It's Monday What Are You Reading?

It is Monday and again I am joining in the meme over at Mentor Texts.
Hop on over and join in over at the Mentor Text Blog. Just click on the picture below.

This last week I read See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles.  A very moving book that addresses a number of issues.  Mainly my sympathy was with 

Fern and the sense that she had at times that she was invisible especially to her mother.    I loved how Sara, Fern's older sister steps up and gets Fern and Holden to the homecoming dance.  The book bravely addresses the issues of a death in the family and homosexuality.  

I am not sure whether I will introduce this to my class, only the very older ones perhaps. If you've read it when would you introduce it into a class library? I wonder as mine I think are just say a year too young. (10-12 year olds)

Origami Yoda while still addressing issues important to middle graders, was far more lighthearted and I found myself chuckling a few times. I know there will be many readers in my class for this one.

I read this for my own professional reading.  I found it very helpful , especially the middle section that explored the telling of narrative.  Even if I was never to do digital storytelling in the classroom, this section gives a good approach to planning a narrative where there is tension and character development and change.  Something quite hard for younger writers to grasp. This book has given me some ideas on how to help them.

Apart from that I am going to try digital storytelling and I found this book very useful.

This coming week I will be reading Franny K Stein Mad Scientist  Lunch Walks Among us by Jim Benton and Marty Maguire Digs Worms by Kate Messner.

A Digital Class and Teacher!

photo © 2009 Sarah | more info (via: Wylio)

What equipment does a class need to be a digital class?

This was one of the areas of exploration that took place as part of a webinar that Murcha alerted me to last week.  Deciding that I could be brave and join in, I took part.  My first experience of a live webinar.  Of course the bravery came from the fact I felt very secure in the fact that after the teacher blogging challenge I felt comfortable with anything that Murcha would be helping to organise and moderate. I was amazed at the dedication of the teachers who joined from some late time zones.  I loved the interaction of the webinar. As Murcha writes in her post just recently, and why wouldn't students be doing this too?  My mind begins to tick over.

 I already have earmarked the next one, when Linda Yollis will be the guest speaker. Over the last few years through the class and student blogging challenge I have seen the great work she does.  I just know I will learn.

So back to the question about equipment. 

I have 5 desktop computers and 5 laptops in my classroom. They have access to the internet and work of the school server.

I have a set of headphones for each computer.

I have my teacher laptop.  It has a built in microphone.

I have a digital camera for photos and video clips. I am about to add another.

I have one simple free standing microphone.

I have a digital computer over my whiteboard.

3 of the students are trialling using their own ipod touches for classroom use.

This is more than adequate and I am grateful for what I have. (Of course I dream of ipads etc!) Our policy is to have the hardware in the classrooms rather than as a school suite. I am a fan of how we do this.  We are too small, just over 120 students for a dedicated suite and ICT coordinator.

Each year I have grown as a digital class teacher.  The edublogs challenges have largely been resonsible for this.  The other part of the equation is that I have an interest and belief in it. Well, I love it, actually.  It is such a wonderful thing to be able to learn and share with other teachers and students around the globe. All the time new doors are opening.

There is one disadvantage to all this as far as I can see.  I have things to do outside the digital community! Yesterday, being Saturday, I had a NO COMPUTER DAY!  It was great, time to do the shopping and housework. Then time spent with a friend walking and swimming at the beach, with dinner later.  Yes definitely important for me to stay away from it one day a week!

So how about you?  What kind of digital equipment do you have to use as part of your daily teaching? What do you dream of having? What exciting new learnings are opening up for you?  And do you ever factor in no computer days for yourself?!