Consider This 1:2.66

I just saw a link posted on IISD’s Twitter Page about the 1:1 Laptop Symposium last week. 1:1 refers to the high schools’ one laptop per student mandate that Irving employs to educate high schoolers. It is nothing short of amazing what our high school teachers, young and old, are able to do with students that were with us 4 years ago. In this video about the symposium, there is a reference to digital natives. No matter what the socio-economic make-up of our population is, our students are digital natives. I implore you to find one family that does not have a computer, cell phone, Xbox, or other interactive digital devise. They think and learn differently than we did by virtue of their growing up in this 21^st century culture.

Consider this

1. Are we addressing students’ learning preferences with graphics and interactive materials that appeal to them?

2. Are we giving students different “stages” to succeed besides the traditional stages of sports and theater?

3. Are we preparing Irving students for our own high schools?

4. Did you know that Elliott has a ratio of 1:2.66 students to computers?

What can we do?

1. Use digital substitutes (Blackboard, Blogs, Reading A-Z projectable books) for worksheets and printable materials.

2. Give students choices on how they make their products. (Power Point, video recording, voice recording, etc.)

3. Let groups of students come to the lab for recess every now and then for some free Power Point time or free Publisher time. (e-mail me and we can get them in)

4. Try 1:1 for a week by checking out a laptop cart for a whole week.

Technology Memo #12

1. Media Fair – Let your students produce! The name of the Media Fair game is creation. Students create, students submit, students win, students feel confident about themselves. Every student should participate. Every student can be a part of this. Use what you already do in the classroom for this: research papers, Paint, Power Points, Publisher posters, etc. E-mail me to work on whole class projects. All entries are due December 10^th. Click here to log-in and review rules.

2. Staff Addresses – Do you have an iPhone, Blackberry, or any other smart phone that you sync with your computer? Then you’ll want updated contact information from your friends at Elliott. Use these directions to move staff addresses and phone numbers to your contacts in your e-mail folder. 1. Go to Elliott Public Folders. 2. Click on “Staff Addresses.” 3. Click on “Edit” in the upper-left hand corner. 4. Click “Select All.” 5. Click “Copy to Folder.” 6. Select “Contacts” in your personal e-mail. 7. Click “Ok.” If you want to see a video version of how to do this go to Blackboard>Elliott Staff Resources>Video How To’s>Copy Staff Addresses to Contacts. This is my first screen video, click on it to hear the pure excitement in my voice.

3. Video How To’s – The previous item brings me to my Video How To’s which is the new button when you go into Elliott Staff Resources in Blackboard. I will be putting instructional videos in there as the needs arise. If you want a video on a certain subject, just tell me and I will try to make one for you. So far I have made videos on tantalizing subjects such as staff addresses and campus calendar appointments.

4. Passwords list – Use the attached password list to remember usernames and passwords. And yes, it is a good thing to have so many different usernames and passwords. If someone gets your information, then they can only wreak havoc on one account instead of all of them.

5. Open Lab – Media Fair Work Time – Do you have one or a few students who want to do a project? Do they keep bugging you about some idea that they want to do? I have made 8 dates to work specifically on Media Fair entries in the computer lab with individual or small groups of students. This is for your students who keep up with classroom work, but do not get the opportunity to work on independent technology products.

Friday, November 20^th – 1-2:30

Monday, November 30^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 1^st – 9:30-10:15

Friday, December 4^th – 1-2:30

Monday, December 7^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 8^th – 9:30-10:15

6. Tech Fusion 2.0 – Tech Fusion is here again. Use your students’ products from Media Fair for your Tech Fusion 2.0 lesson submissions. Click here for details and an overview. Your first Tech Fusion submission is due December 17^th. Hint for the uncreative: search for previous Tech Fusion lessons by subject/grade. See if you could improve upon someone else’s lesson. Team-up with another teacher and you both get credit. All teachers must submit two Tech Fusion lessons.

