Teaching Standards are a good thing

I have the privilege of being evaluated since I'm a new teacher. My rubric will be the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (full document), which have to do with students, curriculum and learning, and growing as an educator.

I like to multi-task, kill two birds with one stone, so I will also infuse my technology standards via ISTE NETS for Teachers concurrently, which luckily are similar.

There is a lot of dialog about teacher quality, merit pay for student test scores, and a whole new industry on professional development classes, teacher testing, etc. All I wish to add is that when teachers honestly meet the standards and are happy in their jobs, you've got great, motivated employees. When something is amiss, not so great.

Internet & Web Design Unit

Today was *almost* the last day and I realized something: instead of reviewing students' work I could have had them e-mail me their code!

I compiled resources from all over the web, special thanks to Dave Site for providing great tutorials about the Internet's origins, beginner's HTML (have to accept ads for free stuff!).

Sequence (all resources are available at my class website):

1. History of the Internet: timeline of events, how the Internet is connected, various Internet communications
2. Search engines & Web directories: searching for information, using booleans, most common search engines & web directories, history of Internet search, techniques for effective searches
3. Evaluating search engine results: systems to evaluate validity of information obtained, practice evaluating hoax sites for validity
4. Research tools: to confirm information obtained, as a starting point for school projects
   
5. History of social networking: provides relevance to students' lives today
   Focus question: what internet technology can you envision for your generation in the future.
6. Beginning web design & HTML: Dave Site Chapters 1-16 except
   Ch. 10: FTP section, Copyright section is relevant, should prompt discussion on plagiarism.
   Ch. 14: Frames are still used but new standard is to use CSS for page design
   Ch. 17: I consider forms and mailto forms as intermediate

The class site also features links to make students' pages more colorful and interesting.

Some online code sites so students can view their code without being on a host:

• Dave Site: the "Try it Yourself!" allows students to code and view their pages immediately
• W3Schools: has great editors that show code and page side-by-side, except codes in the header do not show
  

That's what I'm talking about!

This article demonstrates the drive, innovation, initiative required by teachers to bring technology to students. These people persevered through theft, indifference, lack of compensation, and (from personal experience) an inattentive and insensitive technical staff to impart technical knowledge to their students! Kudos to them!!!!!!

That's what I'm talking about!

This article demonstrates the drive, innovation, initiative required by teachers to bring technology to students. These people persevered through theft, indifference, lack of compensation, and (from personal experience) an inattentive and insensitive technical staff to impart technical knowledge to their students! Kudos to them!!!!!!

That's what I'm talking about!

This article demonstrates the drive, innovation, initiative required by teachers to bring technology to students. These people persevered through theft, indifference, lack of compensation, and (from personal experience) an inattentive and insensitive technical staff to impart technical knowledge to their students! Kudos to them!!!!!!

Free books! International Children's Digital Library

Need an activity to keep your quickest learners occupied? How about a book? But instead of keeping a print library in your computer lab that you constantly have to update with new books, why not allow students access to a digital library such as the International Children's Digital Library (ICDL)?

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Day

As part of my efforts to document lesson plans for U.S. holidays, here are links with great activities to celebrate the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.

Sample Lesson Plans

• King-Raleigh: read Why We Honor Dr. Martin Luther King to understand the reason for the holiday
• A to Z Teacher Stuff: a great lesson that demonstrates the effects of prejudice (any age, esp. lower elementary)
• The Seattle Times: interactive quiz to test knowledge of African American history and Dr. King, explore website on Dr. King (upper elementary)
  
• The Teacher's Corner: coloring pages, crossword puzzles & other printables (lower elementary)
• EdSiteMent: upper level lesson plan about Dr. King's life, speeches, and history
• U.S. Facts & Fun: 4 pages of printables (lower elementary)
  
• Educator's Reference Desk: a great lesson plan (upper elementary and beyond)

General Resources: various links and resources about Dr. King

• Education World:
  
• Elementary Education @ About.com:
• Google Book Search: use to search for books and magazines that mention Dr. King
  

(photo credit: www.education-world.com)