Blognologist

I will now be posting to http://blognologist.wordpress.com/

I just got tired of fighting spam!

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Tomorrow marks a truly historic day. On January 20, 2009, our nation will induct the first African American President. Each one of us will be a witness to this historic event. Many will watch the extensive coverage via a multitude of media devices such as TV, radio, or streaming video. Some have made the journey to experience history in person. They may upload photos or video to Flickr, a blog, or a friend.

What of the students who will watch from their classroom? Is watching, even discussing such an event enough? If we want our students to be historians, I believe they need to do more that simply watch. They must record the event in some fashion, just as all historians have done. Without such records, history is often lost. One could argue, this event will be recorded by every nation in every way, shape, and form imaginable. Isn’t that enough? Isn’t the answer obvious? No.

So often all we ever do is read about history, or watch a movie about a famous historical event. It takes more than a passive experience to be an historian. It takes interaction, assimilation, and reflection. History is an individual experience. Each of us brings a unique background from which we process an event, establishing a unique perspective. When such personal perspectives, personal accounts are shared with others, we gain a deeper understanding; an empathetic understanding, which can unite the citizens of this ever shrinking world we inhabit.

Students need the opportunity to write about what they saw, what they heard, what they learned, and what this particular time in history means to them. Let them record their thoughts and share these newly recorded pieces of history with others. Let them read and contemplate the perspectives of others. Let them be historians.

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It’s been too long since I’ve last made my thoughts visible. I’ve been just a wee bit busy looking at why and how teachers are using blogs and/or wikis. I have this little book report to finish by the end of April. My life has been totally focused on finishing this work, and I have voluntarily removed myself from the amazing network of educators that exists.

But today I had to write. While searching for some resources to use with my multicultural students, I can across a post by Mark Alhness from March of 2007 no less! In my study, I’ve asked teachers to talk about commenting. Was that an important aspect when they chose to create a blog? How did commenting impact their students? One of my participants referred to a post by Will Richardson seeking examples of students who wrote about the blogging of others. This participant is a 5th grade social studies teacher. He didn’t think there was much of that going on in elementary schools.

Why do we so often miss the obvious? How do we expect our students to instinctively incorporate the interactive sense of audience, bringing what we read, hear, and learn from others into our own writing? Isn’t this yet another skill that we as teachers must include in our instruction? Should we not also model this skill and provide examples of this skill for our students? Duh!!!

Mark is doing just this with his 3rd grade students. Thank you, Mark for making the obvious so obvious. I can’t wait until I once again return to the living and take my place back in this excting network of marvelous teachers like Mark.

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On the anniversary of 9/11, the morning news programs are filled with stories about the people who lost their lives that day. As I watch, listen, and cry, my heart aches for all the people who are left. The people who loved those so suddenly taken away.

But then I think, “How wonderful!” How wonderful that they made such a difference in someone else’s life. What really tugs at my heartstrings is the fact that the ones who are left are not just family members. They are people whose lives were touched in some way by the victims of 9/11. Like a firemen who saved children from a fire, or a woman who learned sign language in order to teach karate to deaf children. These were individuals who cared about the welfare of others, and wanted to make life better for them.

In a world where we think it’s imperative that we prepare children to be able to compete in a global society, it is just as imperative that we prepare children to think about making this world a better place for their fellow man. How lucky we are to be teachers. The potential to touch a life for teachers is exponential; every life we touch will touch the lives of others. As teachers we have the opportunity to not only teach children about generosity and humanity, but we can serve as models as well.

I hope I have the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life today.

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After reading David Jakes’ post, Sustenance, I wanted to cry. I was saddened by the picture created by his words of losing the art, rather having the art of teaching taken away by the ever present demands of NCLB. I do believe David is correct. NCLB is not going to go away. Who can argue that every child should achieve? However, I do believe the argument lies with the fact this achievement is to be done on the legislature’s schedule and not that of the child’s.

Why is it so difficult to celebrate the victories of achievement no matter how small? I was somewhat encouraged when I read a recent eSchool News bulletin:

The draft bill also would let states include students’ academic growth over time in their definition of AYP. To use such a “growth model,” states would need to have in place a longitudinal data system that can compare the progress of the same students from year to year.

I thought, “Finally, something that makes sense!”

I’ll never forget an article I read by Boaler (2003), When learning no longer matters: Standardized testing and the creation of inequality. (Citation given at the end of this post.) Boaler talks about Simon, a student she had interviewed for her work. Simon had made great gains in closing his learning gaps. His teachers had encouraged him and praised him for his performance. When his state test labeled him as below average, Simon felt all his efforts were for naught. He had reasoned his scores were a direct reflection of his hard work and acquired knowledge. Failure to meet the minimum competency level had negated all the learning and self-confidence Simon had gained.

What might have happened if the test had shown how much Simon had mastered, instead of labeling him as a failure? Will Simon continue to believe his teachers’ praise, or will he accept the label given to him by a testing agency?

David asks how teachers will sustain themselves when they are deskilled and forced to teach scripted curricula. I believe good teachers will follow “orders,” but they will do what all good teachers do. They will get to know each and every one of their students. They will know when that child is experiencing difficulty. They will take the extra time and effort to find a way to reach that child and celebrate each and every learning victory no matter how small. I believe this will be their sustenance, the joy of helping students to learn on their own schedule.

Boaler, J. (2003). When learning no longer matters: Standardized testing and the creation of Inequality. Phi Delta Kappan, 84(7), 502-506.

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I’ve been using blogs in Teaching Diverse Students, a required undergraduate class for primary education students. My main purpose was to give these students some experience with using blogs. Rather than taking a quiz over the readings, students are expected to post a response to a prompt; a question that not only requires reflection on the part of the student, but information must be drawn from the assigned readings. This tells me so much more about what a student thinks and knows than a multiple choice test.

