Comments for Langwitches http://langwitches.org/blog The Magic of Learning through Technology. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:34:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on links for 2008-07-05 by Swurl ~ the good news and not so good http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/07/05/links-for-2008-07-05/#comment-27006 Swurl ~ the good news and not so good Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:42:07 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/07/05/links-for-2008-07-05/#comment-27006 [...] I was then impressed with the screen shot on the Read/Write Web review of the tool. Since then Silvia Tolisano and Alan Levine have blogged about the [...] [...] I was then impressed with the screen shot on the Read/Write Web review of the tool. Since then Silvia Tolisano and Alan Levine have blogged about the [...]

]]> Comment on Top Ten List for Educational Video-Clips by Fred http://langwitches.org/blog/2007/12/26/top-ten-list-for-educational-video-clips/#comment-26763 Fred Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:22:33 +0000 http://www.langwitches.org/blog/2007/12/26/top-ten-list-for-educational-video-clips/#comment-26763 Thanks for the great list! My personal interest is technology innovation (somewhat related to the first educational video in your list). This is a great list of videos for inspiration & to imagine the future of education: http://edutube.org/educational-technology Thanks for the great list! My personal interest is technology innovation (somewhat related to the first educational video in your list). This is a great list of videos for inspiration & to imagine the future of education:

http://edutube.org/educational-technology

]]> Comment on links for 2008-06-30 by Forgive me father for I have sinned ~ Web 2.0 guilt http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/06/30/links-for-2008-06-30/#comment-26754 Forgive me father for I have sinned ~ Web 2.0 guilt Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:01:45 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/06/30/links-for-2008-06-30/#comment-26754 [...] have highlighted Posterous during the last 24 hours, namely Larry Ferlazzo, Michelle Martin and Silvia Tolisano. It is certainly an interesting tool and I shall be sharing it with my colleagues this [...] [...] have highlighted Posterous during the last 24 hours, namely Larry Ferlazzo, Michelle Martin and Silvia Tolisano. It is certainly an interesting tool and I shall be sharing it with my colleagues this [...]

]]> Comment on Who would listen? by Kim Caise http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/06/22/who-would-listen/#comment-26753 Kim Caise Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:20:42 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1607#comment-26753 Thank you for sharing your thoughts and this video with us. I like to think that I am a nonjudgmental person but I don't know if I would have stopped to listen. It is hard to guage how I would truly have reacted since classical music is not one that I enjoy listening to but I hope I would have stopped and connected with the musician. When I played the video I also listened carefully to the music and was truly moved like never before although it was such a brief moment. I was doing other things but drawn back to the music so this musician touched my life via a virtual performance. We get busy and don't stop to recognize the beauty and efforts of our students in the midst of testing, conferences, day to day tasks, discipline, etc. Students learn and perform at a higher level when a positive connection is made with their teacher yet it is up to us to recognize and draw upon the beauty of the teacher/student rapport and interactions. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and this video with us. I like to think that I am a nonjudgmental person but I don’t know if I would have stopped to listen. It is hard to guage how I would truly have reacted since classical music is not one that I enjoy listening to but I hope I would have stopped and connected with the musician. When I played the video I also listened carefully to the music and was truly moved like never before although it was such a brief moment. I was doing other things but drawn back to the music so this musician touched my life via a virtual performance. We get busy and don’t stop to recognize the beauty and efforts of our students in the midst of testing, conferences, day to day tasks, discipline, etc. Students learn and perform at a higher level when a positive connection is made with their teacher yet it is up to us to recognize and draw upon the beauty of the teacher/student rapport and interactions.

]]> Comment on Who would listen? by NECC - trying to keep up in the echo chamber. « Lucacept - intercepting the Web http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/06/22/who-would-listen/#comment-26752 NECC - trying to keep up in the echo chamber. « Lucacept - intercepting the Web Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:16:00 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1607#comment-26752 [...] recommend you all having a read of Silvia Tolisano’s recent post, ‘Who would listen’. She talks a bit about the types of things [...] [...] recommend you all having a read of Silvia Tolisano’s recent post, ‘Who would listen’. She talks a bit about the types of things [...]

]]> Comment on Professional Development Meme by Katie http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/06/08/professional-development-meme/#comment-26748 Katie Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:29:59 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1529#comment-26748 Silvia, I trust you are accomplishing goal #1!? I am working on mine. I guess I'm not as organized as you so I will work on that right away. Thanks for encouraging me. Katie Silvia, I trust you are accomplishing goal #1!? I am working on mine. I guess I’m not as organized as you so I will work on that right away. Thanks for encouraging me.
Katie

]]> Comment on Web 2.0 Wednesday- Where do you Live? by Michele Martin http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/06/25/web-20-wednesday-where-do-you-live/#comment-26741 Michele Martin Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:48:02 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1618#comment-26741 I love all of your Flip clips! Gives me a real sense of the city and makes me want to visit even more. I can see why it's the "hometown of your heart" (a beautiful phrase BTW). I love all of your Flip clips! Gives me a real sense of the city and makes me want to visit even more. I can see why it’s the “hometown of your heart” (a beautiful phrase BTW).

