tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72054002546531617752024-03-13T23:10:29.752-04:00Eberopolis: Teaching Reading and Writing with TechnologyPractical suggestions for teaching fourth grade reader's and writer's workshop with a tilt toward incorporating classroom technology.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-23688537074835317072015-07-20T08:00:00.000-04:002015-07-20T08:00:05.517-04:00Getting Started with a Flipped ClassroomLast week, I shared a bit about why I flipped my classroom, and I got some great questions! Today I want to share a bit more about my process and the logistics for flipping. There are lots of ways to do it, and I'm sure there are many other great ideas out there, but this is what has worked for me so far.<br />
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1. Plan your lessons </h3>
<b>a) Does it make sense to flip?</b><br />
You don't want to flip for the sake of flipping. I always ask myself, "Would this lesson make sense as a flipped lesson?" There are times when some introductory lessons require lots of hands-on scaffolding, and my answer might be "no." But other times, when the lesson is mostly information and practice, the flipped model absolutely makes sense.<br />
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<b>b) What content must be covered?</b><br />
I go through my math lesson plan, and determine the content that has to be covered in the video. I'm really selective about this because I want my video to be less than 10 minutes long. It's still a mini-lesson, after all, and if I go any longer than that, my students will tune out. Plus, even though the video may be 10 minutes, the viewing time could be much longer than that if students are pausing the video to write things down or take notes. I try to keep in mind the idea that less is more.<br />
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<b>c) Am I the best person to deliver the content?</b><br />
Usually my answer is "yes," but not always. I've tried to share videos from <a href="http://khanacademy.org/" target="_blank">Khan Academy</a> or <a href="http://www.learnzillion.com/" target="_blank">LearnZillion</a> in the flipped model, and the kids just didn't respond as well to those. They're more likely to tune in when the video is made by their teacher because they have a personal connection. There were a few times when I've used someone else's videos because the production was significantly better in some regard (e.g., it included songs or humor that I couldn't pull off). But usually, I make the videos myself.<br />
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2. Choose your tools</h3>
Once I know the content of my lesson, I decide what method I'll use to produce the video. I choose from a few different options.<br />
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<b>a) Screencasts</b><br />
Sometimes I have a presentation already created in a flipchart for my ActivBoard, and I can just film my voice interacting with my computer screen on that. My favorite tool for screencasting is <a href="http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/" target="_blank">Screencast-o-matic</a>. It's very user-friendly and it uses a yellow circle to highlight your mouse so students know where to focus their attention. The free version works well, but for $15/year, you can get lots more editing and uploading options. If you're interested in screencasting, I would recommend trying out the free version for a while to see if it's something you'd like.<br />
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<b>b) Whiteboard apps</b><br />
Usually I use whiteboard apps such as <a href="http://explaineverything.com/" target="_blank">Explain Everything</a> or <a href="https://www.educreations.com/" target="_blank">Educreations</a> to make my flipped lessons. I always create the slides in advance so that I don't waste precious recording time writing out problems or building models that could simply be explained. Then once all of the slides are in place, I'll record the audio over them. This approach also allows me to work in pieces, too, because I never know when I'm going to get interrupted.<br />
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<b>c) Paper slide shows</b><br />
I've <a href="http://eberopolis.blogspot.com/2013/01/paper-slide-shows.html" target="_blank">blogged about paper slide shows before here</a>. Sometimes the lessons are a bit more hands-on (e.g., using a protractor), and I want to show students some examples. In those instances, I use my <a href="http://www.copernicused.com/product/dcs1a/dewey-the-document-camera-stand" target="_blank">DEWEY Document Camera Stand</a> ($120, <a href="http://www.copernicused.com/">www.copernicused.com</a>) that turns my iPad into a document camera, and I work and film underneath it. I mostly use this approach with Geometry and Measurement standards, but when I need to do a lot of physical manipulations, the paper slide show works well.<br />
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3. Choose your platform</h3>
Once I've made the video, I need to upload it to a platform for students to view. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">YouTube</a> is blocked for students at my school, so I use <a href="http://vimeo.com/" target="_blank">Vimeo</a> instead. I ended up buying a <a href="https://vimeo.com/upgrade" target="_blank">Vimeo Plus subscription</a> last year ($59.95/year or $9.95/month). That gave me much more space for uploads each week (5 GB vs. 500 MB with the free version), and it sped up my upload times, so it was worth it to me when I was crunched to get the videos uploaded after school. I created a <a href="https://vimeo.com/channels/836104/videos" target="_blank">channel</a> for some of my videos, and now I'm going back to re-make some or better tag/organize the videos for each unit.<br />
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4. Share your content</h3>
Once the videos are uploaded on Vimeo, I needed a way to share the links to the videos. When I started, I was posting the links after school each day, but I eventually cut out that step. Now I make one Google Document each term with all of the dates and lesson topics, and then I just copy and paste the links into that document as they're done. That helps my students because they find the video links in one spot, and I can post the links as they're available. Here's <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FUe_Cp4CLMyM6YRZx-0juKAf6xH8cFH7pvpilDs0YzI/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">an example of what that document looked like one term</a>.<br />
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Bonus Tips</h3>
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<b>1. Make your videos in batches. </b></div>
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I found it much easier to make all of my videos for the week at once. I could usually tackle this in a couple of hours each week, and it was much less stressful than trying to film every day. I was able to find my rhythm with the process when I batch-produced videos, so that's how I try to work now. </div>
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<b>2. Start small.</b></div>
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Even if you only make one video each week, you're still starting to build a library of flipped lessons for future use. I didn't make as many videos as I'd wanted to last year, but I'm grateful for the ones I already have done because that's less work I'll have to do this year.</div>
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<b>3. Divide and conquer.</b></div>
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See if someone else on your grade level team would be interested in flipping with you, and then divide up the lessons. Even if you're not the one teaching the lesson in every video, the students will appreciate it being someone they know. </div>
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<b>4. Get some cheap .mp3 players for student check-out.</b></div>
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Most of my students had Internet access at home to watch the videos, but a couple didn't. I wrote a grant to buy 10 inexpensive .mp3 players that students could check out to watch the videos. They didn't require an Internet connection because I saved the videos straight to the hard drives, and since they were cheap .mp3 players (<$20 each), they didn't have any bells and whistles to make them targets for theft. It was a workable solution for those students who lacked technology access at home. </div>
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Next week, I'll share more about what my math block looks like under the flipped model. Until then, I'd love to hear from you. <b>What are some tools you use for video production in your class? What challenges do you foresee with a flipped model? </b>Share your thoughts in the comments section.</div>
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-88274372602186372872015-07-13T10:09:00.000-04:002015-07-13T10:09:26.949-04:005 Reasons to Flip Your Math ClassOf all the subjects, math is probably my favorite to teach. But it is definitely not easy. By the time students are in fourth grade, there's often a wide range of abilities. Last year, I had students who could barely add and subtract and others who were working well beyond grade level. Trying to design lessons that worked for them was a real challenge. If I moved too quickly through the lesson, several students would get lost. If I moved too slowly, others would get bored and start causing different problems.<br />
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Then I attended the <a href="http://www.gaetc.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1" target="_blank">Georgia Educational Technology Conference</a> and heard some sessions about flipped teaching, and a lightbulb went off.<br />
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If you're not already familiar with <a href="http://flippedlearning.org/domain/46" target="_blank">flipped teaching</a>, the idea is that we need to "flip" the traditional way we teach -- lesson at school, practice problems at home as homework. Instead, students should watch a short video lesson as homework to prepare for class, and then the majority of class time is spent working on practice and application while I'm there to guide them.<br />
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I did this pretty consistently for the second half of the year, and I couldn't be happier with the results. There were so many advantages.<br />
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1. Students became more confident.</h3>
For some kids, math can be intimidating. Everyone works at different speeds. What may be an obvious concept for one kid may take multiple explanations for another. There's lots of vocabulary and room for mistakes, and when you feel like other kids are getting it faster than you, your confidence suffers.<br />
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All of this went away when I flipped.<br />
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Students were watching the videos at home on their own. No one knew whether they needed to replay something a couple of times until they got it. No one knew that they had to pause the video for 5 minutes to try a problem that others would have solved in 30 seconds. They could all work at their own pace, and they came to class more confident and prepared for practice the following day. The attitude shift in my students this year was reason enough for me to continue flipping.<br />
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2. Parents were less stressed.</h3>
There have been so many times when I've heard parents complain about math or express their discomfort in helping their child because they weren't taught math the way we teach it now. And I get that. I remember thinking in my math methods courses that I could have been great at math if someone had explained it to me better as a child rather than having me memorize algorithms.<br />
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Having the flipped model created allies from a lot of math-hating parents. Some would watch the videos along with their children and have those lightbulb moments where concepts and strategies would suddenly make sense. Others expressed a sense of relief that they didn't have to worry about "undoing" the things we were doing in the classroom by just jumping to the standard algorithms. We were all more comfortable with the math.<br />
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3. I had more time to see what students could actually do.</h3>
While I always tried to keep my in-class mini-lessons short, there were days when they would drag on because some kids just weren't getting it. By the time I felt confident they could try some problems on their own, we hardly had any time left. And by the time they got home to do it as homework, they'd forgotten what we'd spent the morning talking about, so they were back to square one.<br />
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Now that I've flipped, I only need 5-10 minutes maximum at the beginning of my math block to do anything whole group. I spend that time answering questions, clarifying any misconceptions, and checking the 1-2 practice problems that I typically include at the end of the video. The rest of my math block was then spent working with small groups, conferring with kids, and getting into richer practice and problem solving than I could ever fit in before.<br />
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I also didn't have to worry about students getting the right answers only when their parents "helped" them. When it came time for assessments, I had a much better sense of where my students were at and what to expect from them because I was more deeply involved in their learning.<br />
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4. I didn't have to worry when we had a sub. </h3>
In the past, I would write off sub days as lost instructional time when it came to math. Now that I've flipped, that is no longer the case. I include a link to the video I've created in my sub plans, and I have the sub watch the video with the class again to start the lesson. Usually that gives the sub enough background knowledge to help with the learning task, and my students have enough scaffolding from my instruction that they can work through the practice. It made those lost days so much more productive.<br />
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This year, I will be on maternity leave for 12 weeks, so I'm nervous about what will happen with my kids while I'm gone. But I'm less nervous about the math because I already have videos made for most of those lessons from last year. My students will have continuity in math instruction because of it.<br />
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5. Students were more successful and could tackle bigger challenges.</h3>
Last year was my best year ever as far as student performance on end-of-year assessments and benchmarks. I think a big part of that can be attributed to the move toward a flipped model for math. My students had more time and confidence to master the fourth grade standards, and as a result, I was easily able to push them into bigger challenges. When I surveyed the students mid-year about the flipped model, their responses were overwhelmingly positive in support of it, and I knew it was something I need to continue in the years ahead.<br />
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Next Steps</h3>
This will be the first year that I use the flipped model for the whole year, so I will need to prepare more video lessons and give some thought to how I'll transition my students (and their parents) toward this model. In the weeks ahead, I plan to share more about the tools I use to create flipped lessons and some troubleshooting tips for problems that might come up.<br />
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Now that I have some experience flipping, I'm going to go back and reread <a href="http://amzn.to/1K1cjp2" target="_blank">Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day by Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams</a>. Jon was one of the speakers I saw at GaETC, and he's one of the founders of the <a href="http://flippedlearning.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1" target="_blank">flipped classroom movement</a>. I read the book quickly as I started to flip, but I think there are more ideas to be pulled from it.<br />
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I'm also starting to think about other areas where I could flip instruction. One possibility might be some of the grammar, vocabulary, and word study components of my ELA block. I consistently struggle to fit everything in to that time, and flipping might be the answer. I've downloaded the book <a href="http://amzn.to/1CAUhqW" target="_blank">Flipping Your English Class to Reach All Learners: Strategies and Lesson Plans by Troy Cockrum</a>, and I'm hoping that will give me some more inspiration.<br />
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<b>Have you tried flipping any parts of your instruction? </b>I'd love to hear more about your ideas and experiences in the comments!<br />
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-22688270122437203272015-06-17T09:46:00.000-04:002015-06-17T09:46:17.296-04:00Teachers' voices matter, and I want to hear from you!Hi bloggy friends! I know it's been forever since I've updated this blog, and trust me -- lots of ideas are percolating in the hopper about my flipped(!) fourth grade classroom and other things I've tried this year. I promise those posts are coming! But in the meantime, I need your help!<br />
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As some of you may know, I'm working on my PhD in addition to teaching fourth grade full-time. The work-life balance has not been an easy thing, and now, I'm really working hard to finish as much coursework as possible in the short term because baby #2 will be arriving in November! (So while you all are hanging out by the pool having tasty margaritas, I'm crunching numbers for a stats class and reading about how to write ethnographic fieldnotes. Good times, I tell you...)<br />
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This summer, I'm starting to work on my dissertation, and I'm testing out my ideas in a pilot study. I'm planning to write my dissertation about the amazing elementary blogging community and the ways that teachers use blogs for professional development and personalized learning. I know that reading other teachers' blogs has been hugely inspiring for me as a teacher, and I can't imagine what I would do if I didn't have access to so many great teaching minds across the globe. Shockingly, however, very little has been written about these great online communities and their benefits, and I want to explore that further. Scholars, politicians, and administrators need to know how much teachers learn from each other! Which is why I need your help.<br />
