Grammarly: Just another Spellchecker, or your path to better content?

To all of us who may have gotten a little "sloppy" with the old grammar in the past generation or so,

   You should read this article: 
   Grammarly: Just another Spellchecker, or your path to better content?  It starts with this pretty great quote:

Grammarly is an Online Tool that claims to “reviews and improves your text, correcting grammar, spelling, word choice and style mistakes with unmatched accuracy.”  There is a free trial even if it will be a bit pricey after that.  I am doing the free trial right now myself.   starting a free trial. 

This program picks up not only subject-verb agreement, but also dangling modifiers and better word choices.  One thing that has become abundantly clear to me is that our written English ha become quite sloppy over the last hundred years or so.  As I tried this program last night, I could imagine my Grandmother, a teacher long ago, smiling from ear-to-ear. "Thank goodness grammar is back in vogue," she'd say.   

Mastering the Teaching Game

Mastering the Teaching Game

Over on Edutopia this week, Tomlinson shared a post, Mastering the Teaching Game.  It's a good one for this time of year as we "gear up" and "psych up" for a new year with new challenges and all the potential that new learning can offer.

I spent some time in the past few days setting up my room.  There is a lovely, inviting reading area and the charts and books are ready to go.  While it may not be Pinterest worthy, I think it looks inviting and enticing.....and I was proud of how it looks.....and thinking I was all set.....until I read this article and was reminded that we also need to prepare our HEADS and our HEARTS to teach......and to learn.......it's not just about pretty spaces and images.....

This article, which you really should read, is based on a successful tennis coach, Coach Groeneveld, because as we all know, what teachers REALLY DO is to COACH learning!

"All human beings can achieve far more than they believe they can."

"Success comes from the desire to work hard to achieve a goal." 

"It's not enough to only teach skills."

"Make sure the player [student]takes responsibility for his or her decisions."

 
"Being a good coach [teacher]means dissecting the player's [student's] game"

"When there is resistance from a player [student], don't take no for an answer." 

"There's no single way to coach [teach]players [students]."

Taking over the faculty meeting, one idea at a time.

Over MOST of my career, I have seriously dreaded faculty meetings.  To sit and listen, at the end of a long day, to upcoming events and calendar items, in a stuffy room when there is SO much you need to do back in your room is just plain hard.  Plus , we are usually hungry, thirsty, need to find the rest room and have to call at least one parent! 
In recent years, it has been clear that my own administrators are trying to revamp faculty meeting time into real, valuable PD sharing opportunities. It certainly seems like the movement is not just in my building and flipped as well as creative use of those 10 hours a year seems to be more common than in past years.
@LisaMeade23 who blogs at http://msprincipal23a.blogspot.com/2014/08/faculty-meeting-smackdowns.html
is certainly leading the way with her "faculty meeting smackdown" idea!

Now, truth-be-told, the idea of a smackdown scares me as we should be working together not "knocking down an opponent in a wrestling competition!"  Yet, we are a competitive lot.  We all want to do our best and to be at the top of the heap so putting a competitive spin on things does get our blood flowing.  

Lisa's idea was to have teachers sign up for 2-5 minute slots sharing ideas with their peers.  It sounds so simple and yet so profound at the same time.  It forces us (teachers) to look reflectively and critically at what we do well.  It forces us to think about our strengths and areas where we can grow.  If forces us to look inside and outside our rooms.  

If we were to do this in MY SCHOOL THIS YEAR, I would run like a mad woman to the sign up sheet and be eager to share how TWITTER, this wild and crazy medium of internet travel, has been the VERY BEST FORM OF PD I could have ever envisioned.  

I Pad Apps For Summer Learning

There are people who do not sleep.  That is a good thing because they are making the internet a better and easier to navigate place for all of us!  These are links that Richard Byrne suggests for Ipad access....there are some great ones!

http://ipadapps4school.com/2014/06/06/84-ipad-apps-to-share-with-k-12-teachers-and-students/

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1C0sWffU22iXzS3g1_rVW8hJe1iyeL4KzYmxqRFjzRls/edit#slide=id.p

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GWVnUDzx8hXP0IvHYfjsSHL4oSS6yy8IzUA45nsYjrU/edit#slide=id.p
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/13/10/db/1310db32d4a80cf0fbaf0d8f57c82b14.jpg

Sharing TCRWP: Getting Started With Twitter

I've had a love-concerned-connected-overwhelmed-empowered-relationship with Twitter during the past 2 years, since I made the leap into that connected virtual world of people who more-often-than-I-can-imagine have things to share that I really want to know!

