Podcasting in Language Arts

One of the pet peeves of my administration is the poor grammar of students. This can be partially attributed to the ELL population. However, the administration insists on teaching grammar rules, which is about as exciting as folding socks. I think that using a podcast by Grammar Girl, entitled " 10 Tips to Banish Typos" is a fun way to get started. Moreover, I would continually use these podcasts to both instruct students, and as a model for their own creation of podcasts.

This particular episode suggests a few familiar tips, such as "read your work aloud", and "have someone else read your work". Two surprising tips were, "print your work in a different font with different margins", and " read your work backward".

ePals

ePals is a great reference for educators. The goal for ePals is to connect learners around the globe in a safe environment. I actually just started using this program. I connected with a school in Southern France, and we will be doing a series of cultural and communication projects. The feature I find the most useful is the ePals LearningSpace. There are many web 2.0 tools available including blogs, wikis, forums for discussion and a digital dropbox.

I can (and will) use this to expose my students to an authentic audience with a genuine interest in reading their writing. Students will share their background, passions and memories with students. Then we will do compairison/contrast cultural projects with the students in France.

Animoto: A Digital Story

This week, I introduced myself to Animoto.

Make your own slideshow at Animoto.

I thought that Animoto was relatively easy to use. One issue that I had was with the text. I wanted to write at least a sentence, but only a certain number of characters were allowed. This tool is fun, and I think I would like to use Animoto as a forum for my students to teach each other spelling or grammar clues. We could also use it to share nonfiction pieces, and digital photography. There is a great site called Dear Photograph, and I would like to have students complete the project in video format.

There are so many options, I cannot wait to consider even more ideas.

My turn: Digital Storytelling

The assignment seemed simple: create a digital story. My problems arose from my listlessness. I was not sure what to write about. I ended up creating a fairy tale.

Carpegast is the title of my story, found here:

Carpegast by Rachel H.

I could use the Bubblr tool to help my students understand texts (fiction) that they have read. My students could create an alternate ending. I could also ask my students to add an "epilogue" or additional chapter to the story of their choice.

My students also need a large amount of experience with nonfiction text. I believe that my students could write their own summaries of nonfiction text, with pictures to assist in comprehension. Students could also write picture books using vocabulary words.

Introduction to Digital Storytelling

Digital storytelling,as defined by Educause Learning Initiative, is " the practice of combining narrative with digital content, including images, sound, and video, to create a short movie, typically with a strong emotional component." This has many different facets and applications to education. The article also states that, ". The process of creating a digital story forces storytellers to choose a topic that can be appropriately conveyed to a

particular audience, with electronic elements, in the time available. This dynamic creates an opportunity to reflect on life and find deep connections with the subject matter of a course or with an out-ofclass experience"

I believe that significant connections are the lessons that students remember in life. When designing project based learning, I often ask myself if the learning will matter in five years, or if it will be significant.

That being said, in Language Arts I could use digital storytelling as another way to spark my student's creative writing skills. My students have done a variety of writing, and they are wonderful storytellers. They can use digital storytelling to write their own creative stories.

Another way that I could use digital storytelling is to have my students write picture (or children's ) books. Everyone remembers the fun picture books they read when they were a kid, and I think it would be fun to have the students write digital picture books to share with our district's elementary school.

Microblogging: Twitter's Instant Engagement

I have used twitter for about a year. I started with twitter because my cousin, who is also one of my best friends, lives in Florida. She is hard to keep in touch with--we both have busy lives-- but she kept bothering me to sign up for twitter. At first, I thought it was pointless. "I'm eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich" or "Running late for class" were typical tweets. I did not really care for twitter. As more of my friends joined, I started to use it more after getting frequent emails about people mentioning me (@missharc). Now, turning my focus to education, there are two major ways that I believe twitter can enhance my professional development.

The first way to grow my personal learning network (PLN) is to follow chats on twitter. The #hashtag makes it easy to follow a specific trend or idea. In the article, Educational Twitter Chats Calendar, the author Mr. Bryne embeds a calendar of educational chats compiled by Sarah Kaiser. But wait-- what is a twitter chat? Mr.Bryne says, " Twitter chats are scheduled events or conversations that use a specific hashtag in an attempt to organize a conversation around a particular topic." I follow several notable English teachers, including Jim Burke, the author of several classroom management/ movement books as well as Carol Jago, president of the National Council of Teachers of English. They often tweet with the hashtag #EngChat, but it took me months to realize they were actually participating in a discussion. The hashtag was just something that seemed to be what people used for fun. Once I found the archives, I started reading them to look for engaging classroom ideas. I am hooked! I usually can't participate in the chat because of the differences in the time zones. However, I hope to join one soon. I also plan on "cruising" the archives in search of new ideas.

A second way I hope to use twitter is to enhance the experience of students in my classroom community. The article I read about using twitter in the classroom was called " 28 Creative Ways Teachers Are Using Twitter", on the Best Colleges Online Blog. While all twenty eight ways were unique and creative in their own way, a few stood out.

