Using Photos to Compose

I learned a lot more about multimedia displays of information in Troy Hicks' (2009) The Digital Writing Workshop. The section that I was really interested in was entitled, "Composing Digital Pictures and Creating Photo-Essays with Online Photo Sharing." I found this really interesting and do-able! To begin with, digital cameras and flipvideos are available at my school. This would also be very helpful to my children who struggle with inspiration to write. I was thinking that if children could take a picture of something that moves them, represents a topic, or was just interesting to them. Once they have "motivation," they can compose a multimedia project or writing project to demonstrate their proficiency.

Using blogs and wikis

This is still kinda touchy for me. As I am reading this, I am contemplating how to get the technology resources to make this happen. Can I get an app on iPads to create a word document? I can have them bookmark our wiki and they can create writing there. Maybe I can make this work! :)

Toward a Theory

Well...if I were to put this article into a wordle the largest word would be "change." I noticed that the beginning of the article discussed defining literacy. I think this is extremely important because literacy is not what it was when I was in second grade. It will take a while for this to spread and be recognized throughout the education community. When I say that, I mean that there are the oppositional educators who just want to shut their door and teach the way they always have. Children ARE learning differently now. We must embrace their learning styles and culture and teach to their liking.

Art Exhibit

I really enjoyed this activity. I found a lot of different thoughts as I walked around. I don't think I was prepared for what we did. I didn't realize that I would encounter pottery, plates, commericals, and dirty floors. I say dirty floors because there was a piece of vinyl flooring covered with enamel and spray paint. It was my favorite because it represented how I am feeling in my life. Everything looks chatoic but ironically it's titled "clarity." :) I love it...because while looking into my life from the outside it may seem messy; it's organized chaos. : )

The Digital Writing Workshop by Troy Hicks

This was a very enlightening chapter. Hicks (2009) is explaining how to move the writing workshop into the digital age seamlessly. He mentioned that teachers were trying to figure out how to add on technology and Hicks says that is not going to work. He suggests using three tools to help children access information RSS, social networking, and blogs. I fully agree that this is a wonderful example to use but at the same time I feel like it may be a little of my kids heads...??? I feel like they could do the WebQuest. But if they can do that, then why can't they use RSS and social networking. I feel like I have said this before but this is a little scary to consider doing this. I really like the idea of using blogs as a writing journal. I think the children would be more interested and it would prevent me from dragging home 18 journals every Friday! :)

What do you do when what always worked, doesn't work?

I am experiencing this in my classroom now. It is a confusing feeling. Naturally, we teach procedures and routines at the beginning of the year. Usually after 10 days of said instruction, the children are well versed on the ways of the classroom. But what do you do when they're not? Of course, you reteach! What happens after you have retaught and things are still the same. Using an idea of Dr. Long's, it's like losing your identity. You follow Harry Wong and Beginning Teacher Survival Guides all those years and it works like a charm. Now six years in, you are doing the same and nothing... We all know not much instruction can occur when a classroom is not well managed. I feel so defeated! Can someone please give me some suggestions?!

Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

To be honest, before reading this article, I thought I was a digital native. Hey...I had computers in third grade. I remember my librarian introducing us to the world wide web in sixth grade. But oh was I wrong. As I read further into the article, I could see my 'accent' coming out all over the the printed copy I used to make notes on (instead of creating digital highlights).

What Prensky (2001) says makes sense. Children are not thinking like we did. They are a very 'instant gratification' type of generation. Teachers up there lecturing all day don't have a chance! Children are in and out in an instant. We have to get hip to what they're into. Though it's scary, the benefits outweigh our fear.

He seemed informative about the ways that we need to start approaching our teaching but in the end...boy, did he just let us have it. "It's high time for them to stop their grousing, and as the Nike motto of the Digital Native generation says, 'Just do it!'" So I guess I'll stop making excuses and 'Just do it!'