Comments on: I’m officially a loser http://ideasandthoughts.org/2007/03/23/im-officially-a-loser/ As an educational technologist, I am exploring ways to make learning more relevant, engaging and authentic. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:15:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Pam Shoemaker http://ideasandthoughts.org/2007/03/23/im-officially-a-loser/#comment-24015 Pam Shoemaker Mon, 26 Mar 2007 00:28:13 +0000 http://ideasandthoughts.org/2007/03/23/im-officially-a-loser/#comment-24015 Congrats, Dean! I love getting emails like that and have received a few similar to that since starting the web 2.0 usergroups in Walled Lake. Sometimes change seems to happen so slow and it can be discouraging. However, we need to remember that once it starts it is contagious. I bet your math teachers will begin talking with their co-workers and soon there will be a flurry of excitement. Your next problem will be figuring out how to get more whiteboards at the school! Pam Congrats, Dean! I love getting emails like that and have received a few similar to that since starting the web 2.0 usergroups in Walled Lake. Sometimes change seems to happen so slow and it can be discouraging. However, we need to remember that once it starts it is contagious. I bet your math teachers will begin talking with their co-workers and soon there will be a flurry of excitement. Your next problem will be figuring out how to get more whiteboards at the school!
Pam

]]> By: Rachel Boyd http://ideasandthoughts.org/2007/03/23/im-officially-a-loser/#comment-23937 Rachel Boyd Sat, 24 Mar 2007 23:23:17 +0000 http://ideasandthoughts.org/2007/03/23/im-officially-a-loser/#comment-23937 I think that's wonderful that a group of teachers have been inspired.... and to spend a Friday night investigating and creating is a great sign! I have had similar things happen in my area (Nelson, New Zealand) where we have had a lot of older teachers "converted". It's all in the delivery, and showing them good working examples; you've got to stress that it actually is easy once you learn how. Also, especially for teachers in our area having step-by-step back up help notes is invaluable! Plus, I wouldn't say we're creating losers, perhaps computer geeks is a better word! Hopefully these teachers will be hooked enough to either find out more about web2.0 tools themselves or seek out those who can teach them more! Well done, emails like that make it all worthwhile don't they! Kind regards, Rachel I think that’s wonderful that a group of teachers have been inspired…. and to spend a Friday night investigating and creating is a great sign!

I have had similar things happen in my area (Nelson, New Zealand) where we have had a lot of older teachers “converted”. It’s all in the delivery, and showing them good working examples; you’ve got to stress that it actually is easy once you learn how. Also, especially for teachers in our area having step-by-step back up help notes is invaluable!

Plus, I wouldn’t say we’re creating losers, perhaps computer geeks is a better word! Hopefully these teachers will be hooked enough to either find out more about web2.0 tools themselves or seek out those who can teach them more!

Well done, emails like that make it all worthwhile don’t they!

Kind regards, Rachel

]]> By: J.D. Williams http://ideasandthoughts.org/2007/03/23/im-officially-a-loser/#comment-23886 J.D. Williams Sat, 24 Mar 2007 06:02:41 +0000 http://ideasandthoughts.org/2007/03/23/im-officially-a-loser/#comment-23886 Your high school math teachers should check out this blog: <a href="http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?cat=6" rel="nofollow">http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?cat=6</a> It is a high school math teacher in California's lessons. He uses a projector for his lessons and has links to the power points he uses. There is a lot of great stuff there if you haven't checked it out before. Another great site to share power points is <a href="http://www.slideshare.net" rel="nofollow">http://www.slideshare.net</a> I use it to put reviews of the power points we use in class right into our classroom blog. I have a SmartBoard IWB and I don't think I could teach without one now. It so easy now to just export whatever we work on as a .pdf file for review, sharing, etc. The students love using it. I'd suggest purchasing a presentation mouse though, because I noticed before I had one I was always just up at the front of the room. I've set up a wiki of the things I use in my 6th grade classroom: <a href="http://gesdmath.wikispaces.com" rel="nofollow">http://gesdmath.wikispaces.com</a> And, it's Friday night, the last Friday of my spring break and I'm listening to podcasts, writing lesson plans and reading blogs. I think that says something unfortunate about my social life as well.. haha Your high school math teachers should check out this blog:
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?cat=6

It is a high school math teacher in California’s lessons. He uses a projector for his lessons and has links to the power points he uses. There is a lot of great stuff there if you haven’t checked it out before.

Another great site to share power points is http://www.slideshare.net I use it to put reviews of the power points we use in class right into our classroom blog.

I have a SmartBoard IWB and I don’t think I could teach without one now. It so easy now to just export whatever we work on as a .pdf file for review, sharing, etc. The students love using it. I’d suggest purchasing a presentation mouse though, because I noticed before I had one I was always just up at the front of the room.

I’ve set up a wiki of the things I use in my 6th grade classroom: http://gesdmath.wikispaces.com

And, it’s Friday night, the last Friday of my spring break and I’m listening to podcasts, writing lesson plans and reading blogs. I think that says something unfortunate about my social life as well.. haha

]]>