EdTechTalk

 19:00:45  Harold ->  Hi Dave & gang
 19:01:22  dawn ->  thx
 19:01:59  Harold ->  Happy friggin' Anniversary!
 19:02:41  Harold ->  I think I'm listening on IceCast - working
 19:03:33  Harold ->  Icecast died - now on ustream
 19:04:15  Harold ->  youz guys & gals are experts!
 19:04:55  Harold ->  irony is OK, but don''t be too cynical, IMO
 19:06:29  Harold ->  It's hurting right now
 19:06:50  JenM ->  content or audio quality?
 19:06:54  Harold ->  audio, Jeff
 19:07:08  Harold ->  I was around for that one
 19:07:27  canugurl ->  sounds okay from here....
 19:07:31  Harold ->  Icecast kicks in when listening to ustream
 19:07:42  Harold ->  I keep getting double-speak
 19:07:43  Jennifer W ->  Happy Anniversary!!
 19:07:44  JenM ->  is that Jdub????
 19:07:50  JenM ->  yeahhhh!
 19:08:06  Jennifer W ->  Sorry --- I have been AWOL --
 19:08:26  Harold ->  I have to keep turning off one of the streams - weird
 19:09:37  Harold ->  I must say that you folks were the leaders & a great inspiration - maybe not tonight though ;)
 19:09:39  Jennifer W ->  Jen -- are you still in IL???
 19:10:18  Harold ->  #84 Rocks!
 19:11:24  JenM ->  @JW ... yes ... in Chi-town
 19:11:58  Jennifer W ->  When I watch Cake Boss -- Hoboken, I believe -- I think of you, JenM  :)
 19:12:42  Harold ->  Eliminate is a much better descriptor
 19:13:17  Paula Naugle ->  Can't hear anything what am I doing wrong?
 19:13:33  Jennifer W ->  Did you click on the USTREAM LINK??
 19:13:39  jhando ->  @Paula the Icecast worked for me
 19:13:43  Harold ->  click on one of the options on the right, Paula
 19:14:10  Paula Naugle ->  Okay got it. Thanks.
 19:17:00  Paula Naugle ->  This looks like a vodcast when you click on ustream link.
 19:17:13  jhando ->  There's now video which is innovation.
 19:17:37  Harold ->  Technology is the application of organised and scientific knowledge to solve practical problems.
 19:18:05  Jennifer W ->  I think EdTechTalk was a master of trying new things -- which sometimes worked and sometimes didn't (grins) -- but always trying new things
 19:18:07  Harold ->  I remember th eearly shows as being very interactive (despite my crappy audio quality)
 19:18:18  Bud ->  Happy anniversary, y'all.
 19:18:33  Harold ->  Hi Bud!
 19:18:34  Jennifer W ->  and using us as guinea pigs....dragging us along to try new things as well.   (esp chat rooms & video feeds)
 19:19:20  Jennifer W ->  and of course -- my all time favorite -- POST SHOW!!!   LOVE Post Show!!!
 19:20:04  jhando ->  I remember not being able to paste links into chat.... hasn't changed ;-)
 19:20:07  JenM ->  I used to say "the convergence of messy and magical" ;)
 19:20:08  Bud ->  What I always liked about the space here is that y'all do - you ship - you get audio out -
 19:20:58  Jennifer W ->  and when Jeff or Dave did the 365 experiment??   that was fun.....  
 19:21:11  jhando ->  Everyone's probably busier now with so many other technologies, talks, books, etc in this space
 19:21:20  Jennifer W ->  I liked the fact that you URGED us to fail -- but you were there to help us
 19:22:03  Jennifer W ->  and how we PUSHED things til they broke....just to see how far we could push
 19:22:34  Bud ->  I still miss the guests.  Y'all're good interviewers.
 19:22:44  Paula Naugle ->  Went to first tech conference - NECC in New Orleans in 2004. Didn't know what they were talking about - podcasts, wikis, blogs, Nings, Moodle, etc. Come away determined to learn. Boy that seems so long ago.
