RSS

It actually is amazing as to what is available out there. I created a google reader and added the subscriptions that were a part of the Session 1 assignment and went on to add four more new feeds. I have been checking my google reader everyday now for four days. It allows me to briefly scroll down and see the latest posts from my feeds. I can also click on a particular topic that I find interesting and read the entire article or blog post. I can click on a specific subscription to see the latest posts from that feed. It really is great! Below is a screen snapshot of my google reader with my subscriptions:

On Day 1, I read the post from the Reflections of a High School Math Teacher's blog where the author discussed the way to teach and engage students in solving 2 step equations. His method involved having students work in pairs and then coming up to the board one at a time to complete a step each until the entire equation is solved showing all the work. He even has videos embedded in his other posts to show activities and ideas that he has used or is planning on using with his students. CNN.com Breaking News is another subscription that I added. It had several current news including the situation in Lybia and updates on the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.


I posted a comment to the Reflections of a High School Math Teacher's blog titled, "You take the Left side and I'll take the Right side." I commented on the importance of teaching students how to solve 2 step equations and how his proposed method allows students to work collaboratively with each other. I also stated that I particularly liked his idea of having students justify their work and that I would try his method out with my Algebra 1 students.


On Day 2, I read a news article from the Times of India about the Cricket World Cup that is taking place in India right now. The article discussed one of the best cricketers India has ever seen, Sachin Tendulkar, and how this World Cup at home (for him in India) is the most important tournament of his life. The Reflections of a High School Teacher blog had no new posts. CNN had several news about the world that were listed with brief descriptions. I read a couple of them.


On Day 3, I looked at some posts from the Techlearning feed. There was a post about voting for best student problem solvers and another one about the Schoolhouse Rock, a collection of animated songs. This "four-time Emmy award-winning series introduces kids to grammar, science, multiplication, money and American history concepts through catchy, educational songs." There was a three minute video embedded in the post to give us an idea. The IB Online feed that I subscribed to had nothing new for all the three days. There last post is dated March 4th. It discussed the typical IB learner profile.

Overall, this is a very efficient and effective way for me to get updates with information on a  professional level as well as on a personal level. It is fairly easy to use and modify once the  page, contents, and subscriptions have been set up. I could add more subscriptions or remove one if it doesn't work for me anymore. Having a chance to view what other math teachers do and what is happening in the IB world regularly would keep me constantly up to date with my professional world. The google reader is already becoming a regular part of my daily life.


After a week and a half, I realize how up-to-date I am with the current events and the educational world. Even with just a few minutes available, I am able to actually look through my google reader and select a couple of articles/posts to read. It is definitely a very efficient way to keep in touch with everything around us. I plan to add a few more subscriptions, but want to be selective to include topics and areas that are of prime interests to me. This is really wonderful!