23 Things for Web 2.0

Mark Fox from TheTeachersHub tweeted about a single school's initiative to invite their teachers to explore the wide and wonderful world of Web 2.0 via a list of 23 "things." I don't think I've really recorded much about Web 2.0 so far in the life of this blog, so I think this is the perfect opportunity to do just that. I'm a few weeks late though, whoops. Here's to catching up with all my free time that I enjoy so blissfully...

Thing #1 of the 23 Things Project is - Blogging. :) The assignment is to create a Blogger account (check), create a blog (check,) choose your template (check). Now for the questions, to be answered in post form:

Q1) Why am I participating (from a distance) in the 23 Things Project?

A) See the above statement regarding Web 2.0 and the purpose of this particular blog.

Q2) What interests me about Web 2.0?

A) Teaching, as I know it on from both sides of the desk, is an art that ought to be constantly evolving to meet the needs of the students. Today, this means walking that fine line between entertainment and engagement. It means competing with iPods, YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, the Internet in general, TV and radio for students' attention - which, sometimes, can be done by pointing out exactly how Beyonce's new song expresses the theme of the novel we're reading in class, or by making Facebook pages for the characters from the short story unit.

But this kind of creativity and "fun" teaching is so much easier said than done in a culture of standardized tests that requires proof of proper performance to determine who passes and who fails (i.e., who gets funds and who doesn't). When we are so pressed and harassed by that urgent need to make sure as many students as possible understand as much as possible about English literature as quickly as possible, and all in time for the test, who really has time for this Web 2.0 stuff?

And yet. It can be done. I think starting small is the key. Like that Facebook page idea. A poster project. Clear requirements about the information needed. Time to work on it in class and share it with everyone. A billboard or wall devoted to the end results.

Web 2.0 is about connections. And in a time when students are more connected than any other generation of human beings have ever been before, Web 2.0 is the set of tools that fits them and their learning needs. It's up to the teachers to dig in and experiment to find out what is out there that can be put into a student's hands to help her build a bridge to connect ideas.

In conclusion, the tools I am interested in are:

• Classroom wikis that students add information to periodically during class throughout the school year.
• A class blog with updated entries that students must reply to for homework.
• Podcasting or creating a VoiceThread to compile students' reviews of a book, story, or unit, or even a project, while having a little fun.
• Photo or slideshow animation to jazz up those important Powerpoints or Keynotes.
• Google Tools, like using Google Earth to create Google Lit Trips, where students can actually map out significant places on the globe from stories we read in class.
• My Mac software, like iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand, which I would love to use frequently in my future classroom to jazz things up a bit.

I'm so excited about this 23 Things Project because I still feel like I have a long way to go to competently use these tools. Fortunately, in this case, being unemployed is a benefit - I can spend the next several days brushing up on what I do know and adding to my arsenal what I don't know yet. Hooray!

In the words of the indomitable Black Eyed Peas, "Let's get it started. Ha!"

possible jobs + contagious encouragement

Good news...although this is a poor economy for new teachers to enter, and high schools all around the area are cutting more teaching positions this year, there are still schools hiring here and there. I have been learning about God's provision and personal flexibility. He is going to bring me opportunities, but they may not look like what I thought I would pursue for my first year teaching job.

For example, I am currently working on a lesson plan for an interview for a 6th grade Language Arts position - and I am getting more excited by the day. On Feb. 9 i get to teach this lesson plan to some students and then we'll see what happens...

Also, today I had coffee with a good friend from college, and we spent the bulk of our time together emphatically discussing how great it would be if she became a high school theatre teacher. It's so great to see people catch on to teaching, especially when it's obvious how great they would be as teachers.

So, here's to trying out new things and continuing the job hunt.

thoughts on Haiti

*Quick sidenote: please pray about giving to support aid to Haiti! Here are at least 3 reputable organizations that you can trust to care for the Haitians' physical AND spiritual needs during this disaster: WorldVision, Compassion International, and Samaritan's Purse.

As news coverage of Haiti continues to provide updates in the wake of the earthquake, I find myself wondering again how power and wealth reside in some countries, but not in others. Apparently I'm due for an Anth 200 review of world history and the World Simulation.

I'm also wondering: How does God feel about the state of poverty in the world, particularly countries like Haiti?

Based on Scripture and what I know of His nature (the very little I know), I assume it breaks His heart far more than it could ever break ours. In Psalm 12, David writes about the oppression of the poor by wicked people. In verse 5 God speaks suddenly: " 'Because of the oppression of the afflicted and the groaning of the poor, I will now rise up,' says the Lord. 'I will put in a safe place the one who longs for it.' " These two sentences show so much about God's awareness of the effects of poverty and His compassion towards those caught in it.

It's times like these, when news of the world's hurt touches our hearts, how true it is that the only One who can fix the mess is Jesus Christ. Emergency aid helps, donations help, education helps (of course I believe in this since I plan to be an educator myself), community programs help. But ultimately, all that help falls short of a person's real need: to find purpose in getting lost in the story of God for His glory.

I began following Samaritan's Purse on Twitter and saw this for myself:

BHMhaiti

@SamaritansPurse chaplains have led 5 ppl to the Lord in our hospital today. God is moving even in the desperation that surrounds #Haiti. (about 3:30 pm)