SMORE Awesomeness!

Just found an incredible new resource!  smore.com.  It is a site that allows you to quickly create a beautiful online flyer/announcement/ad/webpage.....It is incredible simple too.  When you finish, you can get the embed code or a link to your page.

I can imagine digital book reports, visual timelines, awesome parent announcements, teacher-created lessons, and tons more!

At the end of 8th grade before graduation every student in my district gives a short speech in front of their peers and families.  In the past, they have displayed a picture of the student on the screen behind them, but I think this would be better!  Each student could create a page unique to them (perhaps with a 6-word memoir) that would include their accomplishments, goals, memories, etc.

Here is an example of what I was thinking....

Changes in The Workplace

Yesterday I helped to host a tour for two architects of two the schools in our district. We spent the day viewing classrooms and discussing "space."  They were specifically interested in how our libraries/learning resource centers are being used (or not used!) and how the way spaces are arranged can impact that.  The discussion brought up points about community, collaboration, parents, student work, flexible groupings, performance space, furniture, and endless other factors. 

They invited us to tour a school they worked with in Hammond, IN soon to see how they have transformed the learning spaces there.

Today I stumbled upon this article, Be Prepared as Digital Native Demand the 4 Hour Work Week Lifestyle.  It brings up some really great points.....and makes me sure that we are preparing our students to be self-sufficient, self-directed learners and workers who know how to communicate and collaborate.