The future is now (or at least this summer)!!!

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty tired of buying a laptop or any technology device only for it to be outdated in matter of.....days. But if you're in the market for something new and functional, then you're going to love what's coming around the corner!!!

The new HTC EVO 4G is Sprint's Android and it's amazing. Gone are the days when a cell phone was just, a cell phone. This one in particular, has an HDMI output, 8megapix camera, oh and not to mention that it also runs on droid technology...so it's fast...really fast.

Now before you go and chuck your plastic paper weight that you call a cell phone, Sprint has not listed what the prices are or when exactly it'll be coming out (for sure this summer). Verizon and AT&T are working on their 4G phones but it won't be coming out that fast.

Imagine what this could mean for school technology? How many schools out there have a digital camera and a digital video camera tucked away somewhere collecting dust? How long now till we are looking at those products as obsolete and antiques? Shall I start the timer now?

Technology is moving at an amazing pace, and we as educators have to move as fast to help our students get ready.

How far away are we till our students will be required to have a 4G cellphone for class work?

Online Classes vrs. Traditional Classes

A study done by the U.S. Dept. of Education has determined that students actually performed higher in on-line classes compared to the traditional classes. Not substantially better...but enough to start a discussion as to where the future of education should go.

On average, students doing some or all of the course online would rank in the 59th percentile in tested performance, compared with the average classroom student scoring in the 50th percentile. That is a modest but statistically meaningful difference.

Online Education allows users to take on their education in a more meaningful way. They are allowed to take part of something fun and unique. To learn something by actually putting it to use.

What this study tells us, is that the students of today need to have their instruction be taught in an engaging and thought provoking way. In order for the learning to occur the students need to be engaged in a community and if the classrooms don't support this now, the online classes will.

How does this study, change the way you design your instruction?

Say goodbye to Powerpoint!!!

I've never been a fan of powerpoint....in fact I fall in the group that just does not like it. I can't stand how restrictive it is, and I always find myself getting distracted. If you have ever felt like this before, you're going to love this.

Welcome to Prezi!!! This is a very cool presentation site that allows the presenter to choose the direction in where the presentation will go. I love it. I think it's great and easy to use....and if you're an educator you can take part of their educator's free program.

If you like what you see so far, please talk it up to your fellow co-workers and administrators. Let's all get together and move away from power point and move closer to Prezi.
Check out my first product.

Why use Prezi on Prezi

An Awesome Physics Game

Crayon Physics Deluxe from Petri Purho on Vimeo.

I teach at the elementary level, but this software has to be the best way to introduce physics in a fun and engaging manner. The concept is rather simple. Move the ball from one side to the star. The trick, is you can turn 2-D objects into real life and as they fall the impact of those objects reacts accordingly to the ball.

It's a very fun, and addicting game...plus for this time only, you can download the software for your own price. Yup that's right. You get to choose how much you would like to pay for it. It's really cool, and if you're not sure, there's a free demo that you can play around with to get the hang of it. Check it out here.

How do you see yourself using this with your students?

Would you (or do you) friend your students on Face Book?

I asked this question amongst my co-workers a few weeks ago, and they all responded with a loud NO!!! The primary reason is that they believe that there should be some space between a teacher's life and the student's life. Also, they were afraid of the unknown. What if the student were to see something....what if the teacher were to see something....or the parent? These were all very valid reasons.

Yet I came across a blog post from The Innovative Educator who asked some very thought provoking questions. "How differently might a student/child's life have turned out if a trusted teacher, mentor, adult been in their life? How might an adult's life been enriched if they knew there were students who were looking to them in their online life?"

To go a bit deeper....the student who has been absent for 4 days might never tell you why or where they were, but you might discover that they had a death in the family on facebook. You might be able to see pictures of their travels and as they grow throughout the years.

The other argument, is being a digital role model. Who is going to teach students how to use the web in an appropriate manner if not for the teachers? It's an unstructured environment where the students feel like they can say or do anything without any consequences. They need to be aware that what they put out there, stays out there, and now many potential job clients are using social media to learn more about their clients.

I do think that teaching students how to utilize social media is very important, however I'm not entirely sold on friending them. I think the best way is for teachers to create a fan page, and have the class sign on there. Create weekly discussion posts, and have the class work together from there.

