So it's kind of hard for me to be an English teacher and to have to deal with copyright issues.  I know, it sounds like such a joke, right?  I teach English, I should be all about citations and bibliographies and all of that.  Well here's the thing: with copyright laws, I never really know exactly HOW MUCH credit I need to give in order to not break the law.  And now that we're talking about it, I'm sitting here going nuts and getting paranoid, thinking I've broken the law already fifty thousand times in the last week! ;-*  Hopefully it hasn't actually been THAT bad.  But really, I get worried sometimes.  Anyway, I decided to post a few videos I found interesting, and I'll show what I liked about them and didn't like--me, being the teacher who hates copyright infringment of any kind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBHkQZHSiZE&feature=related

In this video, the creator gives credit for each of the song titles and tells where each song comes from (as in which movie they're from).  However, there's no credit given to the singers, songwriters, movie producers, or anyone else who took part in making that clip that she has just used.  It's assumed she is showing all Disney films because of the title of her video (Top 10 Favorite Disney Songs), but after that, there's no more credit given.  Shouldn't there be more somewhere?  Shouldn't there be someone else who receives some benefit from this?  She really is only using the video to entertain other people, and I don't see much educational value in it as it stands now.  Therefore, it's breaking copyright laws for not giving credit and for posting this footage online in a non-educational or benefitting societal way.  But who knows, maybe she did actually pay someone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_soUdHNwFgk

I love this student group's video for The Giver, and I thought it was a fabulous representation of something I could actually use in my classroom--I might have my students do this same kind of project, actually.  I really liked the original photography and cinematography the group used, but I noticed one major problem.  They had a song playing in the background (from Coldplay, I think) that they never cited.  Probably that should have been mentioned somewhere in their video, just giving a little bit of credit.  It fit really well with the video, but when they don't give credit, it breaks copyright laws.

My Class Website!

Today I finished my class website.  What a huge project! It's been so fun getting things together, though, and actually planning it all out for a real class.  I'm excited to go back to school on Monday to tell my kids that I have a website just for them! ;-*  Here's the link for the page:

https://sites.google.com/site/mrssingersclassroom/

I decided to add a few Google Gadgets to this, so I think I should explain.  I have a translator because I have several students whose parents speak only Spanish in the home.  If I want those parents to be connected with me, with their students, and with the classroom, they need to be able to translate the information on the page.  I also have a 60-second news clipping because I really like to emphasize to my students the importance of staying up-to-date with the things going on in the world.  Whenever we are sharing stories or talking about stories we've read, I remind them that "stories" are happening all around us, every single day.  I also included the weather because I like to follow the weather.  It's a weird quirk I have, but weather and the beauty of nature is just important to me.  I want my kids to know that it's important for the things they choose to do.  There are several writing assignments we do throughout the year that center on the type of weather we are experiencing at the time.  Also, we have just had a big unit focusing on "setting" where we spent a great portion of the time emphasizing weather.  I also included GoodReads on my About Me page because I wanted my students to see that I love to read and that books are part of who I am.  From that montage of books, students can simply click and find themselves at the GoodReads website.  It is almost impossible to ignore the color and creativity in that mural of books, and I think drawing kids in to the website that way is a little sneaky, but it will help them recognize that books are not scary--rather, they are exciting and sometimes even worth picking up!

PLN Assignment

Well, here's my Google Reader Page:

I chose to subscribe to 7 different websites/blogs.  So let me explain!

1. Chalkdust--this is actually just the blog for Web English Teacher, one of the sites I have posted here on this blog.  I love this website because on it, teachers post some of their greatest and some of their most difficult experiences in teaching.  They post good teaching ideas, and the latest news and political movements are always posted here.  This site helps me keep in touch with what's going on in the world without feeling too overwhelmed with the enormous amount of information some other sites have.

2.  Best Content in English Companion Ning--this is the blog site I found that connects me to English Companion Ning, my very favorite site as a teacher.  I love this blog because it allows me to connect with teachers in my same situation.  For example, I can be part of a blog for new teachers, those teaching literature circles, those doing writing units, those working on poetry, etc.  When I join or follow those separate blogs, I never feel like I'm hurting for ideas.  The website has been created by Jim Burke, the well-known author and teacher of English, and with his intuitive mind, he's created a whole community of teachers willing to share anything and everything.  The times I am on this blog site are those times I really feel I am struggling for good ideas.  But every time I leave the site, I feel like I've feasted, as though I could teach all day long, every day, and still not run out of lesson ideas.  It is simply fascinating.

3.  HuffEnglish.com--I loved this blog because it integrates teaching with technology.  This young English teacher shows the importance of incorporating technology in your classroom, and she gives good advice for how to keep things simple, yet engaging for the students.  She shares news stories and books she has enjoyed, and I found it to be a very helpful, you're-already-doing-it-so-I-can-learn-from-you kind of a website.

4.  View from Room 308--this is a site created by an older English teacher.  He seems to know quite a bit, and he's not afraid to move forward with the technological advances of today.  That impresses me.  The things I find on his blog are things I already plan to use in my classroom.  For example, he has short stories written and great book-talks giving basic, but fascinating, summaries of his favorite books.  He also includes poems--those written by famous authors and those his friends and coworkers and he write himself.  They are not only entertaining, but I think they will be helpful as I show my students the importance of looking around you in the world and finding inspiration from little things.  It's easier to prove that can be done when I have more than just my own examples to share, and I am grateful that this site has a good archive of personal and famous examples to share.

