Cathy's Digital Portfolio Project

I have already hit one snag with my student's creation of digital portfolios and that is they won't get their laptops for a while as we continue to work on moving into the new school. We are looking at the end of September and probably sometime in October.   I do have a portfolio template set up that they can use when they get their computers and it has a link to a video I found to help them copy the template to their account and then make it their own. I have created a website that the 7^th grade teachers will be using to post assignments so the students will have access to them from home. My team will be discussing having all the assignments on one page vs having a page for each teacher. I created it with a page per subject but not everyone likes that idea.

I still need to discuss with our computer tech the students being able to use their laptop cameras. I am not hopeful about that and won't be bringing it up right away as he says he is still very busy with all our new technology and I know that's true.

I do intend to get my students set up and going on their e-mail if I can even before they get their laptops as most of them do have internet access at home anyway. Getting that going will be one less thing to have to teach them before we can get going on the portfolios.

I haven't forgotten the reverse teaching and am planning on assigning some Khan Academy math at some point in the year so they can come to class with some knowledge ahead of time. We have done a Scavenger Hunt through our new math books to help them become acquainted with all that's available in their new books. I would love to claim that as my idea but I got it from our 8^th grade teacher and then tweaked it to fit the 7^th grade book.

It's only the beginning

Just finished the week at the Summer Technology Institute and gained a lot of skills and knowledge.  It is good to feel like I know what I need to know to do some exciting things next year in school.  But it isn't the end of the learning; it is just the beginning.  I have two books to read, a project do do, and, for lack of a better word, two activities to carry out.  While both SHOULD be easy, I will need to cogitate to apply the backwards teaching and transparency to my classroom.
I think my Mrs. Atwood's World blog will add to the transparency.  It is something I started last year but didn't really carry thorough with.  Now I will have a better motivation.  While I still want to use it as an assignment area, I also want to be able to highlight what we do in the classroom.  I am going to have to check out how open it is and probably get permission to post students projects there.  We do have the form that grants us permission to post pictures so if I coordinate with that I should be good to go. 
I also have lots of reading to do but that will be fun because I really love to read.  I am addicted to reading and even a bad book has got to be more interesting than a cereal box!
I am going to set this to post on Monday, even though I am writing it on Saturday as I want to be able to practice that skill as well.  Happy Learning!

Learning

It is amazing how much there is to learn!  And how  much people are capable of learning.  What is also really great is how many ways it is possible to use the same kind of technology.  And while I sit here, trying to multi-task, it is amazing how technology doesn't work sometimes.  I can't log on to the moodle.  All I can think of is how difficult today will be for our leaders if it isn't working by the time the class starts.  I filled in the survey for Tuesday last night, just before bed here at my sister's house, but couldn't get it to upload.  I found out this morning it was because they turn off the internet when they aren't using it and didn't think I would be using it so didn't leave it on. 
I have some clearer ideas of how I want to use google apps for the student's digital portfolios.  So I am excited for another day of learning!

Awaiting

School is finally out and I am awaiting the start of my summer course.  Make that anxiously awaiting!  It 's about technology and learning and I love both.  We are moving to a brand new school for the start of the year with lots of new technology available and I am anxious to learn how to make my teaching of mathematics even more exciting.  That implies that it is exciting which it is, to me!  Should be a great learning experience and I can hardly wait!