Digigogy

Exciting Summer PD News!

2012-01-21T20:05:00.000-08:00

I've already mentionedthis to some of you, but plans are set in stone now for a new type of PD /Academy at the Curriculum Mapping Institute this summer.

Click image to expand.

I am excited about theopportunity to be a live presenter at the 2012 Curriculum MappingInstitute LEAD 21 Academy on July 10 and 11, 2012 in Saratoga Springs, NewYork. I'll be joined by severalcolleagues that I'm really looking forward to working with, including Bill Sheskey, Silvia Tolisano, Angela Maiers, Richard Byrne, Adam Bellow, Daniel Newman, and Cathleen Richardson. This 2 day academybrings together some of the top education bloggers and network leaders in theUnited States. These hands on work sessions will guide you in creating avision of who a school network leader must be, why the school leader must leadthe network, and how you can design diverse social network connections infusedwith knowledge and powered by passion. As a school leader or teacher you will have the opportunityto design your own personalized social network that will connect your local andglobal learning communities.

ThisAcademy is just the seed for all that will bloom AFTER the Academy is over.This Academy is creating a true 21st Century "Lifelong Learning"moment for all participants, leading by engagement, by participation, bypassion, and by leveraging popular social technologies!

For early birddiscount registration information (by Feb. 1st!) please visit www.cmi2012.com or clickHEREto register directly.

Also of note: This is ourthird year in Saratoga Springs.If you've never been there, it's definitely a hidden treasure. In the pastwe've enjoyed the warm evenings with collegial conversations at world classrestaurants, Southern Style Porch Socials, Sidewalk Astronomy, Film Screenings,and more. I look forward to seeing you in July and can't wait to bring this newform of Professional Development to the Academy!

Accessthe full four page brochure here.

Assessments for Common Core

2012-01-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

Several things related to assessment around the Common Core/PARCC/S-BAC have come across my plate recently and I thought I would share.

The unifying factor here is that there are multiple stakeholders developing performance tasks, unit plans, assessments for different purposes and the main take away is that it is all relative until we get more specific information from PARCC or S-BAC, depending on which your state is participating in. I would encourage anyone looking at the assessment component of the Race to the Top initiative to check out the PARCC Model Frameworks Document or S-BAC’s Overview Presentation. You can also follow PARCC on Twitter for more informal updates.

That said, there is evidence that the Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels are in the mix, though much of the assessment work is still hovering in DOK level 2, in my opinion. (And still emphasizing what I would consider level 1) Anything, in general, that I see that asks students to explain their reasoning or even construct a response based on evidence is moving more toward the strategic thinking or DOK level 3 zone that I thought was going to be more apparent in the new assessments. If you need some guidance on Webb’s Depth of Knowledge levels and/or its relationship to Bloom’s, there’s some info on Ann Johnson’s Mapping to the Core page.

The following are just links I’ve found over the course of the last few months that I think are interesting, if for nothing else than just being FYI. Many districts are already doing some work on Formative Assessments or Common Assessment moments to guide instruction throughout the year. Perhaps some of these links will provide fodder for your own development or assessment conversations!

Mathematics Assessment Project (MAP)
The project is working to design and develop well-engineered assessment tools to support US schools in implementing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS).

Common Assessments: More Details Emerge (from Education Week online)
Happy New Year, and welcome to the Year of the Common Assessments. Or at least the year of common-assessment procurements.

Student Work Tasks/Unit Plans/Performace Tasks from NYC DOE
To support schools in meaningfully implementing the Instructional Expectations for the 2011-2012 school year, NYC educators and national experts worked throughout the 2010-2011 school year to develop Common Core-Aligned Tasks embedded in a unit of study.

SBAC Overview PPT
This overview of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s plan includes some sample questions and performance tasks.

Assessments for the Common Core
PDF booklet that explores the new assessments. An updated resource on the comprehensive assessment designs and related activities being launched by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC).

Common Core Standards: Building Assessments of College Readiness
This is a webinar from the American Council on Education around assessments for College and Career Readiness.

Thoughts on Assessments of Common Core Standards
This is a resource document from Pearson Education.

...

Digigogy's Best of 2011

2011-12-30T21:05:00.000-08:00

In the moment, I tend to think that the ideas and resources I come up with are pretty awesome. When I reflect on them, however, there are some noticeable frontrunners, as well as some noticeable opportunities for improvement.

Over the past few years, my blogging “voice” has served me pretty well. There have been a couple of emotional and reactive moments, but for the most part, I feel like I share stuff that matters and that people are interested in reading.

I am certainly aware of my audience. They (YOU!) tend to shape what I write now to some degree, but I think that’s a good thing. That awareness hones my skills within particular tasks and within particular subjects. (Insert Common Core groaner here.)

If 2011 has taught me anything, it’s taught me that being myself and being authentic is pretty cool and that even if I think that sometimes the smallest things are significant, there is always someone out there that appreciates the fact that I shared it.

And so, without further adieu...the best 11 of Digigogy in 2011:

Ditch Grading
The New At Risk Student
Common Core Crosswalks EZ
Common Core this Way
Marzano vs. a Four Year Old
Digital Literacy for School Leaders
RTI toolbox for School Leaders
Summative Assessments
Beer Test for Essential Questions
iPads in China
Uncommon Shifts in Practice

Cheers to you and here’s to a wonderful, productive, and collaborative 2012!

-Mike

...

Orbits of Ability

2011-12-30T06:54:00.000-08:00

As I wrap up 2011 and look to 2012, I want to share with you a recurring theme that comes up in my work with teachers. I call it Orbits of Ability.

Everyone is good at something. Everyone has their niche. AND, everyone has things that they may not be stellar at but still have some skill with. When we work with others, and let those skills overlap, we increase our skill sets, increase our toolboxes, and increase our impact. We inspire growth and transformation as our orbits overlap.

When a couple of folks get together and share their toolboxes; there is much growth in that overlap zone. But when multiple people get together, transformations happen. That transformation zone is the gold zone. Those places where multiple orbits overlap is the “best for kids” zone.

I wish more folks understood that. My resolution for 2012 is to proclaim that message. Live it. Be it. I know that those things I’ve done collaboratively this year have yielded greater results than those things I’ve done alone. I think of my friend and colleague Steven Weber, who collaborated with me on this blog post. I think of my work with Andrea Hernandez who participated in PD in PJ’s with me and Silvia Tolisano and the webinars we’ve recently done for Curriculum 21. I also think of my good friend and colleague Janet Hale, with whom I’m co-authoring a book for ASCD on this very topic.

Last year, while making the movie “Super 8,” J.J. Abrams, the director, was quoted as saying that his collaboration with Steven Spielberg, “gave him a better version of what he intended” than what he could have done alone.

I feel like that when I collaborate with others. I feel like that when my orbit of abilities overlaps with others’ orbits. When multiple people are involved, my work is transformational. It is beyond what I intended. It is more of what I wanted.

So, as 2011 transitions into 2012, that is my wish for you. I hope you come to know your own “Orbit of Ability” and hope you welcome the intersection of your orbit with others. Good things come to those who collaborate. And good things come to kids when the ones teaching them collaborate and intersect.

I wish you the most wonderful and collaborative 2012. We have a lot of influence as individuals, but together we have a major force, a power, a wisdom. Together, we make the biggest difference for kids.

I look forward to a 2012 filled with magic, and learning, and the final edit of my book! ;-) Happy New Year to you all!

Common Core for School Leaders: A Guide to Developing Systemic Curriculum Growth

2011-12-09T04:37:00.001-08:00

Co-written by Michael Fisher and Steven Weber

Across our country, the Common Core State Standards are in varying degrees of implementation. For most, this is a “get your feet wet” year before everything must be in alignment for the following school year. Teachers are increasingly under the microscope with the implementation and many of the criticisms about it point largely to not knowing what to do next. State Department of Education officials are trying to give some direction and clarity, but it still leaves much to interpretation and action at the local level, meaning that School Leaders in individual buildings are largely responsible for how these new standards infiltrate current professional practice.

Action requires knowledge though, beyond just knowing that we are walking a new path. Because this is new territory, we must consider our path in sections and lay the foundation for a curricular journey that will take us to places we’ve never been before. We have to make some hard decisions and take on some tough conversations in order to do the work that needs to be done to create College and Career Ready Students.

We have to be prepared to specifically articulate what we are going to cut, what we are going to keep, and what we are going to create. (Jacobs, 2010)

So how can Principals support teachers in their Common Core Integration efforts?

• Establish a Common Focus: College and Career Readiness
Let the document on page 7 of the Common Core State Standards be your Alignment Guide. Let this document be the umbrella under which you focus any other initiative in your schools. Ask questions of your staff that point their practice back to these capacities and make them your new mission.

• Develop Collaborative Teams: (not three teachers writing the units for the entire school district) Teachers must collaborate around Curriculum Design. Any singular work done in the 21st Century is for naught. Collaboration is a primary 21st Century skill (p21.org) and if students are going to be successful in whatever career they decide to undertake, collaboration is going to be a key component. Teachers and Administrators need to be the model for this. See Cure for the Common Core (Fisher, 2011).

• Plan Your Work Time: (During the school day)
In order to develop curriculum, teachers will need time allocated for professional conversations. When it comes to curriculum development, for many school systems, "there is a gap between the compass and the clock – between what's deeply important to us and the way we spend our time" (Covey, Merrill & Merrill, 1994, p. 16). Administrators must create time for teachers to engage in purposeful work.

• Collaborate Beyond the School:
Utilize technology to enhance ongoing communication and collaboration within and across schools.

