Thing 5 - Look what I found in my Reader!!!

I've been using Google Reader for a while but, once school started back, have been routinely "dumping" the contents (i.e. marking all as read) for lack of time.

Forced to pay more attention because of this assignment, I found a real gem! Though I teach high school, what I found appeals to me as a parent very concerned about this generation of young children:

1. not getting enough "play" time
2. not recognizing the benefits of serving others, and
3. not understanding potential dangers of the internet

Through a blog I follow (sometimes), Cool Cat Teacher, in which the writer, Vicki Davis of Camilla, Georgia, shares her Daily Spotlight on Education, I discovered a site called Woogi World, the aim of which is to teach young children about internet safety, life values and fun.

Follow this link to a short video that explains to teachers and parents what the site is all about!

Thing 4 - Beauties of Blogging

I have followed several blogs (as time allows ;)) over the past year or so and have become increasingly aware of the POWER of blogging to communicate and network.

Some of my FAVORITES include:

• Notes from the Trenches - courageous and hilarious mother or seven (also has celiac disease)
• Pioneer Woman - awesome city-turned-country girl with amazing photography and culinary skills!
• Gluten-Free Girl - amazing woman with celiac disease who's hubby is a chef :)
• and Book of Yum - wonderfully illustrated gluten-free cooking

Of course these are all PERSONAL INTEREST blogs! I obviously need to add some EDUCATION blogs to my reader.

As I begin this journey, creating my OWN blog, I can gleen hints from these experts about style, presentation, and linking (I'm still getting the hang of this part!).

I especially enjoy embedded pix and videos -- when they help tell the story or provide details.

Here's one of my new fav videos (a true 'blast from the past'):

I'm Just A Bill

My Current Issues students are, for the first time, involved in blogging... we're learning together! The Comments feature is fantastic for providing quick, descriptive feedback.

Thing 2 - Thoughts About Web 2.0

Two ideas came to mind as I viewed the videos and read the article: opportunity missed and disservice.

With tears in my eyes, I revisited the feelings I have had for quite some time about the current state of education in our country. We teach kids daily with an obsolete set of tools. We require of them the memorization of names, dates and events that most of them can find when/if needed. It’s the bigger picture of information assimilation we continually miss. We should be teaching kids that we value their ways of communicating and interacting with each other and the world rather than stifling the activities in which they are both interested and competent. We immerse them in the tools of a time they are both unfamiliar with and abhorrent to, forcing them into a box with few windows—and those windows that do exist are teacher-made!

I am so fortunate to work in an environment where all of our students have computer access throughout the day. I have long wanted to become better versed in the use of Web 2.0 tools to enhance their learning experiences. My Current Issues students have already created blogs and I’m developing a timeline project using Voice Threads for my U.S. History students.

If we resist embarking on a different way of educating our digital-age kids, we fail them.


Comments

Thing 1 - Reflections on Lifelong Learning

Considering the habits, all of which are critical for lifelong learning, some are in my nature and come easy while others are more difficult, posing a challenge to me as both a teacher and learner.

• Accepting Responsibility for My Own Learning is one of the easy habits as I am naturally curious. An information seeker, I am constantly searching for answers, digging for details, and trying out new ideas. I know that I drive my own learning and will likely NEVER get enough :)


• Teaching/Mentoring Others, especially the tools of technology, is a true challenge for me. I am sometimes frightened by the speed at which the world is moving and feel ill-equipped to lead my students through a world that is more theirs than mine. Of course this just means that I must embark on a journey WITH them! Exciting, sure -- but my 'control freak' nature (certainly evident here), makes it personally risky!


• Creating My Own Learning Toolbox is by far the most important habit for the task at hand. As an ADHD adult who tends to float from idea to idea, trying multiple methods as they seem to fit the situation, I need to organize these tools so that I can both understand and easily access them -- for the benefit of my 21st century students :)