Introductory Blog

Well, you have to start somewhere, so here goes! My goal for this blog is to continue communicating with participants who have attended my workshops.

This year I will be in 36 cities in the United States and Canada presenting workshops for the Bureau of Education and Research. One is called Practical Strategies for Using Technology to Strengthen Classroom Instruction and Student Learning - Grades K-2 and the other one is The Best of the Best Websites -Grades K-6. You can check the BER website http://www.ber.org to see if I will be close to where you live. I have presented to many, many teachers, administrators, media specialists, and computer specialists over the last six years and I enjoy every moment of it. I continually learn from those who attend the workshop and have the greatest support from BER. What is most frustrating to me is that a few days after a presentation, I already have learned some new things that I would love to pass along to former participants. Now, I have figured out a way that I can - by blogging!

I will start by alerting you to some online collaborative projects that are already taking registrations. If you remember, I was quite passionate about how many benefits your students can gain from your joining an online collaborative project. The critera from all subject areas can be covered and your students will find that engaging in a project with students from all over the world will be motivating and exciting to them as learners. I believe Jennifer Wagner and Susan Silverman are two women who put so much into the projects that they coordinate. They amaze me. I hope you will check these out now as by the time I start presenting this year, these projects will be going "full speed ahead"!

Jennifer Wagner (Technospud Projects) is taking registrations now for:
Salute to Seuss http://salutetoseuss.wikispaces.com/ and for O.R.E.O (Our Really Exciting Online Project) http://www.technospudprojects.com/Projects/OREO2007/oreo2007home.htm
She will also have the one day Pumpkin Seed Count in October. Watch for that - but I will remind you on this blog.

Susan Silverman- http://comsewogue.k12.ny.us/~ssilverman/2000/index.htm is a Technology Specialist in Oswego, New York and has conducted many, many online projects of the highest quality. Look at Lucky Ladybugs http://kids-learn.org/ladybugs/ It is open to students in Grades K-5.

I hope you will consider signing up for one of these projects. I know your class will find themselves learning in a collaborative way!