• Establish an Implementation Timeline: (A Common Goal)
Map your professional development (Tasks, Actions to meet those tasks, Artifacts to Create, and Evidence that you met your goal).

• Implement the Plan:
This sounds like common sense. However, many school districts spend too much time planning, only to realize that there is little time left to implement the plan.

• Celebrate Small Wins:
Be mindful of lofty goals. Shape the changes you wish to see into small manageable steps. A year’s worth of curriculum is not going to be aligned by next Friday. Look for the alignment of one learning experience that will be delivered in the next two months. Then complete another one, and then another one. Perhaps think about how Curriculum Development and Alignment can be rolled into a summer curriculum project. Also think about rewarding teachers for participating in this work, especially in terms of how well they are collaborating around the creation of the Common Core aligned operational curriculum.

A common complaint among teachers and administrators is a lack of time to reflect on the written, taught and received curriculum. School leaders must create a schedule which allows for continuous improvement, rather than hoping teachers will meet before and after school. The schedule that school administrators create reflects a matter of priorities and curriculum development should be a priority. In August, teachers are beginning the school year and some complain that it is too early in the year to discuss the curriculum. In March and April, teachers have spring break and other holidays which interfere with curriculum meetings. In May, teachers are amazed that another school year is coming to a close.

In order to prepare for the integration and alignment of the Common Core State Standards, educators should be asking many of the following questions:

1. What are the essential learning outcomes or enduring understandings for each course?

2. What are the key concepts and skills in each unit of study?

3. Are we attempting to teach too many concepts and skills in some units?

4. Are we teaching all key concepts and skills for mastery or should we aim for introducing
some concepts/skills and mastery of others?

5. When will we assess student understanding?

6. How will we support students when they do not learn the new standards?

7. What will we except as evidence that that the skills have been mastered?

8. In what ways does our curriculum demonstrate depth and complexity versus content coverage?

9. How does our school support collaborative curriculum conversations?

10. What is the dynamic of our school culture? How can we maintain or shift to the positive?

Curriculum leadership (Weber, 2010) involves collaboration across schools, a district vision, communication, reflection, specific learning goals and a method for measuring student understanding. School Leaders have an important role to play in supporting the implementation of the new standards, and the role of the building principal as curriculum leader means that they are an integral part of the curriculum development and alignment process. Everybody works together for the benefit of our 21st Century Children.

This post was collaboratively written by Steven Weber and Michael Fisher, both ASCD EDge members and frequent bloggers. Weber is the Director of Secondary Instruction for Orange County Schools in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Fisher is an educational consultant and a member of the Curriculum 21 team. Fisher resides in Buffalo, New York. You can find Steven on ASCD Edge as well as Twitter, and his website K-12 Curriculum Development. Michael can be found on the EDge as well, along with Twitter, his blog, and his website.

References:

Common Core State Standards (2010)

Covey, S.R., Merrill, A.R., & Merrill, R.R. (1994). First things first. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Jacobs, H.H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential education for a changing world. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Partnership for 21st Century Learning Skills

...

Mile Deep, Inch Wide

2011-12-04T05:18:00.001-08:00

Last week in Albany, I got to hear a fantastic speaker, Andrew Chen. Mr. Chen is the President of Edutron Corporation and a former Physics Professor and Researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

During the course of his session last week, he led us through math activities that increased in rigor and complexity through known operations with numbers that everybody could do, and kicking it up ten notches by adding in more complex numbers and variables.

He was proving a point. No one who says that they are “bad at math” is really bad at math. Because this was a Common Core related PD session, I was trying in my mind to relate this back to the standards for Mathematical Practice and some of the work I’ve been doing with teachers. The actions we were going through nailed each of the standards: I was being perseverent, I was reasoning abstractly, I was modeling and being precise and looking for structure to apply to the next level of complexity. Did I mention that I’m “bad at math?”

Mr. Chen allowed for multiple versions of solutions, which we shared with each other. He allowed for time to drill into the complexity of the work. He also, with his team, circulated the room and questioned individuals about their processes, NOT the answers. There was a lot of depth to what he did. Mile deep, inch wide.

His session gave me a lot to think about, especially in terms of sharing this with teachers. Over the weekend, there was a conversation on Twitter about being “bad at math.” The participants were being tongue-in-cheek, but the message was clearly that some were genetically predisposed to doing well in math, and others were just out of luck. No one in the course of the conversation said that they were “bad at Language Arts.” Nobody ever does. I guess it’s not as funny. Or believable? But we easily believe that we could be “bad at math.” After Mr. Chen’s session, I’m starting to believe that what I was bad at was thinking. I’m willing to think and persevere and be precise in topics I’m more comfortable with--but is that really stretching my capabilities? If I’m questioning this for myself, what might this mean in instruction of both kids and adults if I can challenge those boxes I’ve been in for years?

It reminded me of a question I’ve blogged about before, but still see when I visit classrooms. If I ask kids “What are you doing?” They can always tell me.

If I ask them, “What are you learning?” Sometimes they can tell me, but often they can’t.

During the course of Mr. Chen’s session, he mentioned that the US was one of the only countries, if not the only one, where the standards (even the new Common Core ones!) are the ceiling. Everywhere else around the world, they are the floor.

Everybody Must versus Some Might.

I’m thinking it is time to start moving beyond the arguments around new standards and start shifting the conversation to higher expectations in our practice, in our students, in everything we do as educators. It would also be awesome if we could just stop saying that we’re “bad at math” or any other topic. When we say it, kids hear it, and then we allow them the same “out.”

If you are interested in the resources shared by Mr. Chen and his colleagues, I’ve included them below:

1. National Mathematics Advisory Panel Report

Summary http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel [Hardcopy at NTI]

2. Common Core State Standards

The Standards: http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards
Common Core Progressions: http://ime.math.arizona.edu/progressions/
Phoenix Rising: Bringing the Common Core Mathematics Standards to Life http://www.aft.org/pdfs/americaneducator/fall2011/Wu.pdf
EngageNY: http://engageny.org/network-teamsntes/
A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13165 [Register and download for free.]

3. STEM Crisis in USA

Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5 (2010) http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12999.html
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) (2010) http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-stemed-report.pdf
PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION OF STEM INNOVATORS: Identifying and Developing our Nation’s Human Capital http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/publications/2010/nsb1033.pdf
Thomas L. Friedman, That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (September, 2011)

4. Elementary Mathematics Education

Review of Liping Ma's "Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics" (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1999) by Richard Askey. [Hardcopy in Meeting Folder] http://www.aft.org/pdfs/americaneducator/fall1999/amed1.pdf
"What's Sophisticated about Elementary Mathematics?" by Wu. http://www.aft.org/pdfs/americaneducator/fall2009/wu.pdf

5. Mathematical Education of Teachers

NCTQ's "No Common Denominator: The Preparation of Elementary Teachers in Mathematics by America's Education Schools," (2008). Summary http://www.nctq.org/p/publications/docs/nctq_ttmath_exec_summ_20080717082139.pdf Main report with appendices http://www.nctq.org/p/publications/reports.jsp
Breaking the cycle: an international comparison of U.S. mathematics teacher preparation http://www.educ.msu.edu/content/sites/usteds/documents/Breaking-the-Cycle.pdf
"Guidelines for the Mathematical Preparation of Elementary Teachers" from the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education (July 2007) http://www.doe.mass.edu/mtel/MathGuidance.pdf.

6. National and International Benchmarks

The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2011 http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pubs/main2011/2012458.asp
TIMSS 2007 http://timss.bc.edu/timss2007/index.html
PISA 2009 http://www.pisa.oecd.org/pages

Resources shared from presentation by Andrew Chen and available on the EngageNY.org website.

-Mike
On Twitter: @fisher1000

Common Core for the Holidays!

2011-11-28T06:23:00.001-08:00

This school year has been unlike any other I’ve ever experienced. There have been so many changes, so many opportunities for growth, and many frustrating moments as we work together to implement these Common Core standards.

And now the mid-point of the school year is in our sights as well as a much needed break for the holidays. It is time for a mid-point reflection, as well as a time to buckle down for a spring semester that is full of intention, specificity, and rigor.

As I work with schools around the country, and primarily in New York State, there are elements to the Common Core implementation conversations that are similar. Those commonalities lend themselves nicely to a re-versioning of the classic Holiday song “The 12 Days of Christmas.”

I’ve created a LiveBinder presentation called Common Core for the Holidays for you to use for yourself or to share with your colleagues as you integrate and align the standards into your professional practice. It includes the following:

12 Instructional Shifts
11 Considerations
10 Instructional Strategies
9 Collaborative Opportunities
8 Standards for Mathematical Practice
7 College and Career Readiness Capacities
6 Exemplar Units
5 Unit Planning “Must-Do’s”
4 Depths of Knowledge
3 Document Hierarchies
2 Aligned Units
and
1 New Perspective

Common Core for the Holidays

I hope you find some of this useful, and I welcome feedback around what I’ve put together. I’m delivering this as a specific workshop over the course of the next few weeks and some of the activities around the binder elements are not included. If you’re interested in some of the activities or have questions about what is included, please email, tweet, or comment.

I have a couple more holiday themed blog posts up my sleeve, including one that specifically looks at the 12 Instructional Shifts around the Common Core and some local teachers who visualized the shifts in a creative and innovative way! So, stay tuned!

I wish you all a wonderful Holiday season!

Mike Fisher
@fisher1000 on Twitter
www.digigogy.com

Common Core Resources for PE Teachers

2011-11-18T08:48:00.001-08:00

I've been working on developing resources for Special Area teachers around the Common Core standards. As I work with teachers who teach these subjects, it's becoming apparent that while there may be a willingness, there is not a path.

