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:
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.
Ok, and just to talk a little more...I think that English Companion Ning is the most helpful site in terms of finding lesson plans and staying caught up with what thousands of teachers around the country are doing. However, in terms of how to integrate technology and keep myself updated with all of that, I am really excited about HuffEnglish.com. This site will just help me so much with the planning and understanding of technology that will benefit my classroom more than it will distract students from learning. Plus, the site is full of top news stories and interesting books to share. Double bonus!
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