Admittedly, there are times when I can feel totally over-the-top-overwhelmed with the zillions of Twitter feed items that fill up my home page.  If I skip a day or two from checking Twitter, there are so many Tweets waiting that I can only just scan and move on hoping that if I missed something really great, someone will surely Retweet it!

Yet, the level of professional connected-ness and the number of great ideas, worthy concerns, pithy topics, profound thoughts, happy bits of news, wonderful suggestions, empowering relationships, and professional learning shared through this media is beyond what I might have envisioned in my wildest dreams!  

I follow professionals who stimulate and encourage me to be all I can be every day.  I am always somewhat surprised and totally humbled that others choose to follow me!  BUT THIS POST, I want to share with those who have not yet "joined our connected group of Twitters."

Here is a link to a TCRWP Google Books Doc that will help you to join the "club" and push your own thinking, learning, and at times....your ability to handle stressors!

http://locsliteracyinstitute.weebly.com/uploads/1/6/1/5/16157584/twitter_draft.pdf

#weareteachers Sharing Apps for STEAM

What are you bringing back to school from your winter break?

On your way home, or as you rethink your lessons for next week....

Head on over

We Are Teachers has is a great list of Apps organized for STEAM.  

All the links are there

http://www.weareteachers.com/community/blogs/weareteachersblog/blog-wat/2013/06/26/60-apps-for-teaching-steam

Totally Free Apps for literacy and maht learning

I might volunteer to teach grad school JUST for the ideas I get from my grad students! 
Like this list of FREE apps////


http://www.smartappsforkids.com/2013/11/top-10-current-best-selling-totally-free-educational-apps-no-in-app-purchases-limited-time.html

Curriculum Based Assessment Resources

In searching for my grad class on curriculum based assessments, I landed here.  So easy to use, so simple, so flexible.  I can't believe I forget about these sites and make my own from scratch! 

http://www.interventioncentral.org/curriculum-based-measurement-reading-math-assesment-tests

This pages focuses on writing

http://www.interventioncentral.org/assessment/writing_assessment_elementary

I also landed on the famous Jim Wright's sites.  Jim has been taking his CBA probes on the road for a long time.  His resources are fabulous

Curriculum-Based Measurement: A Manual for Teachers (Jim Wright)

www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/cbaManual.pdf

‎

View shared postGraphing data resources

www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/cbmresources/.../writing_40_12.pd

A whole lot of resources

http://www.jimwrightonline.com/htmdocs/interventions/cbmwarehouse.php

A virtual workshop on assessment

www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/cbmresources/cbaWkshpPacket.PDF

It's a Super Week!

Motivation, engagement, excitement are critical pieces of teaching and learning that we sometimes overlook.  Oh yes, back when we were student teaching and when we are being observed, we all make sure we have an "anticipatory set" and a "hook" at the start of our lessons!  Oh yes, when we stop to think about it, we always want our students to be excited about learning.  Yet, as we stay true to our standards and benchmarks of learning, sometimes we forget that we also need to be "in the moment" and take advantage of "teachable moments."

So, if your students, even some of them, are obsessed with Super Bowl Festivities and excitement, check out these links! 

http://www.thinkfinity.org/docs/DOC-10824

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/super-bowl-lesson-plans-matthew-davis

http://www.frankwbaker.com/super_bowl.htm

While I'd like to do some close viewing, looking critically at a Super Bowl commercial with my students, I may save that for Monday.  This week, in honor of the Super Bowl, we're going to be Super Readers! 

Apps for Readers and Writers Who Struggle

Perhaps what I like best about this riding this internet is that you really can learn something new every day!
Over at a site called Moms of Dyslexics, they reviewed Apps a few months ago that popped up on my Pinterest through my ASCD...a long and windy road..so worth sharing as you might not have "bumped" into them on the internet!

http://momsofdyslexics.blogspot.com/p/apps-for-dyslexics-struggling-and.html?spref=fb

HERE ARE A FEW OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS..

PLEASE VISIT THEIR SITE FOR THE FULL LOAD

Spell Trekking-Free:  Your child will learn to spell while trekking through space on the S.S. Spell Trek.  The multi-sensory approach makes it a solid choice for children with dyslexia and who struggle with reading.  It taps into the visual strength of dyslexic children to produce confidence in the area of spelling.  The app is simple, visually appealing, and geared toward children ages 5 to 12. The child can chose a visual background color to make reading the text on the app comfortable.  The keys on the touch keyboard are colored and the letters are in a comic sans font which helps dyslexics differentiate letters.

