Do ClustrMaps REALLY work?

Kathy – She’s a mix of knowledge, experience, friendship, and humor. She's genuine, straightforward, thoughtful, and giving.  She's stylish, crafty, creative, and a reader.  She's the kind of educator that I've strived to reach towards becoming someday.  She's left many prints on my heart through the past 8 years!  Today she is moving on to inspire change in others in another manor - she's retiring!

One morning I stopped by Kathy’s room to talk. I love the random topics we’ll discuss as this is often a way for me to transition from mom to teacher as I go down the hall to my classroom. That day I told her I was contemplating blogging. She got the most excited look on her face and said that she’d been blogging too. Kathy had been reading blogs and commenting and loving it. Our interests didn’t cross from that point, but I told her I wanted to start one focusing on technology in education and my reasons why.

Kathy has a way of being so direct and specific in her comments. She was like, "DO it!"...you’ll inspire change in someone and others will learn from you. She’s also quite convincing - I did start one.  I needed one "follower" before I picked up my pen.  After reading my first post, she suggested more pictures. I’ve worked on that element and the embedding part, but have a long way to go. More blog “bling” is on my summer list and a better photo too! But, she really had faith in me. This meant a lot to me!  She has been the closest to a mentor that I’ve ever had. 

After I started frequenting more blogs, I figured that maybe this would be a way to inspire change in others. Yet, I feel that it’s done more for me. It’s changed me as a thinker, reflector, writer, and educator. It’s become my outlet of expression. It’s what I’d share with someone if we were out for coffee and had all the time in the world to chat about what I’m passionate about. It’s simply what fills my mind when I have a quiet moment to really think deeply. I can write however I want. There’s no format to follow, no one who will edit it with a red pen, no one to pick apart my grammar errors, I get to pick the “assignments” or post topics, as the author I can incorporate random colors, sizes, and even use "…….." and "-" at my own discretion.  My mind gravitates to writing and I love it!

Sometimes I feel that we miss out on that element of sharing and talking about what we feel is working or not working for that manner in our classrooms.  Either there is something more pressing or the amount of time needed to do the conversation justice just isn’t readily available. So, I like to get my thoughts down here.

Some other sources of inspiration that sparked my interest in becoming a "blogger" -

Ktenkely’s blog ilearn Technology – Her approach to sharing new resources and how to implement them is completely user-friendly and applicable. Yes, it’s great to learn new things through reading ed tech blogs, but deep-down I’m a people person and the personal posts help me to realize where the writer is coming from. Her post, Do you-want to form an alliance-with me?, stuck in my mind for a while.

Cathryn Marsala’s blog Teaching for Tomorrow Today – While everyone else was starting out their new year with exercise and diet goals, she was investigating what format to use to start her new year’s resolution – a blog. I started mine shortly after and we encouraged each other in those initial stages of trying it all out.

365 blogs - Kditzler’s 365/2010 blog – Quick pictures and captions that say so much!  What a neat way to "scrapbook" a year!  Dean Shareski challenges himself more every year with a slighter different version of the original. I wanted to take the 365 idea and transfer it to my classroom. So, these two inspired the basis of my second blog – Secondsin2nd: A glimpse at the memorable moments & small steps that lead to grand gains! I truly miss the simplicity of this blog and next year hope to start it up again with the goal of a photo a week. If it turns out to be more – excellent! Every post doesn’t need to go into extreme detail and many times the picture and a tad of explanation is more than enough.

About a month ago, I was curious who is really viewing this blog. So, a clustrmap was added. I guess I’m still in disbelief. Do Clustrmaps REALLY work?

So, the best way for me to wish you a Happy Retirement is through a book – how else!?

One of my favorite children's authors is P.K. Hallinan.  One of our board books from his collection is Heartprints book.  You’ve left many heartprints in my life and I’ll be forever grateful!  I'm giving myself the challenge to try to impact others during my many years left as a teacher, as you have with me.  I'll need to keep asking myself, "How many heartprints will you leave today?" 

While searching for just the right image, I couldn't help but be fascinated by the variety of "heartprints" that I found.  So, here's a small collection of photos from Creative Commons that I would have loved to capture myself...... Lot's of pictures just for you Kathy!! 

