sutton007

Summer vacation is here and already I'm hearing, "Mom, I'm bored, what can I do?"   In my daughter's defense it has been raining since school let out a few days ago.  Of course I suggested she start her summer reading project but was met with a huge "UGG!!" As a teacher (and mom) I know it is important to keep those skills current and avoid the ' summer slide' .  Many school systems have required reading and even math packets for students to complete during the summer break.  I'm going out on a limb by saying that although we want to keep our students' skills honed I'm not sure REQUIRED reading and math packets will do the trick.  It has always been a struggle to get my own kids to complete their summer reading.  We would be vacationing on Cape Cod that last week in August and I'd be hounding them to read their book.  Now, tell me how that instills the love of reading or promotes the retention of skills? So what is the answer?  H...

" Are we skyping today? "  "Can we skype this afternoon?" These are the questions my eager 4th graders ask each day.  You see, they are getting quite comfortable using this web 2.0 tool.   Over the past several months we have connected with students in Maine, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Utah, California, a local meteorologist and even the classroom down the hallway.   If you look up the word "Skype" or "skyping" in the dictionary, you will not find it.  However, it has become one of those ' new' verbs that have been identified with the 21st century (like " google it " and " text me ").  Skype has taken the pen pal idea and made it into 'instant pals!" Skype was founded in 2003 , but has recently begun to make its way into our classrooms.  Using Skype one can video-conference with another user ( for free ).  This year Social Studies has come to life via Skype.   Kim Powell , a fourth grade teacher whom I met v...