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"It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood"

1/27/2013

6 Comments

 
Okay, I am going to be honest here.  I haven't had a chance yet to join one of the #ETMOOC Blackboard Collaborate classes online.  I have added them all to my calendar with great intentions, but they all seem to be at a time where I already had a previous engagement or was still in the middle of my schoolday.  Life can just be so busy sometimes (and eastern time can be oh so early)

That does not mean; however, that I haven't been able to learn with my fellow #ETMOOCers!  Thank goodness for the twitter chat, hashtags and google+ group because that is how I have been able to stay in the loop, join great conversations, and check out your blogs and vlogs.  I have even, most recently, joined a Middle Educators Neighbourhood wiki (thanks to Sheri Edwards for including me in this).  
What a fantastic way to put it...a neighbourhood!  I just love it!  I have said in a previous blog post that you are all my colleagues in my new virtual hallway via twitter, but there is something to the word: neighbourhood.  

It reminded me of the intro song to Mr. Rogers (one of my childhood favourites).  And just how his neighbourhood had a magical feel to it, so too, does my virtual neighbourhood with all of you!  I feel so grateful to have found you all and to have even made friends in my online neighbourhood.  There is something magical to this indeed.

Thank you all for pushing me to best educator I can be by sharing your blogs, tweets, vlogs, comments and words of wisdom.  

What fantastic neighbours I have!


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Connect in the Middle Wiki created by Sheri Edwards. If you are a Middle Grades Educator, click on the picture above and join us!
On the "Connect in the Middle" wiki, Sheri has taken some of the #ETMOOC prompts and encouraged us to blog about:
  • How important is connected learning? Why?
  • Is it possible for our classrooms to support this kind of learning? If so, how?

I think connected learning is so important.  And not just for my students, but for me as well.  As an educator, my practice began to transform when I became connected and started joining "neighbourhoods" of learners and educators.  Hang out in these neighbourhoods long enough and you can't NOT start to reflect on your own practise, start questioning education and make changes/improvements in your classroom. 

And if it works for us, then it should work for our students too?  I believe so.  My students are always excited when they get a comment on their blog from a student in another school.  They loved being a part of the Global Read Aloud, and they keep reminding me that we have to connect with Mr. Hong's class again! Connections are HUGE.  To all of us.

Thank you all for connecting to me and for being in my neighbourhood.


6 Comments
Sheri Edwards link
1/27/2013 08:45:48 am

I, too, cannot get to the live webinars and do depend on the tweets, Google+, and b/vlogs to absorb and adapt the info for my world. And when Ben Wilkoff suggested "neighborhood," it felt right -- like you say, our online connections are "magical," like Mr. Roger's Neighborhood (which he included in his vlog). They're friendly and welcoming in an honest way that encourages reflection and change. If you are choosing a recorded webinar to watch, try this one: <a href="https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2013-01-22.1626.M.E1C6971D0015BD348DBD143FC183D6.vcr&sid=2008350">Dean Shareski's 'Sharing as Accountability'</a> Two points: Learn. Share. And that's here in your post. I'm glad we've built this new neighborhood. :)

Reply
Gallit Zvi link
1/27/2013 08:51:34 am

Sheri,

I am so glad you mentioned Ben Wilkoff's vlog! I had no idea he mentioned Mr. Rogers! I only saw the neighbourhood metophor in your wiki/blog...I have to go check his vlog out right now!!!

Thank you for sharing with us all, Sheri & for pointing me in the direction of b/vlogs worth reading/watching!

Reply
Sheri Edwards link
1/27/2013 08:47:52 am

I'm going to try this as a link; it didn't work with code in the above comment. Sorry about that. https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2013-01-22.1626.M.E1C6971D0015BD348DBD143FC183D6.vcr&sid=2008350

Reply
Lynda Hall link
1/27/2013 08:59:44 am

I totally know what you mean, I have had a tough time as well. But with all the other available resources, the #etmooc experience has been fantastic. I am hosting 3 Google Hangout chats this week so maybe you can make one of those. Please feel free to visit my blog for more details - http://thede-tech-tive4teachers.blogspot.ca/

Reply
Laura Coughlin link
2/3/2013 11:07:36 am

I, too, have been a viewer of #ETMOOC from the outside in. Thanks for the reminder to join "Connected in the Middle" wiki. I'm going to go do that :)

Laura

Reply
Gallit Zvi link
2/3/2013 11:45:49 pm

Fabulous! See you in the wiki, Laura :)

Reply



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    My name is Gallit Zvi and I am an Elementary School Teacher and Vice Principal in Surrey, BC. I am also a blogger and co-author of The Genius Hour Guidebook.
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