Posted in Tech Talk on Jul 17th, 2009 2 Comments »
Hundreds of help sites exist for teachers trying to integrate technology into their practice and their students’ experiences. With a grateful heart to the many who have allowed me to lurk and learn, I am offering my help site to others. As with all learning experiences, it is a work in progress. [...]
Posted in English, History is Happening, Teacher Talk, Tech Talk, Techno-Toddler on Jun 20th, 2008 No Comments »
Like most expectant moms, I put a lot of thought into naming my two boys. Names are very important labels, offering insight and credibility to a child if carefully chosen. And, in my line of thinking, the name is important because my child’s name would be something I would say every day for [...]
Posted in Teacher Talk, Tech Talk on Jun 11th, 2008 3 Comments »
My six-year old son has made it perfectly clear to me that he thinks being small is a drag. When we discussed this catastrophic situation I discovered that John David’s biggest concern is really what his friends might think about him. According to my little fellow, car seats, plastic mattress pads, and water [...]
Posted in History is Happening, Teacher Talk on Dec 5th, 2007 2 Comments »
Normally I am saddened when someone for whom I care passes away. As I mark time, I’m noticing exponential growth of my sad list. My brother, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and even friends have made their way to my list. But this weekend I began a new list. I’ll call it my [...]
Posted in Teacher Talk on Nov 28th, 2007 4 Comments »
Cheerleaders are an essential part of American society. We don’t really want to admit that, but it is true.
Lots of folks like to poke fun at their boundless energy and upbeat demeanor. For years, cheerleader skits have turned mundane episodes of Saturday Night Live into instant classics. Our society [...]
Posted in Teacher Talk, Tech Talk on Oct 26th, 2007 1 Comment »
Do you remember the short-lived high energy drink, Jolt? I think today’s modern version of Jolt is a Coke product called Vault. I don’t drink it, but I see it everywhere. It’s funny how many folks need a product like Jolt or Vault to get them in gear. Like many busy [...]
Posted in Teacher Talk on Oct 20th, 2007 2 Comments »
The first nine weeks of the 2007 school year ended this week. It amazes me how significant this is for students and teachers. It is equally amazing how little we do with the significant information this ending provides. I’d like to figure out how we can change that.
First, the end of the [...]
Posted in Teacher Talk, Tech Talk, Techno-Toddler on Oct 12th, 2007 No Comments »
Click here for picture of FHS team at Microsoft’s Innovative Teacher Forum
Where to begin?
Participating in Microsoft’s Innovative Teacher’s Forum in late September continues to cause me severe pain. My enlarged brain is now so full, I’m sure it will blow any time now. Trying to figure out how to organize my [...]
Posted in English, Teacher Talk, Tech Talk on Sep 19th, 2007 No Comments »
Years ago an eye doctor told me I was near-sighted. After wearing the eyewear he prescribed, I had to agree. If I want to know what’s going on ten yards away, I better wear them. I’m not sure why this has bothered me all these years. I don’t like being labeled [...]
Posted in English, Teacher Talk, Tech Talk, Techno-Toddler on Sep 5th, 2007 1 Comment »
Today in English class I listened to the teacher. Even though the teacher was me, I heard her say, “It’s not about the product right now, it’s about the process.” We were writing essays focusing on personal conflict – with all of the fun of analyzing and picking apart the dramatic issues of [...]
Posted in Teacher Talk, Tech Talk, Techno-Toddler on Aug 26th, 2007 2 Comments »
A few days ago I was searching for some additional resources to help teachers at my school develop their wikis. My principal has decided that all teachers in our K-12 school should have a wiki for their class. We have done some basic training on creating wikis last year and will be working [...]
Posted in History is Happening on Aug 23rd, 2007 No Comments »
For years I have struggled to teach my students required vocabulary. In history, I have always had to spend loads of time teaching, talking, and tackling terms. This doesn’t leave much time to guide students toward critical analysis of the important concepts being covered. Deeper discussions are sacrificed for basic review of simple content.
Enter the new digital age. Quizlet is a vocabulary learning web tool created by a kid. [...]
Posted in Teacher Talk, Tech Talk, Techno-Toddler on Aug 23rd, 2007 No Comments »
Some people recall their college speech course with the same enthusiasm as their recent root canal. But try to remember, if not too painful, one of the most important points the instructor made concerning your audience. It went something like, “know them.” Teachers pride themselves on knowing their audience. We like knowing their family, siblings, [...]