 19:23:29  Jennifer W ->  and another memory -- Jen's husband waiting in the closet til the show was over.   :)  
 19:23:46  JenM ->  @JW .. oh, yay!
 19:24:27  Bud ->  But, Jeff - you're good at it.
 19:24:35  Jennifer W ->  where is John Schinker???
 19:24:45  Bud ->  aw, heck
 19:24:50  Bud ->  I was responding to him
 19:24:55  Bud ->   you are a fine team.
 19:24:58  JenM ->  ... at a family picnic ... he should be joining us soon
 19:25:05  Bud ->  I;'ll explicitly mention Jen and Dave and Jeff. Bravo, TEAM.
 19:25:21  Jennifer W ->  you were our twitter before twitter
 19:26:00  Bud ->  You know, maybe interviews aren't so good
 19:27:53  JenM ->  http://www.delicious.com/edtechtalk
 19:28:14  Harold ->  LMS = snake oil
 19:28:30  Paula Naugle ->  I use Edmodo as my LMS with 4th graders.
 19:28:41  Harold ->  yes, Dave - WP is a better option than an LMS
 19:29:17  Cathy E ->  Don't forget that many of us in the US don't have bandwidth either
 19:29:20  Harold ->  Oligopolies rule Canada :(
 19:29:45  Jennifer W ->  Wordpress began in 2003
 19:29:56  Jennifer W ->  so says their website
 19:30:19  dawn ->  I wonder about edublog verson. Does it allow students to have their own blog?
 19:30:37  Harold ->  but blogger is not open source - own your data
 19:31:03  jhando ->  Unfortunately we are driven by assessments here so Moodle is still best option ie. gradebooks etc
 19:31:12  Jennifer W ->  DRUPAL --- what a headache -- but what a triumph.   Learned a lot but lost a lot of hair
 19:31:12  Harold ->  even Microsoft shifted their Live accounts to WordPress
 19:31:34  Harold ->  Drupal is great (for industrial strength applications)
 19:31:59  Jennifer W ->  being able to tear drupal apart made me not hesitate at all with tweaking my word press (self-hosted) blog
 19:32:01  JenM ->  http://jmaddrell.blogspot.com/
 19:33:49  Jennifer W ->  crum--- where is Durff and Doug??   gonna tweet this out again
 19:34:49  Paula Naugle ->  Durff's at the beach.
 19:35:21  Jennifer W ->  @Paula -- thinking of past shows.....where are all the hosts?  
 19:36:32  Jennifer W ->  for 3+ years of my life -- this was my Home on the Web
 19:36:33  Harold ->  social - on the institution's terms - is not social
 19:37:18  Bud ->  Oh, Furl.  How I miss thee.
 19:37:29  Paula Naugle ->  I've only attended a half dozen times. Need to add this to Google calendar so I remember to come.
 19:37:30  Harold ->  I remember when Furl was my social bookmark tool too :) went south just like Magnolia
 19:37:33  Bud ->  It's true.
 19:37:56  jhando ->  Is this social?
 19:38:15  Harold ->  yes, it's still Bud's message on Skype ;)
 19:38:43  JenM ->  http://jmaddrell.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_archive.html
 19:38:51  Bud ->  Why mess with what works?
 19:39:57  Harold ->  CONTROL
 19:40:07  jhando ->  Rubrics are for progress and improvement, gradual improvement
 19:41:03  dave ->  http://wikieducator.org/User:Davecormier/Books/Educational_Technology_an...
 19:41:06  jhando ->  Same things happens in workplace ie. appraisals
 19:41:25  Jennifer W ->  If a teacher only judges the project based on a rubric, I believe they will miss a lot about the projects.   Rubrics (to me) limit creativity
 19:41:47  Jennifer W ->  limit uniqueness perhaps would be a better word choice
 19:42:36  jhando ->  Rubric should be written by students
