Sunset Seminar Project

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

2006-03-03T19:17:00.000-05:00

Hi All,

I will be transferring the blog to a new site over the next few days. Please check out the new blog at http://sunsetseminarblog.jaredtoddbloom.com/index.php. Let me know what you think about the new site.

Jared :)

Less Teaching, More Assessing

2006-02-26T18:23:00.000-05:00

This month's issue of Education Update from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development has some great ideas for helping students to self-assess. One of the ideas that I really liked was a spin on an old idea, "the exit slip." In this version, the teacher asks the students to assess the "learning objectives" or reflect on what they learned. What are some of the ways that you use the exit slip? I plan to adapt this method in my own classroom this month. I will post my experiences and learnings over the next few weeks.

Jared :)

New Feature Added

2006-01-29T22:21:00.000-05:00

Hi All,

I am adding a new feature called Clipmarks to the blog. This will allow me quickly blog interesting articles and links. Just click on any of the links under the Clipmarks in order to see the content. This should allow me to post more often to the site. Hope to hear your thoughts.

Jared

New Tool for Learning

2006-01-12T21:11:00.000-05:00

If you are like me than you might be interested in a new site, Mediasite.com, designed to allow users to search for thousands "expert presentations and lectures" for FREE. Not only can you listen to presentations from some wonderful professors, but you also can see their PowerPoint presentations. In addition, you do not need to download anything in order to view the material. I can only imagine how many hours I will be spending on this site.

Jared :)

Academic and Scholar Search Engines and Sources

2006-01-03T23:26:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Here is a link to a great white paper on search engines for the academic community. It is a pdf file; therefore, you will need Adobe Acrobat to open it. Let me know what you think.

"Internet MiniGuide Annotated Link Compilation white paper titled "Academic and Scholar Search Engines and Sources" is a 36 page research paper listing selected resources both new and existing that will help anyone who is attempting to find academic and scholarly information and knowledge available on the Internet" -Marcus P. Zillman

DIY - Paper Bookmarks

2005-12-25T12:51:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to a site that has really great bookmark ideas that are easy for students to download and use. There are two files in pdf format that you can download and use right away. My plan is to use the idea to create unique bookmarks that students can turn in at the end of a unit. The link is at http://www.fabiosirna.com/journal/39/diy-paper-bookmarks.

Happy Holiday and Happy New Year

2005-12-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

Sorry it has been a long time since my last post. I was finishing my last two PhD classes prior to entering the dissertation stage. In addition, I was asked to direct the high school musical, Titanic. Anyway, I will be asking various people to share the blog with me after the holiday season is over. I hope that this will make for a more interesting and varied blog.
----
I am including a brief excerpt and link from the Teacher Leader Newsletter. I thought some of you might be interested in listening to Deborah Meier's views on testing and schools. For those of you that attended NYSEC, she was one of the speakers.

A PODCAST WITH DEBORAH MEIER
http://www.pbs.org/merrow/podcast/index.html
Noted education broadcaster John Merrow (PBS Newshour, The Merrow
Report) often does "long interviews with really smart people" for his documentaries but ends up using only a few minutes from each interview in the final broadcast. Rather than leave lots of insights on the cutting room floor, Merrow has begun creating podcasts of some of these interviews -- most recently a fascinating conversation with innovative small-schools educator Deborah Meier. Follow this link to Merrow's podcast site and look for the Meier piece. You'll find download instructions. You can capture the podcast for later play on your iPod or MP3 player, or listen to it online.

Famous Reference Books Online Free!!!

2005-12-03T22:44:00.000-05:00

I know that I have recommended Bartelby.com before; however, Stenhouse's latest newsletter points out that many famous reference books are now available online for free. One in particular that might be of interest is Elements of Style. Go to http://www.bartleby.com/141/ to view the full text of this classic.

BLOGGING IN THE CLASSROOM

2005-12-03T22:38:00.000-05:00

Everyone knows that I am a big fan of blogs in the classroom. My opinion has only strengthened in the past few months as my students have consistently written meaningful blog entries online. Here is an excerpt from MiddleWeb's newsletter that links to some great new blog resources for K-12 teachers.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech217.shtml
This feature in Education World describes how teachers in grades K-12 are turning the blogging phenomenon to good use in their classrooms.
Although the initial focus of this article is blogging in elementary school, scroll down to find ideas and resources for the middle grades and high school. Learn about software programs and tools to consider, and cautions and tips that can assure a safe weblog learning experience. Lots of links to other resources. One highly recommended site is Blogmeister, which offers a safe, teacher-controlled environment for school-based blogging.

And one more excerpt:

AND SPEAKING OF BLOGS...
http://www.readandwriting.com/readandwriting/
A new blog published by Weekly Reader and READ and WRITING magazines offers "regular doses on what's hot in the world of words and books,"
plus fresh writing tips and story prompts, author Q&A's, information about writing contests and interactive opportunities, and ways to get published on the Weekly Reader Teen writing site. It's free!

