Monthly Archives: February 2005

“Power to Learn” Laptop Initiative

Cobb County School System

in Georgia is planning a laptop initiative to give Apple iBooks to

63,000 students  and teachers in Grades 6-12. The school board

votes March 9. They are in the midst of several community informational

sessions on the laptop proposal. The details are available on Cobb’s “Power to Learn” Web site.

Last Wednesday they had one of the informational meetings. See the Laptops in spotlight article in the AJC (Atlanta

Journal Constitution). I’ve been following with great interest the

discussions. It’s a hot issue – lots of pros and cons.

What I really love is that blogs are being used to promote learning and discussion about the issues.

The AJCblog Get Schooled, billed as “your source of information and conversation about education in Georgia and the nation” posts about Cobb’s Laptop Extravaganza

This is terrific though. One of the middle schools, Mabry Middle

School, is front and  center in the discussion. The principal, Dr.

Tyson, is leading the discussion on his blog, From the Desk of Dr.Tyson.  He praises one of his

students for speaking out at one of the meetings. (way to go!) 

Here are a couple of excerpts from his post Tonight’s Informational Meeting.  

I found it interesting that one of our students was so outraged by what

he found to be offensive and uniformed remarks made by one of the first

adults to speak in the open forum, that he immediately found Mrs.

DeBardeleben to ask her if he could speak at the microphone.  She was a

little worried that he was too angry to speak.  But our student held

back his anger and was able to effectively articulate why he believed

his having a laptop would enhance his achievement in school.  Way to

go, Ben!  I was proud of you.

Several of our students chose, on their own, to speak.  And

every single one of them did an excellent job.  As one very impressed

parent from another school told me, “Dr. Tyson, your students did you

proud tonight.”  Yes, indeed, they did!

And another post, Please Feel Free to Print & Distribute, tells his readers to click on a picture to download a PDF document  Mabry

has prepared for them. He goes on to ask his readers to print and distribute it to help inform

our community about The Power to Learn.

Plus, it appears all the teachers at this school have blogs. Go here for  Check out the Mabry Teachers Blogs drop down menu.

Now I didn’t see any student blogs but you just have to think that’s

coming, especially if the laptop proposal goes through. Right now the

blogs appear to be mainly informational and for communication. The

students created a video explaining teacher use of the blogs.

You can be sure I’ll be following this, as well as all these new blogs. I love to see principals leading the way!

Random Thoughts

This blog, Random Thoughts, starts off………..


I find that I am unsure about blogging, not how to do it or even how to

use it, but more why I would have a blog and who would want to read it.

I am a pretty private person, and this seems pretty public! Besides, I

am not all that interesting!

Nancy, you are very interesting. I

have been reading your blog for a while now and your observations,

thoughts and ideas are great. Also, you will really help others as they

start their journey blogging.

There are so many things that I have learned so far, but I think one of

the most important is the fact that blogging gives us the chance to

connect with people in a way that not much else does.

It’s all about connections. You got right to the heart of the matter. (and early on!)

Nancy continues to share her learning about how to make links, what

blogs are, Bloglines, feeds, RSS,  and she makes you feel like you

are right there with her.

Then came her post on Teaching Writing and her reaction to Philip Pullman’s article, Common Sense Has Much to Learn from Moonshine.

I think that Pullman’s thoughts lend credence to the idea of blogging.

If students are captivated by technology or if they have trouble

putting pen to paper for some reason, blogging could be considered

“play”. It is less threatening, I think than traditional writing

activities. Also, the study he talks about found that “giving them

formal instruction in grammar turns out not to be of any use; getting

them actually writing seems to help a great deal more.” So maybe

assigning a certain number of blog posts a week runs contrary to the

freedom of the Internet or something, but it would not seem to run

contrary to good pedagogic practice.

Nancy ponders the article and invites response. I read that article and it’s terrific. My favorite part is the ending lines:

True education flowers at

the point when delight falls in love with responsibility. If you love

something, you want to look after it. Common sense has much to learn

from moonshine.

I believe blogs can help make this happen.

Nancy’s recent post, Building an Online Community with my Students,

is excellent. Be sure to read it. I know you’ll want to keep following

her blog. I plan to. Nancy was one of the participants in the EV Online

Class. It sure is encouraging to see all these emerging bloggers enter the weblogging world! Welcome! Welcome!

—–

A Math Weblog to Note!

Pre-Cal 40S

I love this blog! Math was not my favorite subject in school but this makes me think I might have grown to love math if I had had a teacher like Mr. Kuropatwa. I work with a lot of math professors and this weblog is going to be a great example to show them.

