tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58141538318686267862024-03-05T03:54:40.086-05:0021st Century Teaching & LearningPriscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-82741170872253143852013-02-15T09:20:00.000-05:002013-02-15T09:20:12.175-05:00Your Name is On It: Teaching Students about Digital Footprints<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At <a href="http://www.peteandc.org/" target="_blank">PETE&C</a> this week I had a conversation with <a href="http://rossbossteacher.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ross Cooper</a> and <a href="http://cteduonline.com/" target="_blank">Christopher Tully</a> about being careful about the content you publish that is attached to your name. That conversation got me thinking about the importance of teaching students that whatever they publish is shaping their digital identity. In the social media-driven world we live in, our students are so excited to share, which is a wonderful thing that shouldn't be squashed by making them fearful of publishing online. However, it is important for them to think about what they share because it all traces back to them. It is a powerful (and continual) conversation for teachers to have with their students instead of assuming they know. If our students don't control the content they put their name on, ultimately someone else will. <span style="background-color: white;">The most important part of teaching about online reputations is teachers being models for their students through how they conduct themselves online. I believe this principle also extends</span> beyond the digital world. That means reminding students that any assignments they turn in are a reflection on them and it is their responsibility to make sure all their work represents who they are. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some resources to get you started understanding and teaching digital identity:</span>
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<li style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/iam-collection" target="_blank">iAm Collection</a> - This curated collection is full of resources for helping you and your students understand how to take control of their digital identities especially with social media.</li>
<li style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/iam-collection" target="_blank">Controlling your digital identity is as easy as 1-2-3</a></span><span style="background-color: white;"> - This post offers three easy steps to looking for how they are perceived online and start creating their digital footprint.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://edreach.us/2012/12/10/10-things-your-students-should-know-about-their-digital-footprints/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">10 Things Your Students Should Know About Their Digital Footprints</a><span style="background-color: white;"> - 10 things that students should keep in mind as they engage in online communities and social media.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://cdn2-www.ec.commonsensemedia.org/educators/middlehigh_poster" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1;" target="_blank">Digital Citizenship Poster for Middle and High School Classrooms</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1;"> - A great infographic to help older students evaluate what photos to post online.</span></li>
<li><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/social-media-in-out-classroom/id601590923?mt=11" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Social Media: In and Out of the Classroom</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - This iBook is about using social media in the classroom with students and addresses topics like netiquette (Internet etiquette), setting boundaries, and privacy.</span></li>
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Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-12965166326430509372013-02-04T08:24:00.002-05:002013-02-04T08:24:55.637-05:00The Power of Teachers' Collective Voices<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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This semester I'm taking a class on advocacy and it is expanding my understanding of what advocacy entails. I am learning that being an advocate has many features to it. An advocate is more than someone who speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves. Advocates:<br />
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<li>build relationships with others</li>
<li>plead the cause on behalf of others and are persuasive</li>
<li>give information to educators, legislators, elected officials, and decision-makers with the hope of influencing them to join their cause</li>
<li>identify problems that need to be addressed, contact legislators, and encourage them to guide the bill through the legislative process</li>
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How powerful is that! As educators, our collective voice has the power to set change in motion. So many educators have powerful stories that our government officials need to hear. Who is a better expert on student learning than those who facilitate that learning everyday?<br />
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I am passionate about student access to technology. Not technology for technology sake but the appropriate and meaningful use of technology to support connected, hands-on, student-centered learning. I am passionate about making the four walls of the classroom invisible and allowing students to teach and learn from students & teachers all over the world. It has nothing to do with competing with children from other countries but equipping ALL students with the necessary tools to do their best work everyday and evolve as learners.<br />
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Share the same passion? What are some ways that you can get involved?<br />
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<li>Find out who your elected officials are. Two resources to help you do that are <a href="http://www.senate.gov/" target="_blank">www.Senate.gov</a> and <a href="http://www.house.gov/" target="_blank">www.house.gov</a>.</li>
<li>Email in support of educational technology at <a href="http://www.edtechactionnetwork.org/">http://www.edtechactionnetwork.org/</a></li>
<li>Join your <a href="http://www.iste.org/membership/join-renew/affiliates/directory-of-affiliates" target="_blank">local ed tech organization</a> to find out what they're doing at the state level</li>
<li>Browse ISTE's <a href="http://www.iste.org/about-iste/advocacy" target="_blank">advocacy resources</a> including their <a href="http://www.iste.org/about-iste/advocacy/templates-and-starter-kits" target="_blank">templates and starter kits</a> and share them with your teachers, staff, and administrators</li>
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In the comments section, share what you're passionate about and how you plan to advocate for your students in 2013.<br />
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<br />Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-46708178749737824932013-01-18T08:23:00.001-05:002013-01-18T08:23:57.155-05:00Distinguished Educator, Distinguished CommunityThis week I submitted my application to join the <a href="https://ade.apple.com/ade/login.php" target="_blank">Apple Distinguished Educator </a>class of 2013. After weeks of planning and sleepless nights working on my application, it was finished and ready to be submitted. I submitted my application and this screen appeared:<br />
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Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, the magnitude of what I had just done. This moment was a year and a half in the making. Ever since I followed my first <a href="http://taylorteach.blogspot.com/2011/07/apples-in-desert.html" target="_blank">institute</a> on Twitter in 2011, I knew that something was happening in education I had never seen before and I couldn't wait until it was my turn to apply. No matter what happens, many of them are already a part of my network. They teach me something new every single day whether they mean to or not. They inspire me with their creativity and fearlessness. They challenge me to be more for my students and bring my best everyday. I consider many of them colleagues and trusted friends. I am grateful that they share what they learn so I can learn along with them. I am privileged to have some of the most innovative people I have ever met in my learning network.<br />