What has been your experience with facebook and students?

Cellphones in school...

There has been a lot of talk recently about the use of cell phones in the classroom. Is there educational use behind these little machines, or are they just a means to communicate? For some teachers, this is not even a debate. How can something that has been for some many years now, seen as a distraction and even punishable, now be seen as having educational merit? The answer to that is rather simple....cellphones are now mini computers.

Let's look at some of the features that comes on many cellphones today:
Camera
Video Recorder
Text Messaging
Calculator
Calendar
Stop Watch
World Time
Unit Converter
Notepad
Alarm
Voice Memo

That's great....but how exactly can you use this in the classroom? Well....here are just a few ideas that came to my mind:
Take pictures that relate to their books, characters, or even word patterns.
Make mini movies based on a reflection on a lesson.
Use the calculator as an accommodation for sped students.
Stop watch can be used for measurement.
World Time can be used for Geography.
Unit Converter....can be used to reinforcement in independent work on units.
Notepad, can be where they take notes and send them to the teacher.
Alarm can be used to study time.
Voice memo can be used to take notes.
Text messaging can be used for polls.

There were just the very first things that came to my mind, however there are a ton more uses for them. Teachers need to start being creative since, not every student has their own computer. This might very well be a useful alternative to just that.

Here's an article on it that explains a bit more.
And here's another one as well.

Online Training....

I'm sure that many teachers out there can agree with me when I say that I HATE TRAININGS!! Well....let me clarify, I don't actually hate what I have to learn.....I just hate the manner in how I learn it. I don't need someone to speak (word for word) on power point, and then hand me the handouts, like I can't read it myself. I find that to be insulting, and annoying. I have many things to do, and I can't do them when someone can't get off their soapbox!!!!

Now that I have gotten that off my chest, I do have to say that I LOVE ELLUMINATE. That's an online training allows users to interact with the guest speaker through either a chat window, or through a microphone. The speaker can utilize a whiteboard, which can be for presentations, videos or shared files, and the whole course is recorded and archived. So if you miss a session you can go back and watch it again and again and again.....all while wearing your pajamas in bed.

Here's classroom 2.0's site which also has huge archived directory for you to choose from. The best part is that it's all free, with no need to sign in or register. You just select your name the program will run from there. I can't get enough of this, and I hope you are able to take the time to try it out. You just might find yourself enjoying professional development again.

Social Media Revolution!!!

I really do believe that teachers need to embrace the skills of the social media...NOW!!! I had a conversation with a teacher who mentioned that she avoided facebook because she didn't know too much about it. I thought hard on this, because I realize she's in the majority of teachers who I come across on a daily basis. Social Media is something that they did not learn in a traditional setting, which maybe the reason why so many teachers are a little apprehensive to it.

"I don't want my son to be limited to learning only what his teacher already knows!" John Couch, VP of Apple Education.

I thought long and hard after I heard that quote. It really made me think about who we as teacher are...and who we should strive to be. I don't consider myself to be a "tech person", but rather a creative, problem solver. I don't always know what the answer is....but I know where to find it.

Here's a video that I found that inspired this post....

Google Wave!!!

I now know how all the kids in the world felt when they opened their wonka bars only to find no Golden Ticket. For those who have been living in a cave for the last month or so, Google has rolled out their new innovation in communication....Google Wave. (cue in applause)
The concept is quite simple. Take the best out of all the great social media sites, and combine them into one site. Google Wave allows the user to communicate with others in real time, by integrating video, photos, and all the elements of the web into a wave. That wave can be saved and be played back later for someone else who you invite to see at a later time. It archives what each user has done, and can play it back in a historical format, so each person can know who did what....when. Very cool.
Unfortunately....Google is only offering invites to those who sign up on their page. There has been no announcement of when it will be rolled out in full force. Believe...when that happens, I'll be there. Until then...I'm going to be checking my email every couple of hours until I find my golden ticket.
If you're still not understanding what Google Wave can do...here's a video describing it.


Here is another google video that demonstrates just how cool it can be. CAUTION!!! There is some profane language...so please take caution of where you play it. Enjoy

What does your PLN mean to you?

