Think...Do...Learn

Shame on Me

2012-02-06T18:10:00.000-06:00

I've neglected my blog. I am ashamed of myself. I guess it speaks to just how busy this year has been. I'll try to make up for it by posting this Animoto.

Classroom Management Tools

2011-07-23T16:59:00.000-05:00

I found these at the dollar store today. I thought they'd be perfect for my junior high classroom.

Getting Started

2011-07-23T12:46:00.000-05:00

After dinner yesterday I paid a visit to the home improvement store. I followed Lodge McCammon's advice on how to make affordable lecture boards for use in my lecture vodcasts.

Although my husband thinks I'm a little nuts for taking pictures of the process I figured someone out there may find it useful.

Home Depot will cut lumber for you, all you have to do is ask. I think you get two free cuts but I needed the board cut into six smaller pieces which turned out to be a total of three cuts. I was not charged for the additional cut.

The gentleman who helped us cut the board in half first then into thirds.

He asked if I was a teacher. Apparently other folks knew all about this trick of getting cheap dry erase boards.

Here's the finished product. They are a little dusty but that's no big deal. I will warn you that they smell a little funny. I'd put them in the trunk on the way home to spare yourself odor.

What’s in a name?

2011-07-20T15:26:00.001-05:00

I survived (just barely) my first year of teaching junior high school. As I started to think about how to improve my class for the upcoming year I wanted an easy way to communicate to the new students what my class and philosophy are all about. I figured I needed a motto or theme. Most of my ideas centered around the basics of 21st century literacies: Create, Communicate and Collaborate. To me these three words tell the story of what education should be for today’s students however I doubted whether they’d have any immediate meaning for a bunch of thirteen year olds. So I set out like Pooh bear to “think, think, think” and came of with three words that pretty well sum it all up.

Think. Do. Learn.

THINK: Students will think. This may sound like a “no brainer” but you’d be surprised by just how many students have not been challenged to think throughout the course of their education. If I am to prepare them for jobs that do not yet exist I must teach and expect them to think.

DO: My classroom is a place of active learning rather than passive learning.

Learn: Students who think and do on a regular basis will learn. After all, isn’t learning the goal of education?

If your class had a tagline what would it be?

Just Wait Until Next Year…

2011-05-03T12:32:00.000-05:00

I saw Dr. Lodge McCammon share this video and the idea of “flipping” the classroom back in February at the Discovery Education pre-conference event for the Texas Computer Education Association Conference. I was so moved by what he shared (see the video below) that I was inspired to tweet about it. I decided then that I would be “flipping” my classroom next year.

Fast forward to the DEN Spring Virtual Conference held this past Saturday. Lodge was the first presenter and shared how this teacher implemented his idea. I can’t tell you how awesome this is so I’ve included her video below.

Here’s a video of what her classroom looks like now. LOVE THIS!!! My kids next year will be in for something special. I can’t wait to get started on this journey. I’ll keep y’all posted here on the blog as to how this works for me.

Population Growth Explained

2011-01-28T09:41:00.001-06:00

This morning I stumbled onto this video which does an awesome job of explaining population growth with IKEA boxes. Enjoy!

Wikipedia Explained

2010-05-26T11:18:00.000-05:00

I’m a big fan of the folks over at Common Craft. Here is another of their fabulous videos explaining the often misunderstood Wikipedia. Despite what so many teachers think Wikipedia is not “evil”. It has its place in education and can be a good tool if used appropriately.

This video licensed by Common Craft. View the complete video library and learn about licensing options at CommonCraft.com.