Scaffolding Success: Growing with GlogsterEDU

Interested?  "What do you want to create next?" I inquire. "A glog, glog!!" they all shout.  Glogster EDU is a wonderful site that allows educators and students to create online multi-media posters. It's a creative digital outlet that increases student engagement. Interactive Glogs can include text, graphics, images, links, audio, video, and more! We’ve found success this year with GlogsterEDU through the scaffolding process.  So, here's the story of how we all became GlogsterEDU Ambassadors this school year! 

innovative?  Since the EDU version was developed we dove in head first!  It's one of my favorite learning tools for SO many reasons.  Personally, I'm drawn by the creative element of the online poster concept.  Educationally, I can't express how motivating glog creation is for even my most difficult to reach students.

Last school year I took a different approach with most of the projects my students created. Each of them made their own product and few were collaborative in nature. The students tech skills grew, but they were missing some elements. Our favorite glogs from last year were part of our Backyard Birds Unit. Student groups wrote and performed an original reader’s theater together for Mr. Durren's class is Virginia that we connected with through the distance learning lab in the high school. Yet, their glogs were made and presented on their own.

This school year, a new approach was attempted in hopes that the students would not only benefit from the necessary components of communication that come from working on a collaborative project, but that they’d be able to learn tips, tricks, and skills from each other along the way. @ktenkely calls it viral learning when kids learn quickly from each other!  While working on a group project, it became more about the process than solely the finished product.

This Year's Stages of Growth…
Multi-media Book Reports - Why not create them with an online poster "board"?

Thanksgiving Reader's Theater - A way to display the characters and their final production!

Arctic Animal Adventure and Vote - Multi-step cross-curricular project that was one of this year's favorites!

Favorite Tech Tools 4 My Student Teacher - Easy way to share favorite links to inspire others and make them easily accessible!

Collaborative Olympic Research - Designing glogs together with Skype's screen share feature made awesome collab reports!

What is a Community? Adventure - Need a way to organize a global project and catch other educator's attention - use a glog!

Sign-Language Thank You "Card" - Looking for that special way to show your appreciation?

Summer Workshop Poster - Make your workshop poster interactive to encourage attendees and give all the "attachments" a home!

Candy Corn Contest - One reading group developed their own glog-creation contest for a book extension project!

Pond Life Interactive Reports - Our most-interactive glogs yet - a memorable project that involved learning lots of tech skills along the way. 

Our Final Project:


Basic Version Thoughts...

GRAPHICS - There's such a variety, so we try to focus on making sure that our graphics make sense with our glog's purpose.  My students "hunt" for the animated ones - I don't blame them!  Natalie came up with a great idea for using the same graphic multiple times for bullets when listing items. 

TEXT - We've learned this year how to choose what kind of text will best suit the need.  For example, bubbles = "quotes" to correlate with photos, titles = short text and labels, and stickers = lengthier text such as facts.

IMAGE - Since we now have a shared folder at our district, this has opened up a whole new world for my students.  For their final project, they not only had access to copy-right free images we located together, but to every other group's photos and videos that they'd taken down at the school pond.
VIDEO - Utilizing our digital cameras to create their own videos are so engaging.  It allows the students to be creators offline and problem solve as they take each others' video for a specific project.   
SOUND - We've used the iPod and uploaded clips, but we'll be exploring the GRAB feature more.
WALL - It can be such an understatement or the main feature of a glog.  Students take on how they use the "background" is always interesting and shows their personal style. 

Premium Version Thoughts…

DRAW - My primary students LOVE this feature.  Yet, I've used it to create quick arrows and circles as well.  A super-useable feature for any glogger!

DATA - We used it for our notes page for our pond project.  It could really be used to "attach" about anything to a glog.  My only thinking is that if you want others to know that the little bitty paper clip is there and that there's important information available use some text and/or graphics to nake it more known.

CLASS CREATION - We'll be utilzing this more next year, but I'd value it extremely if my students were older.

PROJECT CREATION - Initially, I thought that this would deter from their own creativity.  Yet, for some of my students, this will be the starting point that they need to succeed.  I'll be exploring the use of creating templates more.
ASSESSMENT OPTION - What a nice element to have.  It's wonderful how the developers at GlogsterEDU left it open-ended so that teacher can choose formative or summative assessment options.  Just be sure to have your students check their messages so they receive their grades and comments from the teacher.

Other Option Thoughts...

FRAMES/PLAYERS - Some utilize this feature consistently, while other students like it simple.  The frames and players add just that extra little decorative touch to videos, sound clips, and images!

LAYERING - My students often forget about this element.  They spread everything out.  Sometimes they run short on space and I'll suggest maybe they want to "bring it forward" or "put it behind" to create less scatter and more room.

CLONING - Did you find an element you'd like to use over and over? Just clone it. This time saver is priceless! There are times that my students could re-use some of their favorites non-stop if there was an infinate cloner setting like in SMARTnotebook.

LINKING - This has been very beneficial to link all of the glogs they've designed together.  This creates only one glog to embed, plus gives room for the project to be explained to the viewers.  For an interactive lesson on a topic, the link feature would be valuable.

COLORS/FONT - Not only can you alter the basics, but the actual text sticker or title can be changed as well.  The students have adapted to the fact that sometimes they need to adjust the size of their text.  They need to be careful that all of their words are seen and that they are the correct size for the object they've chosen.

FX - I learned what this was about from Tiffany this year!  She was creating shadows and couldn't wait to share what she'd found with me.  I'm glad she did!

Next Year’s Goals...
1. Keep our glogs simpler at times - even though the tool bar offers so much, it doesn't mean that every glog needs to incorporate every aspect!
2. Center station – add to a glog like an online sticky note (wallwisher) like Aviva Dunsinger, @grade1, had her students create with their music glogs.
3. Start independent glog creation sooner for all of the ability levels- each year they are ready for more at a quicker pace.
4. Re-design my class website - embed more glogs for sub-pages to branch from.

5. Unit planning - utilize the DATA feature more for notes pages for the projects and the PROJECTS for creating templates for those learners who need more support.

6. Check out other features - Link (directly to images and videos) instead of upload, SchoolTube videos search, Sharing of Glogs, and more....

My Adventure As an Official Ambassador This Spring…

1. Confronted with Challenges – A high school teacher in our district had just signed up for the Premium version and she had questions.  This encouraged me to problem solve and figure them out.  While doing so, I learned more about the details of certain aspects of GlogsterEDU that I probably wouldn't have explored otherwise.

2. Forces one to think about Feedback – I'm a natural reflector. But, it was one of the "requirements" of becoming an ambassador and rightfully so. They are striving to contiually make improvements.  I suggested a capture feature like VoiceThread and they have it already in the GRAB feature.  I wouldn’t have known if I hadn't have asked.  Last year I didn’t have a webcam and my own mic and I don't think I've click on GRAB since!  I'm looking forward to GlogsterEDUs addition of a search feature merely for the time-saving element.  I'm hoping that they will also add a collaborative feature in the future to share creation of glogs with another student or another class.  I'm so glad that the developers live by their saying of "GlogsterEDU is YOURS!"  They listen to feedback and are constantly making it even better!

3. Summer Workshop – I'm looking forward to a mix of teaching, learning adventures, and immediate implementation of GlogsterEDU with teachers from my district.  There are teachers from PreK - 10th grade registered, so hopefully we'll have a lot to learn from each other as well.  This time I'll be conducting the workshop and that in of itself will be a learning experience, but I can't wait for this opportunity to share something I've found so beneficial. 

4. My Mini-Ambassadors – Some of my students have earned this title in my classroom.  I'm learning from them many little tricks and new elements such as bullets from a graphic, play a video in edit mode, tab opens at the top for some things, etc.
5. Education Glogster Ning Network - The educators I've connected with so far are super helpful and approachable.  They are very supportive of each other in their endeavors to promote GlogsterEDU and it's educational advantages. I look forward to learning and sharing more in this network.

IMPACT?  It was brief in reality, but it seemed almost like an eternity. We were down in the lab and all of the students had signed on their computers, followed the multi-step process of logging into GlogsterEDU, and were engaged in their assignment. Every single students was on task and independently working on their Pond Life glogs. At first I was in disbelief, but then realized how much they’ve really grown this year. The little seeds that were encouraged, taught, and watered…. were flourishing.  The gradual release approach this year worked and we all learned more through the process. 

Impressed?  Overall, I've been extremely amazed by GlogsterEDU and what they offer educationally.  Also, in terms of tech troubles, they have the most helpful and approachable support team.  Jim Dachos, @glogstereduman, has been knowlgedable, supportive, and wonderful to work with.  His customer service it top-notch.    

Would it have been easier to have them create glogs all year on their own? Maybe. Do I think they would have learned as much? Probably not. The super-friendly user interface just makes it easy to manage for ALL of my second grade students, no matter what their ability level is.  This "Glogster Queen" looks forward to creating along with my next years' learners with GlogsterEDU!