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I'm looking for a few teachers who would be willing to be interviewed about how they use blogs to support their work in the classroom. I want to talk to both bloggers and readers, so even if you don't have a blog of your own, I'd still like to talk to you. This first wave of interviews will take place next week (June 20-26) and they will all be done online via Skype or Google Hangouts. I anticipate that each interview will last 45-60 minutes.<br />
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If you are willing to participate, could you please fill out this form so I can contact you directly? In exchange for your time, anyone who participates in an interview will receive up to $20 worth of free products from <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Eberopolis" target="_blank">my TpT store</a>.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WYlT-nATw2w4keU_VId43Sn-5UrOQeeMOYupQTQv5ks/viewform?embedded=true" width="760">Loading...</iframe>
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Once you fill out the form, I will be in touch to arrange a time that will work best for the interview. I need to conduct (and transcribe!) at least 3 interviews next week to fulfill the requirements of my current coursework, but don't let that small number deter you -- I will need many more interview participants once I move beyond my pilot study and begin work on my actual dissertation, so I'd love to have a list of possible interviewees already started. And my offer for the free products from my TpT store will still stand.<br />
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I hope that you will consider participating! I look forward to talking to you and learning from you.<br />
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-68049080271709657782015-01-02T12:20:00.000-05:002015-01-02T12:20:45.570-05:00Five for Friday - Winter Break EditionToday is the FIRST time that I've ever linked up <a href="http://doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com/2015/01/five-for-friday-linky-party-friday.html" target="_blank">Kacey and the Five for Friday Linky Party</a> even though it's one of my favorites. I love seeing pictures of what all of my teacher friends are up to each week, and in the spirit of getting back to my blog--let's do this!<br />
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Usually my winter breaks are a little over a week long, but this year, I got two full weeks -- one with my family in Michigan, and one at home with my favorite three-year-old. We had all sorts of adventures hanging out together this week, but one of my favorites was having a "pajamas and hot chocolate day" together. She is becoming such an awesome little person, and I'm proud to be her mommy. I cherish these days of hugs and laughter together.</div>
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We started implementing a "family game night" tradition this week, and it has been a lot of fun! Sydney is finally old enough to start to understand board games, so we used her holiday gift cards to build up her stash. We start out the night with some of her choices (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00486ZVC4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00486ZVC4&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=UIKZHOAKIEOTGXSA" target="_blank">The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel</a> is a particular favorite!), and then after her bedtime, we move on to the grown-up games like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0975277324/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0975277324&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=OWPRJ5PNGSODWJ5A" target="_blank">Ticket to Ride</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JQY6K4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001JQY6K4&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=B6NPHKZ5JT3HFFXH" target="_blank">Dominion</a>. I've always loved playing games, so I'm excited to build this into our routines.</div>
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I go back to work on Monday, but it's going to be a staff development day. I'll see the kids on Tuesday. I've finally reached the "acceptance" stage of my break where I'm accepting that I have to go back to work and need to get going on grades and lesson plans. I pulled out the Tuesday bucket today so I can start to tackle that. Wish me luck!</div>
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As much as I enjoy the holidays, I was a little happy that they're over so I can take a break from the holiday-themed <a href="http://www.eberjams.com/" target="_blank">Jamberry</a> wraps and try some of the other ones I've been hoarding. This is my latest manicure -- <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/product/mixed-signals-(matte)#.VKbRA4rF8Us" target="_blank">Mixed Signals matte</a>. I love it. Speaking of the hoard...</div>
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I'm hosting a <a href="http://www.eberjams.com/" target="_blank">Jamberry</a> open house tomorrow for my friends who want to try <a href="http://www.eberjams.com/" target="_blank">Jamberry</a>. I recently became a <a href="http://www.eberjams.com/" target="_blank">Jamberry</a> consultant because I love the wraps so much and wanted to cut my expenses a bit. I'm so glad that I did--it's been a lot of fun, and it has helped push me out of my comfort zone. Plus my nails always look good now. :-) If you'd like to try a free sample, you can fill out my form at <a href="http://samples.eberjams.com/">http://samples.eberjams.com</a>. <br />
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Have a great week!<br />
<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-76478074079980580112015-01-01T21:37:00.002-05:002015-01-01T21:37:20.961-05:00Hello, 2015!Another year is in the books, and as always, I'm excited to be seeing the start of a new year. Last year will be remembered for its big highs and deep lows, but I know that everything happens for a reason, and I feel like I'm in a good place to start 2015.<br />
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And one place I plan to start is being a better blogger! So here's my Currently post for January 2015.<br />
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<b>Listening - </b>It's my daughter's bedtime here, and my husband has bedtime duty tonight. It's a rare moment when the TV is off, the dogs are asleep, and all is quiet in the house. I'm savoring it.<br />
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<b>Loving</b> - I think that New Year's Day may be my favorite day of the year because it is a fresh start where it feels like anything is possible. I often feel this way at the beginning of the school year, too, but I think I prefer this time of year because there's more predictability with everything. I already know my students very well; we've built our routines and expectations, and the only things that need to be changed are the things I *want* to change. It's an empowering holiday.<br />
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<b>Thinking -</b> A major reason why I haven't been blogging much lately is because of my Ph.D. program. It feels weird to be writing something that doesn't have a lengthy bibliography attached to it! I continue to be excited about my dissertation topic, though, and I've been thinking about it more and more. I plan to write about the role of social media in teacher professional learning. The short version is that I'm going to study how reading and writing about classroom practices through blogging affects teachers' feelings of effectiveness in the classroom (self-efficacy beliefs). I think connecting with other teachers through blogging and other social media has been one of the best moves I've ever made as a teacher, and I'm curious to find out if others feel the same way and what consequences it might have. One of my classes this semester is actually requiring me to blog about my research, so I'll be setting that up in the next week. It will be a separate blog as I doubt my classmates in other programs will really want to read about Eberopolis, but I'll share a link here if you're interested in following or learning more.<br />
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<b>Wanting</b> - I had 18 blog posts in 2014. Pathetic. I have a notebook full of ideas, so now I need to get them out here. My goal is to blog at least once a week, and as I've been getting other things in my life better organized, I think that's realistic.<br />
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<b>Needing</b> - I set some big goals for this vacation as far as getting myself organized for the new year, and so far, I've done a great job. For example, I already have 2 months of healthy meals planned for my family (written on sticky notes so I can shuffle them around when stuff inevitably comes up).<br />
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And I've been cleaning closets and creating a new workspace to boost my productivity in the new year. I even made my annual pilgrimage to The Container Store today! I just need to wrap up my remaining projects tomorrow so I can enjoy my weekend before returning to school on Monday. (I'm <a href="http://instagram.com/eberopolis/" target="_blank">@eberopolis on Instagram</a> if you want to see more about those projects...). </div>
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Finally, my three areas:</div>
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<b>YES </b>to my health. I lost nearly 20 pounds between Labor Day and Christmas, and while my trip to see my family for the holidays reversed that trend a little, I'd like to continue to focus on my health in 2015. I've been doing Weight Watchers, and losing weight has been easy when I've taken the time to plan what I'm going to eat and track what I eat throughout the day. I'm ready to get back on track.</div>
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<b>Maybe</b> to becoming a morning person. I already get to work by 7:15 each morning, but I would hardly call myself a morning person. I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AKKS278/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AKKS278&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=6EYBSVELFKWPHVFS" target="_blank">The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod</a> over break, and it has me thinking about whether I should try to get up earlier to add things like meditation and exercise to my morning routines. I'm thinking I'll try it for a month and see how it goes. (The book was good, btw. An easy read to be sure). </div>
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<b>I wish</b>...I love my job--I really do--but I'm starting to feel like it's time for me to tackle a new challenge. I want to be able to work with other teachers to help them troubleshoot issues in their classrooms, improve their teaching, and use technology more effectively. I purposefully chose to go into an Educational Leadership PhD program for that reason; ultimately I want to teach in higher ed and/or become an administrator. I'm not ready to do all of that yet, but I wish that I could find an instructional coaching position or something similar that would let me work more directly with teachers while I keep working on my program. It might be time to start that hunt this year. </div>
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Okay, I promise I will be back soon...I have a couple of other posts in draft mode almost ready to share about some of the new things I've been doing in my classroom this year. Hopefully you'll FLIP when you read them! ;-)</div>
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Happy new year!</div>
<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-49243488196869268452014-10-18T13:15:00.000-04:002014-10-18T13:15:55.611-04:00Give Great Feedback (Without Going Crazy)!I honestly don't know how high school English teachers do it. For years, I have struggled to keep up with the writing output of my fourth graders so that I can give them the high quality feedback they need so they can improve. I must say, however, that once again, technology makes this process SO much easier. Today I'm going to share some high-tech (and low-tech) ways to give great writing feedback without having to give up all of your nights and weekends.<br />
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Get your class to use Google Docs</h3>
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I can't say enough good things about using Google Docs with my students this year. We use it for drafting and publishing, and the students share their docs with me the minute they start working on a new piece of writing. A few reasons why I love it: </div>
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1. I can keep tabs on my students. We all have those kids who look like they're working but really aren't. Or those who just struggle to get ideas down. In the past, when I used notebooks, it might take me a couple of days to realize that a student was struggling. Now, I can leave those students' documents open on my laptop and see in real time what's happening in their writing. It makes them and me more effective during our writing block.</div>
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2. It's a great source of data. I was working with a student in RtI, and one of the data points I had to collect was how much writing she was able to accomplish during our writing block. Google Docs allow you to go back through a document's revision history so I could see what the writing looked like each day. I could track word counts and changes, and I could even see if she had worked on it at home (where the big changes seemed to happen). All of that information was very helpful and far more than I could have gathered using a notebook.</div>
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3. It makes conferring and feedback easier. I can have students ask me questions about their writing, and I can immediately pull it up and see it. I can also track when I've given feedback and which feedback gets used or ignored. It's a great record of my work with students.</div>
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Consider a Feedback Add-On</h3>
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When I went to ISTE this summer, I learned about <a href="https://kaizena.com/" target="_blank">Kaizena</a>, a tool that integrates with Google Drive and allows you to give feedback in a variety of ways. For example, you can:<br />
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<li>Give audio feedback -- make comments about the paper by talking to the student about his or her writing. It will record your comments and embed them to the document. This would be SO much faster than typing things out.</li>
<li>Re-use comments -- if you find yourself making the same comment over and over again, you can create the comment once, tag it for easy finding, and use it again later. Talk about a time saver!</li>
<li>Embed videos -- sometimes students benefit from short movies or examples that teach a particular skill. It's like a personalized mini-lesson.</li>
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The problem? As of this writing, the app doesn't work with the iPads. <a href="https://kaizena.com/" target="_blank">Kaizena</a> creates a link in the first comment and that link directs students to their platform, but links like that aren't clickable through the comments on Google Docs' iPad app. It would be great for a class with 1:1 laptops, but that's not where I'm at. I've heard that an iPad app is in the works, but until then, I'm having to devise my own alternatives. </div>
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Build Your Own Comment Library</h3>
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Inspired by the concept of <a href="https://kaizena.com/" target="_blank">Kaizena</a>, I've started to build my own reusable comment library for those comments that apply over and over again. I'm just using a Google Spreadsheet, and I've divided it into the following columns:</div>
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<b>1. Tag</b> - a word or phrase to help me find the comment. Examples:</div>
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<li>Capitalization - Proper Nouns</li>
<li>Run-on sentences</li>
<li>Then vs. Than</li>
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<b>2. Comment</b> - type out the exact text of what you want the comment to say to address a particular skill or issue. Wherever applicable, include a link to an additional resource students can use for more examples of what you're talking about. I tend to include titles of BrainPop videos or links to Vimeo clips (not blocked by my school's webfilters, unlike YouTube). While my students still can't access the links in comments through their iPads, I can let them use one of our classroom laptops to view the particular video. The fact that it's just one comment vs. all of the comments make this option work for us over <a href="https://kaizena.com/" target="_blank">Kaizena</a>. Here's an example of a comment I gave a student who was confusing "Then and Than" </div>
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<li>You are confusing two words that sound similar to one another: "then" and "than." The first minute of this video may be helpful to you: http://vimeo.com/103071955 (you do not need to watch the whole thing)</li>
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<b>3. Related Standard(s)</b> - This is just one additional way for me to search through my comment library. Plus, if I find myself giving the same comment over and over again, I'll know which standard I may need to revisit in an upcoming lesson.</div>
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Why a Comment Library is a Huge Time Saver</h3>
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My comment library allows me to give more thorough feedback in much more depth. Unlike a checklist or a rubric, I'm offering very specific feedback and suggestions targeted toward exactly what I see in a student's writing. When I notice something happening in the writing, I can highlight it, hit the comment button, and copy & paste the relevant suggestion into the comments section. I can do this quickly and still have time to type some individualized suggestions that may be relevant to the student. It's much more thorough than anything I could ever do on paper.</div>
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In addition, my comment library is constantly growing as I find new resources and see different things happen in students' writing. I've only been doing this for about a week, and it's becoming a great tool to help me curate resources and differentiate instruction.</div>
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Get Involved</h3>
