Nearly Departed 5th Grade

Well, the last week of the semester is upon us. Ms. Murray and myself will be joining a new building and staff after Christmas break. However, for the rest of the year we are tethered to Langston and want to continue being a part of this learning community too. So let's continue this professional blog together and try to make it a real resource for everyone.

If you haven't yet checked out Donna Smith's blog and sequencing link, it is well worth the time. I would also like to let you know that the teacher/student blog and wiki lessons I have been doing with one of my special students has really helped. The student has really "clicked" with doing some lessons this way and that has allowed me more opportunities to interact in a positive way with that student. Also, where I previously struggled to get something to get a grade from, the wiki especially and the blog have given me concrete proof of effort and learning.

May I suggest you give this a try if you too have a student (or more) where getting grades and making a student interested in learning has given you some pause. I can see where I will want to expand the use of these technology tools with my class in the near future.

I will be more than glad to share any knowledge of how to go about this with anyone who asks. Roger Achor

Good Idea

This is a very helpful resourse for the staff at Langston. I would like to share a website that I am using to help students with sequencing because this is a big problem for the students I see.

http://www.quia.com/pages/sequencingfun.html

If any of your regular students have sequencing problems, this site helps and is fun! I will also post it on my reading blog, donnasreadingblog.blogspot.com I hope that you will use it too and let your students visit it to see pictures of themselves.

Donna Smith

Make your own post

Our learning community is off to a good start and many teachers have told me they are going to join the blog soon. I just wanted to let you know that you may either create a new post (such as this one), or comment on other posts or comments.

As teachers, we have an awesome responsibility and a chance for great personal satisfaction in a job well done. Just as with our students, specific recognition is best, but I do want to let all of you at Langston know that I am glad to be a part of this educational community. I see great things every day from the teachers and staff. I am glad to say that I teach at Langston.

Beginning a Professional Blog

Dear Langston Colleagues,

As part of the 5th grade's professional development assignment, I have created a blog for us to share ideas, thoughts, etc. I have set it up so that only Langston email addresses (staff) can write on it. However, anyone can read it.

Remember, this is a professional blog and not a place to gripe. Certainly, concerns may need to be addressed from time to time, but everyone can read anything you write. So don't put anything on the blog that you wouldn't want seen on the front page of the newspaper (so to speak).

Let's start the blog with any comments you may have about using the blog. Thanks. R. Achor