If you’re artistic, or are interested in the graphic arts at all, this is a great site. It’s difficult to explain the mesmeric quality of the site, but once you try it out for a while, you’ll see that there are endless possibilities for personal expression. It takes a little while to get the hang of it, but try it. You’ll be glad you did!
Earlier in the week, I introduced the concept of a wiki to the class. In a nutshell, a wiki is an online collaborative space where the product that is published on screen is a constant work in progress. Any member of the wiki can edit any part of the wiki at any time. Whereas a blog is an individual’s work, a wiki is a tool that can allow for complete collaboration.
At the moment, students are encouraged to write about ‘classroom news‘ and other items of personal interest. However, we will move into more advanced applications such as linking various keywords in a text to other sites. Also, the use of a wiki brings up a number of social media issues that students do and will face in their lives: online respect, author integrity, excellence, working on one document as a group, making decisions for other people, etc. A link to the wiki can be found in the right sidebar under ‘blogroll’.
Check out this video below with the classic comic team of Abbott and Costello. Can you find the flaw in Costello’s logic?
I believe that Thanksgiving is a milestone in the school year. The first eleven or so weeks are busy, emotional, and hectic from new routines, new expectations, and new relationships. But now, we get a few days to unwind with family and enjoy much deserved relaxation.
The first marking period ends on December 2, and report cards will be issued on December 11. Over the next few weeks, I will be reviewing grades and reflecting on the kind of growth students have made. As I stated at Open House back in September, my grading system takes into account habits, attitudes, and efforts as well as the quiz, test, project, and homework scores that I find on my spreadsheets. At the beginning of the year, the class considered the meaning and application of RISE values (rigor, integrity, service, effort) for themselves, and literally wrote ‘in (on) stone’ the areas that they felt needed honing. Similarly, students will have time to self reflect on their work the last few months and set some goals for the second marking period. Consider discussing these goals as a family, and ways that students may need support from home and from school. As always, I consider the education of any student to be a three way partnership: teach-student-family. To that end, I wish you many hours of happiness and laughter as you spend time together over the Thanksgiving Recess.
Officially nominated for the 2009 Edublog Awards in the categories below is:
Design based on Cutline by Chris Pearson and original header by Thomas Hawk. Hosted by Edublogs.
