Learn 2 Blog Effectively with Edublogs

Currently I am participating in the 30-day Edublog Teacher Challenge
which is an online blogging staff development.

And we have ONE more week to go.

Whew... What a learning curve!

But I have learned sooooo much!

My goal is to come away from this staff development with enhanced blogging skills that will make my blog more effective in being a good resource for teachers, students, and even parents. The most effective aspect of this whole adventure with Edublog is that you are surrounded with excited beginning and advanced bloggers who are willing to share their thoughts, ideas, suggestions, challenges and their blogs with you on this journey to becoming that awesome blogger.

Wow... What more can you ask for?

And its ALL ONLINE!

We are currently working on Activity 6 - Enhancing Post by Embedding Images.
I have always thought that I am pretty good with working in images throughout my work with using technology. However, every blogging activity has made my prior skills look amateurish. LOL... and I am loving the challenge.

Are you interested in becoming a better blogger? Its not too late.
Join the Edublog Teacher Challenge and develop a blog that teachers feel is worth following.

Screenr - A Web-Based Screen Recorder

Looking for a quick and easy screen capturing tool that is web-based and stores all your videos. Well here it is - SCREENR. This a great web based application. You can record a send the video directly to your Twittter at your command or you can post them to your sites. Check it out. Let me know how you like the tool. I am interested in your thoughts.

The Super Book of Web Tools 4 Educators

Are you looking for web tools to enhance your teaching?

Would you like to introduce your students to new web tools to better prepare them for working and interacting in the 21st century workplace?

Check out this free Super eBook of Web 2.0 Tools put together by several educators from around the world who are well known in the interactive tech community.

"Super book of web tools for educators_"Super book of web tools for educators

View more documents from Lee Kolbert.

Mobile Blogging

Have you thought of making a blog that was exclusively done from your phone?

YouTube Video Link: http://bit.ly/fDQAwT

2011

Martin Luther King

Scholarship Application

for

San Diego Unified High School Graduates

$5000 and $7500 Scholarships Available

Share this scholarship informaton with an eligible High School student.

Sponsored by
The San Diego Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation
2250 Fourth Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92101

5-Step Writing Process

What a wonderful way to have students review their learning of the writing process. You as their teacher can easily listen and evaluate them for their level of understanding.

Link: http://voicethread.com/hit/#q.b12295.i0.k0

VoiceThread is an excellent web-based tool for your students to hold discussions and display their thinking and if schools choose share it with the world. This is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos. Viewers can navigate through the slides and comments left by others the same as you do with a video player application.

Comments can be left in 5 formats:

• Voice (via mic or telephone)
• Text
• Audio file (ex: mp3 - use Garageband or Audacity)
• video (via web cam or recorded through Photobooth- (Mac app) )

Other wonderful features:

• Users can doodle while presenting or commenting.
• Students can upload their actual photo or avatars
• Teachers can moderate comments

VoiceThread projects can be:

• embedded and automatically refresh as new comments are added.
• exported to MP3 players or DVDs to play as stand alone video

This application is not just for students, teachers use this tool as well for collaborations, mentoring, and facilitating staff developments.

Are you ready to try VoiceThread with your students and co-workers to enhance your learning environment?

Photo Credit: freedigitalphotos.net

Still Teaching and Loving Every Minute

One of my former students (20+ years old and about to get married) found me on Facebook (HOW I don't know - I just opened the account that day and we don 't have mutual friends). Wow, the powerfulness of Facebook.

But anyway in her first post on my wall she stated she was happy to find one of her favorite teacher (can you see me smiling - LOL) and then she asked, "Are you still teaching?" And.... my first response was Yes, and Loving Every Minute!!

This is the absolute truth. I can't see myself doing anything else besides helping, teaching, facilitating, and motivating young people so that they can be successful and productive citizens in our society. I hope that I can give them enough tools to overcome any obstacle they may face with an empowered sense of self. Well... here I go into another exciting year of teaching.

But I am thinking about what will I do when I retire. Oh I know.... Teach Online....Lol! You know...I think I will explore discussing my future desire to teach online in some future posts.

But I wish EACH and EVERY teacher a wonderful and successful 2011 school year. Teach something NEW and EXCITING this year......I WILL!

~ The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows. ~
Sydney J. Harris (American Journalist)