The Washington Post recently published a story about how 20 percent of all college educated immigrants is underemployed. (Thanks to Colorin Colorado's news blog for the update!) I wonder how we might be using this all to our advantage...

Think about the volunteers in your classrooms. Wouldn't it be richer with parents involved? 

Just a thought...

I just saw a great post on the Open Education blog that I access from Google Reader (I sound so techie, don't I???)... And it says that more college students are making their attendance decisions based on technology. The biggest hindrance? Faculty who don't know their stuff. Check out the report.

I tend to believe the students' skepticism. 

Just this week, I was privileged enough to become a new trainer for CLIMBS--the course WIDA is putting out to help us more effectively use standards in our classrooms. And during that time, I realized that I should have paid more attention lo so many years ago when I had the chance to learn HTML. The Blackboard host for the course doesn't like my Mac. So the only way I can play is if I know HTML. And to say the least, my skills are lacking.

I watch with fascination as my babysitter slam out text messages on her cell and I dream of days when I could use a whiteboard in my classroom. But these days are far off. 

So what are you doing to move into the 21st Century? 

Hello, everyone!

As we move closer to the conference, I find myself getting busier and busier, tied up in the details. But I am so proud of my little kindergartners that I'd like to share my lesson!

As I was doing some screening the other day, I noticed that my little ones had no idea that they have last names. I spent a lot of time last year getting my Ks to write their first names, but I never even realized they didn't know they had last names! So this year, I decided to do something about it...

I make a book, modeled after Brown Bear that is called Who Do You See?  We talk about the fact that I use their names in the book (that they get to take back to their browsing boxes and get to read to their classes!), and that they have last names, too, that I didn't use. I laminate first and last names and have them put them together and "read" them. They go into an envelope along with the letters of their first names.

I give out their envelopes every day, ask them to spell their names with the letters, then before they put them away, they have to tell me first, last and whole names! They have learned them in a week! I'm so proud! And next, we work on spelling last names...

I'll try to make sure I'm talking to you weekly. Sorry I've been away for so long!

 

beth

Have you ever had one of those weeks that just turned into three or four weeks? That's kind of what's happening to me now. I've been administering the NECAP exams and am incredibly tired, wondering how I'll ever get anything done...

But we have a conference to do! And we have a schedule posted! I am so excited about the offerings we have for our members this time around. So take a look and sign up. We can't wait to see you in New Hampshire!