I put together a LiveBinder today of resources for Physical Education teachers. I'm still adding to it, but wanted to go ahead and share it. There is still much to consider and I'll be adding to it as I find relevant resources, but I hope that Phys Ed teachers will be able to start using what is there already.

The Common Core is asking all teachers to be Literacy Support Systems for students. If they can't read well, then everything they do will be more difficult. Those of us that are doing this work honor the fact that training in literacy may not have taken place in some of the content areas, thus we are providing as much relevant information as possible as this gets rolled out to teachers.

Hopefully, teachers will find something useful here!

Common Core Resources for Physical Education

New Web Stuff 11/06/2011

2011-11-05T17:31:00.001-07:00

U.S. News Releases Ranking Of Best Diets For Healthy Eating

U.S. News releases ranking of best diets for healthy eating http://t.co/KzKGmEMU

tags: twitter digigogy
Handwriting Recognition (in Hebrew, Too!) | Teq Blog

Handwriting Recognition (in Hebrew, Too!) http://t.co/jPmDfrfY via @TeqSmart

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 11/05/2011

2011-11-04T17:31:00.001-07:00

Moneyball Trailer 2011 HD - YouTube

Moneyball Youtube clip http://t.co/AwARLnjH #nynt

tags: nynt twitter digigogy
Deeper Learning: The Coaching Model | Edutopia

Deeper Learning: The Coaching Model http://t.co/5PvqwJYc

tags: twitter digigogy
Social media gives us an audience, what do you wan

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 11/04/2011

2011-11-03T17:31:00.001-07:00

The "In Contrast" video series here will be helpfu

The "In Contrast" video series here will be helpful in training principals/teachers in teacher eval process http://t.co/AiBKuYBd #nysednt

tags: nysednt twitter digigogy
In the Trenches: Everyday Solutions At Work - School Leaders and Standardized Assessment Data > Eye On Education

We have asked school leaders to describe how they view standardized assessment data: http://t.co/uiQz6qqJ #edleaders

tags: edleaders twitter digigogy
Saving iPhone Battery Life: 10 Tips And Tricks For The iPhone 4S And Older Models

10 tips and tricks to improve your iPhone battery life http://t.co/GmOUKR57

tags: twitter digigogy
EduCon 2.4 — January 27–29, 2012 — Philadelphia

How do we model 'attribution' in our work with teachers and students? Blog post spinning in my head after visiting http://t.co/I0OuyAQ3

tags: twitter digigogy
ReVision Learning Partnership, LLC

ReVision Learning site: http://t.co/3VZhb0uM #NYNT

tags: NYNT twitter digigogy
43 Web Design Mistakes You Should Avoid

43 Web Design Mistakes You Should Avoid http://t.co/tpsxAzL8 #WebDesign #Tips

tags: WebDesign Tips twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 11/03/2011

2011-11-02T17:31:00.001-07:00

Team Tools

tags: conference collaboration commoncore instructionaldesign strategies team tools
The Educated Leader

tags: ISLLC Commoncore RTTT RaceToTheTop Common Core Principal

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 11/02/2011

2011-11-01T17:31:00.001-07:00

GOODFinder

RT @dlaufenberg: like it - http://t.co/soERhYEu

tags: twitter digigogy
Apple - Web apps - All Categories

http://t.co/8cB3S2rj a nice list of web apps for the ip@d #ipadchat

tags: ipadchat twitter digigogy
40 Most Awesome iPad Apps for Science Students | Best Colleges Online

RT @shannonmmiller: 40 Most Awesome iPad Apps for Science Students http://t.co/F00py6KP #scichat

tags: scichat twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 11/01/2011

2011-10-31T17:31:00.001-07:00

TiffanyScreens

tags: presentation software sharing collaboration freeware mac windows presentations
MicroscopeHowTo2x.mov - YouTube

RT @HallDavidson: New updated HOW TO TURN YOUR iPAD or MOBILE INTO A MICROSCOPE without the pain http://t.co/burZWmhu #kispd

tags: kispd twitter digigogy
App Store - Strip Designer

Strip designer is fav iPad #edapp of @tonyvincent for comics http://t.co/TrKYCcJP #fb

tags: edapp fb twitter digigogy
Klip.me - Enjoy Mobile Reading

Send web-based material to Kindle for more comfy reading with http://t.co/zZenPnem and Send to Kindle chrome extension #edtech #4thchat

tags: edtech 4thchat twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/30/2011

2011-10-29T17:31:00.001-07:00

Halloween Special: Scariest Teachers On Film

Twick and Tweet. Halloween Special: Scariest Teachers http://t.co/hCkN30X9

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/29/2011

2011-10-28T17:31:00.001-07:00

Experiential Learning Cycles - Overview of 9 Experiential Learning Cycle models

Overview of 9 experiential learning cycle models http://t.co/ep28JA3D

tags: twitter digigogy
TeachPaperless: BYOC: Bring Your Own Context

1-1 or bring your own device? BYOC: Bring Your Own Context
- http://t.co/nqta9fX5

tags: twitter digigogy
20 Most Hilarious (Yet Unfortunate) Company Names On Earth | Business Pundit

20 Most Hilarious (Yet Unfortunate) Company Names On Earth http://t.co/9GMKYVAd #LMAO!

tags: LMAO twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

hAPPy APP o' WEEN!!

2011-10-28T03:06:00.000-07:00

Halloween APP o' the Week CONTEST!

As I search for cool APPS for educators to include in the LiveBinder, I occasionally come across a special App or two that is just too cool not to share in a loud and celebratory way! Those Apps have been, in the past few weeks, part of the new "App O' The Week" tab in the iPads in Schools Livebinder. This week's offering is an App called DoInk. Those of you familiar with the web tool are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE the iPad App. One of the really important instructional strategies associated with deep learning is emotional attachment to the content through non-linguistic representation. (See the work of Bob Marzano or Eric Jensen) DoInk is a great tool for developing that emotional connection to learning through color, movement, engagement, and FUN!

Haven't heard of DoInk? DoInk is (from their website) a place to enjoy art and animation, and make your own. Have a great idea, but can't draw? No problem. Are you an amazing artist, and want to share your talent with the world? We love you. You can do both? There's an audience here for you! So if you want to be entertained, learn something new, or create something fun, do it on DoInk.

Besides being this week's App O' The Week, the good people at DoInk are giving away some promo codes so that some of our frequent visitors can try it out!

So how do you score a code? There's two ways. You can either click on the Twitter link at the end of this post and share this blog post on Twitter with the addition of this tag: #ipadsinschoolsDoInk OR you can leave a comment here (but make sure you leave a twitter username or login with a Google account so that I can find you if you win!). The contest will run through Halloween night and I will randomly select (using a number generator online) 7 people with the winners notified on November 1st.

Good luck, and go check out DoInk, one of the awesomest APPS I've found so far!

Also, to help get you started, here are a couple of Tutorial videos:

New Web Stuff 10/28/2011

2011-10-27T17:31:00.001-07:00

Becoming a 21st Century School or District: Improve and Innovate (Step 7 of 7) | Edutopia

New from @kenkay21, Becoming a 21st Century School or District: Improve and Innovate http://t.co/JWdU71GC #cpchat #edchat #edu

tags: cpchat edchat edu twitter digigogy
Teacher Discount: The Complete List of 66 Teacher Discounts

Many stores have teacher discounts - I didn't know about a lot of these! Thanks @giftcardgranny! http://t.co/N8Q7Jk6W

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Ditch Internet Filters!

2011-10-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

This conversation is starting to get old. It is 2011, not 1875. It’s time we collectively got our heads out of our filters and prepare students properly for the world they will graduate into, not the world we grew up in.

Everyone needs to be vocal, everyone needs to be an advocate for students in the 21st Century. I’ve written about this before, but the message is still not getting through. The red tape and fears are mounting and students are suffering in the wake of ill-informed adults. The Internet filters, in their current state, have got to go. Protecting students is one thing; a blanket denial of modern learning is another.

Please, consider the following:

Limiting access limits learning.

Schools are supposed to be places of learning, not prisons of content. Content and information live everywhere now and the impetus is upon us to create opportunities to connect that content, not continue to limit it.

We trust teachers with children, but not with the internet.

Teachers are better filters of appropriate sites than machines. Machines aren’t discriminate, machines don’t factor in lenses of opportunities.

We need levels of protection if districts can’t agree on their filtering issues.

We need tiered filtering so that teachers can access content at a different level than students. Teachers need to be able to make sound instructional decisions based on the usefulness of a web resource, not limited by what the filter says is appropriate.

CIPA rules do not block Youtube or teachers.

Please READ THIS ARTICLE. CIPA rules only advocate for blocking inappropriate sites for students. Youtube is not on some Gestapo CIPA list. There are many appropriate Youtube videos that are beneficial for teachers. In fact, Youtube just created a PLACE just for teachers, but unfortunately, it is blocked by Tech Directors who mean well but are either all-controlling or ill-advised about education in the 21st Century. Additionally, there is NO PROVISION in the CIPA rules that blocks teachers from ANY Internet site, that is SOLELY a district decision. Let me also add that CIPA includes the following provision: "An authorized person may disable the blocking or filtering measure during use by an adult to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes."

Get your heads out of your filters.

Your filters don’t have the benefit of discretion. Using a blanket filter virtually guarantees that your school is NOT a place for learning in the 21st Century. In fact, blanket filters are portals back in time. Your students live in the 21st Century. Do you really want to create a time machine that forces your students to learn in modalities of the past?

