Creating a LiveBinder?...Carrie Bradshaw Would Say...YES!

As you know I have been LiveBinder-ing for a few weeks. I am now pondering my next steps...

I got to thinking about Carrie Bradshaw, a character from Sex in the City...



Seriously..Lit Maven??

Stay with me...this will all make sense...

She writes a column about relationships. I got to thinking... Never, in any of the episodes do her friends really comment on her column. These are her close friends...her BFF's or what have you...

Don't they care what she does? Does it matter?

When you write or blog, who do you write for?

In my case, I have gotten over the fact that my friends might never read my blog. Even though the content pertains to them. Carrie's friends were always talking about relationships but never used her articles to help themselves.

I realize that I write for others. Others that I might never meet in person, others that seem to enjoy what I write.

So create a LiveBinder!

Your friends may not care...your day-to-day colleagues may not care..but someone else is sure too.

Audiences are no longer just arms-reach or a horse ride away..(or car...just trying to be hysterically, historical)

We create because we have a fire, a need to share.

SO, please create! There is someone out that cares about that part of you.

And Carrie would agree, LiveBinders are much better than post-its!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Other Posts on this Topic.
Presenting With LiveBinders...The Aftermath
Want Best Practices to Go Viral?...Use a LiveBinder
Flipped Classroom? Use a LiveBinder
Building a LiveBinder...Include Tagxedo
Digital Textbooks...Like Putting Lipstick on a Pig
Digital Textbooks...It's a Matter of Definition
Building a Textbook From Scratch...5 Reasons to Try LiveBinder
5 Tips for Starting Your Own LiveBinder
Need Videos for Your LiveBinder...Top 5 Sources
Need Images for Your LiveBinder...Top 5 Sources
Building a LiveBinder...Brick by Brick
Building a LiveBinder...Let it Bloom With These Tools

Presenting with LiveBinders...The Aftermath

WOW! What a week! I love to present but after my Crazy-Palooza this week...I was exhausted. But exhaustion often follows trying out new ideas. When we are used to the same things, so are our bodies, which perhaps isn't always a good thing.

So my new "thing" was exercising my LiveBinder muscle.

I saw a book on the public library shelf.


The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz

"We normally assume in America that more options ("easy fit" or "relaxed fit"?) will make us happier, but Schwartz shows the opposite is true, arguing that having all these choices actually goes so far as to erode our psychological well-being."

This is the image I had in mind, Friar Tuck from Rocket Robin Hood.

Anyway...it gave me a lot of "food for thought".

The goal of my sessions was to reduce the amount of new resources and instead bring out what we already know. When we find that we already know some things, we tend to discover what we don't, and that is where you can access more resources.

I designed the LiveBinders to focus the teachers back on two things,
the Curriculum and their students...not a resource.

My thinking dates back to my childhood, when I consumed way to many episodes of Little House on the Prairie.
How did they teach with a couple of readers and a few slates?

I think it is because the teachers knew their goals (curriculum) and what their students needed (through assessment). The rest was filling in the blanks with what was available and facilitating inquiry projects ....(remember when they created the school bell by collecting and melting metal)


Sometimes I think we need to trust ourselves as a powerful human resource and go from there...

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Other Posts on this Topic.
Want Best Practices to Go Viral?...Use a LiveBinder
Flipped Classroom? Use a LiveBinder
Building a LiveBinder...Include Tagxedo
Digital Textbooks...Like Putting Lipstick on a Pig
Digital Textbooks...It's a Matter of Definition
Building a Textbook From Scratch...5 Reasons to Try LiveBinder
5 Tips for Starting Your Own LiveBinder
Need Videos for Your LiveBinder...Top 5 Sources
Need Images for Your LiveBinder...Top 5 Sources
Building a LiveBinder...Brick by Brick
Building a LiveBinder...Let it Bloom With These Tools

Want Best Practices to Go Viral?...Use a LiveBinder!

Well...I am back with great news about my LiveBinder experiment. Remember I was worried about feeling like Sheldon..



I shouldn't have! An hour into the inservice I was told that I reminded them of Amy Farrah Fowler




Should I Laugh...or cry...


Well anyway here's what I learned...

1. Teachers want to share!
No surprise there but the teachers were very excited at the possibilities...

The possibilities to share information with staff.

The possibilities to create their own LiveBinders.

The possibilities of trying something new!


2. Teachers appreciated the LiveBinders in advance of the session.

I did have a fear they would judge the session by the LiveBinder...or feel, "What's the point of going...it's all here." Nope! Instead the LiveBinders created excitement and by sending it in advance there was a sense of familiarity.

3. Teachers appreciated the facilitating nature of the presentation.
This presentation was no "sit and git" or listen to the "talking head". Instead I was able to select tabs in the binder based on the flow and needs of the teachers. In addition, I gave teachers access to Netbooks! Not all of them took the offer but most appreciated that they could "follow along" and use the links during table talk and work processing time.

Overall, I think it was a success! I am curious to see how many views the LiveBinders gets overtime. I put the settings on private but I plan to do some public ones in the future. LiveBinders continue to lure me in ways that I have yet to try
...oh no!!!