1. I liked #9, which was to communicate with authors. I do many different forms of writing in the classroom along with reading workshop. Some authors that I follow do Q and A sessions, so it would be great to have students interact with them. Career Day was one of my favorite days in middle school, so perhaps doing career day virtually could be organized with the use of twitter and/or skype? The possibilities are endless.

2.#16 is the _____ of the day. It could be fun to do a vocabulary word of the day. Students could take turns tweeting the word of the day to make it participatory.

3.#22 suggests holding a twitter scavenger hunt. This could be done in several ways in my classroom. Students can find peers reading the same books, classrooms to interact with, projects to get involved in, and so on.

I hope to continue to learn more about twitter and the classroom. Students love to interact through the use of social networking, and this seems like an easy tool to bring to the learning environment.

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Social Networking

A video that hones in on the importance of social networking is the video, Alan Levine- New Media Consortium. This lead me to think more about how I can connect my students to learners outside of Southwest Arizona. A social networking group that will definitely be useful to me is the Classroom 2.0 group. The focus at my school this year is using Web 2.0 tools. I noticed right away a link to the Global Education Collaborative, which is holding a conference Nov. 14-18,2011. I watched two great sessions last year, so I hope to attend this great event next year. I hope to use this as part of my personal learning network, as both a place to ask questions and find ideas to keep my classroom innovative.

In today's society, teachers are constantly under judgement. Each week, numerous editorials and articles are published from the NY Times, to USA Today, to the LA times.

George Siemens has a much different theory of learning that I have read before- the theory of Connectivism. After consulting his article, entitled:Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age, I came up with my own theory of a teacher of today. I believe that teachers of today are coaches in numerous ways.

Each coach needs to know the strengths and weaknesses of each individual player. In addition, a coach needs to know how to help the team work together to be successful. My personal philosophy of Education is that we as teachers need to meet the students where they are, and focus on them as individuals to help them achieve in the classroom. At one point in the article, Siemens states that, "Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities" This stresses the need for flexibility and response to trends in the classroom. A coach needs to be responsive to the other team in order to try to stay on top during a game, and train players to be successful in various situations. I believe that in order to prepare our students for the twenty first century, the students need to be able to be flexible, and cooperate with others.

A video featuring Siemens, called The Network Is Learning , has Siemens stating "That network I create is what enables to me continue to stay current." A network is not something that you can instantly create. Establishing a network takes tools, in this case--web 2.0 tools, and an understanding of how to use those tools to the best interests and practices of your field at the forefront of your mind. A good coach knows that the game is continually changing and evolving, as new players show up on rosters and change the dynamics of individual plays, and team chemistry as well. As our students enter the world beyond public education, they need to be prepared for what awaits them. By modeling and teaching tools for web-based networking, and coaching htem on the practical applications

On a side note, one quote that resonated from the video was that, " If I'm not continuing learning, I am becoming obsolete in my particular field." This has been particularly relevant in my professional life over the past few weeks, and has me currently searching for webinars and online conferences to find fresh, new ideas!

Enlightening Ideas in Education

A post I found interesting was from the 2cents worth blog. David Warlick writes this blog about teaching and learning in Web 2.0.

The post I found interesting, and subsequently commented on, is here: TedxLondon

I am in love with Ted Talks. They are so fascinating to watch. The world's most innovative people share their ideas. My first Ted Talk (and still my favorite) is The Birth of a Word, by Deb Roy.

In his post, David Warlick talks about how London's chapter of Ted had a conference on "The Educational Revolution". It seemed important to me that, according to walk the conference had focused on three things : 1.What's wrong? 2. What's right? 3. What's next?

When I hear people talk, it seems to focus on the wrong, or the negative. The positive and forward-thinking ideas are key for me-- Education should focus on the End, and then the means to achieve the goal.

Changing Education Paradigms

I am wholeheartedly thrilled that I decided to watch RSA's Animate video on Changing Educational Paradigms.

The status quo in America right now, in my experience, is to "blame the teacher". I recently read an article in the LA times that discussed this, and I completely agree. The article is called "What Teachers Really Want to Tell Parents"

The idea that problems with reading is the Elementary school or English teacher's fault is just like saying that childhood obesity is the Phys. Ed teacher's fault. But-- stop right there-- what was that? They can't control diet and exercise? Well, I can't control the diet (reading of books) or exercise (reading several times a week for pleasure) of English, either. I agree that the problem is we are trying to meet the future by using the past. For example, the whole educational system was ultimately conceived at a different time. As our world evolves, our education needs to evolve. These things are, as with most pieces of the puzzle, easier said than done.

I really agree with the idea that powerful learning happens in groups. One of the key skills for 21st century students is collaboration. How(and when) are they supposed to learn to effectively collaborate if not at school? I am a big fan of literature circles, where students read an article (or entire book) as individuals and then discuss the book in specific roles-- such as quote finder, connector (making connections), word wizard (vocabulary), discussion director (leader) and beyond. This allows each to "expert" in one area, which a common bond or article that holds the discussion together like glue.

