This space is intended to serve as an online complement to class activities.
Videos, documents, assignments and other materials are uploaded to allow students, parents and other members of the school community to conveniently access course material.
It is important to note that this site does NOT contain everything covered during class time.
Classroom poster about digital citizenship. Created by knowthenet found on Educational Technology and Mobile Learning.
The previous post documented my leap into social media applications and initial thoughts on how I can use different platforms to become more connected personally and professionally. In my travels on the Internet, I came across two videos that present interesting perspectives on being connected.
The first is a short video by Shimi Cohen called “The Innovation of Loneliness” that I found by way of an engaging post by Knowledge Worker, Luis Suarez.
I did contact Shimi Cohen about using the video in this space and in the classroom and the response was both immediate and positive. In the past, I have often e-mailed photographers or digital artists to borrow their images for education-related endeavours and they have rarely gotten back to me, and never within one day. That brief exchange is encouraging on two fronts: first as a novice blogger trying to observe etiquette and copyright legislation, and secondly, as an educator who wants students to understand intellectual property legally and conceptually. As students and teachers embrace Web 2.0, they must become aware of the importance of requesting permission to use digital works.
The second is a video that I learned about after reading Nick Bilton’s blog post entitled Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone. According to Nick, this video has been viewed by over 15 million people and it is funny, true, sad and perhaps a lesson for us all. Charlene deGuzman is the creator and lead actress in the video. She has made a funny and poignant film about missing out on experiences in our attempt to record them.
This video reminds of taking photos while travelling years ago–sometimes you have to sacrifice recording a moment to experience it fully.
I look forward to hearing, seeing and reading student responses to each of these videos.
As stated in the about section, this space is dedicated to learning. For me, students, colleagues, friends, and anyone who stumbles in by action or accident. So this past week has been a whirlwind of reading, lurking (I am not actually ready for full-fledged tweeting) and trying to negotiate my way through a myriad of technology and social media applications that might transform me into a “connected teacher”.
I have learned a new vocabulary: Flipboard, Evernote, flipped classrooms, flat classrooms, Diigo, tweetchat, pro-sumer, webclipper
I have enrolled in “Emerging Trends & Technologies in the Virtual K-12 Classroom” on Coursera.
I have created a Personal Learning Network list on Twitter.
I have read up on blog etiquette and design.
I have lurked through chats on Twitter that made me dizzy. (#engsschat, #edchat)
I have decided that Evernote with EverClip works for me and my various gadgets…for now.
And, I am of two minds:
This is absolute insanity. OR This is absolute genius.
The following list of rules penned by Charles J. Sykes resurfaces each year at graduation time. They are funny and true. I stumbled upon them recently and realized that while they are not part of the outcomes and expectations teachers are tasked with , they are certainly lessons that I try to impart upon every student and youth I encounter. So they are, for me, rules I do teach at school.
Rule 1: Life is not fair — get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school [or college for that matter]. You won’t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping — they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you are. So, before you save the rainforest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.
14 Rules You didn’t Learn In School:
Rule 1: Life is not fair — get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school [or college for that matter]. You won’t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping — they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you are. So, before you save the rainforest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.
– See more at: http://blackandbrownnews.com/brooklyn/brooklyn-education/class-of-2012-graduates-rules-you-didnt-learn-in-school/#sthash.mON1J6ve.dpuf
14 Rules You didn’t Learn In School:
Rule 1: Life is not fair — get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school [or college for that matter]. You won’t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping — they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you are. So, before you save the rainforest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.
– See more at: http://blackandbrownnews.com/brooklyn/brooklyn-education/class-of-2012-graduates-rules-you-didnt-learn-in-school/#sthash.mON1J6ve.dpuf
A first post. By its very nature, there can only be one “first”. Not so in blogging, I am able to edit this first post, and have done so several times.
Here is to my first attempt at blogging. The name of the blog likely provides just enough insight into my profession, character and experience.
Be patient as I learn and the blog evolves.
sarah
Anyone...Anyone...? 