Today the other Technology Integration Consultants and I from our district are meeting to discuss implementing blogging in our district. Our idea is to have administrators model Web 2.0 for the staff by utilizing Web 2.0 tools for district communication. We think that if administrators begin simply by blogging their newsletters, we can grow the usage over time. We have to begin by growing ourselves.
Only three of the TICs currently have a blog. This morning, we are showing the others how to set up their own blog. The discussion has been lively and it is fun to watch comprehension and "ahas" wash over their faces. Once each TIC has set up their own blog, we will practice with them before we devise a plan for administrators. Any ideas for administrative or teacher blogs out there? I really would appreciate hearing how other districts have approached blogging by administration and teachers. What guidelines did you use? What blog host? Any information will be helpful!
Cutest Blog on the Block
This site was shared this morning by a TIC in one of our elementary buildings. The Cutest Blog on the Block is a site that offers backgrounds, animated .gifs, and blog tips to jazz up your Blogger blog. You can also get a face lift for your blog or create photo cards for a fee.
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
December 05, 2008
October 15, 2008
Blog Action Day: Poverty - I Don't Know You
Today I am participating in Blog Action Day 08 - Poverty. I feel at a loss at what to write, though I feel compelled to write. I chose my title because I have never known poverty. I don't know many people who have. Last spring, I had surgery and couldn't eat for a day. I was starving! Starvation - I don't know you.
When my husband and I were first married, I was still in college and we had a baby. We ate lots of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese because we were so poor. Poverty - I don't know you.
When I was 10 years old, my parents were divorced. I lived with my mom and brother and sister in rent-controlled housing and qualified for reduced lunches at my elementary school. Desperation - I don't know you.
I have taught the poor, desperate and hungry. Their lives are not easy, yet they don't give up. They come to school, watch out for their siblings while their parents look for work, handouts or drugs. They find room in their hearts to give their teacher a smile, a hug, a dirty stuffed animal for Christmas.
Poverty - I don't know you, but I want to help. Please go to Blog Action Day 08 and see what you can do too.
When my husband and I were first married, I was still in college and we had a baby. We ate lots of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese because we were so poor. Poverty - I don't know you.
When I was 10 years old, my parents were divorced. I lived with my mom and brother and sister in rent-controlled housing and qualified for reduced lunches at my elementary school. Desperation - I don't know you.
I have taught the poor, desperate and hungry. Their lives are not easy, yet they don't give up. They come to school, watch out for their siblings while their parents look for work, handouts or drugs. They find room in their hearts to give their teacher a smile, a hug, a dirty stuffed animal for Christmas.
Poverty - I don't know you, but I want to help. Please go to Blog Action Day 08 and see what you can do too.
September 18, 2008
What I Have Learned So Far
Wow! I didn't think that my wallflower post would get ANY comments, and I got five. Who'da thunk? I didn't write it for the responses, but I am so grateful for them. I got valuable advice from each one, and such encouragement that validates what I am doing. Now I am just craving more advice and tidbits!
Two years ago I attended the Laptop Institute held at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. The keynote speaker was David Warlick. It was so awesome to hear him speak in his keynote address, and even more thrilling that he led a couple of smaller sessions. That summer was really my induction to the blogging world...the world of web 2.0, really.
From that conference, I have gained confidence in trying out new tools and sharing them with others. It took a couple years, but I finally figured out that I could use the tools to share them! Since that first experience at the Laptop Institute, I have sought out great bloggers. I learn new things every day from the many posts I read. Thank you all for helping me learn!
More blogs I read:
WNY Education Associates Blog
I have been following Angela Stockman for a few months on Twitter. She is the director of WNY Education Associates, a group that specializes in literacy coaching, writer's studios, and professional development.
ITLC
Integrating Technology in Teaching and Learning is a blog by Skip Zalneraitis, an English teacher from New Hampshire. He found me or I found him on Twitter a few months ago. I love his wake up tweet every morning, but love more the practical ideas and resources he shares in his blog.
