Ever just have one of those days? #asmartucate #toledozoo

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2014-15 Off To A Great Start!

WOW! What a great week! I learned and shared so much with educators from across the state and county.

Monday: I spent the day shopping with my mom (and 4 year old son). My mom has been an educator for 40+ years and our conversations always include stories, ideas, and insight into education.

Tuesday: EdTech Kickoff with #TeamJXN. I spent the day learning from some great Jackson area teachers. People always wonder why I love to go to conferences/workshops, “Don’t you already know enough about ___?” My answer is always, “No, I don't know everything. There is always something to learn.” I learned three new things on Tuesday that I can’t wait to share and start using back in Adrian.

1. Making an email address for a Blogger account. This allows you to send a blog post

   to your blog by simply typing an email and sending it to the blog address. Last year
   I tried to get a blog started for our district. Took the time to show admin how to
   use the blog but the only one posting was me. I am going to try out this method
   to see if this will be an easier way for them to post. Thank you Ramsey Musallam.

2. If This Than That. I had looked at IFTT before but never really used it. I learned on
    Tuesday that you can set up an IFTT for Instagram pictures to post to a blog as a new
    post. Thank you IFTT! Thank you Ramsey.

3. Voxer. Again, I had an account but did not really understand the value. Until I sat in on  Ben Gilpins session and learned that it can actually be a pretty powerful tool for giving instant walkthrough feedback to teachers. Thank you Ben.

Wednesday: It was my turn to present at the Lenawee ISD on CRAFTeTechnology. I spent the day showing groups of educators apps and sites that will help aid them in getting students to show understanding, respond to text. I loved the impromptu sessions they wanted at lunch to learn how to setup Google sites and one at the end of the day on Google Forms. It is great to work with others who are appreciative of your help and work. We all learn a lot from each other.

Thursday: I turned around and presented (with Kellie DeLosSantos) back in Jackson at the first ever Digital Leadership for Learning conference. What an amazing opportunity for us to share with others the hard work we have been doing at APS. Many times we do not feel like what we do is that special. The response we got was AMAZING and so uplifting. I was also inspired by others with the sharing and networking that took place. I took a risk and lead an Idea Buffet group on Google, I asked questions that in the past I would have been afraid to ask, and I was happy to know that our team is on the right track to making APS a great place for our students.

2014-15 is off to a great start!  

Tomorrow I rest...

Me and all my friends presenting at LISD today. #asmartucate

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Kellie and I having fun at EdTech Kickoff! #asmartucate by asmart17

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Mrs.Smart and Mrs.DeLosSantos having fun at Ed Tech Kickoff! #gomaples #asmartucate #teamjxn by apsmaplepride

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4 Tried & True Reading Strategies Revamped

This summer I started my first class for my Ed Tech degree through UofM Flint. Of course, like usual, I am not doing this in order and I am actually taking one of the last classes of the program first, Course Design. I spent the first two weeks of the course debating the course I would design. I began designing the curriculum for our 5th grade computer course, which I do not teach. In week three, I decided I would redesign the course I teach at Adrian College. The course is College Critical Reading and Thinking, it is through the Academic Service department, and is for freshman who scored low on the Reading ACT or came to AC with a low GPA. Most of the students play sports and have very demanding/busy schedules, they are beyond raising their reading levels, and have never really been "readers",  so I like to focus the class on teaching them strategies that will help them efficiently read and organize text. 

When I sat down to redesign the class I wanted to narrow down the strategies I teach and focus on three to four that cover efficiency and organization. These three strategies are what I like to call Tried & True strategies. They are strategies that have been around for a very long time and are still seen today in reading strategy books. What I tried to do was make these strategies computer reading friendly. As you look at each lesson plan of the four you will see/hear apps and web tools that will help students use these same strategies when reading online. Be sure to watch the video links! 

Online Active Reading 

SQ3R

4C

Triple HIghlighting

Enjoy!