The End of The School Year June 2, 2009
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It is the end of the school year and you may feel like
or
School Answering Machine June 1, 2009
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: humor
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Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all
the options before making a selection:
To lie about why your child is absent…. Press 1
To make excuses for why your child did not do his work….Press 2
To complain about what we do - Press 3
(more…)
From Carl Jung May 17, 2009
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: carl jung, curriculum, quotes, teacher, teaching
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“An understanding heart is everything in a teacher, and cannot be esteemed highly enough. One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feeling. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.”
—Carl Jung, 1875-1961
Thematic Curriculum in Action May 14, 2009
Posted by 4oops in 1.Tags: 4OOPS, Add new tag, Teague, thematic curriculum
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We are the proud parents of a new dog.
Our beloved family member, Aspen went to dog heaven on March 5th, after 15 years of choosing us as her pets.
We vowed to change that dynamic this time around.
Enter 
Ruby.
Ruby is a “goodle” a greyhound/poodle mix (Don’t ask me how–I defer to the biology teachers among us)
Here is how Thematic Curriculum applies to this:
Before… May 8, 2009
Posted by 4oops in Writings.Tags: love, Mother's Day, OOPS, Teague
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Before I was a Mom
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.Before I was a Mom,
I slept as late as I wanted
I never tripped over toys
I never forgot words of lullabies. (more…)
The Transcendence of Transferability
May 4, 2009
Posted by 4oops in Education.
Tags: Education, Joan Miro, Teague
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“I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music”
–Joan Miró
Joan Miro was an artist who appealed to my students. They appreciated his work because in Miro’s versatility there were many interpretations that appealed to their learning style. For linear, mathematic, and/or musical students, repeating patterns appeared prominently. The amorphous design aspects appealed to the artistic, naturalist, intra-and interpersonal student. Try incorporating Miro’s work with your students—even the youngest enjoy picking out the mini-pictures they recognize. (Use Google Image search and PicLens to see examples that your school filter will allow or use our webpage.)
Let Miro’s quote serve as a metaphor for the enormous possibilities that exist for you in your classroom!
–Joan Miró
Back to School July 30, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: back to school, Teague
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Well, you have seen them too—the back-to-school commercials. It is almost that time of year.
One of the initial activities in the back-to-school task list is the Student Information Sheet.
Why not add a small section to your Student Information Sheet to reflect your students’ technology skills. If you have a hardcopy handout, add a small section at the end. Or, consider adding a section on your blog or wiki for students to fill out that asks:
Students, Do you have…
~A computer
~A webpage
~A cell phone
~Internet access
~Accounts on Music sites
~A Blog
~Favorite websites (that can be shared with you, the teacher)
~Special tech skills (such as keyboarding, spreadsheet skills, programming skills, hardware skills, graphic design skills, etc…)
Try it and see!
{Add any other ideas here!}
Learning COBs July 23, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: COB, http://4oops.edublogs.org, Teague
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Please post your Learning COBs here.
or another option
Click on the Health A-Z link (link is on the Blogroll)
Lesson Cycle Steps July 22, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.12 comments
- Anticipatory set (Warm-Up)
- Purpose (Objective)
- Input (Content)
- Modeling (Show)
- Guided Practice (Follow me)
- Checking for Understanding (CFU)
- Independent Practice
- Teach your partner
- Closure
Please choose one Lesson Cycle Step and add a technology integration component as a Comment.
Thank you!
Today is the Day for a Trip on Google Earth July 15, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: Google Earth, Teague
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Google Earth delivers great resources for your science curriculum Click this link to learn how scientists visualize and communicate the phenomena they study. Google Earth displays the migration patterns of endangered and other threatened animals, based on data collected by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation.
Google Earth offers anyone the opportunity to take geographical data and turn it into a “layer.” Scientists are doing this in real-world lab scenarios. You can track what scientists see in storms, the paths of solar eclipses , volcano activity, arctic ice melting, bird flu mutations and biomaps of emotional stress levels in different cities (see this Popular Science article for more info).
Since these are all KML files, they could be downloaded with less space needed than United Streaming and also made into layers on the regular Google Maps as well.
Google Earth: http://earth.google.com/
While You Were Teaching July 3, 2008
Posted by 4oops in 4OOPS EduTech news feed.Tags: Adobe, Education, http://4oops.edublogs.org, ReadWriteWeb, Teague, Tech Crunch
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While You Were Teaching…4OOPSs EduTech News Feed
The kids need you and the web keeps marching on…not to worry, 4OOPS’ EduTech news Feed has these top stories of interest to educators:
From Tech Crunch: July 1. You can no longer use a handheld mobile device in California and Washington. The first time fine in California is just $20, but the real deterrent is public opinion.
