Thing #2

Web 2.0 have totally changed the way I work! With technology constantly changing the only way I can keep up with new trends is to use my RSS feed. I currently use NetNewsWire and it allows me to scan articles and spend more time on the ones I need (or have an interest in). The Mesquite hosted blog not only allows me to communicate with others but also allows the teachers I teach to communicate with their students online. This year we have discovered a tool called Drop Box which allows us to quickly share documents, edit them, and put them back in the drop box to share them again. It is similar to our network drop box, however, we can access it even at home so that we always have access.

I would love to get more teachers to set up blogs to use with their students. They can use them to ask higher order thinking questions of students, use them for book studies, and use them to get them to participate more in discussions. The other great thing about blogs in a classroom is that they can encourage parent particpation. Parents can know what's going on in class and even post comments! I always notice more participation from students when their parents are involved! Wikis are another great tool - students can create their own study guides. I always learn more when I have to prepare to teach others and students do, too. Students are constantly on social networking sites and interacting with each other online. We need to meet them where they are and use the tools they enjoy using. Teaching just isn't about paper and pencil anymore!