I'm not the most web savy person so I have to admit, when I first heard this new phrased being tossed around, I had to think hard about it. Actually....I just googled it, till I found the answer. PLN or Personal Learning Network, is how educators are able to reach out with one another and share with others new ideas, sites, lessons about anything and everything. Before the internet, (I know...think waaaaaaaaay back) teachers would reserve their collaboration for trainings. Those however would be far few and in-between. Now we are able to connect with other teachers from around the world at any given time and be able to receive feedback. The power of bringing in like minded educators is very powerful, and I have been in awe of the fantastic ideas that I have come across.

If you are not aware of your what your PLN, think about how you are able to connect with other teachers. For me I use, twitter, facebook, diggo, skype, google reader, and my own little blog. I love being able to share with other people who can make me become a better educator. I always tell people, that I may not know the answer right away, but I can find out how to answer it. Having my PLN, has enabled me to find answers to questions that I would have spent days over. Collaboration is how we are all going to become better teachers. What does your PLN mean to you?

Here is a wiki where other teachers have made their confession of what their PLN means to them.

Cool Web 2.0 sites...

I've been meaning to post about these for some time now, and I just never got around to it. Well....now that I've got a bit of down time, I might as well play a little bit of catch up.

Ok the first site is called http://lingtlanguage.com
This is very cool tool for those who are teaching another language, or who have English Language Learners in their class. This is a free site, where you can create your own assessment with uploaded audio, youtube videos, photos, and even text. It allows for the students to get the full meaning of any given subject.

The next site is basically a cool search engine that locates images.....in other languages. How cool is that? You can choose what language you want from a drop down menu, and then type it in, to see your assortment of images. Very cool for early learners of another language. Plus its just fun to search for images in other languages.

For those of you who are like me...you may or may not like this next site....I'm pretty sure my wife will love it though. It's minutesplease.com. Foranyone who stays connected a bit too long, this site is great for for time management. Just type in the site you want to be at, and how long you'll want to be there for...and the timer will keep track for you...and then it'll shut down once the time has expired. Great for students...and for husbands who happen to stay online a bit too much.

This site is the eight irresistible principles of fun. It's a fantastic show that will get you jazzed up and ready for the day. I love this site, and keep finding myself going back and seeing it again. You'll love it.

There....now I feel much better...and just in time too, my timer just went off. Enjoy!!!!

Ever wonder what it's like to be a principal?

If you're like me, then you often have had moments of "what does it take to have that job?". I have a lot of respect for principals (the good ones, at least), because they always have a thousand things going on....and that's just on a good day. It's really hard to merely observe a principal and have an idea of what it is they go through. Teachers have it hard, but principals have it even harder. While test scores a big component, there's staff appreciation, communication with parents and family, budgets, and not to mention the hundred or so meetings that quickly fill up the day.

I had a great principal who made the job seem so easy. She always handled herself professionally, and when you left one of her meetings she made you feel good and empowered. What I didn't see (or took for granted) was the countless number of hours it takes to handle everything else. Which is why, I still hold her as one of the best principals, because she never tried to waste your time with things that were not important. She was efficient, effective, and a big plus, funny.

PBS is showing a great documentary called The Principal Story. It's on two different principals (one new, and one experienced) and you get to see how they handle the day to day challenges. For anyone who has every considered being a principal, this is a must see program. There's even a field guide that goes along with the program. Take the time to watch it, and reflect on it for a moment. You just might have a better appreciation for your principal.....

Obama speaks to the students....

Whether you care for the president or not, is your opinion. I'm not going to sway you one way or the other. I don't care, if you voted for him or if you can't stand him. Neither one doesn't change the fact that he's still the president. Take away all the issues that's been going on recently (take your pick), his position still demands respect.

Students today are losing respect. Respect for themselves, each other, teachers, family, and authority. It's very stressful being a student in school today. Not only are there high stakes assessments, but the pace is faster since most teachers have to play "catch up" to help bring students up to what's current. A student who trips and falls may not be able to bring themselves back up again.

Which brings up to the big speech this Tuesday morning. Here is a link to the president's speech. Here's a man in a position of respect talking to students to try to get them motivated to succeed. He does this by adding pieces of his personal life, bringing in other children who have risen to success, and famous celebrities who have overcome difficulties. He's not trying to brainwash children, rather try to get them focused and ready for the coming year.

