First Day of School take 15

Is this really the First Day of School take 15? In someways it feels that I’m a long way from that first teacher that walked into my first classroom 15 years ago. I have seen my share of new faces, new buildings, new classrooms, new subjects and new assignments. I have been involved in a classroom with one computer, to a computer lab, and finally to a 21st century learning environment where every student has their own laptop in front of them. I have seen educational changes come and go just stay on long enough for the ride to be over, and please remember to keep your hands and feet inside until it comes to a complete stop!

However, I feel I’m still close to the first teacher that first year. The excitement and the challenges of new students. The anticipations and uncertainties of the upcoming school year. The challenge of teaching to the 21st century learner, pushes me outside my box my comfort zone. However education really is the same today as it was those 15 years ago. It is about taking students on a journey, to help them learn, experience, and understand the information around them. Educating today like 15 years ago is about challenging, engaging, and enlightening the minds of those students in my classroom. This is why I became a teacher and the years and experiences I have had made these 15 years merge into a very incredible journey.

It has been an incredible journey one that will someday be missed as times change. Like the horizon that brings a magnificent sunset at the end of a day, it also brings an amazing sunrise and a new day with opportunities and challenges. So I set forward on this new school year with the opportunities and challenges ahead. I will become a more connected 21st century teacher this year. I will challenge my students with the Four C’s of 21st century education.

 

   

Week 1 Summer School- Thinglink

I have had my students work on Thinglink this week. Students have created three Thinklinks. The first Thinglink was on a famous person, the second was a famous building or monument. For the final Thinglink the students selected a cause or awareness and created a Thinglink to educate people on that cause.

I really enjoy the flexibility of Thinglink and what it allows students to create. As a teacher this web2.0 tool can be used for many projects and subjects. I will post my student projects and tutorials for using Thinglink.

The final project for class was to create a Thinglink to promote an awareness. The students needed to find an image that would draw attention to the cause they selected. The next step was to set a hook for their audience with videos and websites that explained the cause. Students needed to record a 30 second PSA to explain their awareness in their own words. The final touch was to add a website for people who want to get involved with their cause.

Student Projects