Category Archives: Professional Development

Blogging, Professional Development, Technology, Web 2.0, Wikis

Classroom 2.0

I was invited to join the Classroom 2.0 community by Nani. I wanted to try it out for a few days before I wrote about it here just so I could be sure it would be something I’d stick with. Several familiar “faces” have joined up with Classroom 2.0. One of the interesting things about Classroom 2.0 to me, however, is the number of unfamiliar faces. The community is built around the subject of using Web 2.0 in the classroom, and I think it could be a good resource for anyone who wants ideas about integrating blogs and wikis (and other similar applications) into their curriculum.

[tags]Classroom 2.0, wikis, blogs, education, technology[/tags]

Professional Development, Recommended Reading

Tips for New Teachers

5 Comments

Hipteacher has a new post full of great advice for new teachers. I wanted to comment on a couple of pieces of advice and add my own.

There is no one lesson plan format. If someone wants “lessons” from you ahead of time, you could be turning in anything from red Sharpie scrawl across a napkin to three page documents that site local/state/national standards. Don’t do the latter if you can do the former. This, after three years of teaching and beating myself up about my inability to make and keep plans, is part of my actual philosophy of teaching. If I can remember a lesson that I’ve done before, and I want to do it again, then it was probably really good. If not, then I need to go back to the drawing board. I know this won’t work and won’t make sense for many people, but, for me, I keep my lessons fresh and my own excitement and engagement with the material high by doing this, and the kids respond.

I know this isn’t what she meant, but don’t go in there cold without knowing what you’re doing. The students have a nose for the unprepared teacher, and they will make sure your lack of plans means that no learning will take place. But she’s right in that a variety of lesson plan formats and templates exist. The bottom line is do whatever it is your school expects regarding lesson plans.

Stay away from negative, I-hate-children teachers. Avoid break-room, and eat in classroom if necessary. In private school, amend somewhat to eat lunch with others a couple times of week. This is a social thing and, therefore, necessary.

I don’t completely agree with this one. Yes, you should avoid those negative teachers; however, I don’t think they exist only in public schools, nor would I single out private school teachers for the “amendment.” You can find teachers who are happy in their jobs in either place, and you can find negative teachers in either place.

Keep handwritten, like with a pencil or pen, records. Keep everything. Your electronic grade book will erase your grades at some point.

This one is really important. In this day and age probably most of us are required to keep grades on the computer or at least send grades via a computer program. But keep a handwritten copy.

Other stuff I would add:

  1. Take notes during phone conferences and face-to-face conferences so you have a written record of any agreements/concerns/etc.
  2. Keep track of absences and tardies for each class period. I use a separate gradebook just for this purpose.
  3. Figure out a way to get students to do the work they need to do to practice without you having to grade every little thing. Ask me about notebook checks.
  4. Dress professionally. It really does make a difference.
  5. Get involved in professional organizations related to your field and subscribe to a journal.
  6. Bell-to-bell teaching is critical, particularly in middle school.
  7. Reflect on your teaching practices either in a paper journal or blog or something like that, even if it’s just once a month or once a quarter.
  8. Get support. If you are not assigned a mentor, find one for yourself; pick someone who likes his/her job, is willing to spend the extra time talking with you about teaching, and is admired for his/her professionalism and good teaching by the administration and faculty.
  9. Read The First Days of School by Harry Wong.
  10. Get yourself a professional planner (my favorite is the Teacher’s Daybook by Jim Burke).

Veteran teachers, add your own advice in the comments.

[tags]advice, teaching, teachers, education[/tags]

Professional Development

Could This Be a Meme?

5 Comments

I participated in a Book Meme at my personal blog the other day. The list of books was eclectic and interesting. This morning I put my teacher nerd hat on and figured I’d adapt it for teacher books. This is how it works:

For books that you have read, put the title in bold. Books you want to read go in italics. Books you wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole are struck out. Books on your bookshelf are underlined. Books you have never heard of are preceded with a ? question mark. Books you’ve seen a movie or TV version of are preceded with # a pound mark. Books you have blogged about are preceded with an ! exclamation point. Books you’re indifferent to have no text decoration. Books you loved are starred *. To sum up:

  • Books I’ve read
  • Books I want to read
  • Books I wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole
  • Books on my bookshelves
  • ? Books I’ve never heard of
  • # Books I’ve seen in movie or TV form
  • ! Books I’ve blogged about
  • Books I’m indifferent to
  • * Books I loved

If you don’t know how the HTML code for the text decorations, and your blogging software doesn’t have buttons for them on your interface, at the end of this post, you’ll find a primer for how to decorate your text.