7. Website of the Week – Technology Specialist Institute Resources – Cindy, Allison M., Fernando, and I have been attending technology sessions this year at Region 10. We will be presenting on our favorite goodies in January, but you can feel free to look at some of the resources that we have learned about thus far.

8. Paperless Classroom Tip #4 – Blog Directions – Create a blog to post directions for your classroom. Instead of printing and re-printing reading groups rotations, group assignments, etc. post them on your blog and teach the students to go to your blog when they need directions.

9. Technology Tip – Choice. Give your students choices when making a product. Write 2 pages? BORING! Let your students record their voices, take pictures, take video, make a Power Point, use Publisher, Movie Maker, or Photo Story to share their knowledge. If you are getting bored grading, then they are probably getting bored doing what you’re grading. Check out a wireless cart and give choices. I can facilitate and troubleshoot for you.

Technology Memo #11

Old (but VERY important stuff) is in red and new stuff is in green.

1. Media Fair – Let your students produce! The name of the Media Fair game is creation. Students create, students submit, students win, students feel confident about themselves. Every student should participate. Every student can be a part of this. Use what you already do in the classroom for this: research papers, Paint, Power Points, Publisher posters, etc. E-mail me to work on whole class projects. All entries are due December 10^th. Click here to log-in and review rules.

2. Open Lab – Media Fair Work Time – Do you have one or a few students who want to do a project? Do they keep bugging you about some idea that they want to do? I have made 8 dates to work specifically on Media Fair entries in the computer lab with individual or small groups of students. This is for your students who keep up with classroom work, but do not get the opportunity to work on independent technology products. Check the dates below and send me an e-mail to reserve time(s) for your student(s). If I get a lot of students signed-up, I will schedule more time. Thank you Judy McGibboney, Rebecca Davis, and Sarah Prince for already taking me up on this offer.

Monday, November 16^th – 8-9

Tuesday, November 17^th – 9:30-10:15

Friday, November 20^th – 1-2:30

Monday, November 30^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 1^st – 9:30-10:15

Friday, December 4^th – 1-2:30

Monday, December 7^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 8^th – 9:30-10:15

3. Tech Fusion 2.0 – Tech Fusion is here again. Use your students’ products from Media Fair for your Tech Fusion 2.0 lesson submissions. Click here for details and an overview. Your first Tech Fusion submission is due December 17^th. Hint for the uncreative: search for previous Tech Fusion lessons by subject/grade. See if you could improve upon someone else’s lesson. Team-up with another teacher and you both get credit. All teachers must submit two Tech Fusion lessons.

4. Grades – Grades must be verified by 8:00 Thursday morning. To access the updated end-of-six-weeks checklist for your grade, go to Blackboard>Elliott Staff Resources>Documents>Technology>Gradespeed. As always e-mail me with any questions that you may have, preferably before 7:59 AM on Thursday morning.

5. Balanced Literacy Training – Click on the time to sign-up for Balanced Literacy Training tomorrow. Pick distributed credit for this one unless you do not need distributed credit.

Elliott 09-10 Balanced Literacy

11/11/2009

3:00PM-4:30PM

6. Website of the Week – IISD Video Streaming Page – This is linked off of the both the teacher webpage and the student webpage. Search for videos to use for the whole class or let students explore science topics and compare them to what you have learned in class. Power Videos is the only one that students cannot access on their own.

7. Paperless Classroom Tip #3 – Old Papers – This is from Diane Mikkelson. When you organize you file cabinet and get rid of old papers, use them as printer paper. This also sets a good example for your students and they will look to save paper for you as well.

8. Technology Tip – This is from Mr. Rocha. Put a picture of the keyboard the students are using on the screen when you are using laptops with the students, especially for the first time. You can point out where the ctrl+alt+delete keys are and many other helpful features. This will let you solve problems as a group, instead of individually. Feel free to use the pictures above.