There is much to think about as our information society changes minute by minute. Who knows what tools will pup into our world next week, next month, next year? I hope to stat flexible and ready to use whatever can benefit my students in a meaningful way.

Brave New Digital Classroom

I thought the title of this book was very fitting. It seems to me now there is a big divide in terms of teaching with technology: teachers who do, teachers who try to, and teachers who won't.

One quote that resonated with me right away was that, "Technology, then, if used wisely,could play a major role in enhancing L2 learners' contact with the target language, especially in the absence of study abroad" (2).

I completely agree. In school, I took French. Every year, the sophomores (last required year of French) took a trip to Quebec to "immerse themselves" in the language. With the use of technology, such as Skype for speaking skills, or blogger for reading and writing skills, students can experience the L2 language outside of scripted curriculum which takes 600-1320 hours of study in order to reach fluency.

The author also clearly points out that his book is "not a how-to manual" . Everyone knows that when you need to do something, you can figure it out on Google! Here, instead, the author has a laid out the scope of what the book will cover in terms of L2 learning. He also acknowledges where our students are at, citing that 84 percent of them use the internet for communication, and that it is their number one communication tool. We can play into our students interests, and watch their leaning excel as they work where they are comfortable with the important target-language input.

Being that I am not an ELL teacher/major, I found this very interesting and helpful for my current career situation!

Internet Safety

Students: Being safe on the internet is a smart way to stay prepared for a bright future.

All too often, it is easy to become a victim of a sneaky internet crime. If you pay attention and educate yourself, you will be equipped for life.Internet safety is very important. As the internet has exploded and evolved, internet crime has grown equally if not faster. It is important to protect yourself at all times when using the internet! But how can you do that?

1. Beware of "Pop-ups": The Federal Trade Commission notes that theives can pretend to be financial institutions or companies and sepnd spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information. A great game that models scenarios and gives solutions can be found here: http://www.onguardonline.gov/games/id-theft-faceoff.aspx.

2. Only Digitally "friend" those real-life "friends". Anyone can "google" images and pretend to be anyone in the world. To protect yourself, be yourself, set all of your Facebook and/or Twitter information to "friends-only", and only friend people that you know. While being on Youtube could make you famous, it could also cause you to be a victim of a stalker if you reveal too much information such as where you live, or your full name.

3. Create secure passwords! There are many tips for creating a secure password. Some are:

a. Use a mix of upper and lowercase letters.

b. Use at least one number.

c. Use at least one symbol: $#!*^&%

Still curious about how to be safe online? View this fun cartoon featuring everyone's favorite lazy feline, Garfield!
http://learninglab.org/life_skills/online_safety/

In my district, we have a very strict internet use policy. The reason behind this is that the school's data and internet connection are all hosted by one server. As a result, students are blocked from virtually every website. As an educator, if I want my students to use a website like www.readwritethink.org, I need to ask for the Technology Director to unblock it, with a rationale as to why and how it will be used. I understand why it is like that, but it is hard for the students to understand it.

Three Easy Ways

Blogging is one of those "things" on the internet that really exploded. People have another outlet to share their thoughts, ideas, issues... and everything else under the sun.

I currently read a few blogs, and my favorite by far is this one: http://middleschool101.edublogs.org/ .

Anyone who teaches (or is going to teach) Middle School will be amazed at what students in this school do!

For my blog, I used the common core standards since I do not currently teach in New York, and AZ is integrating the Common Core standards in 2012-2013.

Three Ways that students could use blogs in Language Arts:

1. Responded to Literature:

Students often do independent reading. I think that blogging about their books serves several purposes. First of all, students can analyze what is happening in their book and make connections to the world and their lives within the book they chose. Also, students can have an outlet to share reviews about the book they read, and read reviews from other trusted classmates.

Common Core Standards for Literature Grades 9-10:

- Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text

says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining

where the text leaves matters uncertain.

- Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting

motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters,

and advance the plot or develop the theme

2. What's the Big Idea- Jim Burke

Discussion of big ideas: Articles, Current Events

Students can read articles that are linked on the blog for homework-- focusing mainly on informational text, since that is the most challenging.

Then, students can comment and respond to the comments posted by their classmates. This can create a classroom community and allow everyone to have an equal voice.

Common Core Standards:

-Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,

including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the

cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the

language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).

- Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by

particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or

chapter)

3.Daily, Personal Writing

In numerous articles I have read, authors have praised the benefits of daily writing practice. By making writing personal, students can have a chance to both express themselves as adolescents, as well as growing and developing their skills as writers.

For example: Weekly blog requirements- 500 Words

One specific prompt per week to have everyone "on the same page" .

Common Core Standards:

a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to

make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g.,

headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to

aiding comprehension.

b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended

definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples

appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. I can't wait to read ideas from our classmates and develop more of my own this year!