Smart phones are already open to your students, and you can’t control it. Who’s teaching them to use them responsibly?

Once students are old enough for their own cell phones, chances are good it will be a modern phone with internet capabilities. So then, the internet filters at school are moot, except that now it’s mainly teachers that are blocked from resources that would impact student achievement. Also consider who is teaching students to use the Internet responsibly? Their parents? Their friends? Blanket filters don’t teach students what to do if they come across something inappropriate on the Internet, it only fascinates them around WHY a website may be blocked.

Teachers are blocked from teaching students.

Dramatic statement? Yes. Truth? Yes. Not letting teachers discern appropriateness within the scope of their professional capacities about resources that are needed for instruction essentially blocks them from teaching effectively.

Do your state test scores reflect yesteryear thinking?

Want to raise your state scores? Use 21st Century tools, websites, and resources. If those resources are blocked, you are shooting yourself in the foot and should not complain when your students perform to the 19th century standards that you are essentially advocating for and providing resources for.

Students are blocked from learning.

Schools are places of learning right? Right...

6th Capacity of CCR standards.

The 6th capacity of the College and Career Readiness standards in the Common Core requires that students use technology and digital media strategically and capably. They can’t do that if they are limited. They have to make choices. They have to discern, curate, think critically, and articulate the why around the usefulness of resources. States that have adopted the Common Core but also promote blanket filtering in their schools are, in fact, not meeting the College and Career Readiness capacities.

Monitoring and Blocking are 2 different things.

I can’t think of school that, pre-Internet, had detectors at the door that prevented every conceivable nefarious material from entering the school. Those things were monitored by teachers. If a kid brought something into school that they weren’t supposed to, then the teacher decided how to handle it. The Internet needs to be monitored by the professionals that are using it, not blocked. Blocking reinforces “Time Machine” mentalities and 19th century instruction.

Technology Divas with no educational background are in control.

We need to take a look at who is running our technology in schools. Most often, it is a Techie professional with no educational background making instructional decisions. This is bad practice. This is detrimental to students’ educations and it needs to be monitored more closely. The superintendent in each district is the main decision maker. It’s time to step up and branch out, and manage those divas with either an executive decision or a committee that drives instructional technology decisions. (Or perhaps hiring a tech director that has an educational background.)

Filtering limits Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creative Problem Solving, and Communication.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills advocates for the “4 C’s:” Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creative Problem Solving. If your students can’t move beyond the four walls of your classroom because of Internet issues, then you are limiting their opportunities, their learning, and their perspectives. We are, in essence, creating students with limited experience who are not prepared to compete with their peers who were educated in places that valued educational freedom and a strong foundation in the “4 C’s.”

Filtering limits Global Connections.

The. World. Is. Flat. We can’t go back to the private world we grew up in. Social media and the leveling of the global playing field means that our students are not just competing with their community peers, but with students around the world. We have to understand and appreciate global perspectives, bringing the world into our classrooms, and taking our classrooms to the world. We can’t do that in blocked environments.

We have to move forward and we have to do it now. We need to stop thinking about integrating 21st Century tools...we’ve had 11 years to consider how we are going to do it. Stop limiting our kids and let them bloom. We have obligations and responsibilities to grow these kids in the time that we must prepare them for.

Or don’t do it. But you better be prepared to tell this generation why you held them back.

Picture: Some rights reserved by Clint Hamada

New Web Stuff 10/27/2011

2011-10-26T17:31:00.001-07:00

30 Awesome Web Apps for Your iPad

30 Awesome Apps for the iPad http://t.co/oEWalZ8u #ipad #edtech #edchat

tags: ipad edtech edchat twitter digigogy
You know you're in love when you feel their absenc

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/26/2011

2011-10-25T17:31:00.001-07:00

How big was the world's population when you were born? | Environment | guardian.co.uk

"How big was the world's population when you were born?" Guardian interactive http://t.co/ea7L8Hnp

tags: twitter digigogy
Our 2011 fall PLC summit is in Niagara Falls this

Our 2011 fall PLC summit is in Niagara Falls this year. Bring a team from your school to make the most of your learning http://t.co/fxpOl6ha

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/25/2011

2011-10-24T17:31:00.001-07:00

Be Prepared to Manage Social Media Risks | Business 2 Community

tags: social media media technology divas techdivas soapbox
Dave-Fave inside me - Play. Communication. Experience.

RT @intrepidteacher: Grade 6 blogging all-star. This kid is getting it: http://t.co/mrhQ3R6l #swapd

tags: swapd twitter digigogy
The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia

Occupy the Classroom - http://t.co/es0ioBky - http://t.co/lglXRalF Early childhood ed...critical #guilderlandsd

tags: guilderlandsd twitter digigogy
How to Make Sure You Receive iMessages on All Your iDevices

How to Make Sure You Receive iMessages on All Your iDevices http://t.co/H8JAoG88 via @zite

tags: twitter digigogy
My iBooks have started singing! Audio coming soon

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/24/2011

2011-10-23T17:31:00.001-07:00

29 Excellent iPad Apps for Photographers

29 Excellent iPad Apps for Photographers http://t.co/1pl67bIa

tags: twitter digigogy
Designing a Water Piano | K12Lab powered by LabVIEW

Designing a Water Piano | K12Lab powered by LabVIEW http://t.co/PJ1vf9AB ME: Nice job @RavenscroftNC students! Good stuff...

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/23/2011

2011-10-22T17:31:00.001-07:00

25 Essential iPad 2 Apps that Will Help You Graduate College Faster - Distance Education.org

25 Essential iPad 2 Apps that Will Help You Graduate College Faster - http://t.co/QMCBQ4h6

tags: twitter digigogy
"We are what we Share"

tags: ecoo11 twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/22/2011

2011-10-21T17:31:00.001-07:00

KB...Konnected • Create FREE “PageFlip” Books showcasing student...

Photo: Create FREE “PageFlip” Books showcasing student work! Youblisher is one of my all time favorite... http://t.co/5zGPnyrp

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/20/2011

2011-10-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

Get Your Game On: How to Build Curriculum Units Using the Video Game Model | Edutopia

Get Your Game On: How to Build Curriculum Units Using the Video Game Model http://t.co/BKvkX0gH

tags: twitter digigogy
Educational Technology Guy: 25 Free Resources from Discovery Education

25 free ressources for teachers and educators http://t.co/FXbtuht7

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Modern Leadership (An Opportunity!)

2011-10-19T05:10:00.000-07:00

An idea that our team has been planning is finally coming to fruition and I am so excited to be able to share it with you!

Our Curriculum21 team has been talking for months about how to leverage social media with instructional design and practice, specifically for teacher and district leaders. We live in a new time, with new rules, and new considerations. We have a responsibility to not only KNOW what is on our collective horizons, but also how to infiltrate the new world in a way that is personally meaningful and relevant.

Which has lead us to our first regional event we’re calling LEAD21. (Click the link to see the online flier!) It will be in Birdsville, Texas (just outside of Dallas) on March 6th and 7th, 2012.

This all new Curriculum 21 Regional Conference brings together some of the best of the 21st Century networkers, including Angela Maiers, Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano, and Heidi Hayes Jacobs, along with Bill Sheskey and yours truly for a two day curriculum, networking, and 21st Century Leadership extravaganza!

In Curriculum 21, Heidi Hayes Jacobs talks extensively about “New Forms.” We will be exploring New Forms of leadership, New Forms of Learning Communities, and what “Just in Time” professional development is all about. We’ll be rooting all of this in curriculum and how these forms of leadership and virtual interactions enhance curriculum maps and strengthen curriculum conversations.

Click here to register! Hope to see you there!

-Mike

Also--you can follow us all on Twitter LEADing up to the conference. We are already sharing some resources and having online conversations related to the event!
MIKE on Twitter
SILVIA on Twitter
ANGELA on Twitter
HEIDI on Twitter
BILL on Twitter

Additionally you can JOIN THE CURRICULUM21 NING for even more information, resources, and networking. (Note that you will need a school based/professional email account to join.)

http://www.curriculum21.com/conferences/texas/

New Web Stuff 10/19/2011

2011-10-18T17:31:00.001-07:00

I like the term ... modern learning... instead of

tags: ecosys twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/18/2011

2011-10-17T17:31:00.001-07:00

Science teachers at Loxahatchee middle school strike back against hands-on labs

Perfect example of what happens when testing takes precedence over learning. Science teachers strike back against labs http://t.co/YmANGLe6

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/17/2011

2011-10-16T17:31:00.001-07:00

App Inventor EDU

tags: programming curriculum Android appinventor Google app apps
A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: 39 Sites For Using iPads in the Classroom

tags: ipad classroom iPads media guide
Interesting Facts About Blogging World (Infographic) | Tech18

Interesting Facts About #Blogging World (Infographic) |@Tech18| http://t.co/vMTFdM9n rt @SteveAkinsSEO

tags: Blogging twitter digigogy
Rupert Murdoch: The Steve Jobs Model for Education Reform - WSJ.com

Rupert Murdoch: The Steve Jobs Model for #Education Reform (WSJ) http://t.co/XLtvnwXG #SteveJobs #News

tags: Education SteveJobs News twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/14/2011

2011-10-13T17:31:00.001-07:00

The 5 Cs: Consume, connect, create, contribute and commit! « Connecting the dots

The 5 Cs: Consume, connect, create, contribute and commit! http://t.co/Wti19sCA #edchat #change11

tags: edchat change11 twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/11/2011

2011-10-10T17:31:00.001-07:00

Digital library aims to expand kids' media literacy – USATODAY.com

Digital library aims to expand kids' #medialiteracy
http://t.co/xhJRkWXs

tags: medialiteracy twitter digigogy
Students At Two Schools Boycott State English Exam - NY1.com