But, some studies have shown that talking on hands-free devices are just as dangerous as talking on cell phones regularly.
Will people who talk on their cell phones while driving now have to keep a lookout for the police, too, distracting them even more?
From Read/Write/Web: Adobe. Adobe is has just launched their version of an online office suite available at Acrobat.com, complete with word processor (Buzzword), web conferencing/whiteboard app (ConnectNow), online file sharing (Share), file storage, (My Files), and PDF converter. Adobe has also announced a brand-new version of Adobe Acrobat, Acrobat 9.
From TechCrunch: Ultralight laptops. The MSI Wind - is a $499, 2.6-pound, 10-inch laptop.
From Read Write Web: June 5, 2008. About half of all Internet users aged 12 and up have streamed a video file online in the past 30 days.
The 30-minute meeting June 26, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: 30-minute meeting, 4oops.edublogs.org, Teague
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Meetings that stay on task, on target, and on time are not the stuff of legend or fantasy.
30-minute meetings can be a reality. Click here for more information
Also, Jan O’Neill has a great article on the 30-minute meeting. Google and read all about it.
Layers in the Summer June 16, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: Layered Curriculum, Teague
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Watching the Weather Channel tonight, I saw a sea of red across the U.S. indicating hot, hot, HOT temps. Definitely not sweater-weather! The only layers I want to see are in my curriculum, specifically in a layered-approach curriculum.
Layered Curriculum Unit Example: (scroll to page 10) Click here.
For a link to one teacher’s practical implementation of a layered curriculum. Click here.
For a blank document form for you to use to create your own layered curriculum units. Click here
The layered curriculum concept is the original work of Kathy Nunley. For her website click here.
Data Driven Decision Making June 12, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: data driven decision-making, data instruction
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Viewing, interpreting, and using data will help me….
While You Were Teaching…4OOPS EduTech News Feed June 11, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: 4OOPS, Education Week, Edweek, Science Daily, Scott MacLoad, Teague
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The kids need you and the web keeps marching on…not to worry, 4OOPS’ EduTech news Feed has these top stories of interest to educators:
June 11, 2008 From Education Week: Teachers Achieving ‘Highly Qualified’ Status on the Rise
June 5, 2008 From Science Daily: Gaze aversion helps educators understand the educational progress of students.
June 5, 2008 From Edweek: States Notch Slow, Steady Progress Toward Consistent Graduation Goals
June From Scott MacLoad’s blog: “…they continue to think about using data from a compliance mindset rather than using data for meaningful school improvement.”
May From eSchoolnews: Researchers Identify Key Ed-tech Trends
Best Assessment Equation: Rubrics + Technology Tools June 10, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: assessment, Education, rubrics, Teague
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“Rubrics make the students’ lives much easier, but once written, they make the teacher’s life easier, too,” says Dr. Lena Nuccio-Lee, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at the University of New Orleans. See the complete story here. Technology tools online also enable us to customize assessment for student groups. Does Timmy need to concentrate on writing complete sentences? Does Simone struggle with spelling? Has you been working with Stan on word attack skills? Insert specific criteria into your rubric to help individual learners.
How-to Resource: How to Write a Rubric
Technology Rubric Resources:
Landmark Project:
RubiStar
Rubrics for Projects:
PBL Checklists:
Rubric Links:
Teach-nology:
While You Were Teaching…4OOPSs EduTech News Feed June 3, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: ASCD, David Cook, Edutopia, Freakonomics, Teague
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The kids need you and the web keeps marching on…not to worry, 4OOPS’ EduTech news Feed has these top stories of interest to educators:
May 29 From Edutopia: Readers’s Reveal Education’s Best http://www.edutopia.org/readers-survey-2008
May 29 From ASCD Maryland school first in state to attain 100% proficiency
Every third- and fourth-grader at one Maryland elementary school passed the state’s standardized math and reading tests last year, the first full-sized school to do so. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR2008052703151.html
May 20 From ASCD Will proposed federal funding shift threaten career tech programs?
A recent Bush administration proposal could redirect billions in federal funding intended for high-school career and technical education into NCLB mandate. The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
May 21: From Freakanomics: The largest traceable correlation between a child’s ability in school and his home life are the number of books a family has in their home. Quoted in http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/olpc-20-a-striking-ebook-and-a-step-in-the-right-direction/
May 21: David Cook, the new American Idol wins by 12 million votes, over million votes cast
This compares to 126 million who voted in the 2004 election www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/p20-556.pdf and 111 million in the 2000 election www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/p20-542.pdf
Back to School Now! May 27, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: Believer in Balance, Education, http://4oops.edublogs.org, Shannon Hutton, Teague
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As you begin to say goodbye to this school year, take just a minute to consider next year. Yes, next year. Time marches on faster than ants to a summer picnic blanket. A couple of proactive steps now will do wonders.