Technology Memo #10

1. Media Fair – Let your students produce! The name of the Media Fair game is creation. Students create, students submit, students win, students feel confident about themselves. Every student should participate. Every student can be a part of this. Use what you already do in the classroom for this: research papers, Paint, Power Points, Publisher posters, etc. E-mail me to work on whole class projects. All entries are due December 10^th. Click here to log-in and review rules.

2. Open Lab – Media Fair Work Time – Do you have one or a few students who want to do a project? Do they keep bugging you about some idea that they want to do? I have made 8 dates to work specifically on Media Fair entries in the computer lab with individual or small groups of students. This is for your students who keep up with classroom work, but do not get the opportunity to work on independent technology products. Check the dates below and send me an e-mail to reserve time(s) for your student(s). If I get a lot of students signed-up, I will schedule more time. Thank you Judy McGibboney for already taking me up on this offer.

Monday, November 16^th – 8-9

Tuesday, November 17^th – 9-10

Friday, November 20^th – 1-2:30

Monday, November 30^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 1^st – 9-10

Friday, December 4^th – 1-2:30

Monday, December 7^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 8^th – 9-10

3. Tech Fusion 2.0 – Tech Fusion is here again. Use your students’ products from Media Fair for your Tech Fusion 2.0 lesson submissions. Click here for details and an overview. Your first Tech Fusion submission is due December 17^th. Hint for the uncreative: search for previous Tech Fusion lessons by subject/grade. See if you could improve upon someone else’s lesson. Team-up with another teacher and you both get credit. All teachers must submit two Tech Fusion lessons.

4. Grades – Grades must be verified by 8:00 Thursday morning. To access the updated end-of-six-weeks checklist for your grade, go to Blackboard>Elliott Staff Resources>Documents>Technology>Gradespeed. As always e-mail me with any questions that you may have, preferably before 7:59 AM on Thursday morning.

And yes, I did copy and paste to create this Technology Memo. Media Fair, Tech Fusion, and grades are that important.

Technology Memo #9

1. Media Fair – Let your students produce! The name of the Media Fair game is creation. Students create, students submit, students win, students feel confident about themselves. Every student should participate. Every student can be a part of this. Use what you already do in the classroom for this: research papers, Paint, Power Points, Publisher posters, etc. E-mail me to work on whole class projects. All entries are due December 10^th. Click here to log-in and review rules.

2. Open Lab – Media Fair Work Time – Do you have one or a few students who want to do a project? Do they keep bugging you about some idea that they want to do? I have made 8 dates to work specifically on Media Fair entries in the computer lab with individual or small groups of students. This is for your students who keep up with classroom work, but do not get the opportunity to work on independent technology products. Check the dates below and send me an e-mail to reserve time(s) for your student(s). If I get a lot of students signed-up, I will schedule more time.

Monday, November 16^th – 8-9

Tuesday, November 17^th – 9-10

Friday, November 20^th – 1-2:30

Monday, November 30^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 1^st – 9-10

Friday, December 4^th – 1-2:30

Monday, December 7^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 8^th – 9-10

3. Tech Fusion 2.0 – Tech Fusion is here again. Use your students’ products from Media Fair for your Tech Fusion 2.0 lesson submissions. Click here for details and an overview. Your first Tech Fusion submission is due December 17^th. Hint for the uncreative: search for previous Tech Fusion lessons by subject/grade. See if you could improve upon someone else’s lesson. Team-up with another teacher and you both get credit. All teachers must submit two Tech Fusion lessons.

4. Website of the Week – NetSmartzKidz – Students can never have enough internet safety lessons. Use this website to let students learn about proper internet usage. Here is a link to a password rap. Seriously, it’s a rap about passwords.