 19:43:07  jhando ->  It's like goal setting in learning process
 19:43:17  Paula Naugle ->  I find I want to change project rubric after proects are turned in because I see things I didn't include on original rbric.
 19:43:36  jhando ->  @Paula v true
 19:45:06  jhando ->  Schools are addicted to measuring unfort
 19:45:34  jhando ->  Or is it parents addicted to it? Or governments?
 19:45:35  Paula Naugle ->  Rubrics seem like easy way out when grading, definitely need to include a box which require instructor to add comments.
 19:46:04  jhando ->  Students always tell me that comments are the most important feedback
 19:46:06  jeff ->  we should start our post show soon
 19:46:24  Cathy E ->  What about ISTE?  Anybody going?
 19:46:38  Harold ->  "am I some kind of idiot?" (I refuse to answer that)
 19:46:52  JenM ->  @harold ... he he he
 19:47:09  jhando ->  Question: what's the largest number of ppl in EdTechTalk chat over 6 years?
 19:47:16  Jennifer W ->  No -- to ISTE
 19:47:30  Paula Naugle ->  I'm going to ISTE.
 19:48:12  dave ->  in the chat? maybe close to 100 once...
 19:48:16  Jennifer W ->  It is WAY too early for POST SHOW
 19:48:56  Jennifer W ->  I think the night WOW2 had the Posse group on, we were close to 100.
 19:49:13  jhando ->  100 and nothing broke?
 19:49:25  Jennifer W ->  we broke skype before we broke EdTechTalk
 19:49:44  Paula Naugle ->  Hi Maria.
 19:49:47  jhando ->  there was a time when skype broke often
 19:49:52  MariaK ->  hello
 19:50:00  jhando ->  now the interface (at least on Mac) is broken ;-)
 19:50:12  jhando ->  hi MariaK
 19:50:20  jhando ->  where are u from?
 19:50:37  MariaK ->  Thought i'd catch the last 10 minutes instead of listening later!
 19:51:12  Bud ->  keep up the good work, ysll.  Especially Dave. Because I'd hate for him to feel left out.
 19:51:44  Cathy E ->  My staff gets much more PD online
 19:52:09  JenM ->  An attempt to describe informal PD via twitter: http://bigthink.com/ideas/38698
 19:52:10  Jennifer W ->  My staff needs to start considering PD online
 19:52:50  Jennifer W ->  JenM -- I was #1 on that list....   it was nice of Scott to include me.   :)
 19:52:57  Paula Naugle ->  I'm presenting an all day workkshop for 25 tech coordinators on Wed. I'm very nervous.
 19:53:09  jhando ->  Accreditation is probably number one factor for choosing pd events
 19:53:28  jhando ->  @Paula what's the focus of preso?
 19:53:37  Cathy E ->  We are using the chat in Google Apps for PD
 19:53:53  Harold ->  those who own accreditation, control the system
 19:53:56  Cathy E ->  very informal - but it works
 19:53:59  Jennifer W ->  I list WOW2 on my resume
 19:54:01  Paula Naugle ->  Beleive it or not they asked me to present Web 2.0 tools.
 19:54:16  MariaK ->  It also depends on the school district. Some districts accept a variety of PD - not just formal. We use a portfolio based PD reporting so my reflections about how I learn and how it affects my practice can include EdTechTalk.
 19:54:22  jhando ->  @Paula good luck with it
 19:54:32  JenM ->  Oh, yeah ... http://twitter.com/#!/jenwagner/status/76105131342561280
 19:54:42  dawn ->  @MariaK  nice
 19:54:48  Paula Naugle ->  @jhando Thank you.
 19:55:59  jhando ->  Why wld a teacher care if they already are trained and earning their dough?
 19:56:10  Jennifer W ->  That post was very easy to knee-jerk to if you did not read it carefully.  He seemed to be knocking neighbor fence conversations but he really was not
