my version of transparent, collaborative leadership...with a Teamann twist

Document camera coolness!

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Via the Twitter (8Amber8) I was sent a GREAT link to all kinds of different ways that you can use the document camera, some of these we’ve seen…some are new! I thought I’d share my faves to remind you that the document camara can be SO much more than a place for you to work out problems on the “big screen”, 🙂
  • training or initial introduction to any other piece of equipment everyone can use, but can’t gather around to see easily
  • Students can draw the background scenery for a play or skit they will perform in class. Move your projector at a 45 degree angle to the white board. Project the drawing onto the white board, angling it behind the actors. The image will naturally distort, but the overall effectiveness is well worth it.
  • In math problem-solving use the doc camera to take a photo of a problem and solution (use a kid’s). Put it in your teacher blog and have students individually respond to the query: How might the writer have arrived at this solution?
  • More ideas can be found here! I’ve also attached “101 ways to use the document camera” that was presented at the METC conference this past summer.
  • Some videos that were found on document cameras/document readers: (yes, youtube is blocked at school…watch these this rainy weekend….in all your free time!
SayN cheese,
Amber

PLN plethora

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I have written a couple of blog posts and mentioned tweets where I have referenced my PLN. I hate it when people use acronyms and just assume everyone knows what they mean, don’t you? I’m SO guilty of that, 🙂 even more so with the texting language I have started using. I told my daughter today to grab her jacket, JIC…and I got the blankest look ever. Ya know… “just in case“…sigh. 🙂

So an explanation…anyone who is actively involved with learning online is part of a PLN. My twitter “twiends” are the largest part of my PLN. I gather greatness from them daily…and many I also follow via their blogs, their conference presentations, their contribution as a whole to growing me professionally. PLN stands for personal (professional) learning network.

Which brings us to the point of this post. I have mentioned Miguel Guhlin before. He’s the Director of Instructional Technology Services in San Antonio ISD. He writes in the TechEdge, which I believe is where I first discovered him. Now, I read his blogs regularly, invest time in his tweets, and am able to consult him on a professional basis. How beneficial as an educator involved in instructional technology to be able to email him and reap his wisdom. Back when I taught, he commented and wrote about the 4th grade blog I had with my students. He recently wrote a post about the benefits of blogging with students and I commented…which led to this.Please go read and discover how “little gems of greatness” can make a difference!! 

It’s like I’m famous in the blogsophere, 😉 Another of my tweeps, Shelly Terrell (@ShellTerell), let me know she featured one of my tweets in her blog, Teacher Reboot Camp. Shelly is in Germany…that’s how useful a PLN can be! We’re colloborating and sharing across the world. And that? is pretty cool!

internationally yours,
Amber

Sample first blog post…

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Below is a SAMPLE first blog post…this is one that I used with my fourth graders many moons ago that started off our blogging adventure. (Feel free to use!!) During class we’d discussed the many do’s and don’t’s of our classroom blog, and also how we wanted others who read to see us. It was a VERY long conversation! Students knew that other adults, as well as other students, would be visiting our blog and they wanted to come across as intelligent as possible, 🙂

By setting the “tone” for what and how we wanted the blog to work, the expectations were in place before we’d even logged on. In addition to the student safety pieces we’d disussed, we also talked about web netiquette and what made a “good” comment versus a “blah” one. Also, spelling errors weren’t a focus for my classroom, I was more interested in what thoughts they were trying to convey rather than whether or not they spelled them correctly. Each teacher (and class!) canmake that decision for themselves. That being said, students were way more critical of each other than I could have been about their errors on the blog.

Good luck with blogging in your classroom! I hope you see as many benefits as I did from the relationships that I was able to dvelop from both my students and my parents throughout the years.

It’s time to get blogging! We’ve talked about the different do’s and don’ts for blogging…but I wanted to add a couple more here. Read through these and post a comment about the rule you think is MOST important and why.

1. Don’t give out any personal information like telephone numbers, home address , school name or parent’s office address.

2. Don’t use your real name as your log on name.

3. Make sure you’re not simply typing “Yeah” or “That’s right” or something.

4. Learn how to use “smileys” to show how you are saying things. Read the smileys sideways – they make a face.

🙂 or 🙂 is a smiley face. You are happy and smiling when you speak.

5. Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.

Be ethical. Don’t believe anyone who says, “The only ethics out there are what you can get away with.” If you encounter an ethical dilemma in cyberspace, consult the code you follow in real life. Chances are good you’ll find the answer, 🙂

OK, put these rules to the test and comment letting me know what you think!!

Bloggingly,
Mrs. T

Celebrating staff

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For those who missed the meeting, we wanted to give a brief synopsis of what was shared…

**JH talked about how amazing it was to work with a group of educators who did what was right by kids. You meet them at their level, you advance them as much as you can, and instill in them a love for learning. How very blessed we are to be surrounded by this team!
** J H asked for third week of school success stories and many were shared! Highlights?
  • Carianne’s great work in the Lion’s Den and how 5th was loving it!
  • Melanie and her support both in the classrooms and in the computer lab! Switching kids and access and all that business…Someone made the comment, “Melanie notices when I am working with a student and immediately will get up to help other students.” 5th grade LOVES that she scored them their printer after two years without one! WELL DONE, Mel!! (This is in addition to learning her new role!)
  • Washam helps inspire students to read by encouraging them bring books to school to read along with her, even when they aren’t “wild” about reading.
  • Jenn V. and Renee have super supportive and helpful with Mrs. J and all of her endeavors. It’s a whole new world down there these days, an we are SO proud of all you working to support each other!
  • First grade was given a shoutout for their organization and passion and Marianne’s blogwas praised for it’s fabulousness!
  • Tammy was praised for being so involved with the PTA and keeping all those extra balls up in the air. She’s not just juggling a couple things, she has a TON on her plate and as always, is impressive in her balancing act!
  • Finally, James complimented the bus room and how smoothly that was working out for everyone. Thanks to all the teachers and professional staff who have contributed to helping that work!
I hope I didn’t miss anything that was shared. If I did, PLEASE let me know. I was a’typing as fast as I could, 🙂
If you came in past 3:30, (Lion’s roar ON TIME!) here is the first video that was shared.
This second one has made me cry every time I’ve seen it. Never underestimate the difference you are making in the lives of these Lions. You never know where your support, your encouragement, or where YOUR WORDS will take them.
Lion proud,
Amber