Students of foreign languages go native the high-tech way

2005-11-19T17:24:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from ASCD Tech Newsletter:

Foreign language learners can hone their accents and expand their vocabularies in the comfort of their home thanks to a wealth of software and Web-based resources. The New York Times scouted out several favorites, including a free Colby College site offering Spanish lessons, a program that includes 3-D animation of mouth movements and software providing total immersion in the new language. The New York Times

*Note - I already changed the link for Colby to the correct site link. The link in the NY Times article is incorrect. One other site not listed in Learn Spanish. I found this site a great resource for picking up key phrases and information.

Wikis challenge textbook model

2005-11-19T17:22:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from ASCD's Tech Newsletter:

Wikis challenge textbook model Wikibooks, a set of open-content textbooks, based on the same user-generated, user-edited model of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, could one day replace printed textbooks as a major source of information for students. Many Internet and education experts consider migration of curriculum information online as a threat to the textbook industry.

Read the full article at CNet or see Wikibooks in action by clicking here.

YOUNG POETS COMPETITION

2005-11-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

This info comes from the MiddleWeb newsletter:

The Christian Science Monitor's tenth annual Young Poets Contest is accepting entries now through December 2. Winning poems will be published in the national edition in early January 2006. All students in preschool through high school are eligible to enter. The judging will be done by poet Elizabeth Lund. Follow this link for more information, including a list of "Ten Tips for Writing a Poem" you can share with your students.

Rubrics & More

2005-11-03T18:07:00.000-05:00

Sorry it has been a long time since my last update. I have two new sites that are helpful in developing and learning about rubrics. The first is The Landmark Project's Rubric Builder, which is featured in this month's ASCD magazine. While I still prefer Rubistar, this is another alternative rubric builder. Also, the Eduscapes web site provides tons of information on rubrics and assessment. This is a site worth checking out.

Please let us know what you found useful or not useful about these sites by leaving a comment.

Jared :)

INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR CLASS "RIGHT NOW"

2005-10-22T10:51:00.000-04:00

This excerpt is from the MiddleWeb newsletter. I have spent a few minutes on the web site and there are some incredible ideas, tips and demonstrations. Take a look at the information and then click over to rightinclass.com.

Carolyn Hinshaw began her "RightinClass" website a decade ago "when 5 computers and a brand new network entered my classroom. All of a sudden my students had powerful tools to support learning." Over nearly 10 years, she's developed a terrific online resource for teachers who are ready to integrate technology into their daily teaching practice. "The purpose for this web site was to create a place where teachers could come to get ideas and support for using technology in the classroom." You'll find a step-by-step guide to planning, creating, integrating and reflecting upon a technology-supported learning environment. There's an online tour of Carolyn's classroom, plus lots of resources, examples, and opportunities to connect with other teachers who share your interests and commitment to 21st Century Learning.

Welcome NYSEC Workshop Attendees

2005-10-18T23:35:00.000-04:00

This web blog was developed to support the vision of the Sunset Seminar Group. Our goals are to help new teachers, student teachers, leave replacements and master teachers in generating English curriculum and strategies for middle and high school. Please visit our blog on a regular basis for tips, great web sites and important new articles about our field.

Have a great conference!

Jared Bloom

Great Literature Lesson Plan Ideas

2005-10-12T17:27:00.000-04:00

Why I would not advocate ever copying another lesson plan word for word, sometimes it is nice to have a source for sharing ideas. This site has been around for a long time, but I have not had the time to write about it or put it up on the internet. If you are interested in finding lesson plan ideas...go to Outta Ray's Head Literature Plans for some interesting lesson ideas. If nothing else, maybe it will spark an idea unrelated to the lesson you are reading.

Jared :)

Sunset Seminar Logo

2005-10-02T14:28:00.000-04:00

sunsetseminarpic
Originally uploaded by jtbloom.

Here is a copy of the new logo that we are working on. Please give us your feedback.

When Do We Get Some?

2005-09-28T22:30:00.000-04:00

This article excerpt comes from Mlive.com -

DETROIT (AP) — High school students will use wireless laptops, iPods and other top technology as part of a new school-within-a-school program touted as the first of its kind in Michigan.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm joined Detroit Public Schools officials Tuesday to unveil the Detroit Digital Learning Community High School at the city's Crockett High School.
She said she hopes that Crockett's "small high school" program will serve as a catalyst to encourage other schools to create similar programs.

---

I don't know about you, but I never had these things when I was in school. I am sure how the ipods fit into this model as long as the teachers get one as well!

Bible Textbook for Public Schools

2005-09-23T18:02:00.000-04:00

This excerpt was posted in the ASCD newsletter.

Group releases Bible textbook for public schools: The Bible Literacy Project this week is releasing "The Bible and Its Influence," a 392-page secular textbook that aims to boost students' awareness of a work many regard as central to Western civilization. Legal scholar Charles Haynes finds the new textbook upholds the First Amendment and is "sound educationally." The Sacramento Bee (Calif.) (9/22)

POETRY SLAM -- POWERPOINT STYLE!/GIST: A SUMMERIZING STRATEGY

2005-09-10T13:49:00.000-04:00

These two ideas are directly quoted from a newsletter called MiddleWeb. The newsletter offers some great tips, free book excerpts and fantastic ideas for the classroom.

"HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: Send a note to norton@middleweb.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line."

http://snipurl.com/PPTpoetryslam This is one of our favorite ideas for a culminating activity in a poetry unit. Students select poems, create PowerPoint presentations that use graphics and text to enhance those poems, and then display their presentations as they read their poems aloud. There's a detailed lesson plan with links to brainstorming tools, a "citation machine," an oral presentation rubric, and other assessment ideas.

http://snipurl.com/gettingthegist In this series of lessons, students read newspaper articles obtained from newspaper websites. Students then identify journalism's "5Ws and H" (who, what, where, when, why, and how) and complete a template with the corresponding information they have found in the article. Finally, students use their notes to write a 20-word summary called a GIST. Once students have mastered writing a GIST using newspaper articles, the strategy is then applied to content area texts to support comprehension and summarizing skills. (NCTE website)

Technology Use is Starting to Rise

2005-08-31T13:36:00.000-04:00

This is an excerpt from NCTE's Newsletter and a commentary:

Teachers' Tech Use On the Rise (eSchoolNews, August 29)According to a new survey commissioned by CDW-G, a subsidiary of CDW Corporation, at least three-fourths of teachers surveyed recognized the importance of computer technology in teacher-related functions such as attendance-taking and record-keeping (86 percent), communication (83 percent), research and planning (79 percent), and classroom instruction (77 percent). These figures were up an average of 10 percentage points from last year's survey.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=5835

It is great to see that technology usage is starting to take off. We have to keep sending out the message that technology can make a teachers life much easier and help engage students in the classroom.

Please post some of the ways that you are using technology in and out of the clasroom. Here are some of the ways that I utilize technology: online gradebook, blogs, web sites, webquests, blackboard, research, lesson planning, email, etc.

Microsoft Office for FREE???

2005-08-25T09:20:00.000-04:00

OK.....Microsoft is not giving away their products for free. However, there is a FREE online suite of products that are 100% compatible with Microsoft Office. In fact, you can save and open files in Office format. If you are interested in signing up for a free account...go to http://www.thinkfree.com. Don't get confused by the version of the product that you can download to your computer. It is only the online version of the product that is free. The great thing about this is that you can use it from any computer that has an internet connection. I don't know about you, but I am beginning to love all this FREE stuff!!!!

Bring It On!

2005-08-16T22:22:00.000-04:00

According to NCTE's newsletter, "almost nine in 10 students say they would work harder if their high school expected more of them, a new survey finds. Less than one-third of students say their school sets high academic expectations, and most students favor ideas that might add some hassle to their life, such as more rigorous graduation standards and additional high-stakes testing". http://lists.ncte.org/t/599454/501841/2404/0/

Own IT or Cite IT

2005-08-16T22:18:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the Landmark Project by David Warlick, here is a FREE citation tool for students. It allows them to cite works in MLA and APA format with a click of the button. Try it now at http://citationmachine.net/index.php?g=6.

Owl Reading Approach

2005-08-13T00:03:00.000-04:00

Owl Reading Approach
Originally uploaded by jtbloom.

I came across this reading strategy in a speed reading book. It may seem obvious to us, but it might help students to use this acronym. I will be interested to hear if you have success with it. The strategy is as follows:
O - Observe - Ask yourself, "What do I see?"
W - Wonder - "What does this story make me wonder about?"
L - Link - "What links this text to what I already know?"

2003 Copyright - Gemini Ventures

Create Words Using Pictures

2005-08-10T16:45:00.000-04:00

Sunsetseminartiled
Originally uploaded by jtbloom.

In my search for neat new sites, I found a web site that allows you to put in a word and/or phrase and it creates the word and/or phrase out of pictures. This is by far one of the most interesting sites I have come across this summer. Is it the most useful? NO! But, soooo much fun! This might be a good place to start for classroom decoration ideas. I would love to see some of the designs that people come up with. Try it out by going to http://metaatem.net/words.php.

jared :)

ELL Book - FREE

2005-08-05T22:35:00.000-04:00

This is an excerpt from the Stenhouse newsletter. Even if you are not interested in this issue, they have many FREE books online. Take a peek!

ELL literacy instruction: New book on-line
----------------------------------------------------------------
How many of our students feel frustrated at people's
expectations of them? How many of them are silent in our
classrooms? Do we know what each and every one of our
English language learners is capable of? How much do we
really know about their true selves or their true
potential?
--from Chapter 1 of the new book, Balancing Reading and Language
Learning, by Mary Cappellini
For many teachers, classrooms look very different today than they
did even five years ago. The number of English language learners
in the U.S. is exploding, up 84% from 1993-2003, with many states
experiencing well over 200% growth.
Drawing on over 20 years of experience working with English
language learners, Mary Cappellini presents a comprehensive guide
to the best classroom practices and research on teaching reading
and language acquisition. Regardless of how many ELL students you
have, the new book Balancing Reading and Language Learning is an
invaluable resource for understanding and supporting diverse
learners.
The book is now available in print, and you can also browse the
entire book on-line:
http://www.stenhouse.com/0367.asp?r=n73

Mind Mapping

2005-08-04T09:19:00.000-04:00

Lately, I have been spending a good amount of time researching different ways to increase retention and improve note taking skills. One of the methods that I have always been fond of is Tony Buzan's Mind Mapping system. This system and books were introduced to me by my uncle over 15 years ago. The problem is that students and teachers do not always have the time, inclination or desire to read an entire book on how to build a mind map. Well, I have found a PDF document in a quick, easy to read format. While primarily for businesses and written in the traditional British English, this document presents a clear explanation, examples and justification for using Buzan's system. Read through the PDF by going to http://www.mindgenius.com/website/images/new/business/pdfs/MindMapping.pdf. If you don't have time to read it now....save it to your computer or print it out.