5.  The Teacher's View--I really was quite struck by the intelligence of the writer on this blog.  He clearly knows a lot about the world and is well aware of the major political issues surrounding education.  I am impressed with the simple things I was able to learn from him--for example, that a movie/documentary had just been made to show America what education has become over the years and what power it must have in changing our world.  His thoughts and comments on such ideas are so powerful that I feel moved to keep myself more involved in the politics and in the technology that helps our students grow.  I feel a rush of pride in the occupation I have chosen...is that crazy?  One blog can do that to me... 

6.  Unwrapping the Gifted--I love this blog because it talks about the major issues surrounding gifted/talented students in our schools today.  Should they be separated from the rest of their peers?  How does a teacher work with them to keep them energetic, motivated, and on an exponentially growing path of learning?  I have felt a lot of frustration regarding the diversity of my students in my classrooms, and I think this blog will help me so much with figuring out better lesson plans and better ways to incorporate knowledge from all my students.  I was really impressed to find a webpage dedicated solely to the gifted and talented, and I am excited to keep reading more about their needs and how to assist them.

7.  Good Reads--This is a pretty basic website for anyone who loves to read.  The site is filled with books and connections and recommendations, and based on what you have read and what you have enjoyed, the site can help you find other books you may not have tried.  I use it for my own growth, but it is so convenient for finding books for my students as well.  Sometimes I just can't think of a "perfect-for-you" book off the top of my head, but if I can quickly get to a website with a thousand pictures of books and quick descriptions of what happens inside them, I feel so much more able to recommend these books to my students.  On top of that, this blog page gives access to all the latest news with authors and writing circles and book clubs, etc.  Because I am able to access this site, I have access to several hundred other English resources and I am much more in-the-know with what's going on in the world of books.  I have also found it helpful to be on this site because there are often news/event postings of things happening in my area.  For example, Scott Westerfeld is coming to the Provo Library at the end of October, and that is something I learned through Good Reads.  These are huge events that I need to know about in order to be successful in my career and in order to help my students with their extra-curricular learning.

This is my Twitter Page:

I subscribed to about FIVE BAZILLION publishers.  I want to know when their new books are coming out and I want to be able to get quick news on what our favorite writers are working on.  These publishing companies post some really fun things, like the news announcing Stephen King's new thriller.  I'm pretty excited about it.

On top of that, I decided the Library of Congress, the Library Journal, and Room to Read would be good twitters to follow because they post news about books, book signings, guest speakers and writing contests.  I want to have access to all that information at the tip of my fingers.

I also felt pretty excited about following Kevin Smokler, CEO of BookTour.com.  His Twitter is riddled with news, exciting book events, and thoughts of an author.  These things inspire me, and I feel so much more pumped up about keeping myself fully immersed in the world of books because of how he talks about them.  He goes to several shows and book signings and debuts, and his news about these events is both entertaining and informative. So, he's a keeper.

PS

Oh, and I added a bunch of cool gadgets at the bottom.  I want to know your opinions on the books I should teach my 7th graders this year.  We've already actually gotten mostly through Freak the Mighty, and we'll be starting The Giver soon.  But for second semester, I'm wondering what would be the most beneficial for the students.  We could do some really neat computer/technology research project with "history's mysteries" for The Westing Game, but then we could also do some pretty deep social injustices talk with Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry.  There's just so much to do!  What are your thoughts?

I thought the list of websites was fitting because we are focused on teaching English.  These two websites are my favorites for good teaching ideas and for emotional and mental support of others in the same boat.  It has been FABULOUS to be a part of these various websites and blogs and to stay connected with teachers all over the nation.

I also have Google News posts--that is simply because we must absolutely stay informed.  If we don't know what's going on in our world, how can we ever expect to be educators to others?  We must know something of the world, like President Hinckley always taught.  Just like with technology, it is important to stay caught up and able to voice an opinion about what is happening.

Lastly, I added a video link.  Mostly I want that because it shows us a little bit about what is going on in the world outside of formal news stations.  This is the real life of real people--sometimes acting like total dorks, but mostly showing their true colors.  I have found that YouTube is actually my favorite technology tool in my classroom because it gives me quick and easy access to those videos and musical performances I want to show to give background or scaffolding knowledge to my students.  Not only can this be entertaining, but YouTube can really help our teaching sky-rocket.

WOWEE MAMA

Well, I've been messing around a little bit, and I've found some pretty neat things on this blog site.  I uploaded a picture of my husband and me because I do everything with him and he's one of those people that just makes me feel the best.  My whole blog site is a place where I want to be able to go to feel good, to explore other people's ideas, and to describe my own in a positive, uplifting way.  I want it to be the feel-good thinking-spot of the century.  ;-*  So, there you have it.  I also put a search bar on the top because I'm always wanting to look things up and explore new ideas, and so hopefully, as I post my ideas on here, it will also spark my readers to search things out for themselves.

Today I started my blog...

I've never had a blog before, but I used to write on websites like Xanga and MySpace, so it's kind of like that, right?  I have to admit I wasn't really too excited about doing this, but now that I'm here and looking at all the things you can do to your blog to create and design it to fit you, I feel pretty good about the whole process.  I'm calling this page "Jen's Thinking Spot" because I'm pretty sure I'm just going to let out a lot of stuff I'm thinking about.  Maybe it won't make much sense.  We'll see.  But I love having a little place to go where I can get out the things in my mind.  I think this class is going to be pretty fun, and I'm getting really excited to teach my students about blogs.