 19:56:11  Paula Naugle ->  Is there any info on number of admins, principals, teachers, who blog?
 19:56:28  Jennifer W ->  NO NO NO -- not post show???
 19:56:31  Jennifer W ->  its too early
 19:56:46  jhando ->  I wld estimate there's 1-2 in each school blogging, if that
 19:56:47  Jennifer W ->  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!
 19:56:59  Cathy E ->  Ya'll ROCK!!!
 19:57:09  Jennifer W ->  OH, we are starting a new show in September -- but will talk with you later
 19:57:11  Paula Naugle ->  Happy Anniversary to you.
 19:57:32  Jennifer W ->  you will be around in September???
 19:57:39  MariaK ->  So glad i could be here to say Happy Anniversary. meet most of my best friends here!
 19:57:42  Jennifer W ->  and remember the 24 hour sessions???
 19:57:42  jhando ->  Good on everyone for sticking with it for 6 yrs
 19:58:33  Harold ->  nothing in life is permanent
 19:58:43  Jennifer W ->  understood but sadness
 19:59:07  Paula Naugle ->  You have been responsible for helping so many to learn. Thank you.
 20:01:21  dawn ->  wow good for you
 20:02:01  Jennifer W ->  EdTechTalk gave me confidence to talk out my thoughts.....so THANK YOU for all you have offered generously to us all.
 20:02:30  dave ->  he's just about to say that he misses talking to us
 20:02:32  dave ->  anytime now
 20:02:45  dave ->  he's going to say "talking to you guys is something i really mis"
 20:03:28  JenM ->  @jw ... great point ... "confidence to talk" ... and I'll add ... ability to summarize a whole bunch of stuff you are seeing out there in the world
 20:04:15  Paul Ellerman ->  WOW its been 6 years!   Holy cow!! 
 20:04:52  Jennifer W ->  Dr Jen??
 20:05:31  MariaK ->  EdTechTalk help me begin my new life - connected learning, connected classroom, connected person. Gave me the energy to keep going. A new beginning. My 6 year anniversary of listening is July.
 20:05:40  Paul Ellerman ->  I remember those old shows....
 20:06:07  Jennifer W ->  well if EDTECHTALK is ending the season -- WE HAVE TO HAVE A FINAL CELEBRATION!!!
 20:06:23  sr ->  everything I know about tech I learned at edtech talk
 20:06:30  Jennifer W ->  POST SHOW!!!!!
 20:06:33  MariaK ->  Better than EdTech Corpse!
 20:06:35  Harold ->  EdTechTalk Rulz!
 20:06:38  Jennifer W ->  .....happy dance......
 20:07:29  Jennifer W ->  CONGRATULATIONS .....  you have changed lives!!!
 20:08:03  dawn ->  200 shows = cake :D
 20:08:12  Jennifer W ->  POST SHOW COMMENCES!!!
 20:08:43  Jennifer W ->  oops -- wrong button
 20:09:08  Jennifer W ->  we need a memory show
 20:09:24  Jennifer W ->  how old ARE Oscar and Posey now??
 20:09:30  dave ->  http://www.flickr.com/photos/opoe
 20:10:18  Jennifer W ->  he dressed as a frog??
 20:10:34  Cathy E ->  they are sooo cute
 20:11:10  JenM ->  http://www.flickr.com/photos/opoe/5752591501/in/photostream
 20:13:16  dave ->  http://www.flickr.com/photos/opoe/5739269203/in/photostream
 20:13:36  JenM ->  http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/
 20:14:00  Jennifer W ->  I thought that was your EdTechTalk set up area   :)
 20:14:55  Jennifer W ->  I cannot ---
 20:14:56  JenM ->  http://chicagonakedride.org/
 20:14:59  Jennifer W ->  but I will next week
 20:15:10  Jennifer W ->  please don't make this your last show
 20:15:14  Jennifer W ->  but thank you for POST SHOW
