Podcasting

I have been putting off the production of podcasts for my class because I had a plan. In my classroom I always used gcast and it was so easy and fun to use. I loved the call in option. Today I decided to bite the bullet and get started but when I went to gcast I found it is no longer free. Like most educators I'll go to great lengths to save time but $99 is too much. So I went surfing for cool alternatives and the very first thing I came up with when I googled gcast alternatives was this great website belonging to two ELL teachers (JACKPOT!!). I wanted to share the link to their website with all and I'll get back to you on the usefulness of the gcast alternatives they suggested. The site is http://ellclassroom.wordpress.com check it our they have a lot of interesting information.

Considering Change

I have had a very busy schedule the past two weeks. Last week I had the privilege of working with a group of kindergarten, first and second grade teachers. It was an exciting and hopeful week. This week I am joining a group of third grade teachers in training. Also exciting and hopeful! The theme of June for me has been "considering change." As I spend time with teachers, administrators, classmates and professors the undercurrent of change is on everyone's mind. What I know for sure is that change is hard, uncomfortable, exciting and stressful all at the same time. I love that teachers are recognizing that change is needed and most are willing to put themselves out there and learn how to give each and every student the opportunities they deserve to learn. For one of my classes I am reading Best Practice (again) and like a good movie, everytime I delve into it different things speak to me. Last night I kept coming back to a passage describing what is needed to move past traditional teacher centered instruction and toward the "best practice" model. It reads, "So when teachers, schools, or districts want to move toward this new model, everyone involved in the change needs lots of information and reassurance: they need a chance to construct their own understanding of what the new curriculum means, what research and theory supports it, how it can be implemented, and why it holds so much promise for our children" (Zemelman, 2005). As an instructional coach I strive to make change easier and reassurance is a huge part of what I do. As a classroom teacher more than anything I wanted to be treated as a professional. I constantly try to value teachers professional judgement while supporting growth and change. When given the information about what their being asked to do in the classroom teachers will always pick what works for learners but the opportunity to consider change is one opportunity that teachers should be afforded.

Seeing the Invisible Children

I have spent the last 10 years working with teachers and students as a teacher myself and now as a teacher coach. I love my chosen profession, but I am concerned about the "invisible children," those who are learning English as a second language. In this country we have a reputation for jumping on many a bandwagon from READING, READING, READING to MATH, MATH, MATH, to protected reading time, intervention, and RTI. Because demographics change, there is no single "program" that will solve all the problems of American Public Education, certainly not if these "programs" are aimed at a demographic that no longer exists in this country. The facts are these:

• More than 5.5 million, or 11%, of public school students are now categorized as English language learners (NCES 2006).
• language acquisition is a process
• Social language (BICS) develops faster than academic language (CALPS) therefore just because a child can talk with friends doesn't mean they understand academic language
• It is BEST PRACTICE for teachers to consider ALL learners background and needs
• "What's good for ELLs is good for everyone else. What's good for everyone else is NOT always good for ELLs." --Cindy Hunt

As an advocate for all children to have an equitable education in this country, I ask myself how I fight for this change.