I do sound like her!



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Other Posts on this Topic.
Flipped Classroom? Use a LiveBinder
Building a LiveBinder...Include Tagxedo
Digital Textbooks...Like Putting Lipstick on a Pig
Digital Textbooks...It's a Matter of Definition
Building a Textbook From Scratch...5 Reasons to Try LiveBinder
5 Tips for Starting Your Own LiveBinder
Need Videos for Your LiveBinder...Top 5 Sources
Need Images for Your LiveBinder...Top 5 Sources
Building a LiveBinder...Brick by Brick
Building a LiveBinder...Let it Bloom With These Tools

Flipped Classroom?...Use a LiveBinder

Out of the gate this year, I was thinking of doing everything...Flipped Presentations, E-books, Webinars, and definitely..NO PAPER!!!


But then I was explaining Twitter Chats to some people and they looked at me like I was him...



Then, I knew, I had to slowwwwwwwwwwww down.

So while, I am doing things differently this year. I am not using up all my felts the first week... (Have no idea what that means...)

I have decided that access to materials and information is always a plus. How can I make this easier...

Did you say

LIVEBINDERS?

I think you did....10 points to your team!

I am in the midst of creating 4 Livebinders for 4 separate presentations...

What was I thinking?

I wasn't...that was June talkin'...

Anyway, I am foregoing the usual PowerPoint..even the new age Prezi, in favor of a LiveBinder. Here's my thinking...

1. Perhaps presenting with a LiveBinder will encourage a climate of sharing...

2. Perhaps those attending the presentation will be more engaged because they know they will have access to everything during and after the presentation.

3. Perhaps I will ignite a firestorm of LiveBinders so that new shelving will have to be ordered! (Shelfari...still around?)

At any rate...it has to be better than..."Can I have the handout?"

Flipped Classroom Applications

My hope is that if I create these for all my presentations...I can send them in advance. That teachers will appreciate the "heads up" in way of the content. Also, that authentic discussion and collaboration will start the minute they sit down.

Other posts on this topic:
Building a LiveBinder...Include Tagxedo
Digital Textbooks...Like Putting Lipstick on a Pig
Digital Textbooks...It's a Matter of Definition
Building a Textbook From Scratch...5 Reasons to Try LiveBinder
5 Tips for Starting Your Own LiveBinder
Need Videos for Your LiveBinder...Top 5 Sources
Need Images for Your LiveBinder...Top 5 Sources
Building a LiveBinder...Brick by Brick
Building a LiveBinder...Let it Bloom With These Tools




I will let you know later this week how it all goes down...

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail...Is It That Time of Year Again?

I am back at work. Recovering from the traumatic switch from slooooooow pace to out-of-control education pace.

This is where I am at with things...."Think McFly..think!"

So what is an educator to do...Did you say...

LIVEBINDER...I think you did!

Here is a great one on Lesson Planning

Lesson Planning Websites by avidlearner
...cause I know...from experience, that y'all are spending this weekend...revamping and crying into your pillows...with your huge, swellin' noggins...

WAIT! that reminds me of a video.




So if you can't plan...laughing is good too!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

What Happens at EdCamp...Some Details Revealed

So y'all heard..I am going to camp!!! Cool!



Not that camp...although...I admit...Wednesday is beginning to grow on me...

EdCamp is the word on the street. I am beginning to find my new heaven. The "out of the box" style is appealing and working with passionate educators is always a plus...

Speaking of passionate educators...here is quote from Kristen Swanson.

"Teacher's Matter"

The Vampire Slayer???

NO silly, that is Kristy Swanson...

I am talking about Kristen Swanson..the organizer of EdCamp Philly!

Here she is giving a TEDx TALK.



I love this Edcamp model...It's seems to be like Porch Talk (which in my family is the talk you have as you are leaving..you know when you end up on the porch talking for an extra hour!)
That extra talk...the informal, powerful stuff that unintentionally is the best discussion that you have ever had! I think...that's Edcamp.

(Trivia: Amanda in the orange swimsuit, from the first video played Harmony in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer T.V. show...isn't that a coincidence?)


Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Other Posts on this Topic
What goes on at Edcamp...Stays at Edcamp

What Happens at EdCamp...stays at EdCamp...

I am going to my first EdCamp this fall.
What's hilarious?...I have no idea what it is?

Never wanting to be left in the dark...I researched...

Of course a Wiki is the first destination: Edcamp

What I Found Out!

1. Apparently, Edcamps are based on Barcamps...right away I was intrigued...

Will I see Carrie and Mr. Big? Not Quite.

2. Edcamp rules are loosely based on the ones in Fight Club!

Will I see Brad Pitt? Probably not.

Check the Edcamp rules here.

3. Sessions are not planned or scheduled until EdCamp morning.




4. Most of the sessions have a technology focus...so you should bring technology to participate and even...

get this Hermione...

Attend 2 sessions at once...


5. There are variety of educators, from all levels that co-mingle...not distinct presenters or attendees.




6.It's free!!!!

Am I more than excited...yes!!! How excited?



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out