Mr. Kuropatwa’s tag line is:

An interactive log for students and parents in my Pre-Cal 40S class.nThis ongoing dialogue is as rich as YOU make it. Visit often and post your comments freely. He says the blog is a place to talk about what’s happening in class, to ask a question you
didn’t get a chance to answer in class, for parents to know what’s going on, to share knowledge with others and most importantly…….a place to reflect on what they’re learning.

He gives these directions for the posting by the students:

The kind of post I’d like you to make should have one or more of these characteristics:

  • A reflection on a particular class (like the first two paragraphs above).
  • A reflective comment on your progress in the course.
  • A comment on something that you’ve learned that you thought was “cool”.
  • A comment about something that you found very hard to understand but nowyou get it! Describe what sparked that “moment of clarity” and what it felt like.
  • Have you come across something we discussed in class out there in the “real world” or another class? Describe the connection you made.
  • Respond to a Blogging Prompt

He places interesting pictures on the blog and asks thought-provoking questions, tells what he wonders and does all of this in a very upbeat manner. See Around the Benz. This post, Circular Functions, by Adrien G is awesome. Here’s the beginning:

We have spent hours on this subject. I have found that this blog has helped alot with my learning compared to last semesters blogless course. It has allowed me to get another perspective to a subject that I have never really understood. The extra help given from websites that revolve around pre-cal is invaluable knowledge. These sites have helped me see what we are talking about in a more pictoral environment.

That’s the beginning. Go read the rest. The conversations being shared as they are learning Pre-Cal are amazing I found myself reading throught the entire blog and learned a lot in the process. I hope we see lots more math weblogs like this!

Patrick’s Passionate Post

Drum roll for…………………………

Mrs. Smith

Mrs. Roper

Sam DeVore

Nancy McKeand

Kim Peddle

Mr. Kuropatwa

Steve Dembo

Pat Street

Tim Merritt

Joyce Hooper

Many, many thanks for responding to Patrick’s passionate post about passing fifth grade. He has been out on a week long break from school. I can’t wait to see his face when he returns and reads all the encouraging responses. Ahhhhh, the wonder of weblogs! Just think, he has heard from 10 people already! A secretary, a PE teacher, an independent software developer, a teacher in an intensive English program in a small college in Louisiana, an elementary teacher from Minnesota, a Pre-Cal teacher, a director of technology in Chicago, an author, an educational technologist, and a principal. Wow! Now those are just titles, the real message is that behind those titles are people making a difference in the lives of others. (Through weblogs!!!!!) They took the time to comment from their own very unique perspectives to cheer along a very special student. I know Patrick and those words will be carried in his heart for a long time. Where else but weblogs could we get such a cross-section of caring & sharing?
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Will’s on Fire!

This has been a crazy week. I have been on “thinking overload” and  “information overload”. It’s one of those weeks when I just can’t get to blogging and good posts are flying and I can’t stop and join the conversation. I need to take my own advice, right?

Alejandro, one of my fifth graders, is making creative use of our language. I love it and a couple of his expressions fit right in with all the outstanding blogging Will has been doing lately.

Alejandro quips:

It was October already and the weblogers were on fire with ideas.

Then he followed up with this:

 It was February already, and we were like cheetahs running at top speed.

All this has been on his post so aptly named, My Fist of Learning Power.

Well, Will has been on fire and is like a cheetah running at top speed! (Thanks, Alejandro!)

Will on Blogs Are Content:

But the one thing the blog allows me to do that I could not do easily in my classroom before is to link, to connect ideas, to make transparent my thinking about those ideas, and to have others link to them and do the same. I’ve been down this road before, I know, many times in fact. But it is the essential piece of Weblogs to me: blogs allow me to create content in ways I could not before, not just post what I could create otherwise in a different form. And in the essence of that creation I use and learn all of those skills that will serve me in my lifelong learning that were (I think) much more difficult for me to learn before: close reading, critical thinking about information, clear and concise writing for a real audience, editing, and reflection, all of it understanding that whatever truth I may put forth will continue to be negotiated by readers and more reading. This, by the very nature of the process, develops reading, writing, information, collaboration and computing literacies, literacies which I think most of us would agree are going to be crucial in navigating what’s ahead.

Now, this, as well as his many other good posts, got me to thinking about my Teachers & Technology class.  I have a course to teach and it is content and technology overload. I’d be remiss though if I didn’t introduce them to weblogs and try to share this with them. Here’s my attempt today – Your Voice Counts!  Class starts in 10 minutes. More later…..


