K12 Online Conference Thoughts

I am so happy to have signed up for the K12 Online Conference. Since the pre-conference keynote, I had a chance to watch a few wonderful presentations. It's just outstanding to have them on my iPod. I can go back and listen again and take notes. Of the four sessions, I came away with at least one thing each.

Classroom 2.0 or You Live Where by Clarence Fisher was inspiring for his clear message. It is one presentation that I chose to email to the teachers in my building. I feel that his message can show teachers what he's attempting to do from his classroom. He's not a tech teacher. He has regular students. His students are connecting to the greater world from a tiny town.

Travel Through Space and Time by Silvia Tolisano was the second presentation I sent out to the teachers at large. Again, her message was one that really shows that all grade levels can be involved. I don't know that our principal would have someone take the time to write a grant to have the teachers travel, but it does show how a whole building can become involved in a cross curricular project.

More Than Cool Tools by Alan Levine, Brian Lamb, and D'arcy Norman was great for me personally. I should have looked, but didn't, for an advanced search feature in Flickr. Now I can easily find Creative Commons licensed images. There were a few other tools that I learned about as well. I know that I have to watch it again since it was late at night. I enjoyed their humor.

Release the Hounds by Chris Harbeck is a presentation that I plan to share with my math teacher counterpart in the building. She teachers seventh grade math, pre-algebra, and algebra. The scribe post, growing post, and unprojects are all ideas that I want to include in my classroom practices over time. I've just gotten my first two math classes ever up on Classblogmeister. I'm looking forward to seeing how far I get this year. I'll be teaching my fifth grade students how to use a blog and wiki this year in computer class so that I can get up to speed that much faster next year.

I can't believe that I have 16 more presentations. That's at least sixteen more things to learn and share with others whether they are my students or fellow teachers. Thanks to the masses who worked for free so I can be a better teacher!