 20:15:47  Jennifer W ->  LOL -- gotta love topics on Post Show.   :)
 20:16:04  JenM ->  http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/index.php?title=Halifax
 20:16:17  Jennifer W ->  EXACTLY !!
 20:16:29  Jennifer W ->  we must have tried 10 different chat room scenarios
 20:16:34  Cathy E ->  can't see the chat on my ipad
 20:16:54  Jennifer W ->  I could not paste URL eithers -- or text
 20:16:58  dawn ->  chrome helps
 20:17:28  JL ->  http://edtechtalk.com/EdTechTalk1_part1
 20:18:41  Jennifer W ->  the new look (sorry it might not be new) is DRUPAL -- or WordPress??
 20:19:08  dawn ->  gotta run..thanks for the show
 20:19:30  sr ->  Thank you all... gotta run too
 20:21:32  Jennifer W ->  do you think your audience is much more TALKING than WRITING??
 20:22:05  Cathy E ->  I still have my tee shirt
 20:22:17  MariaK ->  I still have my WOW hat - thanks JenW
 20:22:19  Jennifer W ->  4th of July Pops
 20:22:32  Jennifer W ->  wow, Maria --- you probably own the only one
 20:22:35  MariaK ->  Driving up to PEI in July with Amanda from Brisbane
 20:23:32  MariaK ->  YEs sir
 20:23:45  MariaK ->  we must!
 20:23:55  MariaK ->  tell me how.
 20:24:01  Jennifer W ->  and you must do the Anne of Green Gables tour --- and take lots of pictures
 20:24:08  MariaK ->  Looking for a place to stay as I type. yes
 20:24:21  MariaK ->  yes we are through ed tech talk hosts
 20:24:44  Jennifer W ->  you have THAT much property??
 20:25:10  Jennifer W ->  that's a lot
 20:25:22  Jennifer W ->  but not like 30 million acres   ;)
 20:25:33  Jennifer W ->  so it is wooded
 20:25:47  Cathy E ->  will you have internet out there?
 20:26:34  Jennifer W ->  how exciting -- congratulations
 20:26:36  Cathy E ->  welcome to my world
 20:26:39  MariaK ->  @Cathy E - unlike some folks who move and then lose their connectivity! :(
 20:26:40  Cathy E ->  we have phone box
 20:26:44  Cathy E ->  but no broadband
 20:27:09  MariaK ->  What part of PEI, Dave?
 20:27:11  Jennifer W ->  Do you have room in your car, MariaK??
 20:27:23  Jennifer W ->  sounds delicious
 20:27:24  MariaK ->  yes - we're leaving after ISTE
 20:27:39  Jennifer W ->  so it has no buildings on it -- you will be building??
 20:27:46  MariaK ->  Used to visit PEI each summer for a few years.
 20:27:58  MariaK ->  Love the Canadian maritimes
 20:28:15  Cathy E ->  my house is on pilings - had to so we can get flood insurance
 20:28:55  JenM ->  Here is a cottage ... http://www.48in48.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/20110604-032132.jpg
 20:28:56  Jennifer W ->  well I do need to head out -- but THANK YOU for this...... You all have helped me greatly -- and I do THANK YOU
 20:29:23  Cathy E ->  haha Jen
 20:30:36  Cathy E ->  we need to have an edtech meetup at ISTE
 20:31:07  MariaK ->  Cathy - I won't ever forget when we met at ISTE, long ago. Can't wait to see you again.
 20:31:24  MariaK ->  I can't get the links to work
 20:33:20  Cathy E ->  thanks for all you have done
 20:33:24  JenM ->  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmaddrell/5797962884/
 20:34:06  MariaK ->  Thanks Jeff and Dave and Jen. Great to hear you live! Thanks for everything.
 20:34:27  MariaK ->  no
 20:34:30  MariaK ->  not yet
 20:34:37  MariaK ->  surely -
 20:34:43  MariaK ->  yes I will
 20:34:51  MariaK ->  yes I am
 20:34:59  Cathy E ->  night all
 20:35:32  MariaK ->  Amanda will bring her Aussie rum!