School Counselor Shannon Hutton, warns, “kids often get “antsy” about moving to the next grade.” And it’s no wonder, since 180 school days have just been spent getting used to their current classroom!
“They are leaving the comfort of their familiar classroom, established social group and teacher they’ve not only grown accustomed to, but usually really like. So the idea of moving to a new classroom, with a new teacher and a new set of classmates is often initially unnerving for kids,” says Hutton.
It may not be possible to get too many specifics about next year so let the Internet help!
Take a minute today and use Google Maps to find your child’s school for next year. Just enter the address and let Google Maps do the rest. Use the Zoom feature to narrow and widen the scope of the neighborhood. Visit Schoolnotes.com and enter your child’s school zip code to see if your son or daughter’s teacher has a webpage there.
Does the school website include links to teacher webapges on their home page? Click over to next year’s teacher and play an Internet version of “I Spy.” (I spy a field trip link! I spy a class pet!) Take a look and navigate around.
Most teacher webpages have a calendar. Scan over to the first few weeks to get a possible idea of what will be covered. Even if you do not yet know your child’s teacher, you can navigate another teacher’s page in the next grade together and get an idea of next year’s curriculum.
Now is also the time to swing by and check out the computer lab at next year’s school or grade. Will Jr. move from a Mac lab to a Windows lab? Will laptop carts replace the traditional lab in the next grade? Will students next year use AlphaSmarts, Neos, or Palm Pilots as a component of their digital backpack? Is there a summer computer camp offered? Having a summer to become used to any new technology will make the transition to the next grade SO much smoother.
If possible, walk the halls of next year today or tomorrow. Many grades are located in different, specific halls. Counselor Hutton advises, “The best way for parents to help transition kids to a new grade is to allow them to get the lay of the land, so to speak, so they don’t fear the unknown. Giving children an opportunity to visit their new classroom and meet their new teacher greatly helps reduce their anxiety about moving to the next grade.”
Consider a pool party, park meeting, or other play date with friends this over the summer. If possible, exchange email with other parents and let your kids email each other via your email address-add a comment occasionally. (Notice the importance of using parent email, for added privacy and protection.)
“The more children know what to expect about the upcoming school year, the more comfortable they will be with the transition to the next grade,” says Hutton. So start planning for a successful future school year today!
For thoughtful advice, plus innovative summer projects, visit her website, “Believer in Balance” http://www.sparkplugging.com/believer-in-balance/
Shannon Hutton, M.Ed., M.P.A., currently works as a school counselor and has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Master degrees in School Counseling and Public Administration. She is certified to counsel students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. You can read more about how she balances working and raising kids at Believer in Balance.
Warmup Prompts Week of May 26 May 24, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Warmups/Journal Prompts.Tags: Bell Ringers, Jazz, Journal Prompts, Louie Armstrong, Teague, Warmups
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It’s Time For A Jazzy WarmUp Week!
1.) Jazz is both a “Team” and a “Music.” Explain
2.) What is scat singing?
3.) Reread yesterday’s article and listat least two things from that you did not know
4.) Click on the timeline. List one year and tell what happened in Jazz History in that year.
5.) What instruments do you think of when you hear jazz?
Mr. Monk Learns Tech Vocabulary May 22, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education, vocabulary.Tags: 4OOPS tech tricks, monk, Teague, tech vocabulary, vocabulary
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My favorite TV detective is Adrian Monk. (I love how he still wears his wedding ring long after his wife has died.) He has many, many inductive reasoning skills, but technology has not been a priority.
In a recent episode, Monk told his fellow detectives that an email he received made him “LOL out loud.” =))
In deference to Monk, here are some terms that have surfaced. I used Netlingo and Boolify search to look these up following several conversations (virtual and F2F) with tech pioneers (aka students). Add yours here as well.
Gweep: a hacker
Mashup: merging and combining internet data sources to create a new application, digital media combining and modifying text, graphics, audio, video, and animation into a new application
Rubber Banding: In making a computer game, rubber banding is the technique to allow computerized opponents to bend the rules to keep things exciting and “close” for the player.
Multimodal: man-machine interaction beyond the traditional keyboard and mouse such as speech, stylus, iPhone, etc…
Microblogging: sending frequent, short content messages, usually from a cell phone, to a Web site such as Twitter
Crowdsourcing: pull together a bunch of smart, motivated individuals from across the Web to create a new product or business
Wikis: a collaborative website
Widget: A software component that responds or acts upon user interaction or data events
Silverlight: web browser plugin that provides support for rich internet applications such as animation
What is/are some of the most interesting Tech Vocabulary words you have learned? Are there words you need defined? Leave a comment and add your Tech Vocabulary here!
