Writing for Many Purposes

Speaking of Writer's Workshop, and Writing for Many Purposes, does anybody have any suggestions for mentor texts?  My colleagues are using:

amazon.com

amazon.com

amazon.com



I've tried looking online (through regular searches and, my newest search, blogs!), but there's not a  list of mentor texts for this unit...

Lettercize!

Anna shared this with me on Thursday night, and I thought it was cute for students to learn their letters!  Students watch/listen to the alphabet, but there are "intermissions" during which students exercize.   It's a great way for students to let out the "ants in their pants," especially after a long period of time! I might even have students form the letters with their bodies as an added way to learn their letters, and move around.

Animoto Project Ideas

So, I've been thinking about how to use Animoto in my classroom.  I LOVE how Anna had her Kindergarten students make a class Animoto to define adding.  That gave me the idea to have my students create an Animoto about the purposes for writing, since our new writing unit (Writing for Many Purposes!) will begin sometime this week.  I think this will be a great way for students to think about, and connect with, the unit.  In this way, they are thouroughly introduced to the topic, and are more invested in their learning!  I think that this will also be a great way to collaborate, since students will be making the video as a class.  Maybe groups of students can be responsible for different types of writing???  What do you think?

Richardson, Chapters 3 and 4

In Chapters 3 and 4, Richardson discussed blogs and wikis.  He described what they are, their potential uses, and how to create, set up, and maintain both.  As I am learning more about blogs and wikis, I am warming up to them more.  I think that it's really cool how students can connect what their learning in the classroom, with that they're doing outside of the classroom walls.  The "connected-ness" is cool.  And yet, I find it a bit scary.  I suppose that the same philosophy rings true for social media, and, for my intents and purposes, I'll talk about Facebook, which is my social media of choice.  I like how I can keep up with how/what my friends and family are up to, especially if they are far away.  Sometimes, though, the idea that they are doing the same thing to me freaks me out a bit!  I love how Richardson recognizes that people (teachers) may have those reservations and fears, and he does well will easing them.  I definitely think that this type of technology (blogs and wikis) can, and will, take place in my classroom!  Reading Richardson, and seeing great examples (such as Portland, Oregon's Meriwether Lewis Elementary's blog), has inspired me to learn more, and think about ways that I can incorporate them into my classroom!

I made an Animoto!

I decided to make my first Animoto today!  I wanted to test it out, and make one all about me.  I almost didn't though.  I hate writing/making stuff about me.  It's so hard, and I never know what to say!  Once thought about what I wanted to say, and where I wanted the Animoto to go, the process became easier.  By "the process," I don't mean the physical making of the Animoto.  The website was so easy to use!  (Which I wasn't expecting, if truth be told.  I was having flahbacks to the last time I made a video with Windows when I was making my teaching portfolio.  Nightmare!)  By "the process," I mean chossing the photos and writing the text/captions to go along with the video.  It was actually kind-of fun to make!  I think it's superb, if I do say so myself...

Richardson, Chapters 1 & 2

Will Richardson's Bogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms is a very interesting book.  I think that these bringing these new methods into the classroom will be exciting for teachers and students.  This is a challenging time in education.  So many changes have happened, and will happen, especially when it comes to the use of technology.  On page 8, Richardson wrote something that really surprised me, and stuck with me.  "William D. Winn, director of the Learning Center at the University of Washington, belives that years of computer use results in children who 'think differently from us.  They develop hypertext minds.  They leap around.  It's as though their cognitive structures were parallel, not sequential.'"  This stuck with me so much because while I value and see the power of technology in my students' futures, I think that everything technology is "fine and dandy."  I think that it has the ability to cause many problems.  I think that my students, and even my peers, are too connected.  I do not think that everybody has to be constantly connected to an electronic device.  I think that some time away is a good thing!

NETS

My mind is boggled when I think about the rate at which technology is changing.  I think of Apple, and its almost yearly upgrades of iPods, iPhones, and iPads.  I think back to the undergrad equivalent I took of this course.  At that point, we working creating PowerPoint presentations, and Word newsletters.  That was 2006.  By the time I began my field experiences in 2009, SMART boards were just popping up.  So much has changed in just the four years since then!  My generation has grown up for most of these chnages.  In 1997, the only computer I had seen was at my mother's desk at work.  In 1998, my dad bought our first computer.  By 2008, I was learning how to incorporate technology into my future classroom!  My generation has seen computers rise, the invention of social media, and sophisticated cell phones (leading to smart-phones).  My students' generation, though, was born right in the middle of this boom.  This is all this new generation knows.  They are more connected than we (my generation) are!  With this new digital age, comes a new way of life that is even more different than the way of life that I think my generation wasn't even braced for.  I'm glad that standards were made in order to reflect this change in the classroom for both teachers and students.  Both roles are constantly changing, epecially in the face of technology.  Students will need to learn how to use technology for the "power of good"; to prepare them for their futures, which will no doubt be ruled by technology.  Teachers will also need to be able to teach students how to use technology, while also teaching students the "bascis" that we do now.

Day 6

I woke up on Friday morning with thoughts of technology dancing through my head.  I was literally dizzy.  Where would I even begin?  I decided to begin with simply reading Richardson.  My dizziness was actually a symptom of the flu.  Of course.  As I was going through everything to do for the next week, I feel less anxious; more calm.  Ready to embrace technology!

Day 1

I wish that using technology was much less overwhelming.  I had an educational technology class in undergrad, and I can still clearly recall wanting to pull my hair out.  I almost had a mini-stroke when I was perusing the syllabus and assignments on Tuesday.  I am not feeling any better tonight.  I can't even begin to think about everything that will have to be done, and yet it's all that I can think about.  Oy vey!