Google Docs Rock

As I continue my journey discovering not only the potential of blogging but also the components that really make it work as a resource I've now been introduced to Google Docs. They are similar to Microsoft Office but better in that you can share and collaborate with students or fellow teachers. I love the real-time feature that actually allows people to be working on the same document. As the teachers in the introductory video pointed out, they actually had students working on essays and poetry at the same time. And I found it interesting how one teacher observed that his students were doing this at 11 p.m. I put together a very basic spreadsheet but I plan to continue to explore these great tools for classroom applications.

Not only Delicious but Scrumptious

As part of my assignment for my ECAP Web 2.0 Applications course is to create a Delicious account. I was amazed at how convenient this application is for storing bookmarks, which I can share with other teachers. My links are pretty basic although useful. What I'm really excited about is finding the links posted by other teachers. I have to admit I had never heard about delicious but the goal of this course is to introduce teachers to new tools so I don't feel badly about my lack of knowledge.

My Delicious account

My First Blog

I'm new to blogging and I appreciate the course I am taking as part of my teacher certification program. The course, as evidenced here, has introduced me to blogging. But more importantly it has opened my eyes to the possibilities that it offers students.

With that introduction I want to comment specifically about the noon poetry program. In Texas, students will encounter poetry in their STAAR exams. I'm in 6th, 7th and 6th grade ELAR classrooms and students in each are introduced to the types of poetry and how it can connect with ourselves as people but also how it is a means of expressing our feelings and thoughts to others.

I'm convinced practice is the one way students can not only master poetry but actually appreciate it as a communication tool. The Lunch Poems programs demonstrates how students can be successful and actually have fun writing and reading their poem.

http://lunchpoems.berkeley.edu/