What are wikis?
Wikis are free, online writing spaces. Wikis use simple formatting rules, so you don't need to understand HTML or an HTML authoring tools, such as Microsoft FrontPage or Dreamweaver to contribute.
For some, wikis convey a highly collaborative view of composing and creativity. People who contribute to a wiki need to understand that their words may be deleted and changed by others. Wiki authors do not claim ownership of a text.
When writers contribute to a public wiki, their work could potentially be read by millions of readers.
Wikis give focus to the last draft, yet wikis provide a history. Each time the text is changed, a new version is saved. Anyone can go back later and see previous versions. This allows teachers and students to see the writing process in action.
Wikis are generally published online, though desktop and gated wikis are possible. Permissions can be set to limit the readers and writers who participate.
Textual authority is dialogical. Revision is privileged in the wiki. Each new reader can suddenly become a writer. The draft that matters is the last draft. Power and authority are given to the community rather than an individual or official staff.
Wikis are designed specifically as a writing space. They are not a presentation space nor a course management system. Wikis make it possible - and necessary - for writers to continually build upon, revise, and edit an emerging text.
How can teachers use wikis to facilitate teaching, writing development, and learning?
Provide a space for free writing
Debate course topics, including assigned readings
Share resources such as annotated bibliographies, websites, effective writing samples, conferences, calls for manuscripts
Maintain a journal of work performed on group projects
Require students to collaborate on documents, such as an essay written by the entire class
Discuss curricular and instructional innovations
Encourage students to revise Wikipedia pages or take on new wikipedia assignments
Inspire students to write a Wikibook
Support service learning projects (i.e. use wikis to build a website about a challenge in their city)
Here is an example of how you can set up a Wiki.
Article can be found at: http://writingwiki.org/default.aspx/WritingWiki/For%20Teachers%20New%20to%20Wikis.html
Friday, March 27, 2009
Teacher-to-Parent Field Trip Correspondence
When you reach the point of the school year after all required testing has passed, many schools look to a reward for the children. How better to reward a large group than to put together an end of the year field trip?
There are a few things to remember when creating a correspondence to inform parents of a trip. In the administrative aspect, any professional correspondence between a school and a child’s parent, must always be written on the school’s professional letterhead. One must check to make sure that the letterhead is up-to-date with the current Principal's and Assistant Principal’s names and contact information. Interestingly enough, this can be missed quite easily. The correspondence format should fit that of an informational letter including the date, a heading stating “Dear (grade level) parent,” and a proper closing stating a thank you and the grade level team from which the letter was submitted.
When considering the content of the correspondence letter, teachers must first determine the purpose for which they are writing. In this example, the purpose would simply be to inform parents of an upcoming end of the school year field trip, and the stipulations for their child to meet in order to be eligible to attend.
Following the purpose comes the consideration of the audience who will receive and read the correspondence. To consider the audience of a middle school correspondence, teachers would have to take a step back and view the “big picture.” A few helpful questions to ask yourself would be: What types of backgrounds do the students at this school have?, Are there any language barriers that I would need to consider when send this letter home? Teachers also need to understand that the diction of the letter must be at a basic level to meet the understanding of parents who may or may not have received an education of their own. This would involve an assessment of the demographics of the surrounding communities in the school’s area.
The last main factor includes the organization of the letter. It is best to use direct organization by starting with the answer to the “What? and Who?”, followed by the “Why?”, and ending with the “Where?, When?, and How?” When answering the “Where?, When?, and How?”, teachers can use the listing method to maintain a simple, and straightforward organizational pattern.
By using these simple reminders, teachers will find that writing correspondence such as this will become second-nature. Happy End of the Year to all!
Resources include: Mebane Middle School 6th and 7th grade Reading/Language Arts Teachers, and 6th and 7th grade end of the year field trip letters to parents.
There are a few things to remember when creating a correspondence to inform parents of a trip. In the administrative aspect, any professional correspondence between a school and a child’s parent, must always be written on the school’s professional letterhead. One must check to make sure that the letterhead is up-to-date with the current Principal's and Assistant Principal’s names and contact information. Interestingly enough, this can be missed quite easily. The correspondence format should fit that of an informational letter including the date, a heading stating “Dear (grade level) parent,” and a proper closing stating a thank you and the grade level team from which the letter was submitted.