What’s Your Tech Point-of-View?

An Educator's Best Resource... Crowdsourcing!
There’s a place where two worlds collide. Here’s where my PLC meets my PLN. Yet, unlike George's negative perspective this is an opportunity I want to embrace!  I'm hoping some of you will want to do the same.



PLC: My Professional Learning Community
You can check out our superintendent’s blog, Kimberly Moritz’s BlogPosts, to find more information.

The Agents:
JamieLynn Griffith – 2nd Grade Teacher, Ed Tech Explorer, Amateur Blogger, Glogster Queen, Educator Looking to Define my "Tech Point-of-View"
Tammie Thomas – 1st Grade Teacher, Podcast Enthusiast, Creative genius, Multiple Learning Style Implementer
Eric Sipe – New 6th grade Teacher, 4th grade and Reading Specialist Experience, King of PowerPoint, Master of “Scavenger Hunt” Activities
Melissa Shawley – New 1st Grade Teacher, Experienced 3rd Grade Teacher from Neighboring District
Nicole Pollock – New 4th Grade Teacher, Current Substitute, Recent graduate, Has One of the Friendliest Smiles I’ve Seen

We're a good mix of grade levels, personalities, and possess a mix of talents.  I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to being a part of this PLC. 

Our Goals:
Focus - Connecting Classrooms Within and Broadening Horizons Beyond.  Some of our specific thoughts we've recorded on our Google Doc.  Our first initiative will be to concentrate on technology integration during content centers and cross-curricular centers- Math, Reading, Writing, ELA, Science, and Social Studies.

Our Collaborative Blog: We set-up an area online for sharing, posting, reflecting, and reading. RCS: Teaching4Tomorrow is our Blog that's we'll create together.  One collegue is looking forward to being part of our group virtually since she's working in another.  We're hoping that this format of a group bulletin board of sorts will encourage us to share what's working in our classrooms in a mode that others can learn from and we can learn from their comments.

Our Mission: Here’s the amazing part – we get to design our own learning! We have time to meet, plan, learn, share, implement, create, and inspire together various days throughout our school year.

Our Meetings:
September 1st
September 2nd
October 8th 1-3pm
December 3rd 1-3pm
January 28th
February 18th 1-3pm
March 18th 1-3pm
May 20th 1-3pm
PLN: My Personal Learning Network
Twitter has changed me as an educator. But, more importantly the PEOPLE I’ve connected with through Twitter have changed me.  I’ve been challenged, inspired, awed, intimidated, encouraged, and congratulated. I’ve found answers, hope, assistance, friendship, insight, understanding, and laughter.  I’ve learned, consumed, attempted, solved, suggested, and been confused.

I’ve thought about “expanding” my network and have some, but I’ll admit I’m more interested in putting time and effort into what I already have. My Google Reader patterns have narrowed to the reading what those below have posted more than the rest. I concentrate on tweets more than the others, as well as gathering ideas from their websites.

I LOVE food - everything about it!  The Food Network is one of my favorite channels.  Last week, The Next Food Netword Star started a new season.  Bobby Flay is my favorite Iron Chef and he's one the Celebrity Judges.  Regardless, the finalists embark on a food adventure with challenges and obstacles like any other reality series.  Yet, they are always confronted with the thought provoking questions about finalizing their food perspective or food point-of-view.  So, that brings me to the field of educational technology....  What's Your Tech Point-of-View?

My Invitation:
Dennis Grice –
Focus on the Learning Tool, not the Technology
A mix of humor, knowledge, curriculum, and always reminds me that words mean things...
Aviva Dunsinger –
Take a New Tool and Implement It “Yesterday”
Proficient with Kidblogs, web 2.0 presentations, and super approachable...
Andrew Kauffman –
New(er) Teacher Places Importance on Tech Amidst it All and One I'd Like My Son to Have for a Teacher
Flexible, excellent communicator, Skype, small group collab projects, and an amazing creative thinker.....
Karen Ditzler –
Technology is not an add-on...
Elementary-minded, provides wonderful examples for each tool on her wiki, I swear she reads my mind at times, creator of "tech" days with hands-on centers....
Jason Schrage –
His... Crazy Idea for online PD
Exploring alternative options for professional development such as Classroom 2.0 and some of his thoughts sparked some of the way our PLC was organized....
Jennifer Wagner –
Creating Collaborative Online Projects and More! 
An experienced organizer and the creative mind behind numerous collaborative events and projects - her bio on the site says it all.  First knew of her as the Guess the Wordle lady, but that doesn't quite paint the picture of Jenuine Jen!
Chris Hyde –
Still wondering what his job entails….I think he's Karen's boss.  No, not really.  But he's helped me a lot with issues, ideas, and inspiration.
He remembers – Mixbook. He encourages - my first RT ever! He shares - an idea we adapted for our arctic animal project! He has fun with Tech - Twibbon - Go Duke!.....
Rob McDonald –
Making Tech a Reality and Interwoven Throughout Ones Classroom
He's convinced me to stick with TweetDeck, he's one of a few 2nd grade classroom teachers in my PLN, I'm drawn to his blog set-up for tech projects and will be mimicking it this fall.....
Mark Carls –
Always there for you!  Now that I'm thinking on it, I'm not really sure if know his tech viewpoint.  But, more on Mark later.  He's the only one in my PLN that I work with "offline" as well since he's here in district one day a week.  So, things are more complicated I guess....