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As I mentioned, I've just started building this comment library on Google Drive. If you'd like to see it, you can view it <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jwpvg5xE4Xfrd0O0KMdqwJHofZ0h7Kwo99UQ4Gl9FP4/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>. If you'd like to get involved as a contributor, you can contact me via email or blog comments and I'll share the document with you so you can edit and add. </div>
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Halloween Fun!</h3>
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This is off-topic, but I was super excited at the arrival of my <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/product/black-bats#.VEKeCot4qYU" target="_blank">Halloween Jamberry nail wraps</a> this week, and I finally tried them out today! </div>
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I love the purple color and the subtle flare of bats flying around. It makes me feel festive without going over the top. I still have some <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/" target="_blank">Jamberry </a>samples available to mail out, so if you'd like to try <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/" target="_blank">Jamberry</a> nail wraps for yourself, I'd love to share! They're easy and fun, and they come in so many styles that you're sure to find some that you love. You can visit <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/" target="_blank">my Jamberry site</a> or email me at eberjams (via gmail) to request a sample. </div>
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Have a great weekend!</div>
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-63090826433636641352014-10-12T18:40:00.000-04:002014-10-12T21:45:30.720-04:003 Ways to Pamper Yourself When You're Low on TimeHave you ever heard the expression "There's no tired like teacher-tired?" <i> </i>I didn't become a coffee drinker until I started teaching, and it seems like every teacher I know juggles way too many responsibilities. We teach, we parent, we study, we meet, we plan, and somewhere in that mix, we're supposed to take care of ourselves and our families as well. Talk about a tall order! I've never been great with the work-life balance, but as I've been increasingly pressed for time this past year, I've learned to prioritize and find shortcuts so that I can still feel pampered despite feeling crunched. Today, I'll share 3 of my favorites.<br />
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1. Jamberry Nails</h3>
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I've seen bazillions of teachers blog about <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/" target="_blank">Jamberry</a> before, and I'll admit that I was skeptical. I love getting my nails done, but I lack the time and budget to do that with any regularity. Not to mention, manicures never hold up on my nails. They always smudge or chip within a day. Getting gel manicures has helped, but those take a long time to put on and take off. And usually, I destroy my nails taking them off, too, because I'm impatient. </div>
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In May, I tried <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/" target="_blank">Jamberry Nails</a> for the first time, and I'll never go back to anything else. They're super easy to apply (20-30 minutes tops, and I'm slow relative to some people I know), and they last up to 2 weeks even with the heavy activity that comes with being a teacher, wife, and mom. Usually when I change them out, it's because I want a new pattern and not because the wraps are coming off. For example, check out these awesome Halloween wraps (which will be going on my nails next):</div>
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They look much more vibrant than any polish I've used, and they're not expensive. A sheet of wraps yields 2-3 manicures + at least 1 pedicure. If you have really short nails, you could probably get more out of them. I always buy them using the buy 3 get 1 free deals, so it's less than $5 for a mani/pedi for significantly less time and effort. </div>
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I like <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/" target="_blank">Jamberry</a> so much that I just became a <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/" target="_blank">Jamberry Independent Consultant </a>(mostly so I can get the consultant discount on my nail wraps -- I want them all!). If you haven't tried them yet, I'd be happy to tell you more or hook you up with a sample to try for yourself. You can find out more by <a href="http://alisoneber.jamberrynails.net/" target="_blank">visiting my Jamberry website</a> and liking <a href="https://www.facebook.com/eberjams" target="_blank">my Jamberry page on Facebook</a>. Or just leave me a note in the comments section, and I can arrange for a sample to be sent to you.<br />
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2. Gwynnie Bee</h3>
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As a plus-sized person, I've been super jealous of all of the cute teacher-y clothes that friends have been posting from Stitch Fix. But I finally found an alternative that I love in <a href="http://goo.gl/xJdvfY" target="_blank">Gwynnie Bee</a>. <a href="http://goo.gl/xJdvfY" target="_blank">Gwynnie Bee</a> is a clothing subscription service that is like the Netflix for clothes. You select a plan (I'm currently on 3-at-a-time), load up your "closet" with clothes you like, and sit back and receive outfits from your virtual closet. If you like it, you can wear it and send it back when you're through with it or buy it at a discount. If you don't like it, you can immediately send it back to exchange for something else from your closet. There's no limit to how many outfits you are sent each month, and you can alert <a href="http://goo.gl/xJdvfY" target="_blank">Gwynnie Bee</a> that you're sending something back so they'll send you your next item.</div>
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I love my <a href="http://goo.gl/xJdvfY" target="_blank">Gwynnie Bee</a> subscription for a variety of reasons:</div>
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1. It's convenient - The clothes are delivered to my doorstep, and they have a prepaid plastic envelope so I can send them back. I'm constantly getting new outfits to try.</div>
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2. It's a time-saver - I don't shop nearly as much as I used to, and I don't have to do as much laundry or dry cleaning because Gwynnie Bee takes care of it all. </div>
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3. There's no guilt - Shopping for plus-sized clothes gets depressing because selections are always more limited or dowdy, and while catalogs offer better selections, I never know how it will fit me. Now, I can have clothes delivered and not feel bad sending them back if they don't turn out as well as I'd hoped. </div>
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4. You stumble onto great dresses you'd never find otherwise. Check out this <a href="https://closet.gwynniebee.com/products/samya-polka-dot-dress-with-collar-in-black" target="_blank">fab retro dress</a> that I ended up buying:</div>
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The minute I tried that dress on, my husband told me to buy it. Who could argue with that?!</div>
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5. It's perfect during transitions between sizes. I gained a bit when I had my daughter, and then I packed on a few more pounds when I started working on my PhD last year. I started Weight Watchers around Labor Day, and I'm already down 10 pounds (woo hoo!). I intend to keep on losing weight, but I don't want to have to buy a whole new work wardrobe at each step along the way. Now I can just go in and adjust the sizes on the clothes in my closet (they have sizes 10-32). </div>
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<a href="http://goo.gl/xJdvfY" target="_blank">Gwynnie Bee</a> offers the first month free, and I highly recommend it. You can check it out <a href="http://goo.gl/xJdvfY" target="_blank">using this link</a>.<br />
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3. Birchbox and Ipsy</h3>
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I started subscribing to <a href="https://www.birchbox.com/invite/3wgv3" target="_blank">Birchbox</a> and <a href="http://www.ipsy.com/r/8p9w?sid=ipsypoints&cid=general" target="_blank">Ipsy</a> about a year ago. I'm not a huge makeup or product person, but I like trying new things, and it's fun to get a package every month. It's a small indulgence that makes me feel extra pampered. For example, this month, I received this amazing rosemary-scented shower gel in my <a href="https://www.birchbox.com/invite/3wgv3" target="_blank">Birchbox</a>, and it's something I never would have found otherwise. In my experience, <a href="https://www.birchbox.com/invite/3wgv3" target="_blank">Birchbox</a> tends to have more high end products while <a href="http://www.ipsy.com/r/8p9w?sid=ipsypoints&cid=general" target="_blank">Ipsy</a> has larger midrange samples that come in cute bags. I look forward to receiving both.<br />
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Treat Yourself</h3>
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The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to take care of myself. This is true <b><i>especially</i></b> when everything gets busy and chaotic between work and grad school and caring for my family. I don't get to go shopping or go out for mani/pedis anywhere near as much as I used to, but I don't need to. There are so many amazing services and products out there that you can treat yourself even when you're extra busy. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsI1QKDSoAY/VDr9vW1x58I/AAAAAAAABjU/N8qnPqt7gxY/s1600/1911833_10153453640418504_2532768401780384782_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsI1QKDSoAY/VDr9vW1x58I/AAAAAAAABjU/N8qnPqt7gxY/s1600/1911833_10153453640418504_2532768401780384782_n.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Finally, while I've been trying to take more time to pamper myself this year, I've had some help in the "feel like royalty" department. I was shocked beyond words when I was named Teacher of the Year at a faculty meeting last week, and my dear friends went out of their way to make me a crown, a tutu, and a sash for the local homecoming parade last week. They even made a matching tutu for my 3-year-old (who loves tutus). I work with some pretty amazing teachers, and they definitely inspire me and push me to be the best teacher I can be. I'll be sharing some of our amazing projects together in some upcoming posts, but I have to thank them for all they do for me each and every day. Loving what you do and where you work is the best kind of pampering of all. </div>
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-63127574749035595202014-09-27T18:48:00.002-04:002014-09-27T18:52:39.262-04:00The Easiest Way to Implement a Classroom EconomyAs my life continues to get crazier, I am constantly looking for ways to simplify and improve the things that I do. This year, for example, I decided to merge <a href="http://www.classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a> with <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Economy-Megapack-265925" target="_blank">my classroom economy</a>, and so far, it's going very well! Here are some of the tweaks I made to make this merger work.<br />
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My Classroom Economy</h3>
I've been using a classroom economy since I started teaching, and every year, I make a few tweaks. The basic idea is that every student applies for a class job at the beginning of each term (our terms are 6 weeks long). I've <a href="http://eberopolis.blogspot.com/2012/06/management-monday-classroom-jobs.html" target="_blank">previously posted about my classroom jobs here</a>. I display the jobs in my classroom so that we're constantly reminded who is responsible for what. This year, I've used a pocket chart for my classroom jobs (sorry for the blurry photo).<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9YPRhdcPMQ/VCcxzoN3jxI/AAAAAAAABhE/xlHOeo70XBg/s1600/photo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9YPRhdcPMQ/VCcxzoN3jxI/AAAAAAAABhE/xlHOeo70XBg/s1600/photo.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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I used to give students $100/week as their salary, or about $20 per day. They'd have weekly and monthly expenses, and then they could use any remaining money to purchase items in our class store. The complete program is detailed in my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Economy-Megapack-265925" target="_blank">Classroom Economy Megapack on TpT</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LzI7MZcg0yw/VCczicq1x8I/AAAAAAAABhQ/dP-KRbWyCDE/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-27%2Bat%2B6.00.14%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LzI7MZcg0yw/VCczicq1x8I/AAAAAAAABhQ/dP-KRbWyCDE/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-27%2Bat%2B6.00.14%2BPM.png" height="400" width="302" /></a></div>
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I love the system, but I felt like I wasn't as consistent as I wanted to be in tracking student behaviors to give fines or bonuses, and there were many Friday afternoons when I was so involved in whatever we were working on that day, that I just didn't leave enough time for them to shop. </div>
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Meanwhile, I was dabbling with Class Dojo, and I wanted to figure out a way to tie that in as well. If you're not already familiar, Class Dojo is an online behavior management system that allows you to give and take away points from students. You can create your own categories for points, and you can access the class info from any device -- laptop, computer, iPad, iPhone, etc. I liked that portability because I always have one of those devices in my hands, and I could give or take away points without really interrupting what I was doing. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ-YNEOc2mg/VCc1BQmErLI/AAAAAAAABhY/Iqtj0GMrEVQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-27%2Bat%2B6.04.23%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ-YNEOc2mg/VCc1BQmErLI/AAAAAAAABhY/Iqtj0GMrEVQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-27%2Bat%2B6.04.23%2BPM.png" height="241" width="640" /></a></div>
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The solution came for me this year when Class Dojo allowed for the creation of weighted point values! Before, you could only give or take away a single point at a time. Now you can create points on a scale of 1-5 and weight particular behaviors accordingly. This is done in the set-up for behaviors. </div>
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<b>1. Go to Edit Class on your class screen and select "Edit students and behaviors."</b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sU-80VGMe8E/VCc2spZu9OI/AAAAAAAABho/bQmUCfs7sB0/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_6_09_34_PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sU-80VGMe8E/VCc2spZu9OI/AAAAAAAABho/bQmUCfs7sB0/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_6_09_34_PM.png" height="640" width="450" /></a></div>
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<b>2. Select "Behaviors" and either click on one of the exiting behaviors, or the plus symbol to customize the behaviors.</b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--OyYRZmIJbY/VCc2tHEKasI/AAAAAAAABh0/3jAiwO_oWo4/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_6_09_59_PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--OyYRZmIJbY/VCc2tHEKasI/AAAAAAAABh0/3jAiwO_oWo4/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_6_09_59_PM.png" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>3. Change the icon (optional), name or rename the behavior, and then click the box to access a pull down menu of point values to weight that item.</b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZHJDD-OKe8/VCc3-7Jp1LI/AAAAAAAABiE/8zCTCIYBB90/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_6_15_56_PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZHJDD-OKe8/VCc3-7Jp1LI/AAAAAAAABiE/8zCTCIYBB90/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_6_15_56_PM.png" height="400" width="317" /></a></div>
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And that's it! You can weight both the positive and negative behaviors according to your needs. Here are the settings I have now for my classroom economy.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qzHhXSIjT0/VCc2shYBhyI/AAAAAAAABhk/8c0eM9xrU0U/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_5_31_25_PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qzHhXSIjT0/VCc2shYBhyI/AAAAAAAABhk/8c0eM9xrU0U/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_5_31_25_PM.png" height="380" width="640" /></a></div>
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I basically divided the $100 weekly salary by 10, and scaled everything else back the same way. Students now get 2 points daily for their salary (10 points per week) and bonuses for different behaviors. The only other positive behavior that I've weighted more currently is helping others because I'm really trying to encourage that in my classroom. I'm also going to add a +4 for a class compliment because I like when they do a good job with other adults in the building.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pVUMlSdQnP0/VCc2suJIAMI/AAAAAAAABhs/f20NSvPtXjg/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_5_31_37_PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pVUMlSdQnP0/VCc2suJIAMI/AAAAAAAABhs/f20NSvPtXjg/s1600/Screen_Shot_2014-09-27_at_5_31_37_PM.png" height="522" width="640" /></a></div>
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For negative behaviors, I deduct more points for breaking rules outside of my classroom and for disrespecting people or materials. I also now deduct their taxes and rent through Class Dojo, and when they shop, I deduct their points in here. I price everything in multiples of 2, but then I found that I wanted a -5 shopping once they had enough points for some of the larger ticket items in our class store. I dislike that it shows up in the "Needs Work" tab, but I don't think it's a problem overall. The parents know what is happening from the descriptors, and we just talk about it in class from the stance of making or spending money. It's the easiest way to deduct some points without resetting the points entirely.<br />
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Since transitioning to this modified system 7 weeks ago, my classroom economy has become more accurate and effective in a fraction of the instructional time. <a href="http://www.classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a> has replaced the clip chart that I used to use, and it helps with some of the accounting. I'm still using the bulk of the resources from my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Economy-Megapack-265925" target="_blank">Classroom Economy Megapack</a>, however.<br />