Exercise Your Brain!

2005-08-03T22:39:00.000-04:00

Here is a great site to exercise your brain. You can also find out how you compare with other people around the world. Go to http://www.worldmemorychallenge.com/ to try your hand at the games. Also, take a look at http://www.mind-map.com/EN/index.html and http://www.memletics.com/ for information on memory, the brain and studying. There are great ideas that you can use in your classroom this fall.

Is the system going mad?

2005-08-03T20:48:00.000-04:00

I know that I will not be the only educator that has a huge issue with this story.

SCHOOLS OFFER CASH FOR ATTENDANCE
Under a new plan, scheduled to take effect this fall, students at Boston's Chelsea High School will get more than just a certificate or a ribbon for perfect attendance -- they'll get cash: $25 for every academic quarter they don't miss a day of school. (The cash rewards won't be distributed until graduation.) The Chelsea plan is part of a growing effort throughout the country to reward students for everything from good attendance to good test scores -- a response, say some, to the growing pressure on schools and districts to meet state and federal performance standards.
Supporters say the incentive plans make sense and mirror those many companies use to motivate their employees. Critics, though, counter that they undermine the notion that there is an intrinsic value in attending school and doing well. Read more in the Christian Science Monitor article "How to Keep Those Kids in Class? Pay Them." (Free registration may be required.) (www.csmonitor.com/2005/0729/p01s03-ussc.html?s=hns)

2005-07-27T14:58:00.000-04:00

According to Laura Turner (2005), every educator should know the following 20 skills:

Word Processing Skills
Spreadsheets Skills
Database Skills
Electronic Presentation Skills
Web Navigation Skills
Web Site Design Skills
E-Mail Management Skills
Digital Cameras
Computer Network Knowledge Applicable to your School System
File Management & Windows Explorer Skills
Downloading Software From the Web (Knowledge including eBooks)
Installing Computer Software onto a Computer System
WebCT or Blackboard Teaching Skills
Videoconferencing skills
Computer-Related Storage Devices (Knowledge: disks, CDs, USB drives, zip disks, DVDs, etc.)
Scanner Knowledge
Knowledge of PDAs
Deep Web Knowledge
Educational Copyright Knowledge
Computer Security Knowledge

Which skills do you feel are most relevant? Are there any skills that are not listed? Are there any skills that should be taken off this list? Please leave your comments.

I Swear I Have a Life Outside of the Internet

2005-07-27T10:42:00.000-04:00

ok...so about a year ago my friend Rosemarie mentioned that there was a website that could automate the process of creating WebQuests. She could only remember that it had a spider web and had a long name. Anyway, after a long search I lost hope of finding this resource. Well, I have finally come across it in my daily search for cool websites! If you are interested in creating free WebQuests for your students, go to Filamentality at http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/. While this site may not be a graphics intensive, video game style, homepage generation tool.... it does make the process of creating a WebQuest quick and painless.

Odysseys Nostos- VERY FUNNY

2005-07-26T09:46:00.000-04:00

This site came to my attention care of my favorite English teacher website...www.webenglishteacher.com. The internet cartoon uses stick figure animated cartoon characters to act out the Odyssey. It is very funny and helps to demonstrate the plot in a very simple and humourous format. It probably is too long to show the whole piece, but the first 5 minutes or so would help students to get into the story. Let me know what you think.

Jared :)

The Art of Writing the Rubric

2005-07-26T09:31:00.000-04:00

In order to support and prepare students for the NYS English Regents, many schools are requiring that teachers adopt rubrics for grading all essays. The problem is that creating rubrics is time consuming and can be very difficult. I am offering up two resources that might be helpful to you as we head into the new school year. First, take a look at Rubistar.com. This site offers sample rubrics as well as templates for every type of rubric you might need. Second, is an informational document entitled "Getting Rubrics Right." In this document, the teacher leaders at relearning.org offer suggestions and ideas for creating the ideal rubric.

At the Sound of My Voice

2005-07-25T16:07:00.000-04:00

It has been a few weeks since I've posted last, but life has been quite busy. For those of you who have been following the blog you know that I often introduce new software, web sites and technology that I find. Today, I offer up the new technology in the form of this post. You see, at this moment I'm in Dallas, Texas sitting in my hotel room writing this post without my hands on the keyboard. You're probably saying, huh! How is he doing that? This brings me to the new software technology called Dragon NaturallySpeaking, which allows you to dictate any type of text without typing. In addition, it can read back any text written or copied into Microsoft Word. Usually I am annoyed by the computer voices on these programs, but this one is very easy to listen too. At first I wasn't quite sure how easy it was going to be to get used to dictating blog posts, articles and research paper notes, but I am finding that this is a very interesting way to pre-write. People passing by my hotel room might be wondering whether I am speaking to myself or on an important phone conversation, but that doesn't matter to me. What is important, is exploring new and interesting ways that students and teachers can use to better communicate and critically analyze texts.

