Yours in making people smile about math,

Steve

Here, it looks like the next school year will be very tough, but hopefully after the elections, we’ll have a course correction.

Anyway, thanks for listing, and keep up the good fight!

P.S. My other site on open education is http://www.k12opened.com. This is a topic I am getting increasingly passionate about. I think open materials have the opportunity to revolutionize education.

I’ve just come across you blog on Mashups and Public Domain material. I think you’ve created an excellent “product”.

Your thoughts on testing are so true and here in the UK it is just as bad. Here are a few facts taken from today’s paper:

* pupils face 30 national tests between the age of 4 and 18
* at 4 years of age they are assessed against 117 benchmarks to assess their progress
*for 4 months every year primaries, ages 5 to11, spend an average of 10 hours a week on test coaching

The government are even talking about introducing assessment tests for nurseries!

You’re right they’ve gone assement mad.

I am a grandparent now and I am not a teacher or involved in education but it is my contention that children leave school with plenty of facts (at least some do) and no education.

Keep up your protest!

I used to work for a service which was delivering teaching material for all ages via an online service or CD and this was back in the late 80’s before the www existed! The government pulled the funding. Shortsighted or what!

David

THANKS.

DJLANG

There are often workshops on this at ed tech conferences. I also do workshops at schools and districts.

The great thing about podcasting is that there isn’t much you need to buy. You can listen to podcasts on desktop computers, laptops, Palms, iPods, or other MP3 players. To make your own podcast, all you need is an inexpensive microphone headset (available for < $20) and editing software. Audacity is great and free.

See this podcasting page for more info.

Thanks for listening and writing.

Please send me more information on workshops or conferences that I might be able to attend. In the meantime, I think I will be going to purchase the tools needed by the weekend.

Thanks for all the mashing. This one was great. I worked with a bunch of teachers this year on a Youth Radio project, in which kids from around the country (and into the Philippines) posted podcast stories, reflections, etc, and then we blogged comments. We’re still working out the kinks but it was very cool experience for our elementary students.

http://youthradio.wordpress.com/

Again, thanks for all the work and the sharing.

Peace,
Kevin

Thanks for highlighting some podcasts by other elementary students. I thought I would share the podcast that my 3rd and 4th grade library students do with me. You can visit our site at http://www.branson.k12.mo.us/elementary/podcast/. The kids do book reviews, author interviews, and highlight activities that are going on each month in our library media center.

Cynthia Matzat
Branson Elementary Library Media Specialist
Branson, MO

karen

I just found your show through Bob Sprankle’s site. Thanks for doing this – you have at least one Canadian subscriber now!

Two classes, Grade 4/5 and 5, have been making podcasts this school year. We think we’ve come a long way in production quality and, to date, have now put out 16 episodes. We’ve included book talks, plays, interviews, songs, soundscapes and soundtours.

We hope you find the time to listen to us. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Find contact information at portableradio.ca. We’re discovering that feedback is most important part of making this project authentic and meaningful for the kids.

Nathan Toft
Ottawa, Canada