5. Technology Tip – Search for lessons in Tech Fusion 2.0 for good ways to integrate technology into your classroom.

6. Paperless Classroom Tip #2 – Power Point – E-mail a Power Point presentation to teachers/students or drop a Power Point into students' H drives. We are all used to giving a Power Point presentation and printing copies for the audience or not giving copies at all and making the audience rely on memory. Why not send it or give it electronically before the presentation? Your audience will be able to take ownership of the Power Point to make it fit their needs. Students can add notes and pictures to it. Teachers can elaborate and type ideas for lessons instead of filing it away.

7. Staff Meeting – Click on the time to sign-up for tomorrow’s staff meeting:

09-10 Elliott Staff Meeting - PADRES/Thinking Maps/Tutoring

10/28/2009

3:00PM-4:30PM

Technology Memo #8

1. Paperless Classroom Tips – This is a new feature of the Technology Memo. Each week I will highlight a tip or website that can help you save paper. The goals will be to increase learning by using more technology and less paper and pencil activities, saving paper, saving time, and maximizing resources. These tips can be found on my blog.

Paperless Classroom Tip #1 – H Drives – Student H drives are a great way to save work without printing anything. All students have an H drive that you can access from anywhere on the Irving ISD network. See attachment for help.

2. Technology TEKS – Did you know that there are technology TEKS? Sweet, more TEKS! Take a look here. Did you know that K-2 student must “use proper keyboarding techniques such as correct hand and body positions and smooth and rhythmic keystroke patterns as grade-level appropriate”? And that 3-5 students must “use interactive technology environments, such as simulations, electronic science or mathematics laboratories, virtual museum field trips, or on-line interactive lessons, to manipulate information”?Mr. Westerdale and Ms. Prestwood will assist me in determining whether your students type in a rhythmic manner. Take a look and see what you’ve already done. What does your class need help with?

3. Technology Checklist – Here is a list of things that your should have done by now according to grade level. If your class has not done one of these lessons or it is not scheduled for this week, please contact me immediately to set this up. These are only the most basic lessons that your class should have done. E-mail me for any other idea that you would like to do in your classroom.

Kindergarten – □ Lab Rules & □ Learning.com

1^st Grade – □ Lab Rules & □ Learning.com

2^nd Grade – □ Lab Rules, □ Learning.com, □ Math Games, & □ Tumble Books

3^rd Grade – □ Lab Rules, □ Learning.com, & □ Online Predators

4^th Grade – □ Lab Rules, □ Learning.com, & □ Online Predators

5^th Grade – □ Lab Rules, □ Learning.com, & □ Online Predators

4. TEKS Checks Trouble Shooting – Make sure to follow the attached directions when creating TEKS Checks. There is an important direction in there that says you must first click on “Elementary Diagnostic” before you right-click on it. This ensures that all TEKS Checks end up in the correct category. 2^nd -4^th Grade must enter TEKS Checks in “Homeroom.”

5. Website of the Week – Starfall.com – I used the Learn to Read section of this website to practice beginning of the word sounds with one of Ms. Smith’s kindergarteners during one of their lab sessions. The games isolated the sound of the first letter from the rest of the word. I’m no kindergarten expert, but that seemed really helpful. There are many other games like this for emergent readers and students who are already reading. This page is on the Elliott student links page for reading/language arts and the Irving ISD elementary student page.

6. Technology Tip – Use my blog. Have you missed a Memo? Have you deleted a Memo without reading when you were supposed to? Go to my blog to see what you missed. You can also access the staff development links from there. I am also posting my paperless classroom tips there.

Technology Memo #7

1. STaR Chart – THIS IS MANDATORY. This must be finished by October 23^rd, but I will start checking on the 21^st. Use your log-in from last year to complete the STaR Chart. Click here for directions. New teachers use the word “password” for your log-in. The list of log-ins can be found below.

2. Balanced Literacy – Sign-up here for tomorrow’s Balanced Literacy session. Click on the time to sign-up.

Elliott 09-10 Balanced Literacy

10/14/2009

3:00PM-4:30PM

Elliott Elementary

4. Website of the Week – Thinkfinity – This one is on the IISD student page and the teacher page. It is website sponsored by Verizon that pulls together lesson plans, games, interactive, worksheets, assessments, and other resources from reputable organizations and foundations listed below. It also pulls in resources approved by those organizations. The search tool lets you choose a subject, such as “Hispanic Heritage,” and lets you search for resources related to that subject. You can narrow the search down by resource type or grade level. I found this interactive website about Puerto Rico while searching for resources: http://americanhistory.si.edu/vidal/about/

5. Technology Tip – The wireless signal indicator on the HP laptops. Some of you have noticed the button pictured below on your HP laptop. When it is blue, you have a wireless internet signal. When it is orange, you do not have a wireless internet signal. If you are experiencing wireless internet problems, make sure that you did not accidentally touch the indicator to turn in orange. It is very easy to do, but it is also very easy to fix. Just tap the indicator and it will turn blue again when it finds a wireless signal.

Technology Memo #6

1. Computer Lab Time – Now that we are done with beginning of the year PA Series testing, I’d like to get the kids into the computer lab as much as possible. I would like to meet with every class in every grade level for a lab introduction and a session of learning.com. I’ve met with most of the kindergarten for both of these, but not the other grades. After that I would like to have K-2 continue with learning.com and have 3-5 begin internet safety lessons. I am making lab time my number 1 priority right now, so I will be in the lab every day for the next 2 ½ weeks except for Tuesday, October 6^th and Tuesday, October 13^th. To schedule time in the computer lab with me the next two weeks, just make an appointment in the public folders on the computer lab schedule and indicate what you would like your class lesson(s) to be about (lab introduction, learning.com, internet safety, etc.). Click “Invite Attendees” to make sure that an e-mail gets sent to me. You do not need to do any prep work for any of the three types of lessons listed above, just schedule time and let me know about it. Also the wireless carts are open, let’s get them out there. New teacher just need a 5 minute training before they check out a class set of wireless laptops.

2. Website of the Week – Learning.com – Gee, who would have thought this would be the website of the week after the previous memo item? Learning.com is an interactive website that teaches technology and literacy skills through cartoons, tutorials, and quizzes. Once your students learn how to log in and begin using is it, it is very hands-off for the teacher. Teachers monitor student progress and differentiate instruction without giving multiple lessons. I attached more information. Every student in the school should use learning.com this year.

Technology Memo #5

1. Grades – What do I miss most about the classroom? Grading. I mean teaching was fun and all, but grading was by far the best of times. Well it’s that time of the year again. Grades are to be verified by 8:00 AM Thursday, October 1^st. To access the updated end-of-six-weeks checklist for your grade, go to Blackboard>Elliott Staff Resources>Documents>Technology>Gradespeed. As always e-mail me with any questions that you may have, preferably before 7:59 AM on Thursday morning. “We will be 100% verified on time, we will be 100% verified on time,…” Hey, it worked for Dorothy.

2. Elliott Student Links – Use the Elliott Student Links in your computer centers. I have been scavenging good links the whole summer. See what’s new. Also, please send me more Spanish websites and descriptions. Thank you Angie!

3. Website of the Week – Del.icio.us – Mmmmm, social bookmarking, mmmm, it’s delicious! This is one of the rare teacher resources that turns into a student resource as well. Basically you keep your favorite websites stored on the web and you can access them from any computer. You can then also share them easily. I will give a three step introduction on how to use this website in the next three weeks. First begin by signing up for the website by clicking the “join now” button. Follow the steps for getting your links uploaded. Use your Irving ISD e-mail address. It will be easier when we share links with one another. Take a look at how I use it on my blog. Scroll down the left side and look for “del.icio.us bookmarks.” Click on the word “Author” and tell me who my favorite author was to use in the classroom. The first person to figure it out wins a prize, a digital camera tripod (as shown below…and no the camera does not come with it, neither does the ITS). It’s very useful for Claymation and other digital camera projects.

