Coureurs de Minuit Concert 20 August 7-9 p.m.
Calendrier
- 20 août 2011, Jardin Panet, 1810, rue Panet, Montréal, QC: de 19h00 à 21h00. Concert champêtre.
- 12 novembre 2011, bibliothèque Atwater, 1200 Ave. Atwater, Westmount, QC: de 19h30 – 21h30. Concert – détails à venir.
Posted 9 months, 1 week ago at 6:21 am. Add a comment
Gearing Up for 2011-2012 School Year – What Gadgets to Wear?
Starting the process of selecting geek gadgets for my classes. I want to keep things fresh and experiment with new technology, software, hardware, websites, apps. It can be confusing and daunting but I keep at it. My favourite resources are the Wired Podcast that I watch via Apple TV and Geek Dad Blog which I read on my Google Samsung Nexus Smart phone. No one really needs all these gadgets, a simple computer would suffice but hey, everyone needs a hobby.
What I am noticing is that there is little consensus on which are the best hardware gadgets but that there is consensus on the fact that much of what is happening is social. I find this heartening and positive. Whatever we do now we are encouraged to share with our fellow Facebookers, Twits, and Bloggers. Whoa, I got a Bingo, the world must know that I am a Bingomeister…and click…the world knows.
So here are my latest findings:
1. Tablets – take your time and choose wisely. Apple has the lion’s share of the market due to their extensive choice of apps. The Android market is catching up but not fast enough. Even though some of the non-Apple tablets are becoming interesting, until the Android app selection and viability can match Apple’s there is no contest. Except perhaps in terms of price.
My advice is to wait until a better tablet and set of apps is developed and then purchase one for the family. In the end a computer with good software beats any tablet hands down.
2. Social Media – Facebook reigns supreme in this realm. I would suggest if you don’t already have a Facebook account that you should get one if only for keeping up with friends’ and family’s photos. A picture is worth a thousand words and sometimes this is literal – babies on Facebook seem to generate the most comments – who can resist? I appreciate the social relevance and group commentary to local, national and world issues, the links that might otherwise have escaped our notice are brought to the forefront thanks to vigilant Facebook patrons. Our on the spot reporters who are socially connected, globally aware, often passionate keep us on top of the game.
3. Word Games – this is personal – I am hooked on words, word games, flipping letters about on small screens. My current favourites are Words with Friends, Word Feud and Scrabble. I have always loved Bookworm, and have added similar apps: Whirly Word, WordWeaver, Scramble, Work Seek, Shake and Spell, Shake and Spell 3D, Jumbline 2. The main reason I like the first three I mentioned is that social aspect of playing with people and not againsta a computer. I can also share my scores, chat and befriend brains.
4. Blogging – I can’t seem to stop blogging. It is unclear whether I am being read but it still feels good to write, publish and share words so easily. My most successful blogs to date have been Irish…not sure why…and include Siamsa Singers, Comhaltas Montreal and Fave Folks. See sidebar links.
5. Wikipedia and co. – It seems that the phenomenon of writing and rewriting history (revisionist history) has been taken to the next level. We can watch news unfold as it happens and the more shocking and gruesome, the more likely someone is simultaneously clicking the truth via Smartphone or tablet including photos. The part of this popular series of websites that intrigues me is the multilingual aspect. However, that doesn’t mean that the points of view, the translations (lost in translation), the images, or the historical contexts allow for equivalent interpretations. If you know more than one language (say French and English), try this test:
Posted 9 months, 1 week ago at 5:29 am. 1 comment
PattiMcSee’s New Tech Tool Recommendations for 2010-2011
The following is a series of website-based resources for teachers and students. Some are examples of my own experimentation. If you have other sites to suggest, contact me and I will try them out. Contact me at: patti.mccurdy@cdsl.qc.ca I will be adding to this list on my most recent blog called Inspirations @ http://www.pattimcsee.com
1. Presentation software:
I like Prezi.com because it is more dynamic than PowerPoint. You can however integrate your old PowerPoint presentations by saving them first into pdf format and then uploading it into the Prezi presentation. The slides load individually and can be rearranged, resized and deleted if need be. Here are some examples.
http://prezi.com/zga2oodpccwz/cyberbullying-presentation/
http://prezi.com/_oytayf6ayil/summarizing/
http://prezi.com/ykmup8ty-coh/summarizing-and-notetaking/
http://prezi.com/gco-vb9vvvy2/30-things-about-me/
http://prezi.com/qjsd1wf0vk93/poetry/
http://prezi.com/z0wg9dig7rup/moodle/
http://prezi.com/3qqrfxeucpdk/creating-a-glog/
2. Glogster
This webtool is a great alternative to blogging and adds multimedia option more easily. The basic version is good enough but the premium adds more bells and whistles. This is the future of blogging.
http://edu.glogster.com
http://pattimcsee.edu.glogster.com/glog/
http://pattimcsee.edu.glogster.com/pattimcsee-glogger/
http://pattimcsee.edu.glogster.com/seconeenrichedenglishglog/
http://pattimcsee.edu.glogster.com/secondary-two-enriched-english/
3. Readwritethink
This is a wonderful set of pages which includes podcasts reviewing new books complete with author interviews. I love it as an example for students to follow for reviewing their own reading in podcast form.
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/calendar-activities/christmas-carol-first-book-20373.html
http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/podcast-episodes/adults-teens-reading-together-30562.html
http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/podcast-episodes/conversation-with-john-green-30333.html refers to nerdfighters community where he and his brother celebrate intellectualism – it’s cool to be smart – encourages students to engage in the world outside themselves – in Paper Towns he refers to Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass in which the idea of interconnectedness is growing – we are all connected.
http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/podcast-episodes/back-school-stories-30337.html
Great suggestions for back to school reading are included in this podcast’s book reviews.
4. Motivational Biograpies of Inspiring People
http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-lukas-bratcher
Posted 1 year, 8 months ago at 3:45 pm. Add a comment
Craic Alta Celtic Concert July 20, 2010 at Saint Lambert Public Library
A newly-formed Celtic Band will grace the local park on July 20th at 19:30 in from of the local library under the statue. The one-hour concert will feature songs in Irish, English, Breton and French as well as musical tunes to fill the summer skies.
Posted 1 year, 10 months ago at 8:04 pm. Add a comment
Last Week of School
With a second awards ceremony tonight to top off another great year, we are coming into the home stretch with lots of fun and frivolity to keep us busy and happy as summer vacation approaches.
Posted 1 year, 11 months ago at 6:54 pm. Add a comment
PQ
Poetry Quebec Online Magazine interviewed me for their current issue. The focus is poets in the classroom and how having guest poets affect the classroom experience. Read about it here: ESL Through Poetry
Check out this amazing resource. The creator, Endre Farkas, is coming to visit us on May 10 and 11 so get reading and find out who he is. We need to be prepared to interview him for our own online blogging magazines.
Recently Poetry Quebec interviewed me about teaching poetry. Read the full interview here.
http://poetry-quebec.com/masthead.shtml
Posted 2 years, 1 month ago at 3:46 am. Add a comment
Sec Two Songwriting iWebsite
http://www.pattimccurdy.com/PattiMcSeeMe/HOME.html
The end of one project and the beginning of another – time flies. We have just finished songwriting and are now writing research essays on potatoes. What next? Poetry Slam!@ YEAH baby!
Posted 2 years, 1 month ago at 3:37 am. Add a comment
Sec One Fun iWeb
Love the ease of use of the iWeb software – it takes away the stress of fighting with new software to make it do what you want it to – and leaves you free to create creative creations.