http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org Classroom walls are the biggest inhibitors, not just for students' learning, but for the growth of teachers. I'm enjoying not being a battery hen anymore. Hopefully many more teachers will get to enjoy free range. Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:50:00 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en A Fly on the WallHave you ever heard someone decide not to attend the big game because there was a better view on offer from home? This is the situation at a Bronx middle school, where the “big game” is being viewed with bated breath from afar thanks to the ... http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2008/01/01/the-year-in-review/ I'm sure that just about every teacher has to endure a horrible phase of 'test prep' at some stage during her/his teaching year. However, this doesn't have to be a completely mundane and decontextualized experience.Why not exercise a little creativity? For instance, to prepare for the listening sections of the ... http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2007/12/28/podcasts-ipods-jeopardy-and-test-prep/ Thanks to classroom 2.0, I can share two lists of the best web 2.0 applications for 2007: the first from Larry Ferlazzo; and the second from Silvia Tolisano. I can't wait to start exploring some of these applications that I had not yet discovered. http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2007/12/25/best-web-20-applications-for-2007/ Some might argue that we're only celebrating stepping stones, rather than milestones, but any initiatives that keep driving a school forward are worth acknowledging. Also, at this time of year, teachers are more than a little weary and are deserving of some praise.This link takes you to our Celebrations Page. http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2007/12/18/celebrating-miletones/ In advocating the interdependence of technology and education, we run the risk of getting a little carried away with what is practical and achievable in most classrooms.For instance, it becomes all too easy to get used to having internet connection at all times. This week though, reminded me of the ... http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2007/12/15/confessions-about-classroom-connections/ It's amazing how news travels. Within a few days of Johnny Chung Lee commencing his blog, I have already received news of his wiimote interactive whiteboard via Christina Jenkins' gmail, and from a post on Will Richardson's blog.Will Richardson talked about the power of networking and sharing, as opposed to ... http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2007/12/15/the-spread-of-news-and-networking/ There has been a massive push of late, of which we are all a part, for students to engage in writing on the web. Whilst this is great, there needs to be an even bigger push for teachers to embrace this type of interaction.It has taken me some time to ... http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2007/12/12/practicing-what-we-preach-by-publishing-our-thoughts/ Browsing through educational tech sites is a bit like being in the proverbial candy shop - so many temptations to sample. The danger, of course, is that many of these sweet sites get logged away in an ever expanding list of favorites.So now is my chance to resurrect some of ... http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2007/12/07/revisiting-favorites-great-sites-for-sore-eyes/ Get a Cash Advance(Somehow I fear that this tool could be a little askew in its assessment.) http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2007/12/06/check-out-the-readability-of-your-blog/ We are in the midst of planning an online Instructional Needs Survey as a guide to professional development "hot spots" that we can address. To this end, Mr. Prinstein (Dean of Instruction)and I have started to grapple with the question of what constitutes quality teaching.We have developed a draft copy ... http://patrickwagner.edublogs.org/2007/12/06/how-can-we-help-to-develop-great-teaching/