A Podcast on a Famous American

If you read my last blog, you may be interested in listening to the not so funny podcast my ITS partner and I created. If so, check it out...

Pod Casts Don't Necessarily Catch Fish

You had to be there. Is that what you end up saying many times when trying to describe a situation that you found humorous? My ITS podcast partner and I had a blast and laughed ourselves silly during our practice podcast. And yet when we played it for the class I am sure I heard crickets... Podcasts are far more interesting to me now that i have helped to complete four or so of them. Audacity is AWESOME! I used it the next day to have my students practice their video essay scripts. They recorded and listened to themselves and then hopefully tried to make improvements...

Using Digital Video in the Classroom

Using video in the classroom is one of my favorite things. I wish I could fit it in more during the year. I first year I used it was in 2005. I had the students write a script and we made a movie. I was the director and cameraman, and I did the editing. This was the case the first few years. Last year I decided to hand over those responsibilities to the students. The editing was especially getting to be a little too much for me. I am a perfectionist and the time it was consuming was getting crazy. SO, they did their own camera work and editing last year. After we did the video essays in ITS, I took that approach with my students. They wrote essays, did the storyboards, practiced with the cameras, and went to production. I planned to do more this year and even went as far as to put up a big piece of green material to use as a green screen. But, I haven't had the time to get near it. It is going to end up like the previous years. Get the writing SOL out of the way and then tackle the 5th grade film industry.

Well, what are your experiences? I think I should have done a few video essays early on despite the time issues. Well, there is always next year.

We are the knights that say, "WIKI!"

I think this wiki tool is more up my alley than the blogs. I know that all tools have their use. Ah, I am just probably more excited about it. The first idea that I like is having a wiki that has a page for each student to post a writing. Like if I gave the class a prompt to write about they could post them and then check them out. Edit and revise each others...

I also like the idea of creating a class made text that addresses the essential knowledge for units. That way the material is reflective of what is really needed.

Finally, the idea of creating a book discussion page on for a literacy circle would be great. I like the comment in the "Blogs" book when it was said that the draw back to this is that the students want to know what cool thing they are going to do with the next book that they read. I try to make my class exciting and so I am flattered that my students have asked me the same question... "What project are we doing next?"

If I am going to stay in the classroom, I look forward to the day when every student has access to a computer every day.

First Blog Impressions

Blog... I believe that was the name given to John Belushi's SNL character that was helping his patients lose weight by not allowing them to eat the char... Well, until now that is about all I associated with the idea. But, it is time to get on the blog. Blog or be blogged. Where were you and what were your initial thoughts when yur heard about BLOGGING?