]]> Comment on Web 2.0 Wednesday- Where do you Live? by nzchrissy http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/06/25/web-20-wednesday-where-do-you-live/#comment-26740 nzchrissy Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:02:32 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1618#comment-26740 Ahhhh, the tug at my heart strings for a country that I now consider to be my second home! Thanks for sharing and making me miss it all over again! :) Ahhhh, the tug at my heart strings for a country that I now consider to be my second home! Thanks for sharing and making me miss it all over again! :)

]]> Comment on Who would listen? by diane http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/06/22/who-would-listen/#comment-26730 diane Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:09:13 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1607#comment-26730 I keep education "leaders" in my Google Reader, but am more likely to leave comments where the blogger extends the discussion, no matter how well-known/unknown they are. My Twitter network ONLY contains people who will follow me back - I maintain a 1:1 ratio there. I keep education “leaders” in my Google Reader, but am more likely to leave comments where the blogger extends the discussion, no matter how well-known/unknown they are.

My Twitter network ONLY contains people who will follow me back - I maintain a 1:1 ratio there.

]]> Comment on Who would listen? by Langwitches http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/06/22/who-would-listen/#comment-26729 Langwitches Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:58:54 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1607#comment-26729 @Nadine I agree with you, that sometimes the post from the people in the trenches are more valuable and "in time" for us who are in the classroom than the post of "gurus" that are dedicated in presenting the theory at conferences around the world. I love to read and benefit tremendously from the day to day experiences so many wonderful teacher/bloggers share so willingly with the rest of the world. @Ken The analogy to your experience in an art gallery is very fitting. Some people only will get interested in a certain piece AFTER they become aware of the artist OR how much it is worth. I can see the parallels. @Claudia My f2f conversation with you was definitely an inspiration for this blog post. That is what I love about "TALKING" with someone. A conversation will twist and turn your thoughts in ways and directions that you would never have ended up in on your own. Thank you for taking me on a ride. @Clay I agree with you that it seems that popularity breeds popularity. We still should not forget that CONTENT should always be in the center of anything. We need to ask ourselves, if we are attracted to the "packaging" or who we will see and who will see us? I am not saying that you should not go to the crowded concert halls, but to be critical if it is really quality you are reading or listening to. Would you stop and listen to the same in the subway? @Scott I enjoy reading Vicki, aka coolcatteacher, tremendously, because she has a gift for writing and expressing what I was not able to put into worlds. I know, I would be listening to and reading her content no matter in which way it came packaged. @Cathy While I agree with that there is so much content out there that readers can be very picky who and what to spend their time on, my thoughts turn to the reasons why so many of them choose to be or are drawn to the ones that come in the "right"package with the right label attached. Is it like Ken Allan mentions above?: <blockquote>For me it comes down to ‘values’. Fashion, personality, art are other examples where human values can give rise to similar conundrums over preference.</blockquote> @Diane Yes, that is exactly the point. It is all about connecting, whether that being to music, art, an idea or writing. My question continues to be though if you or others would "connect" and react the same way to someone's <i>content</i> if it were not be coming from "a name" or in "a place" that is not the current "tone setter" of in an area, profession or industry. Are we as humans just predetermined to be attracted to the right "package deal", the opinions of others and the majority current that dictates what is "in" at the moment? Are we paying more attention to the brand name, the presentation, the ones that hang around the same places and the need to catch some of the spot light than the actual content? Take away all of the above and would the same content generate the same interest, reflection, and ultimately change in others? All of this has nothing to do with the people presenting and producing the content> I am just wondering how important the "extra" things that surround the content really are for the rest of us? Content versus Packaging maybe? @Nadine
I agree with you, that sometimes the post from the people in the trenches are more valuable and “in time” for us who are in the classroom than the post of “gurus” that are dedicated in presenting the theory at conferences around the world.
I love to read and benefit tremendously from the day to day experiences so many wonderful teacher/bloggers share so willingly with the rest of the world.

@Ken
The analogy to your experience in an art gallery is very fitting. Some people only will get interested in a certain piece AFTER they become aware of the artist OR how much it is worth. I can see the parallels.

@Claudia
My f2f conversation with you was definitely an inspiration for this blog post. That is what I love about “TALKING” with someone. A conversation will twist and turn your thoughts in ways and directions that you would never have ended up in on your own. Thank you for taking me on a ride.

@Clay
I agree with you that it seems that popularity breeds popularity. We still should not forget that CONTENT should always be in the center of anything. We need to ask ourselves, if we are attracted to the “packaging” or who we will see and who will see us? I am not saying that you should not go to the crowded concert halls, but to be critical if it is really quality you are reading or listening to. Would you stop and listen to the same in the subway?

@Scott
I enjoy reading Vicki, aka coolcatteacher, tremendously, because she has a gift for writing and expressing what I was not able to put into worlds. I know, I would be listening to and reading her content no matter in which way it came packaged.

@Cathy
While I agree with that there is so much content out there that readers can be very picky who and what to spend their time on, my thoughts turn to the reasons why so many of them choose to be or are drawn to the ones that come in the “right”package with the right label attached. Is it like Ken Allan mentions above?:

For me it comes down to ‘values’. Fashion, personality, art are other examples where human values can give rise to similar conundrums over preference.

@Diane
Yes, that is exactly the point. It is all about connecting, whether that being to music, art, an idea or writing.
My question continues to be though if you or others would “connect” and react the same way to someone’s content if it were not be coming from “a name” or in “a place” that is not the current “tone setter” of in an area, profession or industry.

Are we as humans just predetermined to be attracted to the right “package deal”, the opinions of others and the majority current that dictates what is “in” at the moment?

Are we paying more attention to the brand name, the presentation, the ones that hang around the same places and the need to catch some of the spot light than the actual content? Take away all of the above and would the same content generate the same interest, reflection, and ultimately change in others?

All of this has nothing to do with the people presenting and producing the content> I am just wondering how important the “extra” things that surround the content really are for the rest of us?
Content versus Packaging maybe?

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