Stay tuned for more information on this new and emerging technology.

PS This was meant to be posted on Thursday night! I am back home in New York again!

DIGITAL DIALOGUE WITH STUDENTS

2005-07-16T04:43:00.000-04:00

This articlw was posted in the MiddleWeb nesletter:DIGITAL DIALOGUE WITH STUDENTS
http://snipurl.com/DigitalDialogue
What impact do electronic conversations between teachers and students
have on student engagement in the middle grades classroom? This "how
I did it" article at the Technology & Learning website shares the
action research of one middle grades teacher. Bill Ferriter used his
district's Blackboard interactive Web platform to develop online
discussion forums where teachers and students can discuss classroom
content at any time and from any computer. "Understanding that my
students were technologically literate, I wanted to provide a venue
to compete for their online attention," Ferriter says. He found that
his students were enthusiastic about participating in the online
discussions and that "students who are socially, academically, or
economically isolated participate in electronic conversations at
higher rates than they participate in classroom conversations." Read
more of his findings and see samples of student conversation at the
link above.

New Link to English Education Book

2005-06-29T15:42:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

I have added a new link on the right hand side bar that links to books related to English education. Hope it is helpful.

Summer Thoughts

2005-06-28T21:54:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile since I last posted. School has ended for most of us and the summer is about to begin. For some, it is a rest from our current districts. For the rest it is on to new adventures. How many of you will actually take a rest from the land of learning? For me, my summer will be filled with reading, writing and some consulting. In addition, I plan to get ahead on reading novels and some curriculum books by Carol Jago et al.

As always, I will leave this post with some thought to ponder. Jago, in her book Cohesive Writing, states and supports the argument that "the quality of a teacher's assignment could determine the quality of a students' writing"(Hoff 2001). Are we spending too much time giving choices and not enough time developing solid prompts? How do master teachers develop original prompts that inspire solid, structured and relevant writing? I will share my thoughts in the next post. Share your opinions by leaving comments.

Hip-Hop Unlocks the Meaning of Literary Classics

2005-06-21T22:01:00.000-04:00

This was printed in the NCTE email newsletter: Hip-Hop Unlocks the Meaning of Literary Classics (Los Angeles Times, June 19) (free registration required)To NCTE member Alan Sitomer, teaching literature is all about building bridges that allow his students to understand that great literature is not just a window into the past but a mirror illuminating their own lives. "Kids would rather go to the dentist than read Shakespeare. But if you turn on that internal light, make it relevant and contemporary . . . you can see how passionately they get involved. When you use examples from their own lives, that's when it's living literature."http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-hiphop19jun19,1,613005.story

This article offers some interesting food for thought. Should we be bringing literature down to our students level or should we be bringing them up to the level of the literature? Does this hurt the study of literature or help it? What are your thoughts?

New SAT Prep Site

2005-06-21T00:15:00.000-04:00

I received an email today asking me to share a new SAT preparation site with other teachers. It seems to be a pretty nice site. The 3000+ vocabulary words are done in flash quizzes. Not the most exciting website I have seen, but useful for students to review and learn new words. Feel free to share the site with others: http://www.sat-preparation.co.il.

URL Correction for CMap

2005-06-20T23:55:00.001-04:00

The correct url to download the free concept mapping software is http://cmap.ihmc.us

URL Correction for CMap

2005-06-20T23:55:00.000-04:00

The correct url to download the free concept mapping software is http://cmap.ihmc.us

Great Reading List from Carol Jago

2005-06-18T12:24:00.000-04:00

With the end of the year insight and Regents exams here, I have not posted in awhile. As summer is only 2 weeks away, I am posting a list of suggested books to read by Carol Jago,one of my favorite English curriculum authors.

I am reading a new book by Alfred Tatum called Teaching Reading to Black
Adolescent Males (Stenhouse, 2005) that includes a chapter on choosing
books that engage young men. Here are Tatum's "must reads:"

- The Bible
- The Emancipation Proclamation
- Appeal: To the Coloured Citizens of the World by David Walker
- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
- Up from Slavery, Booker T. Washington
- The Miseducation of the Negro, Carter G. Woodson
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison
- Go Tell It on the Mountain and The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin
- Native Son and Black Boy, Richard Wright
- A Raisin in the Son, Lorraine Hansberry
- There Are No Children Here, Alex Kotlowitz
- Hope in the Unseen, Ron Suskind
- The Beast, Walter Dean Myers
- Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago, LeAlan Jones,
Lyod Newman
- Letter to My Nephew, James Baldwin
- Stories of Scottsboro, James Goodman
- Workin' on the chain Gang: Shaking off the Dead Hand of History, Walter
Mosely
- Think Big, Ben Carson
- And Still We Rise, Miles Corwin

Carol Jago

Maybe we can choose one of these as a group text? Let me know.

