Week 2: Searching for some Blogs.

So, here is my Google Reader, and a few of the blogs and sites I found. I looked at other student's blogs, and saw we had a few of the same blogs. I suppose great minds think alike. I would like to thank Shane for his references. Anyway, here's a quick explanation for why I chose these sites. I'm sure that along the way, I'll add a few more; if I do, I'll post a little about them.

1. Jim Burke's Blog: The English Teacher's Companion: A great source from a professional about different ways to approach students. Burke is a teacher, and can offer great tips.

2. Flickr: I know this may seem a little odd for an English Teacher, but let me explain. One of the best ways I've found to introduce a novel's theme or history is to give the class visuals. Why not go to Flickr, where people are constantly sharing pictures, which can then be presented as conversation starters for the kids.

3. Mr. Turtola's CyberEnglish: Much like Jim Burke's blog, Turtola brings experience from the classroom. An aspect I really like about this blog is that Turtola shares lesson plans and student response. This allows me to see how a prepared lesson effects the individual student, rather than the whole.

4. Free Technology for Teachers: Dasily has this site in her Reader as well. The name says it all. It offers multiple sites and ideas of how to use technology in the classroom, including images, audio, and video.

5. Successful Teaching: Once again, Dasily turned me to this site. Another teacher (she now teached at University Level), she offers great insights and tips. Especially to first year teachers; look out for the article 100 Essential Blog Posts for the First-Year Teacher.