This is just a collection of observations and random thoughts regarding each of you. I have a tough time finding the right words to describe exactly how you each have impacted me. Maybe you can help me by defining your tech viewpoint yourself. But, tech aside, you are amazing PEOPLE!

Also, it’s vital that I note that this invitation list is in draft form. There have been many more that I’ve connected had positive connections with and have learned from, such as Kathy Cassidy, Jared Bennett, Josh Allen, and more. Yet, some are also in the infancy stages and I feel I’m asking a great deal in my request. But, if you’re interested, please let me know. I’d be honored if you’d take part in the “mission.”

My Thoughts:
As a Global Studies student in high school, one of my assignments to learn about World War II was a Who’s Coming to Dinner? project. Mrs. Jacques, my all-time favorite teacher, had us create a dinner party with guests of the time-period, a menu, but most-importantly the dialogue between the guests. I remember trekking to the down-town library to find information on designers of the era since I couldn’t locate resources locally on my unusual people I’d chose. Even then I created my own challenges! But, this project was memorable and fun! I wonder what the dialogue would be like if you all came over for dinner on Saturday? You know I love to cook and bake, I’m taking menu suggestions.....

My Hope:
My goal would be to set-up webinars, video conferences, skype calls, whatever you want to refer to them as, for time to talk and learn from you. They can be brief or in-depth, formal or conversational, and topical or tool-focused. I’m thinking 15-30 minutes or so. Enough to be inspired and learn, but to still leave time for us to have a conversation after the virtual conversation.
Throughts from our Google Doc...
Skype w/ "experts" in the global community of educators on various topics - such as:
- successful student collab projects and details
- measurable learning of projects and "tests" with tech tools
- effectively sharing your tech vision/passion w/ others in your district
- favorite tech/web2.0 tools w/ examples for utilization
- tips on implementation of student projects - organization, rooms, groups, etc.
- other ideas?.....

Well, I’ve been so influenced by these educators that I can’t help but to share how they’ve inspired me with those in my PLC here at RCS. It’s one thing when my colleagues hear me say something is effective in my classroom, hearing it from an expert is another thing. On a personal learning level, I’ll have the privilege to learn more from those who have most impacted me.

My Wondering:
Maybe all of you can help me as I search for solidifying my Tech Point-of-View, but I’m thinking it’ll be ever evolving and changing from one moment to the next.

Educators of my PLN will you be willing to meet with my PLC on one of the above dates?  What would you like to talk about, teach us, inspire us with?  I'm looking forward to the possibilities and I hope you are too! 

So, who's coming to dinner?  Please RSVP below.

When the Ideas Aren't Yours...

Interested?
Student-designed learning.  My enrichment group was ready for another project.  I often can't wait to share my thoughts with my students and will say, "I have an idea!"  This time I asked them if they had any ideas...... This post focuses on what they came up with!  The other reading groups have had opportunities to decide what would be the purpose and creative outlet for their reading projects as well.  Small groups are were the success lies.  More individualized attention + at the students' level + their ideas coming to fruition = accomplisments they OWN!  

innovative? 
Group E's story....
They'd just finished reading Fish Face by Patricia Reilly Giff.  We'd used Edmodo to discuss the book.  But, it was time for an extention project.  They wanted to create something with avatars, readers theater, and record videos.  As they continued to share ideas, a solid project idea started to form.