The Connected Classroom
This blog is intended to capture the thoughts of an emerging edu-blogger committed to creating constructivist learning experiences for students. Authored by Kristin Hokanson, a "Teachnology" teacher and Classrooms for the Future Coach in PA.
Two years ago I attended the Laptop Institute held at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. The keynote speaker was David Warlick. It was so awesome to hear him speak in his keynote address, and even more thrilling that he led a couple of smaller sessions. That summer was really my induction to the blogging world...the world of web 2.0, really.
From that conference, I have gained confidence in trying out new tools and sharing them with others. It took a couple years, but I finally figured out that I could use the tools to share them! Since that first experience at the Laptop Institute, I have sought out great bloggers. I learn new things every day from the many posts I read. Thank you all for helping me learn!
More blogs I read:
WNY Education Associates Blog
I have been following Angela Stockman for a few months on Twitter. She is the director of WNY Education Associates, a group that specializes in literacy coaching, writer's studios, and professional development.
ITLC
Integrating Technology in Teaching and Learning is a blog by Skip Zalneraitis, an English teacher from New Hampshire. He found me or I found him on Twitter a few months ago. I love his wake up tweet every morning, but love more the practical ideas and resources he shares in his blog.
The Connected Classroom
This blog is intended to capture the thoughts of an emerging edu-blogger committed to creating constructivist learning experiences for students. Authored by Kristin Hokanson, a "Teachnology" teacher and Classrooms for the Future Coach in PA.
September 15, 2008
Are you a blog wallflower?
I am a blog wallflower. There, I've said it! It is hard to admit that nobody out there loves you. I have been blogging for a few weeks now, and I have had one...ONE!...comment back. I am just a raving lunaTIC looking for link love. How does a girl find it?
Well, it might be easier if I would actually tell people about my blog. However, I am a timid soul. That seems like an oxymoron coming from a person whose job it is to teach. However, I have been taking my blogging cues from such greats as CoolCatTeacher and Angela Maiers. I feel like I need YEARS of practice before stepping away from the bleachers and into the bright lights of the streamer and balloon decorated gym so that others can actually see that I am here.
I am going to start by taking the plunge and sending my blog link to the teachers in my school. Hey, might as well start out by having everyone laugh at you as you walk down the hall, right? If I can survive that, or if at least one person says that they read something worthwhile, then I will trudge forward, continue linking and hope for the dreamy guy to finally ask me to dance so I will no longer feel dangerously irrelevant.
Color in Motion
Color in Motion is an animated and interactive experience of color communication and color symbolism. Set as a casting stage, the colors of the color wheel are introduced and each color's personality is described. Great for an introduction to color!
Light in Color
Light in Color is an interactive lesson that teaches about mixing colors, colors and shadows, and the color spectrum. Brought to you by The Annenberg/CPB Math and Science Project
Well, it might be easier if I would actually tell people about my blog. However, I am a timid soul. That seems like an oxymoron coming from a person whose job it is to teach. However, I have been taking my blogging cues from such greats as CoolCatTeacher and Angela Maiers. I feel like I need YEARS of practice before stepping away from the bleachers and into the bright lights of the streamer and balloon decorated gym so that others can actually see that I am here.
I am going to start by taking the plunge and sending my blog link to the teachers in my school. Hey, might as well start out by having everyone laugh at you as you walk down the hall, right? If I can survive that, or if at least one person says that they read something worthwhile, then I will trudge forward, continue linking and hope for the dreamy guy to finally ask me to dance so I will no longer feel dangerously irrelevant.
Color in Motion
Color in Motion is an animated and interactive experience of color communication and color symbolism. Set as a casting stage, the colors of the color wheel are introduced and each color's personality is described. Great for an introduction to color!
