mrs.hillman's Blog

We will be having a very exciting and busy week, with a field trip, pictures, and celebrating International Dot Day.

International Dot Day was inspired by the book, The Dot, written by Peter Reynolds.  The book shares the story of a girl named Vashti, who begins a journey of self-discovery after she is dared by her teacher to “make her mark.” Capturing the power of the caring teacher, The Dot demonstrates how someone who encourages students to explore their unique gifts can impact their entire lives.  You can learn more about this book, at Fablevision’s website.

This week we will read the book, The Dot, on our interactive white board.  (Thank you T.J. Shay for purchasing this for our class!)  After reading the book, we will examine some of the great features of the Big Screen Book.  Later on this week, we will go to the computer lab and create our own Dot Project on the Paint Application.  Students will make their own mark, sign it, and post it to their blog.  I will also make a virtual art gallery on Animoto to share with the students.

Here is an example I made using the Paint Application:

This project really promotes the idea of creativity of students young and old.  By allowing students to embrace their creativity will encourage students to make their mark in the world for the rest of their lives.  This project not only promotes self-confidence, but also collaboration and sharing of skill knowledge, technology usage, and most of all impacting others while making their mark!

Many times schools think they are on the cutting edge of technology with the use of clickers, interactive whiteboards, mobis, and laptops for the computers, but it is important to remember why we are in the schools. We are there for the students and to teach them how to be effective learners; therefore, it is essential for the technology to be in the hands of the students.

A few years back, I was doing a digital storytelling project with the fourth graders.  I checked out all of our digital cameras from the media center! Many of the teachers were upset that I had checked them all out – obviously I wasn’t using them all at the same time!  They were a little taken back when I told them that the students were using them.  I even had the response, “Those are not kid cameras, they are for the teachers to use.”  Needless to say, I reminded them while we were at school…for the kids to learn!

Technology is not real easy to come by in the education field. I thought I would share a few ways that I have come to have a technology rich classroom.  First, I purchased my own IWB (Interactive White Board) in which the students use on a daily basis.  Our PTO purchased document cameras for each classroom.  The students use the document cameras to share out how they solved CGI (Cognitive Guided Instruction) math problems.  I have also received a netbook and two ipods from Donor’s Choose projects, in which the students use to blog, listen to stories, and to record their voices for digital storytelling projects.

Currently, I am working towards getting five ipads and a macbook for our classroom.  I wrote a Pepsi Refresh proposal that is in the running for the month of September.  My students and I would greatly appreciate daily votes from you.  You can log in through Facebook AND e-mail both.  If you log in through e-mail you can also put in extra power votes, which can be found on Pepsi lids and boxes.  If you would like to help us get more technology into our students’ hands, please vote for us at http://www.refresheverything.com/mrshillman .

Although we are just getting this underway and most students haven’t published their blogs, we have many students that have started writing. What is so great about having students blog?  First, students are highly motivated to blog!  They really enjoy the fact that their stories, ideas, and opinions are heard by people all over the world.  They know that their paper isn’t being read solely by the teacher.  Their voices are being heard all over the world.  Also, children love when people comment on their blogs.  Finally, students learn so much about the art of our language as well as the mechanics of writing.

On the introductory day of our blogs, the students learned how to stay safe while writing.   On the second day, the students will learn how to start writing effectively while blogging.  One way they will learn this is by this wonderful webquest: http://questgarden.com/34/30/8/060831081120/index.htm

Please stay tuned to our blog, as many of the students will start publishing their blogs tomorrow.