Welcome to teachENG.us! I would love to see a number of teachers writing for this blog. I would like to see it become something of a lifehacker.com for English teachers.

If you’d like to publish here, email me at ben@esoterium.us.

CostOne inexpensive tool you can use studying is a simple hinged ring, which can be found near the paper clips, that holds hole-punched index cards. You can buy a 10-pack of these rings (called loose leaf rings) at your local Wal-mart (or drugstore) for about $2. They can be purchased in silver, gold, or a variety of colors (which can help you organize different topics). You can grab a 300 pack of index cards for about $2.00. That brings the total to $4.00. So the index cards will AT LEAST last two semesters.Being EfficientIf you take the index cards, cut them in half, and hole punch them, you will multiply your cards to 600.TipsI have found that 100 cards on a 1-inch ring can fit comfortably in your pocket for those moments when you have long enough to study 2 words (like at a traffic light or in the bank line). But about 300 can fit on the ring (as seen in the picture).Color the bottom of the cards to identify different groups of information (vocabulary units, historical period, methods of underwater basket weaving, etc.).Cut the cards in half to make this tool smaller. That will help you fit it into smaller purses and your pocket.You can take advantage of the hinged ring by attaching it to the strap of your backpack. Or, if you want to elevate your coolness to a totally new level, attach it to your belt loop.IF YOU HAVE OTHER IDEAS FOR TIPS TO USE WITH THIS TOOL, LEAVE THEM IN MY COMMENTS SECTION.

To see more examples about using BUBBL.US, go HERE

BRIEF:
In order to encourage my students to brainstorm for their research paper projects, I decided to use BUBBLE.US to have them create and collaborate via virtual word webs. In addition to being simple and easy to use, this site allows students to get their daily fix of networking. I was able to establish an account so that they could network with me. With a network established I was able to check their word webs from home. Also, I had them link to each other so that they could collaborate together based on their topics.

Typically I have trouble getting them to get excited about word webs. But they were VERY excited about this medium through which they could interact with technology to accomplish the assignment. (Also, the guys loved how the bubbles exploded when you deleted them, and the girls seemed to love finding just the right colors. However, the thing they seemed most interested in was the fact that they could network.

Then, during lectures about organization, all I had to do was turn on my projector, pull up my account, and select maps from my list (of about one hundred or so) to use as examples. We were able to have engaging discussions about how we could organize different topics. And organizing their peers’ ideas helped all of them, even though they didn’t share the same topics.

IDEAS:
(If you have other ideas, email me and I will post them.)
1. You could use bubble.us to have your students do a closing activity for a lesson/unit. Lets say that we have to draw a similarity between The Pigman and Where the Red Fern Grows. Students could start off with two bubbles (one for each book) and collaborate while sitting at a computer in one room, or they could do it in front of their own computers at home.

2. Students could also be assigned various topics to research. If you designed each question to have a different focus, but same basic principles behind them, you could use this website for collaboration.
**Example questions:
Set A
What are the differences between liquids and gasses?
What are the similarities between Solids and gasses?

Set B
Create a bubbl [sic] that examines the racism in OTHELLO.
Create a bubbl [sic] that examines the racism in Huck Finn

Both of the sets of questions above have different qualities to them. Students could express a large amount of knowledge by answering any of these four questions, but that is only tapping into the KNOWLEDGE level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. What if we could get them to move on to EVALUATION by simply having him/her complete one of these questions and then seek out a peer who answered the other question in the set. The students could then evaluate/collaborate about each other’s.

3. Vocabulary could also be used with this site. Students could do a diagram for the 5 words they think are the most difficult for that week’s vocabulary unit. Then they could make a word web where the main block is for the chosen vocabulary word. Pink blocks are for synonyms that have come up in other vocabulary lessons. Green blocks would be for previously learned vocabulary words that serve as antonyms. Yellow blocks are for associations to the student’s own life. And, finally, blue blocks for tricks that might help them remember the words.

Then have the students go on a scavenger hunt for all of the words that were not on their “hardest words bubbl [sic]” list.

HOW TO:
SAVE YOUR SHEETS
Once you have created a bubble on your screen, you are able to save your map.
Simply click the MY SHEETS tab and save your diagram.
Type in a name in the space provided next to the SAVE button.
Click Save.

HOW TO ADD FRIENDS
Click the FRIENDS tab on the right side of the screen.
Type in a friend’s name and hit ENTER.
A list of names that are spelled like the one you typed in will appear.
Finally, find, and select, the one you want to add.

SHARING WITH FRIENDS
After you have saved your map and have added friends, you will be able to share your maps with others. Here’s how:
Click on the MY SHEETS TAB
Click on the sheet you wish to share.
Click SHARE (located just above your list).
When you do that, it will be give the list of your friends. Next to each name you will notice a watermark of some classes (which allow the friend to SEE the sheet) and a pencil (which allows the friend to EDIT the sheet).

EXPORTING YOUR SHEETS
One feature that makes this website AWESOME is the ability to export your sheets in a variety of formats.
1. Click MENU (bottom right corner of your sheet).
2. Click EXPORT.
3. Select one of the options provided (they are explained below).

PRINTING IT AS AN OUTLINE…ALMOST
For this option, you will want to select XML format. This will put it in a basic outline format. **However, it will not have numbers or letters. It will only be indented

JPEG (Picture)
Select IMAGE to save your sheet as a picture. You can pick JPEG or PNG. I prefer JPEG.

HTML
If you have a blog that serves as a class website, you will even be able to post an interactive version of your example (click for an example) by copying and pasting HTML code. That sounds fancy, but all you need is an index or ring finger (depending on your preference for right clicking).

This blog entry came from ESOTERIUM.US/BLOG.

I recently discovered DOODLE.CH, a website that allows you create polls without signing up to an online service. This is cool because you can create options and have people pick options and tell why they picked them. Therefore, you can let the majority decide on the date of a gathering rather than sending a volley of emails back and forth between friends. FOR TEACHERS:In playing around with this site, I whipped up a quick schedule that will allow my students to sign up for a time to meet with me on multiple slots on multiple days. It would be so easy to place a link on a site or moodle to allow students to go and pencil themselves in on my schedule.As people respond to the poll, it creates a handy, dandy schedule as seen here:

This blog entry came from ESOTERIUM.US/BLOG.

This week I have been reviewing for the grad exam with some of my students. I have found that a series of photos (see example above) can really relieve some of pains experienced during remediation. Encouraging them to be as creative as possible, I have been putting up pictures and having students write a sentence about them. They may write about what is in the picture, they may write the background story, or the may write what will happen next. It is up to them.

This week I have been reviewing for the grad exam with some of my students. I have found that a series of photos (see example above) can really relieve some of pains experienced during remediation. Encouraging them to be as creative as possible, I have been putting up pictures and having students write a sentence about them. They may write about what is in the picture, they may write the background story, or the may write what will happen next. It is up to them.

Next I will review some aspect of grammar (for example, yesterday we reviewed appositives, absolutes, and participles). Once they show me they remember how to do them, I allow them to practice on their own sentences. They return to them and wedge in an appositive here, tattoo a participle there. Then, BAM! They have one heck of a powerful sentence.

While they think they are working on writing, they are refreshing their memories on these topics. Also, placing writing as the forefront allows the grammatical lessons to be more fluid. I can assess student progress by having them present their sentences aloud or on the ELMO. They had in their work each day for my records, and I can make individual notes on other topics I see along the way.

(Joe gave me the picture idea during the 2007 Red Mountain Writing Project.)

This blog entry came from ESOTERIUM.US/BLOG.