<br />Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-63963337226090947722012-12-27T14:05:00.000-05:002012-12-27T14:05:15.378-05:00Writer, Edit Thyself: What I Learned from #AcWriMo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last month I made the decision to (loosely) take part in <a href="http://www.phd2published.com/2012/10/15/announcing-acwrimo/" target="_blank">#acwrimo</a>, which stands for academic writing month, a month long commitment to academic writing. I had projects that had fallen by the wayside that I wanted to complete before the end of the year and I figured this would help me complete them. My main goal for the month was to devote an hour to my writing first thing in the morning when my mind was fresh and I wasn't preoccupied with the emails piling up in my inbox. Everyday I woke up at 5:30 am and started writing. Each day "writing" took a <a href="http://getalifephd.blogspot.com/2012/01/ten-ways-to-write-every-day.html" target="_blank">different form </a>but I basically committed that hour every morning to working on one of my abandoned projects.</div>
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I've heard many times that a great way to improve your writing was by reading and I didn't believe it until I began <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3D%2523acwrimo&ei=qovPUPPDCsuA0AGcs4HAAw&usg=AFQjCNEnf24S_63GZzgsPXPVqpNPvQ09xQ&sig2=45MfF5rSqg9QHERcUAQEFw&bvm=bv.1355325884,d.dmQ" target="_blank">#acwrimo</a>. At first the main purpose of my reading was to find sources to support my claims but as I continued to read, I learned how to write for my field. Not only did I acquire new vocabulary that was content-specific but I gained a better understanding of the style of writing that was being published in my field. My writing began to reflect the work of someone who was becoming familiar with scholarly writing.<br />
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Starting #acwrimo, I thought that I was going to fall in love with writing, the act of taking my words out of my head and putting them on paper, which I did. The more I wrote, the easier it became to write and even if an idea wasn't fully formed, I knew that I could add on to it later. But what I wasn't expecting was how much I enjoyed the editing process. Before entering the world of education, I was an English major in college so writing was a regular habit for me. Despite all my writing I hardly ever edited my work because I believed that it was good; I found it be an unnecessary practice. Now, once I started editing the pieces I had written, I was hooked. What I found fascinating about editing was taking an average piece of work and watching it change and evolve over time until it was something that I was proud of and eager to share. Removing a word, moving a sentence, rewording a phrase opened up a new level of meaning, one that was closer to the ideas in my head.<br />
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In the beginning of November, I thought this writing challenge was going to be make me a better writer and it did by making me a stronger editor.<br />
<br />Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-16814842471918871972012-10-05T13:56:00.000-04:002012-10-05T13:56:00.017-04:00The Importance of Instructional Goals<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/raspberreh/" target="_blank">Ryan Thackray</a></td></tr>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8996538599021733" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This week my class and I have been discussing instructional goals and whether it is necessary for teachers to have them. I think that they should. Having clear goals gives a teacher a destination to reach; they have a specific result that they are trying to achieve. With that goal in mind, teachers are better able to select activities, assessments and materials that support that goal. Without, it is easy to lose track or focus on content that, although it’s interesting, does not support their ultimate outcome. It is from that goal that teachers can create assessments (formal or informal) that measure if the goal has been achieved. Creating assessments will also be easier because the teacher would know what skills they want the student to acquire by the end of the lesson or unit. Having goals in the classroom does not mean they are rigid guidelines that are strictly adhered to but they can give teachers a clearer idea of the direction the class is heading.</span></b></div>
Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-27686262963748700502012-09-23T18:19:00.001-04:002012-09-23T18:20:10.089-04:00Rethinking Curriculum<b id="internal-source-marker_0.533813402755186" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">This week my class was asked to consider whether we believe that curriculum is inflexible and unsupportive of optimal learning. I</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> believe that older models of curriculum were created in societies where children’s family lives and backgrounds were more homogenous. Despite a few variations, parents raised their children the same way, certain family dynamics and roles were in place, and children belonged as much to the community as their own family. However, many can agree that that doesn’t appear to be the case anymore. If all students were typically developing and they all came from similar home lives, they might be served well under older models of curriculum (even this is not a certainty). With the diverse backgrounds that students bring to the background, curriculum needs to reflect those changes; it must be culturally responsive.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We were also asked to consider the benefits and drawbacks of focusing more on the weaknesses and strengths of curriculum than students. A benefit to this approach is that focusing on the curriculum is an opportunity for a teacher to remodel it to optimize student learning. Universally designed curriculum is of no use to students if the curriculum is unsatisfactory or outdated. The teacher has the chance to draw on their years of experience in the classroom, including successes and failures, and construct a curriculum that fosters innovation, creative thinking, optimal information processing, and other 21st century skills. On the other hand, a drawback to this approach could be that a teacher becomes so focused on the curriculum that they do not take time to get to know their students individually. In the end, they could continue to be curriculum-driven and curriculum-focused, a model which has not served education well to date. </span></span></b>Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-72326574225280975942012-09-18T21:01:00.000-04:002012-09-18T21:01:14.576-04:00Learning with Mr. Tully<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most valuable additions to my PLN over the last year has been Christopher Tully. Christopher Tully is a multimedia technology instructor at <a href="http://www.mbit.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1" target="_blank">Middle Bucks Institute of Technology</a>, adjunct professor, and trainer. By following his <a href="http://cteduonline.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/cteduonline" target="_blank">Twitter feed</a>, and seeing his <a href="http://about.cteduonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=149" target="_blank">presentations</a>, I have learned so much about what it means to be an educator. I have learned <a href="http://cteduonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=44&Itemid=148" target="_blank">strategies</a> that have served me well in the classroom that I have been able to share with other educators.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are a few of the gems I've gotten from him in the past year:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"Let students learn by failing."</b> This is something that I am still <a href="http://taylorteach.blogspot.com/2012/08/letting-students-fail.html" target="_blank">processing</a> and working through but I am learning that students can learn just as much from failure as they can from success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Responsibility, time management and collaboration are important when using technology in the classroom.</b> Using technology is about more than the tool itself. Teachers need to communicate clear expectations for appropriate use, set guidelines, and allow for collaboration with others to ensure that activities and projects run smoothly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Career and technical education is so much more than most realize.</b> Christopher Tully is a vocal advocate for <a href="http://cteduonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=9&Itemid=153" target="_blank">career and technical education</a>. Students in career and technical education are not academically challenged. They learn the same standards-required content as those in traditional educational settings but they are allowed to do it in a hands-on and project-based way. </span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Empower students to use technology. You'll never know what they do." </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within every student, there is tons of creativity waiting to be unleashed. Giving them a tool plus the freedom to create with it can release that creativity and talents they may not have known they had.