July+2008+-+September+2008

toc =July=

July 20 -
 * Topic: [|Responsive Classroom] and Praise
 * Guest: Colleen King and Ginger Lewman
 * Questions:
 * [|What is Responsive Classroom?]
 * What does Responsive Classroom say about praise?
 * Link from JoelZ in [|plurk]
 * [|Alfie Kohn article]
 * [|The Power of Our Words] - PaulaDenton,EdD
 * [|A New "Greatest" Generation - Jeffrey Zaslow]
 * Colleen started a discussion in [|plurk] about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
 * Does it exist? According to Chris Craft, the answer is no.
 * How does it relate in school?
 * How do we move children to be self-motivated? Is there an age limit to this? Can it be nurtured in school?
 * Where do grades fit in?
 * What about paying for grades?
 * Bumper stickers that say "I am the proud parent of an honor student."
 * [|The Blessing of a Skinned Knee - Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children] by Wendy Mogel
 * Chapter 2: The Blessing of Acceptance: Discovering Your Unique and //Ordinary// Child

July 27 -
 * Topic: Can you be a good teacher without using technology? [|Plurk] conversation
 * Jackie B.'s [|plurk c]onversation.
 * Guest: Kevin Honeycutt, Michelle Honeycutt
 * Questions:
 * What do you do when you have little tech to use?
 * What is good technology?
 * What is good use of technology?

=August= August 3
 * Topic: How do we bring change to our school environment?
 * Questions:
 * How have others done it?
 * How do we bring fellow teachers on board?
 * Is it okay if they aren't on board?
 * What are the "baby steps" we can help lead others to try?
 * What changes do we want to see in our school environment and why?
 * Do we need one vision for the whole school? Why?
 * Guest: Pamela Livingston http://1-to-1learning.blogspot.com/

August 10
 * Topic: Do SmartBoards create a teacher centered classroom?
 * Questions:
 * Are IWBs cost effective?
 * Why are they so popular? What are some alternatives?
 * How can we use them without making everything teacher centered?
 * http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/08/03/what-makes-the-whiteboard-interactive/
 * http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/
 * Guests: Ben Hazzard, Lisa Thumann

August 17
 * Topic: Bullying in school. How do we deal with it?
 * [|Plurk] conversation:
 * Guest: Ginger Lewman, Robin Martin, Nicole Hill

August 24
 * Topic: Setting up a Classroom
 * Questions:
 * What do you do to set up your room?
 * How long does it take?
 * Do you get paid?
 * Do you think you should? Why or why not?
 * Do you tend to overprepare or underprepare?
 * Some new teacher books recommend setting up the classroom with the students. What do you think about this idea?
 * Guests:

August 31
 * Topic: Inclusion Classes: Does everyone belong? Why or why not?
 * Questions:
 * What does a successful inclusion class look like?
 * What makes a successful inclusion class successful?
 * Does everyone belong?
 * If not, who does and who doesn't?
 * Guest possibilities: Karen Janowski, Bonnie Sayer - autismfamily from twitter.

=September=

September 14

 * Topic: Teacher Caricatures http://www.plurk.com/p/2da3z
 * Questions:
 * What are some teacher caricatures?
 * Why do you think they were started?
 * Are we working to dispel them? How?
 * Guest possibilities: Joel Zerhing

September 21

 * Topic: Teacher Evaluations
 * Questions:
 * How are you evaluated?
 * Do you think the evaluation process works?
 * How can we change the process?
 * Guest: Ginger Lewman, Shannon Smith

September 28

 * Show 10 Topic: Is teaching a calling, a life or a job?
 * Questions: What brought you to teaching? How has it been?
 * Guest: