Y'all.... IT'S TIME FOR YALL FEST.

Everyone let me introduce you to the best Young Adult Literature Conference around - YALL FEST.

Please check out their webpage here: yallfest.org OR like them on Facebook OR follow them on Twitter at @YallFest

On Loop

Presently I'm working on designing a unit on Shakespeare's Hamlet. In the unit I am assigning my students to memorize the "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy. While researching the speech, I found this EXCELLENT video of a student that put the words to a song. It is FANTASTIC and I've been listening to it on loop for the past day. I am considering allowing students to put the soliloquy to music and sing the recitation in class. Listen and watch here!

Do you have 1 minute and 59 seconds?

Take a break from checking Facebook or Twitter to watch this short and worthwhile film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm0M3yL5Sp8

I'm going to New York to work in a school in the South Bronx called MS (Middle School) 223 over Spring Break. The neighborhood has 0 book stores and the average household has 3 while the school itself doesn't have a single library.

My challenge is to change that! My mission with my team is to provide the ENTIRE 7th grade class with personal Shoebox Libraries. Each library will contain FIVE books that the kids will be able to transport between school and their homes. That's 160 kids which equals 800 books!

So that's where I need YOUR help. I need you to sponsor a 7th grader by providing FIVE BOOKS for an individual Shoebox Library. Here's How:

• All you need to do is go to Amazon and view this Wish List: http://amzn.com/w/2P4A7EN6INYPZ
• From there you pick FIVE books from the list. They can be USED but they must be listed in "LIKE NEW" or "GOOD" condition.
• Ship the books by March 1, 2012 to this address:

MS 223

Mr. Ohl - Shoebox Library

360 E 145th Street

Bronx, NY 10454

• Fill out the pledge form pictured below and return it to me (either via email, snail mail, in the comments section, or in person) OR you can fill out the pledge form ONLINE here: http://tinyurl.com/75xh9as so that we can keep track of our goal.

If you want to sponsor more than one student then please do! Or if you want to buy extra books to make the Free Shipping then please do that too! AND if you happen to have copies of these books already (or know someone that wants to give them away) then all you have to do is TELL ME and SHIP THEM TO NYC! How easy is that?!

You can change the numbers.

You can make a difference in the future of these students.

You can play a part in changing the South Bronx from

a book desert into an OASIS.

Shakespeare and Star Trek

Yes I'm on fire today. Shakespeare and Star Trek VI. Go nerds!

Animaniacs and Shakespeare

I just couldn't resist. The Animaniacs on Shakespeare's Hamlet, Macbeth, and a Midsummer Night's Dream:

Julius Caesar Rap

Also I'm working on a unit for Julius Caesar and found this clip from the Bill Cosby Show. I think that's all the introduction this clip needs. Enjoy!

Breakin It Down : Shakespeare Style

Yes, I know it's been quite a while since I've posted BUT I blame my internship this semester. Today I'm preparing an introductory unit to Shakespeare when I stumbled upon this little gem of a video. I will say I think this would be suited for higher grades (10-12th) as opposed to the younger kiddos (6-9th), but it's engaging and HYSTERICAL. Enjoy!

"The Best Teaching Tip Ever"

This post comes as a tip of my hat to my cooperating teacher for internship. As we worked together during pre-planning she, and I quote, gave "the best teaching tip ever." Are you ready for this?

Wait for it.....

Here it is: PRINT ALL OF YOUR TESTS ON RED COPY PAPER.

You probably weren't expecting that were you? Well according to her experience in the classroom of 30+ years this prevents students from cheating on the test because they cannot accurately read another student's answers.

Boom. So, start stocking up on red copy paper fellow teachers! Enjoy!

Changing Education Paradigms

Every single individual involved in education today should take 10 minutes and watch this video. It is inspiring, informative, and important. Enjoy!

A Poem A Day

Might make the doctor go away, but it certainly will expose your students to the world of poetry and perhaps instill an interest in this form of literary expression.

My excellent internship teacher gave me the heads up about Poetry 180 that provides a poem for every day of the school year.

Check it out and be inspired to make poetry a part of your every day curriculum! Also due my inspiration from Poetry 180, I have included one of my absolute favorite poems by X. J. Kennedy called "Nothing In Heaven Functions As It Ought" Enjoy!

Nothing in Heaven functions as it ought:

Peter's bifocals, blindly sat on, crack;

His gates lurch wide with the cackle of a cock,

Not turn with a hush of gold as Milton had thought;

Gangs of the slaughtered innocents keep huffing

The nimbus off the Venerable Bede

Like that of an old dandelion gone to seed;

And the beatific choir keep breaking up, coughing.

But Hell, sleek Hell, hath no freewheeling part:

None takes his own sweet time, none quickens pace.

Ask anyone, "How come you here, poor heart?"—

And he will slot a quarter through his face.

You'll hear an instant click, a tear will start

Imprinted with an abstract of his case.

Technology Biographies

This is going to be a super quick post because I am drowning with end-of-the-semester papers, but while I was researching for one of those said papers I stumbled upon this excellent idea:

Technology Biographies!

In the article "Fresh Perspectives on New Literacies and Technology Integration" by Labbo and Place (2011), they describe an assignment where they "ask students to write the story of their lives through the lens of the technologies they use and enjoy. Many students have years of multi-literacy expertise that they can bring into the classroom."

How awesome would it be to hear how your students implement technology beyond the classroom? Also it could provide you as a teacher with a way to assess their knowledge of technologies including new ways to implement them in the classroom. Plus we all know students are into technology, from iPhones to iPads, and having them write on something they already are interested in could boost levels of engagement.

Needless to say, this is a writing prompt that I would love to use in my classroom. If I have a chance to do so in the fall, I will let you know how it works out!

