Mark's edtechblog

Mark, through Sarah, I just read your blog about t...

2009-10-15T08:23:39.316-07:00

Mark, through Sarah, I just read your blog about the Miss Rumphius Effect using technology! I am so wired to try some of this. In fact, updating needs to be done to that article or extensions made--do you (ha, I'm sure you do!) know about glogging and glogster! Where do these people imagine such exciting technology? I thought the use of multiple intelligences was exciting--yes, at that time. Now there's all this new stuff that just gloggles the brain (yes, a play on glogging).
Voicethreads is another!
Keep up the good work and don't let the trolls bite.
Judy

Hello Mr. Ahlness. I am a soon to be teacher and I...

2009-10-09T11:22:13.805-07:00

Hello Mr. Ahlness. I am a soon to be teacher and I will admit that at first I was a little confused as to why you were so excited about this! But the more I thought about it, the more I realized the importance of what you had been able to do. I've been reading lately about how reflection upon yourself is key to understanding how you've grown as an individual and what better way to do that than by having access to writings from your past years?! I've kept a few journals over the past few years and for some reason, I always end up tossing them out or losing track of them and there are times when I really wish I hadn't! So, I see now that you've really done something phenomenal for these children! And I'm sure they will really appreciate it someday if they don't already.

I think that this is one of the coolest new ways t...

2009-10-07T02:29:11.924-07:00

I think that this is one of the coolest new ways that technology is affecting the classroom. I especially like the fact that your students will now be able to track their own progress through their years at school. This, in my opinion will make them better writers as well as better students. Not only is it an educational tool, but it's like a time capsule; a journal, if you will, that they can never lose. This was a good idea.

Awesome idea! I am always telling my parents and ...

2009-10-05T15:16:21.457-07:00

Awesome idea! I am always telling my parents and students to read at home...read anything, anywhere, and at anytime. I plan to incorporate this reading style and activity into my 6th grade classes. Thanks for the fantastic idea.

Cath-

Anne, your support means a lot. Thank you - Mark

2009-09-18T22:44:46.977-07:00

Anne, your support means a lot. Thank you - Mark

It's not corny, it truly is a dream come true and ...

2009-09-18T04:41:38.510-07:00

It's not corny, it truly is a dream come true and I can really identify with it! You have been doing and continue to do outstanding work with your kids! I will continue to follow you and the kids! Best to your past and future bloggers!!! I know it's going to be another great year for you.

Janice F, My contact with those early bloggers is ...

2009-09-15T22:25:23.386-07:00

Janice F,
My contact with those early bloggers is pretty limited, as they are now 7th graders, and into a different world. But there is a 5th grade teacher at my school who is about to continue with the blogs from some of my students from two years ago. I am VERY excited about this. More to come.

Janice S,
Facebook and Twitter are huge, but natural, leaps for our school to be taking this year. We even have a Social Media Committee(!) I cannot believe how those cyber connections have made F2F even stronger and more meaningful in our hallways and classrooms

Right, and hopefully not so scary for the oldsters...

2009-09-15T22:14:44.765-07:00

Right, and hopefully not so scary for the oldsters, either! :) Thanks - Mark

Mark, that is so cool! I was just thinking the ot...

2009-09-15T00:23:46.484-07:00

Mark, that is so cool! I was just thinking the other day about how Eleanor will grow up in a world where computers, the internet, wi-fi, blogging and social networking are just the norm and not "cool and new". Love it!

Mark, Way to show leadership at your school. It's ...

2009-09-12T15:35:51.810-07:00

Mark,
Way to show leadership at your school. It's amazing how the tools are helping us connect in ways never before possible with people we didn't know were using the tools.
Are Facebook and Twitter both unblocked in your district? We have Twitter open, but not Facebook.
I look forward to reading your posts and also your student blogs. I encourage others in my local area to read them too.
My goal this year is to make more comments...

Our district is trying out a ning: http://district6.ning.com It's growing, but still in its infancy. Many are already using Facebook, so this comes easy for them.

Welcome to a new year of learning - on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, social bookmarks - all the tools that we're trying to figure out. It sounds like you struggle a little with what has been a major problem for me this year, trying to balance life away from the technology - taking care of family and home - with all the learning that awaits my fingertips online. :)

Given time to think about it... why do you think t...

2009-09-02T05:28:56.295-07:00

Given time to think about it... why do you think this is? Are teachers not modeling? Are our expectations of the benefits of working online not realistic? I wonder... I see similar things and it puzzles me.

Mark, Have a great year and continue making the o...