Students At Two Schools Boycott State English Exam http://t.co/vkJWkKBE VIA @toughLoveforx

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/09/2011

2011-10-08T17:31:00.001-07:00

Becoming a 21st Century School or District: Embed the 4Cs in Curriculum and Assessment | Edutopia

Q. Can you put 21st Century learning outcomes into curriculum? A. Yes- check-out CFSD (AZ) and NSSD (NY) http://t.co/DyJUa80e #edleader21

tags: edleader21 twitter digigogy
Google posters for classroom display: (RT @russeltarr)

Google posters for classroom display: http://t.co/n4mrmyd2

tags: twitter digigogy
Driven by DIVAS (Data, Instruction, Varied Assessments, and Supports) | AllThingsPLC

Driven by DIVAS (Data, Instruction, Varied Assessments, and Supports) | AllThingsPLC http://t.co/ECSyKdJU via @SolutionTree #ascdl2l

tags: ascdl2l twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Clickable NY Common Core Standards by Grade Level (ELA)

2011-10-06T18:40:00.000-07:00

Free website - Powered By Wix.com

If you like the NY Common Core ELA Learning Standards that is clickable by grade level, please consider contributing to keep it freely available. The web service WIX charges for bandwidth monthly and I will purchase a premium plan if folks find it useful! Otherwise, once the bandwidth for the month is used, it will not be available until the beginning of the next month. Contribute below:

New Web Stuff 10/07/2011

2011-10-06T17:32:00.001-07:00

TESOL English Language Bulletin - Oct. 5 - Weekly

TESOL English Language Bulletin - Oct. 5 - Weekly headlines from #TESOL: http://t.co/yPXZlQQM #ELTNews #ELTChat #EngChat #ELT #EFL #ESL #FB

tags: ELTNews ELTChat EngChat ELT EFL ESL FB twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

iCommit

2011-10-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

Like me, I’m sure many of you were shocked yesterday to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple and idea man of the century. (I linked to the Apple homepage so you could see the memorial they posted on their website.)

There’s been a flurry of news bits and tweets and wall posts around his death, but all of them have a similar theme and I think that theme is as good as any to honor the man who changed our digitial landscape: Commit fully to your passions.

My family and I watched many different clips last night of people commenting on how committed he was. How he would come up with an idea, and regardless of what others thought, implement it with tenacity and courage, believing wholeheartedly in its success.

I wondered about how that looks in education, how educators commit themselves to the children they are responsible for. Perhaps now is a good time to take another look at our commitments, an opportunity to prioritize what is important...an opportunity to re-commit ourselves to doing what is best for kids.

Education, nationally, is in a constant state of turmoil and I know that many of you, like me, are overwhelmed with new standards, new pushes for teacher evaluations, value added growth models, etc. It reminds me of Eckhart Tolle’s book THE POWER OF NOW, and what he says about how we can really only control what is in our zones, in our reach, and in our immediate moments. There may be other minutiae that we have to deal with but we can’t control the future, only the present.

We can shape the future, though. Steve Jobs did with his commitment to his passions, his ideas, and the future he imagined for us all.

What are your passions? What can you commit or re-commit to today? In honor of Steve Jobs, I’d like to challenge each of you who read this blog to commit to something you are passionate about in education and share it here. Then follow through with your commitment.

I’ll start with my commitment for today:

I commit to working in the NOW zone. I want to do a better job of managing those things I can control in the moment and start pushing the “What Ifs” off of my plate. With all of the work I do with teachers around many different elements, the “What Ifs” sometimes bog me down and mask the scope of the real work to be done right now to benefit teachers and students. That’s what I’m committing to right now.

iCommit. What about u?

Godspeed to Steve Jobs. His family, both personal and professional, remain in my thoughts...

New Web Stuff 10/06/2011

2011-10-05T17:31:00.001-07:00

Greggs - Halloween

@fisher1000 Fun Spooky Stories writing competition for ur students - they could win a kindle & get published! http://t.co/iOjHN4f6 R/T!

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/04/2011

2011-10-03T17:31:00.001-07:00

What’s A Flipped Classroom?

What’s A Flipped Classroom? http://t.co/o9N51JRQ

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 10/02/2011

2011-10-01T17:31:00.001-07:00

Get to the core of with this toolkit filled with

Get to the core of #assessment with this toolkit filled with free resources: http://t.co/ujVQE7Uz

tags: assessment twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Should You Be Replaced?

2011-09-30T20:38:00.001-07:00

In a recent coaching conversation, a teacher told me that her 12th grade students should be able to just be assigned work with the expectation of completing it. She was tired, she said, of lazy students who didn’t do what they were told and were so disengaged from the learning process that they barely did any assigned work, choosing instead to accept D’s and F’s.

I didn’t agree or disagree with the teacher, but asked what she thought her role was. She told me that she was the one who helped the students learn but was frustrated that they didn’t complete assignments. In the most respectful way possible, I asked the teacher about the possibility of putting all the students in the auditorium, and having someone just assign them tasks. Whether they did them or not, it might help alleviate her frustration.

She asked, “Who would teach the kids?”

I said, respectfully, “Who’s teaching them now?”

I told the teacher that I wasn’t intentionally being snarky, but wanted to drive home the point that assigning tasks and teaching were two different things. Teaching is a skill, a hard one. Assigning tasks is something anyone can do. Assigning tasks is what I imagine early teachers on the prairie would do because they had multiple ages in the same one room schoolhouse. It is not the hallmark of the 21st Century Teacher.

The 21st Century teacher is an expert guide, an expert in questioning techniques, and an expert in designing instruction that meets the needs of the 21st Century learner. Those needs must involve communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creative problem solving.

I talked with this teacher about transforming her classroom from a place where tasks are assigned to one where problems are solved, where students work together to investigate issues, where exploration and mistakes are valued over rote answers on worksheets. It was a powerful conversation.

It reminded me of the quote that floats around Twitter often, “Any teacher that can be replaced by a machine, should be.” (Arthur C. Clarke) When we take a critical look at our professional practice, and really delve deeply into what we do as educators, what parts of our practice are automated? What parts could be done by anybody? In the 21st Century, how can we adequately prepare our students for college and careers with 20th, and perhaps 19th Century notions about what teaching is?

There’s no denying it. Our students have changed. They live in a new world. It’s not the world we grew up in, but we still have a responsibility to prepare them adequately. Have you considered what you do as an educator that makes you irreplaceable?

New Web Stuff 10/01/2011

2011-09-30T17:31:00.001-07:00

» 3 simple tips for setting up online communities Learning in the Social Workplace

» 3 simple tips for setting up online communities - http://t.co/3TrW9TBC

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/30/2011

2011-09-29T17:31:00.001-07:00

Mis-Education Nation: Sending NBC's 'Education Nation' Back to School on Vimeo

Mis-Education Nation- highly recommended! Low tech video, high power! http://t.co/VFwBeHjd w/ @DianeRavitch @leoniehaimson @PedroANoguera

tags: twitter digigogy
Schools Matter: Melinda Gates: High Test Scores Indicate Good Teaching Because Good Teachers Have High Test Scores

Schools Matter: Melinda Gates: High Test Scores Indicate Good Teaching Because Good Teachers Have High Test Scores http://t.co/P4OQPTVC

tags: twitter digigogy
Mac App Store - Pages Templates App | Apps on Special | Scoop.it

Mac App Store - Pages Templates App | @scoopit http://t.co/Zt4FXjN

tags: twitter digigogy
OCBOCES Course: General News & Resources

tags: boces rttt moodle

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/29/2011

2011-09-28T17:31:00.001-07:00

A Visual History of Literary References on 'The Simpsons' - Jared Keller - Entertainment - The Atlantic

A Visual History of Literary References on 'The Simpsons' - The Atlantic http://t.co/Dj7LqUIj via @bookbagsara

tags: twitter digigogy
New Study Uncovers Skills and Education Necessary for Success in 21st Century Workforce - MarketWatch

Exciting U.S. Chamber Study underscoring importance of crit. thinking, prob. solving, commun. skills in the workplace. http://t.co/HRVWeeFs

tags: twitter digigogy
K-5 iPad Apps for Evaluating Evaluation: Part Five of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy | Edutopia

tags: apps bloomstaxonomy evaluating blooms mlearning ipads ipad ipod blooms_taxonomy
K-5 iPad Apps for Analyzing: Part Four of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy | Edutopia

tags: iPad apps blooms_taxonomy edutopia bloom mlearning technology blooms bloomstaxonomy
K-5 iPad Apps for Applying: Part Three of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy | Edutopia

tags: iPad apps blooms edutopia blooms_taxonomy bloomstaxonomy edchat elemchat

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/27/2011

2011-09-26T17:31:00.001-07:00

Draw a Stickman

Fun. Just found http://t.co/AdqkghAu in my daily news feed. http://t.co/kFgLoevv

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/26/2011

2011-09-25T17:31:00.001-07:00

Distractions Begone! Facebook as a Study Tool | MindShift

RT @MindShiftKQED: Setting aside Facebook wall and status updates, Hoot.me lets students use Facebook for studying.
http://ow.ly/6z5C3

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/25/2011

2011-09-24T17:31:00.001-07:00

‘Doodle’ App Turns Kindle Into An Etch-a-Sketch | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

‘Doodle’ App Turns Kindle Into An Etch-a-Sketch http://t.co/EjYW6YGt

tags: twitter digigogy
Catch a Fly Ball at the Tokyo Dome - 25 Authentic Asian Experiences - TIME

