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Amy Wilcox
Georgia Connections Academy/Charter Cyber School Educator Fourth and Fifth Grades Gifted and Talented Coordinator ELL Coordinator



I have begun a new career as a cyber school teacher for Georgia Connections Academy. If you want to learn more about Georgia's first charter cyber school the link is located here: [|Georgia Connections Academy] I am overwhelmed at the possibilities that exist in this type of educational realm. My student vary from movie stars (yes, I said movie stars) to athletes, to highly gifted and talented children who are often ignored in today's world of high stakes testing. I also teach students with severe ADD or other attention issues that make them a target for teacher frustration in a regular classroom. Our curriculum is just what you would get in any school state of Georgia classroom as we also are required to pass the CRCT. However, the teaching methodologies are very different! Parents become partners with teachers as we work together to best meet the individual needs of every student! GACA helps each student maximize his or her potential and meet the highest performance standards through a uniquely individualized learning program featuring:
 * A [|challenging, K–8 curriculum] developed by leading education experts.
 * Instruction from state-certified teachers experienced in online instruction.
 * Support from trained counselors, principals, and administrative staff.
 * Curriculum materials needed to participate in a dynamic online learning environment.

**Leadership Matrix Survey**
Objective: Determine a person's leadership style. This is accomplished by measuring the degree that a person likes working with tasks and people. Time: 45 Minutes http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/matrix.html

**Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire**
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html http://ttc.coe.uga.edu/surveys/LearningStyleInv.html

**Learning Style-Elementary School**
http://www.uu.edu/programs/tesl/elementaryschool/learningstylesinventory.htm

**Learning Style-Middle/High School**
http://www.educationplanner.org/education_planner/discovering_article.asp?sponsor=2859&articleName=Learning_Styles_Quiz

**Self-Assessment Quiz**
In addition to looking to outside sources for information, there’s another rich source of data: yourself. Knowing what you want to do begins with knowing yourself—the real you. http://www.educationplanner.org/education_planner/discovering_article.asp?sponsor=2859&articleName=Self-Assessment_Quiz

**Content Quizzes for Earth Science UBD Unit**
http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078617006/student_view0/chapter_review_quizzes.html http://www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/sci__tech/earth_science.html

**Resources Blogging:I believe firmly in student and teacher blogging! Below is a paper I submitted on blogging int he classroom, enjoy!**
**//Reading and writing are literacy.//** **//Blogging is reading and writing.//** **//Thus, blogging is literacy!- David Warlick//**