Using technology with future teachers has some critical components. Not only is it necessary to teach them how to use the tool, literacy knowledge, it is also critical to show them some existing P-12 applications of that tool. Some of the more common uses of blogs involve: reflective journaling; an alternative to websites and discussion boards; and other strategies similar to mine.

I ran across Annette Lamb’s blog, ecollaboration. While it doesn’t appear to be an active blog, the idea is still contagious. Lamb posted some pictures that were used to stimulate and generate speculation, curiosity, and learning. Using interesting and unique photos accompanied by key questions is the perfect recipe for learning.

This is an activity that could easily be done outside the classroom. What a great way to encourage parent participation in the learning process with their child. Posted comments would let teachers know who was participating and how the project was being received. For those families without Internet access, the teacher might offer an evening when parents and their students could use the school’s facilities and equipment to participate. (Many school districts already do so.)

Students, or even students and their parents, could later generate their own photos with questions for the blog. This could be open or limited to a specific topic or theme.

It is so exciting when I see yet another great use for blogs, but keep in mind, my daughter says I’m easily amused.

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The heat index may be over 100 degrees today, but the blogosphere appears to be heating up as well. Last week David Warlick suggested that students might ask their professors what blogs they read (Another Question for Interviews).

This suggestion was not well received by Matthew Tabor in his post: Don’t Ask this Question, Part 1. Tabor argues that several of his professors, a Nobel Prize winner among them, were quite exceptional without using blogs as an instructional tool.

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing Warlick speak or read his work, online or in print, you know that his focus is on helping teachers provide students with a rich learning experience that will best enable them to become knowledgeable, productive 21st century students.

I agree with Warlick’s statement, “I’m not sure why people seem to assume that if one advocates one thing that it necessarily means the rejection of another.” Why does it seem that if an educator supports using blogs in education that she doesn’t value 20th century tools. Well, who says you have to throw the baby out with the bath water?

It has always been my mantra that using technology in the classroom is not a 24/7 mandate. The focus should be on the objective. What is it that the students should know and understand. Once that is established, an instructor can determine the best method(s) to accomplish that goal. Technology should be used when it can provide students with opportunities and experiences to best meet that goal.

Even Vicki Davis, one of the most tech-savvy educators in the blogosphere, still prefers a hard copy at times. Davis needs the process of highlighting, underlining, and commenting in the margins. Well aware of the possibilities with Tablet PCs, Davis still finds a need for paper.

I do strongly feel that professor of pre-service teachers must model why, how, and when to infuse technology into the curriculum. This is a part of their job description. How can we expect future teachers prepare knowledgeable productive 21st century citizens if they are unaware of the strengths and possibilities to enhance learning with technology? Sadly, most of them won’t learn those skills when they do their student teaching. There are not enough practicing teachers who posses those skills and knowledge. The best way to learn about using technology is when a student is learning how to teach. The two should be inseparable.

So, asking a professor what blogs he or she reads is merely asking if that professor is equipped to prepare teachers of 21st century students. Whether or not you find a value in edublogs, a professor still needs to be aware and informed of the resources that are available to teachers. This includes blogs.

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What a day! As a part of the tech appreciation day in Area IV, the Learning Technology Center for counties in central Illinois, Will Richardson did an all day workshop on Web 2.0. I’ve seen him many times. I even own and read his book! I thought, “I wonder what else I’ll learn today.” Will didn’t fail me.

Yes, many of the things I’ve heard and read were reinforced, but he made yet another “rich” statement. “If you’re in education, at this point you have to suck it up.” That would make a great bumper sticker!

The time for excuses is over! We need to remember why we’re in this business in the first place! We’re here to give the best possible educational experience we can. It’s not about filling up their brains with facts. It’s about creating a learning environment, an environment where kids can connect with others to share and build knowledge. Enough of that soapbox.

Back to the topic of sucking it up…Using technology should not be the exception, it should be the expectation. Teachers need to be models for their students. That includes modeling how to learn about something new, possibly even something uncomfortable.

I say, let’s all suck it up. The air is great!

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When I first constructed this blog, I wanted to find some important questions. Well I found an essential question on Vicki Davis’s site.

Your Essential question of the day!

Until then — think about this. How are you connecting your classroom? How are you getting connected? Are you connecting so that you can learn? Are you modeling the kind of person that they will need to be?

Connecting for today’s students is as common as breathing. Show them a tool, and they’ll find a way to use it to connect with their friends and others. They have become connection experts by choice.

Davis asks if we are consciously connecting to our students and our own personal learning. Perhaps one way of connecting is to share. Sharing needs to be a two-way street. Not only do we need to share with our students, we need to allow them to share with us. When knowledge is shared, it can grow as both parties become owners of shared content.

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I was reading our local newspaper, the Pantagraph, this morning. Of course I was reading Tuesday’s edition on Wednesday; nothing new for me. One of the front page articles dealt with a developer who wants to build some multi-purpose buildings in Normal, Illinois. He talked about how Normal wanted to be one of the first cities to do so. “Normal really gets it. You have a high ‘get it’ factor.”

I think that is the perfect phrase to describe those teachers who value the potential technology has to offer students. The teachers who don’t view technology as an add-on; something else to do in a long, laundry list of daily tasks. The teachers who are life-long learners and strive to model this for their students. The teachers who have gotten over their fear of blowing something up, and are willing to learn with and from their students. The teachers who don’t simply use technology as an instructional tool, which may be PowerPoints ad nauseam; they use it to design activities that are rich, real and relevant.

I know there are a lot of teachers out there who have the “get it” factor. It will never be enough for me, until we all get it!

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