February 2010 • Volume 13 • Number 3 • Page 2
Editor's Note
Editor, Pat George
The adults in our lives tried to teach us
to share as soon as we learned the value of "things"—or at least by the time we entered kindergarten, where we were faced with others of our kind who desperately wanted whatever we held tightly in our little fists.
Isn't it interesting that technology seems to be all about sharing as well? We share our innermost thoughts on Facebook, our proudest moments on YouTube, our daily activities on Twitter, photos of our family vacation on Snapfish, and our professional resumes on LinkedIn.
And we rely on others to share as much as we do. Frustrated that you can't beat a level on Super Mario Brothers? Head over to one of the hundreds of video game discussion boards such as www.gamespot.com and find out how fellow gamers have succeeded. Looking for a change of scenery for your next 5-mile run? Log onto www.mapmyride.com and see what routes your fellow runners have shared.
When we talk about educators and education technology, we can multiply that sharing by about 1,000. Nobody gets as excited as educators—especially middle grades educators—when they have discovered something they know will help their colleagues in the school or classroom. Education-related websites, blogs, and Nings abound.
In the spirit of sharing, this month we share with you some of the technology resources and tools educators are using to energize their classrooms, to motivate their students to learn, and to make connections that somehow seem easier through technology.
Howie DiBlasi, IT director of the Durango School District in Colorado, shares his favorite Web 2.0 tools and emphasizes the importance of using them to teach students 21st century skills such as collaboration and critical thinking.
Randy Orwin, an education technology consultant, explains free and open source software and how beneficial—not to mention cost-effective—it is to educators as well as to students.
Teacher Laura Corwon describes her successful strategy for keeping advanced middle grades readers involved and excited about learning, and Rebecca Hill offers food for thought about differences between reading comprehension online and "by the book."
And, John Priest shares his first-hand experiences with the power of social networking when tragedy struck on the last day of school. His article provides great insight into how students relate to each other and to those around them in our new technology-infused world.
You won't want to miss this month's feature articles about classroom management, motivation, math, and alternatives to grading!
Copyright © 2010 by National Middle School Association