When considering the content of the correspondence letter, teachers must first determine the purpose for which they are writing. In this example, the purpose would simply be to inform parents of an upcoming end of the school year field trip, and the stipulations for their child to meet in order to be eligible to attend.
Following the purpose comes the consideration of the audience who will receive and read the correspondence. To consider the audience of a middle school correspondence, teachers would have to take a step back and view the “big picture.” A few helpful questions to ask yourself would be: What types of backgrounds do the students at this school have?, Are there any language barriers that I would need to consider when send this letter home? Teachers also need to understand that the diction of the letter must be at a basic level to meet the understanding of parents who may or may not have received an education of their own. This would involve an assessment of the demographics of the surrounding communities in the school’s area.
The last main factor includes the organization of the letter. It is best to use direct organization by starting with the answer to the “What? and Who?”, followed by the “Why?”, and ending with the “Where?, When?, and How?” When answering the “Where?, When?, and How?”, teachers can use the listing method to maintain a simple, and straightforward organizational pattern.
By using these simple reminders, teachers will find that writing correspondence such as this will become second-nature. Happy End of the Year to all!
Resources include: Mebane Middle School 6th and 7th grade Reading/Language Arts Teachers, and 6th and 7th grade end of the year field trip letters to parents.
Blogging Is Learning
The slideshow below is a great way for teachers, who are new or fairly new, or have been blogging for a while now, to learn more about blogging and how it can be helpful and effective in the classrooms and with their students. Blogging is just a new way for teachers, students, and many others to communicate with one another and look for feedback and opinions. It's a place to express and share interests with other people. Blogging is also a great way to get students writing in new and creative ways. Blogging can be done in different ways, through comics, power points, pictures, videos, podcasting and more.
Blogging Is Learning
View more presentations from anne773.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Introductory Letters Lead to Effective Parent-Teacher Communication
Research has shown that parents and family are critical factors in children's education, particularly for those who are at risk of dropping out of school.
-Paul Haley and Karen Berry in Home and School as Partners (1988)
Recent studies have proven that open lines of communication between parents and teachers is vital to student achievement in the classroom. Students are much more likely to succeed in the educational setting when parents and teachers are willing to work together, especially in instances regarding student behavior and academics.
Opening a positive line of communication with parents can be difficult, because as teachers, we are often intimidated by the possibility of a negative interaction with our students' caregivers. In order to avoid future negative interactions, introductory letters can be sent to parents at the beginning of the school year, which offer an initial form of positive contact that in turn fosters positive future communications.
The purpose of your introductory letter should be to inform parents of your expectations for their child, both behaviorally and academically, so that there are no surprises later in the school year. Creating an effective introductory letter is quite simple if you keep in mind the following:
-Paul Haley and Karen Berry in Home and School as Partners (1988)
Recent studies have proven that open lines of communication between parents and teachers is vital to student achievement in the classroom. Students are much more likely to succeed in the educational setting when parents and teachers are willing to work together, especially in instances regarding student behavior and academics.
Opening a positive line of communication with parents can be difficult, because as teachers, we are often intimidated by the possibility of a negative interaction with our students' caregivers. In order to avoid future negative interactions, introductory letters can be sent to parents at the beginning of the school year, which offer an initial form of positive contact that in turn fosters positive future communications.
The purpose of your introductory letter should be to inform parents of your expectations for their child, both behaviorally and academically, so that there are no surprises later in the school year. Creating an effective introductory letter is quite simple if you keep in mind the following:
- Introduce yourself in order to build a relationship with parents.
- State your interest in developing a positive line of teacher-parent communications so that caregivers understand the purpose of your letter.
- Inform caregivers of your classroom rules so that they will know what is expected of their child (BE SPECIFIC!).
- Invite parents to attend a back-to-school event or parent conference to create a more personal interaction.
- Provide alternative language letters (I.E.-Spanish or Creole) for families that are not fluent in English to avoid language barriers.
- Send the letter to caregivers one to two days before school begins so that they receive it very early in the school year.
Blogging in the Classroom
Here is a video on blogging in the classroom. This will give you, the teacher an idea of what a blog is and how to use it effectively in the classroom. The video is also good to show your students in getting them ready for blogging.
I believe blogging a great way to communicate with students and parents. Blogs can help parents stay intouch with the classroom, without the parent/teacher meetings.
I believe blogging a great way to communicate with students and parents. Blogs can help parents stay intouch with the classroom, without the parent/teacher meetings.
Friday, March 20, 2009
New Age Communications for Teachers
With the economy at record lows, everyone is seeing budget cuts. When I say everyone, I mean banks, churches, department stores, and even schools. Just recently, I heard a rumor of a possible four day school week for students and teachers. That idea really makes me wonder how teachers will effectively teach their students the necessary information in LESS time! I was clicking through the Internet the other day and I saw an article on web casting.
The article goes talks about how nothing beats personal contact in teaching. But with a downward economy and people unable to travel to see seminars, more and more people are turning to web casting. All the viewer needs to view the web cast is a phoneline and a computer. For the presidents ignogoration, the news was webcasting for everyone. You can read more about his article at http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/webcast/.
With budget cuts, teachers are looking to alternative ways to teach the same information with less time and less tools. Web casting can be an alternative solution to this issue. On Fridays, when students are not in school, the teacher can require all of her students to log on to her web cast and teach a lesson as if she/he was in front of the class. Students are able to instant message questions, as if they were sitting in class raising their hands.
Technology is an amazing tool. Alternative ways to communicate to your students and parents are out there. Go to http://www.teachersnetwork.org/ntol/howto/incorptech/webcasts.htm for more information on how you can successfully and creatively communicate with your students outside of the classroom.
The article goes talks about how nothing beats personal contact in teaching. But with a downward economy and people unable to travel to see seminars, more and more people are turning to web casting. All the viewer needs to view the web cast is a phoneline and a computer. For the presidents ignogoration, the news was webcasting for everyone. You can read more about his article at http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/webcast/.
With budget cuts, teachers are looking to alternative ways to teach the same information with less time and less tools. Web casting can be an alternative solution to this issue. On Fridays, when students are not in school, the teacher can require all of her students to log on to her web cast and teach a lesson as if she/he was in front of the class. Students are able to instant message questions, as if they were sitting in class raising their hands.
Technology is an amazing tool. Alternative ways to communicate to your students and parents are out there. Go to http://www.teachersnetwork.org/ntol/howto/incorptech/webcasts.htm for more information on how you can successfully and creatively communicate with your students outside of the classroom.
Mesa Teachers Develop Their Writing Skills to Empower Students
When searching the internet for a great topic to write about, I came across a great article. This article that I found their is a project that they are persuing at ASU. The Mesa Writing Project is a project that enables forty educators to spend three weeks sharing their poetry and stories, conversing with celebrated authors, and honing their craft through critique groups and regular revision sessions. These elementary, junior high, and high school teachers are learning skills that will help them gain so much more than just a fancy prize, these teachers gain better strategies for teaching writing and with new talent that they have gained they can enpower their students to find their true passion for writing. “The Mesa Writing Project is something we’ve wanted to do for years,” states Laura Walsh, the Secondary Language Arts Specialist for MPS and co-director of the project. “So many teachers have been telling us they were never taught how to teach writing and weren’t getting the professional development they wanted.”
Teachers also listen to many guest speakers including ASU writing professors, poets, and authors, who share their experiences with and strategies for writing.“Listening to these authors has been amazing,” states Lindsay Karges, a third grade teacher from Eisenhower Elementary School. “Gary Soto was here and I was shocked to hear him say he can be very insecure about whether or not his audience would like his work. I’m going to take this back to my students and let them know that even celebrated authors don’t always feel they have the best writing or can accomplish all that they do, but they write anyway. I think that’s very empowering for students to hear.”
While many participants in the project are English teachers, several specialize in different content areas such as social studies, science, and physical education. Such diversity is important for the participants, who want to develop a cross-curricular approach to teaching writing.
This is where you can find my article:
http://community.asu.edu/exchange/2007/07/mesa-teachers-develop-their-writing-skills-to-empower-students-2/
Teachers also listen to many guest speakers including ASU writing professors, poets, and authors, who share their experiences with and strategies for writing.“Listening to these authors has been amazing,” states Lindsay Karges, a third grade teacher from Eisenhower Elementary School. “Gary Soto was here and I was shocked to hear him say he can be very insecure about whether or not his audience would like his work. I’m going to take this back to my students and let them know that even celebrated authors don’t always feel they have the best writing or can accomplish all that they do, but they write anyway. I think that’s very empowering for students to hear.”
While many participants in the project are English teachers, several specialize in different content areas such as social studies, science, and physical education. Such diversity is important for the participants, who want to develop a cross-curricular approach to teaching writing.
This is where you can find my article:
http://community.asu.edu/exchange/2007/07/mesa-teachers-develop-their-writing-skills-to-empower-students-2/
Keys to Remember When Designing Lesson Plans
When beginning a lesson plan design, teachers must first determine the audience of the plans. The age group of the children must be taken into consideration, as well as any accommodations each child may have. The age of the audience determines the diction the teacher should use. The lesson plans must have clear, yet informational directions to allow for comprehension. Comprehension can be determined by question and answer sessions with students.
Certain teaching styles are the next step in lesson plan design in that a teacher must decide what style(s) would serve his or her purpose and work for the classroom environment. Engagement can be promoted through the use of a variety of teaching styles. Types of teaching styles include oral presentations, modeling, and the use of handouts. Should children have any accommodations required for visual or oral aid, a teacher may decide to use both oral directions and a handout. Another option for accommodations would be to have a peer in the classroom take the child of concern aside, and further explain the task.
Information provided by teachers as resources at Mebane Middle School-Alachua, FL
Grammar, Puncuations, and Mechanics Can Improve Writing Skills
A sentence is the most fundamental and versatile tool available to writers, but sentence faults and issues with pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs can cause difficulties for your readers. Sentence- level errors, like inaccurate facts or incomplete information, can confuse, irritate, or even mislead your readers. These errors can make your meaning hard to determine or, even worse, alter your meaning entirely.
Misuse of punctuation can cause your readers to also misunderstand your meaning because punctuation marks may link, separate, enclose, terminate, classify, and indicate omissions from sentences. Certain mechanical questions tend to confound the writer on the job.Such questions as whether a number should be written as a word or figure, how acronyms should be used, whether a date should be stated day-month-year or month-day-year and many others frequently arise when you are writing a letter or report.
Listed below are different sites that could help improve and refresh your writing skills:
Misuse of punctuation can cause your readers to also misunderstand your meaning because punctuation marks may link, separate, enclose, terminate, classify, and indicate omissions from sentences. Certain mechanical questions tend to confound the writer on the job.Such questions as whether a number should be written as a word or figure, how acronyms should be used, whether a date should be stated day-month-year or month-day-year and many others frequently arise when you are writing a letter or report.
Listed below are different sites that could help improve and refresh your writing skills:
- Owl Online Writing Lab: Powerpoint Presentations
- 40+ Tips to Improve your Grammar and Punctuation
- Basic Sentences Structure
- Tips For Using Commas
- Ten Quick Tips to Improve Your Writing
- Ten Tips for Stronger Sentence Structure
- Punctuation Tips
- More to come...
Professionally Written E-mails Make a Lasting Impression
Just as an ill-written letter can leave a negative impression on its audience, an ill-written e-mail will inevitably leave a negative impression on its reader(s). Because communication between teachers and other faculty has commonly moved away from the past practice of face-to-face and phone contact to the faster e-mail approach, it is necessary that you, as an instructor, are e-mail savvy. You don't want your reader to misconstrue your message, especially if they are an administrator who may one day be in charge of renewing your contract!
When e-mails are used as the primary form of communication within a school setting, it is important to keep in mind that your e-mail should embody the same format that you would use were you sending the message via memo or letter. Consider the following tips when writing in-school e-mails:
When e-mails are used as the primary form of communication within a school setting, it is important to keep in mind that your e-mail should embody the same format that you would use were you sending the message via memo or letter. Consider the following tips when writing in-school e-mails:
- Write concise, purposeful subject lines to help your reader determine the intent of your message.
- Create a salutation suitable for your message type, making sure to avoid one that is too informal for the work setting.
- Use proper English standards, not "text" language, to avoid misinterpretation by your reader.
- Create short paragraphs to avoid straining the reader's eyes.
- Send as attachments any information that is too lengthy or intricate to include in the e-mail, itself.
While it is tempting to send e-mails that are representative of the personal notes that you may leave for a friend, communication with faculty and administrators in the educational setting should be professionally written in order to uphold the professional atmosphere of any workplace. Education has become a much more competitive field, given today's economical setting, and you are much more likely to be taken seriously and leave a good lasting impression if your e-mails exhibit exceptional writing standards.
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