EBTL2

I know many teachers already use QR codes regularly, but I'm just getting started and enjoyed looking through this teacher's ideas. I especially love the student responsibility calendar.

Thanks for the great ideas. I love the idea of using QR codes in the classroom. I think the QR code calendar is a good one. I may try using it soon. The possibilities are endless!

We qr. coded the BYOD instructions. Qr codes are really useful.

Sent via Twitter by Kathy Santilli.  Great Blog post by Kathy Shrock showing the SAMR model and how it can be applied.

I got a lot out of reading this article. I found the graphic with the SAMR model, side-by-side with the Bloom's model, to be particularly helpful. It is a great visual to keep in mind when planning lessons involving technology.

This a an article with some good information on how to get started using Twitter in the classroom.

This document discusses instructional practices that support social emotional learning in three common teacher evaluation frameworks.

Would schools get better results if they were run like a corporation?

Would schools get better results if they were run like corporations?

The biggest problem with this author's opinion is that his only measure is test scores. There are quite a few other problems, of course. It was frustrating to read this. I wonder if he has ever tried to do what a teacher does, even for a week. I wonder if his expertise about education comes from merely being a student once when he was a child and perhaps even having children who are students. He doesn't seem to cite any evidence about what teachers really do day-to-day. Does he even know?

The authors want educators to pay attention to freshman year.

I completely agree with this. For example, I debated my colleagues in the history department at the beginning of the school year when we were nailing down our DDMs. I argued that 9th graders are different than all other high school standards and their DDM should not be measured in the same way as 10th and 11th graders. As a teacher who has taught a variety of teen grade levels over my career, I can really vouch for the fact that 9th graders are unique.

Methinks Dan Pink might have some thoughts about this...

I wish there was a Diigo "like" button for comments.

The importance of asking students GREAT questions to help them understand how to use the Internet properly. There is a lot of history propaganda and misinformation out there. How do we help kids sort it all out?

For those of us who are teachers of writing, or participating in the Writers' Workshop training this year, here is a resource that may be helpful as we navigate teaching the literary essay. This comes from a Michigan school district, but is based on the Writers' Workshop model. This particular unit is sixth grade, but it lists expectations and areas of focus for a range of grade levels. Teachers can also find resources for various grade levels by searching around the main site. I love that it also outlines several useful mentor texts. I haven't read them yet, but certainly plan to as I start my planning of the literary essay unit.

I've been a big fan of Diane Ravitch ever since reading her book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education. Here, she maintains that the recent NAEP reports on reading and math that indicate the success of "carrot and stick" reforms are just not accurate. I think she makes some good points that align well with our class readings and discussions. If this is a topic that interests you, you might also want to check on Diane Ravitch on Dan Pink's Office Hours where she discusses the detriments of merit pay http://bit.ly/1b8Spl7

I have recently had a child placed in my class who is in the foster care system. This child has a background that is unique amongst the children in my class. As the honeymoon phase has worn off, it is apparent that this child's needs are also unique. I have been doing some reading on the subject of kids in foster care, and came across this article. It is a good place to start. I have also been directed towards the book, "Parenting the Hurt Child," by Keck and Kupecky. Although written for adoptive parents, there is valuable information and insight for teachers as well.

Interesting - it looks like this company is trying to make a tablet that is tailored for education. I like this idea because the iPads seem to be designed to profit the Apple company, which makes some things (such as the lack of Flash compatibility) a hindrance in the classroom.

We actually met with the rep from this company last spring. He was at MassCUE as well. At the time we could not purchase any of the tablets. They were in the beta stage. When I saw the rep at MassCUE, he mentioned that they applied many of the suggestions we made when he showed us the tablet last spring. The interesting piece was that we still are not able to purchase them yet!

Having access to a tablet specifically designed for education would be beneficial. ipads are great, but like you said, something like the lack of Flash Player can be frustrating. With increasing use of technology in schools, the devices will hopefully get more educator friendly.

A cautionary reminder about crafting presentations from Seth Godin, the prolific author of 21st century ideas for marketing and work in general. Seth's blog has been in existence since the 90's and provides a great deal of insight and humor.

If you use Google Drive this is probably one of the best search tips... so useful!

I agree, so useful, and I had no idea about it! I've been using Google Drive a lot for myself, and to share/collaborate with colleagues. Within the last week, I've been using it with students so that I can have access to their writing folders and give feedback more efficiently, or see from home what they've been working on, without having to have access to the school server. In just that one week, I was getting a bit overwhelmed with all of the files and trying to keep them organized into folders for easy access. It's great to know that if I can't locate something I can try this out. Keep the tips coming!

This article could be a page right out of Pink's Drive since it offers suggestions as to how IT companies should involve employees in the strategic planning for the organizations' ultimate business visions. Since 80% of the 100,000 IT workers interviewed for this article responded that they value career development over salary increases, the piece suggests that IT organizations allow employees the opportunity to initiate and create new projects within any future goal setting structure. According to the collected data, these valued contributions would far outweigh any deficits in compensation as IT workers' satisfaction with achievement seems to take precedence over any form of resentment over monetary deficits. Again, Pink's theories about autonomy, mastery and purpose make sense in terms of what people value in their lives and the workplace.

This teacher gave up the flipped classroom model as his class became more student-centered.

This is a blog written by a high school teacher who is using Evernote for the entire scope of his classroom workflow. He creates documents in Evernote, shares them with his students, and has set up capability for them to share with him to turn in work. Worth a read!

Thanks for this, Anne Marie. I just added this teacher's blog to my Feedly. I'd be curious to discuss Evernote with you further some time and see how you use it with students, if you currently do? I saw some neat ways to use it at MassCue and want to try it further with my students. However, we're also trying to have them use Google for many things, since they have easy access at home, and I'm trying to figure out which is a more comprehensive tool for students, and which would be easier for them to navigate - both at school, and at home. It's so great to have all of these tools, but I also don't want to overwhelm them with too many accounts.

This is a great news and current events site for kids. The site is organized by topic and by month/year. The articles contain links to related information which can be used for further research. Information is easy to find. The presenter at MassCUE who talked about the site used it in second grade, but children in older grades will definitely enjoy it too.