Mr. Thorne Does Phonics: Great ideas for reading teachers

Talented teachers who are also talented videographers are rising. Yes, you've seen Khan Academy, but have you seen Mr. Phonics from the UK? Better known as Mr. Thorne does Phonics.These videos by Mr. Thorne (featured on the TES website out of the UK) were created for parents so they would know how to reinforce the phonics he was teaching at school so they are very basic. But, what a novel idea! Take something that you need parent...

Read more »

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/31/2011

Pearson & NoTosh Report: Supporting Teacher CPD with Social Media | NoTosh This report "Tweeting for Teachers" says social media should be part of teacher PD. as much as I agree with that, if you just unblock social media, it doesn't mean teachers WILL use it for PD. Teach them how. Plus, expect pushback from teachers who don't want to mix personal and business. Although Facebook won't...

Read more »

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/30/2011

Do Yourself a Favor: Set Up These Custom Typing Shortcuts on Your iPhone Right Now If you have an ios5 device, you got text expansion. Lifehacker's guide is a great guide for setting up. I will add this tip. If you are lucky enough to have more than one iOS device, set it up the exact same way on both! tags: Education iPhone ...

Read more »

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/29/2011

MR KANTZ: Patron Driven Acquisition Glenn Kantz, a librarian in a Swiss Boarding school wrote an article on "patron drive acquisitions" that I find boh fascinating and really something that libraries should consider. In the past, it has often been librarian driven. But if the libraries have books that patrons want, will the libraries be more populated? Now that ebooks and overdrive solutions...

Read more »

Helping Students Have Learning Conversations that Matter

Social media has added to my life because there are incredible people in my sphere of socializing.What you get out of your time engaged with social media is directly proportional to the number and kind of people you socialize with online.I've seen teachers get on Twitter and follow no one and say,"I don't get Twitter."That's because Twitter...

Read more »

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/28/2011

The Mobile Native I've been messaging with Scott Newcomb about what they are doing at his school in Ohio and got this message: "Every student 3-5 has their own smart phone (MLD). We are starting BYOD with the upper grades this year." Here is their mobile learning blog. tags: education mobilelearning mlearning wireless_connectivity...

Read more »

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/27/2011

Panel: Boys should get HPV vaccine given to girls - BusinessWeek New recommendations for boys to get HPV immunization. Too bad so many parents are afraid of immunizations. tags: Education health Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are he...

Read more »

Flat Learning Action Talks

F.L.A.T.s will officially launch tomorrow.Our teachers have been talking about the fact that we need ongoing online pd and sharing of best practices. Also, that many webinars are sort of long. We want to have bit sized presentations with time to ask questions. Our first FLAT will be tomorrow and features two of our certified teachers presenting their take on developing a global project. Join us!On Thursday October 27, 2011 at...

Read more »

#teaching starts In my Room

Room in My ClassroomWhen frowns are down and people are milling around...It's time to hide in your room.When people are tired and with caffeine over-wiredIt's time to hide in your room.When no one has slept and some negativity has creptIt's time to hide in your room.You see, doom and gloom may loombut not in your room.Your classroom is your...

Read more »

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/26/2011

Program for the Study of Children and Media | Common Sense Media Common sense media has just released a new report "Zero to 8: Children's media use in America." Our students on Digiteen are reviewing this report for their research, maybe you should take a look too. tags: education digital citizenship digital_literacy...

Read more »

Jailbreaking Education

"Should jailbreaking cell phones be part of my research project, 'Miss' Vicki?" said the eager Digiteen student as if a light bulb had just gone on. "Tons of people are starting to jailbreak phones and I'm not sure if they understand if they should or what the impact is. I think it should be part of our recommendations." "Is jailbreaking a phone part of legal, copyright, and fair use?" he said, quoting his subtopic on...

Read more »

Limit your Work in Process with #pkflow

We say yes without ever stopping to consider if we have the ability to do something. We run ourselves into the ground. For what?One thing I really enjoy about the Personal Kanban planning method (as described in Personal Kanban: Mapping Work | Navigating Life) I highly recommend reading the book. It has made a big difference in my life. I've...

Read more »

I don't wanna die with this music in me

"I don't wanna die with this music in me," says Stacy Francis, 42 year old single Mom of 2, in her X Factor audition last month.She had someone who told her she wasn't talented. That she couldn't do it. That she started believing it."I lost faith in myself," she says. Someone told her she was no good. If she had believed that person. That misguided, sad, jealous person would have kept the world from this spine tingling, mind blowing,...

Read more »

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/23/2011

Project Red: 9 Technology Practices That Improve Education the Most Great presentation from project red. See slide for the "which technology practices improve learning the most."#1 Technology is integrated into EVERY intervention class. tags: education web2.0 worldonline Posted from...

Read more »

Incredibly Useful Google Apps Correlated to Bloom's Revised Taxonomy #bloomstaxonomy

Now we're getting useful! Some time back Kathy Schrock created a very useful Bloom's Taxonomy grid correlated with Google Apps. While we know some of these tools aren't so useful (i.e. Google Buzz) the way Kathy has laid this out is incredibly useful. Info-graphic type websites that allow us to digest a lot of things in a simple glance are the way we need to go to be efficient!Digging deeper, I found a website http://visualblooms.wikispaces.com/ made...

Read more »

Why Can't Kids Get Collaborative Writing?

“Collaborative production is a more involved form of cooperation, as it increases the tension between individual and group goals. The litmus test for collaborative production is simple: no one person can take credit for what gets created, and the project could not come into being without the participation of many.” Clay Shirky  Here...

Read more »

Higher Order Thinking and Discipline: Two things Education needs NOW!

Seth Godin, author, change makerSeth Godin is not God. I don't think he pretends to be but sometimes I think those that read his work don't realize who he is. He is a natural born gift writer / rebel who has made his own rules and had is own career. He is one of a kind. That is great. We need more Seth Godins.In a recent post, Seth makes...

Read more »

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/21/2011

Saltire Centre | | EducationGuardian.co.uk Opened in 2006, the Saltire Center in Glasgow has "rewritten the design book for libraries." It is fascinating and includes a ground floor coffee bar, sofas, etc. They have double the usage from the previous library. Visits were decreasing, now they are up. Great case studies for libraries working to reinvent learning. Hat tip to Ewan McIntosh -...

Read more »

Join Flat Classroom at ASB Unplugged in Mumbai India

We're gearing up to take students to India. Here's info to join us. If you're interested in taking a class, get those applications in. I'd be happy to pair up with US schools on travel arrangements if it helps. Flat Classroom® Conference and Live Events a 501(c)3 non profit invites interested schools and educators to apply now to attend...

Read more »

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/20/2011

Students 'Mix It Up' to promote tolerance | The Montgomery Advertiser | montgomeryadvertiser.com Such programs are fascinating ways to help promote getting along and working with others."National Mix It Up Lunch Day, now in its 10th year, is coordinated by the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance program. It served as the catalyst Tuesday for millions of students, including some...

Read more »

10 Ways to be a Terrible Teacher

Teaching is a noble calling. That is why when a teacher doesn't behave nobly it breaks trust and we get upset. I have to admit that I've had days as a "TT" (Terrible Teacher.) If we're honest with ourselves, we all have. It is usually when we're tired, grumpy or were woken up by a parent calling to complain about something we don't really...

Read more »