Amazing kids again

Once againg I have Amazing Kids. Here is another conversation in the chat box. It is not on this blog to the right.

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• Clarence thanks camille (:

  2009-01-21 7:43 PM

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• NickyD817 It's -24

  2009-01-21 7:34 PM

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• NickyD817 Yes

  2009-01-21 7:34 PM

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• greco8-17 the rest of page 43 and the first 6 questions on page 44!

  2009-01-21 7:31 PM

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• PERSON ( Mr.h whats homework ?

  2009-01-21 7:30 PM

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• greco8-17 -24 right?
• NickyD817 Actually it's 24.

  2009-01-21 7:27 PM

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• greco8-17 i think

  2009-01-21 7:24 PM

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• greco8-17 i mean a=-24

  2009-01-21 7:24 PM

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• greco8-17 pls tell me a=12 and that im not crazy!

  2009-01-21 7:21 PM

  
  
  • greco8-17 my head hurts form all this thinking it was 36 instead of 39!

    2009-01-21 7:20 PM

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  • NickyD817 I think you might be able to.

    2009-01-21 7:18 PM

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  • greco8-17 mr. Harbeck can you remove my post it might confuse people

    2009-01-21 7:17 PM

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  • greco8-17 I told you it would make me look "unsmart"

    2009-01-21 7:16 PM

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  • NickyD817 Nope. Check your book.

    2009-01-21 7:16 PM

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  • greco8-17 are you joking?

    2009-01-21 7:16 PM

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  • greco8-17 OMGOODNESS!

    2009-01-21 7:16 PM

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  • NickyD817 Camille, this might make you go "duh" so stand back. It's -2a-9=39! Not =36. Now try it out.

    2009-01-21 7:15 PM

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  • greco8-17 okay i posted it

    2009-01-21 7:13 PM

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  • NickyD817 In other words, yes,

  They are helping each other out. They are teaching each other on their time. The learning is amazing. I have amazing kids
  

2 Minutes to Make a Difference

This is a cross post from my Sargent Park Mathzone. I am hoping that the students get passionate about learning and making a difference. We started this project with the 4 Charities Project before Christmas. During Christmas we asked the students to Pay it Forward. It will be interesting to see what the students decide to do for projects.

2 Minutes to Make a Difference

Welcome to your new project. Even though it seems like there is tons of time there isn't. Your project is to create a movie that makes a difference. You need to choose a topic that you can become passionate about. In your two minutes you will need to enlighten an audience of your peers and others around the world about the topic that is your passion.



Remember, you will be getting marks for completing parts of this project on time. Each subject Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies will be giving you a mark. This Project is an important part of your third term mark. Please take it seriously.

Here is the site that will be your home base. 2 Minutes to Make a Difference. On the side you will see many topics that can be chosen for this project. These are not the "ONLY" topics but are some interesting topics that you can choose for this project.


You need to complete this form to start the project,


The project runs from January 19th to April 9th (The Monday after Spring Break).
Please use the tag 2minutes when creating posts about the Movie Project.

Enjoy and be creative when you are learning.

Live Blogging

Attempted Live scribe blogging in my class today. Not sure that I will continue. I am wondering if the use of tech during a lesson makes the rewriting of the notes into a scribe less meaningful. All students who live scribed today only have rough notes done in a draft post. Pictures and other aspects of the post need to be added at a later time.

By allowing classtime to blog I hope to make the scribes better. My worry is that the draft scribes will be the "finished work" posted to the blog. Only time will tell.

On the upside the students are using the technology in the class and are enjoying using the new Macbook and the older Toshiba. Hmm I will get back to you in a week with an update.

Kids teaching Kids. Wow what amazing students I have!

I will say it again. I have amazing kids. They just get along. My students seem to be taking turns being math tutors in the chat box. I did not ask this of them. They just have started to hang in the chat box and help each other out. Today it is Melanie's turn. Before Camile, Nicky and others have stayed in the box and helped others out. The other kids are realizing that there is someone in the chat box from 4 to past 10 each night. I used to keep the laptop tuned to the blog to answer questions now I do not have to as much. Kids get it. They really do. Why can I not convince the other teachers in my building that blogging and online communities really hook students and they start to help each other.

It is so amazing that I am installing the chatbox on this blog. You need to share the experience of these students working as you read my writing.


Here is a recent log.

• mdaligdig oooh, i get it, srry... yeahh ur right (:

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  2009-01-14 7:58 PM

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• Guest nvm

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  2009-01-14 7:34 PM

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• Guest no like im doing this with algebra tiles and the question is 2n = 6

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  2009-01-14 7:27 PM

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• mdaligdig * could comment too (:

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  2009-01-14 7:27 PM

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• mdaligdig starting to look great (:

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  2009-01-14 7:26 PM

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• mdaligdig mr.h, mr.h, teaching today was so much fun (: plus mr. isfeld let us join the other classroom blogs so we couls see their scribeposts, and theyre star

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  2009-01-14 7:26 PM

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• mdaligdig do you mean like putting the same number on both sides of the equal sign?

