21st Century Teacher

Compelling thoughts: http://futureoftheinternet.org/

Blog #1: http://jhh.blogs.com/webwriters/ (I love how kid-friendly this site is! It's powerful because each child's blog is available and there are so many resources for them while they write! It is an online diary of their processes, but also of who they are as a human, and there is something really compelling about the computer-ready medium that lends itself to feeling more open, more willing to share with your audience. While this is the gift of blogging, it is also a double-edged sword...to be wielded with the protection of a guide and coach while learning and sharing.) Blog #2: http://www.dawnsbrain.com/ (Ok, other than the fact that this site is visually yummy and very inviting, I love that the teacher is reflecting openly about what impacts her classroom. The organization of the website is easy to navigate as well. I want to put lessons on my blog that enable students to go through the entire lesson from home. Although I believe that nothing replaces the physical...

1. What did you learn? While I have ventured into the blogging waters somewhere around my calves (text/photos), I am anxious to actually get out there and ride the waves of possibility! Embedding video, interactive lessons, podcasting...I am THRILLED with the idea of putting lessons online for students/parents to use at home! I basically learned that I have a lot to learn, and that's fantastic! 2. How will you use what you have learned? (Please see answer to question number one above.) 3. How did you feel about this tool? Can't you tell??! I love blogging! I am excited about the opportunities it will provide for us! 4. What do you not want to forget about this tool? ...Where the help section is...Seriously, power is knowing how to access information you need... 5. How can this be used in the classroom? Students have the space to pose questions to each other, publish their thoughts and texts for feedback, and to offer their influence to improve their writing. They als...

I am excited to be a part of our blogging community, and I look forward to using blogs, wikis, and more resources to give even more opportunities to my students this next school year. I hope to learn how to use new tools, examine where technology in the classroom is heading, and to work with my colleagues to consider topics in a new way. I teach 8th grade ELA at Ridgeview Middle School, and I also serve as the Department Chair for the ELA department. I have been teaching for about thirteen years, half of which were spent teaching high school pre-AP and AP English (9th/11th grade) and the other half have been spent learning wonderful things from 7th and 8th grade students. I love middle school! Though I enjoyed my high school students, I felt that many of their decision-making processes and world-perceptions were permanently fixed by the time they arrived in high school. I wanted to help them during the formative years of their personalities, so I dove into middle school philosophy and ...

I love blogging! No, really, I do...I have another blog that I've been using for a year now (though not as consistently as I would like). It's a travel/life experiences blog that I began just before leaving to teach in Israel and Palestine last summer, and it's meant to be both a raw, honest look at what I experienced as well as a place to ask questions, integrate and challenge perceptions of reality and possibility, and to reflect on where my path in life takes me. The ability to share my experiences overseas in (almost) realtime with my family and friends was an amazing opportunity to share traveling and personal growth with those who understood me most deeply. They asked compelling questions and encouraged me, and I think this medium creates a powerful opportunity to influence and learn in both directions. It is my hope that my students discover the power of this portal to a new journey and share it in order to both inspire and be inspired. ~V