No Program to Fix it

This is such a powerful and well supported article on blended learning and the myth that it will “fix” education. My personal belief is that education’s troubles stem from a society which no longer has a strong family unit which no longer supports education. Rap artists and reality television are the new upper echelon of society. Are they educated? Do they promote hard work, the power of a well written essay or the necessity of learning geometry? Blended learning won’t change our society and if school districts aren’t careful they will be sucked into a whole lot of hype costing millions of dollars. MYTH: Blended Learning is the Next Ed Tech Revolution – Hype, Harm and Hope

More Pluss Points for BYOD

I addressed the second argument myself a few weeks ago, but it is worth repeating: no one will take your phone away at work. Why BYOD Is Essential in the 21st Century Classroom Published about a month ago by Renee A. Foose, Ed.D.

The Write Kind of Help

I watch my students struggle with writing. This is a good resource to extend to all of your students on a class website because of the diversity of resources. 

Learning Online 

Apps in the Classroom

I’m a huge Explain Everything fan. I use it for flipped learning. 5 Great Apps Students Can Use to Demonstrate Their Learning

Tips for Using Social Media as a Teacher with a Life.

And why I believe your social media accounts shouldn’t just be about teaching.  

 
I moved to California to pursue an acting career. I actual had a modicum of success. Matter of fact, I found a company selling some of my old headshots online. I doubt that they have many buyers…maybe my parents. I did make $37.58 in residuals last year which was enough for one grad school textbook and a protein bar. Score! But acting wasn’t really for me; it didn’t sit well with my Christian value system, it stressed me out, and I’m not even sure I was very good at it, hence the movement into education (captive audience for daily shows playing 180 days a year). I’m married. I’m having a baby, first and only. I’ve worked as a fitness instructor, a fitness model, a freelance writer. I’ve given several seminars on technology in the classroom and have just applied for a doctorate program. I have the world’s cutest cat. I am a teacher but I am also a person and it’s important that my students are able to see this. 

Kids need role models and even if they will never (ever) admit it, teachers fall into that category. We’re not in league with the likes of Miley, Taylor, Kim, or Jennifer but we are examples of adulthood and we have a responsibility to show our students what a well rounded, successful, grownup looks like which is why I believe your social media accounts shouldn’t be 100% teacher talk. 

Social media has changed the playing field making teacher’s personal lives more accessible to students. So why do I strongly believe your social media accounts shouldn’t be all about teaching? Because hopefully, as a teacher, you are a well rounded individual and well rounded individuals lead complexed lives. It’s a huge responsibility when you think about it. You’ve been given the task to show students what it’s like to be a responsible adult. Here are some things I keep in mind as I post to my many social media accounts:

1. When interacting with students I always keep things public. Twitter & Instagram are fine, but I won’t friend students on Facebook. I want their parents & my admin to be able to see any out of school conversations I have with kids (sophomores, in my case). 

2. No cursing. No slang. No misspelling of words because somewhere along the line it became cool to say “tho” and not “though”. I am an adult. I speak like an adult. I’m not trying to be a teenager. 

3. Stay positive. It’s ok to be frustrated or to have a bad day. It’s even ok to post that, but I always try to have a positive underlying tone. Times are tough, today is bad, but tomorrow will be better. 

4. Don’t post bikini photos. Trust me. Even if you’re at the beach. Even if you live at the beach. Even if you’re a fitness model…probably especially if you’re a fitness model. Don’t do it. What appears harmless to you because you know you’re goofy and awkward in real life and there is nothing sexy about you may not translate that way to parents or members of the community. If you’ve got it, you’ve got it. No need to flaunt it. 

5. This one goes without saying but no drunk photos and no drug references…or even things that could be construed as drug references. That goes for friend’s photos as well. For me, it may be easier to avoid situations where it’s even an issue becuase I’m just not into partying. But I know plenty of people who are and it is possible to keep that stuff off the internet. 

6. Stay away from online drama. That is what we tell our students, I try to practice what I preach. Yes, even if I’m “offended” by someone’s stance I tend to stay quiet. If it’s a personal friend, I’ll call or text them privately. If it’s someone I don’t know…I don’t know them and I probably don’t want to. Block, unfollow, but don’t engage. 

7. If I offend someone I try to apologize quickly. It’s happened. I used the word “chunky” on Facebook once and was accused of being responsible for single handedly causing eating disorders across America (ironic since I’ve struggled from anorexia). I thought it was a total overreaction! But I apologized because right or wrong, I hurt someone’s feelings and I felt horrible. I was sorry my words had such a negative impact on someone’s life, not that I’d used the word chunky. 

8. Remeber social media may be the only interaction some parents have with you even if you don’t know it. You are in the public eye and it’s an honor. 

Amen!

Sometimes all it takes is a simple “Thank you” you don’t need to feed me, bring me Starbucks, or send a card. Just saying thanks is enough. Don’t Wait Until the School Year Ends to Recognize Teachers by Tim Hodges

Vine in the Classroom?

I try to incorporate as many forms of technology into my classroom as possible. I have a Vine, not that I use it often, but I’ve never used it for educational purposes although I know some of my students have seen my vines. Vine isn’t as popular as with students as it used to be. In case you’d like to give Vine a try here and some ideas about how to use the service to promote activities in your classroom Vine in the Classroom

Google Classroom

I, personally, am not a huge fan of Google Classroom. I know. How can that be? I love tech, I love teaching (not every day, I’ll admit, but most days). How can I not love Google Classroom? After having played around with the tools Google supplies I just feel as though the whole thing wasn’t ready for primetime. Crashes, formatting issues, bugs…it felt like shopping at Macy’s (kind of ok but you know they don’t sell designer) when you should be at Saks. But some people love Google Classroom (some people love Macy’s and that’s ok, too) and make good use of it and others have never tried Google Classroom. If you’re in the latter category I highly suggest you give it a try. You never know until you try, right? Here’s an article to help get you started: Teacher Tech by Alice Keeler

ZipGrade

This app has been my lifesaver this year. Think of it as an Ed Tech tool which combines paper & digital in case you’re hesitating taking a full leap into the world of online testing. ZipGrade by Carolyn Grayson via iPhoneLife Magazine

Interesting Article

I found this article really interesting, I’m even considering asking my own students to pen their own views on technology in the classroom. My only issue was the comment about students knowing more than the teacher when it comes to technology. Am I the only teacher who has never experienced having to help a room full of high school students accomplish the most basic tasks? Despite this, I still found the article a compelling read and encourage other teachers to read it as well, I’d love to hear your feedback. A Teenager’s View on Education Technology By Soraya Shockley, Youth Radio