Some parent's are pulling their children out of class so they can miss it. Think about that for a moment. Parents are pulling their children out of classes so they can miss a speech about staying in school and being motivated to succeed. If you find yourself caught up in this huge drama, take a moment and think about what you want best for your kids. Do you want them to be successful later on life? Do you want them to not get discouraged or give up easily after they fail at something

The students who I used to work with needed a positive role model to look up to. It's hard to find that in the media today, and for some it might be even harder to find in their own family. I'm glad that the president is trying to address this issue. Hopefully students will listen to it with an open mind and will leave with the confidence to do anything they want.

Outliers.....What a great read!!!!

I know it's been like year and a half since my last post. I'm sorry....I guess graduate school, work, trainings, baby work, and well everything else in between has been sucking up my time. I'm sure that none of you are busy, or even stressed out right now (liars), but in case you are in need of something to fill up your time....do I have something for you!!!

My father recommended this book to me called Outliers. It sounded fairly interesting, and from what I understood, it seemed revolve around factors that define those who have demonstrated above and beyond greatness. I was intrigued by this concept, since as teacher, I would like all of my students to have that kind of success.

If someone were to ask you, why Bill Gates is so successful, how would you answer? Would it be because of his intelligence? Or maybe because of his hard work? Those are reasonable answers, but since very few people have amassed the wealth and success that he has, the answer is not as simple. The author, Malcolm Gladwell, does a remarkable job of breaking down all the factors that have helped established Bill Gates. What you discover from the research, was that not only was he smart but he was so determined that he was able to put in over 10,000 hours of work in his field of study. By living so close to the University of Seattle (within walking distance) he was able to take advantage of his environment.

I know what you're thinking....that's nice, but how does that relate to my students? Good question. In order for anybody to be an expert at something, Malcolm Gladwell has researched that it takes at least 10,000 hours to develop their skill. But it's not enough just doing the amount of practice hours alone. They need support and guidance from someone who they can give them the proper feedback when needed.

Think about any objective that you feel they should have by the time they graduate. Whatever it may be, the student who tries to cram it all in and the end, won't be anywhere near as successful as the one who prepares well in advance. No surprise, right? From here on out, encourage the parents to find a task that matches the given objective. It take a village to raise a child...which means no teacher can do it alone.

Outliers is a fun, and an enjoyable read. I challenge you know to find it somewhere, and find out for yourself.

How about an upgrade?

I'm still a little frazzled as I'm writing this so please bear with me. About a couple of months ago I wrote about how I was about to embark on a new journey....to Kindergarten. Well, my friends those times....they are a changing!!!! I've got a new calling, and time will tell if it's the right one for me.
Early on this year, I was asked to go to a special reading conference about Leveled Literacy Intervention. Basically, it's an accelerated reading system that helps lower level readers become stronger readers. That pretty much just summed up what I had to sit through two days of training (you're welcome).
So anyways...I'm loving this system and I was one of the few teachers who was picked to use it and see how it works. Well....my kiddos loved it, and we had a lot of fun as well. As a result of all the positive data that was collected, my school district is implementing this as the required reading system for special education teachers to use......and guess who they picked to help train the teachers??? No...not her...ME!! I know, I was just as shocked too.
So...i'm a little bummed about not having to experience the little ones in kindergarten. I am going to miss seeing all of my old students, and hopefully I'll be able to check back in and see how they are progressing.
Now, here's the scary part.....I'm going to be working with teachers. For those of you who are teachers...you know that this is not an easy task. It'll be a hard challenge...and hopefully we'll all come out ok in the end. (please don't roll your eyes at me....I'm serious).
I know that on paper this position is a promotion, but when I think about it having to train and work with all the special education teachers in the district....I have to wonder just if this really is an upgrade. Only time will tell.....

It's not all Flowers and Sausages.....

Ok, I think it's safe for me to say that I really love this blog. I have a lot that I follow, and they are spread out across the board, but I love the well placed humor and emotions that are placed into every post. For those of you who are wondering just what I'm talking about....(you're not alone), You have to check out her blog to enjoy the whole enchilada. Mrs. Mimi is a teacher in NYC who writes about her adventures in teaching the second grade, with a very funny outlook on life as well.

