Which is weird because it's _not_ "next year" at all- it's like almost next month that we'll be cranking up for another run at this school thing... For the few moments we have to dream about our annual "do-over" for teaching and learning, here are a few things that might be cool to think about for "next year"-
The Third Teacher- a site devoted to "collaborative exploration of ways design can transform teaching and learning"
http://www.thethirdteacher.com/
You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter. They send out really great information and resources via Facebook. If after poking around their website you dig what you are seeing, "like" them on Facebook.
Here are a couple of interesting things from their recent Facebook postings:
Sketchnotes 101: The basics of visual note-taking
http://www.core77.com/blog/sketchnotes/sketchnotes_101_the_basics_of_visual_note-taking_19678.asp
Maybe Cornell notetaking isn't for everyone???
3-D Thinking with Paperfolding
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664114/paper-punk-teaches-3-d-thinking-with-folding-paper-building-blocks
Turns out "thinking with your hands" is a good skill to posess.
What cool resources have you added to your "Personal Learning Network" lately?
Please share in the comments section!!! (especially those of you going to great conferences and workshops this summer- let the rest of us stuck here in the Arkansas heat live through your learning experiences)
Went to a workshop in district and set up a blogger page for both teacher and student resources for our classroom next year. Not sure how much use it will get at first with me out on maternity leave, but plan to beef it up upon my return. I blog regularly on a personal blog page, so it's like second nature. Also, in another workshop, investigated use of on-line graphic organizers at cacoo, mindmeister, and popplet. Very similar to bubbl.us, which someone presented in our meetings. All have different levels of difficulty, but all have their own useful possibilities in the classroom, especially for those with sets of mini laptops.
ReplyDeleteI am excited about Edmodo (classroom facebook on steroids)- I used it during the last couple of weeks with my students - great site for use as virtual tool when you have a substitute in your classroom - give your students an assignment and you are able to see and RESPOND to them throughout the day. You are able to control their searches by attaching the links you want them to use to complete their assignments. They attach their completed work. It allows you to monitor their comments to you and others in the classroom and also to grade their completed work quickly away from school. Feedback to them is immediate and focused. Also am planning to use it with my guided reading groups so they will not interrupt me during my other groups. Works well in my classroom because we have laptops for every student. May take some planning in other circumstances. Unlimited possibilities for using with students.
ReplyDeleteI always love the new year and getting the "do over"... I have been planning for next year and getting ready to transition to the common core. Aside from getting to go back to the mountain this summer I am learning a lot from the teacher advisory committee with learning forward. We are doing a book discussion on Teach Like a Champion, which I have found to be-hands down- the BEST professional read I have read to date.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I used Edmodo with my English classes the last few weeks, too, and am completely ruined for pencil and paper! The only thing I'd add to your excellent plug is how easy it was to grade and manage their work. From bell ringers to vocabulary to final research projects, I graded everything on my iPad. No more juggling piles of paper!
ReplyDeleteThe best resource that I used this year was streaming videos in my class. I used news snippets, satellite views, and full length videos (in segments).
ReplyDelete