It's going to be an exciting year....

I am really looking forward to starting school. I should amend that to include the fact that I am NOT looking forward to waking up early. (I LOVE the option to sleep in) ;-)

Beyond THAT, I can't wait to meet new children, parents and families and make connections with them in ways I have not done before. Don't get me wrong, I've had a web page for my classroom for quite a while now. I keep my parents informed and provide many online opportunities for my students; but this year I look forward to expanding that to include blogging, online surveys, image and video sharing and so much more. As I said in an earlier post, (June 15th ) I am really excited to make use of the Web 2.0 tools that are available and useful to me as a teacher. I can't wait to make connections with others down the hall, across the District and around the world.

I have enjoyed the time spent this summer discovering and playing around with Web2.0 tools. At times I found myself becoming deeply lost in the learning process...sometimes to the point of having lost a sense of time. I would sit down to try something out for a few minutes and fall so deep that hours would pass at the pace of minutes. I LOVED it!!

I spend time during the year training teachers. I am anxious to share what I have learned (the power of the tools) with other teachers and to continue learning from them. I want the teachers I work with to see what other educators have created (online) and become inspired by those ideas. It would be thrilling to see the creativity of my colleagues manifest itself into the online world. I would love to see them share with their students and collaborate with teachers around the globe. I want them to know that in the (online) creative process, there will be times of frustration, as well as times of celebration. But then again, they already know this process..every teacher does...it's not completely unfamiliar territory. The delivery method is perhaps new and unfamiliar...but we know the process.. all too well.

I want the teachers to find a level of comfort in taking the process of sharing ideas and information with students and fellow educators beyond the walls of our school....outside of our grade level meetings and into the world. I will share with them information about social networking, blogging, podcasting, web site design and creative commons licensing. I want them to know that their voice can be heard, and everyone who comes into contact with their work will know who the voice belongs to. I know that once they start making meaningful use of these tools, they will soar. They will inspire others to join us and find joy in the creative powers of us all.

Yes, from my viewpoint, these are exciting times....I am so looking forward to the start of school!