2009-08-26T04:16:54.756-07:00

Mark,

Have a great year and continue making the observations. Do you still have contact with some of the first bloggers who graduated? Maybe more importantly with teachers at the middle school so that you can hear about any observations. I wonder what the long term effects are or if they are even visible.

I appreciate the readership and comment on my blog. You help me to think!

Thanks Tom. It truly works both ways. I consider m...

2009-08-25T18:26:59.082-07:00

Thanks Tom. It truly works both ways. I consider myself a very lucky guy to be doing what I do. - Mark

Mark, The kids are soooo lucky to have a teacher/l...

2009-08-25T16:11:01.713-07:00

Mark,
The kids are soooo lucky to have a teacher/leader with your skills and enthusiasm.

Cheers,

Tom

thanks for the information

2009-08-03T06:07:42.839-07:00

thanks for the information

I love this idea so much that my wheels are alread...

2009-07-08T11:55:03.029-07:00

I love this idea so much that my wheels are already turning as to how to make it work in my 6th grade classroom of 33 kids with 7 computers.....

What a great example of the resourse that PLN's ca...

2009-07-07T20:31:55.611-07:00

What a great example of the resourse that PLN's can be for teachers! Thanks, for giving me a story to share to encourage teachers to use these tools.

As a high school teacher, I ahve to admit it is ha...

2009-07-07T09:36:40.552-07:00

As a high school teacher, I ahve to admit it is hard for me to flex my own paradigm and shift into the digital reading mind, however my students are all about the internet. I am about to introduce my own blog, and after reading your article it would be great to have some structured class time to look at different blogs!

Ciara still has your 'My Country Road' artwork; fr...

2009-06-29T10:10:50.660-07:00

Ciara still has your 'My Country Road' artwork; framed & hanging in her bedroom!

Wow! I have never thought about allowing kids to ...

2009-06-27T21:48:45.641-07:00

Wow! I have never thought about allowing kids to read blogs during DEAR time. I love to read books, but it is not for everyone. Thanks for opening us up to a new way of thinking

Nick, I too went back to school when I was 30 to g...

2009-06-23T21:49:59.856-07:00

Nick,
I too went back to school when I was 30 to get my teaching certificate. I'm happy to hear you are looking to explore blogging in the classroom.

In terms of meeting standards and encouraging creativity... it is indeed a dance. If the kids are writing well, and in modes appropriate for their age - then standards will be met, no matter the medium...

BTW, my kids also use pencil and paper for writing.

I am a 30 year old who is going back to school to ...

2009-06-23T21:03:11.277-07:00

I am a 30 year old who is going back to school to get my teaching certificate. The pre req. for the course is a ed tech. course. We have spoken extensively as to how to use blogs and other technology in the classroom while still maintaining core learning principles. Other issues that have arisen are ones of ethics and proper etiquette while online. I am the only to be teacher in a class of 15 teachers. So far, none of them have reported using blogs like this, it is great! I am glad to know that all of the stuff that I am learning can be applied without the kids all becoming crazed with the internet. I was a little unclear as to how you are balancing teaching the standards while still leaving time for creative writing? are the blogs creative writing? do you feel that the kids are loosing something by not using a pen and paper? Once again, congratulations. Teacher to be. Nick

Getting some kids to sit and read is difficult. Wh...

2009-06-18T12:00:05.843-07:00

Getting some kids to sit and read is difficult. What a great idea! It only makes sense that kids are going to want to read what their peers have written. Whatever it takes to get them reading!

Thanks for the feedback, folks. To answer the qu...

2009-06-08T17:23:50.071-07:00

Thanks for the feedback, folks.

To answer the question of why neither writers workshop nor the traditional writing process work well preparing our kids to be effective 21st century writers anymore....

That's an awfully big one, isn't it?

Way too big and important a question to answer well in a single response, never mind a blog post - especially from this teacher, who is seriously sucking wind at this point in the school year.

For now I can only say this.

I have been taught how to implement the writing process. I've been trained in Writers Workshop.

I've read thoughts on new literacy from Don Leu, Clay Shirkey, Will Richardson, David Warlick, Clarence Fisher, and many other notable educators. I've written some myself on the topic.

Something has to give, because what those guys are preaching is not the traditional approach to literacy.

Writers Workshop and The Writing Process are simply antediluvian approaches. If we are responsibly preparing our kids to be successful as writers in the world they will inherit, we've got to throw out chunks of traditional methodology that we are comfortable with, and infuse school with something a little more, I don't know....

Something that actually embraces, changes, and grows with new technologies - instead of pretending they do not exist.

Yeah, you can't just leave that "writing process d...

2009-06-07T21:14:55.472-07:00

Yeah, you can't just leave that "writing process doesn't work anymore" hanging there without further explanation.