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If you're interested in trying out <a href="http://www.classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a> with the rest of my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Economy-Megapack-265925" target="_blank">Classroom Economy Megapack</a>, I'll be offering the product on sale at half price through Tuesday. It is one of my best sellers, and if you're looking to change up your classroom management routines or enhance your existing classroom economy, I don't think you'll be disappointed. I've also <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Eberopolis" target="_blank">discounted the rest of my TpT store 20%</a> to celebrate my return to blogging after a busy start to the school year. Those sale prices will go now through Tuesday, so check them out!<br />
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Join the Mailing List! </h3>
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Did you know that I have a mailing list so that you'll never have to miss a post? Use the link at the top right of this page (under Never Miss a Post) to subscribe to my mailing list. You'll get my posts delivered to your inbox, and you'll also get access to some extra resources that I'll be offering to my mailing list only. Given that my PhD work has really cut in to my blogging time this past year, the mailing list is the best way to make sure you see my new content. I promise not to spam you or share your contact information ever. </div>
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Have a great week!</div>
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-18825686835548095902014-07-14T12:27:00.000-04:002014-07-14T12:27:12.359-04:00Top 10 Gadgets for a Tech-Loving TeacherI leave tomorrow to go on an overnight faculty retreat with my colleagues, and as I started to pack my bag for the trip, I realized that I love gadgets. What started as a pretty basic love of smartphones, Kindles, and iPads has blossomed into a love of accessories as well. While I <i>won't</i> be packing all of these items for an overnight trip, I thought I'd share my 10 favorite gadgets for the tech-loving teacher.<br />
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1. ScanSnap Scanner</h3>
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This has played a major role in helping me go paperless in my classroom and my personal life. The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008HBFADQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008HBFADQ&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=6AYI4QMYWWMCULNN" target="_blank">ScanSnap</a> is a lightweight, portable scanner that can handle 12-15 double-sided pages at a time. It syncs with Dropbox and Evernote (two apps I love) so I can hold onto information without having to keep the piles of paper that come with it. For example, there are a bunch of forms that I'm required to use at school for various things. Rather than keep a file of them all cluttering up my desk, I just scan them with the ScanSnap and print them whenever I need them. I'm far faster at locating items on my computer via the search feature than I am at finding a random piece of paper, so this has been a life-changer for me.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008HBFADQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008HBFADQ&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=6AYI4QMYWWMCULNN" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0VAsbD6y4no/U8Pwvcg_dQI/AAAAAAAABcs/iSsoKih_gOM/s1600/ScanSnap.jpg" /></a></div>
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2. Charging Hub</h3>
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Having a lot of devices can be a problem when it comes to keeping them charged. I hated the clutter of all the chargers and the ugly power strip sitting by my nightstand. I recently solved that problem by purchasing the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GTGETFG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GTGETFG&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=FZU5H2CLAAQTTREL%22" target="_blank">Anker 40W 5-port USB Charger.</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GTGETFG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GTGETFG&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=FZU5H2CLAAQTTREL" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BBctnVgkucI/U8PsjLsHNMI/AAAAAAAABcY/Bj99M4srqnY/s1600/Charging+Hub.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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One plug charges up to 5 devices via their USB cables. When there are limited plugs available, this is a great tool to have. It streamlines the clutter and the tangle of cords. I like it so much that I'm planning to get a second one for my classroom.</div>
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3. Cocoon Grid It</h3>
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When you travel with a lot of gadgets -- even just between home and school -- you inevitably have a lot of cords and things that can get lost in your bag. For a while, I tried to assign items to various pockets to try to keep them organized, but that never worked very well. I'd forget what went where and spend way too much time digging around for something. That changed once I got the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HU27UW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002HU27UW&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=YVOQHLKQITSNYNBZ" target="_blank">Cocoon</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HU27UW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002HU27UW&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=YVOQHLKQITSNYNBZ" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R4uGOV-UQ9Y/U8PvhE5djxI/AAAAAAAABck/kln2JOcMDnI/s1600/Cocoon+Grid+It.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's about the size of a piece of paper, and it has several woven elastic bands that can hold items in place in many configurations. It's a great resource for keeping your smaller gadgets and their cords neat and tidy in your bag.<br />
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4. Portable Charger</h3>
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One of the biggest challenges for me is keeping everything charged throughout the day -- especially when I go from school to grad classes at night. In some of my college classrooms, there are very few outlets, and it's hard to get a seat near one. That's why I love the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AANQLRI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AANQLRI&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=4EI5CU56O7F5VT34" target="_blank">Jackery Giant portable charger</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AANQLRI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AANQLRI&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=4EI5CU56O7F5VT34" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TAFit1YMw-k/U8Px0fPD18I/AAAAAAAABc0/ir1sg64aH8Y/s1600/Jackery+Giant.jpeg" /></a></div>
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Small and portable, I can charge this through my laptop, and then it can charge my other devices when I'm on the go. It came in especially handy while I was at ISTE recently, and I love it for travel. You can charge two devices at once, and it holds enough power to extend your device's battery by 500-600%. <br />
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5. Eye-Fi Mobi</h3>
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I love using my good camera -- not the one on my iPhone, but my actual Sony digital camera. One of the things I hate, however, is taking out the memory card to move pictures from my camera to my computer. Invariably, I leave the card in my computer and don't have it when I go to take pictures, or I leave pictures on my camera forever and miss opportunities to share them in blog posts or with family in a timely manner. Then, I met the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CS4WPD6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CS4WPD6&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=MQ7PRHCQDJ7D57TS" target="_blank">Eye-Fi card</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CS4WPD6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CS4WPD6&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=MQ7PRHCQDJ7D57TS" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E_XTdI28t4Y/U8P1WZIqptI/AAAAAAAABdA/FLR6OKOnC_g/s1600/Eye-Fi_mobi-8-16MB_cards.jpg" height="274" width="320" /></a></div>
This card works like a typical memory card, but because it has WiFi capability, it can automatically send the pictures to my computer as I take them. It's a huge time-saver for me, and it has encouraged me to use my camera far more than I had been using it.</div>
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6. Jawbone UP</h3>
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I'm on my feet a lot throughout the day, and I'm not the best with making time for exercise or sleep. I've had a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GQB1JES/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GQB1JES&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=2IUARSV7D2OLQERA" target="_blank">Jawbone</a> for over a year now, and I love it. It helps me keep track of my steps and my sleep quantity and quality so I can set goals for myself in both departments. It's comfortable and flexible so it doesn't bother me when I'm typing or sleeping, and it's waterproof so I can even wear it in the shower.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GQB1JES/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GQB1JES&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=2IUARSV7D2OLQERA" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IGsAhXr0aGE/U8P4P6KGOdI/AAAAAAAABdM/e6APS11UNEE/s1600/Jawbone+UP.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></a></div>
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Like many teachers, I struggle with work-life balance, and this helps me gauge when things are really getting out of whack. </div>
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7. Fine Point Stylus</h3>
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I love using my iPad for note-taking, annotating documents, and making tutorials for my students. However, I hate drawing with my fingers because I feel like I'm less coordinated using my index finger relative to a pen, and most styluses are a little too nubby for me. I finally found one that I love in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00931DHKM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00931DHKM&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=KLNPFJIB37Y6VSX4" target="_blank">Adonit Jot Pro</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00931DHKM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00931DHKM&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=KLNPFJIB37Y6VSX4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kYIhe_gXbZ8/U8P54OSsN6I/AAAAAAAABdY/vNQOShAE5_c/s1600/Adonit+Jot+Pro.jpg" height="158" width="320" /></a></div>
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It has a fine-point with a small plastic disk at the tip, and while it's heavier than most pens I'd use, it is by far the closest thing to a pen-like feel that I've found for the iPad. I've had it since December, and I'm very protective of it. It's a must-have if you want to have more precision in your iPad creations, but be careful -- the small disk has popped off a couple of times in my bag, so you have to be careful about storage so you don't lose that piece. </div>
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8. Canon SELPHY</h3>
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I take a lot of pictures of activities in my classroom, and I like to be able to integrate those into bulletin boards to showcase student work. In the past, it was kind of a pain to print the pictures because I'd invariably have to get a bunch together, upload them to some website, and then have them printed by a 3rd party in a big cluster. I then received the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HK8V4NC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HK8V4NC&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=MWMYAASIKFI4GTQR" target="_blank">Canon SELPHY</a> as a gift from a family member, and it has eliminated all of the hassle from the process.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HK8V4NC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HK8V4NC&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=MWMYAASIKFI4GTQR" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--njg26rEZ2I/U8P8w4wc3dI/AAAAAAAABdk/soP1IUwr24o/s1600/Canon+Selphy.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I can print from a memory card or send pictures straight from my iPhone or iPad to the printer, and it will print postcard sized borderless photos. I love that I can print wirelessly and as needed rather than having to put together an order that I eventually have to pick up from the store. It's much more efficient, and therefore more likely to get done.</div>
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9. IPEVO Point 2 View USB Camera</h3>
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I use a document camera a lot in my classroom, but the ones my school has available take up tons of real estate on my desk. I also like to be able to have access to a document camera when I'm giving presentations for professional development sessions that I lead or presentations I give in my grad school classes, but I'm not likely to haul around a huge document camera from place to place. That's why I LOVE my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UBPBTC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002UBPBTC&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=HAFQKHZGSNRRULXD" target="_blank">IPEVO Point 2 View USB Camera</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UBPBTC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002UBPBTC&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=HAFQKHZGSNRRULXD" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uDxHadp16N0/U8P-6ob8TzI/AAAAAAAABdw/oXDA3sn-0B0/s1600/IPEVO.jpg" /></a></div>
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It is incredibly lightweight and compact, and it produces great images. I use it all the time, and at $69 on Amazon, I think it's a steal. I also like the fact that it can come off of it's stand, so if you're doing an activity in science where you want to look at something from an unusual angle, you have the flexibility to do so. If you don't have a document camera in your classroom, or you want something smaller, I highly recommend this.</div>
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10. Wireless Presenter with Laser Pointer</h3>
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I find myself presenting a lot these days, both in and out of my classroom, and when I am, I absolutely hate to be tethered to my computer. I'd much rather be circulating among my students and interacting than staying in one place. I did some research on wireless remotes and ended up choosing the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FPGP4U/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000FPGP4U&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=EZDEPOOYZXCSN53D" target="_blank">Kensington Wireless Presenter with Laser Pointer</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FPGP4U/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000FPGP4U&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=EZDEPOOYZXCSN53D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-69QQaPXp-NI/U8QBeawDzAI/AAAAAAAABd8/iwPXaNCyxBg/s1600/Wireless+Remote.jpg" /></a></div>
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It's small and comfortable to use, and with only four buttons, it's hard to mess up. My students love the laser pointer part of it, and I love how reliable it is. I've used it on many different computers -- Macs and PCs -- and I haven't encountered any hiccups yet. I've had my current one for three years, and the only thing I plan to replace are its batteries. </div>
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Wrap-Up</h3>
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So there you have my current top 10 list. With the exception of the ScanSnap and the Jawbone, all of the items are less than $100, and I've included links to each item on Amazon. (Those are affiliate links so Amazon will pay me a small commission if you choose to buy anything, but I'm only linking to items that I LOVE and USE constantly.) <b>What are some gadgets that you love? </b>I'd love to hear more in the comments as I start my back to school wish lists, so be sure to share. :-) <b>And which gadgets do you currently use or would like to have in your own classroom? </b>I'm always curious about the accessories as well.</div>
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Have a great week!</div>
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-41900900446753644402014-07-04T10:01:00.000-04:002014-07-04T10:01:37.571-04:00How to Outsource Your Running Records Running records are the bane of my existence.<br />
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Ok. Maybe that statement is a little too strong. I really value the information that comes from conducting a running record, but my school requires that I conduct them every 6-12 weeks (depending on the student's reading level), and when I have to test 28 students, that takes a LONG time. Listening, recording, analyzing. Ugh. I can pretty much forget about teaching reading that week, unless I give some feedback after the students read (and then it takes 2 weeks to get through them all).<br />
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And then I went to ISTE and heard about <a href="http://www.literably.com/" target="_blank">Literably</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.literably.com" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Egl5FJ1K1cA/U7azDYTeHzI/AAAAAAAABbw/i4UkfuepVNg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-04+at+9.56.14+AM.png" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.literably.com/" target="_blank">Literably</a> is a service that audio records students reading Fountas and Pinnell leveled texts (A through Z) and sends you a complete running record within 24 hours. You set up your classroom, assign the level each student reads, and the student just hits "record" when he or she is ready to start. All that's needed is a microphone. Once the student has read for a minute, it automatically sends the recording off for analysis.<br />
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The analysis that comes back has all of the miscues, substitutions, and omissions labeled and analyzed for meaning, syntax, and visual errors. It also includes the rate in words per minute and the accuracy percentage. You'll also receive the audio file so you can share it with parents and listen to it yourself.<br />
