Episodes
Monday Feb 02, 2015
Episode 45: Laura Robb-Vocabulary is Comprehension
Monday Feb 02, 2015
Monday Feb 02, 2015
Today I am talking with Laura Robb. She is a teacher, speaker, author, and coach.
She has taught for over 43 years and continues to teach each year in middle grades classrooms.
She has published 18 books primarily focused on reading, writing, and comprehension.
You will often find her speaking across the country and working with classroom teachers to learn how to address the needs of kids in reading, writing and text comprehension.
Laura is concerned about teachers who are “stressed out” with attempts to measure classroom success by using standardized, high stakes tests. The money and time that is spent on these tests could be better spent on training teachers to use better instructional practices.
Laura says, “One of the joys of teaching is that every child is unique.”
Our talk is primarily focused on one of her most recent works, “Vocabulary is Comprehension: Getting to the Root of Text Complexity”.
This work is filled with understandable lessons on how to connect vocabulary building and development with complex text comprehension.
Any teacher could easily take this book read sections and immediately begin to use its lessons in her plans for the week.
Some instructional works are cumbersome with their own language and information. The teacher would need a translator first before even getting close to thinking about using the information…not this book! It is easy to understand and use!
Take a look at her Big 10 and then turn to any of the lessons associated with them and you will be able to start making a difference in a child’s understanding of the text and content.
I strongly encourage you to take this information to heart and to use her book to help change your lessons to help the kids “get it!”
By the way…also, check out her foundation. She and her son are focused on getting books into the hands of children with none.
Enjoy!!!
www.teacher.scholastic.com/products/classroombooks/laurarobb
www.facebook.com/laura.robb.372
Length: 1:00:19
Thursday Jan 22, 2015
Episode 44: Quick Tech Tips with David Rogers
Thursday Jan 22, 2015
Thursday Jan 22, 2015
Today we are talking about Word Pad and why you would want to know how to use it.
Often computer users think that they need to have Microsoft Office when there are many tools that help make it possible to read and create documents without have the Office Suite.
Word pad is one of those tools.
During the interview David refers to how to find Word Pad and what it looks like. There are several screenshots that follow that will help you follow his directions to find and use Word Pad.
This is the first appearance of our new segment called Quick Tech Tips.
David is the Technology Director for the Heart of Georgia RESA.
He specializes in Linux and open source systems.
Once a month we will have a Quick Tech Tip segment.
It will last approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
David will select a topic that has been on the mind of many or frequently asked by teachers, administrators and community members.
The idea is to provide support for teachers and administrators with a “Quick Tip”.
If you have a tech question for David to answer please email me at smiletto.hg@gmail.com
David is also a musician and a blogger.
Check out his tech blog and his social media presence for his music world.
Enjoy!
http://hgresatech.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MagnoliaMedicineShow
http://mmmedicineshow.wix.com/mmms
Length 17:16
Thursday Jan 08, 2015
Episode 42: First Year Teaching with Mrs. Melanie Knight
Thursday Jan 08, 2015
Thursday Jan 08, 2015
Mrs. Melanie Knight is a first year middle school teacher at Wheeler County Middle School, in Alamo, Georgia. She is a graduate of Brewton Parker College’s education program and teaching is in her family tree. She is the daughter of teachers; her father was also a superintendent of Wheeler County Schools as well as her grandfather.
As of the interview, Mrs. Knight is in the middle of her first year of teaching. She uses many instructional strategies, small groups, individual practice, integrated technology, word walls, and other techniques to help the kids get the content. When I asked her where she learned to use these she credited other staff in her school as important mentors.
I had the great fortune of watching her teach. Not only does she have good command of many strong instructional strategies but she also emphasizes a need to develop the students’ understanding of content and academic vocabulary. She uses TIPS (Terms Information Pictures and Sentences)…this is an adaption of something she learned from Learning in the Fast Lane by Suzy Pepper Rollins and what she has been taught by other staff members to develop the students’ understanding of vocabulary.
Mrs. Knight emphasizes the need to create engagement. It is quite noticeable as the kids are up and working and part of the class. They are not passive, but active.
She also has developed an excellent rapport with the kids. She commented, “I’m strict but friendly.” When you walk in her class you are automatically aware that it is a bright and cheerful place to be. She noted, “I use bright colors to help me create a welcoming classroom.”
When I asked her what has been most helpful for her during her first year in teaching she responded, “Help and support from the school staff and family members.” She continued, “It is helpful to have someone to talk to…to talk things out.”
She is a big fan of Pinterest and finds that the social media tool is a great help for getting ideas and support for working with the kids.
I asked her what advice she would give to someone who is getting ready to find their first teaching position and she replied, “Be open to new ideas…Be open to learning…learn from everyone around you.”
Mrs. Knight’s energy and focus on the kids is wonderful!
Enjoy!
Length 29:28
Wednesday Sep 17, 2014
Episode 33: Six Apps for the Classroom with David Lockhart
Wednesday Sep 17, 2014
Wednesday Sep 17, 2014
David is a high school teacher at North Atlanta High. This summer we met at the Georgia Virtual School Symposium in Athens, Georgia where I had the chance to attend his awesome class titled,
…30 Apps in 30 Minutes.
David has always had an interest in Tech… he says, “I found something that I was good at…”
In our interview we focus on four points…
1) His 6 favorite apps
2) The cost of apps (In a word…cheap!)
3) Engaging!
4) Ease of use…
David advises…in looking for apps, “Find what works in your classroom…and then find an app that will help you. If it doesn't work…then adjust.”
Most importantly…David comments, “Don’t be afraid!”
He has amazing advice for apps to use and why as well as how to find the best apps.
I know that you will find this episode brain food!
Here are the 6 Apps that we talk about and their websites.
1) TouchCast http://www.touchcast.com/
2)
Google Drive https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2424384?hl=en
3) Symbaloo http://www.symbaloo.com/home/mix/13eOcK1fiV
4) Weebly https://education.weebly.com/
5) Tackk https://tackk.com
6) 81dash http://81dash.com/
Follow David on Twitter @ld112265
And read his blog at www.edtechspeeddating.com
Seasame Street Song, “There’s An App for That! Find it at www.sesamestreet.org or on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhkxDIr0y2U
Enjoy!
Length 30:37
Wednesday Aug 13, 2014
Episode 30: Twitter in the Classroom with Leslie Houck
Wednesday Aug 13, 2014
Wednesday Aug 13, 2014
Like most people I taught myself how to do Twitter… but I wanted to make sure that I did it right! I had the chance to take a class titled Twitter 101 and many of my questions were answered.
Leslie Houck is a Social Media Specialist with the Georgia Department of Education who has a background in communication and journalism and says , “I kind of fell into social media as a job.”
Leslie gives advice for educators who might be afraid of using Twitter primarily because they only hear about the bad situations that have happened.
Leslie comments that Digital Citizenship 101 should be taught in every class to all kids and to the staff. She noted that New York City Schools, Facebook, and Edutopia have recently released examples of these guidelines for schools to use.
No matter what, she emphasizes that it is important to “be smart with our on-line reputation.” Make sure that you pay extra close attention to this part of the interview as she makes many points that help to address the use of social media in the classroom and as a professional educator.
We also talk about Twitter etiquette, RTs, MTs, follows, Favoriting, the restriction of 140 characters, creating a handle, the list function, and of course the # Hashtag!
I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn about Twitter from Leslie and I know you will, too!
Check out the links below to some of the resources she referenced.
Enjoy!
Length 55:58