For Review...

K5 Learning has an online reading and math program for kindergarten to grade 5 students. I've been given a 6 week free trial to test and write a review of their program and am super excited about it! If you are a blogger, you may want to check out their open invitation to write an online learning review of their program.I am definitely going to start my 6 week trial and share it with some of my students from all grade levels and see how it goes! They have a wonderful website that looks fun and inviting for parents, teachers, and students! Make sure to check back to see how my students and I like K-5 learning!

Fostering 21st Century Learners

Here we are 12 years into the 21st Century. Our students are digital natives. They live and breathe technology without even thinking about it. Who are we to still give them paper and pencil? To lecture? 21st Century learners need to create. They need to do some critical thinking through collaboration. They need to inquire. Teachers are no longer lecturers and holders of all of the information...we are now facilitators. We are a resource for our students. I am really trying this year to let my students choose. No, I'm not letting them run wild and decide what they learn and don't learn. We still cover the curriculum and the objectives and the standards. But instead of giving them a summative assessment on paper, I allow them to choose what type of product they would like to create. For example, my fourth graders are doing a research project on an African American individual. I created a webquest where they learned about slavery, civil rights, etc. Then they chose who they would like to learn more about. I gave them a graphic organizer and some resources to use (i.e. factmonster.com, worldbookonline.org, ncwiseowl.com). Now they are in the process of creating their product. Some are doing Voicethreads while others are doing glogs, vokis or PowerPoint. It is so awesome to see them all in the same room working toward the same goal on all different kinds of projects. Their talents really do shine! Looking at them today, I said to myself "This is why I love my job!" I walked around and facilitated...helped them research and create. It was AWESOME! And they are having so much fun! Any teacher can do this! I really believe that...no matter how technology illiterate they see themselves. If they are willing to give it a try, 21st Century learning is a BLAST! I'll post some of the awesome projects when they are finished! Check out this awesome video I found on 21st Century learners below:

Let's Skype About It!

Checkout our newest Skype project started by our awesome art and music teachers!!! Comment if you would like to participate! The more the merrier!!!

Oh How I've Missed You

Hellllloooo to all my fellow bloggers! It feels like forever since we have spoken! I've been getting a little slack with my posts and need to get back into blogging mode!
Well while I've been away, I have fallen in love with Live Binders! If you are anything like me, meaning you are constantly searching for new sites, blogs, ideas, etc then this is the site for you!!! When I do a search for a new resource, I find so many and become overwhelmed and end up forgetting some of those amazing tools! Enter Live Binders (cue angels singing...ahhhhhhh)!
Live Binders is exactly what they are called. You can easily organize websites into binders by type, adding as many tabs as you like. It becomes especially easy when you add the LiveBinder button to your Bookmark Bar. Now, anytime I visit a website I can simply click on my LiveBinder button and add it to the correct Binder. I have a binder for all types of sites including, Troubleshooting, SmartBoard, Lesson Ideas, Great Blogs, Math Sites, Reading Sites, etc.
Live Binders is my newest favorite organizational tool! Best part of all is that they are free and you can share them with anyone! That's right...start a Live Binder for your grade level or school! The possibilities are endless! Click below to check it out!!!