Conversations #64

Happy Valentine's Day! Today, we discussed skyping in the classroom and posting student work on blogs. We discussed ways we have used skype to connect with other classrooms; reading to others, sharing via video, and more. When posting student's work to their own blog, do they post their best or show a work in progress? (This conversation stemmed from the Feb. 11, 2010 SEEDlings show.) Does all work get published? What about the varying abilities within the class? We missed Lisa this week as she was on vacation, but she will be back next week. 

Chat log:

 11:30:46  sheila  : Hello David
 11:30:58  Maureen  : Hi Sheila
 11:31:12  sheila  : Hi Maureen - What would you like to talk about today?
 11:31:36  Maureen  : Nothin in particular in mind
 11:32:05  Maureen  : I want someone to solve the problem of integrating tech and lack of time
 11:32:20  sheila  : Maria is having technical details.
 11:32:46  Maureen  : Is Lisa on vacation?
 11:33:07  Maureen  : Oh good sound ;>0
 11:34:32  Maureen  : Getting ready to leave for Belize stressful?
 11:36:00  Maureen  : Have you seen this resource for showing teachers what tech integration can look like? http://transformation-technology.wikispaces.com/  This is my quest this week, among others- finding more examples.
 11:36:55  Maureen  : I liked to sort hearts by color, etc....
 11:37:41  Maureen  : We had a no snow day on Wednesday. Enjoyed staying home and playing catchup, but missed important time with kids.
 11:38:01  sheila  : How much snow did you get?
 11:38:14  Maureen  : I got a couple inches- school got a couple flakes
 11:39:16  Maureen  : The forecast was for 6-15, starting at 10 am and really bad at release time- so it was a good call, but the weather forecasters blew it
 11:40:23  Maureen  : Maria, what do you use to record Skype video/calls?
 11:41:57  sheila  : Hello CathyE
 11:43:28  sheila  : http://www.theweathernetwork.com/games
 11:45:09  MariaK  : Hi Cathy - do you have snow?
 11:45:30  Cathy E  : We had snow yesterday
 11:45:33  Cathy E  : it was exciting
 11:45:36  Cathy E  : all gone now
 11:45:51  Maureen  : Thx Maria. I haven't tried to do it- but would like to. I guess I will just try out some of the tools online. We haven't skyped with anyone- bandwidth is better now, so maybe it'll work
 11:46:39  MariaK  : Let me know if you want to do skype project -with some little folks
 11:48:22  Maureen  : Our middle school chorus is learning the same song as the teacher's friend in Berlin... and hope to sing it together. So I have to figure out the logistics
 11:48:41  sheila  : Oh, I like that idea!
 11:49:18  Cathy E  : Have ya'll tried Google Talk instead of Skype?  We have just started Google Apps for our system - just wondering.
 11:49:32  Maureen  : I used to love the poems for 2 voices... haven't read Mo's stuff, but the librarian loves it and uses it with kids
 11:49:34  sheila  : I have not CAthyE
 11:50:01  sheila  : Poems for 2 voices is a great book.
 11:50:07  Maureen  : @CathyE  We have google apps I should check it out
 11:50:47  Cathy E  : I don't know anything
 11:50:52  Cathy E  : about it either
 11:50:55  Cathy E  : just starting
 11:51:42  Maureen  : That's the one! What do you mean "older".... classic
 11:53:09  Maureen  : There's a skype spreadhsheet http://spreadsheets.google.com/ver?key=tmy7bY5ti-dwSfj7lD_ob8w&t=1262969...
 11:54:09  Maureen  : Skype in schools- resources http://share.skype.com/sites/skypegear/2009/08/skype_in_schools_resource...
 11:54:54  Maureen  : Another one skype in schools wiki http://skypeinschools.pbworks.com/Directory
 11:54:55  sheila  : Thanks for the links Maureen!
 11:56:19  Maureen  : Maria- thanks for tweeting the link to the copyright webinar the other night. I can't learn enough about this ever-changing topic.
 11:58:25  Maureen  : It was having issues the other day in my class at school. Freezing up when the kids tried to paste links. Workaround was using keyboard shortcuts instead of the drop downs that freeze
 12:03:00  MariaK  : do any of you blog with students or post student work?
 12:04:21  Maureen  : I post student work- most like it, and will complain if I miss theirs. Some are not as comfortable. I don't allow comments on most of their work... blogs I invite parents to comment- only a few ever do.
 12:05:07  Cathy E  : @Maria Here is something you may want to use for your Insect book:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/khs/3696126910/
 12:05:25  Maureen  : I dont allow comments most of the time because I cannot keep up with comment moderation, not for any other reason
 12:05:27  Cathy E  : Nature Sounds
 12:05:58  Maureen  : Do you ask kids permission to post their work- since they are the copyright holders?
 12:07:01  sheila  : I make it part of the assignment that they will post. Hadn't really thought about it as much. Now rethinking.
 12:09:05  Maureen  : When you turn it over to 4th-9th graders it takes a long time to get results- not age related.
 12:10:18  Cathy E  : My first graders really like typing their thoughts in their blogs - the problem is the blog site will time out before they finish
 12:10:52  Cathy E  : So we have to copy, refresh, paste, then submit
 12:11:54  sheila  : We have to do that in 7th grade too! Also saves a copy, just in case.
 12:15:28  Cathy E  : It also works the other way, the parent who thinks their is gifted, see that they are on the same level with everyone else
 12:16:03  Maureen  : I usually try to post something, if the child cannot write, perhaps they can draw, or speak or ?   Try to find some strength to share
 12:20:06  Maureen  : I had some kids being hypercritical in 7th grade... removed their comments and we talked about how to comment and not hurt feelings, but get their point across. The kids got it.hor/
 12:21:34  Maureen  : Who?
 12:24:39  Cathy E  : something called "jail" can't be good
 12:24:53  MariaK  : I agree, Cathy.
 12:25:10  MariaK  : Cathy - are you doing any shows lately?
 12:25:31  Cathy E  : no shows for me
 12:25:38  Maureen  : When I was coming back from Philly, the TSA took my laptop... went behind curtains and came back 5 minutes later and just gave it back and said OK... Have no idea what they did
 12:26:01  Cathy E  : I would be busted for sure
 12:26:24  sheila  : Well, Maureen you're blacklisted now.  ;)
 12:26:29  Maureen  : I loved her presentation- showed a nice example of how her classroom works
 12:26:58  MariaK  : http://room9nelsoncentral2009.blogspot.com/
 12:27:28  MariaK  : http://room9nelsoncentral.wikispaces.com/
 12:27:31  Maureen  : @sheila- it was weird. I don't have a password on that laptop, so they didn't have to hack anything- could just turn it on. They now have all my middle school work on file somewhere I'm sure
 12:30:05  sheila  : Twitter for my classroom - @7thscience
 12:30:38  Maureen  : Douhvajb4atrnslatr?
 12:31:40  Maureen  : SryItotKfralnftim
 12:32:07  Maureen  : Sorry I taught K for a long time
 12:34:33  Maureen  : My new blogpost for my teachers is going to be on "cargo cult culture" I want them to "emulate the behavior with no understanding of mechanism"  and just do it- with tech integration.
 12:34:53  Cathy E  : have a great week ladies
 12:35:13  Maureen  : Enjoy your trip and safe travels Sheila!
 12:35:45  MariaK  : you too - have a great week.