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A free account includes 15 running records each month. If the audio quality is too poor for scoring, it won't count towards your 15. A premium account includes unlimited running records for one class and costs $19/month.<br />
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I will definitely be trying out this service. It will give me all of the assessment data I need while freeing me up to work with small groups and confer with students about the books they're reading. Talk about win-win.<br />
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<b>Are there any apps or online services you use for reading assessments in your classroom? </b>I'd love to hear about them in the comments!<br />
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-37181633150976028322014-07-03T10:53:00.002-04:002014-07-03T10:53:53.229-04:00July CurrentlyHow did it get to be July already?!?!<br />
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I'm still recovering from 3 days of EdTech awesomeness at the ISTE conference and linking up with <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2014/06/july-currently.html" target="_blank">Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade</a> for this month's currently.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qOskFXGDPXY/U7SIC_BsA6I/AAAAAAAABbM/DjCsw6NYrlg/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qOskFXGDPXY/U7SIC_BsA6I/AAAAAAAABbM/DjCsw6NYrlg/s1600/Slide1.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Listening - </b>My two-year-old has recently become obsessed with Sofia the First on Disney Jr. It's a cute show, but not my favorite of the toddler choices...not that I've become a connoisseur of toddler TV or anything...<br />
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<b>Loving - </b>I started a garden last summer, but it became somewhat overgrown when Georgia had its monsoon season last summer, and it didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. This year, we're in a new house, and while I don't have the yard space (or HOA permission) for a full garden, I have space on my deck for a container garden. I'm growing bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, herbs, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and carrots, and they're really coming along! My daughter and I check on them every afternoon, so it has become a fun summer project.<br />
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<b>Thinking </b>- This was my first year to attend ISTE, and I learned SO much. It was overwhelming, exhausting, and inspiring, and I just need a little time to process it all. I'll start blogging tomorrow about some of the coolest stuff I learned.<br />
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<b>Wanting </b>- I'm moving into a new classroom this year, so I had to box up all of my stuff at the end of the school year. I'm hoping (*fingers crossed*) that it all got moved to the new room (in a different building on our campus) so I can begin unpacking soon.<br />
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<b>Needing - </b>I'm a little panicked that it's July already. I have a lot of projects that are in various stages of completion, and while I know better than to think I'll get them all done, I'd like to check a few more items off my list before I go back to school in a few weeks.<br />
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<b>4th Plans </b>- I'm looking forward to a three day weekend with my husband and daughter. We don't have any big plans, but we may take Sydney to see her first fireworks extravaganza.<br />
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On a final note, as I prepare to move into my new classroom, I'm starting to think about decorating. The wall colors are very different in my new room, so my old stuff might not work. Here's a quick pic of the new room from my Instagram account:<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="710" scrolling="no" src="//instagram.com/p/pe6D-wPpTE/embed/" width="612"></iframe>
I'd love to hear your color schemes/decorating ideas if you have any! The move-in and shopping spree will start next week!<br />
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Have a great weekend!<br />
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-40018442533667934682014-06-27T13:35:00.001-04:002014-06-27T13:35:58.650-04:00From Literature Circle to Student-Created Movie in 10 Steps<div class="p1">
I'm continuing my summer book study of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571109374/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1571109374&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=AUSDQZQN6ZJES7JE" target="_blank">When Writing with Technology Matters</a> by Carol Bedard and Charles Fuhrken, and I was blown away by Part 1 of this book.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ntMadhVUl4/U62kjVTSWqI/AAAAAAAABaU/shhbTEH7Wsk/s1600/When+Writing+w+Tech+Matters.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ntMadhVUl4/U62kjVTSWqI/AAAAAAAABaU/shhbTEH7Wsk/s1600/When+Writing+w+Tech+Matters.jpeg" height="320" width="253" /></a></div>
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Part 1 describes a project of reading and writing to launch moviemaking. It is a great example of incorporating authentic reading and writing tasks in the classroom, and it is definitely the type of project that is enhanced through technology integration. I've broken down the contents of this section into 10 steps for you to use in your own classroom projects.<br />
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Step 1: Choose books for reading groups</h3>
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This project functionally starts with literature circles. Students are offered 4-6 book titles to choose from that reflect a variety of genres and themes. Bedard and Fuhrken point out a few considerations that are particularly insightful:</div>
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- Fantasy promotes more creativity in the movie making</div>
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- Realistic fiction will be more relatable</div>
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- Historical fiction facilitates research skills</div>
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- Protagonists should be similar in age to students</div>
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- Open-ended texts can be adapted into sequels while interesting main characters support prequels </div>
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<b>Action step:</b></div>
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( ) Create a WebQuest that includes author websites and book review sites about each of the candidate books. This will allow students to make a good decision about which book is the best fit. </div>
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Step 2: Set up Student Blogs for facilitating book discussions</h3>
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Blogs allow students to engage in deeper discussions about their books and practice writing about texts. As a teacher, you can facilitate this by offering open-ended questions to guide student responses. Later, as students become more comfortable with the platform, you can model appropriate blogging behavior by leaving comments on students’ posts. Eventually, as students become more versed with the logistics of blogging, you can take more of a hands-off approach with limited interventions so the students can discuss the books independently.</div>
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<b>Action step: </b></div>
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( ) Choose a blogging platform to use with students. One I recommend is <a href="http://www.kidblog.org/" target="_blank">KidBlog</a>, which <a href="http://eberopolis.blogspot.com/search/label/kidblogs" target="_blank">I’ve written about in the past</a>. </div>
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Step 3: Adapt the book into a screenplay.</h3>
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Once students have finished reading the book, they should consider ways to adapt the book into a screenplay. In order to make sure the writing engages the students creatively, they should modify the story in some way. This would be an example of the types of creative reading often associated with fan-fiction. A <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/2v5mwsd0xor5wk2/Book%20into%20Screenplay%20Poster.pdf" target="_blank">downloadable poster</a> of possibilities is below.<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/2v5mwsd0xor5wk2/Book%20into%20Screenplay%20Poster.pdf" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRfEHhhujhU/U62qhN01-2I/AAAAAAAABao/vy7saxBT4eE/s1600/Book+into+Screenplay+Poster.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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At this stage, students are working independently on their writing, taking the stories down different avenues according to their interests. It’s not necessary to complete the writing cycle at this stage—they merely need a workable rough draft.</div>
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<b>Action step:</b></div>
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( ) Give students time to write their story ideas for a screenplay. At this stage, it can remain a narrative and doesn’t need to be formatted into a script.</div>
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Step 4: Develop the pitch.</h3>
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Screenwriters pitch their story ideas to studios all the time, making this an authentic part of the moviemaking process. Rather than simply reading their screenplay to the class, the authors describe 3 key components of a good pitch: </div>
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* It grabs the audience’s attention through a hook or a teaser.</div>
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* It summarizes the story and identifies the genre without giving away everything.</div>
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* It’s delivered with high energy and excitement. </div>
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A complete mini-lesson on giving a pitch is featured in the appendices of the book. </div>
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Once students have developed and practiced their pitches, they’ll want to deliver them to their classmates to determine which movies will be made. You could have the class vote on a pitch for each book that was read, or you could invite an impartial panel to come in and watch the pitches.</div>
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<b>Action steps:</b></div>
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( ) Teach students how to develop and deliver a pitch.</div>
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( ) Determine which story idea(s) will advance into the movie-making process. The number of winning pitches determines the number of movies your students will be making so consider what you can manage.<br />
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Step 5: Collaboratively revise the story from the winning pitch</h3>
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Students can work together in their book club small groups to help revise the story from the winning pitch for their text. As they discuss, they may find that details from the other students’ stories could enhance the winning story in some way. The revised story becomes the property of the group, and it will benefit from opportunities for conferring just as any other writing would.</div>
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<b>Action step:</b></div>
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( ) Consider using outsiders for conferences to give a new sounding board to the young writers as they develop their ideas for their audience.</div>
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Step 6: Storyboarding</h3>
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Students essentially take their stories and turn them into comic strips. This forces them to think about scenes, key events, and dialogue. Interestingly, the authors advise against using technology for this stage because the students can get too caught up in playing around with features, perfecting their storyboards, etc. </div>
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Here’s a great <a href="http://prezi.com/3fublvvoamua/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share" target="_blank">Prezi</a> I found for introducing and explaining the purpose of storyboards:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="400" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://prezi.com/embed/3fublvvoamua/?bgcolor=ffffff&lock_to_path=0&autoplay=0&autohide_ctrls=0&features=undefined&disabled_features=undefined" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="550"></iframe>
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<b>Action step:</b></div>
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( ) Create story board templates for students and support them as they develop their complete storyboards.</div>
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Step 7: Write the script</h3>
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Scriptwriting is a great way to teach students how to show, not tell, how characters are feeling because they can’t rely on a narrator to describe feelings - actions and dialogue have to do the heavy lifting. Such a process will help students revise and tighten even more as they modify their stories to meet the conventions of an actual screenplay.</div>
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Here is a <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/dmifoytzn8t7gvl/elementary_workbook.pdf" target="_blank">workbook</a> that I previously downloaded for free from the <a href="http://ywp.scriptfrenzy.org/" target="_blank">Young Writers Program Script Frenzy</a> website, but it seems that Script Frenzy has since died, and they no longer offer this resource on their website (only stuff for <a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo</a>).<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/dmifoytzn8t7gvl/elementary_workbook.pdf" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2LsWv-KFY6g/U62pGaNCgkI/AAAAAAAABag/QJfw8Qc5oos/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-06-27+at+1.22.49+PM.png" height="320" width="248" /></a></div>
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<b>Action step: </b></div>
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( ) Consider downloading scriptwriting software (e.g., <a href="http://www.scripped.com/">www.scripped.com</a>) to ease the process.</div>
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Step 8: Learn about the jobs in a movie-making process</h3>
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Students will need to decide on roles such as actors, set designers, directors, and camera operators. The authors offer some mini-lessons for this in the appendix, and they recommend having the students apply for jobs. Given the size of some groups, it will likely be necessary for students to assume multiple roles or participate as actors in multiple films. </div>
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<b>Action step:</b></div>
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( ) Use your blogging platform to have students apply for jobs. They should explain what skills they possess that make them best suited for that particular role.</div>
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Step 9: Film the Movies</h3>
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Much like a Hollywood movie, students should be given a timeline for completing the filming process. They’ll need to plan locations, props, costuming, and any other special effects that need to be considered prior to the day of filming. They’ll also want to rehearse their lines and block scenes to enable the filming process to run smoothly. Given a tight schedule and limited resources for their no-budget films, they’ll realize the importance of collaborating to make the process work. </div>
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<b>Action step:</b> </div>
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( ) Develop a timeline for filming. Communicate expectations for filming days so that students can plan in advance.</div>
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Step 10: Edit the Final Films</h3>
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The authors discuss Windows Movie-Maker, but you could also use iMovie for this process. At this stage, students will work together to piece their scenes together and add special effects like slow motion, music, voice overs, green screen backgrounds, closing credits, etc. Some groups may also opt to include bloopers and outtakes in their final versions. This will be the culminating product of their weeks of hard work.</div>
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<b>Action steps:</b></div>
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( ) Determine the editing software students will use to edit their final films.</div>
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( ) Plan a film festival/viewing party to create a deadline for project completion. Consider inviting parents and/or other classes to diversify the audience.</div>
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I really enjoyed reading this chapter, and I’m definitely looking forward to trying a project like this in my own classroom. If you haven’t already picked up a copy of the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571109374/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1571109374&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=AUSDQZQN6ZJES7JE" target="_blank">When Writing with Technology Matters</a>, I highly recommend it. They have student examples, handouts, and mini-lessons that enhance these steps even more. </div>
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<b>What are some good books that you use in your classroom reading groups that you can envision as a screenplay? I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments!</b><br />
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I'm heading to ISTE here in Atlanta for the next few days, but I'll be back next week with lots of ideas from all that I'll learn at the conference! Be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram @eberopolis if you want a sneak peek of all that I'm seeing and learning!</div>
<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-49455033288341096102014-06-20T08:46:00.000-04:002014-06-20T08:46:14.990-04:00Reading in the Wild - Chapter 1I absolutely loved Donalyn Miller's book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470372273/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0470372273&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=BK5N2MHS6BNSM7CQ" target="_blank">The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child</a>, so I was very excited to see that she released a new book - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047090030X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=047090030X&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=LNEO3CZE2ZKA3MLS" target="_blank">Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits</a> AND that Catherine over at <a href="http://thebrownbagteacher.blogspot.com/2014/06/reading-in-wild-book-study-schedule.html" target="_blank">The Brown Bag Teacher</a> has organized a summer book study of it.<br />