Every few weeks, since the March 11th earthquake, tsunami, and ongoing nuclear crises in Japan, we've been checking in with a few teachers there.

On this episode of Teachers Teaching Teachers we are joined once again by Kim Cofino who gives us us a general update on her own, her students' and colleagues', and her neighbors' responses to the crises. Kim also describes “quakestories,” a project she started along with Mary Fish, who also joins us from her school in Japan on this episode of TTT.

Another teacher from Japan and self-described “change agent,” Eric Bossieux, joins us once again, and a colleague of Paul Allison’s at East-West School for International Studies, David Bantz brings his perspective as well. David is a Japanese language teacher who had just returned from a trip to Japan a week before this webcast.

EdTechWeekly #196

May 29, 2011

Regular hosts: Dave, John

Guest host: Daniel Lynds

This week, John and Dave are joined by Daniel Lynds, the University of Prince Edward Island's new Instructional Designer. The discussion centers around tips for someone in a new position who is providing support for teachers and professors using technology in their classes.

This week, we discussed the message people get when they come into your classroom.  Does your room portray the message you want it to?  How do you get people to understand your message?  

Chat:

11:20:27 Lisa Parisi : Hello everyone.

11:27:41 Lisa Parisi : Sound should now be on Ustream

11:30:54 Lisa Parisi : Hi John

11:31:09 woodenmask : Morning, Ma'am

11:31:15 Conversations - Sheila :  Sun dog  pics http://www.flickr.com/photos/31386636@N06/5744946960/in/photostream

11:32:08 woodenmask : A "ma'am-guy"?

11:33:12 woodenmask : Not as old a I'm feeling lately.

11:34:02 Lisa Parisi : sound on ustream can you hear

11:35:04 woodenmask : Strangers seem to get it, but parents often have a problem with the interpretation they get through the students.

11:35:34 Sheila : I agree Woodenmask. I just experienced that this week.

11:35:39 PeggyG : Hi everyone

11:36:02 Sheila : Hi Peggy!

11:36:29 PeggyG : sorry I'm late! Can you repeat the topic for today?

11:36:47 Sheila : Welcome to Conversations!

11:37:14 PeggyG : thanks! branding in your classroom--what is it and is it what you want? :-)

11:38:57 PeggyG : they way your organize your classroom is also part of your branding--desks, chairs, tables, etc.

11:39:42 woodenmask : My brand would be much like the Fox News travesty of a motto - "We Report - You Decide". Try to develop critical thinking skills in my middle schoolers to interpret history intelligently.

11:41:22 MariaK : http://teachchildrenfirst.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-is-message-strangers...

11:41:28 PeggyG : interesting woodenmask!! and what would we see in your room that reveals your brand? "we report-you decide"

11:42:28 MariaK : http://www.ted.com/speakers/morgan_spurlock.html

11:42:41 PeggyG : Supersize Me was a powerful video!

11:43:25 PeggyG : yes links are working fine

11:44:04 MariaK : thanks

11:44:19 PeggyG : do you only have one "brand" in your classroom?  seems like there are multiple messages that are important

11:44:49 woodenmask : PeggyG (which makes you sound like a rapper, by the way) - Right now, my 8th graders are in the middle of their New York City unit. There are three bulletin boards - one with a giant map of Manhattan that my guys are putting GoogleMaps StreetView images of addresses they are researching, indicating where their place is.

11:45:18 Lisa Parisi : JOhn, want them to skype with my class...so close to the city we go all the time

11:45:24 woodenmask : cont... Another is a giant Bloom's Taxonomy pyramid with all the activities we've done this year and where they fall on the chart.

11:46:11 woodenmask : Cont... And a third is made up of the printouts of the most recent blog posts they did in our RootsBlog, where they blogged as characters in Roots.

11:46:14 Sheila : I like that idea John (woodenmask) with the pyramid.

11:46:21 Lisa Parisi : Hello Cathy

11:46:32 Sheila : Morning CathyE!

11:46:43 Cathy E : hello all

11:46:44 PeggyG : those are terrific learning activities!

11:48:15 PeggyG : that's a great strategy for visitors Maria! We need to know your questions before you leave :-)

11:48:25 Cathy E : Who is going to ISTE?  Are there any meet-ups planned?