As a teacher, we all know that this profession is a calling....and clearly not meant for everyone. No matter what school you work in, there's always that one teacher who you just can't mesh with. Life is like that, however teaching is one where you can find yourself sinking or swimming in your classroom very quickly depending on how you handle the first couple of situations. I know what's like to have to deal with administrators who are from another planet, teachers who give lazy a new defination, and substitutes who do more good staying home than being in the classroom. These are our adventures...These are our stories.

Please be sure to buy her new book on amazon when it comes out in Sept. It's a mixture of her old posts with some back story as well. I know I can't wait for it.

Here's an actual interview that she had on Alexander Russo's blog This Week in Education.

Mother Child Experiment....Powerful Video

Ok I have to admit it....It was really hard watching this video when the mother was not paying attention. You can see the frustration grow in the child until he couldn't take it anymore. As painful as it was....it was also moving and powerful.

How often as a teacher, have you experienced a student who shares in your excitement and joy? Our body languages speak more words than our mouths do, and in this video the child is picking up on everything and even more so when it's not there.

The point that I'm trying to make here is simple....be fully aware of your interactions not only with your child, but also with your students. It's very easy to get caught up in the moment, and lose sight of how other people around us are feeling. Hopefully this video helps you to become more aware and to have a lasting positive image on our loved ones.

• This video was inspired by Steve Barkley's lastest post...check it out if you have the chance.

What is going on with Texas Social Studies?....

Ok, so I took some time off from blogging and enjoying some relaxation when I saw this story in the Houston Chronicle. I couldn't and still don't believe it. The State Board of Education are meeting to discuss new standards in social studies curriculum. Not a big deal....here's some of the things that they are going to bring up.
Cesar Chavez - not worthy of his role model status because of active participation in democratic process.
Chief Justice Thurgood Marshal - Be removed from history books on the basis that he is not an appropriate example of a historical figure of influence.
According to a prelimanary draft other historical figures to be removed are:
George Washington
Abraham Lincoln
Stephen F Austin
And the removal of Independence Day and Veterans' Day

So right about now, you're probably thinking...."so what exactly DOES the board of education want"? Well....are you sitting down? They recommend that school children get a better understanding of the motivational role the Bible and the Christian faith played in the settling of the original colonies. There goes the separation of church and state.

Only in Texas does this seem to happen.

What do you think of this? Are you in favor of these changes?
oh, Texas
Originally uploaded by KerstenMarie

Wordle

I love art, and I also love words, so you can imagine how excited I was when I saw this sight. Wordle allows the user to create an artwork out of any selected words they want. I just happened to use my last blog post ( how unique....I know). Anyways, you can allow your students to use any of their stories, poems or writings. You can even use this as a quick write format, and just give them a topic to explore on. Since a lot of our students are visual learners this site caters to their needs.

In case your thinking..."well this is nice, but how else can I use it for my students?" Good question...Terry Freedman gives us 5 solid reasons to that very question. I found her blog off of twitter feed from @nharm....so if you are still haven't got on twitter you need to. Or else you'll miss out on cool links and stuff like this.

A new adventure....

My principal the other day called me into her office. Well actually not really her, more like her assistant, but you get the idea. As I was walking down there, a thousand and two things were all going through my head. "What did I do this time", "Who did I offend today?". As I was going over all the different scenarios for my being summoned....the real reason was the last thing I would have ever expected. Which was....she wanted me to go to kindergarten. Yup....that's right......she wanted, me....to go to.....Kindergarten. This was a shock given the fact that I had transfered from my other school because they wanted me to do the same thing. I was taken away from this, especially since I had asked to move to a higher grade. Needless to say I was not too crazy about the whole move, and I did a lot of thinking on it the next few nights.
So a few days later I went in and spoke to her and asked her point blank.....why? Did I do something wrong? Did she think that I could not handle the upper grade levels?

And what she said next sold me on being a kindergarten teacher......

"We need strong teachers to help bring our low kids back to where they need to be at. We need to you to make sure that our kids have a great start and are ready for what's to come."

Once she put it that way, I began to warm up to the idea. Now it's been a week and I feel good about the idea. Who knows what's to be expected down the road from now. Hopefully a year from now, I won't be that much crazier than I already am......but I doubt it. Here's to good times and a bright future.

In case anyone out there was in the same boat about kindergarten or a teacher who had really has no clue about the importance of a good kinder teacher.....than you need to check this site out.