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Chapter 1 - Wild Readers Dedicate Time to Read</h3>
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Already, this book has lots of ideas that I can integrate into my classroom. In fact, I suspect that I will re-read each chapter just to make sure I'm recording all of the ideas so I remember them in August. (And I may go back and re-read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470372273/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0470372273&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=eberopolis-20&amp;linkId=BK5N2MHS6BNSM7CQ" target="_blank">The Book Whisperer</a>, too!) But one thing that I really want to emphasize this year is building a community of readers. I like the idea of students sharing the books they're reading and making recommendations to each other. Personally, I use <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">GoodReads</a> to track that information for myself (I've blogged about that before <a href="http://eberopolis.blogspot.com/search/label/GoodReads" target="_blank">here</a>). I've also had my students blog about their reading (see <a href="http://eberopolis.blogspot.com/search/label/kidblogs" target="_blank">here</a>). But what I'd really like is something more like <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">GoodReads</a> - a social networking site - but appropriate for fourth graders. </div>
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I recently stumbled across the site <a href="http://www.reading-rewards.com/" target="_blank">Reading Rewards</a> through a Twitter Chat, and this might be the answer I'm looking for. </div>
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<a href="http://www.reading-rewards.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_JvYTdCNkyE/U6QoOZLMwqI/AAAAAAAABWs/mh0lAzThqM4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-06-20+at+8.22.55+AM.png" height="160" width="640" /></a></div>
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This site allows you to set up your class into a reading community where they can create libraries of the books they've read, write book reviews, get and make recommendations, and make a wishlist of books they want to read. There is also a reading log component and a reward system that allows you and parents to create rewards based on achieving individualized reading goals. I haven't had a chance to try this out with students yet, but based on my exploration of the site, it looks very promising.<br />
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<b>Do you have any experience with the Reading Rewards website? Have you come across any other sites you'd recommend for building a community of readers? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.</b><br />
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05662652034560852957noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-79895342111336754052014-06-19T19:00:00.000-04:002014-06-19T19:00:00.938-04:00Georgia Bloggers Blog Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Down here in Georgia, we talk with a drawl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I moved to the Atlanta area eight years ago when my husband decided to go to law school at Emory. It didn't take long for us to decide that we'd say goodbye to the cold Michigan winters and make Georgia our permanent home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We eventually settled in Decatur, a quaint suburb of Atlanta, and we love our little town. Decatur has more festivals than any town I know, and we have a thriving downtown with local shops, concerts, and amazing restaurants. We're minutes from downtown Atlanta, but we've somehow captured a small town feel, and I love it. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image of Concerts on the Square in Decatur via visitdecaturga.wordpress.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This weekend, we've paused from our peach picking to give you a taste of Georgia. Twenty-five teachers invite you to take a road trip through our southern state. Hop through our blogs to get freebies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This weekend only, I'm giving away my Standards for Mathematical Practice posters from TpT for FREE! You can pick up mine just by clicking <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Standards-for-Mathematical-Practice-Posters-307430" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My entire TpT store will also be 20% off this weekend only -- June 20-22, so check it out! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We'd also like to give you a chance to win a bushel basket full of our products. To enter from my page, you just need to follow my blog on Bloglovin'. Already do that? I'd also love for you to follow by email in the link at the top! You can enter once from each person's blog.</span></div>
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-44903915023549608312014-06-09T13:04:00.001-04:002014-06-09T13:04:14.354-04:0010 Must-Have Tools for the Busy TeacherThis year was uniquely challenging for me. I had my biggest class ever (28 students) , and I was co-teaching all day with teachers and paras from the special ed department--also a first. Meanwhile, I started working on my PhD, and my toddler constantly kept me busy. My plate has never been so full!<br />
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If you're a teacher who often feels pulled in every direction, then this list is for you. These are my top 10 tools for juggling it all. Hopefully you'll find some to use as well!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htYPYD3GKJE/U5XlpFc0OfI/AAAAAAAABVk/vDXCd7mKMvI/s1600/10+Must+Have+Apps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htYPYD3GKJE/U5XlpFc0OfI/AAAAAAAABVk/vDXCd7mKMvI/s1600/10+Must+Have+Apps.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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1. <a href="http://www.nozbe.com/a-alisoneber" target="_blank">Nozbe</a></h3>
<a href="http://www.nozbe.com/a-alisoneber" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vlN9T4N1qVg/U5XaaKLl9rI/AAAAAAAABUU/thgrehPrNBw/s1600/NozbeLogo.png" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.nozbe.com/a-alisoneber" target="_blank">Nozbe</a> is the ultimate task list manager. You can organize by projects -- school, work, home, etc., create recurring tasks, and so much more. I can access it from any device, add attachments, and email stuff to my to-do list. I started out with the free version, and I quickly upgraded to the paid version. At $96/year, the paid version has a hefty price tag, but this app was SO much better than any other task manager I'd tried, and it's been worth every penny. If you're someone who has lots of projects going at once, this app is worth exploring.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.evernote.com/" target="_blank">Evernote</a></h3>
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This is my brain online. All of my coursework and notes are in <a href="http://www.evernote.com/" target="_blank">Evernote</a>, and all of my anecdotal records and student work samples are in here as well. I was able to use the free version for many years, and then once my husband and I decided to go digital with all of our financial documents, etc., I upgraded to the premium version. At $35/year, it's pretty affordable.<br />
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3. <a href="https://db.tt/CFH2DEvX" target="_blank">Dropbox</a></h3>
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I don't think I could function without <a href="https://db.tt/CFH2DEvX" target="_blank">Dropbox</a>. I switch between so many devices between work, home, and school each day, but <a href="https://db.tt/CFH2DEvX" target="_blank">Dropbox</a> allows me to keep track of everything. All of my lesson plans, TpT purchases, readings for class, and more are in my <a href="https://db.tt/CFH2DEvX" target="_blank">Dropbox</a> account. I'm still living off of the free space, but I'm getting the daily reminders that my <a href="https://db.tt/CFH2DEvX" target="_blank">Dropbox</a> is nearly full. Might need to upgrade that soon, too. Premium accounts offer 100 GB of storage for $99/year.<br />
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4. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goodreader-for-ipad/id363448914?mt=8" target="_blank">GoodReader</a></h3>
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goodreader-for-ipad/id363448914?mt=8" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r7GtYta1slk/U5XdIm5SiWI/AAAAAAAABUs/QdiKJpxKGbg/s1600/GoodReader-for-Ipad-300x300.png" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
I've used this app a lot with my students, but I'm finding it to be totally clutch for my grad school stuff, too. I'm doing tons of research for my courses and scoping out dissertation ideas, and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goodreader-for-ipad/id363448914?mt=8" target="_blank">GoodReader</a> allows me to annotate all of the PDF's I'm amassing. I've created a folder on Dropbox for all of the articles I've gathered, and I can sync that folder to GoodReader so I can read it all on my iPad. I can also send it back to Evernote when I finish. One of my dear friends told me that I'd have laundry baskets full of research cluttering my house while I worked on my PhD, but not so...It's all electronic!<br />
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5. <a href="https://www.google.com/calendar" target="_blank">GoogleCalendar</a></h3>
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I have a variety of calendars on Google -- class schedules, deadlines, school events, etc. Some of these I share with my husband so we can both be aware of each other's events. Other calendars I share with my students and their parents so they can be aware of upcoming events and tests. I like that all of my calendars are color-coded so I know which calendar I'm looking at, and I can select/de-select different calendars to narrow my focus if I'm looking for something in particular.<br />
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6. <a href="https://ga.youcanbook.me/">YouCanBook.Me</a></h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fmGGiDaTZxU/U5XfYkZWzFI/AAAAAAAABVA/LN_eUxMLNyc/s1600/YouCanBookMe.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fmGGiDaTZxU/U5XfYkZWzFI/AAAAAAAABVA/LN_eUxMLNyc/s1600/YouCanBookMe.png" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
This free site allows me to share portions of my calendar with parents so they can schedule parent-teacher conferences. I choose the days they can see, set the times they can schedule, and manage the maximum time blocks they can reserve. They don't get to see any of the events on my calendar, just whether I'm available or not. If they reserve a time slot, it will automatically add it to my calendar and send me an email. It's eliminated the back-and-forth process of conference scheduling and allowed me to manage my time better.<br />
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7. <a href="http://planbook.com/">Planbook.com</a></h3>
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Since I was co-teaching this year, I needed to find a way to share my plans easily from week to week. I tested out Planbook in August, and I loved it. I like that you can extend or bump lessons, attach files, and customize the fields that appear. It's a great resource that's keeping me much more organized. You can get a free trial of it before paying the $12 for an annual subscription.<br />
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8. <a href="http://www.ergonis.com/products/typinator/" target="_blank">Typinator</a></h3>
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This is a tool that's new to me, but Typinator is a text expander tool. There are several pieces of text that I find myself typing or copying/pasting over and over. Typinator allows me to create typing shortcuts for all of those. For example, if I want to type my blog address as a hyperlink when I comment on someone's blog, I can simply type "~bl" and it will place the text there for me. I also use it for standard replies to emails such as when parents email me to say their child will be absent. I can type "~abs" and it will write: "Thanks for letting me know about the absence. I hope your child is feeling better soon! Today's assignments will be posted on our class website, and let me know if there's anything else you need." Four key strokes = all of that. I find typing way faster than using the mouse, so this is a time saver that quickly adds up. It's only available for Macs, and it's priced in Euros (converts to around $36 US), but I use it all the time.<br />
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9. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">GoodReads</a></h3>
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Distinct from GoodReader, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">GoodReads</a> is an online community surrounding books. It allows me to keep track of the books I'm reading and which books I want to read next. As I'm starting my dissertation research, I'm constantly finding book titles that I want to check out. Similarly, there are lots of teaching books and children's books that I want to investigate someday, and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">GoodReads</a> helps me organize all of that. Best of all, I can use its scanning feature to scan barcodes when I'm browsing in the bookstore.<br />
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10. <a href="http://www.edmodo.com/" target="_blank">Edmodo</a></h3>
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I used Edmodo a lot for collecting student work and grading tests/quizzes this year. It managed all of the submissions and kept the work organized for me so I could be more efficient with tracking these things. It also allowed me to create assignments, give and grade quizzes, communicate with students and parents, and so much more. This is a great free learning management system that was a centerpiece of my classroom this year. <br />
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With the exception of Typinator, which is only on my computers, all of these apps are cloud-based or mobile-friendly so I can get to them from any device. When I'm shifting between my iPhone, iPad, laptop, and desktop, that's critical. I may be busy, but I can get to my projects anytime, anywhere, and I'm not hauling around tons of materials everywhere I go. These tools boost efficiency and minimize life clutter.<br />
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What are some tools you're using this year to help with productivity? I'd love to hear more recommendations in the comments.<br />
<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contained some affiliate links meaning that if you click on the link and purchase the app, a small part of your subscription cost will go to me instead of entirely to the company. I'm only recommending products that I highly use and pay for myself, however, and I hope you'll find value in these resources as well. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05662652034560852957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-77833172760607877232014-06-03T11:21:00.000-04:002014-06-03T11:21:35.759-04:0010 Reasons to Write with TechnologyI'm super excited about the two books that I'm studying this summer as part of my summer series.<br />
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Today, I'm diving into the first one entitled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571109374/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1571109374&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=AUSDQZQN6ZJES7JE" target="_blank">When Writing with Technology Matters by Carol Bedard and Charles Fuhrken</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571109374/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1571109374&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=AUSDQZQN6ZJES7JE" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FpWqVek7HvY/U43edtDyddI/AAAAAAAABTs/bETT_O-73P4/s1600/When+Writing+w+Tech+Matters.jpeg" /></a></div>
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Rather than giving you a laundry list of all of the ways that you could integrate technology into writing, this book goes in-depth into two specific projects. The first project uses reading and writing to launch moviemaking, and the second project is authoring a visual nonfiction essay. As someone who routinely integrates technology in the classroom, I like this book because it examines lots of angles of these types of projects in great detail. But this book is also good for beginners for that same reason. Rather than offering an overwhelming number of ideas, it breaks down projects into manageable and authentic steps. </div>
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I'll be examining each of those projects in future posts, but today I want to talk about the first chapter - 10 Reasons Why Writing with Technology Matters.</div>
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The opening chapter is filled with research about how technology integration contributes to student learning. They break it down into a list of the following 10 items:<br />
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Something that I would add to this list that captures many of the items is the notion of "authenticity." When you engage students in project-based learning such as making a movie or designing a visual essay, students feel like they have a real purpose. Their work will be viewed by others, and this really motivates students to push a little bit harder. Giving students the freedom, space, and resources to work on something meaningful is a powerful recipe for empowering learners.<br />
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I also want to comment on teacher-disposition. A lot of people who visit my classroom think that I have all the answers for technology integration, but let me tell you a secret -- I don't. Almost every day, a student or teacher will ask me a question about how to do something, and I won't immediately know the answer.<br />
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And that's okay.<br />
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Because one of the most important things I can model for my students is the act of troubleshooting and problem solving. If I can't figure out how to do something, I'll hop on the internet and poke around until I can find the answer. I think a lot of teachers avoid technology because they're not confident in their ability to work with it, but you can find a whole lot of information just-in-time as you need it online. Don't let a lack of confidence divert you from trying some of these projects.<br />
