Hero: Just For One Day...Grade 2 Style

Today I was working with a small group of second graders in the computer lab. Working with primary students never ceases to amaze me...those kids are sponges.

One child was using clip art images and just could not find the right cat. He wanted Garfield. He was determined to find Garfield. I decided to show him how to find and save pictures from the web.

You would think Christmas came early! This little boy began importing pictures with fervor!

The teacher said, "That is the most focused I have seem him all day." She also added, "He has a lot of trouble reading and writing but just look how good his is with importing those pictures."

This kid became the hero for the class today. The one who held the currency on importing pictures. You could see his pride, excitement and diligence at this new skill that came so easily.

That is one of a list of reasons to have technology in the classroom, cause you never know how much that can mean to a kid...

to be the "one"..

the one everyone looks up to...

if only...

just for one day.

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Good Vibrations! Mark Zuckerberg vs. Marky Mark

Today is the Golden Globes! I am one who watches as many movies as I can to fully participate in the festivities.

Psssst....Guess What???

Social Media is invading Hollywood.
First there was blogging, Julie and Julia
Now there is Facebook, The Social Network

I can only imagine what is next....Twitter????

That would be a short script...LOL Lit Maven!

I think though, this is indicating a trend that our social activities are becoming archived for future generations. There is a sense of legitmacy to what we have become to know as essential learning tools.

As I watch tonight...I will secretly be cheering for The Social Network to bring home the globes. We live in the digital world, tonight is just the beginning!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven
Out!

Go For Goal! Make sure that your students are not backed into a post.

"A-Boot" a year ago the world was preparing for the 2010 Winter Olympics. "GO for Gold" was the mantra up here in Canada.

In the classroom, it is Go for Goal!

What truly is the Goal of your lessons? Do you know it? Do your students?

I was in a classroom this week. I was supporting a teacher and his students with Fractured Fairy Tale writing.

As they began their rough copy, the teacher said,"Remember, only handwriting after Christmas."

Yikes! First draft perfection! Say it ain't so!

Of course, we all know when writing our first draft we just need to get the ideas out. Revision, editing and dare we say perfection, comes later.

As expected the stories got off to a painfully slow start.
"How do you make a G?" said one child mournfully.

Then there was the student who had barely anything written down.
I asked, "Are you not sure what to write?"

He said," I know what to write, I just can't handwrite."

Well that just isn't good is it?

Lessons For All Teachers

Look at you goal (standard, outcome).

Is it clear what you want the students to do?

If it is to create a story...
Could they type it? YES
Could they print it? YES
Could they use presentation software? YES
Could they use storyjumper? YES
Could they use a plume and ink? I guess....

So...please find a place for all your students. If handwriting is the goal? Then have them copy a poem in their best handwriting...BUT...if it is storywriting...please ....please let them create...by any means necessary.

SO how to you make that G...I still don't know...that's why I print!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven OUT!

My Cup of Joe...Caffeine for the Creative Mind

This is a great book with many possibilities. Although labled a designer book, it offers inspiration for all creatives.

Not meant to be read in a linear fashion, it would be a great book to read in any spot.

I saw links specifically to Writing and Technology for students and grown ups.

Check it out! It will be your favorite cup of Joe.

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven,
OUT!!!

Kids Meet Giant Chalkboard...5 Uses For Giant Chalkboard Walls in the Classroom

My husband had a new office redesign.

A giant chalkboard wall was created to brainstorm and list projects. What a great idea for the classroom?


As we move from white boards to interactive whiteboards we can't deny the allure of chalk.

SO what can you do with a Chalkboard Wall?

1. Brainstorm

2. Mind mapping

3. Make Lists

4. Create Characters

5. Share words, phrases and quotes...

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Do you know the Permission Man....the Permission Man the Permission Man..

I am on my second day of being a Stay at Home Lady. TRANSLATION: christmas break with the kids. After we all rolled out of bed, we turned on the TV and started watching Temple Grandin.

WOW! That movie directly speaks to autism but to me it also spoke to education.

Temple Grandin said "I am different, not less."

Different is NOT less, but somehow in education we seem to think that changing the traditional norms is less, but is it really?

What makes it okay not to reach all of our students? Isn't that inhumane?

Do we hear their mooing? (This makes a lot more sense if you check out this link) In addition to watching the movie.

I loved watching the passion and persistance that she put into her "squeeze" machine and the redesign of her cattle stockyard receiving gates. She created something and represented something that changed the world.

Aren't all kids capable of this? I look at the interest that my kids had in the story and how it relates to all of us.

Perception.

What do we perceive? Is what we perceive what is real,what is true or is there another way?

This is where the Permission Man comes in. Waiting for someone to tell us there is another way.

But where are our Temple Grandins in education? Who is going to barge in, headstrong and say... Now...this is what I observe and this is what we need to do!

We need to see what children do and design a school for them. Child driven - Shaped by the Teacher!

Where do children like to sit?

How do children work?

What time frames do they need?

Are we assuming that children work best with short isolated projects or perhaps they would blossum with long range projects?

I am intrigued by the ideas of something different....

"Different is not less."

In fact, I think it is a heck of a lot more.

Until Next Time,

Lit Maven Out!

Where the Wild Things Are...Meets A Christmas Story

Thanks to Heidi at work for sharing this video of the Christmas Story.

What worked for the Lit Maven?

1. Children telling the story in their own voices.

2. The use of technology to make a story more relatable

3. The music.

4. The costumes were fun and reminded me of Where the Wild Things Are.

5. It was cute!

Until Next Time

Lit Maven Out!