Alecia Berman-Dry's Page

Hi Alecia, Yes am interested in a collaboration. So great to be able to create and implement ideas fully again and it feels so great to be a classroom teacher again as well. Our tech is slow getting started this year with a school renovation that was just finished so let me know what you have in mind and perhaps late Oct we can start.
Cheers,
Nancy

Hello Alecia Berman-Dry
Congratulations on the career shift! It must be very exciting for you. I can't wait to find out more about it.

Hi Alecia,

With your work in Technology Coordination for St. John's, I recommend you take a look at Wiziq's virtual classroom and authorstream's power point presentation platform. Both are web based platforms, have a bunch of features and free basic service. Here’s a public class recording you might find of interest.

Hey Alecia,

Our Brainyflix video contest just ended, and I wanted to thank you for helping us get the word out. We got 800 submissions from across the country!

That said, MIT was really happy with the results and will let us run another contest, so we're going for it! But this time, we're gonna have kids create Brainypics flashcards - which are images and sentences paired up with a one of our SAT/ACT words. The contest ends May 22nd, and there'll be iTunes and a cash prize like last time. To boot, we'll double the payout if the kids can hit a certain goal. More details at brainyflix.com/main/contest_rules.

Could you pass this message along to your colleagues at the HS?

Thanks,
Jack

Thanks, Alecia! That is very appreciated :]

Not avoiding Skype but the conversation is often distracting (though valuable). Tend to have twitter on in the background. How are things with you?

Hi Alecia. I was wondering if you and your students would be interested in participating in a nationwide SAT Vocab Video Contest @ MIT university. If not, perhaps you have some educator contacts you could direct me to. You can view contest details at BrainyFlix.com Please let me know. Thanks!

It is working out great! WOW!!!! PROJECT BASED LEARNING ROCKS. We had our first project based lesson and I don't know why we teach any other way. I had to make them leave the class room they were so involved. AND GET THIS, this was the first time EVER not one child asked me "Mr. Jackson can we have free time and go on the internet before the end of class?" It's like a constant chant I here over and over and over all during computer class I have nightmares about it. Anyway, these kids worked until I forced them out of the class.
So I'm sure you want to know well did they learn any thing? When class started I showed them how to use the help in word 2003. A few weeks prior we learnded internet search techniques (finding filetype:, intitle:, using "", and a few others.) The week before we looked at the "DID YOU KNOW" video ---THANKS Sylvia Martinez --- You guys can look it up on you tube. As a class, we discussed it and began talking about how to get their parents involed. Our goal is to produce a letter that they can give to there parents. The core was to start networking, find out who can help us and if not do they know someone who can.
The first assignment was
1. Break up into groups of 3 or 4, and list your names and grade below.
a. ____________________________________
b. _____________________________________
c. _____________________________________
d. _____________________________________
2. Each of you will choose a job to fulfill. All of you will give input on the letter.
a. Researcher, this person will have to lookup things on the internet or in microsoft word help. If your team doesn't know how to do it you put your research skills to work and figure it out.
i. _________________________________
b. This person will do the typingand work close with the designer.
i. _________________________________
c. Designer, this person will have to decide what style the letter will be in and if or not to add clip art ect.
i. ___________________________________
d. 2nd researcher if needed looked up statistics on the benefits of computers in the class room and whatever else researcher 1 coulnd get to.
i. ___________________________________
3. Explain how you contributed to the team effort.
a. Researcher 1 what did you lookup on the internet or in Microsoft word help? How did you use this information?

b. Designer what did you add to improve your letter (photos, clipart, or templates)? Where did you find it? And why did you choose it?

c. Typist was spell check helpful? How helpful where the changes your designer made? What did you learn form your researchers?

4. Explain how you contributed to the team effort.
a. Researcher 2 what did you lookup on the internet or in Microsoft word help?After the "DID YOU KNOW" video We had came up with a general outline that had to be in the parent letter. So everyone on the team had to contribute some extra information to add into the letter and present it to the typist.

The first 5 or 10 min of class they asked me how do I do this or how do I do that. And I just directed them to there researcher. They taught themselves intermedate and advanced word skills in the process. Next week before we get started, each team will select someone to reteach a few skills they learned in Word. I will keep u posted please give me any advise you may have. The ship has sailed from here we sink or swim. Thanks guys for all of your help Delete Comment