Mr. Storm's Online Classroom

The Last Leaf(click to listen) by O’Henry is a remarkable tale about giving and sacrifice.Our discussion in class centered on what the greatest gift we ever received was. Now, I’d like to ask you what the greatest gift you ever gave someone was.Or what would be the greatest gift you could give someone?

When I think about giving, I often think about my favorite book – Tuesdays with Morrie. I’m reminded of a quote from this book by Mitch Albom – "Do the kinds of things that come from the heart. When you do, you won’t be dissatisfied, you won’t be envious, you won’t be longing for somebody else’s things. On the contrary, you’ll be overwhelmed with what comes back."I’ll post my answer to these questions once I hear from you.

Today’s class discussion centered around blogging etiquette. As you can see we’re working at it. My hope is that as the year progresses, we see some growth on here as readers and thinkers. Remember to draft and post valuable comments to each other. We are looking to create discussions and stimulate each other’s thinking. Also remember, you can post against any entry that I put up.

@Robbie – good post. Do you think you could benefit from learning about new technology in the classroom?

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all the parents and students in my class for initiating some awesome discussions about technology, blogging, and internet safety.Classroom discussion today was fantastic- students were sharing concerns, ideas, and ways we can make this work.Parents were asking questions and helping to stimulate my own thinking regarding the use of blogs.

I have a fantastic group of kids this year with the potential to reach the stars. The work they’ve demonstrated this year has been nothing short of amazing.I truly believe this group will make a difference.

Check out this website: http://www.freerice.com/index.php

How can we help others like this? Can you make a difference in the lives of others?

I know this may seem “heavy” for only my third posting, but let’s take a shot at it.

What do you think?

@Madison – I like your ideas and what’s going on with your sister’s class. Maybe we could use a different format for what you have in mind. We’ll run this by the tech teacher next week. Awesome ideas(can’t wait to hear more)!

It’s amazing to see (and hear) from students what they are doing with technology.Using this and other types of online tools can really help to develop critical literacy skills. I think it forces us to look at multiple perspectives and to consider bias when looking at a source. Computers are also a great way to share knowledge and to express yourself creatively.

@ Madison – I’m glad to hear that you have some background working with computers. It’s neat to hear that you are able to “talk” with your aunt in Australia! How do you think something like that could be used in your classrooms at school?