**I. A description of the resource:** The technology tool I have chosen to write about is Web log, or “blogs” as they are more commonly known. Blogs are easily created and updateable online publishing tools that allow students and teachers a place to discuss what they are learning and experiencing in classroom and a voice into the world (Warlick, ND). These posts are usually instantaneous and allow other users to respond and question the author. Easily used by both teacher and students, blogs can transform the learning environment (Blake-Plock, 2009). Blogs are a great tool that offer individual spaces as well as those for collaborate development (Huffaker, 2005). They offer a chance for teachers to easily incorporate 21st century learning skills into the classroom. Huffaker (2005) adds that blogs can be an important part of classroom, both for individuals and groups, and across disciplines. Blogging in the elementary classroom encourages authentic writing and excites students, as they understand they are writing for a purpose. This style of writing, transactional writing, is meant to communicate for a purpose and deepen learning (Richardson, 2006). It motivates students as other people read and respond to their work. They become excited and encouraged to write more clearly and more critically knowing others will read the words they write (Jackson, 2010). Thus their classroom experience become conversations between learners as they process and reflect on lessons learned. The walls of the classrooms open as students become actively involved in blogging at home or on the go using smart phones. Blogs are simple to create and can be an inexpensive solution in a budget minded educational world. A classroom simple needs access to the Internet and a device that will allow the access. This can be a laptop computer, a desktop computer, an Ipod/Ipad, or a smart phone. Blogging is relevant for all age ranges. Kindergartners can type out simple words while older students can form elaborate and complex mixed media messages! The possibilities are endless. There are many website on You Tube that explain how to begin blogging the classroom (Picardo, 2008). In addition to video tutorials, the web offers many different sites with instructions and examples of beginning educational blogging. Davis (2009) and Cofino (2008) not only instruct on the “how’s” of blogging, these sites go a step further into how to train children to become responsible digital citizens. Gibler (2005) is an excellent example for the beginning blogging teacher. This type of blog consists of the teacher asking a question about the class and the students logging onto the blog and responding. The teacher could then pull up the class blog on a projector and discuss the comments with the students. It is vitally important to teach students how to comment correctly. Quality comments can make the difference between and effective blog that promotes discussion and reflection and one that exists for a simple transaction (Yollis, ND). I feel very strongly that blogging is an integral part of any classroom experience. I agree with Cunningham (2011) when he declared blogging the most important web2.0 tool available to the classroom student and teacher. Blogging is about literacy, and as an upper elementary school teacher, I am focused on literacy in my classroom. As we search for ways to increase literacy skills in our classrooms, blogging is a key tool. **II. How I incorporate this resource into my classroom:** I use blogging regularly in my upper elementary school classroom. As an English as a Second Language (ESOL) teacher and literacy specialist, I rely on blogging to encourage my students to both read and write. Research studies targeting ESOL students have demonstrated time and again that these students perform better when they are able to discuss and reflect on content material via blogging or chatting. Additionally, blogging encourages ESOL students to negotiate responses with peers (Choi, 2009 & Muller-Hartmann, 2000). This leads to more powerful understanding and awareness of material, especially in the content areas During my science classes, students reflect on experiments and discuss with one another discoveries and ideas based on the classroom experience. By interactively blogging, each group begins to deeply reflect and synthesize these experiences. Far beyond a simple lab report, a science blog facilitates interaction between the writers and the readers. Often parents become major blog participants as they question their children about classroom activities. This helps provide an “open door” to the classroom in which parents feel as though they are important contributors to the educational process of the students. Lowe (2011) provides an example of this type of blogging in the classroom. I use blogs both as an individual tool as well as a collaborative tool. Individually students may be tasked to reflect on a reading assignment during literacy skills time, they may be asked to respond to a classmates writing, or may simple post on the classroom web site. Big Huge Labs has a great site that allows students to add captions to pictures. This encourages children to write because it is fun and personal. Writing cartoon captions is a great way to segue into teaching dialogue-writing skills. A student could also create on online blogging comic book! Talk about an exciting educational assignment! As a collaborative tool, I use blogs during group activities such as science or social studies. Chamberlain (2010) is a great resource for finding other classes to blog exchange with. For example, when my students are studying plants, I can find another class, somewhere else, completing a similar unit. The students’ can then blog back and forth about the study, developing deeper understanding. Since writing helps guide thinking, our students experience a richer science experience. During my science class, I often incorporate learning centers to meet the needs of all my diverse learners. Blogging allows these groups to form an education team as they reflect and collaborate together. Blogging can also be used to introduce students to the larger world that exists beyond the state of Georgia. Several educators such as Waters (2011) and Chamberlain (2011) provided resources for teachers to find other classrooms interested in blog exchanges. This would allow my students to become “web pals” with other students and create meaningful connections. This will certainly become an addition to my classroom! During the course of this assignment, I also found an excellent resource for rubrics to use in assessing blog posting by my students (Fisher, 2010). This is a wonderful idea as it helps students to understand what their blog posts should look like and it helps me explain to my principal that blog posting is a serious writing form and I can assess it! **References**

Big Huge Labs. (2011). Captioner: Add comic book style captions to your photos! Retrieved April 18, 2011, from [] This is a fun tool kids would love to use on their blogs. It takes a picture and allows students to create a caption. Wouldn’t this make a great language arts assignment? I have actually had student cut out comics and write the stories, but this is much better.