Practice Using Cmap

2005-06-10T14:54:00.000-04:00

E1SampleMap
Originally uploaded by jtbloom.

This is a sample map from the Cmap program I described in an earlier post. We have been using it for mapping out the curriculum. As I create new examples....I will post them.

Is Chalk Dust Your Friend?

2005-06-10T14:13:00.000-04:00

Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of working with a Smart Board in my room. At first it just seemed to be a giant electronic chalkboard, but it soon proved it had many other great features. First, the elimination of chalk dust all over my clothes. (I used to come home covered in dust and sneezing.) Second, it allows students to interact with the work on the board. In addition, annotation and text alteration is much easier. My students and I can move text around, highlight, and edit easily using the software that comes with the board. This is a great tool for modeling in a literature and writing class.

The buzz about whiteboards in the US has been increasing over the past few years. An article published yesterday by Wired News states, "interactive whiteboards can be found in more than 150,000 U.S. classrooms." There are certainly some drawbacks to the technology, but many districts are adopting the technology; so, it is worth taking a peek.

Salary Data is Published

2005-06-08T15:55:00.000-04:00

Thought this would be interesting for everyone interested in the salaries that are being paid throughout the country to educators. A real eye opener!

91 Ways to Respond to Literature

2005-06-07T22:33:00.000-04:00

I came across a really neat site that includes different ways to respond to literature. Many of these are obvious, but there are a few that you can add to your bag of tricks. Share any that you think will work really well.

New ELA Standards Core Curriculum are on the Web

2005-06-07T19:20:00.000-04:00

I just received an email today that the NYS Learning Standards Core Curriculum guide by grade level is up on the web. You can take a peek at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/ela/elacore.pdf. There are no major differences on the surface; however, the state has taken the liberty to prescribe what should be taught down to the grade level. It would be my hope that most English teachers are doing this anyway. Nothing like getting the obvious in formal writing. Post your thoughts if you have any about this issue. I plan to take a more careful look this week and blog about it.

Should Schools Block Blogs?

2005-06-03T22:31:00.000-04:00

Here is a brief blog report from Weblogg-ed about the fate of blogs and technology in our schools followed by my posted response.

So here is the update from the heartland: blogs, wikis, Flickr...almost anything where kids can post content online is being blocked by schools. An elementary school teacher told me that the schools just don't want the potential problems of students doing this. (Ironically, another teacher in the discussion then said that students have all sorts of hacks to get around this anyway.) And I have to say, that out of the 40 or so presentations I've given now on these technologies, yesterday's was without question the most angst creating one yet in terms of teacher response. There was lots of disruption being voiced, from university professors concerned with intellectual property issues and the recklessness of the blogosphere, to middle school teachers wrestling with the facts that we need to teach students how to navigate these information rich waters but not having the time or the resources (or the support) to do so. It was an extremely interesting hour.

And then there's this from Bionic Teacher:

The main point is computers and the internet are treated as strange dangerous animals that have to be carefully controlled or they will destroy students, schools and society.

How scary is that? And how good is this response?:

You get the idea. The choices the student makes are the problem not the tools that make it possible. You can do as many wrong things without a computer as you can with one but you can�t do as many good things. Stop treating problems relating to computers as different than other school related issues. Choices are choices. Educate and inform the child as to the right choices and hold them responsible if they make the wrong choices. Supervision and education are the keys not blocking. These are schools.

So from a tempature check standpoint, if feels like the kettle is really starting to boil. It's becoming more and more obvious that a lot of schools are choosing the keep away approach to this, ignoring the fact that as soon as students leave the building, they're accessing all of this stuff on their own anyway. So, what's our response? - Will R.

Jared's Response:

It is amazing to me how administrators, teachers and parents do not understand the inherent value in using technology (blogs, internet, etc.) in the classroom. While I understand the concern that students might come across material that is either unreliable or inappropriate, supervision solves most of this problem. Currently, all of my students are on wireless laptops each day in my English classroom and we have not had a problem. Have students tried to access things that they should not, sure! But, I use software that allows us to observe and even take over a students screen if needed.

What I can not understand is the blocking systems being used in the school. My students can not get on certain newspaper sites or anything with sports, even if they have a paper due on the topic. Yet, I have seen students come across porn sites accidentally as a result of a misguided search.

Teachers and administrators should take the time to learn about the technology and develop policies that support new technologies, not eliminate them. Students are going to use these tools at home; therefore, why shouldn't we find ways to embrace these tools in order to better reach our students.

2005-06-02T21:29:00.000-04:00

Read the article blurb and full article using the link below. "***Loud, Proud, Unabridged: It Is Too Reading! (The New York Times, May 26) (free registration required)***

Jim Harris, a lifelong bookworm, cracked the covers of only four books last year. But he listened to 54, all unabridged. "I haven't read this much since I was in college," said Mr. Harris. And yes, he does consider it "reading."

http://lists.ncte.org/t/593697/501841/2046/0/

So, is an audio book a book? Is it considered reading? Should anyone listening to an audiobook be considered a literary traitor? Post your comments.

