Teachable Moment: Twitter for Summer PD

Since it is summertime, I thought I'd take a slightly different approach to my typical Teachable Moment Monday and make it for the teacher (instead of for the students)! I personally use the summer to pursue some new professional development opportunities and catch up on hot topics I noted during the school year but didn't have an opportunity to try out. The power of Twitter has been one of these surprising hot topics that has transformed the way I approach my summer professional development.

Free Sunday: Global Education Networks

Well, summer has officially impacted the blog! I am bringing you an overview of several global education networks two days late courtesy of a week of nice weather and a captivating book that won my attention for the better part of the week. So, without further ado - let's take a look at how you can easily connect your students with classrooms around the world!

Interview Help? Global Perspectives on Tech Integration

I am doing research on technology integration in South Africa for a global perspectives graduate class. In order to better facilitate the number of responses I received (Thank You!!), I'm going to momentarily commandeer my blog to post my interview questions and create a conversation. However, I do think my regular readers will find the conversation rather intriguing!

To all those who are responding to my recent tweet, THANK YOU! I was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic responses I received! I am looking forward to learning more about what trends you all are seeing in technology integration and the collaborative discussion we will hopefully be able to have on the topic of global technology integration. I've provided a copy of my official cover letter (per my course requirements) to give you a better understanding of myself, as well as to share the interview questions with you.

Please feel free to respond as a comment to this post or email me at anna.k.fick@gmail.com. Thanks, again!

Teachable Moment: Global Citizenship

Nelson Mandela's statement that "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world" is popularly quoted by educators. Are you striving to inspire your young learners to change the world through your teaching? Today I am sharing a few ideas for building global citizens within the classroom through a stream of teachable moments.

See you June 23rd!

To all my readers,

I am simply writing this post to let you know of a very brief hiatus I will be taking from the blog until June 23rd. The main reason for this mini-break is the fact that the last 7 days of school are upon me and that involves quite a bit of extra duties this year around. I will be cleaning out my classroom, taking on some extra fun activities with my students, and transitioning to a new office and position within the district. My two graduate classes do not stop during this time, either! Not to mention, my hubby just made it home from a deployment and I'd like to try and balance the craziness of life without overwhelming myself! Most importantly, I just don't feel like I'd be writing as powerful and meaningful posts as I could during this time period with so many commitments on my schedule!

So, without further ado...see you on the 23rd! :)

Thanks for understanding!

Free Friday: Digital Citizenship

Ever since my students I completed the "Webonauts Internet Academy" by PBSKids together a few months ago, they have been hooked. Every time they earn free choice time in the computer lab, the first activity they choose to return to is the Webonauts. However, there are quite a few good resources out there for teaching digital citizenship or promoting awareness of Internet safety that I'd like to share today.

It's all about teaching...even if it's teachers!

I am thrilled to be sharing with you all that I have recently interviewed, been offered, and accepted a position as the Instructional Facilitator of Technology Integration for the Oak Harbor School District (OHSD)! I do not officially take over this role until June 17th, but my mind is already racing with all that it will entail. I believe it will be a great opportunity to apply so much of my graduate studies, as well as to grow in my understanding and application of new technologies.

Teachable Moments: Digital Manners

Inspired by my current graduate classes which are focused on global perspectives and virtual schooling, I will be highlighting a few easy ways to impress on young learners the necessity for using their manners when interacting online.