Blake-Plock, S. (2009, September 11). Why Teachers Should Blog. [Web log post]. Retrieved April 19, 2011, from [|**http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-teachers- should- blog.html**] A fellow teacher discusses the importance of teacher blogging about their experiences. She feels we need to set an example of reflective learning and practices for our students so they will understand the reasons behind blogging. Our next generation needs to be “fearless” and to appreciate that it is not about “getting it right” but about “getting it”! Chamberlain, W. (2011, January 18). Comments 4 Kids. Mr. C’s Class Blog. [Web log post]. Retrieved April 19. 2011, from [|http://mrcsclassblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/comments-4- kids-january-18- 22.html] Here is an awesome idea for a learning center in an elementary classroom. Students are given specific blogs written by other students to comment on. The other classes could be from your own building or from around the world. This could serve as a phenomenal tool for teachers as it opens the classroom walls and exposes students to peers from around the country. Twenty first century learning in action! Choi, J. (2009). Asian English learners’ identity construction in an after school literacy site. //Journal of Asian Pacific Communication 19//(1). 130-161. doi: 10.1075/japc.19.107.cho Choi’s study reveled that online discussions with peers from the same cultural background can serve as an important space to both increase English language skills as well as share and discuss issues that might arise from the difficulties of ethnic differences Cofino, K. (2008, December 6). Blogging is Elementary.[Web log post]. Retrieved April 19, 2011from [] This site not only instructs on how to blog, it goes a step further into how to train children that what goes online can follow you offline! Students must be taught to become responsible digital citizens and this website has the tools to help teachers do just that! Davis, A. (2009). Blog to Learn: Language Arts Examples.[ Web log post]. Retrieved April 14, 2011 from [|**http://adavis.pbworks.com/w/page/1379926/Language- Arts-Examples**] This is a fantastic resource page with multiple language arts blogging examples. They cover a wide range of age ranges from elementary through high school. Since my area is elementary school, I could certainly find many ideas for my students on this website. Fisher, C. (2010, February 16). Blogging Rubric. [Web log post]. Retrieved April 15, 2011 from [] Here is a rubric to use if you want to assess student blogs. This was a concept I had not considered, but if you want to really incorporate blogs as a part of your curriculum, a rubric is a great evaluation tool! I will be adding this to my assessment toolbox. Gibler, K. (2005, November 11). Gibler HR. [Web log post]. Retrieved April 17, 2011 from[|http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=14893&user_id=14893&b log_id=29526&position2=-1] Good example of a teacher blog in which students respond to questions posed by the teacher. I think this is an important resource because it demonstrates how easily a blog can be in a basic, beginning form. A teacher might begin with this type of blog and then branch out as the students become more knowledgeable and comfortable. I would have students respond and then, as a class, read the responses using a projector. The teacher could then teach them how to comment on one another and practice this skill as a group before assigning commenting for an assignment. Huffaker, D. (2005). The educated blogger: Using weblogs to promote literacy in the classroom. //AACE Journal, 13//(2), 91-98. Retrieved April 17, 2011, from [] promote-literacy-in-the-classroom-1/ This author explores how weblogs can promote literacy in a classroom setting. He uses storytelling examples of authentic learning in elementary school classrooms though blogs. He feels that blogs can be used across academic subjects making them an especially valuable tool for the elementary classroom. Jackson, L. (2010, October 20). Blogging? It’s Elementary My Dear Watson! [Web log post]. Retrieved April 11, 2011,from [|**http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech217.shtml**] This article discusses multiple ways blogging can be used in an elementary classroom. It has suggested topics, software programs and tools to consider as well as links to classroom blogs across the United States. Lowe, J. (2011). Mrs. Lowe’s Area 11 Bloggers. Retrieved April 14, 2011, from [] Here is a neat example of an easy to do classroom blog. Student showcase their work and parents and friends are encouraged to comment and respond. Each student also has an individual page for individual blogs. I think this is a great first step for an upper elementary school classroom. Muller-Hartmann, A. (2000). The role of tasks in promoting intercultural learning in electronic learning networks. //Language, Learning, and Technology 4//(2), 129- 147. Retrieved from http://llt.msu.edu/vol4num2/muller/default.html. This article addressed the importance of specific tasks as well as teacher facilitation in learning networks. Based on qualitative research from three email projects between German and United States and Canada students, this project succeeded in its goal of illustrating how well email can work as a literary forum. Students worked with partners in a joint reading of a literary text. This formed the basis of the discussions. Students and teachers worked through issues such as learning humor and sarcasm my not translate in the written form. The teachers played an important role in facilitating understanding of this issue. Picardo,J. (2008, December 14). How to create your own subject or classroom blog. [Video file]. Retrieved April 11, 2011, from [|**http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRJviNEjAjw&feature=related**] This helpful video shares how to begin blogging in the classroom. The author shares simple tips on how to get started and why blogs are useful. Richardson, W. (2006). //Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for the classroom.// Thousand Oak: Corwin Press. This book provides multiple ideas and suggestions for implementing 21st century skills into your classroom. A plethora of ideas and suggests abound1 Warlick, D. (ND). About Class Blogmeister. [Web log post]. Retrieved April 17, 2011, from [] This website maintained by a well-known educational technologist, provides a wealth of information for any educator. Not only does it provide the rational for blogging, it comes with an interactive search engine to find blogging classroom throughout the world. Waters, S. (2011, April 13). Check Out Class Blogs. [Web log post]. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from [] This page allows you to see examples of class blogs to get ideas for you own. It could also be a place to find “blogging” partners from other areas of the world. Yollis. (ND). How to teach commenting skills. [Web log post]. Retrieved April 15, 2011, from**http://educationalblogging.wikispaces.com/How+To+Teach+Commentin g+Skills** This website is a step-by-step guide to teaching students how to add quality comments on each other’s blog sites. A must read before beginning blogging in your classroom! This web site also contains many other useful sites for blogging in your classroom such as videos of student’s blogging and reasons for blogging in the elementary classroom.