Letter Quiz-Free and Full Version-$1.99: Consists of four games to help your child learn letter recognition and writing practice.  Many dyslexics have difficulty with rote memory and that includes recognizing letters or remembering the sequence of the alphabet.  This app will encourage letter recognition through a series of flashcards as well as matching upper and lowercase letters.  Writing practice is easy for any age since the letter takes up the full screen and dotted lines guide little fingers.   The process will not only improve handwriting but solidify letter recognition. 

See Read Say-$1.99:  The visual nature of a dyslexic can make learning sight words difficult.  This was certainly the case with my child.  See Read Say contains all 220 Dolch Sight Words.  The words are separated into grade level.  The app is simple in design and concept yet effective for sight word memorization.  If your child sees a word she does not recognize she can push a button to hear it.  The app keeps track of performance and rewards with a star system.

Phonics Genius-Free:  Phonetic awareness is essential to reading and this app takes it to a new level.  The app contains thousands of words grouped into 225 phonic categories.  You have the ability to change the font size and color.  If you have Dropbox, you can import your own content.  I have not found a flashcard app with more versatility.  The cards are self-checking with a simple touch of the sound symbol. The app has aided my daughter in distinguishing sounds that were difficult for her.

Thanks, Marni for the Bookmark!

So here's the story of this lovely little bookmark,

Marni, a former grad student,

Now super teacher,

made this,
She knew it was special,

She sent a Tweet to Scholastic,
She posted it on Twitter,
She linked it to Facebook,

I read it on Facebook,

I copy it from Pinterest,

I share it on this blog,

I share it on Pinterest,

I share it on Facebook

I share it on Twitter,

Social media sharing,

21st Century sharing.

Thanks Marni, for the bookmark!

Freebies for teachers

http://blog.reallygoodstuff.com/11-free-reading-websites-for-kids/3/

PLN: Common Core Skills Through Happy Birthday

Today's post is from Pinterest via Twitter found while relaying birthday wishes on Twitter and Facebook.  While I have long used the Happy Birthday song to suggest the length of a good hand wash, I am TOTALLY SURE that I  NEVER (along with NONE of my teachers) imagined a little PLN thrown into my morning as I wished Happy Birthday to THREE friends today! 



 

#SOL 2013 Chicken in a Pot or Cake in a Box

Yesterday, Dogtrax posted a story created on Tapestry.  Sometimes I look at what he does with technology and think, "Does that man ever sleep?"  Other times, I look at what he does with rapt admiration and think, "Maybe, I can do that too?"Yesterday, his storyboard captured my attention and I could not wait long to try it.

So, I am sharing a short slice of my life this week through Tapestry.  I see the flaws (especially my difficulty embedding the image of my story) with this program, but like it anyway! 

Next week, you will likely see how this looks when elementary kids try it!  For today, here is the link to my Tapestry story about a family favorite dinner!

https://readtapestry.com/s/IRza0NNKV/


    

PS CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO TURN THE PAGES! 

 

 

 

https://readtapestry.com/s/IRza0NNKV/

Closer Reading Links

Cybrary Man posted this pretty nice list of CLOSE READING links:  
http://cybraryman.com/closereading.html

PLN: Ipads

I am looking forward to integrating more "hands on for kids" technology into my literacy support program this year.  I took a summer week of training and learned lots; however, it is through my PLN that I continue to be an every-day-all-year-long-learner! Just reading this post makes me feel like I went to the Distinguished Educator Institute yesterday!
http://www.edtechschools.com/my-top-5-takeaways-from-my-geeked-out-week-at-the-apple-distinguished-educator-institute/?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer75803&utm_medium=twitter

 

Yes, Mom, There Really Is Value to Social Media

Shortly, I will head out for a few hours of some end-of-the-summer-fun spent in real time with real people breathing real, fresh air and really filling my lungs and soul with the fuel that will carry me through the busy months ahead.  My husband, on his new bike, will likely lead the way over some really neat, repurposed bike trails and my mind will likely be filled, once again, with the really strong images of men, women and children who long ago rode those trails towards unimagined, new lives (the subject of my someday book).

