Notable+Websites+&+Blogs

==There are some fantastic teaching websites out there that are supported by notable ed-based organizations. Most of the time, these websites are multifaceted- webinars, videos, discussions, research/data, lessonplans, and other resources are made available to the viewer. There are also many thought-provoking teaching blogs out there. These sites and blogs make good "favorites" and can be subscribed to as they frequently update their material.==

ASCD.org (www.ascd.org)
This is the organization that publishe//s Educational Leadership//, a great resource for us "someday" administrators. By becoming a member you will receive thi publication. Their site is rich with resources though not all of it is free. One component that is free is their webinars that you can participate in real-time or view through their archived list. This might be a good place for a PD discussion to begin.

From their site: Founded in 1943, ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) is an educational leadership organization dedicated to advancing best practices and policies for the success of each learner. Our 160,000 members in 148 countries are professional educators from all levels and subject areas––superintendents, supervisors, principals, teachers, professors of education, and school board members. Our nonprofit, nonpartisan membership association provides expert and innovative solutions in professional development, capacity building, and educational leadership essential to the way educators learn, teach, and lead.



Mike Rose's Blog (http://mikerosebooks.blogspot.com)
Mike Rose is a long time educator who writes and speaks about language and literacy, among other topics. I respect his ideas and enjoy reading his blog. His posts might serve as a good beginning place for a PD discussion. From his blog: "I will post a new entry every week or two. Some will be new writing and some will be past work that has relevance today. The writing will deal in some way with the themes that have been part of my teaching and writing life for decades: •teaching and learning; •educational opportunity; •the importance of public education in a democracy; •definitions of intelligence and the many manifestations of intelligence in school, work, and everyday life; and •the creation of a robust and humane philosophy of education. If I had to sum up the philosophical thread that runs through my work, it would be this: A deep belief in the ability of the common person, a commitment to educational, occupational, and cultural opportunity to develop that ability, and an affirmation of public institutions and the public sphere as vehicles for nurturing and expressing that ability. My hope is that this blog will foster an online community that brings people together to continue the discussion."



Show Me the Strategies (@http://franklincountyschools.k12tn.net/Show%20Me%20the%20Strategies.htm)
This site has hundreds of strategies that were compiled by a group of teachers in Tennessee. The strategies can be adapted to any level, any subject, any learner. This might be a good opportunity for a PLC to try out the strategies and report back to each other on how they impacted student achievement.



 New York Times Education Page ( @http://www.nytimes.com/pages/education/index.html)
Frequently updated, the Education Page of the NYT always has interesting and highly relevant articles. Definitely helpful in staying up-to-date on ed. practices across the country. For PD purposes, the Education Page provides a good glimpse at education at different levels and education in different parts of the country.



21st Century Educational Technology & Learning (@http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com)
Michael Gorman maintains this blog and his supporting wikispace (@http://21centuryedtech.wikispaces.com). His main focus is technology and he provides a lot of links, resources, and advice for adapting our teaching to the 21st century.



The Innovative Educator (@http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com)
Lisa Nielson is a respected educator and innovator in the field. Some might consider some of her ideas to be controversial, but they always thought provoking. From her blog: Lisa Nielsen, best known as creator of [|__The Innovative Educator blog__] , is an outspoken and passionate advocate of learning innovatively. She is frequently covered by local and national media for her views on "Thinking Outside the Ban" to harness the power of technology for learning. Ms. Nielsen speaks with audiences around the world sharing real-life anecdotes about the risk-taking actions she feels are necessary to do what is in the best interest of 21st century students despite the protests of educational administrators and policy makers stuck in the past. Passionate about educator voice and thinking outside the ban Ms. Nielsen blogs, promotes cell phone use for educators and students, and friends students on Facebook even though an outdated educational system tried to stop her from moving ahead. She has already seen her efforts begin to pay off as her district has taken baby steps in breaking free from the old way of doing things and is moving toward embracing innovation and recognizing that some of these ideas are not so bad after all.