Enjoy!

Poetry, Art, and Music

I know, you guys are probably getting spoiled by my continuous posting lately, but sometimes resources tend to find your way to your laptop in their own time like this little gem below.

I have yet to teach poetry, but I imagine that a majority of students are often confused by the mere idea of it or its possibilities. I have always loved the art myself, but I want to find a way to make it interesting and accessible to students. I think this video, a performance by a singer/songwriter/poet named Tanya Davis and filmed by videographer Andrea Dorfman, is just too beautiful to pass up.

Here is "How to Be Alone" by Tanya Davis. Enjoy!

Harry Potter!

As a future English teacher, I have to admit that one of my obsessions, beside Shakespeare, has to be Harry Potter. I look for ways to incorporate J.K. Rowling's literary genius into my lesson designs (especially using sentences for grammar instruction!) Students seem to humor me and my love of all things HP, but I often found some students had yet to watch the movies or read the books (a tragedy in and of itself). Today one of my buddies Jason Mundie, (who happens to be an excellent wedding photographer; you can check his site out here) sent me this video of a summary of all the HP movies via song.

It is glorious.

Also, spoiler alert people! If you haven't read the books or watched the movies, then skip this post! ENJOY!

I love Shakespeare.

I love Shakespeare.

But what I love even more than his way with words has to be the humor it evokes. I have no idea what this could be used for in the classroom besides that it's absolutely hysterical. Enjoy!

Happy 4th of July

To celebrate the independence of our grand nation, I present this Muppet tribute.

Sadly I will, as far as I know, not be teaching during the month of July, but if I were I would show this to my class in a heart beat. It doesn't get better than Sam the Eagle.

Happy 4th of July everybody!

Bad Teacher: A Review

This weekend I went to the beach with a five other ladies in the same Secondary English Education program. While we were having our vacation, we decided to catch the newly released flick Bad Teacher. The film stars Cameron Diaz as a character who embarks on the field of teaching simply to earn a few bucks. Her co-stars include Justin Timberlake, playing a creepy substitute teacher and Jason Segel as a likable gym teacher.

First let me warn you. It is rated R and it certainly earns it's restricted rating. And overall it's quite an awful film. The only slightly humorous parts are shown in the trailers, as is the practice of most lack-luster movies these days. After seeing the film I think what bothered me the most, besides Diaz's breathtakingly annoying performance, was their portrayal of teachers. At one point in the movie Diaz asks Jason Segel's character, "What went wrong in your life that you became a middle school gym teacher?"

Even though it had a lot of potential, the film did deliver on one part of it's title: BAD. So, to make up for it, I have compiled a list of teacher-must-see movies and they are as follows:

1.) Dead Poet's Society. If I could steal any cinematic portrayal of the first day of class, it would be this one. So. Good. Plus Robin William's performance is impeccable. Diaz, take note.

2.) Waiting For Superman: Nothing but an inspirational documentary film about the present state of our education system. A must see if you are entering or participating in any aspect of education.

3.) Freedom Writers: I hear this is a classically "teachers make a difference" movie. Honestly I have yet to see this film, but I hear it's always on the top of any teacher's list.

4.) Finding Forrester: Okay, I know it has my last name in the title, but really it's such a wonderful movie about writing, reading, and authorship. It might be a little obscure, but trust me, it's a winner.

5.) School of Rock: This movie is just plain fun. Rock 'n roll. Guitars. Students. Enough said.

6.) The First Grader: This movie is a true story of a villager in Kenya that wants to go to school even at age 84. I haven't seen the film, but just by the trailer alone it looks as inspiring as it appears. I'll let you know what I think after I see it for myself!

Happy movie watching!

Hiatus

Hey everyone!

So I apologize for the hiatus on this here blogola but between 3 summer classes and working 2 new jobs I kinda got behind around here. Now that we have an apology out of the way, it's time for NEW technologies! I know. So eager, aren't you?

I took a class on Elizabethan and Shakespeare literature this summer. We read a fascinating article about the possibility of Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth I meeting, and having a friendship of sorts. To coincide with our discussion on the article I made the video below using BLABBERIZE. Another site similiar to the one I used is called Fotobabble (it leans more toward a PhotoStory set up), but personally I thought Blabberize was a lot easier to use. If you haven't checked out this site, then you should. It's absolutely hysterical AND a great way to engage some of your less enthused students. I've thought about using Blabberize for character analysis as well.

Enjoy my video. And yes I did all of the voices myself.

Teach Me How To Study

My pre-teacher buddy showed me this video made by students in at a Charter School in Los Angeles. It's absolutely AMAZING! Enjoy!

Contxts

With the site Contxts.com you can text homework assignments to your students for FREE! If this is kosher with your school policy, this is an excellent way to remind students when assignments are due. The site was originally designed for business professionals to exchange business cards through text messaging. Essentially it is the same as texting your contact information, except it does not reveal your phone number.

All you have to do is enter your first and last name, create a username and password, and provide your number and email address. Next you add your homework to the "Your Txt Card" box. The "Txt Card" box only allows 140 characters, either you can send multiple messages or keep it short! Once you enter your information, click submit!

Then the site will give you directions to tell your students how to access the text messages. It will say something along the lines of "tell your friends to txt msforrester to 50500." Once my students text "msforrester" to the number 50500 then they will receive the homework assignment!

Now you can send reminders or homework assignments to your classes! How cool is that!?

Qwiki

A few weeks ago I found this awesome site, Qwiki.com that shows images and plays audio concerning information on just about anything you can think of. I thought this would be a great way to introduce some background knowledge before entering a literature unit. So, in light of the holiday, enjoy this Qwiki on Easter!

View Easter and over 3,000,000 other topics on Qwiki.