25 Authentic Asian Experiences (TIME) http://t.co/J5MzCXWA #Asia #Travel

tags: Asia Travel twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/24/2011

2011-09-23T17:31:00.001-07:00

Aaron Slutsky - Google+ - Gotta love APIs. Conceptboard already one-upped our…

G+:http://t.co/GvNBljyZ I think I will skip purchasing goto webinar now. Dave Girouard originally shared this post: TechCrunch | Concep...

tags: twitter digigogy
How to Collect Student Files with Dropbox | K-5 Computer Lab

tags: dropbox edtech web2.0 tools filestork

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/23/2011

2011-09-22T17:31:00.001-07:00

Amazon Kindle Book Loans Debut at 11,000 Libraries - Mobile and Wireless - News & Reviews - eWeek.com

Amazon Kindle Book Loans Debut at 11,000 Libraries http://ow.ly/6ChPl #tlchat #mlearning #edtech

tags: tlchat mlearning edtech twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/22/2011

2011-09-21T17:31:00.001-07:00

Publishing iPad Book Apps for Kids | Scoop.it

Publishing iPad Book Apps for Kids by @iPad_storytime on @scoopit http://t.co/leFdbD48 @langwitches (Have you seen this?)

tags: twitter digigogy
Dispelling Myths About Blocked Websites in Schools | MindShift

Dispelling Myths About Blocked Websites in Schools http://t.co/C5QINlY0

tags: twitter digigogy
Proficiency Scale Bank | Marzano Research Laboratory

Have you explored the Proficiency Scale Bank over at the @MarzanoResearch website? Great resource! http://t.co/T5FgFlNK

tags: twitter digigogy
Critical Thinking.org

tags: ct criticalthinking mosaic emosiac

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/20/2011

2011-09-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

Resources for First-Year ELL Teachers | Colorín Colorado

tags: First-Year resources ell teachers colorado color

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/19/2011

2011-09-18T17:31:00.001-07:00

Teaching in the 21st Century - The Educator's PLN

Teaching in the 21st Century- a #prezi that nails it http://t.co/JFVXW5tn via The Educator's PLN #curriculum21 #lhs212 #edtech

tags: prezi curriculum21 lhs212 edtech twitter digigogy
Mobile Tech Learning - #iPadChat Archive: Wed. September 14, 2011

The #iPadChat Archive is now available: http://t.co/fyrqKAfg #ipaded #slide2learn #mlearning

tags: iPadChat ipaded slide2learn mlearning twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Common Core for Social Studies Teachers!

2011-09-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity this week to interview Bruce Leader, a 10th grade Global Studies teacher at Starpoint High School in Lockport, NY. This interview is the newest podcast on the Curriculum21 Podcast Channel.

Hear/Download our conversation here: http://blog.curriculum21.com/?p=239

You can subscribe to the Curriculum21 Podcast channel on iTunes here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/curriculum-21-podcast/id419480932

In this podcast, I ask Bruce questions about integrating the literacy standards for writing and reading from the Common Core into his professional practice. Bruce is an educator who has taught all over the world and brings a global literacy perspective to his students.

As we peel back the layers of Common Core integration nationwide, I think it's important that we share conversations and best practices around the ways we implement the new standards. In the near future, I'll be blogging and producing podcasts around literacy in Science, Physical Education and Health, Art, and Music.

Also, I'd like to publicly thank Bruce for sitting down to talk with me. He's a phenomenal teacher and offers a modern, global view of educating his students!

-Mike

@fisher1000 on Twitter

New Web Stuff 09/17/2011

2011-09-16T17:31:00.001-07:00

Free Technology for Teachers: Explore a Map of 900+ UNESCO World Heritage Sites

New post: Explore a Map of 900+ UNESCO World Heritage Sites http://t.co/E7wsQDuT

tags: twitter digigogy
What Twitter Looked Like When It Was Born (Screenshot, History)

Screenshot of What #Twitter Looked Like When It Was Born (RWW) http://t.co/9OtOmXSb rt @jaycbee #SocialMedia

tags: SocialMedia twitter digigogy
Free Technology for Teachers: More Ways to Edit Your Videos in YouTube

New post: More Ways to Edit Your Videos in YouTube http://t.co/NPZ8VNlh

tags: twitter digigogy
One more time w/link-Finally!A BookCreator App- Ca

One more time w/link-Finally!A BookCreator App- Can't recommend this new app enough.Excited 2start using it w/stdnts - http://t.co/CilbT2IL

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/16/2011

2011-09-15T17:31:00.001-07:00

Slide to learn guide HTML5

RT @TheConsultantsE: Free Guide! Slide 2 Learn: Beginners Guide to the iPhone, iPod, & IPad in Education http://t.co/HY965Jcr

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/15/2011

2011-09-14T17:31:00.001-07:00

shares make a poster on line, pick it up at Walmar

shares make a poster on line, pick it up at Walmart...for FREE: http://t.co/gHPHReb http://t.co/DsnVMJL

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/14/2011

2011-09-13T17:31:00.001-07:00

Why Are Finland's Schools Successful? | People & Places | Smithsonian Magazine

If you missed it: Why ARE Finland's schools so successful? http://t.co/KHY5tSR

tags: twitter digigogy
Tell Me About...

Share your strategy for using scarce resources more efficiently and effectively: http://t.co/cstotLB

tags: twitter digigogy
12 Coolest Roadside Statues - Oddee.com

12 Coolest Roadside Statues (oddee) http://dld.bz/cKxN #Travel

tags: Travel twitter digigogy
iPad Makes Students Better Readers and Writers

iPad Makes Students Better ... - The Education Technology Blog http://t.co/kbBknbc

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/12/2011

2011-09-11T17:31:00.001-07:00

78 Most Creative and Top Rated Business Cards Designs | Web Design Blog, Web Designer Resources

78 Most Creative & Top Rated #Business Cards Designs http://t.co/PPRTyQT #Design

tags: Business Design twitter digigogy
surrounding yourself with good people who "get it"

tags: twitter digigogy
International Educators by Langwitches | Klout | The Standard for Influence

Check out my new list on @klout, featuring @mikeherrity, @ramon3434, @presentationzen, and @hoprea! http://t.co/CQRpIDQ

tags: twitter digigogy
Cool Comic Creators

Must add to my Scoop.it! RT @TCEA: LiveBinder of more than 30 Cool Comic Creators: http://t.co/c5o4mI7

tags: twitter digigogy
75 Free Online Image and Photo Editing Tools/Websites | Blograzzi | Web 2.0 Tools & Resources | Scoop.it

75 Free Online Image and Photo Editing Tools/Websites | Blograzzi | @scoopit http://t.co/mmY6c3C

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/10/2011

2011-09-09T17:31:00.001-07:00

New study - kids need not know all the basic facts

New study - kids need not know all the basic facts to do well in math:
http://t.co/Zs2Wsac

tags: twitter digigogy
âDeja mooâ¦ The feeling youâve heard that bull...

Photo: “Deja moo… The feeling you’ve heard that bull before.” love this coffee mug! http://t.co/gQOiZ4w

tags: twitter digigogy
Cool Cat Teacher Blog: Picking the Perfect Font for Beautiful Designs Every Time

Picking the Perfect Font for Beautiful Designs Every Time http://t.co/9U8Bw6v from CCTeacherBlog

tags: twitter digigogy
No Projector? Use QR Code & SlideShare to Share a Presentation on Smartphones

No Projector? Use QR Code & SlideShare to Share a Presentation on Smartphones http://t.co/baUxj2E

tags: twitter digigogy
Posted earlier: New blog post and flyer to downloa

tags: twitter digigogy
Edmodo - Extending Learning Beyond the Classroom

A Great Livebinder From My Friend @adurrence All About @edmodo: http://t.co/SzqlJ62

tags: twitter digigogy
DinoPass - Simple password generator for kids

Nice password generator for kids http://t.co/lmqGfeW

tags: twitter digigogy
21st Century Teaching and Learning: The Flipped Classroom: an Infographic

The Flipped Classroom: an Infographic - http://ow.ly/6mnc6 (great find, @ddraper) #cpchat

tags: cpchat twitter digigogy
The State of Digital Education Infographic

The State of Digital Education Infographic http://t.co/8ZKRP1Z

tags: twitter digigogy
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… - The Best Resources For Learning About Common Core Standards & English Language Learners

Updates to "The Best Resources For Learning About Common Core Standards & English Language Learners" http://t.co/YLvq4rn

tags: twitter digigogy
8 Word Cloud Makers for teachers | The Whiteboard Blog

RT @joevans: "8 Word Cloud Makers for Teachers" http://t.co/WrItILj

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/09/2011

2011-09-08T17:31:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

'Twas the Night Before Pre-K

2011-09-06T18:38:00.001-07:00

'Twas the night before Pre-K

and excitement rang out,

going to bed early,

I was beginning to doubt.

The supplies were all ready,

The backpack was full,

With gluesticks and pencils,

And notebooks for school.

Her mom and I are ready,

To start her school path,

We're excited she's learning,

Reading, writing, and math,

And new languages,

And Science, and History too,

All to get ready

For whatever she'll do.

New Common Core standards,

New ways to prepare,

We want her to be ready,

And world-aware!

We've anticipated

The things that she'll learn

As a student in school,

With much to discern.

We're proud of our child,

We want her to thrive

Beyond traditional constraints

Always flying high.

To her teacher, we pledge,

Our support to the max,

To her journey, we hope,

There is nothing she lacks.

As we begin our new life

Of bright public ed,

We wish Lily success,

In her journey ahead.