First, they each created a character that could have been in Mrs. Rooney's class in the story.  They did this the old fashioned way with crayons and paper.  They brainstormed about what kind of character traits they could possess and each decided what their character's personality would be like. 
Next, they used Portrait Avatar Maker to generate an avatar from their crayon creations.  This site worked exceptionally well!  They really enjoyed it.
After that, the group was challenged as they worked together as writers.  They made a story elements chart of their ideas for the Readers Theater.  Then they composed the script that included the original characters
ensuring that everyone would have similar amount of lines, this part was very important to the writing team. Also, the writers made sure that the script had a lesson that could be learned or a theme.  Here is the Google Doc of their final version.
Finally, they filmed each other and make little video clips introducing the characters.  They showed their sketches and their final avatars.
Last, the students practiced and practiced the Reader's Theater.  The performed it for the rest of the class.

Here is the VoiceThread with the various aspects of the project....




Group E didn't stop there...
Next on their menu was The Candy Corn Contest by Patricia Reilly Giff
Here's the project overview -
Glog Creation Contest
Glogs will be judged using the following criteria:
1. Design - Creativity and Elements
2. Accuracy - Correct Events and Details
3. Teamwork - Cooperation and Working Together
4. Presentation - Confidence and Clarity of Voice

Your mission: To create a Glog with your partner on The Candy Corn Contest! How you go about this is up to you.... the possiblities are endless! Let the creative juices start flowing.

Here's what the partner groups came up with...



The results...
We used Rubistar to create the rubric based on their ideas.  It was a mix of pre-made choices and custom options.  The rubrics were used to "judge" the contest by our panel of judges - Mrs. Giannicchi (Curriculum Coordinator), Mrs. Cullen (Library Aide), and Mrs. Root (Teacher Aide).

Two groups were tied upon the submission of the rubrics by the panel of judges.  The final group was brought to the front based upon the landslide of votes casts by the student audience.  As corny as it sounds, they were all winners.  But, then again it was the Candy CORN contest! 

Here's their Animoto of photos from the presentation...



Balto project details...
They read The Bravest Dog Ever:  The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford and loved it!  They've been on a roll with devising activites for their reading group, so it was their choice again. 

This time, they wanted to create a collaborative web similar to Cacoo, but they requested something that would be more user-friendly for them to use independently - aka didn't require a sign-in by the teacher.  So, Google Docs was utilized again.  But, this time they took advantage of the drawing feature to create their web.  Thank you to Mark Carls, our technology integrator, for reminding us of Google Docs again, when our attempts to use Gliffy didn't work out!  The students were quite persistant and he "saved the day" when the other options weren't cooperating as planned. 

They also wanted to create a digital timeline of the events in the book.  They worked together to put all of the events in the story in sequence.  They ended up using timetoast for the tech tool for their timeline.  They were hoping to sequence the events without dates, but everything we found required exact dates.  So, we improvised and decided next time to adjust and either pick a differerent book or an alternative project.  Here's their finished timeline....http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/61330

Here's some of the ideas the other reading groups have come up with regarding tech integration and links to their web pages....

Using a distraction to the learner's advantage....
Group A's Bubbles Jr. Letter Writing

Book report goes VoiceThread style combined with elements of our Skype Literature Circles....
Group D's Cam Jansen VoiceThread Mystery Book Report

Before, During, and After reading using online sticky notes, drawings, and non-fiction text....
Group B's Linoit - Camoflague

Collaborative Topical Web - Collection and organization of facts on owls from two texts....
Group C's - Cacoo Web on Owls

IMPACT? 
Their ideas were brought through to fruition.  They've learned to cooperate to make their visions a reality.  They needed to find that happy medium between their own ideas and those of the group. 

This post has been in draft mode for a while and when I read this Tweet by Andrew Marcinek, @andycinek, today, I couldn't agree more and it gave me the inspiration to wrap this up! 

Here's some of his other thoughts from #edchat today...

I'm always asking questions.  Constantly thinking.  These are a few that have consumed my thoughts lately...

What IS the role of a teacher? 

How do YOU inspire your students to think for themselves?

What steps do you take to TRANSFER more control of their learning over to your students?

Who makes up your student groups - differentiated, leveled by interest, created by ability?

When is it to stop modeling and time to let go & let them?

Impressed? 
It took them a lot longer on their own, but the end results were worth it!  Ideas mean something when they are put into action.  I'm proud of my students and love it when I now hear them say, "I have an idea!"  They are so excited to share their thinking and even more excited that they have the opportunity to act on it and make it happen!