No it wasn't the craziest birthday I've ever had, but truly one of the more enjoyable.
I am finding the tools easier to navigate and am beginning to see how I can practically applicate them to things I need to be doing NOW. I can link important beginning of the year information to the school website through google docs. or perhaps portaportal. I think I could even utilize a blog as a means to provide links to pieces I want kids to listen to, along with some directed listening activities. With 150 students, I don't think I want everyone to comment, but maybe I could rotate the activity through the grade levels and require a comment over a window of time. Listening is an important skill to develop and practice, and we simply don't have time to do much in class. This is something we can start in class for modeling purposes, but then move to "outside class time".
I also find great implications for some items of interest in RSS feeds and delicious. Music advocacy is a big topic with lots of updates. Chasing the latest findings just got a lot easier, except for the time factor. Hey, is there widget to create time?
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Sandy, these are GREAT ideas and I'm so impressed with how it's all coming together for you! I, too, am trying to figure out how to do a type of listening lab, if you will. I'm interested in blogging, too, but like you said, we have quite a few students and I'm not sure how we would keep up with all of that. I am sure that the more we practice, share, discuss, dive in, the more we'll learn. Perhaps we need to create an "ideas" google doc and get moving! You game?
ReplyDeleteTruth from me, Sandy: I have no idea how these tools will work for you and your students. Yours is such a unique teaching situation. But I do know that you will find what is useful because you don't waste time or energy; you use both very well. And my money is on you finding the way to integrate and having fun and success at it. Sharing those ideas with Andee will result in good stuff for our students. It's going to be a great year!!
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