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DavisLinks

    Anne Davis

Weblog/Weblog Projects Links

EduBlog Insights
http://anne.teachesme.com
current main weblog

ITC Insights
http://anvil.gsu.edu/ITCInsights
or
http://www.schoolblogs.com/itcinsights
my first weblog

The Write Weblog
http://itc.blogs.com/thewriteweblog
Current school weblog project
(School year 2004-2005) with students and faculty at J. H. House

- goal is to get principal, instructional technology specialist and

other teachers at an elementary school blogging and exploring

possbilities with students.)
Student Weblogs from The Write Weblog Project
also known as “The Blooming Bloggers” (fifth graders)
Adrieana’s

Weblog                                              

http://itc.blogs.com/Adrieana
Alejandra’s

Corner                                             

http://itc.blogs.com/Alejandra
Alejandro’s

Cave of

Mystery                             

http://itc.blogs.com/Adrieano
Ashley’s

Maze                                                    

http://itc.blogs.com/Ashley
Estefany”s

Mind                                                 

http://itc.blogs.com/Estefany
Jhonathan’s

Treehouse                                     

http://itc.blogs.com/Jhonathan
Juan’s

Weblog Center                

                   

   

http://itc.blogs.com/Juan
Lacey’s

Weblog                                                  

http://itc.blogs.com/Lacey
Marcoss

Seaworld of

Facts                              

http://itc.blogs.com/Marcos
Maria’s

Mansion                                               

http://itc.blogs.com/Maria
Patrick’s

Update                                                

http://itc.blogs.com/Patrick
Paulina’s

Club                                                   

http://itc.blogs.com/Paulina
Shelby’s

Rollercoaster                                   

http://itc.blogs.com/Shelby
Yessenia’s

Weblog                                            

http://itc.blogs.com/Yessenia

Faculty Weblogs from The Write Weblog Project
Principal’s Quest              

                   

   

http://itc.blogs.com/PrincipalsQuest
Counselor’s Cornerr                

               

http://itc.blogs.com/counselorscorner
House Highlights               

                   

  

http://itc.blogs.com/househighlights
EduBlog Quest               

                   

    

http://anvil.gsu.edu/EduBlogQuest
Babin’s Weblog                

                   

   

http://itc.blogs.com/Babin
Lane’s Weblog               

                   

    

http://itc.blogs.com/Lane
McCuller’s Weblog                

                 

http://itc.blogs.com/McCullers
Rikard’s Weblog               

                   

  

http://itc.blogs.com/Rikard
Teachers & Technology (Course IT3210)
http://it3210.blogspot.com
This

is a  class weblog for IT3210 at Georgia State University during

the spring 2005 semester.  The course focuses on the creation of a

learning environment through the use of technology.

Student weblogs for the IT3210 Teachers & Technology Course
Students used the weblogs to display course material and to discuss  instructional technology.
Sara’s

Weblog  

                   

                                  

http://saraallgood.blogspot.com/           

Bethany’s

Thoughts                  

 

                            

http://bethany24.blogspot.com/           

Addie

                   

                                                

http://mac555.blogspot.com/               

Laquimah”s

Funpage                                             

http://laquimahsweblog.blogspot.com/    

Amanda”s

Blog                                                       

http://man1112.blogspot.com/            

Sara’s

Weblog                  

                   

                  

http://saraallgood.blogspot.com/           

Zacky’s

Story                                                            

http://yoni14.blogspot.com/              

Jovannah”s

Corner                                                  

http://jovannaebanks.blogspot.com/    

Christen’s

Tech

Talk                                                

http://christengtech.blogspot.com/      

IT3210

                   

                   

                   

         http://jph3.blogspot.com/                

Claire’s

Corner                                                         

http://alliedapple.blogspot.com/        

The

World of Crystal               

                   

            

http://crystalhong.blogspot.com/        

College

Life                  

   

                                     

http://nguyennina.blogspot.com/        

Technology

05                                                        

http://tec3210.blogspot.com/               

Victoria’s

Thoughts                                                  

http://vic325.blogspot.com/              

Nakia’s

Blog for Teachers &

Technology                 

http://nakiasweblog.blogspot.com/         

Tre’s

Take on Teachers &

Technology                    

http://tmjs4.blogspot.com/

            

Cara’s

Thoughts                                                      

http://cara21.blogspot.com/                 

N.

