Web 2.0 to the rescue!

This week sort of by accident I started a book club with one of the schools I work with. I received books from firstbook.org and gave one to a student. I thought she would like the book and didn’t really think anything of it. She then began reading it and was totally engrossed. One of her friends came into the library and she shared the book with her. I gave this student her own copy and told her to add it to her personal library (this is one important stipulation with firstbook you have to give all the books away to students they can not become a part of the library collection). After the second student left with book in tow another student came in and was given the book. Now I had three students and myself reading the book in less than an hour from opening the box. Great, but how were we going to keep the momentum going and check-in in with each other. Shelfari and Tumblr to the rescue. At first one of the students wanted to use Facebook but it is blocked in our school I immediately thought of Tumblr but was also put on to Shelfari from the discussion board. I am eagerly looking forward to this book group growing. I think especially with our students begin so busy with testing and assignment this will make it much easier than meeting face2face.  I always felt pressed for time in regard to beginning a book club with our students but now I see that web 2.0 tools can help with that. Hopefully I will be able to start more than one book club this year. And hey maybe they can do a digital book talk of the book once they are done!

Excitement abounds

It has been a really long week. I began super excited about sharing things I learned in class with any and everyone that entered the library. This was met with the expected deer in the headlights look like what is going on and what language are you talking in.

During the first few days I realized my exuberance and excitement could not be met or equaled by everyone else because they were not speaking my language they had not read the articles and been a part of the discussion I took part in.

After these blank stares and quizzical looks I realized we as holders and bearers of information need to learn how to share this information in small palatable doses. Its also ok for teachers to say they do not want to use a a tech tool you know will help them and their students. Maybe they will use it next time or maybe they need to trust you a little more. No matter what even if there are teachers who never use the tech tools I have learned its no excuse not to have them handy when there comes a time and teacher who is willing and able. Hopefully that time will come sooner than later.  

The T word

Technology has been a bad word for many teachers. It is the one thing they have to use but also one thing they have not been taught how to use properly. Most of our classrooms have smartboards and computers that go unused. While they have this technology at their disposal the smartboards are used as screens for their powerpoint presentations and the computers are used to type and print papers. 

The goal of working with these teachers is to get them to see technology as a partner in the learning process and not a hindrance. One way this is possible is by introducing and utilizing TPACK. The format and overall presentation of TPACK activities is user friendly and approachable for technology beginners.

It is surprising that with all of the PD we have to attend TPACK was never introduced it seems like the one thing that could have helped so many teachers was never exposed to us. Now though with this knowledge it seems like it might be that much easier to wrangle teachers into using technology in the classroom slowly but surely.