We love that she's ready,

Excited and glad,

To begin a lifelong love

Of the world to be had.

Every opportunity,

That this world can provide,

Is now in your reach, child,

Just step inside...

*Your mother and I love you very much, Lily, and are so excited for you to begin your educational journey. We know the value to your life that learning brings, and we hope that you take advantage of it. We're so proud of you already, and look forward to many great things filled with wonder and passion.

* "Once you learn to read, you will forever be free." - Frederick Douglass

New Web Stuff 09/06/2011

2011-09-05T17:31:00.001-07:00

The Single Best idea For Reforming K-12 Education: Part 2 - Forbes

The Single Best idea For Reforming K-12 Education: Part 2 - Forbes http://t.co/gYHY4NE

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/05/2011

2011-09-04T17:31:00.001-07:00

Tout

Share videos with Twitter...

tags: twitter video twitcast twitvideo

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/03/2011

2011-09-02T17:31:00.001-07:00

Evaluating Online Resources | EDSITEment

Evaluating Online Resources: http://t.co/t1Qa32v

tags: twitter digigogy
10 Tips For Securing Your Home Network - BrandFlair | BrandFlair

10 Tips For Securing Your Home Network http://t.co/GQYUGPK via @BrandFlair

tags: twitter digigogy
It's easy for someone who doesn't have to encounte

tags: twitter digigogy
The Seven Steps to Becoming a 21st Century School or District | Edutopia

tags: 21stcenturylearning education edutopia Future blog

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Common Core Standards Crosswalk EZ

2011-09-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

I created a video this morning to help teachers with a quick way to familiarize themselves with the Common Core standards, compare them to current practice, and help to make alignment to the standards practical and efficient.

New Web Stuff 09/02/2011

2011-09-01T17:31:00.001-07:00

We Give Books - Read a book. Give a book.

Visit some classic literary favorites, and discover fresh ones on #WeGiveBooks http://ow.ly/6i21T

tags: WeGiveBooks twitter digigogy
you may also want to try iCite for those who can't

tags: ESL researchpaper twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 09/01/2011

2011-08-31T17:31:00.001-07:00

The Best in Bird Photography: 50 Crystal Clear Bird Shots

The Best in Bird #Photography: 50 Crystal Clear Shots of #Birds http://t.co/alaAJAA rt @Bayahta

tags: Birds twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Common Core for Media Specialists: Considerations

2011-08-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

I had a really great conversation with a colleague yesterday discussing what the role of the Media Specialist was in the wake of the Common Core rollout. She was concerned that she might be peripheral to the changes and she really wanted to know more about what was going on.

I assured her that she was not peripheral in the least.

“In fact,” I told her, “you are the cornerstone.” She was a little taken aback, but I explained.

I told her that every teacher was now a teacher of literacy, that there were reading and writing components explicit in everyone’s practice now, that there were instructional shifts toward informational text, deep reading and analysis, building domain specific vocabulary, and rigorous researching skills. I told her that she had never been more important than she was right at this moment.

I saw her look of fear when she said, “So what does this mean for me, then?”

I let her know that she could relax. What is coming for all teachers is on par with what she’s been doing for years:

helping others find appropriate resources both print and non-print
helping others evaluate resources for their usefulness
helping others use media in any form to support content knowledge
helping others explore the portals to the universe through the use of the media center

I shared with her Page 7 of the ELA Common Core Document, that describes seven capacities that the College and Career student should demonstrate. In her role as media specialist, these seven capacities, by and large, were already a part of her framework for teaching.

I showed her a resource I just recently came across on LiveBinders that included a slew of information about the Common Core Standards in relation to Media Specialists.

We also discussed some of the steps that she could begin considering as she helped teachers in their own transitions to Common Core Integration, including:

helping students identify those topics in literary texts that would also be found in informational texts
provide more opportunities for print texts that are informational: books, newspapers, magazines, reference materials
developing plans for helping students find relevant and useful information online as well as engage students in specific methods (web tools and digital device apps - like EasyBib or Son of Citation Machine) for creating citations
creating opportunities for students and teachers to engage with text in multiple ways: print, web, web 2.0 tools, interlibrary loans, etc.
creating a web resource for digital writing and reading in the content areas in several ways, perhaps on a school website, on LiveBinders, on a wiki, etc.

We discussed what reporting features she might have access to since her card catalog system was all online, for inventory and for checkout. While she wasn’t sure in the conversational moment, we wondered out loud about the possibility of providing reports for each student that showed the balance between the literary and the informational texts that the student had checked out in the last year.

We talked about how other teachers were going to be responsible for collecting evidence of student learning on a more frequent and formative basis, and this is something she could do to. If she knew that a student was always choosing literary/fictional texts, she could more easily make suggestions in the same interest area but around informational texts. She could also target reading levels and make suggestions for more rigorous reading if students were not self-selecting books that at least represented an independent (and possibly easing them into a challenging) zone.

The last thing we discussed was “Mapping Out Her Plan.” Those of you who know me or read me regularly know that while I engage in a lot of tech talk, it’s always rooted in a curricular focus. I told her to, in general, document her plans:

What actions would she take to upgrade her own practice in terms of the growth associated with Common Core integration?
What were those specific tasks she wanted to be sure and engage in with both students and teachers?
And finally, what evidence would she gather that represented the fulfillment of both the tasks and the actions?

As we wrapped up our conversation, her mood had decidedly changed from worried to excitement. She couldn’t get away from me fast enough and begin planning.

I’m sharing this conversation with you for two reasons. One, I haven’t seen a lot of press around what educational professionals outside of the core subjects should be considering with the Common Core implementation, and two, sometimes all it takes to ease the worries of coming changes is just a conversation and brainstorming session.

I think for most teachers, the capacity is there; the willingness is there. We just have to articulate ideas into manageable steps and then GO!

*Also--good luck to my media specialist colleague as she embarks on her new school year. After our conversation, I’m as excited as she is!

New Web Stuff 08/31/2011

2011-08-30T17:31:00.001-07:00

100 Reasons to Mind Map | Mind Map Inspiration

100 Reasons To Mind Map http://t.co/2R8zQCM

tags: twitter digigogy
Izismile.com - Beautiful Patterns in Nature From National Geographic. Part 1 (74 pics)

74 Pictures of Beautiful Patterns in #Nature From National Geographic http://dld.bz/aycD #Photography

tags: Nature Photography twitter digigogy
Pegby: Peg it up, Move it Around, Get it Done.

tags: organization todo task list web2.0 pegby foldable brainigami foldables organize wallwisher
Free Conference Call, Phone Conferencing, Teleconferences - FreeConferenceCall.com

tags: conference tools collaboration call VoIP services freeconferencecall conferencing
Tungle.me | Scheduling Made Easy

tags: calendar scheduling tools collaboration productivity meetings web2.0 tungle meeting schedule

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/30/2011

2011-08-29T17:31:00.001-07:00

3cHow to Transform Your Classroom Using Web 2.0 Tools – 3fSimpleK12

How to Transform Your Classroom Using Web 2.0 Tools http://t.co/LyfTNws

tags: twitter digigogy
85-90% of the 7th graders in morning classes have

tags: twitter digigogy
To Ban or Not to Ban: Schools Weigh Cell Phone Policies | MindShift

tags: cell phones mobile phones BYOD CellPhones cellphone cell

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/29/2011

2011-08-28T17:31:00.001-07:00

Introducing Microlending to Students - The Tempered Radical

Just finished a new bit: Introducing Microlending to Students - http://ow.ly/6eLUc #sschat #globaled #midleved #cpchat

tags: sschat globaled midleved cpchat twitter digigogy
interesting- blocks often feel random across distr

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/28/2011

2011-08-27T17:31:00.001-07:00

Vintage Ad Browser

#Vintage Ad Browser: 100,000+ Vintage Advertisements to Explore http://dld.bz/JTFp #Advertising #CreativeAds

tags: Vintage Advertising CreativeAds twitter digigogy
The Worst Federal Agencies to Work For | Career | Mainstreet

@dianeravitch 3rd worst federal agency to work: Dept. Of Ed. http://t.co/Mw2MuaQ

tags: twitter digigogy
Assessment in the Digital Age: Fair Measures?

