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

Mystery Thread

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I was contacted by Craig Badura, a K-5 media/technology integrationist, also known from the That Guy in the Library Blog. He was interested in collaborating with different classes on a mystery skype/Voice Thread project. We set up a three way project amongst classes of second graders.

Each student was asked to draw a landmark that could identify where we were from. Craig, Martha, Mrs. Bain and I communicated back and forth through a google doc where we got everything all situated. (Amazingly convenient!)
Today Mrs. Bain’s group added their comments, it was auh-dorable to see how excited the students were to share their “landmark”. It turns out that Ms. Lackey’s class is only 40 minutes away. I wonder how long it will take for our students to figure that out!

Not sure what a VoiceThread is? A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate pages and leave comments in 5 ways – using voice (with a mic or telephone), text, audio file, or video (via a webcam). You can share a VoiceThread with friends, students, and colleagues for them to record comments too. Instead of a parent program or assembly just for your class, you can create a VT and share with the audience of your choice!

 

Here’s several great “idea” banks to help you get started!

 

Some tips to get ya going?

 

 

 

  • Use your computer’s built-in microphone or a USB headset to record audio for your VoiceThread.
  • You can input your cell phone number onto VoiceThread, and the site will call you to record your audio.
  • PowerPoints can be easily uploaded onto VoiceThread. Save your PowerPoint slides as jpg files and upload them to your VoiceThread
  • Upload a variety of files to your VoiceThread including pdf, docs, etc.
  • You can record up to 15 minutes of audio per slide on the VoiceThread site.
  • The VoiceThread site will automatically scale photos so they fit the allotted space.
  • Allow anyone to view and anyone to comment on your VoiceThreads, but be sure to moderate all comments.
  • If you are concerned about sharing student work, you can opt to not allow your VoiceThread to be shown on the browse list.
  • You can create sharing groups to choose who can view and comment on specific VoiceThreads.
  • You can export your VoiceThread as a .mov file and burn copies for your class.
  • You can subscribe to VoiceThreads that you like.

I love this example of Math Strategies because it goes back to what we just talked about in staff development. Let students figure out their OWN way of solving a problem! (math + technology = happy Teamann!)

 

 

If you’d like to create a VT for your Lions…holler! Ask pain…quick and painless!

 

VT-ly,

Amber

Bully BooN

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I came across this article today from a “friend” on Facebook who was venting about the hows’ and whys’ his children wouldn’t attend a public school what with all this bullying going on…
I challenge you to read this article and see if you can view it through two separate lenses.
First, look through the lens of a seasoned educator. Your day is filled with, “he touched me, she looked at me, they’re picking on me.” Your classroom is made up of students who come from a variety of homes, with a variety of personality’s and a HUGE variety of quirky behaviors. You learn very quickly that a nine year old’s version of what happened isn’t ALWAYS the most clear…and requires you to also become an investigator. You can already tell by September which students have a ton of friends to play with…and which need some direction from you. You add personality match maker to your already impressive plate of underpaid teacher, tutor, social worker, nurse, momma stand in, test giver, curriculum creator , and human. How easy would it be to dismiss a playground claim of bullying?
Now look through the lens of a parent who gets the call from school that your child hung himself in the bathroom. Is any excuse good enough? Is any attempt to rationalize what wasn’t communicated good enough?
As a momma and a loveR of our Lions…I don’t think so.
It’s a thin thin line between being completely whipped by the extreme amount of effort it takes to completely discern whether or not a student is being bullied. I know this. I know that your days are long and your lists of “one more thing” never gets any shorter. I know that the new “b” word is thrown around DAILY.
I also know the most important thing in my life is my children.
Maybe looking through the lens of the bullied, vs the bully, will help us to identify behaviors and help create an environment that doesn’t tolerate ANY incidents that could be perceived as bullying. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Bully BanN,
Amber

#tichat & media use

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This week’s summary is a guest post by my co-moderator from the technology integration chat, Cathy!

How do you use media?

Do you Glog, Voicethread, Animoto, Skype or Prezi? Tonight’s chat-ters discussed learning to using the multimedia tools you ask your students to use, and wondered how to use Google Apps and other resources with students under 13.Is YouTube blocked at your school? Try Vimeo or Teachertube! Alternatives to PowerPoint? try Prezi! What about Voki? Thank goodness most apps make embedding user friendly. And in as little as 5 minutes, with tools like Flip cameras and iPads, students of all ages can become video creators-engaging, empowering, exciting!

For my friend Amber Teamann, here’s the link to tonight’s #tichat archive:

tichat10-13-11 –

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AngI-vp4N8yudDh6T0tqVk1WMk9XRWhzdVl2LWxZQ1E&hl=en_US

Cathy Brophy (cat)

Thanks, Cathy! I had parent teacher conferences with my campus so I wasn’t able to participate this week…

Postingly,
Amber

Dum da dum dum…

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That’s not a lolly pop offer, 🙂
I’m talking mysteries! Came across a great scholastic site this morning, that has entranced my Lion Leaders. It combines problem solving with their natural mystery loving tendencies.
It’s a great site for teachers. It offers audio support for those who have difficultly reading and has the option to print each mystery out. Differentiation is offered in the form of different levels of mysteries.
These would be great centers, a homework alternative for problem solving practice, or a great way to close out a classroom lesson.
Enjoy!
Sherlock Amberolmes

 

LO’s, SE’s, and all that implies

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We’ve been talking about writing LO’s and I walked around and saw some REALLY good examples on campus yesterday! I know that many of you are still unsure of what you’re actually writing so I did some research. I found many sites that supported the use of LO’s in the classroom, and even some tips on how to most effectively write them for your classroom. I also found these great sample pics from Pinterest, 🙂
There is an argument on the “twitterverse” (@8Amber8) that the more a teacher “instructs” a student to become curious, the less likely that student is to become authentically curious. While I can see this for a high school student, I think the clarity provided with the LO for our elementary students is unarguable.
However, the same as with ANY tool, if the written objective is nothing more than something that looks good in the classroom but is not actually used to enhance learning, like a word wall that is never touched by teachers or students, then it defeats the purpose. INVOLVE your students in understanding the LO. This would be the L in the more traditional KWL chart.
Anywho, off rant.
Here are tips for writing effective LO’s…make them as grade level as possible, without losing the intent…
1. Create a stem. Stem Examples:After completing the lesson, the Lion will be able to . . .
After this unit, the Lion will have . . .
By completing the activities, the Lion will . . .
At the conclusion of the course/unit/study the Lion will . . .
2. After you create the stem, add a verb:analyze, recognize, compare, provide, list, etc.
3. One you have a stem and a verb, determine the actual product, process, or outcome:After completing these lesson, the Lion will be able to recognize foreshadowing in different stories.

 

ELA examples:

  • re-tell in his/her own words _____.
  • summarize the plot of _____.
  • make inferences from the text . . .
  • demonstrate understanding by writing three facts about . . .
Math examples:
  • use collected data to answer the question(s): _____
  • construct _____ (picture graphs, bar graphs, etc.)
  • create a series of mathematical steps to be used to . . .
Science examples:
  • demonstrate an understand of _____ in terms of _____
  • create a visual representation of _____ (the water cycle, etc.)
  • understand the basic structure of _____ (an atom)
  • identify states of matter . . .
objectively,
Amber