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"Teacher behavior impacts student achievement." </b>Every student can remember a teacher that believed in them and helped them to achieve more than they imagined. It is those teachers that sincerely have the ability to change lives. A teacher's attitude, as well as their words, can have great impact on their students and shape how they view themselves as learners. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Set higher expectations to maximize student potential. </b>It is believed that demanding more from students is setting them up for failure. I disagree. I believe that when students are challenged, they rise to meet those expectation. Students are capable of more than they realize and with opportunities to prove themselves, they often will. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Success for students should be doing their best work.</b> In a day and age when we are driven by grades and test scores, the intrinsic motivation of learning can easily be lost. Instead, students need to be encouraged to put their best effort into everything they do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favorite talks he did was on creating <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-engaged-motivated/id441669904?i=108613644&mt=2" target="_blank">engaged and motivated classrooms</a>. I applied a lot of this when I was student teaching and it changed the way my students worked, the classroom environment, and my interaction with my students.</span><br />
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Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-83420287748140413792012-09-11T08:41:00.001-04:002012-09-11T08:41:18.343-04:00My Learning, My StyleLast week I took a <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz" target="_blank">learning style inventory</a> to assess what my top learning styles were. Here were my results:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbeo04SPrgwYCGCGIvlvkJuUwXPPYpxkBOMJp7DortpZW4yKTkTd55od_dNP3FzIFI92i2hJ4ioGlhYWwlTn2_P-CpUHNycyXwAMtJP0IHYuxq5Nj_4Q0O5TNXoWDLfgjmtAigBVcQSo/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-09-11+at+8.33.51+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbeo04SPrgwYCGCGIvlvkJuUwXPPYpxkBOMJp7DortpZW4yKTkTd55od_dNP3FzIFI92i2hJ4ioGlhYWwlTn2_P-CpUHNycyXwAMtJP0IHYuxq5Nj_4Q0O5TNXoWDLfgjmtAigBVcQSo/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-09-11+at+8.33.51+AM.png" /></a></div>
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I have taken a few learning style assessments before so I wasn't surprised to see that my highest was intrapersonal because I am one who likes to reflect on experiences, set goals, and connect my prior learning to new situations. My second highest, linguistic, also made sense because I was an English major in college and I always had a love for how words communicate ideas, give things meaning, creates connections, and tell stories. The one high scoring that surprised me was the interpersonal. This was surprising to me because I tend to lean more toward being introverted. I was unsure how it had risen so much since the last time I had taken an assessment like this. But then I realized that over the course of building my <a href="http://taylorteach.blogspot.com/2011/10/power-of-pln.html" target="_blank">PLN</a>, that I had started to become a <a href="http://connectededucators.org/" target="_blank">connected educator</a>. Over the last two years, I have seen the value of learning with, learning from, and connecting to other educators instead of learning on my own. Through my collaborations with other educators, my need to learn in the context of community grew.<br />
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While discussing the outcomes of our learning styles as a class, one of my classmates mentioned that she noticed that she taught her students the most from her learning style. This reminded me of a conversation that I had with a professor in which she told me that many educators teach from their learning style because that is how they feel the most comfortable but it could alienate other students that are not strong in that learning style. As I reflected on my own learning, I realized that a lot of my teaching centers around reflection and writing, which serves my linguistic and intrapersonal students well but there is little instruction that targets naturalistic, musical, and visual-spatial students, which I scored low in. So what does all of this meaning for my teaching? That I need to step out of my comfort zone and remember that within a classroom, there are students that come with a variety of learning styles and I need to make sure that their learning styles are represented in my instruction.<br />
<br />Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-6726831394280358232012-09-06T14:31:00.000-04:002012-09-06T14:33:42.201-04:00A Physician's Oath for Teachers<div style="background-color: transparent;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAjTyMaZQb6ylCk6hWI-D277sYSNQF28JP_Lq_bwKMq2D-4mkdLnn0ccLX0raVXi8KkdxM-2nssP7jTZIfAUlUdB-SPPySlKUYo7jkF3DPcw0pcuW64sHKof6zypLCtm5gheExWLQ7I8/s1600/oath.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAjTyMaZQb6ylCk6hWI-D277sYSNQF28JP_Lq_bwKMq2D-4mkdLnn0ccLX0raVXi8KkdxM-2nssP7jTZIfAUlUdB-SPPySlKUYo7jkF3DPcw0pcuW64sHKof6zypLCtm5gheExWLQ7I8/s1600/oath.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/x-ray_delta_one/" target="_blank">James Vaughn</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="internal-source-marker_0.07760370313189924" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The other day I was watching one of those fictional doctor shows and they talked about the </span><a href="http://www.cirp.org/library/ethics/geneva/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">physician’s oath</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that doctors take before entering the medical community. It is an oath that commits all those that take it to a common code of appropriate behavior. This got me thinking: what if beyond uniform standards and teaching credentials there was an oath for teachers entering the education field, code of conduct that binds us all by our common desire to serve children and our communities above all else?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is what my oath would look like:</span><br />
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<li style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of my school community;</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will give to fellow teachers, administration and parents the respect and gratitude which is their due;</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity; the well-being of the whole student will be my first consideration;</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honor and the noble traditions of the education profession; my colleagues will be my brothers and I will learn from and collaborate with them;</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, party politics, financial or social standing to intervene between my duty and my students;</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will maintain the utmost respect for the unique personalities, backgrounds and learning styles of my students, even under government intervention, I will not treat my students like a test score;</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honor.</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> If you had to make an oath, what would it look like?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-46425953106965430012012-08-19T18:12:00.002-04:002012-08-19T18:12:38.311-04:00A Week in the World of GoogleThis week <a href="http://chrispenny.com/">Chris Penny</a> and I had held a Google workshop for educators. We had students from education, accounting and even government. Despite the variety of fields, Google tools could be used to increase productivity, improve collaboration, and support student learning. What makes web 2.0 tools like Google apps so valuable? There is:<br />
1. Nothing to install.<br />
2. Nothing to buy.<br />
3. Access from any connected device.<br />
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Students were introduced to <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/introducing-google-drive-yes-really.html">Google Drive</a> as a place to create and store documents in the cloud and collaborate effortlessly and paperlessly. They also learned the vast number of ways to refine their Google search to yield better results. The week ended with students using the tools they used throughout the week to create their own Google site for their classroom. Using a project-based approach, the students became the teachers demonstrating tools and their application in the classroom.<br />
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This week was also my introduction to the <a href="http://www.google.com/nexus/#/7">Nexus 7 tablet</a>, the Android tablet created by Google. This small, lightweight tablet was excellent for managing Google tools from anywhere with an Internet connection. This device has potential as a contender for <a href="http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2011/sections/mobiles/">mobile computing</a> in education.<br />
