Teachers: Move Over Monopoly, Hello: Lessonopoly

Calling all teachers! As teachers we experience a new day everyday, though our classroom walls and students may look the same, a day is inherently different. In an attempt to create interesting lessons, (yes and meet state standards) it is often wise to collaborate with others in the field. However, with only 24 hours in a day and a to-do list that grows like weeds, it is almost impossible to collaborate, lesson plan, successfully manage your classroom, and oh yeah, meet personal goals and chores!
Well, to help your list and time management, I would like to introduce: Lessonoply (http://lessonopoly.org/). Lessonoply is a one stop for free (our favorite word) for: Classroom Management, Lesson Plan Library and Collaboration with other teachers.
According to the site, "Lessonopoly is a free tool that lets you manage your classroom, find and share lesson plans and connect with other teachers" (http://lessonopoly.org/). Simply sign up and you are in a community of educators! Thank you, Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) for providing teachers with this wonderful tool!

Education and Technology--A Safe Collaboration

In the current day and age it is almost impossible to get through a day without using technology. We have woven technology into our lives in an effort to simplify, like online calendars with alerts and email accessible on the go.
In the same manner teachers attempt to introduce technology and meet new state technology standards. However there can be many obstacles from a lack of funding to a meaningful way to weave technology into current curriculum. In an effort to create a safe online learning environment for K-12 students, ed.voicethread.com attempts to meet these needs by providing

"a secure collaborative network designed for the K-12 academic environment. Using one simple tool, educators and students can collaborate almost around any type of media via voice, text, web cam and drawing commentary, all within a secure environment. Access to the network is restricted to K-12 educators, students and administrators, ensuring safe and secure classroom collaboration. "

This safe media based collaborative online network is a powerful tool as it helps weave educational communities across subjects. This is one great example of how students can successfully and safely apply technology directly into learning.