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Next week, we'll dive into Part 1: Reading and Writing to Launch Moviemaking. If you haven't already <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571109374/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1571109374&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20&linkId=AUSDQZQN6ZJES7JE" target="_blank">picked up a copy of this book</a>, I'd highly recommend it. And it's not too late to <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iQiSu2H7czLW7-Ugr7KVI9IUtVN8l4mCrIxoWPFy2xE/viewform?usp=send_form" target="_blank">join in the book study</a>! In fact, you're only 14 pages behind! :)<br />
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If you are reading this book, I'd love to know what you think. Leave me a note in the comment section!<br />
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Happy reading (and writing)!<br />
<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Copse; line-height: 12.600000381469727px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post contains affiliate links, but I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CRF, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05662652034560852957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-73323816136055871442014-06-02T17:58:00.000-04:002014-06-02T17:58:41.485-04:00June Currently<br />
Summer vacation is here! Woohoo! Technically, I'm not quite done. I have to finish packing up my classroom, and I still have a few things to finish for mailing out report cards, but the hard part -- managing 27 excited fourth graders before summer break -- is over. I'm on my own schedule now.<br />
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And still waking up at 5:30am sans alarm clock every morning... sigh...<br />
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<b>Listening </b>- I just sent my final report cards and test scores to the printer. Now I just have to stuff them into envelopes, but oh -- it's good to be done!<br />
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<b>Loving</b> - I was supposed to be taking two classes this summer, but the first one (a prerequisite for the second) was cancelled due to low enrollment. I took that as a sign (excuse?) that I'm supposed to take a break this summer, and I'm loving that. I have a huge "to do" list of things I want to accomplish, and it's a huge stress relief to know that I won't have to write any papers or travel to classes throughout the week.<br />
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<b>Thinking</b> - Many of my favorite people at work are moving on to new adventures next year, so it will be a very different place when I return at the end of July. I'm going to miss them a ton! Since I'm also moving classrooms, I'll have a very different environment with new neighbors. I like fresh starts and new opportunities, but I'm still sad to say goodbye to my current friends and neighbors who I'll hardly get to see next year. At least there's Facebook to keep in touch!<br />
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<b>Wanting </b>- My parents live in Michigan, and I haven't seen them since Christmas. The long distance thing didn't bother me so much before I had my daughter, but now I really want them around more and more. They're coming to visit next week and staying for 10 days. If I had my way, they'd move to Atlanta permanently. I'm so excited that they're visiting!<br />
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<b>Needing </b>- My newest obsession is the FX show "The Americans." If you haven't seen it, you really should. It's set in the 1980s, and it's about two KGB agents who are posing as Americans to spy for the Soviet Union. It's a really good drama with very interesting characters, and my husband and I have jammed through all of season 1 and most of season 2. Of course, because my eyes automatically close at 10pm, I fell asleep through an episode last night, and I have to catch up today so we can finish the season together tonight. Summer vacation can be so rough!<br />
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<b>Summer Bucket List - </b>I have lots of goals for the summer, but no "must do" tasks. So here are my three:<br />
1. Read fiction - I'm terrible with this throughout the year, especially now that I'm back in grad school, too. I'd really love to read a couple books each week just for the fun of it. I miss doing that!<br />
2. Finish projects - this is broad and includes a lot of areas -- school projects, home projects, knitting projects, organizing projects, etc. I love starting projects, but I'm not always the best at finishing them in a timely manner. I'd like to wrap up a few of those this summer so I'm starting fresh in the fall.<br />
3. Relax! Juggling full-time teaching and part-time PhD work was really intense. I don't think I appreciated how hard I'd been working until the semester ended, and I realized how much more free time I had. Since everything starts up again in the fall, I'd like to just relax and take it easy this summer. No pressure to tackle everything on my possible to do list or anything like that. Less school work and more manicures, I say! That sounds like a great summer plan to me.<br />
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Of course, while the summer will be full of relaxation, I'm also planning to blog a lot more. I've had a big pile of posts banked up for a while now, and since I finally have my own schedule, I'll be back here pretty regularly. I hope that you'll stick around and leave me comments! I'm also going to be starting my summer book clubs tomorrow, so stay tuned for the first post about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571109374/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1571109374&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20" target="_blank">When Writing with Technology Matters!</a><br />
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<img align="middle" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05662652034560852957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-36196667836893049432014-03-28T09:00:00.000-04:002014-03-28T09:00:00.755-04:00Summer Book StudiesMaybe it's because spring break is approaching or because my students clearly have spring fever, but I'm already starting to make plans for the summer. As usual, tackling some good books for professional development is on the agenda.<br />
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This summer, I'm going to get back to my roots on this blog: Teaching Reading and Writing with Technology. Towards that end, I've selected two books.<br />
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<b>Book #1 (studied in June): <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571109374/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1571109374&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20" target="_blank">When Writing with Technology Matters by Carol Bedard & Charles Fuhrken</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571109374/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1571109374&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2WDhXahWQgU/UzREQOA1r-I/AAAAAAAABS0/K00GGojRHos/s1600/When+Writing+w+Tech+Matters.jpeg" /></a></div>
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This book is a case study of various writing projects done in an elementary classroom. I perused the <a href="http://www.stenhouse.com/html/when-writing-with-technology-matters.htm" target="_blank">full text preview</a> on the Stenhouse website, and it looks like it could spark some good ideas and discussions. It goes deep into a couple ideas rather than covering the full range of ways to integrate technology in writers' workshop, so it's a good text for teachers at all experience levels.<br />
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<b>Book #2 (studied in July/August): <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1571108750/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1571108750&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20" target="_blank">Many Texts, Many Voices: Teaching Literacy and Social Justice to Young Learners in the Digital Age by Penny Silvers & Mary C. Shorey</a></b><br />
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I'm increasingly reminded that these kids have never lived in a world that didn't have Facebook or Twitter, and as social media takes over everything, I want to teach students the skills to help them become powerful consumers (and creators!) of information. This book focuses on authentic literacy tasks that foster critical literacy and engagement with technology. I really cannot wait to tackle this book!<br />
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I'd love for you to join me as readers or discussion leaders this summer! I'll post a complete schedule in May, but in the meantime, please help me spread the word. Summer is a great time to gather new ideas that you can take back to the classroom and to play around with technology. <br />
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If you'd like to share in leading the discussion at your blog this summer, please fill out this Google Form, and I'll be in touch to set up the schedule.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iQiSu2H7czLW7-Ugr7KVI9IUtVN8l4mCrIxoWPFy2xE/viewform?embedded=true" width="760">Loading...</iframe>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links, but I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CRF, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05662652034560852957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-26261067259262852722014-03-27T09:22:00.000-04:002014-03-27T09:22:24.790-04:005 Tips to Make Your Paperless Classroom WorkI'm now more than 3/4 of the way through my year of 1:1 iPad work with fourth graders, and while I hoped to have a paperless classroom, the reality has been a bit different. We're definitely using less paper than we would without iPads, but I can't pretend that we're paper-free. As I reflect on this school year, here are five things I would do differently next year to make the paperless transition go even better.<br />
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<b>1. Begin the year with a typing boot camp.</b><br />
The biggest obstacle to the paperless classroom at the beginning of fourth grade is simply that the kids (for the most part) don't know how to type. Tasks that should have been quick ended up taking 3-4 times the length that I'd anticipated just because the kids were hunting for keys on the keyboard. I think if I'd spent the first term of the year working on typing skills, it would have made a big difference. And on a related note, I'd encourage students to get bluetooth keyboards to use with their iPads (assuming the school won't invest in those, too).<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HCO4GI/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004HCO4GI&linkCode=as2&tag=eberopolis-20" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004HCO4GI&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eberopolis-20" /></a></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eberopolis-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004HCO4GI" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><b>2. Transition gradually.</b><br />
When my students start fourth grade, they come from a school that does not have 1:1 iPads. As a result, the technology integration is a big adjustment--for both students and parents. Going fully paperless can be a huge culture shock for the students, and the transition can produce some anxiety. Even with tech-savvy students, there can be a huge learning curve with different apps, and it can quickly get frustrating for some kids--especially the ones who were very comfortable with school as they previously knew it. Start small with a few key apps (e.g., Edmodo, Evernote) and build from there.<br />
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<b>3. Try to give options.</b><br />
Some students are far more comfortable with the iPads than others, and sometimes their lack of comfort can impact their work. With writing, for example, I've learned to give students the option of drafting on paper, even though there are lots of mind-mapping and word processing apps they could use for drafting. Usually once they have that first draft on paper, they're more comfortable typing it in to make revisions and edits. For some of my students, that flexibility makes a huge difference in the amount of writing they can endure. For other students, the iPads boost productivity. Either way, we know that choice is important to students, and this is another important way to differentiate in a 1:1 classroom. <br />
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<b>4. Don't force it.</b><br />
There are still some contexts where it makes more sense to use paper. Math tests are one example for me. I don't tend to give students multiple choice tests in math, and I want them to have plenty of space to show their work. Yes, they could do the work on GoodReader with a stylus and turn it in on Edmodo, but that's not necessarily more efficient for me to grade--especially on a multipage test. Similarly, we're still using paper and a notebook for our word study work. We use differentiated spelling lists with Words Their Way, and I want students to go through the practice of sorting and recording their words each week. Paper makes sense for that.<br />
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<b>5. Stay flexible, and have a backup plan.</b><br />
At the beginning of the year, we were using our iPads for almost everything (we still are). But then I got sick, and I had to write sub plans. I never know who I'm going to have as a sub, but there are two things that are certain: 1) the sub will never be as comfortable managing a class full of iPads as I am, and 2) students will be more apt to misbehave when they have a sub. As a result, I don't usually include the iPads in my sub plans unless I know that there will be someone there to enforce my expectations (e.g., someone I co-teach with or my student teacher). If students expect to use the iPads for everything, it can really throw a wrench into the system to take those away, even for a day. Therefore, it's important to be flexible with using them throughout the year so that students aren't dependent on them. Sure, they might have a preference, but they need to be able to function without them. That's also true for times when the power goes out, the internet goes down, or a software glitch makes the iPad temporarily unavailable.<br />
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<b>Any tips to add? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.</b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><img align="middle" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" /><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post contains affiliate links, but I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CRF, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05662652034560852957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-69811367329679857112014-03-26T09:00:00.000-04:002014-03-26T09:00:01.345-04:00The Amazing Power of FocusI frequently like to put on music while I work, and I sometimes do that in my classroom, too. I've rotated through many Pandora playlists, and I use Spotify a fair amount. I like the music on those sites, but they're more for entertainment than work.<br />
<br />
I've finally found a resource that really seems to help me and my students get into the zone and focus.<br />
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Let me introduce you to my favorite new website, <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=553089&u=930484&m=50055&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank">Focus@Will</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=553089&u=930484&m=50055&urllink=&afftrack=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1SDQDacROc0/UzGKeJSXIcI/AAAAAAAABSM/2LtVA9a-fGQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-03-25+at+9.52.53+AM.png" height="284" width="640" /></a> </div>
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This website allows you to listen to instrumental music from a variety of genres that has been specially selected to get you into a state of "flow." The music is sequenced in an order that draws on neuroscience and research about the impacts of music on productivity. They have a huge section documenting <a href="https://www.focusatwill.com/wp/science/science-primer/" target="_blank">the science behind the playlists</a>. </div>
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I tried this site while reading some really dense texts for a PhD class, and I really felt like it helped me stay focused and productive. I cruised through the articles in record time! I also had it playing while I worked on writing this morning, and I do feel like it's impacting my personal productivity. It seems to be helping my students as well. </div>
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They have two membership levels -- a free version and a paid version. The free version gives you 60 minutes of each playlist before stopping. You can listen to the playlists multiple times, but it will always be the same playlists. The paid version allows you to set a timer, customize playlists, listen to unlimited music, and track productivity for $4.99 billed monthly or $45 billed annually. I'm currently using the free version, but I suspect it won't be long before I upgrade. It's having a big impact on my productivity. </div>
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If you like to have music on in the background while you or your students work, I'd definitely recommend giving <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=553089&u=930484&m=50055&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank">Focus@Will</a> a try. I'd love to hear about your experiences with it in the comments!</div>
<img align="middle" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I like <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=553089&u=930484&m=50055&urllink=&afftrack=">www.focusatwill.com</a> so much that I've become an affiliate with the site. This means that if you click the links above and subscribe, I'll receive a very small commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CRF, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05662652034560852957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-76045038039114400202014-03-25T09:40:00.000-04:002014-03-25T09:40:26.105-04:00Integrating Peer FeedbackSometimes my students surprise me.<br />
<br />