  1. The Essential 55 (Ron Clark)
  2. In the Middle (Nancie Atwell)
  3. Possible Lives (Mike Rose)
  4. With Rigor for All (Carol Jago)
  5. The English Teacher’s Companion (Jim Burke)
  6. # ! * The Freedom Writers Diary (Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers)
  7. Experience and Education (John Dewey)
  8. Elements of Style (Strunk and White)
  9. * The Writer’s Reference (Diana Hacker)
  10. * The First Days of School (Harry Wong)
  11. The Myth of Laziness (Mel Levine)
  12. Classroom Instruction that Works (Robert J. Marzano)
  13. ! Understanding By Design (Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe)
  14. The Homework Myth (Alfie Kohn)
  15. Classroom Management that Works (Robert J. Marzano)
  16. Fires in the Bathroom (Kathleen Cushman)
  17. ! * The Teacher’s Daybook (Jim Burke)
  18. Lies My Teacher Told Me (James W. Loewen)
  19. The Unschooled Mind (Howard Gardner)
  20. A Place Called School (John Goodlad)
  21. Punished By Rewards (Alfie Kohn)
  22. * Inside Out (Tom Liner and Dan Kirby)
  23. * Teaching Poetry Writing to Adolescents (Joseph Tsujimoto)
  24. Bridging English (Joseph Milner and Lucy Milner)
  25. * Teaching Grammar in Context (Constance Weaver)
  26. ! * How to Read Literature Like a Professor (Thomas C. Foster)
  27. English Teacher’s Survival Guide (Mary Lou Brandvik)
  28. * Shakespeare Set Free: Teaching A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth (Peggy O’Brien)
  29. * Making the Journey (Leila Christenbury)
  30. Teaching with Fire (Sam Intrator)
  31. Multiple Intelligences (Howard Gardner)
  32. A Mind at at Time (Mel Levine)
  33. * Teacher Man (Frank McCourt)
  34. # My Posse Don’t Do Homework [Dangerous Minds] (LouAnne Johnson)
  35. The Shame of the Nation (Jonathan Kozol)
  36. Educating Esmé (Esmé Raji Codell)
  37. Horace’s Compromise: The Dilemma of the American High School (Theodore Sizer)
  38. Savage Inequalities (Jonathan Kozol)
  39. Reviving Ophelia (Mary Pipher and Ruth Ross)
  40. Among Schoolchildren (Tracy Kidder)
  41. Cultural Literacy (E.D. Hirsch)
  42. * Getting the Knack: 20 Poetry Writing Exercises (Stephen Dunning and William Stafford)
  43. Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire (Rafe Esquith)
  44. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms (Will Richardson)
  45. Other People’s Children (Lisa Delpit and Herbert Kohl)
  46. Teach With Your Heart (Erin Gruwell)
  47. There Are No Shortcuts (Rafe Esquith)
  48. Small Victories (Samuel G. Freedman)
  49. Discipline with Dignity (Richard L. Curwin and Allen N. Mendler)
  50. Lives on the Boundary (Mike Rose)

I know I probably forgot your favorite education book. Please forgive me and feel free to add it if you decide to participate in the meme. I am also well aware this list is skewed toward English teachers, so feel free to delete those books in favor of books in your subject area.

Primer for Formatting Text

  1. To make something bold, wrap the text in the bold HTML tag: <b>bold text</b>.
  2. To italicize something, wrap the text in the italics HTML tag: <i>italicized text</i>
  3. To strike out something, wrap the text in the strikeout HTML tag: <s>strikeout</s>
  4. To underline something, wrap the text in the underline HTML tag: <u>underline</u>

[tags]meme, education[/tags]

Issues, Professional Development

Making Progress

2 Comments

Some of you might remember I took a Schools Attuned course last summer. I am still working on my practicum. I decided to complete the practicum online due to time and travel consideration. Once I complete my practicum and portfolio, I will earn CEU credits. I just completed the third of six practicum sessions today. It feels good to say I’m at least halfway there.

I’m definitely going to see Freedom Writers tomorrow. My boss gave me a movie gift card, and I think if I go to a matinee, I just might be able to get some snacks, too. I’ll let you know what I think with a review, so watch this space.

[tags]Schools Attuned, Freedom Writers[/tags]

Professional Development

The Blue Couch Club

1 Comment

Before we moved into our new facility, our faculty had a cramped faculty workroom/lounge which contained three computers, a long table, mail boxes, a toaster oven, a few microwaves, a refrigerator, and a blue couch.  The room was not big enough to accommodate all of us, but it was warm and inviting.  I spent a lot of time discussing ideas with colleagues.  Unlike some schools in which I have worked, the faculty lounge at my school was often a place of intellectual stimulation.

Our new facility has some amazing technology and beautiful architecture and decor; we no longer share rooms or float, which is very nice, too.  But we don’t have a blue couch.  Our administration is working on creating some space that will bring back the warmth of our old faculty lounge, but I think many of us had been missing this gathering spot.

