Ann's phlog - ipadio - phonecast live to the World, any phone, anywhere

Ann's phlog - ipadio - phonecast live to the World, any phone, anywhere

Really New Jersey - Why didn't anybody tell me?

Oh boy! I just did my first podcast, and I can tell you, I DO NOT LIKE the way I SOUND! YUCK!

Anyway, I read part of a book my students love called More Parts by Tedd Arnold. There is another called Even More Parts.

Here's my ipadio! http://www.ipadio.com/phlogs/AnnCuffe/2010/02/25/Anns-phlog-1st-phonecast.

Woohoo Wordle!

Well, I must say I just love Wordle. It's fun. This week I was teaching editorial writing! We used wordle to look at a pro and con editorial on school uniforms. Students were able to see quickly how word choice evokes emotion in the reader. Next, we will be using wordle to look at their writing as they work to complete an editorial on an issue of their choice. We're having fun now!

Valentine's Day

Very excited children
Acting out
Laughing, giggling
Envelopes with hearts
Nice little gifts
Totally wild
Involved parents with cupcakes
Now its getting louder
Eating too much icing
Slurping up the drinks

Don't know how I lost control
Absolute chaos
Yesterday was unexpected!

For the past two days I have been attending a workshop on Paideia seminars. I have found this workshop challenging and thought provoking. I can see many opportunities to use it in both my ELA and Social Studies classroom. For those of you who may be infamiliar with this technique it is a collaborative, intellectual conversation in response to a piece of text. It is structured around open ended questions that allow students to interact with text and peers and develop their own understanding. The conversation is facilitated by the teacher but she/he does not participate in the conversation other than to pose the questions, and keep the conversation moving. The trouble I am having as I practice writing questions, is that I can write opening questions, and closing questions but am having difficulty writing the core questions. These are the questions at the center of the "learning" and conversation. Has anyone practiced this type of seminar in their classroom? How did you decide what your core questions would be? What was your starting point? Please share. Thanks.