New Concept Mapping Program-FREE

2005-06-02T20:37:00.000-04:00

It is not that often that I get excited about new software or a website.....ok...maybe that isn't exactly the truth. However, this time I REALLY AM EXCITED! Over the past two years, I have been reading about mind mapping and concept mapping. There are a two programs that I have tried-Inspiration and Smart Ideas-both in and out of the classroom. Neither one of these programs met my expectations or needs. In my search of the blogs, I came across a program called IHMC CMAPtools, which was apparently developed to help government scientists express what they know about particular subjects. They realized the potential impact that the software could have in schools; so, they have made it available FREE of charge at their website. All you need to do is register. If you are interested in seeing some sample maps or download the software, go to http://ihmc.cmap.us/

AP Course Changes Possible

2005-06-01T12:05:00.000-04:00

This article brief was in the NAACP email this week.
The College Board is considering changes to AP courses amid concerns that they cover too much content and don't allow for in-depth study. A team of researchers at the University of Oregon in Eugene is leading a reexamination of AP courses in U.S. history, biology, chemistry, physics, European history, world history and environmental science. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 05/25/05

Great Videos for the Classroom and PD

2005-05-31T17:04:00.000-04:00

I just came across another great site that has thousands of streaming media videos for a broad range of subjects. The nice thing about this site is that they allow you to download the clip to your computer. This prevents the "what do I do" situation when the internet is slow or down in your classroom. I can remember many times when I wished that the clip I wanted to show was on my hard drive. It makes it easy to show segments or put them in a PowerPoint presentation. While the site is not free, many districts in NY are @ready registered. All you need to do is call the 1-800 number and get the passcode for your district. So, check out this week's site alert at http://www.unitedstreaming.com.
Let us know what you think by poating your comments. Also, feel free to leave some ideas for how you might incorporate these videos into your own classroom.

Want to Get Boys to READ???

2005-05-26T21:00:00.000-04:00

This tidbit comes from the ASCD newsletter:
How to get boys to read
Some educators say the best way to overcome boys' reluctance to read is to present nonfiction in interactive ways and allow them choice over their books. English teacher Robert Peck, who works at an all-boys private school in Philadelphia, says books such as "A Separate Peace" and "The Catcher in the Rye" engage younger teens, while older boys relate to books with "the powerless fight back" themes.

What books do you use to get boys interested in reading? One of my concerns is that we choose books that appeal to boys, because we know the girls will not complain? This is why most of the heros in the current English curriculum are male. Post your thoughts on the topic.

Boston Globe Reports: Diverse authors getting a new shelf life

2005-05-25T22:42:00.000-04:00

Peter Schworm of The Globe writes:

Novels by Barbara Kingsolver, Margaret Atwood, Toni Morrison, and Jose Saramago have elbowed their way onto high school reading lists in Boston's western suburbs in recent years, as teachers search for writing that will spark their students' imaginations

Most teenagers are still introduced to Homer, Dante, and Shakespeare, as well as Mark Twain and F. Scott Fitzgerald. But in a trend that educators say is picking up speed, contemporary authors are supplanting ''dead white male" writers.

''If we really push all classics, all the time, it gets too heavy," said Kathryn Delaney, the English curriculum coordinator at Watertown High School. ''When students bring a book home and their parents say, 'I read that when I was in school!' a lot of kids don't like it."

You can get the rest of the article by going to the Boston Globe website.

Do you think that YA literature should replace literature from the "traditional" canon? Are we moving away from the classics? Post your comments.

Washington Post States:Odds Stacked Against Pleasure Readin

2005-05-25T22:25:00.000-04:00

Valerie Strauss, a staff writer for the Washington Post writes:

Sherre Sachar comes from a book-loving family. Her father, Louis, is an award-winning author, and the graduating senior thinks that settling down with a good book should be one of life's great joys. But as she prepares to leave high school and head to Cornell University in the fall, she is tired of reading.

The extensive required reading in her high school classes -- including Advanced Placement English Literature, where she flew from one classic to another -- left her with no time to pick up books she thought would be fun. And she was frustrated by teachers who offered either too little help in understanding the complex texts or conducted tortured efforts to wring symbolism out of every word.

Get the rest of the story at the Washington Post website.

Literature and the English Classroom

2005-05-24T22:20:00.000-04:00

This article from the Boston Globe was mentioned in an email from NCTE. "Most teenagers are still introduced to Homer, Dante, and Shakespeare, as well as Mark Twain and F. Scott Fitzgerald. But in a trend that educators say is picking up speed, contemporary authors are supplanting "dead white male" writers. NCTE members Arthur Applebee, Frances Fleming, Carol Jago, and Bonita LaBelle are quoted.

http://lists.ncte.org/t/592979/501841/2021/0/

A Giant Leap Forward

2005-05-23T10:46:00.000-04:00

Over the past few weeks, I have been working hard to get our blog into the search engines. After lots of emails and requests, we are now listed in one of the major search engines-YAHOO. Anyone typing "Sunset Seminar" into their web browser will get our blog as the first listing in the search results. Try it!

Standards Anyone?

