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Daily Spotlight on Education 01/21/2010

eracism - Round 2 VoiceThreads Eracism project Round 2 voicethreads. tags : education , eracismproject , learning , debate , middleschool eracism - Round 1 VoiceThreads Round 1 voicethreads for the Eracism project. This is where we began. tags : education , eracismproject , learning , curriculum eracism - Semi Finals VoiceThreads Eracism project semifinal voicethreads tags : education , learning , eracismproject Posted from Diigo . The rest of my favorite links are here.

Easy way to Review K12 online AND get PLU Credit

For my friend Shelley Paul, I told her I'd post this information.  I know this is for Georgia Educators and may be for others -- take a look at the information.  In these times where money is tight - this is a GREAT way to get Professional Learning Units and save money.  The K12 online conference has great material and is a wonderful way to expose teachers to a wide variety of technology. If you know of other ways to get PLUs in this way, feel free to share them in the comments. K12 Online Conference PD: Attend a Conference in Your PJ's! Earn PLU's for "attending" the archived K12 Online Conference! The next course starts January 25, 2010. The 2009 K12 Online Conference took place December 7-18, 2009. The theme was "Bridging the Divide." This free event offered more than 50 sessions in the areas of 21st Century learning and digital tools for the K-12 classroom. The conference was delivered completely online with video presentations and supporti...

Never Just a Teacher

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Image via Wikipedia PRELUDE: I used to say I'm "just a teacher." Not any more. ---- Just Teacher --- I'm not just a teacher I have many roles From sparking the mind to discussing their goals. I'm not just a teacher I am so much more Mama, wife, chauffer a distance runner who is often sore! I'm not just a teacher I have to fix things too! Computers, payroll taxes, doorknobs, the heel of a shoe. But Just... ah what a word that can be implying that things are fair! Never this side of eternity. Is it just that we grade until two or are interrupted all day? Is it fair that we often work while others can play? Is it just that we are often misunderstood and that fallen leave streaks upon the crystal trophies of our noble calling? Or is it just that money seems to be squandered and we're left to buy sticky tack with our pennies as purchases around us aren't pondered? But there's one thing just one thing. Well mor...

Sojourner Truth

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"Every day a writer must cope with a deep-seated paranoia: I have nothing to say, I've said it all before, I'm a fake and a hypocrite, I write in cliches...When I speak before audiences, I feel as if I have just emerged from a cave to face bright lights and microphones." Phillip Yancy, Grace Notes , Kindle Location 93 (note: I'm sorry, I do not as yet know how to quote a Kindle location. ;-)) The power of writing. When I read this introduction to Grace Notes, a complilation of Christian super-star writer Phillip Yancy's last 30 years of writing, I had to lay down on the couch and put my arm over my forehead as I stared at the ceiling. How could he know how I felt? Looking back to December 9, 2005 (my first blog post on the power of Wiki Wiki Teaching ) and the over 1500 blog posts, really I had gotten almost afraid. Afraid I had nothing "new" to offer. After all,although the tools change - surely Tech Crunch and Gizmodo are the real "new...

Vocabulary in Context with eBook readers

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I've always loved to learn new vocabulary, but really, didn't have the dictionary handy or texting Google was just a pain. One of the coolest features of my Amazon kindle (see Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6 ) is that if I see a word I don't know, I can move the cursor to just beside the word and it gives me a definition. I've gotten to where I press the enter key and go to the full definition, then copy that definition to my clippings (using the bar to highlight and save the note) - then when I'm done, I can see the words I've learned. I'm about 1/3 of the way through a reallly killer Clive Cussler book and have already learned 5 new words - just think of the rich learning. The more I use this Kindle, the more I think that ebooks really have tons of potential for learning - just being able to learn vocabulary in context is huge.  But you can also install custom dictionaries (like the Eastman Bible Dictionary) and then turn that dictionary on when I...

Learning, Reading, Refocusing

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Christmas break is one of the few times (besides July) that I and some others of my friends TOTALLY disconnect. Just wanted to check in though and let you know what I'm really enjoying out of my Christmas Gadgets. Fitness Gadgets I had a great run today with my Nike +ipod sensor (around $20) in my shoelace adapter (around $10) so I don't have to use the Nike+ipod shoes by Nike. (Love my Saucony 's anyway.)  It was wonderful because I could leave the track and run around the baseball field and all kinds of places - I had a very good time, which I think is largely because I could focus on the joy of running instead of counting my laps. (my short term memory issue has me counting on my fingers - I know those who watch me run must think I have some sort of hand deformity!)  The cold-weather UnderArmor shirt and gloves kept me oh so warm in the frigid 49 degree weather in Camilla Today. Loving My Kindle Oh, and this Amazon kindle has hardly left my hand since yesterday!...

A Piece of Mind: The Dangers of Distracted Driving

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Find more videos like this on Flat Classroom Project When you only give a piece of your mind to something that is important... I mean very important... it is just like giving none of yourself to it. In fact, only piece of your mind can be very dangerous to everyone when you're doing some things. Take this past Saturday... a rainy day.  I'm on my way to take my son to a ballgame at the school, just five minutes from my house.  I'm stopped at the red light and getting ready to cross US 19 at probably the busiest intersection in Camilla. My light turns green and (thank goodness) I just happen to slowly begin my way across the intersection.  Fortunately for my son and I, when I reached the middle of the road (across the first three lanes of northbound traffic) I happened to see out of the corner of my eye, a woman and her fluffy white poodle in a van barreling southbound through the red light.  I was incredulous but slammed on breaks and yelled for my son to bra...