TappedIn and a new bulletin board…

Cathy’s Thoughts: I don’t know that I have ever been in a classroom that had no bulletin board or posters on the wall or some kind of print – students or otherwise – on the wall. Some teachers do more than others. Elementary teachers are especially good. Some high school teachers claim not to do bulletin boards and may put up one to last for several years. I wonder how we would feel if there were no bulletin boards to do because there are no bulletin boards there. I remember Dr. Parks coming back from Brasil with pictures of rooms with sterile walls – white and bare. Knowing this you will better understand Tyrone’s joy at being the first teacher to get a bulletin board in his room – and what an unusual occurrence that really is.

April 20, 2009

Cathy, Thank you for your praises. I think we both deserve such praises. You, for instance, are more and more involved in the project and have been giving lots of creative ideas to our work - TappedIn usage, for example.

Of course I don't mind if you print the TappedIn material. You can print the whole material for your bulletin board. I think it is a way to show that we are really connected! My students have to pay more attention to the importance of TappedIn. Your boys and girls have done a good job using it. They take the job seriously! It was a pleasure reading their opinions on Freedom Writers: D---'s sincerity about his father, D---'s opinion... the polite way with which they have written.

I have to convince my students to act in the same way. They have been timid regarding the usage of TappedIn, and I think they haven't expressed themselves in a good Portuguese. They have to write more and more in order to improve their writing in our own language. TappedIn can help them in this sense.

April 20, 2009

Tyrone, Yes! I saw your material. You did a beautiful job. Do you mind if I print some of it up for my bulletin board? I will forward the e-mail to Dr. Parks. You are doing such an awesome job. It is great the way we can learn from each other, and we can work together so well. ---Cathy

April 19, 2009

Cathy, Let me get used to so much information! Just kidding!! Thanks for having created the new accounts. I don't think it'll be necessary to create new accounts besides those ones we have. I will try to use TappedIn as a moderator. Afterwards, I will give you a feedback about it!! Have you had a look at the TappedIn material that I have printed and will put on the new bulletin board? How did you like it?

By the way, I have a big bulletin board inside my classroom now. I asked the principal for it. One of the reasons for that was Dr. Park’s complaint about our classrooms here. She noticed public schools here didn't have students' works on the wall. I told that to the principal and suggested to him to ask a staff man to create a bulletin board and so he did.. So, you can tell her that at least at Parque School you are able to find a classroom with a bulletin board inside, I mean, a wall full of students' activities!!! Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!! ---Tyrone

April 19, 2009

Tyrone, I have created accounts for each of the students. You can create your own classroom or group. Then you add all of your students. You simply edit each name and put in your students’ names. Then we invite each other to collaborate as groups. My students can enter your classroom. Your students can enter mine. Do you want to try it? What do you think? ---Cathy