2005-05-22T23:13:00.000-04:00

American Educator has numerous articles on standards-based reform in the current issue of the magazine.One interesting point that the editors make is that "in a survey of AFT teachers last year, two-thirds said the No Child Left Behind law was having a negative impact on public education. But, by the same two-thirds margin, they said they wanted the law fixed not scrapped." I am not sure that the law can be fixed. Till the government decides to fully invest in education with money rather than words, nothing is going to change. I believe in standards and accountabiliy, but I also realize that money is needed to hire teachers and pay for programs. Do you think that NCLB can be fixed? Weigh in on the issue by leaving a comment,

FREE 6 Month Membership

2005-05-22T22:53:00.000-04:00

If anyone is interested in joining the National Association of Secondary School Principals, now is a great time to apply. For a limited time they are offering a FREE 6 month membership to teachers, principals, department chairs and others in the secondary education field. The form is in this months issue of American Educator or you can go to http://www.principals.org.

Get Published with Edutopia!

2005-05-19T21:22:00.000-04:00

The George Lucas Foundation is looking for information for its next issue. If you are interested in getting your feet wet in publishing....here is the information:

Reprinted from Edutopia-

The question for the next issue is:

How do you get the most out of substitute teachers?

Send your 25- to 100-word replies, or even suggestions

for future questions, to sage@edutopia.org.

(The fine print: Deadline is June 1.

Be sure to include your name, location,

and title or affiliation. Responses may be

edited for length and style.)

Getting Poems Published

2005-05-17T23:34:00.000-04:00

For those of you who might be interested in publishing poetry or giving your students an opportunity to write for an authentic audience, http://www.poetry.com and type in my name.

Jared :)

Interactive Clickers Heading Our Way

2005-05-17T07:35:00.000-04:00

There is an interesting report out about the use of interactive clickers in the college and K-12 classroom. Our school is currently using them in the Math department, but many other departments want to buy them. Does anyone know effective ways of using them in the English classroom?

Jared

Emoticons, Abbreviations, and More

2005-05-15T14:54:00.000-04:00

One of the great advantages of using technology with students is the increase in motivation. Struggling writers in classes that use blogs and online discussion boards tend to write a significant amount more than struggling students in traditional classes. The debate that is currently going on in the academic forum is whether or not to allow students to use emoticons and abbreviations that would normally be frowned upon in traditional writing. Are we taking away a student's "voice" by forcing them to write in standard written English during a chat session or on the blogs? Should content matter more than the actual grammatical structure? It would be interesting to hear different opinions on this topic.

Jared :)

Busy, Busy, Busy

2005-05-11T22:39:00.000-04:00

It has been a few days since I have posted to the blog. Most of my time has been spent doing work on my PhD courses and writing a new article for the English Record. The upcoming issue, Reading and Writing: Where Do We Go from Here?, will be coming out soon. I can not share the article till it is published, but I will be posting some highlights and thoughts about educational blogging in the next few days.

Edgar Allan Poe Resource

2005-05-06T23:42:00.000-04:00

edgarallanpoe
Originally uploaded by jtbloom.

Some of you were looking for resources on Edgar Allan Poe. Here is a great website that I found the other day. It has recently won a Webby-the Oscar's on the web. Click over to http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/default_flash.asp and let us know what you think and how you make use of the site.

New Teacher Network Conference

2005-05-05T22:26:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for a great conference tonight. The conversations were really worthwhile and enriching. I was honored that Alan and the NTN recognized me as "Mentor Teacher of the Year." This really means a lot. Have a great night.

Jared

New Look

2005-05-04T09:15:00.000-04:00

I could not figure out how to add links to the other blog template; therefore, I had to do a complete redesign. You will notice that we now have links that point to great English resources for teachers. These links will be updated from time to time as we find necessary. Please let me know what you think.

Jared

Added a Sample Literature Blog

2005-05-03T22:54:00.000-04:00

fasttrack
Originally uploaded by jtbloom.

I just created a sample blog on the book Fast Talk on a Slow Track for a teacher book club at school. This is a good example of how you might use a blog as a journal with students. If you would like to check it out..go to http://fasttalkonaslowtrack.blogspot.com/. Let me know what you think by posting a comment.

Extending Our Reach

2005-05-02T14:21:00.000-04:00

I am interested in generating some ideas for extending our reach on the web. What type of issues and information should we be posting on this site? What would be helpful to the general public?

Here is a blog that might spark some ideas: http://www.weblogg-ed.com/.

Post your comments and thoughts.

Jared

Great New PD Website

2005-04-28T23:49:00.000-04:00

I found this great website for PD at http://www.learner.org. There are over two dozen hour long videos on the teaching of writing and reading. In addition, there are hundreds of pages of resources, websites and interviews. Plan on not going to bed for awhile!

NYSEC Program of Excellence

2005-04-03T23:31:00.000-04:00

The NYSEC Program of Excellence submission is due ASAP. A few of us will be working on putting together the information by email. If you have any suggestions, please email Jared.

The Sunset Seminar Project Blog Is Now Online!

2005-03-20T21:56:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally got around to creating a blog for the Sunset Seminar Group! Hopefully this will give us a unique way to communicate with those inside and outside the group. Though we probably will not have a lot of information posted in the first few weeks....it is a great way to receive feedback from a large number of people in a short amount of time.

Take care.