11:48:41 Lisa Parisi : Me

11:49:03 Lisa Parisi : There are meet ups.  Not sure where but I have signed up for them. LOL

11:49:05 Sheila : Me too.

11:49:13 PeggyG : I'm going to ISTE :-) The meetups usually happen in the Blogger's Cafe and at ISTE Unplugged :-)

11:49:52 woodenmask : I've got my Duke Ellington workshop the following week, so I won't be going to ISTE because I'd like to stay married.

11:50:01 Lisa Parisi : LOL

11:50:01 PeggyG : Maria it sounds like your brand is children are decisionmakers

11:50:13 PeggyG : good decision woodenmask :-)

11:50:45 woodenmask : It's certainly in MY best interest, anyway...

11:52:23 Cathy E : @woodenmask  - I understand, I think I have signed up for a few toooo many things this summer. 

11:52:41 Lisa Parisi : I did that last year, Cathy, and hubby said never again. 

11:52:47 Lisa Parisi : So this summer is just ISTE.

11:52:56 PeggyG : you're describing lots of classroom activities the provide examples but I think it's the underlying assumptions you hold about teaching/learning that cause you to plan those activities--and it's your values that drive your underlying assumptions

11:53:08 woodenmask : I've been going every other year, which seems about right.

11:53:41 woodenmask : I'm thinking a lot about the very good teachers I know and their practices. Their classrooms and practices are very, very different from each other.

11:53:57 Lisa Parisi : Why John?

11:54:05 PeggyG : I agree with that John

11:54:45 woodenmask : Theodore Roosevelt defined "genius" as someone who can do something that nobody else can do. If you accept that definition, no "genius" in the classroom will look like anybody else.

11:54:47 [email protected] : ola

11:55:16 Lisa Parisi : OH...you mean the teachers are different from each other?  Or their classrooms are different from their teaching?

11:55:23 Cathy E : I have lots of people come and see the technology use in our school

11:55:27 woodenmask : Lisa - Yes.

11:55:51 PeggyG : I think observers/visitors in your classroom come away with a general impression rather than all of the details you are describing. They might share a specific example or 2 of things they really liked (or didn't like) if they told someone else what your classroom was like.

11:57:24 woodenmask : You know in a really hot jazz set, how the music builds and evolves, getting so complicated and frenetic that if you walked in right in the middle, it wouldn't make any sense? When I'm really rocking a lesson, it's like that. Context is important.

11:57:25 PeggyG : if independence is the brand you want you need to post one poster with that message :-)

11:58:05 woodenmask : (Thinking a lot about jazz, lately...)

11:58:05 PeggyG : and having the kids create the banner or poster is a powerful way to make sure they all understand the goal/priority in your classroom

11:58:35 woodenmask : So a visitor wouldn't necessarily get what we're doing.

11:59:09 Lisa Parisi : Yes, John, exactly.

11:59:16 PeggyG : I think they would definitely "get it" John but I don't know if they would get your "brand" without your guiding them to it

12:00:26 PeggyG : it definitely makes a difference when they observe!! Friday afternoons or the last few days before a vacation can give a very different message than a great lesson!

12:02:38 Sheila : One glimpse is little information but often makes the impression (good or bad).

12:03:00 PeggyG : I agree Sheila

12:03:15 PeggyG : impressions are often formed in the first 15-30 seconds

12:03:48 Lisa Parisi : It's that 15-30 seconds that I think about.

12:04:00 Lisa Parisi : What do you get from 30 seconds...looking in.

12:04:14 Lisa Parisi : My kids, I think, come off as rude

12:04:36 woodenmask : I'd like that.

12:05:06 PeggyG : you can't control the perceptions of visitors--you just need to provide a context to help them understand the big picture

12:05:06 MariaK : let's make a plan John!

12:05:31 woodenmask : I actually have an idea about that, Maria.

12:05:43 MariaK : ooooo - can't wait to hear!

12:07:13 PeggyG : what are the "rules" or "norms" for assemblies in your school? Have you ever discussed that and come to consensus with the teachers?