We're studying the Measurement and Data standards right now in math, and we were struggling a bit with 4.MD.2 - the measurement word problems standard. We've been using some of the <a href="http://www.engageny.org/resource/grade-4-mathematics" target="_blank">free math units from Engage NY</a> (a resource I highly recommend), and we were on day 3 of working through word problems, and I knew I had to mix it up a bit. Here's what we did.<br />
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First, students worked through 6 word problems from module 2. The word problems were multi-step and used many different types of metric measurement. They completed these problems independently, but they could consult other students if they got stuck. Once everyone at the table finished, they checked their work with each other to make sure they agreed on the same answer.<br />
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Next, I assigned each table a different focus problem from the 6 that they solved. They had about 10-15 minutes to work together to design a poster that explained the problem and solution. They could represent their work any way they wanted, but the work had to speak for itself -- they wouldn't be there to explain the poster to anyone else.<br />
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Once the posters were completed, I gathered the students together on the carpet, and we reviewed the Standards for Mathematical Practice using <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Standards-for-Mathematical-Practice-Posters-307430" target="_blank">these posters</a> I've made:<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Standards-for-Mathematical-Practice-Posters-307430" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CTNVWo3xTNQ/UzF4JP6paGI/AAAAAAAABRc/WBuwuRtpxMY/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-03-25+at+8.35.15+AM.png" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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We talked about using these standards as opportunities to give feedback. We also discussed how effective feedback needs to be specific and constructive. If you like something, say what, specifically, you liked and how it helped communicate an idea. If something needed to be improved, explain what and how that could be done.<br />
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Once I felt like the students had some ideas for ways to give good feedback, I had the students do a gallery walk around the classroom to look at the other posters. In a gallery walk, students use sticky notes to comment on other people's work. They can leave positive and/or constructive feedback. I let the students comment anonymously if they wanted, and they were able to reference the SMP posters if they needed ideas (I gave them access to a digital copy on their iPads). I used a timer, and they spent 5 minutes studying and commenting on each poster before rotating.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ry0sd3b-e4I/UzGEAb_k1nI/AAAAAAAABRs/kDfxp-E16fI/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ry0sd3b-e4I/UzGEAb_k1nI/AAAAAAAABRs/kDfxp-E16fI/s1600/Slide1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtYZyMlkR9s/UzGEAUUdYII/AAAAAAAABRw/vvO5I_bx-XA/s1600/Slide2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtYZyMlkR9s/UzGEAUUdYII/AAAAAAAABRw/vvO5I_bx-XA/s1600/Slide2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Once they'd rotated through all of the posters, the returned to the poster their group had made, and they took a few minutes to read the feedback. I had them work together to sort the feedback into the categories "helpful" and "not helpful."<br />
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We shared a few examples of helpful comments with the whole class:<br />
<ul>
<li>"I like how the team drew pictures to represent the problem, but I think the team could have explained what each picture represented from the problem."</li>
<li>"The pictures aren't in proportion to one another. The drawing of 1,500 mL is much larger than 3 L, but really the 3 L should be larger."</li>
<li>"Something I really like about your poster is that it has pictures to represent the problems. One thing that you could have done differently is represent the subtraction and addition with a tape diagram."</li>
<li>"You could have represented the answer in mixed units to make your answer clearer."</li>
</ul>
We then talked about unhelpful comments -- one word comments or feedback that focused more on style than substance.<br />
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Overall, this lesson was very helpful in getting the students to think about the Standards for Mathematical Practice and how to give effective feedback. Each group had ideas for things they wanted to change on their posters based on peer comments, and some groups even asked to work on it more during recess! It was also a good reminder for me that students can give each other powerful feedback, and I need to provide them with more opportunities to do this across the subject areas.<br />
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If you'd like to get a copy of my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Standards-for-Mathematical-Practice-Posters-307430" target="_blank">student-friendly Standards for Mathematical Practice posters</a>, they're available in my TpT store by clicking the image below.<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Standards-for-Mathematical-Practice-Posters-307430" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B3jGSP-0Kn8/UzGGxCfzICI/AAAAAAAABSA/qHCe_B0g56g/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-03-25+at+9.37.43+AM.png" height="297" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>What are some ways you incorporate peer feedback in your classroom? I'd love to hear more ideas in the comments section!</b><br />
<img align="middle" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05662652034560852957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-30140184237563022852014-03-23T16:34:00.000-04:002014-03-23T16:34:27.918-04:00Georgia Bloggers Meet-upI was thrilled to get the opportunity to meet up with some other Georgia bloggers yesterday thanks to the organizational efforts of Jayne at <a href="http://smartkidsgammons.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Smart Kids</a>. You see, even though I've been MIA from the blogging world a lot this year, blogging is always on my mind. Really.<br />
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This year has been a whirlwind as I've juggled teaching full-time, parenting, and starting my PhD program. Virtually everything I've written this year has included a bibliography, and that hasn't left a lot of energy for my blog. But when I've been researching and writing for my academic pursuits, I've been learning all about theories of professional learning and how our online encounters fit into that. I must say, there hasn't been a lot written about teacher professional learning through blogging, and that's a gap I intend to fill. More people need to know about the amazing teachers supporting each other through social media. They need to know how that process is 10 times better than any other form of professional development and how it empowers teachers to become better at their craft by pursuing their passions and interests.<br />
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So when I say that blogging is always on my mind, I really mean it. It's been at the heart of every paper I've written as I work on my PhD. When I got the chance to go meet some fellow bloggers, I couldn't say no.<br />
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The meet up was at Georgia School Supply in Macon, GA--about an hour and a half away from where I live. I was excited to go and meet some fellow bloggy friends because it's always so good to be able to match names and faces and to remember that there are some real live people with amazing ideas that are working in classrooms, too. I'd never met any of the people there, so it was a real treat.<br />
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We talked about our secret lives as bloggers and TpT'ers, shared tips and strategies, made business plans, swapped products, and had an all around great time. I love meeting other bloggers and learning how much we have in common. Everyone I met yesterday was wonderful, and I look forward to keeping in touch with these new friends!<br />
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I hope to be blogging more this week as my student teacher takes over EVERYTHING from now through spring break (woot! woot!). In the meantime, be sure to check out the blogs from the amazing people I met yesterday!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-70029037073527280022014-02-11T10:32:00.002-05:002014-02-11T10:32:39.705-05:00How to Cope with Too Many Snow Days<b>Ice and Snow, Go Away!</b><br />
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This has been the worst winter since I moved to Atlanta eight years ago. We have six-week terms, and during these last six weeks, we lost two days to extremely cold temperatures (by Southern standards), three additional days because of the "snowpocalypse" that buried Atlanta, and now I'm home again due to Winter Storm "Pax" that will likely shut us down the rest of the week. That's nearly one-third of our term lost!<br />
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Adding to my dilemma, our calendar builds in week-long breaks at the end of each six week term. So we won't be back in school next week either. It's a serious wrinkle in my plans.<br />
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I talked to my fourth graders about this yesterday, and we worked out a plan so they could continue to work from home during these inclement weather days. It's a really rainy, dreary day anyway (we're at the "wintry mix" stage of the storm), so it's not like they'd be outside sledding today. I also suspect that many parents are welcoming the activities at this stage of the winter!<br />
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Here are my suggestions for telecommuting with your class during winter weather.<br />
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<b>Building a Virtual Classroom</b><br />
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<b>1. Choose a mix of activities that can be shared with parents.</b> I knew early last night that we'd be off today, so I found some activities that aligned with what we're studying right now. While many of the activities require computer access, I purposefully included some that do not. For example, we're building weather instruments out of household items, writing stories, continuing our reading, etc. But we're also using some online resources.<br />
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<b>2. Take advantage of online instructional videos.</b> Two of my favorite free resources are <a href="http://www.learnzillion.com/" target="_blank">LearnZillion</a> and <a href="http://www.khanacademy.org/" target="_blank">Khan Academy</a>. I selected videos that align with the math and ELA content we're working on now.<br />
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<b>3. Stay accessible through your Learning Management System.</b> We use <a href="http://www.edmodo.com/" target="_blank">Edmodo</a> in our class, and it's a great tool for turning in assignments and having class discussions. I'm checking in throughout the day to answer students' questions and participate in the discussion questions I set up there earlier.<br />
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<b>4. Take advantage of the resources students have at home. </b>I teach in a 1:1 iPad classroom, so we're constantly on iPads. There are lots of flash-based games that we can't run on our iPads, however. I'm fortunate that all of my students have computers at home, so I'm incorporating more of those activities for students to complete. I'm also choosing some really fun and engaging simulation games that we just don't ever get to in class. Two examples:<br />
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<a href="http://www.icivics.org/games/lawcraft" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_cej6DBnLl4/Uvo7ur0Mj9I/AAAAAAAABS4/9PYdvz6BbnU/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-02-11+at+10.02.51+AM.png" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.icivics.org/games/lawcraft" target="_blank">Law Craft</a> - For the record, all of the games at iCivics.org are worth checking out. In this particular one, students work to craft a law and take it through the legislative process. They have to build support by making concessions, work out the details through committees, and ultimately get the president to sign it. It teaches a lot about how a bill becomes a law.</div>
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<a href="http://www.edheads.org/activities/weather/frame_loader.htm" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0YIHIesLPac/Uvo8lNlLzdI/AAAAAAAABTA/YmAyIZyTBzo/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-02-11+at+10.06.24+AM.png" height="280" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.edheads.org/activities/weather/frame_loader.htm" target="_blank">Edheads Weather</a> - This aligns with the weather forecasting aspect of our weather unit. Students will work through different weather maps to report the weather and predict future weather events. It's another great interactive game. I highly recommend the activities at the <a href="http://edheads.org/" target="_blank">Edheads website</a>. The only downside is that there are lots of ads, and sometimes pop-ups.<br />
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<b>5. Be flexible - </b>I can't really help students troubleshoot tech issues on their home computers, and I can't make them do the activities at home. I'm not making any of the activities mandatory, but they're still available. I'm hoping that with the good mix of opportunities, parents and students will take advantage of the resources I'm offering. But I won't punish a student who doesn't. If even a few kids do the activities, it's better than writing off the weather days as a complete loss.<br />
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<b>Preparation is Key</b><br />
It would be impossible to implement this plan with fourth graders if a lot of our technology norms and routines hadn't already been established. My students are familiar with my class website, Edmodo, and my expectations. Integrating technology in the classroom makes the transition to our virtual classroom seamless.<br />
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<b>How do you handle inclement weather days with your class? Do you have any plans resources to keep students engaged while they're away from the classroom? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments!</b><br />
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On an unrelated note, I have been MIA from the blogging world since October. As I've mentioned before, I've started working on a PhD in addition to teaching full-time and managing my toddler, so I've been insanely busy! I have an amazing student teacher this semester, however, so I'm starting to delegate more. I'm hopeful that will free up a little more time and energy so I can get back to blogging and reading all the stuff I've missed. Perhaps these weather days will also assist with that!<br />
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<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-43703517949377080712013-10-12T09:00:00.000-04:002013-10-12T09:00:00.772-04:00Now on Instagram!I've joined in the Instagram love! You can now find me at <a href="http://instagram.com/eberopolis" target="_blank">Eberopolis</a> on Instagram.<br />
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I started using it on Wednesday, so I'm still new, but I'm making it a goal to post something (usually) classroom-related every day. Be sure to follow me so I can find all of my teacher-friends who are already there!<br />
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Have a great weekend!<br />
<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7205400254653161775.post-4751998668989012992013-10-11T16:00:00.000-04:002013-10-11T16:00:00.035-04:00Are You Ready for NaNoWriMo?I plan to encourage my students to participate in NaNoWriMo again this year. For those of you who aren't familiar, November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short. It's the month where tell your inner-editor to hush so you can just let the ideas flow on to the page. It's about getting something done without worrying how perfect it is, because you can always go back and revise in December.<br />
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Last year, as October drew to a close, I introduced NaNoWriMo to my class. I explained the premise, and gave them the option of taking on the challenge. We talked about word count goals and commitment to writing outside of the classroom. Then the fun started. Student after student signed up, each cheering each other on as they dedicated themselves to writing a book. In the end, I think all but two students decided to participate. We had weekly lunch meetings where students could eat and share their writing with friends, and although not all students met their goals, they definitely started to find their voices as authors.<br />
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The Young Writers Program for NaNoWriMo has some great teaching materials to get your students psyched for NaNoWriMo and to teach them about narrative writing in general. You can check out their website at <a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/">http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/</a>. In addition, there's still time to <a href="https://store.nanowrimo.org/merchandise/nanowrimo-ywp-classroom-kit" target="_blank">order a NaNoWriMo classroom kit</a> which comes with a student goal setting poster, NaNoWriMo stickers to track progress toward a goal, and buttons for those students who participate or finish. The classroom kit is free (and awesome), but they request a $10 donation for the materials -- a small price to pay to get your students excited about writing.<br />
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In honor of NaNoWriMo, I'll be hosting a month-long link-up that will start on November 1 and run the duration of NaNoWriMo. Whether your class officially participates in NaNoWriMo or not, I hope you'll join me in sharing the great writing work that's happening in your class. Grab the button, spread the word, and meet me back here on November 1st for a writing extravaganza!<br />
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In the meantime, check out the <a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/educators" target="_blank">Educators' section of the Young Writers Project</a>. I'm sure you'll find plenty to get you (and your students) excited for a month full of creative writing!<br />
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Who's in?<br />
<img align="center" src="http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g447/eschaff/Eberopolis/sgn2.png" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10929174149211629307noreply@blogger.com0