Weighing the + and - of Google Sites

I am currently building a Google Site resource for studying English Language and Literature (Learning Lit) and I am very convinced that having a website as a resource for students, parents, and/or teachers (or all three in my case) is so unbelievably useful to getting everyone on the same page!

PROS (+) :

Right now I am in the middle of adding a number of resources for the different audiences that addresses the importance of learning and teaching English through a number of strategies.

Google Sites allow you to add a Google Calendar with all your events, assignments, tests, reminders, birthdays, etc.

The site provides a common space for all parties to address questions or concerns.

CONS (-) :

Limitations you may ask?

Well, there are some. The limitation I see right now (because I haven't quite figured out how to incoporate it yet) is the lack of ACTIVE DISCUSSION (a forum, discussion board?).

It is important NOT to use the website as only a teacher-directed tool or else you a minimizing how the site could truly be used to enhance student/parent/teacher learning. To open these topics up to discussion, we are learning from one another and therefore, engaging in ACTIVE LEARNING.

Thinking about Literacy...

As I returned from my first teaching block, we had a week of reflecting on stories that all the teacher candidates were excited to talk about. One common trend I found was that most of my peers were shocked with the level of literacy (or lack of) within their high school, sometimes senior level, classrooms. Especially as an English major/teacher candidate, I felt the same. This brings me to ...

In my English class, we are reading a book called When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers. This amazing author has truly changed my perspective on literacy. She tells her teaching story as she progressed and learned while focusing on the challenges she had to overcome.

Her main challenge was that no one has taught her how to teach literacy; she's clearly a good reader but her students don't always mimic that level of skill or interest -- so what now?

So far, here is some of what I have gathered (all taken straight from that book -- buy it, read it!):

• "if they read it (the text), it (the meaning) does not necessarily come" -- don't think telling students to reread a text while help them understand it
• "simply improving the cognitive aspects of reading [...] does not ensure that the affective aspects of reading [...] will automatically improve"
• "we cannot make the struggling reader fit one mold"
• "teach students how to struggle successfully" ... "good readers do more than simply read the words" -- good readers struggle as well (i.e. has anyone struggled reading a tech-manual?)  but they know what to do to gather meaning -- i.e. they know how to struggle
• "we must convince disabled readers that reading is an active process that requires engagement"
• strategies take you to the skill of reading -- teach strategies that will help them understand the texts:
1. "Clarifying
2. Comparing and contrasting
3. Connecting to prior experiences
4. Inferencing
5. Predicting
6. Questioning
7. Recognizing the author's purpose
8. Seeing causal relationships
9. Summarizing
10. Visualizing"
• "We can [AND SHOULD] model how we use those strategies to understand texts (explicitly and directly)"
• we can "THINK ALOUD" while reading

This is only a tiny portion of Kylene Beers' text (literally a summary of 2/15 chapters) and it's already opened my mind to learning to teach literacy. I hope this blog has given you some insight into the world of literacy and perhaps made you interested to purchase this text (and no, I'm not an advertiser, I'm just inspired)

p.s. When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do is not found at Chapters but can be ordered online on Amazon -- Check it out!
p.p.s. this is a tool for ALL subject areas -- the teacher candidates I heard complaining about their students' literacy levels were not typically English teachers -- nor is it only important for teachers.

I hope you feel the way I do -- we need to make the difference.

Check it Out!

Be sure to check out my earlier blog titled, How to Incorporate Technology in The Classroom!

I have added a variety of new technology resources (many of which I got from Alan Levine, who is GREAT by the way). These resources are fantastic and so applicable and relevant to students in the classroom.

Remember, these resources are useful for ANY subject. Check them out and relate to today's 21st century learners!!

No YouTube? No Problem!

I was placed in the Dufferin-Peel District School Board at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School. Amazing board and such a fantastic school!! However, I reached a road block in the first week of teaching when I told my Associate Teacher I planned to use a YouTube video to get my classes minds on the lesson for that day.

UNFORTUNATELY, the board does not allow access to YouTube on any of the computers in the labs, libraries, or classrooms. So I paused ................................................ what will I do now? I knew I would want/need to use YouTube videos on a regular basis to attract the students via the media.

So, I went home that night and solved the problem! I hope this helps anyone else that fell into the same predicament.

1. Go to YouTube and find your video of choice
2. Click "Share" underneath the video
3. Copy the link that is given
4. Go to Media Converter
5. Click "Enter a Link" and paste your link
6. Hit "Go to Next Step"
7. Pick conversion type (I usually use WMV for videos)
8. CONVERT!

After you've converted the file, save it onto a USB stick and off you go! Your video can be accessed at your school regardless of the YouTube block! YAY! (I did this about 5 times, very useful process to remember!)

*Helpful hint: Sometimes the conversion website may only allow you a certain amount hours of conversion and that's when you switch over to another site and follow a similar process (e.g., Online-Convert)

Motivation at its Best Cont'd!

Wow! Check this out... I don't think an introduction is necessary...



I have always loved Elmo and I absolutely adore this story; I can't wait! Can you?!

Motivation at its Best

Hi there, I'm back!

I thought I would share this inspirational video with my blog viewers. I would also show this video to students (or anyone for that matter). Not only does this video tell the students never to give up, there are concrete examples of our leaders being denied in what they do best. Perserverance and determination prevail as these amazing individuals succeed to the fullest despite their past failures.

Enjoy!

The Future of High School Announcements!

Yesterday, I was at my third observation day at St. Joan of Arc CSS, and wow, it was quite the day. I was extremely sick and truthfully, I really wanted to be in my bed but I was SO happy that I buildt up the energy to go.

Why is that you ask? WELL! I saw the coolest, most futuristic thing I've ever seen! St. Joan of Arc has an AMAZING Communications Technology program where they have 3 incredible video cameras, microphones, and A GREEN SCREEN! Now, seeing this room is one thing... seeing what the students can do with this room was out of this world.

For the morning announcements, Joan of Arc no longer has a face-less student reading off a sheet over the muffled intercom -- no no, they are way too advanced for that! Now they have live TV recordings that each class watches on their Smart boards that was filmed in their Comm-Tech room and reported by the students. It was unreal! The students are using technology to be creative, innovative, and it was extremely effective! (not just because I was in awe, but because the students were also entirely engaged)

Morals of the story:
1. St. Joan of Arc is an amazing school that fosters student-centered learning
2. Technology is the learning of the 21st century and CLEARLY it can do amazing things!