!

Bookmarks

This morning I imported my bookmarks to google bookmarks. It was fairly easy once I figured out how to find the import/export button! But I still can't figure out how to organize them once I've imported....maybe I can't? I've still got to work on it some more and see if I can find a way, or if I have to organize them in explorer first.....will keep you posted!

I picked up "Teach Like a Champion" and "Drive" yesterday from the library and have started the first! So good! I will also update you on my thought about the book....

This morning

So this morning I had fun adding the Amazon.com Widget that includes some of the books I hope to read this summer. I am very excited to start reading the Doug Lemov book, "Teach Like a Champion" and Daniel Pink's "Drive." Below is a review of Doug Lemov's book by Pearl Rock Kane of the Klingenstein Institute:

OF NOTE
A Taxonomy with Direct Impact on Practice Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques That Put Students on the Path to College, by Doug LemovTo make engaged classroom participation an expectation, use cold call, one of the 49 techniques author Doug Lemov advocates in this extraordinary collection of practical approaches to increase student learning. Lemov, who started as an independent school teacher, has spent most of his career teaching and leading in the Uncommon Schools charter network that predominantly serves children who grow up in poverty. His passion is studying the techniques of teachers who get remarkable results in working with these students. Through meticulous observation and assessment, Lemov has succeeded in isolating practices that lead to increased academic achievement. The outcome of his studies is a taxonomy of well-described practices documented in a DVD of 30 second video clips that come with the book. The techniques hold the promise of increasing learning for all students. Lemov was featured in an article in the New York Times Magazine described in last months issue of Klingbrief.

Pearl Rock Kane, Klingenstein Center, NY

I have to pick it up from the library today! :-)

New Blog

So I've just created this new blog - Techurious! I'm excited about exploring these new resources this summer. I think this is a great idea because we can fiddle around and learn on our own time and to be honest, I think that is the best!

So far, I've looked at a few of the options, and I think I am going to be checking out bookmarking tomorrow. But I am a little concerned because it looks like for delicious.com you have to sign up to be a member of yahoo. I have so many usernames and passwords, it's hard to keep track of all of them! So I am also going to look into Google bookmarks just because I already have a gmail account. Having the ability to use and organize my bookmarks from any computer really appeals to me - right now they are so disorganized after I got my new tablet I never had a chance to reorganize them and import the old ones.

Wish me luck!