Social Justice

In the article, "Teaching Students to Stand Up and Speak Out", the blogger gives many good reasons why we should educate kids to act beyond the classroom walls.  I completely agree that there are many social problems in this world, especially the one written about--poverty.  However, I am not positive that the suggested "lessons" will work in helping kids to make a difference on their own.  Many students may still see it as "just" a school project.  I know many of my students are very involved in the community through Key Club, Student Government, NHS, and their various churches.  I know many others simply don't care!  I am not sure that we will be able to "teach" morality to our students by the time they reach high school.  I do think, however, that if this were started in the early elementary grades and continued all the way through high school, we could start to see a difference in how many of our students take on social problems and do something about them!

School as a Video Game

I'll admit that I am not a huge fan of video games; I did love my Nintendo, and I rocked at Super Mario Brothers, but I guess I'm showing my age here, huh?  However, this article that draws a comparison between schools and video games definitely caught my eye.

I happen to agree with the author that as educators, we need to "steal" some gaming ideas.  One idea that he put in my mind is that it doesn't make sense to hold kids back just because they haven't mastered a concept; instead, as in a video game, we should allow them to keep playing, keep practicing, and move around the level at their own pace.  In this way, we need to individualize learning. 

I think this is hard to do in most classrooms, but I'm excited to try to embrace the concept next year.  I will be teaching two blended classes, and I think it will be easier to do in that environment.  I hope I am right!

Web 2.0 tools

This Five-Minute Film Festival article couldn't have come at a better time for me!  I am meeting again tomorrow with some of my fellow blended classroom teachers to develop our classes for next year.  This article provided lots of links and videos for me to share with them about some of the tools we can use!  It is also great for me as school improvement co-chair; we have a technology goal, and this article will help our whole staff!

I didn't check out all of the videos, as I am familiar with many of the tools mentioned.  However, for a definite laugh, check out the parody videos about Photoshop; these aren't exactly school-appropriate, though, so if you're not at home, be careful about viewing them!  Another great video in my opinion was the video on Voicethread.  As I am trying to finish up my digital storytelling assignment for this class, this came at a perfect time!

Gifted Students

The article, Intervention for Gifted Students, caught my eye for a few reasons.  First of all, I was myself a "gifted student" when in K-12 school.  I have taught numerous gifted students in my ten years of professional life, and I am a counselor to a number of these kids.  I have often felt that so much of our counseling time is spent on the "low achievers"...with little time left for those at the other end of the spectrum, the "gifted students." 

In reading the article, I was surprised by what it was truly about.  It was about a subject perhaps even "closer" to me than what I originally thought; it was about whether or not we should pass kids who can pass all of the standardized and outcome exams...even if they never attend school and regularly get under their teachers' skin.  We have a new attendance policy at the school I work at next year:  if a student can maintain a 76% class average and pass the final exam, they will earn credit in the class, regardless of attendance.  Some of us like it; some of us hate it.  However, our school board seems to have adopted the policy, based at least in part on the same feelings as the author of this article:  perhaps attendance matters too much in public education.

The author does offer some suggestions that are more "middle of the road," suggestions that both teachers and school board members can probably live with!  Better lesson plans and thinking of ways to engage gifted students will often alleviate problems before they start.  It is difficult, however, to know what to do with kids like "Kevin" from this article.  What do teachers do with gifted students who are chronically absent, defiant, and challenge authority?  The author says not to back them in a corner, but when teachers have 35 other students to worry about at the same time, it is easy to instead send the Kevins of the world to the office!

iCivics

I read the article about iCivics and also visited their website, and I must admit that this could be a fun way to learn about government!  I can envision using this in a social studies classroom when kids are "done" with a test or other work; it is an interesting way to keep them engaged.  I also learned a bit myself about government, and the games were kind of fun if not too challenging. 

This is a great resource for social studies teachers who are looking to integrate some technology into their plans!

Digital Writing

In the article, Why Digital Writing Matters, a teacher of writing addresses some issues with which I have lately had a lot of concern!  He provided a couple of cool links to sites such as Crocodoc and Eli, and he seems to have written an article to convince other educators why writing digitally matters. 

English teachers around the country are probably frustrated with their colleagues in other disciplines; it seems as if the reading and writing scores of most schools are often placed on the shoulders of the language arts teachers.  This article argues that while teaching writing IS important and SHOULD be done, we must realize that our kids don't even realize how important their texting, facebooking, blogging, and other "digital writing" is.  Employers and universities want people who are good writers, and in today's society, one must be able to write both digitally and conventionally. 

I would be interested in reading more about digital literacy and how to incorporate it into secondary school!

More PBL!!!

In the article, "PBL:  What Does It Take for a Project to be 'Authentic'?", the author describes what makes a project authentic or not.  The author seems to side with many teachers (myself included) in that sometimes it is unrealistic to make your WHOLE learning environment "authentic."  In these cases, simulating real-world experiences (for example, having students "pretend" to be a Presidential advisor) may be the best a teacher can do.

I liked some of the project ideas offered in the article.  For example, having students create a website about books they like could be used at any grade level!  I hope to incorporate something like this in my English 10 class next year.  I also agree with the author that truly authentic projects are usually the most successful, but in lieu of being able to do one, a simulation of sorts is a good second choice!