Pixton: A clever way to get them writing

Someone on twitter once mentioned that she used Pixton to practice writing.  I had to check it out.  I have used comic strip generators before, but I decided to nix them because they were a little boring and the final outcome was published online for many others to see.   Pixton is a little different.  It is very colorful and visual.  There are numerous options for comic strip layout and it allows for foreign language symbols.  I was really excited at how fast it went to complete a task.
I spent about ten minutes making a comic strip.  I was able to manipulate the positions of the characters, add text and accents, and a cool background.

There is an educational version as well as a for fun account.  (There is a 30 day trial, so if you are going to use it that way, make sure you get it when you need it so you don't lose the opportunity.)  The for fun account posts the work on the web, so if you have students who do not have permission to post work online, don't use it, or print off a blank template and have the kids fill it in. I created the for fun account.  It is free. The educator account is based on the number of kids.  I have 9 students, so for me, it isn't worth $60/ year.  I can add up to 20 kids for that price, but it isn't worth it to me.  I see myself using it but not often enough to justify the cost.


Here is my quick comic to review lesson 1 in French 2: Quick and simple, and a great model for my kids.  I think this program is very good for foreign language teachers.  I also think it could benefit elementary teachers to address writing skills and it could be used as a means of identifying incorrect grammar.   One could have grammatical or spelling errors and ask students to identify them.  That is a way to make grammar fun.

So, if you are looking for a simple way to practice writing and do so in a funny and creative manner, check out Pixton.  It is something different for your classroom.

Flip a class with Sophia

The growing trend of late is flipping a classroom where teachers become the facilitator of learning and students drive the instruction and focus more on their personal growth through the use of videos and tutorials.

There are several platforms teachers can use to do a flipped class.  I came across Sophia on twitter and I like the format it has to offer.

First off, it is free (or premium) and it allows teachers to create classes and assign videos to each class.  Secondly, there is an archive of items recorded and shared by other teachers that can be added to a class.  As a French teacher, I didn't find a lot of material, but, I found a few things that can be pulled into a classroom setting.

There is a creative mode where teachers can make their own tutorials and screencast, edit and publish.  It also allows you to make playlists for specific topics/ classes/ etc.   I like the tools and tricks it has to offer.  I think if flipping a class is a direction one wants to take, this site can do a lot.

I think someone teaching Math or Science can really benefit from the offerings here.  It allows you to search for specifics and the classroom setup is very helpful.

If you are planning to flip a class or pull some of the flipped model into your classroom, you might consider looking at Sophia as a place to get started.

My Tech Life

I often get asked at school how I manage to do so many tech things with my time.  I tweet, Facebook, Pin, text, blog and manage to read a few books PLUS, be a full time mom.  My answer is simple:  Prioritize.  I spend only a little bit of time each day doing the tech stuff.  I have to have time for me. (Afterall, I have to be able to play Ruzzle and Candy Crush a little bit!)

A colleague once said she spends 10 minutes a day on twitter and that is all.  She schedules posts and tweets and also prewrites her blog.  That got me thinking.  I need to focus my time the same way.

On a daily basis, I spend a little time on twitter, unless there is an chat I am interested in attending, I merely look and scan for about ten minutes.  If I strike a conversation, I stay on longer.  If I come across a link on twitter that I want for later, for my blog or to use in class, I retweet it and add it to my pocket.  It will be there when I need it.

I also do the same on Pinterest.  I admit, it can be addicting, so I only spend a few minutes each day looking while I watch TV at night.  Sometimes, I skip Pinterest. (Makes me look like less of an addict that way.)

As for my blog, I work ahead.  Blogger is WONDERFUL because I can schedule and organize ahead.  I use my google calendar, plan and decide what I am doing and then preschedule my blogs. If I have a day when I have nothing planned, I type my posts.   If I find I am running behind on my posts, I use the archives and repost articles from the past.

Checking out tech stuff???  Well, I do that a lot while the kids are at the pool.  You see, both of my kids swim competitively and when I am not subbing in as an assistant coach, I check out tech stuff.   I sometimes take the laptop, sometimes stay at home, depends on the day. I refer to my Pocket or Diigo account and look over what I have saved and investigate, sample, check out.  Then I take some notes and keep track. If I think it will help my teachers, I add it to my Tech Tuesday one note file and voila, I am done.  I get ahead a lot this way.

I also started listening to audio books.  That has helped me stay in the game with books and manage the tech. I don't overdo the technology, but, sometimes, with grading, being a mom and needing a rest, I don't have time to sit and focus on a book.  Audio books allow me to be Suzy Homemaker and still listen to a great read.

Yes, I am a little crazy. Yes, I am a geek.  Yes, I manage my time well because I don't let the tech take over my life.  I put limits on what I do.  This is how I do it.... plus, I think I have ADHD :)

The method to my collection development madness

I started in the library world a few years back.  This is starting my fourth year.  I have learned a lot in that time regarding collection development.   My predecessor used a lot of subscription programs and companies to order her titles, she used online stores and ordered off and on.   I decided to change a lot of that when I took over the library.  Here is the method to my madness:

First of all, I delve into my Kirkus review each and every month.  I have a collection development spreadsheet and a Wunderlist for collection development open and I jot down notes (The Wunderlist is a task manager where I put the pub date.  I get a notification of when it is due out.), a wishlist, and the genre the fiction title fits into.  I look through my Kirkus to find titles that kids in my school would enjoy.  If I have a few kids who read a lot, I will ask them to peruse the book review and get their thoughts.  More often than not, we are on the same page.  I spend time each month doing this.  I also look at my ILL list and see what I have requested from ILL often.  If I notice a pattern, I add that to my Nonfiction wishlist.  My aid and I keep a series binder that we update with new series titles.  We rely heavily on Goodreads as well.

Secondly, I attend the free webinars many publishers offer each month.   Some of the best books I get come from hearing about them at these webinars.  I use my Wunderlist and Collection Development spreadsheet and type away as the publishers talk.  I also attend the Nonfiction webinars too, because often, there are a few great titles that pop up there too.

After I spend time doing these things, I start shopping.  I get my budget in February, so I spend most of the spring and summer working on this.  I have a local Indie store that does most of my new title ordering.  I find the actual price and she offers me a 30% discount.  It is usually cheaper through her than amazon.  I am very tight with my budget.  I am not afraid to buy used books.  I go to a site a came across a few years back- Thriftbooks .  Shipping is free and they offer used books that range from Like New to acceptable.  We tried acceptable one time and were not pleased with the quality, so I stick with Like New and Very Good.  I have built my collection dramatically through using used stores.   In a school of 225, who cares!  The kids will read it.   The trick with used books, you have to make sure you don't have it already- so I always cross check in the collection to make sure I don't duplicate.   I tend to order my Nonfiction titles through Thriftbooks because a lot of the Nonfiction books out there generally cost a lot more new than a fiction title.

If I go to a book store, such as Half Price or to a book sale at a public library, I always have my handy Destiny App available.  I will spend hours looking at titles and cross checking for duplicates.

I pride myself in collection development.  I love to research and study my needs. I have managed to change the annual order of about 100 books to almost 400 just by being frugal, organized and willing to go used.  It has helped my kids grow as readers and find new things to appreciate and enjoy.