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What amazed me most about this week is how quickly teachers can embrace and apply technology with the right support and encouragement. Many of our students had little experience using Google tools and by the end of the week, many of them integrated multiple tools to complete their final projects. This is encouraging for the future of technology integration if teachers are provided with, and take advantage of, training but more importantly, support from administration and fellow teachers. Creating supportive learning environments allows teachers to work collaboratively and see each other as resources.<br />
<br />Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-69439391514497830222012-08-08T14:52:00.000-04:002012-08-08T14:52:05.525-04:00Letting Students Fail<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQErIkqCML_lzqftdcF2bVacDTHI4ROxX-YqTHGQNOdTmumsv-qjxvy10K9bZbZPIxJGWo054Ca65FwhCduUSjdV4I3JS5tX0mvEiE6F5aXElqMb-Vhz198A5eRa_-hh4BEgqZ-s9fLgY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-08-08+at+1.18.45+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQErIkqCML_lzqftdcF2bVacDTHI4ROxX-YqTHGQNOdTmumsv-qjxvy10K9bZbZPIxJGWo054Ca65FwhCduUSjdV4I3JS5tX0mvEiE6F5aXElqMb-Vhz198A5eRa_-hh4BEgqZ-s9fLgY/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-08-08+at+1.18.45+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8047705@N02/">John Liu </a></td></tr>
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At the <a href="http://isteconference.org/2012/">ISTE conference</a> in June, <a href="http://cteduonline.com/">Chris Tully</a> presented on the motivated and engaged classroom. He said that as teachers we need to "let students learn by failing." The idea of allowing my students to fail made me very uncomfortable. I had always believed that the mission of education was to help students succeed and to me that meant preventing failure at all costs. As a teacher, it is hard for me to watch my students fail especially when my intervention could prevent that failure. Since that day I have been wrestling with how helpful is "too helpful." I began to wonder if my continual need to step in was helping my students or ultimately hurting them. As I wrestled with the idea of allowing students to fail, I reflected on my own experience as a learner. Many of the things that I struggled with the most were the ones that I worked the hardest at and learned the most from.<br />
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In his blog post on <a href="http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/how-to-resist-being-helpful/">resisting being helpful</a>, Dan Rockwell suggests that there are benefits to failure:<br />
1. Struggle strengthens.<br />
2. Failure humbles.<br /> 3. Defeat opens hearts and minds.<br /><div>
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What I had failed to realize is that failure can teach students just as much (if not more) as success. What brought me a moment of clarity is when Rockwell states: <b>"The simple question is, 'Will pulling back [or stepping in] aid development?'"</b> At the end of the day, what I want is to aid in my students' cognitive, academic, and social development. There will be times when stepping in will be the way to go and times when stepping back would be better. </div>
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What are your thoughts on allowing students to fail?</div>
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<br /></div>Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-11328474602118862482012-06-22T12:17:00.000-04:002012-06-22T12:17:07.582-04:00Why ISTE?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-2jYdeOQABbrHCply9dMs2EjVUsxLM78gaMAbBzTtZG-rhfPxPoCcwGs7OHfg28gHlnruaIw1KWCvD5yc0DS2e3YrX_Kyun5HRpvLvILfulY5qEyRdM1hXjOrwokfro2qgJIBjyqRC4/s1600/3894672840_329dbb8e11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-2jYdeOQABbrHCply9dMs2EjVUsxLM78gaMAbBzTtZG-rhfPxPoCcwGs7OHfg28gHlnruaIw1KWCvD5yc0DS2e3YrX_Kyun5HRpvLvILfulY5qEyRdM1hXjOrwokfro2qgJIBjyqRC4/s200/3894672840_329dbb8e11.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mfl/">Marcel Leitner</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">This year will be my second year attending </span><span style="background-color: white;">the annual</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a href="http://www.isteconference.org/2012/">ISTE conference</a>. I have noticed that there are n<span style="background-color: white;">ot many graduate students/preservice teachers that attend </span><span style="background-color: white;">. In fact, last year, I think there were only two of us and we were just lucky enough to meet each other and share how overwhelmed we were at being there. Like I said: we're pretty rare.</span><br />
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So why do I go when there are so few people that are at my professional level?<br />
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<b>Because I like to learn from people more advanced than I am.</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfgi_3ha-NyoLaNF3sBO3AsTfnVqq1UK2tJ85TMp8AlXSnLtkaeyaUr4cUdIh7xEsZpU-yx-e_T6QMakgDxjRh1inexDF1DJOKSxt-rCDcPFpGxNOe3ix9eBen-O-pQE3PLmETDZaGFc/s1600/IMG_0270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfgi_3ha-NyoLaNF3sBO3AsTfnVqq1UK2tJ85TMp8AlXSnLtkaeyaUr4cUdIh7xEsZpU-yx-e_T6QMakgDxjRh1inexDF1DJOKSxt-rCDcPFpGxNOe3ix9eBen-O-pQE3PLmETDZaGFc/s320/IMG_0270.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting the amazing S<a href="http://www.livebinders.com/play/present?id=202342">helly Terrell</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">At the ISTE conference, I am surrounded by people at all stages of their career. Some of the people I've met (and hope to meet) have been teaching and training for 5, 10, 15, 20+ years and they've still maintained their sense of inquiry, discovery, thirst for knowledge. What is even more amazing to me is that despite their experience, they don't care that I am a little "green;" they care about sharing ideas and learning with me. As with any conference or event, I get to meet the people in my learning network face-to-face and move relationships beyond 140 characters and Google+ hangouts. I get to have conversations with people that are doing things in their classrooms that I hope to throughout my career. With every conversation, I am challenged and inspired. Once I come home, I don't keep what I learn to myself; I bring it back to my classes and share them with my peers so they are learning with me. I am really looking forward to four days of learning and spending time with the people who have been such a huge part of my learning and development as a teacher.</span><br />
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See you all in San Diego! :-)<br />
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<br />Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-20133074248956961532012-06-15T12:17:00.000-04:002012-06-15T12:17:01.475-04:00Week in Review<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">News</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://gettingsmart.com/blog/2012/06/how-digital-learning-is-boosting-achievement/">impact </a>of digital learning on achievement</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://esheninger.blogspot.com/2012/06/multi-faceted-approach-to-engaging.html">Strategies </a>for engaging parents</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7 <a href="http://thejournal.com/Articles/2012/06/07/7-habits-of-highly-effective-tech-leading-principals.aspx?Page=1">habits </a>of tech-leading principals</span><br />
<a href="http://gettingsmart.com/blog/2012/06/digital-learning-leads-deeper-learning/">Digital learning</a> leads to deeper thinking<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://blog.edu.glogster.com/2012/06/08/glogsteredu-will-be-part-of-googles-chromebook/">GlogsterEDU </a>will be included in the Google Chromebook</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://edudemic.com/2012/06/ipad-not-required-macs-can-now-wirelessly-mirror-displays/">Mirroring </a>on a Mac without an iPad</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2012/06/honor-roll-50-must-read-k-12-education-it-blogs">50</a> k-12 edtech blogs to read</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/why-digital-writing-matters-jeff-grabill">value</a> of digital writing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2012 K-12 Horizon <a href="http://www.nmc.org/news/its-here-releases-horizon-report-2012-k-12-edition">report </a>on emerging technology</span><br />