Yet, this morning, I am aware that I get fuel to carry me through the bulk of my busy teaching-working-living days via social media.  I was thinking about how grateful I was for texting, Twitter, and Facebook as I awoke this morning.  My birthday, yesterday, was filled with messages from kids, friends, relatives and colleagues that made me happy again and again. The Tweets started early and I smiled ear to ear as I stopped for coffee and glanced at that first one.   Later on, there were some more Twitter exchanges as well as some Facebook chatting and a video clip from Disney that I will treasure all year.  There were notes from people I see every day as well as those far-flung relatives and friends who I see very rarely, if at all.  I was so very grateful that each took a moment to wish me a happy day.  I think, in fact, that I had more wishes for a Happy Birthday this year than in any single year of my life ever before! 

Then, as I logged into my PLN, Twitter, I see this link   http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103110/chapters/Designing-and-Developing-School-and-District-Curricula.aspx  which lead me to this link http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103110.aspx
offering me a glimpse of John Brown's new book before I buy it! 

As I read on through my Twitter feed, I see that Ruth Ayers has a new book coming out soon http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/2013/08/23/its-coming-2/
I stop to wonder how she has the time, but suspect that she too is fueled, to some extent, by the power of her PLN. 

I have to be selective as I continue scanning the feed, but take time to read about coaching ideas over at Ed Week  http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/coaching_teachers/2013/08/im_a_new_coach_where_do_i_star.html

And then, over on Facebook, amid the images of happy people celebrating life and taking kids to colleges there are a few lingering birthday wishes from other time zones and this lead from the Nerdy Book Club that made me link up! 

Reluctance vs. Refusal by Ryan M. Hanna - Let’s talk about the famed reluctant reader. The reader that countless blogs, professional teaching books, and think tanks work overtime at figuring out. Reluctance can be caused by a wide variety (and sometimes combination) of reasons: the students may struggle with reading, literacy support may be lacking in their homes, there’s no one to help [] http://ow.ly/2zk3F3 

I still buy and send some paper cards each year.  I still love to open mail.  I still love real time birthday candles and connecting with people.  Yet, as I head onto a real time adventure this morning, I remain filled with gratitude for my ever-growing and wonderful virtual life that connects me with people and the world in ways I could never have imagined in years past.  Yes, Mom, there really is value in social media. 

 

 

Reading, Writing, and Viewing: Old Photos and the CCSS

Moments after I hit "publish," I got a note from a reader who shares my family tree and who has shared more than a few summer-fall-winter-spring-happy and sad memories.  I smiled as I saved these images to my own digital notebook.

At first glance, you see a family all dressed in outfits that Jackie Kennedy (before she became Onassis) would have endorsed!  Stylish, straight sheaths on the ladies and freshly pressed shirts on the boys.  Those boys, as expected, had on jackets and ties (even the little one) even though the sun was beating down on their shoulders.  The girls, as expected, had crinolines under their dresses and matching cardigans around their shoulders.  Even if they were hot, they stayed neat for the photo! 

I'm confident those boys would have preferred to be playing catch, going fishing, or building a fort and dressed, under duress, at the very last minute possible!

I am certain those curls, on the girls, were not natural, but the result of a night (and the morning)spent in bristly rollers wrapped in a bandana.

I am sure that one (or more) of those perfectly dressed children above might have done at least one (or more) thing they shouldn't have done during the days before or after these photos!  It's possible that one (or more) of them got in trouble just before or after the photo shoot!  (I choose not to share those memories).

I know both of those smiling-for-the-camera women (like their style-mentor-Jackie) had big-worries, serious-concerns, anxiety-provoking problems and life-altering issues lurking even as they smiled assuredly into the camera, for posterity, that day. 

I suspect that the invisible camera-man was happy when the combinations of visiting cousins and sisters-in-law were finally all photographed! 

One central message that seems to be emerging from my own recursive "viewing" of  photos this summer is that you have to look closely at and think deeply about what was captured in each image and try to determine what those posing wanted others to see and know. 

There is always a story behind the image.

Gee whiz, that is just what you have to do when you read!   

 
 

Creating Books On IPad

http://www.teachthought.com/apps-2/15-literacy-apps-to-create-books-on-the-ipad/

CCSS: Video Clips and Central Ideas

I've spent a few moments this summer doing PD at home - growing in my understanding of CCSS.    The power of the www still amazes me and it amazes me even more when I access it from my office in my sweaty shorts and t-shirt!

Here are some interesting video clips on central ideas. Check out this link

http://learni.st/users/chapma61/boards/2551-analyzing-central-ideas-of-informational-texts-common-core-standard-6-ri-2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W24RyhtX1qA&feature=player_embeddedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W24RyhtX1qA&feature=player_embedded#t=0s