My department head took matters into her own hands and organized a gathering she dubbed the Blue Couch Club at a restaurant near our school.  About 10 of us gathered there last night.  It was nice be social with my colleagues outside of school.  It was great to have the opportunity to talk about stuff besides school and students with my colleagues.  We had a great time.  It was so nice to get to know everyone better.

Everyone agreed, I think, that we have to do it again, soon.  The old saying goes that if Mohammed won’t come to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed.  I guess if the blue couch doesn’t make it to the new faculty lounge, the faculty has to make it to the blue couch.  Or something like that.

Professional Development, Teaching Writing

Marking Errors: A Research Proposal

8 Comments

I read a really interesting research proposal written by one of our Hebrew teachers.  Exactly which method of writing instruction works best?

  • Explicitly marking each error in a student’s paper.
  • Marking a line, indicating an error, but leaving it for the student to identify what the error is.

Which method do you use?  Which method do you think would help students learn errors and how to correct them?

My colleague’s research focused on improving writing for L2 (second language) students.  In the case of her students, the L2 is Hebrew.  I found her proposal intriguing.  Which method of writing instruction would produce better results?

I personally mark errors.  I use standard proofreading marks.  I make notation of subject/verb or pronoun/antecedent agreement issues.  My students’ papers are often quite marked up by the time I’m done.  I am interested in finding out if I am doing the best thing for my students.  In many cases, I find students making the same mistakes over and over, no matter how often I mark them.  I mentioned this idea to my department head as a potential research project for us next year in English classes.  I need to locate some research studies.  This could potentially be publishable.

Any English teachers out there interested in looking at this with me?

Blogging, Professional Development, Technology

Blogs as Teaching Documents

1 Comment

I recently presented a session on using blogs and wikis in the classroom at the annual GISA conference. I focused on teacher and student-created and maintained blogs and wikis and didn’t touch very much on how we can learn from these tools. When I share my presentation with my own faculty in January, I would like to include this information. I probably won’t have to teach teachers how to figure out whether a blog poster has reliable credentials, but that would be necessary if I were sharing blogs with students. After all, I have a blog, and I can declare a recipe for cold fusion that really works, but no one should believe me if I do that — after all, my credentials as an English teacher are not exactly reliable compared to those of a nuclear physicist or even a science teacher.

Blogging history, literary and otherwise, seems to have developed into a major trend. I am very excited about this trend, as I think it makes history alive for students and makes the people they study seem like flesh and blood. I found several examples of such blogs.

Boston 1775 purports to be “a miscellany of information about New England just before, during, and after the Revolutionary War, and about how that history has been studied, taught, preserved, politicized, mythologized, lost, recovered, discussed, described, distorted, and now digitized.” It is maintained by J.L. Bell, a Massachusetts writer who specializes in Revolutionary War-era Boston and has written scholarly papers for children and adults and consulted in the show History Detectives.

The Blog of Henry David Thoreau makes Thoreau’s journals accessible to everyone with Internet access. It is maintained by Greg Perry, a poet who posts Thoreau’s journals on the corresponding date today. For example, on November 18, 2006, Greg Posted Thoreau’s journal entry from November 18, 1857.

Geoffrey Chaucer Hath a Blog is not so much a digitized version of a document produced by Chaucer as a vision of what a “blogge” by Chaucer might really look like; more than anything else, it’s just good satire. Reading this blog, one can get a feel for Middle English, a sense of the politics of the time, and most importantly, an appreciation for Chaucer. The site is maintained by an anonymous medievalist.

Pepys Diary is digitized presentation of the diary of Samuel Pepys, whose Restoration-era diary is an excellent primary source document of the period. It is maintainted by Phil Gyford, a UK website designer who bases his site on the 1893 edition of Pepys diary, which was edited by Henry B. Wheatley.

These are just a few that I know about. Please share your own discoveries in the comments section.

Blogging, Professional Development

Essential Edublogging: The Reflective Teacher

2 Comments

One of the things I like about the Reflective Teacher is that he posts frequently and honestly about his classroom — what works and what doesn’t. He shares his ideas. I think more than many education bloggers, he really treats the edublogosphere like a faculty lounge. Frankly, I think too many folks are in such desperate teaching circumstances that they need their education blog to vent and kvetch about their jobs. I don’t begrudge them that, and I often commiserate, having been in some not-so-pleasant teaching circumstances at other points in my career. However, it is refreshing to see Mr. Teacher’s enthusiasm, not to mention the fact that his site is really attractive and he makes really pretty handouts. He has an eye for document/web design.

In addition to his regular blog, Mr. Teacher also administrates Think, Pair, Share. This blog was orignally a compendium of lessons, but I think Mr. Teacher has had trouble getting submissions; that’s just the way it is in education — we are, for the most part, stretched too thin. It’s a shame because ideas like this are wonderful ways to learn new approaches to our curricula. He plans to continue contests for lesson plans and to update the site with links to relevant educational sites.

Which education blog do you have trouble doing without?