New <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/jwherrman/the-only-apple-post-you-need-to-read-today">updates </a>announced by Apple<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tools & Apps</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Curate the web using <a href="http://educlipper.net/">eduClipper</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Learn about <a href="http://edreach.us/2012/06/09/mobile-reach-35-school-learning-end/">apps </a>for summer learning</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">New <a href="http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/06/08/tools-tech-savvy-teachers/">tools </a>teachers can use in the classroom</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Interactive science activities at <a href="http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/2012/06/wonderville-awesome-fun-educational.html">Wonderville</a></span><br />
<a href="http://teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org/2012/06/14/goal-10-spread-your-knowledge-15-tools-to-bookmark-aggregate-curate/">Tools</a> for creating sharing communities<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Technology Integration</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/01/13/using-qr-codes-for-school-communications/">QR codes</a> for school communication</span><br />
Using <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/engaging-students-tech-summer-vacation-mary-beth-hertz">technology</a> to engage students over the summer
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Using the Apple TV in the classroom <a href="http://newbay.ebookhost.net/tl/aerohive/4/index.php">e-book</a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Professional Development Opportunities</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/stw-online-learning-teacher-development?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20EdutopiaNewContent%20(Edutopia)&utm_content=Google%20Reader#sample" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">Professional Development</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"> and resources for teaching online from Edutopia</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">Apply for the next </span><a href="http://www.google.com/edu/teachers/google-teacher-academy.html" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">Google Teacher Academy</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"> in New York (October 3-4)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.centerforlearning.org/t-professional-development-digital-teacher-course-descriptions.aspx" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">Digital Teacher series</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"> at The Center for Learning</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.iste.org/conference/ISTE-2012.aspx" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">ISTE Conference</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"> in San Diego, CA (June 24-27) or attend </span><a href="http://www.isteconference.org/2012/program/participate_remotely.php?utm_source=conf-list&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ISTE2012-remote" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">remotely</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">Engaging parents </span><a href="https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=466717&sessionid=1&key=D8AFC3DA2EA7E11F2AD6DF152493D0A9&partnerref=enl&cmp=ENL-TU-WEBINAR&sourcepage=register" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">webinar</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"> (June 21)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-79695301138604859872012-06-11T15:42:00.000-04:002012-06-11T15:42:09.138-04:00iAm a Supporter of Student Branding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNh8Nge3Mcif8UXYd_oluz6vMDzGewmW9QQa6s4KOvjIwvCHPNU-H9ltHmD3uB6SN7PrLMKELKoaKvxe4JTJJE6esNP6wD1RRpXicjLs5qbDNg8AkfmZ7jBQSmVCeDopHm43EGEnX33XE/s1600/iAm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNh8Nge3Mcif8UXYd_oluz6vMDzGewmW9QQa6s4KOvjIwvCHPNU-H9ltHmD3uB6SN7PrLMKELKoaKvxe4JTJJE6esNP6wD1RRpXicjLs5qbDNg8AkfmZ7jBQSmVCeDopHm43EGEnX33XE/s1600/iAm.jpg" /></a></div>
Last week, <a href="http://www.stevehargadon.com/">Steve Hargadon</a> interviewed Apple Distinguished Educator <a href="http://christinedipaulo.brandyourself.com/">Christine DiPaulo</a> about her iAm Collection, a collection that originated from last year's ADE <a href="http://taylorteach.blogspot.com/2011/07/apples-in-desert.html">summer institute</a>. The course involves students completing a series of exercises such as creating personal brand statements, designing logos, and concludes with a resuME which tells their story. Christine shared the collection and had some of her students share their personal projects and discuss their journey of creating them. I was amazed hearing the students share their stories of self-discovery as a result of creating their student brands. I applaud and support projects and courses like these because through them students are learning how to establish and control their digital identities. They are learning that everything they create, in the digital world as well as the real world, is a representation on themselves to the world. Instead of fearing student interaction with the Internet, students are being encouraged to showcase their work and tell their story. As digital media becomes more ingrained in students' lives, it is important that they are taught how to create a digital legacy they can be proud of in the years to come.<br />
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If you missed the interview with Christine and her class, you can watch a recording of it <a href="https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2012-06-07.1420.M.9E9FE58134BE68C3B413F24B3586CF.vcr&sid=2008350">here</a><br />
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For information on the iAm Collection and personal branding, check out their student <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/adeiamcollection/">page</a> and iTunes U <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/iam/id492587276?mt=2">collection</a><br />
<br />Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-84491779255286403062012-06-07T23:11:00.000-04:002012-06-07T23:11:22.539-04:00Week in Review<b>News</b><br />
An <a href="http://spotlight.macfound.org/blog/entry/why-teachers-need-social-media-training-not-just-rules" target="_blank">article </a>about the need for teachers to have professional training in social media<br />
Facebook's <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/256740/facebook_ready_to_officially_allow_children_under_13.html" target="_blank">planning </a>to allow children under 13 to use their service<br />
Districts <a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/06/06/33rtt.h31.html?tkn=PWMFkrIpTFgBX93RB%2BBZIZzvmmVRwgYh7PX6&cmp=clp-edweek">prepare </a>to apply for the new Race to the Top grants<br />
<a href="http://whatedsaid.wordpress.com/2012/06/03/10-more-ways-for-teachers-to-learn/">10 ways</a> that teachers can be learners<br />
<a href="http://thecleversheep.blogspot.com/2012/06/seven-degrees-of-connectedness.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed">Connecting</a> to a network<br />
The new conference model: <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/about-edcamp-unconference-history">edcamps</a><br />
<a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/collaborative-mentoring-for-new-teachers-lisa-dabbs">Mentoring </a>for new teachers<br />
<a href="http://esheninger.blogspot.com/2012/04/common-misconceptions-of-educators-who.html">Misconceptions </a>about technology in education<br />
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<b>Tools and Apps</b><br />
<a href="http://www.iste.org/connect/iste-connects/blog-detail/12-06-04/6_Educational_Apps_for_Kids_to_Explore_this_Summer.aspx">Educational apps</a> for student learning during the summer<br />
Collaborative task management tool <a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/06/anydo-collaborative-task-management-for.html">Any.DO</a><br />
<a href="http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/06/free-search-tools-every-educator-need.html">Free search tools</a> for teachers<br />
Teachers can find educational videos at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/education" target="_blank">YouTube EDU</a><br />
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<b>Technology Integration</b><br />
<a href="http://suite101.com/article/12-expert-twitter-tips-for-the-classroom-a139534" target="_blank">Tips </a>for Twitter in the classroom<br />
Teaching <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/internet-safety-younger-elementary-mary-beth-hertz">Internet safety</a> to younger students<br />
8 <a href="http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/06/8-free-resources-on-use-of-ipad-in.html">resources </a>for iPads in education<br />
The <a href="http://edudemic.com/2012/06/digital-mind-mapping/">value</a> of digital mind mapping<br />
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<b>Professional Development Opportunities</b><br />
<a href="http://www.edutopia.org/stw-online-learning-teacher-development?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20EdutopiaNewContent%20(Edutopia)&utm_content=Google%20Reader#sample">Professional Development</a> and resources for teaching online from Edutopia<br />