Swan’s

Castle                                                     

http://nswan2.blogspot.com/                

Rodney’s

Blog for

IT3210                                       

http://sleepingdog.blogspot.com/

Thinking & Writing Wrinkles
http://anvil.gsu.edu/wrinkles
School Year 2003-2004 Student Project  with  ESL & native English-speaking students

Student Weblogs from Wrinkles Project (fifth graders)
Amber’s

Sea of Articles

                                               

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Angelica’s

Jungle of notes

                                          

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Cristian’s

Club                                                              

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Derrick’s

Doghours                                                     

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Emily’s

Newspaper                                                      

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Jacqueline’s

Journal                                                  

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Jerry’s

Site                                                                   

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Jennifer’s

Jot

Note                                                     

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Luz’s

Writing

Corner                                                    

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Noe’s

Notes                                                                 

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr
Yoceline’s

Writings                                                    

 

http://anvil.gsu.edu/AmberWr

I

Idioms Are Fun!
http://anned.tblog.com/
Weblog created for Wrinkles’ students to practice idioms and have fun learning- School Year 2003-2004.

Literature Circles
http://anvil.gsu.edu/LiteratureCircles
Literacy & Technology Instructor’s EduBlog
http://anvil.gsu.edu/Literature
Preservice teachers project at Georgia State University (2004) where students blogged using Literature Circles roles & applied them to Newbery Award Winning books.
Student Weblogs from Literature Circles Project
The Witch of Blackbird Pond        

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Witch
A Wrinkle in Time                         

http://anvil.gsu.edu/WrinkleTime
Bridge to Terabithia                     

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Terabithia
Number

the Stars       

                  

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Stars
Missing

May                  

              

http://anvil.gsu.edu/May
The

Giver                  

          

      

http://anvil.gsu.edu/thegiver
A View from Saturday                 

http://anvil.gsu.edu/viewfromsaturday
Holes

               

                         

http://anvil.gsu.edu/holes

Georgia Educators & NECC 2003
http://anvil.gsu.edu/necc2003/
NECC 2003 Notes
http://anvil.gsu.edu/necc2003notes/
Created for a Georgia delegation of educators to facilitate collaboration during and after NECC 2003 in Seattle, Washington

NewsQuest
http://anvil.gsu.edu/NewsQuest/
First

student weblog project at J. H. House Elementary School during the

School Year 2002-2003. Students wrote about current events and

blogging. (fourth and fifth graders)
Student Weblogs from NewsQuest Project
Ben’s Backyard  

               

            

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Ben/
Brianna’s

Buzz                 

            

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Brianna/
Dane’s

Den                 

                  

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Dane
Derrick’s

Deck               

                

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Derrick
Emily’s Bookshelf                          

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Emily
Jacqueline’s Jewels                      

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Jacqueline
Jennifer’s Clubhouse                    

http://anvil.gsu.edu/JenniferS
Kayla’s Komments                       

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Kayla
Lindsay’s Lounge                         

http://anvil.gsu.edu/LindsayG
Lucy’s

Blog                  

               

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Lucy
Melanie’s Schoolblog                  

http://anvil.gsu.edu/Melanie

The Georgia-NJ Connection
http://weblogs.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/georgia/
Collaboration with Will Richardson’s journalism students during the School Year 2002-2003.

Not weblogs but related information

Weblogs in Education: The Possibilities Are Limitless!

http://weblogs.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/NECC2004/

Resource blog used for NECC 2004 presentation.

ESL/EFL Weblogs

http://anvil.gsu.edu/EV

2004 online session designed to explore

issues involved in using blogs in ESL/EFL environments and basic

procedures for creating one.

ABC Blook on Blogs

http://www2.gsu.edu/~coeapd/abc/index.html

ABC book created

by fifth grade students at J.H. House during the School Year 2003-2004.

It was a celebration of the learning journey about blogs, idioms,

writing and language!

—–

Make a Connection!

  This past

Thursday I asked my fifth graders to blog about something they felt

passionate about. I have to share Patrick’s post.

5th Grade

The main thing I’m passionate about

is passing fifth grade. The only reasons are because my brother said

I’m going to fail all the grades. I plan to get smarter. So now I am

planning to pass every grade. I

already started to make good grades so I’m confident that I’m going to

pass. The main topics I’m felling is Spelling, and Reading. If I could

pass those and pass fifth grade I could prove to my brother that I’m

not stupid. If you have an

older brother or sister tell  you this one time or if he or she treated

you bad or good, you just got to get over it and do the best you can in

school that is what I am going to do.

