A Cool App Called Stitcher

Podcasting is a world I haven't explored too much yet, but the more I learn about it, the more I like it. An app I found which makes it really easy to find podcasts on a variety of topics is Stitcher.  Available either online or at the Google Play store (I'm not sure if it is available on iOs, so let me know if you look for it for your iPhone),  this app will allow you to search for podcasts which interest you, and you'll probably find some on topics about which you have never thought before.  I'm now following podcasts about educational technology, but I'm also following some on writing and baseball.

Later this year I am hoping that all of my classes will be creating podcasts,  and Stitcher might let you get your feet wet with podcasts before you create your own.

Have a happy Thanksgiving, and I'll see you next week.

Finding Balance Between Work and School

Should high school students have jobs to earn money for college, a car, etc., or should they only focus on school work during their high school years?  This is a question I have heard many students considering over the years, and an article from The College Board discussing this idea might be useful to any students who are either considering or have a part-time job.

I did have a part-time job in high school working for an appliance repairman who was my neighbor, and I learned some useful skills which have allowed me to fix my dryer and other appliances over the years.  Thankfully, my neighbor was very flexible with my hours, so I didn't work as much during the school year as I did during the summer.  This made it much easier to balance my school work with my job, but that is a luxury I know few students have today since many of them are working for large corporations like McDonalds and American Eagle. 

Ultimately, I encourage you to read the article and consider some of the points it is making to ensure your experience with a part-time job is as positive as it can be.

Digital Responsibility

Who is responsible for what students are doing digitally?   According to an article found on the Edutopia website, it is starting to become practice for schools to hire companies to watch what their students are doing while using technology.  Is this okay?   I'm interested to know what you think.

A Great Way to Keep Your Favorite Sites in One Place

As you have probably discovered so far this year, I like students to be using their netbooks on a daily basis.  As a result, it might be difficult at times to keep track of all of the websites (textbook, Moodle, Edmodo, etc.) you need to visit.  If that has been a problem for you and you didn't take advantage of it earlier in the year, this might be a good time to revisit Symbaloo EDU.  This free site will allow you to keep the sites you use most all in one place so you don't have to remember all of the addresses.  Using Symbaloo is also better than using the Favorites button in your browser because the web-based platform allows for access from any computer which has Internet access.  It might also be useful in any classes where you are doing research online as you can save the web addresses and access them from anywhere.

I have been using it since last year (thanks, Mrs. Teaman), and I encourage you to use it in whatever way it might work best for you.

Did Shakespeare Really Write Shakespeare?

As we read The Tragedy of Macbeth, King Lear, and The Tragedy of Julius Caesar in my English classes, I think it is appropriate for me to bring up an issue that has been in the news for a long time - did Shakespeare actually write everything which is attributed to him?  If you are interested in doing more exploration on the subject, go to the Shakespeare Resource Center.  Once on the page you will find information about the men who some think actually wrote what is attributed to Shakespeare, and you will also find many articles which further explore the subject.

If you find anything really interesting, don't be afraid to share your findings in class or on your own blog.

Following Blogs Which Interest You

Hopefully by the time you read this post (specifically, my students), you will have become comfortable with writing your own blog posts, but what is the fun of blogging if all you ever do is write your own posts?  Part of the fun of blogging is learning about what interests you.  One way to do that is to visit Feedly.com, set up an account, and begin exploring what blog options there are out there.  Are you interested in baseball?  Great, find a blog which focuses on baseball.  Are you interested in cooking, horses, or books? Search for blogs on those topics, start learning, and, ideally, start making your own contributions to those blogs through your comments and questions.

If you run into any problems, let me know because I want your blogging experience to be as user-friendly as possible.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that as you become more and more active as a blogger, you need to protect yourself.  Do not ever include any of your personal information (your name, username, password, e-mail address, home address, phone number, school name, city, country, etc.) in any of your blog posts.  If you ever find inappropriate content on someone else's blog or if someone leaves you an inappropriate comment, report it to your teacher immediately.  Also keep in mind that you are responsible for making posts which include appropriate language; even though you are, in a sense, anonymous online, you are still responsible for the content you post.

A New Look at Note-Taking

Hello, everyone looking at this page.

I have made a recent discovery that challenges everything I have done in my classroom for the last sixteen years.  In the past when I saw a student doodling or drawing in my classroom, I assumed the student was not paying attention.  If I didn't directly call the student out from the front of the classroom, I would at least walk over to the student and quietly point out that he/she was not paying attention to what was being taught.  Of course, if the student made any type of objection, I wouldn't be listening because I knew, from my experience as a student, that if a student was drawing, he/she was not paying attention.

Well, I just watched a video that might have blown everything I have ever known out of the water.  In a Ted Talk video featuring Rachel Smith (click to view video), she discusses how students can effectively take notes using a combination of drawings and words.  While this might not be the perfect note-taking tool in every situation, it might help students who are more artistically inclined or those who have struggled with traditional note-taking styles such as Cornell notes.  Will these work for everyone?  Probably not, but I wanted to share this so those it might help can start taking advantage of this opportunity.

If any of my students have additional questions about this note-taking tool, please let me know.