12:07:23 MariaK : Wes Fryer's post about coming to my room  http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2010/03/31/we-all-can-learn-a-great-dea...

12:07:59 PeggyG : I saw that blog post Maria! It was fantastic!! :-)

12:12:32 PeggyG : I'm not sure that's accurate Lisa. Respect surely is a priority for you.

12:13:11 PeggyG : that's different than saying "respect" is not me...

12:14:25 woodenmask : My guys need to be trained to show the forms of respect. Strangers and adults should not have to prove themselves to my students' satisfaction in order to be treated politely.

12:14:32 PeggyG : be an ostrich? :-)

12:14:55 PeggyG : :-)

12:15:18 woodenmask : I had to make my peace a long time ago with the fact that I can't cover anything close to the huge amount of curriculum I'm supposed to cover.

12:16:37 PeggyG : I agree John. We not only can't cover all of the required curriculum but we can't address all of the required standards. That's why "power standards" started becoming popular so they could be combined and prioritized

12:16:50 woodenmask : nods

12:17:58 PeggyG : do you think you have a single "brand" for your classroom?

12:18:10 Lisa Parisi : Yes...we are active learners

12:21:37 Cathy E : I am so lucky that my admin "gets" it

12:22:39 PeggyG : obedient kids in the hall :-)

12:22:45 woodenmask : I've got a really supportive administration. They let us take risks. That lets us evolve more easily.

12:23:41 PeggyG : exactly Sheila!! there are times when it's important that the kids are quiet and listening and times when it's not

12:23:49 woodenmask : School of Rock

12:25:28 PeggyG : we do a lot of "telling" to parents at Open House and maybe the answer is to provide some scenarios and ask them to describe what they see. Guided observation :-)

12:25:37 woodenmask : One of our Kindergarten teachers tells parents, "If you believe half of what they say about me, I'll believe half of what they say about you."

12:25:43 MariaK : great idea peggy - show not tell!

12:25:54 PeggyG : I love that quote John!

12:26:34 woodenmask : Got to go. Boy Trouble.

12:26:40 Sheila : Can I do that in 10 minutes?

12:26:51 PeggyG : we had parents of Kindergartners already expressing their college priorities for their kids--look at the parents who keep their boys out a year so they will be "bigger" than their peers when they get to HS!

12:27:20 MariaK : Sheila - photos with descriptions and annotations

12:27:35 Cathy E : what was the name of that, Lisa

12:27:47 PeggyG : probably not Sheila--but maybe you can plant the seed and invite them back to extend it

12:27:54 Sheila : On my blog? so they keep referencing it?

12:28:04 Lisa Parisi : mangahigh.comn

12:28:09 Lisa Parisi : mangahigh.com

12:29:08 PeggyG : can you do a parent workshop (with kids and food) that would help them experience your classroom?

12:30:10 Sheila : Love that idea with food!  ;) Hard to get them back to the classroom, unless I do it before the open house! Ahh! Great idea Peggy!

12:31:07 Sheila : But as part of a team, if I do it myself, I'll set up the others; so I need to convince the rest of the team.

12:32:23 PeggyG : you could show several video clips of your classroom in action (focusing on different things) and then break them into small groups that include both parents and teachers to talk about what they see and what the kids are learning.

12:32:37 PeggyG : provide the guiding questions

12:34:12 PeggyG : great idea Sheila!!

12:34:40 Cathy E : I am trying to sigh up - but my school's url is too long

12:34:50 Sheila : THanks for all the ideas Peggy and all!

12:34:55 PeggyG : have a bbq Sheila and even dads will come :-)  bbq and kick ball game before the workshop

12:36:00 PeggyG : next weekend is Memorial Day weekend

12:36:16 Lisa Parisi : Bye everyone

12:36:20 donnaroman : Thanks Lisa.

12:36:22 PeggyG : looks like you get a week off :-)

12:36:32 PeggyG : thanks everyone! see you in two weeks