Light in Color
Light in Color is an interactive lesson that teaches about mixing colors, colors and shadows, and the color spectrum. Brought to you by The Annenberg/CPB Math and Science Project
August 21, 2008
Hello, My Name is Marcia
and I am a Tweetaholic. There! I have finally taken the first step in admitting it! I know exactly when my downfall with Twitter began. It was a sunny day and I was just sitting on a bar stool visiting http://www.twitter.com/. Nevermind that the barstool was at my breakfast bar in my kitchen. One of the tweets mentioned a gadget called BeTwittered that could be added to my homepage. I cannot blame anyone but myself! I should have never gone in search of that gadget, never should have tasted it's sweetness. But I did, and fell HARD!
I am not bitter. I am happily woozy on getting my daily twitter fix in the privacy of my igoogle page. I am not a loud or obnoxious twitterer; most of the time, I am content with sitting back and following the conversations of some of my best tweets!
Speaking of best tweets (a best tweet is like a best friend, twitter-style!) there are two that I adore, even tho they have no idea who I am! I visit their sites regularly to get great ideas to share with staff. The blogs are The Cool Cat Teacher Blog and Angela Maiers. Another best tweet is skipz. He brings interesting sites and articles to BeTwittered, and I enjoy his trademark "Good morning, Twitterati" with the current weather report in VT.
I really appreciate all of my best tweets and all my other Twitter friends for providing me with sites to share with my staff. Twitterers are the best!!
Oh, by the way, my Twitter name is MarciaHersh. Maybe we can become best tweets too!
Mathtrain.com with Mr. Marcos
A sixth grade teacher put together a wonderful site of math lessons, called Mathtrain.TV, presented by his 6th grade students. There are links to other teachers' sites, as well as a few games. I have had trouble going straight to Mathtrain.TV, but you can access Mr. Marcos' site at http://www.mathtrain.com/.
I am not bitter. I am happily woozy on getting my daily twitter fix in the privacy of my igoogle page. I am not a loud or obnoxious twitterer; most of the time, I am content with sitting back and following the conversations of some of my best tweets!
Speaking of best tweets (a best tweet is like a best friend, twitter-style!) there are two that I adore, even tho they have no idea who I am! I visit their sites regularly to get great ideas to share with staff. The blogs are The Cool Cat Teacher Blog and Angela Maiers. Another best tweet is skipz. He brings interesting sites and articles to BeTwittered, and I enjoy his trademark "Good morning, Twitterati" with the current weather report in VT.
I really appreciate all of my best tweets and all my other Twitter friends for providing me with sites to share with my staff. Twitterers are the best!!
Oh, by the way, my Twitter name is MarciaHersh. Maybe we can become best tweets too!
Mathtrain.com with Mr. Marcos
A sixth grade teacher put together a wonderful site of math lessons, called Mathtrain.TV, presented by his 6th grade students. There are links to other teachers' sites, as well as a few games. I have had trouble going straight to Mathtrain.TV, but you can access Mr. Marcos' site at http://www.mathtrain.com/.
July 23, 2007
Blogs- what are they?
The term blog is short for weblog which is an online journal or diary. There are thousands of blogs on the web, covering all topics imaginable. I have 3 different blogs, 2 of which I use for classes that I teach, and the third was created for the presentation that I gave at the Laptop Institute last week in Memphis, Tennesse.
How do I use a blog in my classroom?
You can use a blog for many purposes. Most educators would probably think of using a blog to to keep students and their parents informed about what is going on in the classroom. But there are many educational purposes outside of basic communication. Check out the example blogs listed to see some of the many ways they are being used.
Many blogs are free to create. Below are some to check out.
Once you choose a host, it is easy to sign up. I find the most difficult part is what to call my url. I don't have much creativity there. If you can make it past the url, then simply start posting!
Oh, but wait!!!
What about blogging rules and safety? Check out these links for some ideas to incorporate as you venture into the world of blogging.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)