Digital storytelling <a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3427097541/eanrecfeatlxb?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=attnews&utm_term=attlink">webinar</a> (June 13)<br />
Apply for the next <a href="http://www.google.com/edu/teachers/google-teacher-academy.html">Google Teacher Academy</a> in New York (October 3-4)<br />
<a href="http://www.centerforlearning.org/t-professional-development-digital-teacher-course-descriptions.aspx">Digital Teacher series</a> at The Center for Learning<br />
<a href="http://www.iste.org/conference/ISTE-2012.aspx">ISTE Conference</a> in San Diego, CA (June 24-27) or attend <a href="http://www.isteconference.org/2012/program/participate_remotely.php?utm_source=conf-list&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ISTE2012-remote">remotely</a><br />
Engaging parents <a href="https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=466717&sessionid=1&key=D8AFC3DA2EA7E11F2AD6DF152493D0A9&partnerref=enl&cmp=ENL-TU-WEBINAR&sourcepage=register">webinar</a> (June 21)<br />
<br />Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-46292639249548422422012-05-22T21:21:00.000-04:002012-05-22T21:21:15.141-04:00"Why" is More Important Than "What"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/o5com/" target="_blank">o5com</a></td></tr>
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I have had the opportunity to serve on a few committees centered on technology integration in the classroom. Many times, there has been a greater emphasis on tools and services, the "what" of technology, and not as much focus on the reasons behind it, the "why."<br />
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The "what" places focus on putting a specific tool in the classroom and making it work while the "why"focuses on the objective and which tools would be best for meeting that objective. "Why" creates a vision and "what" creates a to-do list. It is difficult to get people on board if they do not see a value to what they are being asked to do.<br />
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What can help teachers become invested in technology in the classroom? <b>An understanding of why it is important.</b> Teachers, administrators, students, and parents need to be able to see and understand the value of technology in the classroom or else it becomes another fad they have to "get through."The "why" includes why technology can add to their teaching; how it will benefit teachers and students as lifelong learners; why it empowers their students. Focusing on the "what" creates a mindset of always feeling behind because technology can be hard to keep up with. There will always be something newer and shinier and chasing tools can lead to dissatisfaction and missing the bigger picture.<br />
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Don't misunderstand me, in discussion of technology integration, there must be discussion about appropriate tools and services because parents, teachers, students, and administrators need to know what resources are available. But, in my opinion, they need to support a larger vision or it will continue to be an uphill battle.<br />
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Author <a href="http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/" target="_blank">Seth Godin</a> wrote an excellent <a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/05/why-ask-why.html" target="_blank">blog post</a> with excellent starter questions.Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-90451133220162910492012-05-08T20:45:00.000-04:002012-05-14T02:57:14.942-04:00Google+ for Higher Ed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week </span><a href="http://thumannresources.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Lisa Thumann</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://www.chrispenny.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Chris Penny</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> presented on </span><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/eduonair/conference-sessions/flipping-the-classroom-with-google-apps" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Google+ in higher education</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in a Google hangout as part of </span><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/eduonair/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Google Education On Air</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Although I have a Google+ account, I failed to use it nearly as much as Facebook and Twitter. After listening to this session, my eyes have been opened to more innovative ways that Google+ serves education especially higher education. The new feature that I learned about that I'm really excited about is Google+ </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/101560853443212199687/posts/dcPPWkBbkLY" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">pages</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Pages allow users to create pages that Google+ users can follow and appears in Google search. Beyond Google+ as a teaching and learning tool, the session also ventured into topics such as digital scholarship, collaboration, academic resources, personalized learning, online learning, accountability, and so much more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best practices for Google+ included:</span><br />
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<li style="font-weight: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Student collaboration through Circles </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Opportunities for blended learning </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Development and presentation of projects </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Opportunities for student advisement </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Using Google+ as a blog of sorts</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Professional collaborations</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages for groups, organizations, clubs, classes/courses etc. </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bringing in outside experts </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find more ways to use Google+ in higher education </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WG6RjvDbiv7Z9Vv4qWR2CvFIEvKmZ2qdD1JEv1T5rfo/edit#slide=id.p17" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is the video of the session:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://jiscdigitalmedia.mediacore.tv/media/on-air-google-in-higher-ed/embed_player?iframe=True" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="400"></iframe></span>Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-90631942819919190232012-03-29T19:15:00.004-04:002012-03-29T19:31:40.881-04:00Rethinking Research<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicmcphee/" target="_blank">Unhindered by Talent</a></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week my students have been working on a research project. It didn't take long for me to realize that they were lacking research skills. The ability to conduct research has always been a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">necessary</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> literacy skill in schools but emerging technology has reshaped the definition of what research entails.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are some research skills that I believe today's students should have:</span><br />
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<ol><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Know how to engage text</b> - Every website is designed differently and might not have the exact headings that is needed for a project. It is helpful for students to learn how to read text, and even pictures, to draw information from any page they read. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Knowing what resources to use</b> - "Googling" a question brings up tons of results but students need to learn how to sort through all that information to reach credible sources that fit their project and they are able to read. This is a skill that teachers can model for their students who can continue to practice it in the future.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>How to apply the information to what they already know</b> - Research is supposed to to build on a child's prior knowledge about a topic, no matter how minimal it might be. Students need to learn how to make connections between what they have learned and what they knew before.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reflect on their own learning</b> - Reflection is an excellent opportunity for students to ask themselves if their questions were answered, if their research led to new questions, and what new resources they could use to answer those new questions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Putting information in their own words</b> - It may be tempting for students to copy word-for-word what they see on a website or in a book; however, practicing to put information in their own words makes them masters of the information and better able to explain it or teach it to others. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Share what they learned</b> - Information a child learns benefits them but information that they share has farther reaching benefits. Students should be encouraged to conduct their own research and use what they learned to teach and train others, even the teacher. </span></li>
