My Latest Obsession

I got on my computer tonight thinking, I'll just clean up loose ends from last week, maybe check my Twitter feed and then bask in the last few moments of my weekend.  Here I sit (lay actually...love wireless!!), 2 hours later. Yes, blog readers, I am obsessed with a new tool.

Let me introduce you to the best organizational thing since the invention of the Trapper Keeper, the LiveBinder.

What is a LiveBinder, you ask?

It is a collections of weblinks and resources organized as if you were looking at a 3 ring binder, complete with tabs and subtabs.

I have seen them for awhile now and have graciously used and suggested resources from some very awesome ones, even started my LiveBinder shelf of favorites.  But today, well, today I have started creating one.

Let's ignore the fact that I am a bit organizationally challenged by nature and that creating these is one of the easiest things I have encountered all year.

 There is a library of LiveBinders that other people have created for education. A public library.

At the very least, I will be recommending teachers search this library and use resources and references as needed.  However, I will also be suggesting uses in the classroom for creating LiveBinders as well.  The binder I am creating is one my co-trainer Toni and I can use to train my upcoming PD series, Engaging Students through Web 2.0.

Among other things, I see teachers using this resource for:

• Resource libraries for student units
• Student ePortfolios
• Educator PLC resources
• Team Planning Resources
• Author Studies
• Book Units
• And More*

* Stopping my list because as I mentioned earlier...it is late on Sunday evening.  :)  There's many more I could see and would be happy to discuss with you!

I will list some favorite LiveBinders of mine in an upcoming post!  For now, check out LiveBinders at the link below.

www.livebinders.com

PD Nerdiness

I have said it before, I will say it again:

I am a PD nerd.

I am sitting in a PD session right now that 2 of my teammates are running. Today's session is on Web 2.0 tools for Elementary Language Arts/Social Studies. I am not here to help, I am here because I want to learn. 

I have seen the tools they are showing before, but I am still eager. I think PD is all about what you make of it.  I search for nuggets I didn't know or see, I practice things I don't usually have time to practice and think about how I can make the skills being shown a reality in my classrooms.  It shouldn't matter if I have seen a tool before or have used something extensively...I am in control of my learning.

If I hadn't come to this session, I never would have thought about the COOL things I could do with www.tagxedo.com 

Like Wordle,  it lets you create word clouds only with Tagxedo, you decide the shape!  Teaching about chocolate?  Use a chocolate kiss!  Teaching the Civil War?  Place your vocabulary in the shape of Abraham Lincoln's head!

Here's my new creation...an ode to Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat!

Interested in laughing at me over my PD nerdiness?  Want to look at more Tagxedo integration ideas?

Let me know!!!