Technology Memo #4

1. Backing-up– That sound you hear in the subject line in the sound of something backing-up. You know what’s backing-up? Your files on your hard drive! Thank you, thank you folks, I’ll be here all week. Follow the instructions attached to the e-mail to back-up your work.

2. Elliott Book – I know, very original title. Take a look at Elliott’s newest way to connect to the community. Fill out the questionnaire from last week to get in on the fame. Send me more info such as different questions and answers, pictures, or make suggestions. Also, check out your grade’s webpage and send me your college name and high school name if you would like them listed. I attached a copy of the questionnaire if you’d like to be on Elliott Book as well.

3. Website of the Week – Google Documents – Backing-up is important, but if you use Google Documents, you can use Google as your back-up and you can access your work from any computer with an internet connection. How safe is it to save your documents on Google? Put it this way, if Google goes down, then the sky is literally falling (or stock prices). This service lets you save your documents on their space and you can even collaborate with others by sharing the same document. Despite what my mother taught me, if everyone is doing it, so should you. If you really want to become the master and not be the student, click here to try and use Google’s other products.

Technology Memo #3

1. Staff Development – Tomorrow’s staff development is on peer mediation and Thinking Maps. Click on the link to register. Also today is the last day to sign-up for last week’s session if you attended in order to receive credit. You must do this even if you put your name and employee number on the attendance sheet.

Elliott 09-10 Staff Meeting Classroom Management and Student with Special Needs	9/2/2009	3:00PM-4:30PM
Elliott 09-10 Staff Development Peer Mediation and Thinking Maps	9/9/2009	3:00PM-4:30PM

2. Elliott Website Teacher Info – Let’s let our parents and community get to know us a little better. In the past we have had our high schools, colleges, and grad school information on the Elliott webpage, but I want more. This is a Facebook/Twitter world we live in, let’s create that connection. I attached a questionnaire to fill out at your convenience. I will post the information as soon as I receive it. I’ll follow-up in a couple of weeks.

3. Twitter – Speaking of Twitter, did you know that Irving ISD has a Twitter page? I know! I too have always wondered what our coordinators eat for breakfast. Now I know that Gayla Lawrence is a Captain Crunch girl. Well…Irving ISD’s Twitter page isn’t quite like that. There are announcements posted about current events and issues. Three weeks ago Irving ISD tweeted about free immunizations for children at Irving Mall. How great is that? I have been following IISD’s Twitter page since this summer and it is far more interesting than I thought it would be. We want our community to follow Twitter, so we must set the example. Here is the link to Irving ISD’s Twitter page: http://twitter.com/IrvingISD Directions for following it are attached.

But Mike, what is Twitter and what in the world is a tweet? Thank you random-person-who-is-not-real for your question, Twitter is a forum for conveying information to a mass audience on real-time basis. It’s like sending a text message to the world.

4. Parent Connection – A link for parents to sign-up for Parent Connection is posted on the front of our website. Feel free to include my e-mail in your newsletter if parents need helping signing-up. Parents who signed-up last year are already granted access. Make sure that you are submitting at least one or two grades per week.

5. E-mail Signature Episode II – Teachers are known to work from home on occasion. Who knew, right? Well, you might have noticed that your e-mail signature is not the same when you log-in from home as it is when you’re at work. Use the attached directions for creating your e-mail signature for your Outlook Web Access account.

6. Calendars – Are you missing dates on your calendar? Follow the steps in the attachment to get your personal calendar up to date with campus calendar.

7. Website of the Week – Elliott Spanish Websites Links for Students – I started a Spanish links page for student and I ran into two problems. One problem is that I never taught in the bilingual classroom and I do not have a lot of links. So please send me more links! Another problem is my Spanish is not grammatically great, so please send me descriptions of Spanish websites. We have 6 Spanish websites here, let’s see if we can have 16 by the next Technology Memo!