My annotated keynote slides on eAssessment: #eas11 http://t.co/4Zl58fM

tags: eas11 twitter digigogy
"Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain whic

tags: quote twitter digigogy
BBC News - Fossil redefines mammal history

160-Million-Year-Old Chinese Fossil Has Something Big to Say About Evolution on Earth (BBC) http://t.co/S2kRfdv #Science #News

tags: Science News twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/27/2011

2011-08-26T17:31:00.001-07:00

Free Technology for Teachers: Classtools Fakebook - Create a Fictitious Facebook Page

Classtools Fakebook - Create a Fictitious Facebook Page http://t.co/xSbVyIC

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/26/2011

2011-08-25T17:31:00.001-07:00

RT : Great ideas. "What Does Your Syllabus Say Abo

RT @ransomtech: Great ideas. "What Does Your Syllabus Say About You and Your Course?" http://t.co/2eCCHro

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/25/2011

2011-08-24T17:31:00.001-07:00

New, cheaper ways to get textbooks | WIVB.com

New, cheaper ways to get textbooks http://t.co/BCmvyPq

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/24/2011

2011-08-23T17:31:00.001-07:00

Journeywoman - 50 Easy Ways to Stretch Your Travel Dollars

50 Easy Ways to Stretch Your #Travel Dollars http://dld.bz/tdAZ #Tips

tags: Travel Tips twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/21/2011

2011-08-20T17:31:00.001-07:00

Assignment Wired: Family | Raw File

Here's assignment 2 http://t.co/cKd5maM #wired

tags: wired twitter digigogy
Imagine having an unconference day with students,

tags: edcamp twitter digigogy
- KANNONSHOTS

tags: KANNONSHOTS photo photos image images buckwell tyler

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/20/2011

2011-08-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

Clay Shirky Says Good Collaboration is Structured Fighting

ReadWriteHack: Clay Shirky Says Good Collaboration is Structured Fighting http://t.co/SKapMGV

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/19/2011

2011-08-18T17:31:00.001-07:00

Trade used textbooks right on your iPhone with Amazon Student | 9to5Mac | Apple Intelligence

Trade used textbooks right on your iPhone with Amazon Student http://t.co/CyFBatz /via @9to5mac #highered #edtech

tags: highered edtech twitter digigogy
My future shouldn't be a duplication of my past mi

tags: twitter digigogy
The Innovative Educator: Google Voice Provides Every Teacher with a Personal Secretary

Google Voice Provides Every Teacher with a Personal Secretary http://t.co/ScwWonI via @zite

tags: twitter digigogy
When you get a chance, post ideas on math in the r

tags: realmath mathchat edchat BCed twitter digigogy
Designing Effective Homework - ASCD Express 4.26

Designing Effective Homework http://t.co/rOxTwgZ via @zite #edchat

tags: edchat twitter digigogy
HowStuffWorks "53 Slang Terms by Decade"

53 Slang Terms by Decade (HowStuffWorks) http://dld.bz/w7AC (rt @ShebaJo) #History #Cool!

tags: History Cool twitter digigogy
Tutor in Macomb Township, MI - Algebra, C++ Programming, Calculus - Richard C | Tutor Nation

A new tutor in Macomb Township, MI has joined TutorNation.com..Algebra, C++, Calculus.. http://fb.me/Ff3Kze6r

tags: twitter digigogy
Cooking Classes, Live on Google+ - NYTimes.com

Cooking Classes, Live on Google+ (NYTimes) http://dld.bz/ak3tH #SocialMedia #Foodies #News

tags: SocialMedia Foodies News twitter digigogy
Finland's Educational Success? The Anti–Tiger Mother Approach -- Printout -- TIME

Genius! "In the U.S. they treat tchers like pizza delivery boys & do efficiency studies on how well they deliver pizza." http://t.co/8Zp0BVJ

tags: twitter digigogy
"My pa says grades aren't all that count; it's th

tags: twitter digigogy
Blended Learning Setup

Nice overview of his school's rollout of new tech: http://ht.ly/5WJjg (via @jutecht) #edtech

tags: edtech twitter digigogy
PARCC Content Frameworks | PARCC

PARCC Content Frameworks | PARCC: http://t.co/EqWfUM2 via @addthis public comment period through Aug. 17th. Check it out.

tags: twitter digigogy
LikeMyTweets - Like Button for Twitter

Has anyone tried video blogging or audio blogging instead of written blogs? #4thchat [Like it? http://goo.gl/2VEI7 ]

tags: 4thchat twitter digigogy
Twitter Rubric

This rubric may be used for assessing use of Twitter for instructional assignments. http://bit.ly/icyLEp from Univ of Wisconsin #Edchat

tags: Edchat twitter digigogy
Hiring a Teacher to a 35 Year Contract Makes Me Nervous. | PrincipalsPage.com Blog

Hiring a Teacher to a 35 Year Contract Makes Me Nervous. http://bit.ly/oLeB6O

tags: twitter digigogy
eTools for Language Teachers

Web resources for French teachers from @sylviaduckworth: http://bit.ly/on3c79

tags: twitter digigogy
FableVision Learning Poster Gallery

Love all of these posters from @FableVision Learning Poster Gallery http://ow.ly/5WPfS Thank you @peterhreynolds :)

tags: twitter digigogy
Ways to Use ThingLink in the Classroom

Now 18 Ways to Use ThingLink in the Classroom - http://is.gd/KGdyiu Add yours! #tlchat

tags: tlchat twitter digigogy
How My School Is Transitioning to Digital Textbooks: Organizing (Step 1 of 5) | Edutopia | iPads and Tablets in Education | Scoop.it

How My School Is Transitioning to Digital Textbooks: Organizing (Step 1) | @scoopit http://bit.ly/p5wCic #ipaded #edtech

tags: ipaded edtech twitter digigogy
Free Technology for Teachers: Send Email Attachments to Your Dropbox

RT @kylepace: RT @Nunavut_Tweeter: RT @rmbyrne: New post: Send Email Attachments to Your Dropbox http://goo.gl/fb/faKOz

tags: twitter digigogy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Common Core: Pay More!

2011-08-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

I’m a little on a soapbox today, just so you know up front. Unfortunately, the people that are reading this are most likely the choir that I normally “preach” to.

The Common Core is upgrading more than standards. It’s creating opportunities for upgrades and transformations across the entire system. What these changes mean when they trickle down to individual teachers is significant. Teachers are being asked to do more than they ever have, and perhaps unlearn, relearn, and reboot. I don’t disagree that the system needs a kick in the pants, but teachers are getting increasingly frustrated--and I can’t blame them.

Teachers that I talk with across the country are frustrated because they are having to be more critical than they’ve ever been, provide better evidence of student learning, re-scaffold instruction, learn new ways to engage and reach every learner, and in many cases, also participate in the creation of new common assessments, look at data more critically and adjust instruction, and also be held to higher teacher standards and value added growth models. In essence, they are doing double the amount of work for the same amount of pay.

There are those that argue that the teachers should have been doing this all along. There are those that argue that teachers have pie jobs that don’t amount to more than glorified babysitting. There are those that are making decisions and judgments for and about these teachers that have never once stepped into a classroom. And then there are those that used to be in classrooms years ago who have no idea what instruction looks like and what it demands in the 21st Century.

Even today, colleges aren’t necessarily preparing their prospective teachers to practice at the level that is currently expected. All of the theoretical knowledge in the world will not adequately prepare the new teacher to understand curriculum alignment, collaborative cultures, effective classroom management, designing assessments that measure what was taught and align those to standards, the ever-increasing additional professional responsibilities, and more. Teachers today are more like doctors than ever before: detecting, diagnosing, remediating--thoughtful practitioners with prescriptive powers that have to be honed and sharpened for every single life they touch.

I don’t think most people have a firm grasp on how much teachers spend of their own time and money to create effective learning experiences for their students. Many, if not most teachers work on their own time, with little credit for doing so, and now the demands are there to do even more. Teachers are constantly held to the flame for continuous professional development, continuous critiques of their practice, and in recent years--a slump in scores could mean dismissal.

The successful implementation of the Common Core is a necessary thing. But it’s missing a key component: MONEY FOR TEACHERS. I’m not talking about incentive pay, I’m not talking about collective bargaining, and I’m not talking about a money grab, I’m talking about fair pay for a job that’s been transformed significantly from what it used to be. (Particularly now in the wake of what the Common Core is asking teachers to do.)

When I was in college, I worked at Wal-Mart 3rd shift so that I could go to school during the day. I started out making a little more than minimum wage and was hired to replace stock in the sporting goods department. After a couple of weeks, I was trained in a couple of other departments and how to run the cash register. As I did more, I was paid more. In every other job I’ve ever had in my life--this has been true. If I take on more responsibility, then I was rewarded with a higher rate of pay. Because I worked for it. Because I deserved it.

I don’t think we can just write this off as “this is what should have been happening all along.” I could say the same about my doctor, my accountant, and my mechanic. (They all do their jobs increasingly better, and I know as years go by, I’m paying more and more for their services.) New ideas, discoveries, opportunities, and inventions breed better work, better implementation, more strategic ways to qualify and quantify and make a difference for what teachers do. And it takes work to learn all of this new stuff. And it takes work to maintain the new system while preparing for the next change. And the teachers have to keep on teaching in the midst of all of this.

Teachers today weren’t necessarily prepared/trained to do the kind of work that needs to happen with these shifts in our educational system. As we increase these shifts, and increase responsibilities, and increase expectations...shouldn’t there also be increases in pay?

New Web Stuff 08/16/2011

2011-08-15T17:31:00.001-07:00

Atlas Curriculum Mapping :: NY System Login

tags: atlas curriculum mapping system login rubicon

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/14/2011

2011-08-13T17:31:00.001-07:00

Understanding by Design

research on intelligence and the brain suggests that we learn best when

we are engaged in meaningful classroom learning experiences that help us

discover and develop our strengths and talents (Silver, Strong and Perini, 1997).

tags: ubd education design assessment teaching backward curriculum learning

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/05/2011

2011-08-04T17:31:00.001-07:00

http://lciltd.org/images/stories/pdf-files/Where_Do_We_Begin.pdf

tags: lciltd.org Where_Do_We_Begin.pdf pdf-files commoncore standards common Core core

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 08/03/2011

2011-08-02T17:32:00.001-07:00

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills - P21 Common Core Toolkit

tags: commoncore P21 standards common Core core

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 07/30/2011

2011-07-29T17:31:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 07/29/2011

2011-07-28T17:31:00.001-07:00

Digital learning: Digital devices to replace textbooks

tags: learning textbooks infographics digitallearning information

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 07/28/2011

2011-07-27T17:31:00.001-07:00

Twitterfountain

tags: twitter twitterfountain visualization web2.0 tools aggregator mashup
EngageNY | Our Students. Their Moment.

tags: students moment newyork ny curriculum teaching learning commoncore core

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

New Web Stuff 07/27/2011

2011-07-26T17:31:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.