Podcasts for Preparation

There are several ways to get students ready to engage in new activities in class. One of my favorite methods is to jump into a unit with little or no preparation to give the students a feel for what is to come. There is no grading during this "introduction," but it can be very entertaining... and fun.

Now, there are some students who just do not do well with surprises. These students need more preparation to get used to the idea of what is to come.

And, students will not respond well to the same approach being used time and time again!

Public Speaking was one of the most difficult units to get into for the students. They need to "hear" from other voices. They need to know about debates and publically speaking from multiple sources. The guidelines will come from the teacher, but hearing another voice will give added perspective. There are several short and helpful podcasts at the Education Podcast Network. One such podcast gives an overview of public speaking. Click here to access Public Speaking Overview. This would be a great way to get the students started before the unit began in class. It will get them thinking and training their minds on what needs to be done, and what should not be done. They will remember important tidbits such as use your hands, but do not use props.

Creating a Classroom out of a Chorus from Continents

It cannot be argued that there are many cultures around the world, and that many of us know very little about those who are different than us. Perception is everything... and therefore it is imperative that we learn more about those with different beliefs and cultures so we can create a better conception of what life is and what it can mean for all of us.

The best way to implement a healthy global environment with a rich community atmosphere of cooperation is communication. Thus, it is necessary to foster relationships with those around the globe. If these relationships are started with the youth in society, they will create strong bonds between cultures and groups that will not diminish or disappear with time.

A great way to implement this "PenPal" plan is Voxopop. This is a audio message board. Students from different countries can talk to each other about similarities and differences. They can find the things they have in common, and also discover differences that can be shared with one another. This message board can also be used to establish creative activities that can benefit community life and the individual's life.

Epals and Me

The idea of being interconnected in this great world we live in has never been more important.

"The Way We Are" could be a great way for the students not only to understand more about those who are different than they are, but help them understand why they do what they do. Self-exploration is imperative to a well-balanced and well-rounded education. It is definitely a good place to start off the year with a class full of freshmen who are in the midst of self-discovery and awakening.

I would also use "Digital Storytelling" as an English teacher. It is a means to get the students involved in cultural pieces where they can build on the visual and create a story. These stories can then be shared with others in the class and with those around the world.




Photograph by GORDON WILTSIE

Photo from

Using Flickr in the Classroom

There are many practical ways to use the resource that is Flickr. For one thing, there are few "references" that can be used to visually represent or depict a topic that could be at the center of a class discussion. Sometimes the easiest way to get students involved in a topic is by incorporating different modes of teaching the same idea. Some students are visual learners, some perfer auditory guidance. Flickr can incorporate both.

By using Bubblr, a connected site to Flickr, one can make art from the visual representations accumulated by others. The intent is to build comic strips, but the idea of creating "literature" from a picture can vastly improve students' abilities at any level in an English class. The abilities to think, incorporate, and create are not honed enough at the middle and high school levels... this site allows for students to work on their own as much as they want... and it is fun!

I would be remiss if I didn't also say that it is a great opportunity for teachers. It is a great way to do a five to ten minute writing based on a visual comic strip or scene put on the front board at the beginning or end of class. The students can respond to the teacher's "art" or finish a story that has been started. They can find significance that others might not see and then share it with each other. The following link is my attempt at starting a story that the students can finish or comment on.
click here: My Example
It didn't take long to make, and it could start a great discussion in class about social norms.

Bubblr goes a long way to infusing excitement back into the classroom!

Flickr: Recreating the Copyright

The internet has revolutionized much of what we have done over the last few years. We are a generation of "now," not we'll get to it "later." In that spirit, Flickr (a website where one can "acquire" art throught photos on just about anything) has created the means to share material without infringing on the author's rights. It has been dubbed "creative commons."

There are several kinds of "creative commons" and the author of the photos gets to choose how they want to share. The types are:

Attribution means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your copyrighted work - and derivative works based upon it - but only if they give you credit.

Noncommercial means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your work - and derivative works based upon it - but for noncommercial purposes only.

No Derivative Works means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform only verbatim copies of your work, not derivative works based upon it.

Share Alike means:
You allow others to distribute derivative works only under a license identical to the license that governs your work.

Now, it is very important that one always credits a source. Even though the pictures can be used, they must be used properly. It's bad karma when one doesn't follow the rules... sort of like being around for lightning to strike the same place twice.