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  2009-01-14 7:21 PM

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• Guest i*

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  2009-01-14 7:20 PM

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• Guest im mean multiply

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  2009-01-14 7:20 PM

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• Guest when we divide using algebra tiles say if its like 2n = 6 we just put them into 2 equal groups right?

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  2009-01-14 7:18 PM

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• mdaligdig haha, mr.h you dint have to apoligize twice (:

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  2009-01-14 7:14 PM

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• darren okay

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  2009-01-14 7:08 PM

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• mr. h Could you do it in paint Darren. YOu could also bring them into school tomorrow and do them there

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  2009-01-14 7:06 PM

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• mr. h corrections are up. sorry it took so long

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  2009-01-14 7:06 PM

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• darren Hey Mr.h my camera is not working can i just type the guestion and answer ?

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  2009-01-14 7:05 PM

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• mr. h Test corrections at the blog now . Sorry i am late.

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  2009-01-14 6:58 PM

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• mdaligdig whos guest btw?

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  2009-01-14 6:56 PM

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• mdaligdig so then now you have chapter 1, 2 and 3

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  2009-01-14 6:55 PM

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• mdaligdig the onestep thingy is just added on, "chapter 3"
  
  

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  2009-01-14 6:55 PM

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• mdaligdig on our great big book of algebra, you should have 2 chapters so far
  
  

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  2009-01-14 6:54 PM

  
  

Flying through January

Hi everyone. Just wanted to get some ideas out of my head. January is the coldest month in Winnipeg and a great time to make kids work even harder. They have nothing better to do right!!

All the grade 8's will be doing a video project this year. They get to choose the topic but as a team we will be pushing them to do more socially relevant topics. Here is what I have completed so far. Do you have some other topics that would stimulate conversation with 13 year olds.

2 Minutes to Make a Difference.

The school also just bought a new laptop. We are the proud parents of a new macbook. I am going to find new and interesting ways to get kids to use this tool. I am thinking live blogging of classes and using the isight camera to do some video tutoring. The LA teacher is also starting to see the power of these tools. The laptop will find a nice home with her over the upcoming months.

Eportfolios are in full production. Boy there are lots of things to do.

In math the tv station using mogulus might finally get off the ground. I just need to escape basketball season. 8 games in league, 7 tournaments on the weekends.

There is only one speed at Sargent Park go go go go go as fast as you can.

Anyone want to collaborate? I could work you in!!! Really I am not doing enough yet!

A day listening to Darren on the Radio

Yesterday I had the privilege of participating in the back channel chatterous room as Darren was interviewed by Richard Coultier. The radio station he works for has the highest market share in the province. Darren had an audience. I was very impressed by the understanding of the topics that Mr. Coultier had and his passion to try to create change.

At one point Richard mentioned 1 to 1 laptop initiatives. He then started to ask the government for money to provide these needed pieces of technology. This was nice to hear but not what is needed right now in this province. We need training for teachers to incorporate new styles of learning into their classrooms. The $$ that would be spent on creating 1 to 1 would be enormous. You could get more bang for your buck if you trained new teachers in the technology and provided opportunities for older teachers to add 21st C learning into their pedagogy. Could you imagine if a small group of teachers who know how to use this technology was set loose on the general teaching profession in this province. Perhaps then we could see some change.

One of the best parts of participating in these forums is that you add new people to your network. I would like to recommend that you add Neil Winton. He is an educator from Scotland who has lots of great ideas and energy.

We do not have and Alec or Dean in this province. We do have an Andy, John Darren and myself who would be in place to do change. Our salaries are a drop in the bucket compared to starting up a 1 to 1 laptop initiative.

I say this because I am using 8 year old emacs in my room and having success. It is not the newest technology ( I would love new computers) but it is how you use the technology.

The conversations happening in the chatterous room were incredible. New connections were made by many of the teachers. There were over 25 educators from all over the world in this room. There were some incredible conversations. Now lets suppose some teachers were listening to the radio that day. I do not think that 30 of them were. How are we to get the majority of the teaching population to understand the power of using this medium in your teaching. Perhaps the large radio audience will ask questions at their parent teacher meetings and school visits.

To listen to this interview you can go to a few places:
CJOB
Wes Fryer made a podcast of the interview and he also has a great post summarizing thoughts put forward by Dean, Sheryl Wes and Darren.

Thanks for reading. I hope change is in the works....