February 2013 Blog Posts (72)

Original Post found here: http://coachinandout.blogspot.com/2013/02/reimagining-school-for-all-learners.html

I'm reading about a new way to think about "school", here are some of my takeaways: …

Original Post found here: http://coachinandout.blogspot.com/2013/02/fun-meaningful-project-wiring-project.html

Students get excited every year for the wiring project.  They know it's coming, they know it's awesome.…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o

Here is a great inspirational video you can share with your students or other teachers

Challenge 7 Social Media:



The social media I chose to explore was Twitter.  My personal use of social media has been limited mainly to Facebook.   However, lately I have had a curiosity and interest with Twitter. 



Twitter, is a social media networking service and  microblogging service which allows participants to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters, known as "tweets". 



It's features include:…

The teachers at the professional development session were visibly frustrated; I could hear the irritation in their comments. The presentation on the use of digital technology was to help them improve digital literacy across the content areas, but many of the sites in the demonstration were blocked by the school's Internet filter. I sympathized with their frustration because just three years ago, I was like them. Three years ago, our school's Internet filter blocked everything.…

     Having students be mentors for teachers is not really a new idea.  If you think about it our students probably teach us something new every day just as we teach them.  As for digital citizenship students are usually far ahead of teachers where technology is concerned.  They can teach us how to keep track of students through Twitter, Face book, Blogs, etc.  By learning from mistakes they have already made on cyberspace they can help teachers and other students not make the same…

I created a Wiki space and added a project for my 1st Grade class.  Only a few students in my class have home computers so response may be limited.  Check it out at: http://www.wikispaces.com/user/my/loriwthomas

Reverse mentoring is where the younger generation mentors the older generation. In the area of technology this can be invaluable for those who were born before the 1982. Millennials are born after 1982 and they have grown up with technology. They are digital natives who have grown up with internet service and technology in their daily lives. They tend to be multi-taskers, who are tech savvy and competent.  Knowing that the younger generation possess valuable skills and information, and many…

Blog post located here

Getting started with social media can be daunting. I remember when I started exploring Twitter a few years ago. Like many others, when I sign up, I didn't get it. I was almost instantly overwhelmed with the amount of information and could not make sense of it.

As I stumbled my way through the seemingly strange social media landscape,  I've met some amazing guides who have paved a path. I began to read and explore the resources they shared and slowly...I learned more. As I learned, I…

1. Digital Awareness could be defined as the appropriate and responsible behaviors that are used online or when using technology.

Students need to understand that digital citizenship will encompasses the human, cultural, and societal issues that relate to technology.  Therefore, they must keep a positive attitude and open mind towards collaborating and learning with peoples from differing backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures.  They must be cognizant, sensitive, and…

Okay, so I now have a wikispace. I have set up some students and a project.  I am confused though over the response of some parents and school administrators when you ask how they feel about these types of technologies.  Privacy of students is a huge obstacle and we should never compromise that. I also feel that we are scared of things that we do not understand.  Because we do not know how technology works and what types of information about our students can become public, we are hesitant to…

Poemas para el día de la San Valentin

I found this great video of a teacher who created an "e-Valentine's Day card" for all of her students. This is such a thoughtful and sweet way to show your kids you appreciate them!

This idea could also be integrated into the classroom to have students practice their video-making skills and learning how to utilize technology in day-to-day activities. 

http://pinterest.com/pin/163114817725873344/

I found a short Youtube link that demonstrated a class working together to create their class rules. The teacher started off by having her students brainstorm a list of rules that they thought would be important to follow in the classroom. After they created their list, the teacher challenged them to place each of the rules into larger categories (such as "safety" or "respect"). Having the students categorize them improves children's understanding and ownership of these…