Here's something worth fighting for!

KONY 2012

There has been a viral explosion of KONY 2012.  Children are being abducted and forced to fight, mutilate, and kill!  Joseph Kony has been orchestrating this for years and it is time for it to end.  The US govt has finally gotten involved and the end is in sight.  It is important that these atrocities are stopped and never started again!  Kony is still on the loose and it is time to see him captured and stopped.  The way we can help is by backing the cause, by spreading the word and by making it common knowledge of who Kony is and what he is doing.

Project AK-47

There are other groups who are fighting for the same cause!  One great one is Project AK-47.  Check it out!  And if you want to...get involved!

Lee Bob's top 10

1 :  http://karisadurfee.blogspot.com/

2 :  http://angelasedu183.blogspot.com/

3 :  http://carlyc11.blogspot.com/

4 :  http://caitlingarden.blogspot.com/

5 :  http://steelers01.blogspot.com/

6 :  http://caitlingarden.blogspot.com/

7 :  http://jonathangreer8.blogspot.com/

8 :  http://jw096719.blogspot.com/

9 :  http://rlagnello.blogspot.com/

10 :  http://sasyouregonnahearit.blogspot.com/

^  My top ten  ^

Cool Tool for School

This website is basically spark notes on steroids!  It is a bank of online study guides ranging from literature, to SAT prep to biology and algebra.  Every topic has an different tabs for: Intro, Summary, Themes, Quotes, Characters, Analysis, Questions, Photos, Quizzes and Best of the Web.  You can study for a test, research a paper, take a quiz, look at pics and so much more.

The site is awesomely designed and pretty easy to navigate.  You just select a genre, narrow down your search, and go!  If you are interested and want to know more you can take a Shmoop Tour.

The two main reasons I picked this site were:
1.  It has a large wealth of information and resources as well as links to related topics.
2.  It was cool looking.

If I am going to be spending any amount of time on a website it better be helpful and not a killer to look at.  I don't know how many times I ignore web pages because they are bland and all words.  You give me a picture or two and you can count me it.  Yes I was that kid who hated the books without pictures.

I think this site can be helpful to all ages of students as well as teachers.  I can see myself encouraging my students to look at the quiz questions on SHMOOP to prepare for a bonus quiz the next day.

All I have to say is that it is a pretty sweet site and I think you should pick my blog as your number one Cool Tool for School!

Thanks all!!

Resources...

I stumbled across this site while researching for another class.  I thought it was a decent site with a lot of good links.  However, many links dont work.  The ones that do are pretty good. Check em out!

Teaching and Learning Methods and Strategies

Rethinking Learning - Chapter One

My focus while reading chapter one was turned toward “rethinking learning.”  Thinking about how schools and classrooms are changing can cause us to fall into a tizzy.  It is overwhelming to think about everything the internet has to offer as well as all the negative aspects that are presented with it.  As educators we have to be prepared to incorporate all the available resources to help our students succeed.  Chapter one outlines two game-changing conditions that help us understand the available resources that the internet provides.

1.       “We now have two billion potential teachers”

2.       “The sum of human knowledge will be at our fingertips”

When we look at the implications of having two billion teachers who are just a “click” away we begin to see how we/our students will benefit.  We can create virtual relationships with educators across the globe and benefit from each other’s knowledge and experience.  A teacher will have the ability to teach in classrooms in Ohio, The UK and Hawaii without even leaving their living room.  The technology will allow us to expand our talents and abilities.

We no longer have to rely solely on our textbooks and our personal knowledge.  We can research a topic for a lesson plan and have infinite ideas, lessons, subject matter, written papers, research and so much more at our disposal.  Is it all valid and useful?  Of course not but it is available.  We can pick and choose what our curriculum will include and how our lessons will be structured.  We can share our lessons with other and receive feedback almost immediately. 

The relationship between teacher and student will begin to evolve into a much more interactive relationship.  Students will be able to research topics and formulate their own opinions, and then come together with their peers and their teacher to discuss and develop their knowledge.  Learning is a social activity.

We have to be constantly looking forward to what is new and cutting edge.  If we don’t we will be left by the wayside.  There are six year old children who can navigate and work technology better than their parents.  If we don’t begin to embrace the change and incorporate it into our lives we will be left behind.  Unwillingness to embrace the 21^st century and all it has to offer is fine if your goal is to coast through life.  The baseline is that technology is the future.

The best way to sum up the fact that we have to embrace these changes, whether we want to or not,  with the best of our ability is stated as the last sentence of chapter one…

“For our kids’ sake, we don’t have much choice.”

While looking up our book online I came across this video.  Check it out!