KinderTools

= = =KinderTools 101: Enhancing Home-School Communication =

Blogs: text, video, audio (embed link to video on SchoolTube)


 * Presenter**: Sara Mae Varvaro – Kindergarten Teacher

School seeking national certification and in the process, realized that they were not meeting the home/school communication.

How does K teacher use a blog?
 * post daily - newsletter info
 * resources
 * important dates


 * families post back AND families have blogs and teacher s\learnes more about her kids http://frat-be-tony.blogspot.com/

Class - Writer's Workshop standard - write a book by end of K so use blog for the students to read their book. This is done with "lunch dates" with K teacher. Kids use Audacity and edit with teacher!

How to Books - wrote and acted out and posted on School Tube
 * no adverstising
 * clear picture quality
 * no pop-ups
 * family members from afar see the student work!

VoiceThread - using it as an activator e.g. Community Helpers
 * used United Streaming to get pictures of those who do "dirty jobs"
 * show a picture and kids record what they think the comminity worker does


 * TOPIC: Blogs**
 * Used blogs to communicated with parents
 * Common Craft http://www.commoncraft.com/ – great visual to introduce technology e.g. blogs * District bought November Learning-each teacher has 4 blogs (all K teachers have a blog)
 * Will not show up in search engine
 * Communication: family to teacher/teacher to family/student to family and teacher
 * KinderStories: write & audio record – upload to SchoolTube


 * NOTE:** SMART Table

kinderblogging.ning.com