Please feel free to make a comment about either one of these sites or let us know how you use Bloom's Taxonomy to promote higher level thinking skills in your classroom.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
What's "Bloomin" in your Classroom?
Hopefully you know by now that Bloom's Taxonomy has been revised (for the better!). I have come across a couple of resources that can help you target your teaching to the various levels of thinking. The first is Educational Origami. Educational Origami is a blog and a wiki that helps to address the needs of the 21st century learner. This site is slammed full of resources such as web 2.0 tools with getting started sheets, rubrics to use in the classroom, and information on living in a digital age. Another site that has practical classroom applications (primarily math and science) can be found by clicking here.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Skype Part I
Well, here I am with my second post ever on a blog and I have 4 followers! Maybe some more of you would like to follow me as well. Click to Join this site at the right.(This may need to be done at home. Bess may block this gadget.)
Today's post is on Skype. Skype is a software application that allows you to make voice calls over the internet. If you call another Skype member, the calls are free. If you choose to call a landline or a mobile phone, then there is a fee. I only use the free version of Skype and it works just fine! The first time I used Skype personally, I called my sister, my niece, and nephew in Kannapolis, NC. We had a nice conversation about their day at school and a day in the life of the Wightmans. My next Skype experience was a discussion about Fred Jones' Tools for Teaching with four middle school principals from Rockingham County Schools and one principal from Alabama. That discussion was a lot of fun because we used cameras too. I have also used Skype for my on-line graduate school classes. The sound was much clearer in Skype than in the virtual worlds we previously met in. Finally, I have used Skype to help teachers. Did you know that you can share your desktop via Skype? This was a major revelation because now I can help everyone with ActivInspire, Google Docs, Castle Learning, etc. without having to be in their school.
Some people think you need to have a camera to use with Skype. This is not true. In fact, I would rather not use a camera because when I have used it in the past, I resembled a frog on the screen. This did not boost my self-confidence, so I avoid the camera at all costs! This is not to say that you should not use the camera. Feel free to experiment. Pleas
Skype Download
50 Ways to use Skype in the classroom
Today's post is on Skype. Skype is a software application that allows you to make voice calls over the internet. If you call another Skype member, the calls are free. If you choose to call a landline or a mobile phone, then there is a fee. I only use the free version of Skype and it works just fine! The first time I used Skype personally, I called my sister, my niece, and nephew in Kannapolis, NC. We had a nice conversation about their day at school and a day in the life of the Wightmans. My next Skype experience was a discussion about Fred Jones' Tools for Teaching with four middle school principals from Rockingham County Schools and one principal from Alabama. That discussion was a lot of fun because we used cameras too. I have also used Skype for my on-line graduate school classes. The sound was much clearer in Skype than in the virtual worlds we previously met in. Finally, I have used Skype to help teachers. Did you know that you can share your desktop via Skype? This was a major revelation because now I can help everyone with ActivInspire, Google Docs, Castle Learning, etc. without having to be in their school.
Some people think you need to have a camera to use with Skype. This is not true. In fact, I would rather not use a camera because when I have used it in the past, I resembled a frog on the screen. This did not boost my self-confidence, so I avoid the camera at all costs! This is not to say that you should not use the camera. Feel free to experiment. Pleas
Skype Download
50 Ways to use Skype in the classroom
Monday, August 15, 2011
School's In!
The 2011-2012 school year is going to be a fantastic one! I look forward to catching up with all of my middle school co-workers within the next couple of weeks.
This past year I have been promoting blogs as a way to engage students and improve their writing skills. However, I myself have never blogged! Therefore, I have created my first blog in order to provide the middle school teachers of Rockingham County (and anyone else interested) a resource for finding ways to integrate technology into their classrooms. It is also my hope that individuals will comment on posts as well as share any ideas or resources of their own. Posts will be generated no less than bi-monthly and will appear on Mondays. Let's get started!
Have you made use of Google's Calendar? I don't know how I remembered to eat lunch without it ;) . Google Calendar allows you to segment different parts of your life and overlay them on top of each other within your calendar. Without going into too much detail, I have created 3 calendars for myself:
Here is how it works:
This past year I have been promoting blogs as a way to engage students and improve their writing skills. However, I myself have never blogged! Therefore, I have created my first blog in order to provide the middle school teachers of Rockingham County (and anyone else interested) a resource for finding ways to integrate technology into their classrooms. It is also my hope that individuals will comment on posts as well as share any ideas or resources of their own. Posts will be generated no less than bi-monthly and will appear on Mondays. Let's get started!
Have you made use of Google's Calendar? I don't know how I remembered to eat lunch without it ;) . Google Calendar allows you to segment different parts of your life and overlay them on top of each other within your calendar. Without going into too much detail, I have created 3 calendars for myself:
- Leigh Hopkins - shared with everyone in RCS
- Leigh's Worklog- shared with administration
- Personal - private only to me
Google Calendar has helped me to organize my personal and professional life in one place! Visit the the following links for more information and video tutorials.
- http://www.google.com/support/calendar/?ctx=ausers&hl=en-Google's Calendar Help Center
- http://deployment.googleapps.com/Home/resources-user-adoption/elearning-videos - Video Tutorials
Of course you can ask me for help! Here is a quick and easy way to book a time with me.The beginning of the year is a time for creating schedules, so I have enlisted the help of a website called www.youcanbookme.com .
Here is how it works:
- Click on http://lhopkins.youcanbook.me
- Look at my schedule and click on the time slot that you would like to meet with me. Time slots that are crossed out indicate that I am already "Booked" (Be sure I am at your school that day)
- After you select a time slot, you will enter your email and what you would like to do during that time.(You may select more than one time if you need more than 30 min.)
That is it! Pretty easy huh? Again, I look forward to working with you this year and helping you move forward with your technology skills. Please don't forget to complete the Instructional Technology Needs Assessment Survey. This feedback is crucial for planning staff and individual training for this upcoming year.
By the way, what is one way you will be integrating technology in your classroom this year? I and other middle school teachers of RCS can't wait to read about it!
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