EdTech Talk http://edtechtalk.com/
Youth Voices
Description: TTT#318 Youth Voices w/ Paul Allison, Eric Hoefler, Jim Nordlinger, Chris Sloan, Jack Zangerle, Jeremy Hyler, Monika Hardy

The fourth technology media presented on the podcast of teachers online.

This pod cast was about teachers teaching teachers. There were about seven teachers collaborating about teaching. Most teachers were language arts teachers that brought up different concerns that they encountered in their classrooms. One problem they had were getting students to write about what they read. Chris Slogan was a teacher of 7th and 8th grade students. He said he wanted his students to come on the show and share about their writings. The host Paul Allison thought many books that students have to write about are boring (1984 was the title of the book) and thought students need to be able to relate to the topic in order to get the full enjoyment. I believe that teachers should have students do activities that will put the student in the shoes of characters. Although I have the book Rainbow Fish on my blog, the older students love acting out and reflecting from the book. On line examples, books, activities help students engage also.

End of the Year Activity Idea for ‘The Rainbow Fish’

One of my favorite books to read every year is ‘The Rainbow Fish’. Instead of reading it to my Primary students the whole school enjoys the book. From this book we can cover different subjects: manners, bullying, sharing and self-esteem. I find it most helpful at the end of the year.

First we read the book, remembering to stop at each page to summarize and to answer why questions about the characters and actions. Then we discuss what we would do if we were the Rainbow Fish–share a scale or keep it? We vote on what our responses would be, discuss the reasons and then stop reading at that point to better build the suspense. Then we return to the book once more to complete the story.

The older students role-play being friends. This is best when they model right and wrong behavior so that they can explain how friends should act.

Rainbow Fish

21st Century Learning Matters

Randy Dehoff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L2XwWq4_BY&feature=g-vrec

A need for 21st century learning, schools need to reinvent themselves as learning organizations.