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Cool New Graphical Text Editor
Article posted June 8, 2008 at 02:52 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 1804
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Cool, this is awesome.
My students will enjoy these next school year.
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Article posted June 8, 2008 at 02:52 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 1804
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Summer time already?
Article posted June 7, 2008 at 10:03 PM GMT0 •
comment (1) • Reads 272
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Reading the post in this blog from last September, I am ashamed of not having posted a single blog post all year. What happened? Where did all the time go? Why did I not use this great tool?
Well, first of all, I have no real excuse. But looking back at the school year, many factors contributed to not using blogs. One key difference this past year was Twitter. Instead of spending time thinking and writing, I constantly found myself glued to mini blog posts. I have never enjoyed writing. I am a horrible craftsman of language. My writing teachers always told me I wrote like I talk. This was nice way of telling me that in their opinion, anyone from eastern North Carolina is dumb. I feel confident that all my formal writing teachers are either dead, or tucked away in a nursing home by now.
I have also spend considerable time with my students learning to use Google Sites. I set up an account for my classroom which required students over the age of 13 to use their school email account. I had several students over 18 years old and they used their personal accounts from Yahoo or AOL. I did not use it at all with my under 13 y.o. students.
I liked using Google Sites for one major reason- Google Docs. The Google Site Google Docs feature is really nice with high school students. I was able to post PowerPoint, Word Docs, and spreadsheets. If we were studying cell processes, and I found a document I wanted them to read, I uploaded it the the Google Doc site and "shared" them with the students. They could work in teams or individually on projects.
When it came time for students to write their term paper, I had a hard time convincing my students to use Google Docs. They did not like having to log in to Google and uploading and then when they needed their doc, logging in downloading their document and remembering to upload it again. My students did not like the way Google Doc reformatted their documents. So, I will not try that again for term papers. The best tip I learned from this experience- tell the students to buy a cheap thumb drive and story their term paper on it. I loaned two of my thumb drives and the students never returned them. I should have gotten them to leave their cell phone with me until they returned my thumb drives. Oh well, maybe it was worth it.
It is summer time, time to recharge my batteries. Time to turn off the computer and take some walks outside. Gas is too high to ride around...have a good summer!
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Article posted June 7, 2008 at 10:03 PM GMT0 •
comment (1) • Reads 272
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Blogging in the new school year
Article posted September 4, 2007 at 02:53 AM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 464
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I this coming few weeks, I plan to have my students blog weekly. I hope to have them podcast too.
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Article posted September 4, 2007 at 02:53 AM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 464
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Students Learning How to Blog
Article posted September 6, 2006 at 01:43 AM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 278
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Today, our students began their first blog posts of the six weeks grading period. They were assigned to write a summary of what they learned in Chapter 1. The first issue was to get all them logged into their accounts. I really like the way Class Blogmeister's new multiple class feature helps divide my students into sections in the menu on my blog.
My students have a long way to go on their writing skills, but isn't that the purpose of blogging in the classroom?
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Article posted September 6, 2006 at 01:43 AM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 278
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Yee Haw!
Article posted June 7, 2006 at 02:32 AM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 218
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End of Semester, end of year, back up the books, count the rocks in the fish pond, inventory, and others count the beans time.
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Article posted June 7, 2006 at 02:32 AM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 218
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Time for May Mania?
Article posted May 14, 2006 at 11:07 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 150
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Last week, I thought student behavior had to be the result of the Full Moon. However, it could be because we as teachers are approaching our burn-out level. In the words of one of my middle school students, "I am ready for summer to get here." In that I assume he meant a time for intellectual reflection and renewal. Maybe the student meant the student was excited to be advancing to the next grade. I refused to let the student think that I was offended by the comment. However, when the student put head on desk and declared that the student would do no work during class, I immediately walked over to the classroom phone and called our principal and requested her assistance. If the student was an employee at our local Hardees or Kentucky Fried Chicken, and showed up at the workplace and in front of all the employees, sat down and refused to work, would that employee be allowed to stay on the clock? Negative! They might even get escorted out of the building by law enforcement.
Ok, you might think something like, oh, the child just needs some proper guidance. Get a life. That has already been on my list and checked off multiple times. Actions have consequences. Maybe the student needs a dose of reality. It makes me wish it was as simple as reality tv shows and we could in the words of Donald Trump, tell this student "Your Fired!" Yet, the student envolved in this incident is not legally old enough to drop out of public school. It is sad when a student at an alternative school has such low self worth, and lacks the self discipline to function in that environment. According to NCLB, this particular student must have his needs met. Ok, reality time. How do we not give up on children that gave up years ago? He will be back in class, and the struggle will continue. There is a light at the end of the tunnel-- June 9, last school day of this school year. Will I miss this behavior this summer? Nope!
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Article posted May 14, 2006 at 11:07 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 150
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Podcasting Test
Article posted April 21, 2006 at 03:17 AM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 123
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This is a test of the use of Gcast. Seems to work fine.
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Article posted April 21, 2006 at 03:17 AM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 123
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New Semester
Article posted January 17, 2006 at 02:39 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 133
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Today, my students in my earth science class are taking their final exam. I am not sure what they are going to take next semester, but we will worry about that tomorrow. One of my students is transfering back to his home school, and another is leaving our district. We anticipate three of four new students next week in the high school group. Bottom-line: this is a time for transitions. I hope to start having my student blog on a regular basis this coming semester. I want to include weekly student podcasts.
Today, I want to locate a server to post my student podcasts on. We have a .MAC account. If I can find the funds, I plan to update to the newest version of iLife and iWeb. From the looks of iWeb, its podcast creating features are perfect for my students. Should know more about this today.
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Article posted January 17, 2006 at 02:39 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 133
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Earth Science Journal Prompt
Article posted October 10, 2005 at 03:42 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 159
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Section: The Rock Cycle
Many of us work hard to recycle the items we use in our daily lives to reduce the impact we have on the environment. In a way, the Earth also recycles through the rock cycle. Can you imagine what rock might look like through each stage of the rock cycle?
How long do you think it takes to recycle a soda
can?
What about a piece of granite?
Students: Record your thoughts in your online science journal.
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Article posted October 10, 2005 at 03:42 PM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 159
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My Classes & Students
About the Blogger
Science teacher in Whiteville, NC. I teach at North Whiteville Academy.
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