STSD Curriculum & Technology Update

Regular updates and musings on curriculum and technology in the Salisbury Township School District in Allentown, PA.

Changing Times

“A Brave New World World Wide Web” asks....

1. What is a 21st century educator/leader?
2. What do we need to do professionally to prepare to teach future generations?
3. What supports will we need to get there?

Leave a comment with your thoughts!

New Definition of Collaboration

During the Monday, August 25 presentation, Louise and I talked about the new definition of collaboration and shared a brief video segment from the a keynote presentation at this summer’s National Educational Computing Conference. The entire video is actually available for viewing as a webcast on the internet by clicking here. You will be prompted for first name, last name and email. Use the following: first name: stsd; last name:stsd; email: or use your own. (The actual interview with the two teachers starts at around 24:00. You can scroll ahead to that point.)

In the video, you’ll hear directly from these two teacher who used technology and new ways of collaboration to re-imagine their classrooms. We both found this keynote very inspiring and hope you will too. If you watch the video, please leave a comment below!

Interactive Whiteboards

It has been great hearing the excitement and enthusiasm building for the Advancing Plan. I thought today I’d pass along two links to websites that focus on using the interactive whiteboard in the classroom. These are two excellent sites to visit if you want to start thinking about how best to use this technology. You can also speak with any of the teachers currently using the technology. Seek out and connect with those teachers in your building for more ideas!

Teaching with a SmartBoard - Links for lesson ideas and SmartBoard Notebook files.

Smartboard Lessons Podcasts - Podcasts on using the SmartBoard!

A short portion of our June workshops will get you started feeling comfortable with the software. More hands-on work with the interactive whiteboard will be coming during the August in-service days.

The Future is Now…according to the Rutgers University English Department

There are lots of interesting points in this short presentation:

1. “...the nature of communication has totally changed.”
2. “English, as the site that excels in human expression, and in the study of human culture related to expression—we should be the place that’s at the very cutting edge of education for students in these areas.”
3. “We now live in a world where we don’t simply go to the web to draw information down, but that people are actively participating in and contributing to the knowledge and information that is on the web.”
4. Because we now live in this read/write world, it’s essential that the English Department provide our students with training in how to live in this world.”
5. Collaboratories - “...spaces where students can work on multimedia composition. Because to compose, and to compose successfully in the 21st century, you have to not only excel at verbal expression and written expression, but you also have to excel in the use and manipulation of images. That is what it means to compose.”
6. Writing in the 21st century - “It’s multiply authored. It’s multiply produced. That’s where English is going.”

What are your thoughts?

Once Upon A School

In this video, writer David Eggers asks people “to personally, creatively engage with local public schools. With spellbinding eagerness, he talks about how his 826 Valencia tutoring center inspired others around the world to open their own volunteer-driven, wildly creative writing labs. But you don’t need to go that far, he reminds us—it’s as simple as asking a teacher “How can I help?”

If a volunteer entered your building, your classroom, and asked you “How can I help?”, what would your answer be?