</ol>Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-76410834113722797222012-02-20T17:21:00.000-05:002012-02-20T17:21:04.521-05:00A Little Bit of Separation Anxiety<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSTlgE-pT-J7h5aY9YT9C413dvVAf8qF_No_Eg6yPoVukx9ChuxBzkVavFMrecwZgQYoFsd3hMnk5BuXYRFzr8BMnHh1CCpN0O89mHwer2q1f676YrzfB-gq9mWiBRVhZX9zBgGIEP-0/s1600/Bound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSTlgE-pT-J7h5aY9YT9C413dvVAf8qF_No_Eg6yPoVukx9ChuxBzkVavFMrecwZgQYoFsd3hMnk5BuXYRFzr8BMnHh1CCpN0O89mHwer2q1f676YrzfB-gq9mWiBRVhZX9zBgGIEP-0/s320/Bound.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Image by </span><span class="username" style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; display: inline !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/domiriel/" target="_blank">Domiriel</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In her chapter on the use of discussion boards in student teaching Dr. Karen Johnson (2010) wrote that during student teaching placement "students often feel isolated from their peers and without a social and emotional group to connect with during this very stressful time in their lives" (p. 61). When I read that over the summer, I didn't really understand it. I figured that it was </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">impossible</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to feel disconnected in a school building full of people. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, a month into my student teaching experience, I find myself living it. In the past year I have built an amazing <a href="http://taylorteach.blogspot.com/2011/10/power-of-pln.html" target="_blank">PLN</a>, a community of people that I learn with and learn from on a daily basis. I loved reading what they were reading, going to them for guidance and celebrating their successes. I value the connections I have with every person in my PLN because they enrich my learning and help me to be a better preservice teacher and student. Now the sheer volume of work required for student teaching prevents me from connecting with my learning community in a meaningful way which has left me feeling unbelievably disconnected. Going through this experience, I believe in <a href="http://tomwhitby.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/what%E2%80%99s-a-connected-educator/" target="_blank">connected learning</a> more than ever. Now every conversation, every e-mail and tweet means so much more to me because it stretches my understanding, inspires me and helps me to connect the dots. Student teaching has been a fantastic learning experience so far. I just wish I could do it and remain tightly connected with my learning community at the same time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Johnson, K.J. (2010). Peer to Peer: Using the electronic discussion board during student teaching. In Yamamoto, J., Kush, J. C., Lombard, R., & Hertzog, C. J. (Eds.), <i>Technology Implementation </i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;"><i>and Teacher Education: Reflective Models</i> (pp. 60-71). </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Idea Group Inc</span></span>Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-41872782040973740472012-01-25T21:22:00.000-05:002012-01-25T21:22:35.826-05:00Dig In & Get Your Hands Dirty: My First Day of Student TeachingToday was my first day of student teaching in a third grade class. When I woke up this morning, I expected to feel really nervous but I felt really calm. When I pulled up to the front of the building, I felt that like I had always been there. I lucked out that two colleagues in my seminar are also student teaching at the same school so it was nice to see familiar faces when I walked into the building. The school staff was so welcoming and they were so excited to chat with me and give me advice. I didn't expect the students to be so excited to see me! I have never heard my name said so many times in one day. They were so eager to show me their drawings or the books they were reading. It was hard to feel nervous when the students were so welcoming. As I saw the kids off at the end of the day, the kids were so excited to have me come back tomorrow. Today was not about simply observing; I quickly dove in and got my hands dirty. I passed out papers, graded quizzes, decorated the classroom and conducted the student's time tests. I even attended a third grade staff meeting which opened my eyes to the realities of teachers trying to teach and serve their students in an age of high-stakes testing. I am amazed that I learned so much on just my first day and how natural it felt to jump in and get started.<br />
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Looking forward to new adventures tomorrow!Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-46751095009580189312012-01-22T23:49:00.000-05:002012-01-22T23:49:04.249-05:00Countdown to the Classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwt6wcT8ack7xuv2jHuTTejRaPsyIUSAzdfNq8bdo5HOIvpSxuTF7EzmAxopiTUaU5gZMBGeQ4wRKPCgis24PFkycbX7BRsp02ton1IFlvgmpl-Kp_IEBhoZn__sBRhbU3tx_EJuuFSzs/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-01-21+at+11.40.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwt6wcT8ack7xuv2jHuTTejRaPsyIUSAzdfNq8bdo5HOIvpSxuTF7EzmAxopiTUaU5gZMBGeQ4wRKPCgis24PFkycbX7BRsp02ton1IFlvgmpl-Kp_IEBhoZn__sBRhbU3tx_EJuuFSzs/s320/Screen+shot+2012-01-21+at+11.40.56+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/perspicacious/" target="_blank">LizMarie_AK</a></div><br />
Next week I will be entering a third grade classroom to begin my student teaching. While I'm a little nervous, I am excited to take everything that I have learned and put it into practice in the field. I have learned so theories, ideas and best practices in my classes and through my <a href="http://taylorteach.blogspot.com/2011/10/power-of-pln.html" target="_blank">PLN</a>, which I greatly value, but without testing it for myself I cannot evaluate the reality of implementing them in the classroom.<br />
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More importantly, I want my student teaching experience to be a connected one where other student teachers and I share our experiences with each other instead of feeling separated and isolated. I see student teaching as a learning experience about my own teaching but also to expand my classroom ideas from the succeses and failures of my peers. I would also love to hear suggestions from veteran teachers who have likely been where I've been or gave me ideas I might not thought of. I believe and practice connected learning and I believe that it should apply to teaching and classroom practices as well.<br />
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Over the next couple of weeks I will do my best to share my journey of learning here and welcome comments, ideas and feedback!Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-74695929449002880272012-01-09T18:59:00.000-05:002012-01-09T18:59:57.151-05:00uTales - E-books for Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GcjtnZyuNOoFONQ1Sy_gN7Jcfqg7fV1Z4yoiqNnkh_t0Qlz8ZwIjWYE-bcJ04oYfwayDswIPn1ezLQQ3sS4Pbyz5yHtp_CgS9xelZAMD3yu9qBAf-sRbmVx1FJkm4mD3a66SGLsvD_8/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-01-02+at+7.27.51+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="44" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GcjtnZyuNOoFONQ1Sy_gN7Jcfqg7fV1Z4yoiqNnkh_t0Qlz8ZwIjWYE-bcJ04oYfwayDswIPn1ezLQQ3sS4Pbyz5yHtp_CgS9xelZAMD3yu9qBAf-sRbmVx1FJkm4mD3a66SGLsvD_8/s200/Screen+shot+2012-01-02+at+7.27.51+PM.png" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://utales.com/" target="_blank">uTales</a> is an online tool for kids to make and sell their own digital picture books. Students can add their own text and images as well as sound effects and animations to create the pages of their story. Completed e-books can be viewed on a laptop as well as viewed on an iPad or iPhone with the free <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/utales/id465334751" target="_blank">uTales app</a>. The finished interactive e-book looks and flips like a real book. After the book is completed, the creator sets the price of their book and they can keep their profit or donate it to <a href="http://www.pencilsofpromise.org/" target="_blank">Pencils for Promise</a>, an organization that builds schools in developing countries. uTales includes an extensive library of books from authors all over the world. The stories in the library are approved before they are added so they are age-appropriate and the highest quality.<br />
