This Week in Ontario Edublogs

Again this week, there was some great reading from the Ontario Edublogger group.  I’d like to pass along some of my reading.  Please take the time to visit their blogs.  Remember “A Little Help From My Friends“.

Frustrating Adventures in Literature
Danika Barker has long used social media to share the really great things in her classroom.  Her offerings are always great reading.  Recently, she turned the tables and shared a frustration that she has in getting her students “get” exactly what she’s looking for in her independent studies unit.  She turned to her blog to describe her problem and is looking for suggestions.

She describes what she’s looking for to her students via this YouTube video.

If you think you can help, check out her blog to see just what she’s searching for.

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Nine Thoughts About High School from A Kindergarten Class
I don’t normally spend a great deal of time at blog posts with “Top 10” appeal.  But, there was something in the title that caught my interest.  In particular, I was thinking of one memorable Grade 10 class and I know how I would make the connection to Kindergarten but wanted to see what Scott Kemp saw.  I found myself strangely identifying with the nine points but I think point #4 made me smile the most.

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My Class Makes this Web Show Called Portable TV…
Nathan Toth has always done admirable things with his class in the podcasting realm.  Really neat things.  He’s never been shy about sharing them with the world.  But that’s as far as he’s gone.  He’d never made the leap into video.  I didn’t know if it was lack of equipment, school/board policy, time, or the age of his students as the determining factor.

But now he’s gone video!

In this blog post, get inside his mind as he makes the determination to move to video.  It’s great reading and if you’re wondering about how or if you should, it might just help you make up your mind.

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How I Use Twitter Professionally
Brandon Grasley shared his thoughts about using Twitter.  Now, there are lots of people who post things like “this is why YOU should use Twitter” and they all pretty much look and act the same.  PLN, Rich, Connections – all are true but I don’t think mean much to the person waffling about whether or not to get an account.  In fact, that approach may do more harm than good.  With the already overload that teachers have, why would you go looking for me?

So, in the post, Brandon delivers the approach that he’s thought it through; he’s not looking to overload his life; yet, he knows that there are things that will make him develop professionally.  Check out the post and you may wish to forward it to someone who is overwhelmed with the thought of even getting started.

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2 Interesting Questions
Only two?

Colin Jagoe’s most recent blog post was another seeking input from those reading it.  I zeroed in on the second question.

I used to have this conversation with our Science Consultants all the time.  These are the guys that have the neat experiments and rooms designed already to push the inquiry card under the proper circumstances.  And yet, they’re still looking for more ways to reach out and engage students.  I don’t see any one answer possible – it would depend largely on the grade level and what the students are prepared to do or, at the secondary school level, what particular science once you begin to specialize.

It seems to me that, if a lab were to be technology enabled, it would have to be done with a great deal of thought so that you’re not just replicating the same practices only this time on computer.  Science is a subject area that’s governed by the question “What if?” and the computer is ready and prepared for iterations and modifications and an untiring ability to try this and that.  All science teachers should be asking these questions.

Thanks to the above for inspirational blogs this week.  They were wonderful.  You can read this and all the other great Ontario Edublogs by clicking here.  If you’re a blogger and from Ontario, complete the form and I’ll get your blog added to the Livebinder.

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