Now I share this with you for two reasons:

  1. Patrick came to

    the group as a student who needed lots of reinforcement. He is a smart

    boy who has lots of difficulty  reading and writing. I talked with

    his teacher and we both agreed that blogging would perhaps be a good

    forum for Patrick t to see reasons for writing and begin to experience

    success. He has trouble getting down to work. His motor starts a little

    slower. That’s OK. He has things to say and when we hear those things

    we can help.

  2. Two educators have already responded and it’s awesome.

Patrick,

You really expressed yourself well in your blog. You know that you can

do anything that you are willing to put forth a little more effort than

maybe what most kids seem to. I know from experience myself. I had 3

sisters and 1 brother and I was not as good in school as them. I have

learned though as time goes on that everyone can achieve and reach

their goal but maybe not at the same pace as another and there is

nothing wrong with that. I think that makes a person even more

admirable that puts forth the effort. Thank you for sharing your

thoughts and I know that you will reach your goal! Keep up the hard

work, you can do it!

J. Smith

It’s wonderful that you are passionate about your education Patrick!

Your goal is within your reach ~ it is all in your hands. I think that

you are very smart. I can tell that by reading your blog.

The sky is the limit. Don’t ever give up on yourself no matter what

your brother has told you. Prove him wrong! Pass the 5th grade and

don’t stop there! Keep going and one day you could be a college

graduate. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Above all else, keep your word

and do your best. I’ll be cheering for you and I bet that all of your

teachers at House will be too!

Ms. Roper

Now

I know that I am guilty  from time to time of asking you to post

on the student blogs but wouldn’t it be more than awesome if Patrick

got LOTS of reinforcement to do his best so if you have a minute make a

connection with Patrick by commenting on his post……..
—–

Moore Stuff is really “Good Stuff”

    If you have not added Moore Stuff to your Bloglines account,

you need to. He has posted a few nice comments here on this blog. I

took the time the other night to browse his site and I absolutely love

the way he is sharing his ideas and this post made me soar! The post is Getting students to help define a class.  He has asked his senior

students, and as he so aptly states, the world, to think about what

they know now, what they knew then, and what he might be able to teach

to a class of  freshmen and sophomores next winter semester. He’s

open to learning from his students and has put it all out there to get

many people involved. I can only imagine where it all might lead but

the learning along the way has got to be empowering for both student

and teacher. He has created a wiki. He has asked them to contribute and

reward his faith in them (I especially like the way he is honoring his

students here.)

The main areas in the wiki are:

I am learning so

much!  He is sharing so much of the design of his class, his

thinking, his goals, hopes and plans.  Also, check out his Moore BBA Stuff

blog. You get an inside view of his school. And you feel like you’re

right there! Will had posted earlier welcoming Scott Moore to the

ed-blogger list in his Curriculum as Conversation post. Read that, too.

Yep,  Moore Stuff is really “Good Stuff”!


—–

Author Visits Kids’ Weblogs

The kids in The Write Weblog group are going to be so excited. Pat Street, author of There’s a Frog in My Throat, is planning to make a comment on each of the students’ weblogs. She started off with Ashley with this comment:

Hi Ashley!

I loved your post about spilling the beans! You gave good examples, and told how people react when someone gives away a secret. I collect idioms, so I like to read anything about idioms. I found out that another way to say the same thing is “letting the cat out of the bag.” In the olden days, people would buy baby pigs at the fair. Pigs were expensive, but cats were cheap, so sometimes dishonest farmers would take the buyer’s money and then give them a bag with a cat in it, instead of a baby pig! If someone opened the bag, the cat would jump out and the buyer would know he or she had been cheated.

I like to learn where idioms like this come from. I’m not sure where “spilling the beans” originated though.

I read on the blog that you were hurt in an accident recently, but that you are coming back to school already. Yay! I hope you are completely recovered soon.

Best wishes,

Pat Street

Isn’t that great? Elementary students communicating with an author of a book they have used and loved. This all started with my last year’s group, Thinking &

Writing Wrinkles. See this post. Weblogs can lead you to wonderful people and places.

I have a great book on idioms that I use all the time. I’ve got a copy at home, at work and at the schools where I work. It’s Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms by Marvin Terban.

(I see he has lots of other books that look great, too!) This book explains the meanings and origins behind more than 600 idioms.

Also, Pat Street is working on another book. I can’t wait until it comes out.

I checked it and if you interested in the origin of “Spill the Beans” check out the post I’ve written for my group and Pat Street to enjoy reading. I collect idioms too and it is more fun than a barrel of monkeys!


—–