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<b>uTales in the classroom:</b> uTales is a great tool to allow students to create their own digital stories. Picture books can be created on a variety of subjects and content areas. With the ability to add collaborators, children can work collaboratively on their stories. Students can share their stories with other students around the world. Extending the assignment beyond the classroom, a class can create stories to raise money to support education in developing countries.Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-85321747848495285922012-01-03T09:00:00.004-05:002012-01-03T09:00:00.560-05:00Timekiwi - Timeline Creation Tool<a href="http://timekiwi.com/" target="_blank">Timekiwi</a> is an online tool for creating timelines or kiwis. Timekiwi creates a timeline of the user's tweets, photos and blogs. Timekiwi currently supports Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Foursquare, Instagram and Flickr. Users can control how much they want to share by hiding the items they wish to keep private. Timekiwi allows a user to tell a story through their social media. Kiwis can serve as a narrative of one's learning and aids reflection in professional development. Timekiwi is similar to the new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline" target="_blank">Facebook timeline</a> but it extends beyond Facebook to include one's other interests as well as photography.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcnbYW87mIR6dF0g-yTHwTZvUygP5w92BjQxw89oTf-6ysAXmIug-L5Go3UNtxSHsMF8VsJ9pOmkTnCQoQ_QU755ccVdMk2-vhLfSsQKfFzeBjq5Xm8qRLEG0QpyTSEe6rBGxIB206Rg/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-01-02+at+8.51.19+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcnbYW87mIR6dF0g-yTHwTZvUygP5w92BjQxw89oTf-6ysAXmIug-L5Go3UNtxSHsMF8VsJ9pOmkTnCQoQ_QU755ccVdMk2-vhLfSsQKfFzeBjq5Xm8qRLEG0QpyTSEe6rBGxIB206Rg/s400/Screen+shot+2012-01-02+at+8.51.19+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Timekiwi in the classroom: </b>Timekiwi would serve well in a classroom to chart a class' activity over the course of a school year. Classes with Facebook pages, Flickr accounts and their own blog can create their own timeline. Timelines can be shared with parents so they get a clearer picture of what is happening in their child's classroom. Having students select what they will share on the timeline opens an opportunity to discuss responsibility in using social media and creating an online identity.<br />
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Here is the timeline I created using Timekiwi<br />
<a href="http://timekiwi.com/pritaylor" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://timekiwi.com/assets/timekiwi_button.png" style="cursor: move;" /></a>Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-52338725218619211312011-12-30T10:34:00.000-05:002011-12-30T10:34:48.114-05:00My Lottery Ticket: The Most Important Thing I Learned This Year<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZ_mVVxRkm2lc7UHX6TW1QrOUllP1C7KIoOYCwtUJ36fte1R_gEycO0IfWIf7YPUhV3EjgyP4iG7id4CH4ZTnzTsJQt4F1z5nIytUj4W1gTEnHhA8jADtT3KIWzyPZcp65Vwl_Cn9750/s1600/3856718374_06fe909479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZ_mVVxRkm2lc7UHX6TW1QrOUllP1C7KIoOYCwtUJ36fte1R_gEycO0IfWIf7YPUhV3EjgyP4iG7id4CH4ZTnzTsJQt4F1z5nIytUj4W1gTEnHhA8jADtT3KIWzyPZcp65Vwl_Cn9750/s320/3856718374_06fe909479.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/booleansplit/" target="_blank">Robert S. Donovan</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As another calendar year comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on all the things I've learned and experiences I've had. Of all the things I've learned, the most important has been this: great risk can lead to great reward. I once heard a saying during a English soccer, "You can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket." This year has been a year of really great relationships. I've been lucky that some wonderful people have come into my life. I took a chance, put myself out there and connected with some amazing people: I continually get amazing advice, support and encouragement from <a href="http://teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org/" target="_blank">Shelly Terrell</a>; <a href="http://www.hcsmobile.net/" target="_blank">Sean Junkins'</a> tweets leave me laughing so hard that it hurts; <a href="http://www.kellycroy.com/" target="_blank">Kelly Croy's</a> blog posts challenge and stretch me; <a href="http://blog.web20classroom.org/" target="_blank">Steven Anderson</a> daily reminds me to be great; I discover great tools and technology integration ideas from <a href="http://karenblumberg.com/" target="_blank">Karen Blumberg</a>; I'm inspired by <a href="http://mbteach.com/" target="_blank">Mary Beth Hertz's</a> creativity, classroom innovation and reflective practice; <a href="http://thenextstep.edublogs.org/" target="_blank">Cory Plough</a> continually changes the way I view online learning; and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chocxtc/" target="_blank">Ken Shelton's</a> photography takes my breath away and makes me want to grab my camera and capture the world around me through still images. These relationships, whether from far way or face to face, have taught me what authentic and selfless leadership looks like. I've been reminded this year of the importance of relationships; we are not meant to learn, live or grow alone.<br />
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All the great people that I've met and everything they've added to my life and my learning has been as wonderful as winning the lottery :-D<br />
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HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814153831868626786.post-53842166594547164052011-12-28T00:37:00.000-05:002011-12-28T00:37:28.167-05:00Difficult Questions<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFO4ara8atDpAulm5bCPkoEbDtNBv1FoYwLSP5W9jJgLEzqzJzZnIr0UdXlbB66AGjn0Ta-ofScwV7tYG9J8SNA_EwkKFVUfd9SgdAk_Zb11iCgGxAEWeT9hopXYUkXQdyCNnbIv-ll40/s1600/3380611523_4f12e8c18f_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFO4ara8atDpAulm5bCPkoEbDtNBv1FoYwLSP5W9jJgLEzqzJzZnIr0UdXlbB66AGjn0Ta-ofScwV7tYG9J8SNA_EwkKFVUfd9SgdAk_Zb11iCgGxAEWeT9hopXYUkXQdyCNnbIv-ll40/s320/3380611523_4f12e8c18f_m.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/" target="_blank">CarbonNYC</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial;">Growing up, I was always told that there was no such thing as a stupid question or, a slight variation of it, that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask. Adopting that belief, I began asking any question that came to mind. I value question-asking as part of the learning process because I feel that it was better to have all the facts than to sit mutely and be confused.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Then I began growing my <a href="http://taylorteach.blogspot.com/2011/10/power-of-pln.html" target="_blank">PLN</a> and found myself growing cautious of asking questions. My personal learning community consists of some smart, talented and creative people; some of the smartest people I know. While that can be encouraging, it can also be a little intimidating. I started second guessing myself.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial;">Was this a silly question? Should I already know the answer to it?</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">What I forget is this:</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial;">we are all learning</b><span style="font-family: Arial;">. Some have had more years and experiences to learn from so they have more to offer. Others are just starting out and building their momentum. Great teachers are always teaching. That includes students in a classroom or inquiring minds on a social network. Asking questions can be beneficial for the person you're asking because in helping you, they can be reminded of things they've forgotten or it allows them to share their specialty. Leadership blogger</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><a href="http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/" style="font-family: Arial;">Dan Rockwell</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> maintains that "curiosity and questions enable leaders to bring out the best in others; to find solutions </span><em style="font-family: Arial;">through</em><span style="font-family: Arial;"> others." 21st century learning is all about connected learning which means we're not learning alone. Information is meant to be shared, remixed and reflected on with others who see things through different lenses. Questions open up dialogue and establishes connections. Asking questions might not always come easy but it is </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">necessary</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> and definitely worth it to take learning to the next level.</span>Priscilla Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347512809880866626noreply@blogger.com0