THE BEST OF THE BEST WEB 2.0 TOOLS! http://edudemic.com/2010/07/the-35-best-web-2-0-classroom-tools-chosen-by-you/

=__Bloom's Taxonomy using Web 2.0 tools.__=

**Bloomin' Digital Peacock**
__**Remember**__:

BBC Skillwise- []

Spelling City- [|http://spellingcity.com]

Starfall- [|http://starfall.com]

Discovery Streaming- [|http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com]

Lexipedia- [|http://lexipedia.com]

YouTube- [|http://youtube.com]

Gamegoo- []

PBS Kids- [|http://pbskids.org]

__**Understand**__:

Into the Book- [|http://reading.ecb.org]

Skype- [|http://skype.com]

Treasures- []

Book Adventure- [|http://bookadventure.org]

Twitter- [|http://twitter.com]

__**Apply**__:

Kerpoof- [|http://kerpoof.com]

PhotoBooth- Software

Scholastic- []

Fotobabble- [|http://fotobabble.com]

Google Earth- []

__**Analyze**__:

Read Write Think- [|http://readwritethink.org]

Cool Iris- [|http://cooliris.com]

Wordle- [|http://wordle.net]

Creaza- [|http://creaza.com]

Mindomo- [|http://mindomo.com]


 * __Evaluate__:**

Shelfari- [|http://shelfari.com]

Wikipedia- [|http://wikipedia.com]

Think.com- [|http://think.com]

Nota- [|http://notaland.com]

__**Create**__:

Pic-Lits- [|http://piclits.com]

Kerpoof- [|http://kerpoof.com]

ZimmerTwins- [|http://zimmertwins.com]

Wiki Spaces- http://wikispaces.com

DomoNation- [|http://domonation.com]

Glogster- [|http://edu.glogster.com]

Creaza- [|http://creaza.com]

Voicethread- [|http://voicethread.com]

Kidblog- [|http://kidblog.org]

Wetpaint- [|http://www.wetpaint.com]

edublogs- [|http://edublogs.org]

Stage’d- [|http://stagedproject.com]/

What are you doing on October 6? How does breaking a world reading record while raising awareness about America’s achievement gap sound? Join us as we participate in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record® presented in partnership with Pearson Foundation. Its a national campaign that mobilizes adults and children to close the early education achievement gap by setting a reading world record. This annual campaign allows Americans to //demand// that all children receive the quality early education they deserve. On October 6, 2011, **more than 2 million voices** will call for an end to America’s early education achievement gap by reading //Llama Llama Red Pajama// by Anna Dewdney – setting a world record in the process! Get involved at [|www.readfortherecord.org] to help Jumpstart close the early education achievement gap: 1. [|Pledge to Read]: Submit your official pledge and help us reach more than 2.1 MILLION children.

2. Spread the Word: Use our simple tools to educate your friends and family about America’s early education achievement gap and invite them to read. For more information visit [|www.readfortherecord.org]

ITEC 7530