Didn't hear much from NECC today, due to the end of the conference - and most were in a going home mode, and then my laptop gave up the ghost. Actually, just a bad trackpoint (and maybe nonfunctional fan?), but managed to swap out the hard drive into another chassis, so am back in business. Back to school (isn't that over yet?) for parts. Was especially worried about the failure, as I'm heading back east in a few days, and will be depending on the laptop quite a bit, in different locations. Will catch up on the last NECC blogs and podcasts tomorrow...
Did manage to order 15 copies of Inspiration for my classroom next year. Not the end all, be all - but it will be part of my tech answer to the all school pencil and paper writing program in the fall. We'll see how it goes.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
NECC proceedings
Many thanks to all the bloggers and podcasters at NECC. Feel like I am there, in a way. Had intended to go a coupla months ago, but then finances and family stuff made it a nogo. Anyway, I've listened to a few sessions and read the writing of many astute edtech champions.
Am more determined than ever to MOVE ON in these areas of technology in my classroom this year - in spite of reluctance of my colleagues and lack of leadership from those who could make a difference. Am still reeling from the all school adoption of a writing program that has NO tech component. We'll be writing in Mead composition books, for goodness sakes - talk about returning to the 19th century. I thought I left them behind in jr. high school.
For this reason, it it especially exciting and encouraging to read and hear the thoughts of those at the head of the pack. Anyway, my plans are to move into the regular use of Inspiration, explore the possibilities of blogging with my third graders., and so on.
Read about Andy Carvin's panel presentation at NECC - ten years on the web for wwwedu, luminaries like Bonnie Bracey, Ed Gragert, David Warlick - wished I could have heard it - and then I did, via Andy's podcast. Today I updated the Young Authors' Conf. web page at Arbor Heights for the ELEVENTH year. Made me think about how things have changed and remained the same - and how I've sat too still this past year.
Very cool voices speaking. Steve Dembo also has some real interesting things to say in his blog. Can't wait for reports from tomorrow.
Am more determined than ever to MOVE ON in these areas of technology in my classroom this year - in spite of reluctance of my colleagues and lack of leadership from those who could make a difference. Am still reeling from the all school adoption of a writing program that has NO tech component. We'll be writing in Mead composition books, for goodness sakes - talk about returning to the 19th century. I thought I left them behind in jr. high school.
For this reason, it it especially exciting and encouraging to read and hear the thoughts of those at the head of the pack. Anyway, my plans are to move into the regular use of Inspiration, explore the possibilities of blogging with my third graders., and so on.
Read about Andy Carvin's panel presentation at NECC - ten years on the web for wwwedu, luminaries like Bonnie Bracey, Ed Gragert, David Warlick - wished I could have heard it - and then I did, via Andy's podcast. Today I updated the Young Authors' Conf. web page at Arbor Heights for the ELEVENTH year. Made me think about how things have changed and remained the same - and how I've sat too still this past year.
Very cool voices speaking. Steve Dembo also has some real interesting things to say in his blog. Can't wait for reports from tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
NECC blogs - and locals
Since starting this up yesterday I've been following my nose from blog to blog, with NECC and local blogs as a focus. NECC sounds very exciting, but also monstrously huge. A couple of good blog spots are Andy Carvin's and a listing of current postings at http://technorati.com/tag/necc and several blogs listed by author at http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2005/glance/blogging.php
The last one led me on to Bremerton's Jeff Allen's blog - which led me on to Conn McQuinn's - so, it is good to hear about some local folks out there.
Speaking of local, I did get a couple of personal responses to my posting to tictech asking about local blogs. Great hear from them - really lifts to the spirit, but I wish folks weren't so shy about posting back to the list.
The last one led me on to Bremerton's Jeff Allen's blog - which led me on to Conn McQuinn's - so, it is good to hear about some local folks out there.
Speaking of local, I did get a couple of personal responses to my posting to tictech asking about local blogs. Great hear from them - really lifts to the spirit, but I wish folks weren't so shy about posting back to the list.
Monday, June 27, 2005
School's over - really
The laptop mess from the 100 we had donated last September is now finally put away. Holy cow, what a mess. But most put to good use (31 to staff for personal use, 30 as replacement cpu's for our lab, and 24 in mobile carts to be used in classrooms). Just to top off the year and feel as though big headway had been made somewhere, I spent a few hours in our lab, throwing out about a dozen years worth of assorted programs, manuals. Several trips to the dumpster got it done.
Just posted a note to tictech, asking if anybody in the area is blogging edtech stuff. I sure don't hear much about it locally, but the national stuff (like at NECC right now) is pretty impressive and cool.
Just posted a note to tictech, asking if anybody in the area is blogging edtech stuff. I sure don't hear much about it locally, but the national stuff (like at NECC right now) is pretty impressive and cool.
Another try...
It's been too long since I've tried my hand at this. Here's a lovely picture of me from last summer, visiting sister Kristin in Ithaca. Back to school for a half day of cleaning up the laptop mess....
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
About me
(Updated July 14, 2007)
I'm going to start with a bit of current philosophy and get to the bio stuff later. Scroll down to get to that business.
Philosophy
I've doing technology related activities in the classroom for a long time, and I believe my perspective may be a little unique. I've been teaching the same grade (third) now for 16 years. In the same school. In the same classroom for the last 13 years. So, many things have stayed the same. It's nice not to have to worry about stuff like where you're teaching, what grade level you'll be teaching, having to learn a whole new curriculum, etc, etc, etc. That's a huge bunch of energy most teachers have to put out quite often. I choose to put mine elsewhere.
I also get to see things - like kids and technology - change with a clearer perspective. I don't have to wade through the variables of location and age to see how kids are changing, or to see how their use of technology is changing. Most of the other variables stay the same. The big changes are the technology and the kids. And that's where my energy goes. Every spare ounce, I have after I've jumped through the administrative directive hoops.
It was interesting when Friedman's The World is Flat came out. I absolutely gobbled it up. For me, it affirmed that I have been doing absolutely the right things with my third graders for the last dozen years. I am teaching them the skills they will need to succeed when they join the work force. Not the specific skills, of course - but the mindset, the attitude, the way of looking at learning and working together, the ability to learn how to learn, with confidence.
My Work
I'm a third grade teacher in the Seattle Public Schools. I've been doing this at Arbor Heights Elementary School for 16 years now - yikes! Before that, I taught special ed. - severe behavior disorders - for 10 years. So I'm no spring chicken.
I'm obviously very much into technology in education. It's something I've been doing since 1993, when I got an Internet account through NASA's Quest program. In August of 1994 I started up my school's web site. It was the 9th or 10th elementary school with a web site in the world. It is the only one of that group remaining at the same URL - on a personal account, as it has been since since day one. http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts - or these days, arborheights.com will get you there. Let's see, other big markers...
In the spring of 1994 I started The Earth Day Groceries Project. A ritual I go through each spring, it has become the largest educational activity coordinated on the Internet. Of all the web sites and Internet activities I've ever done, the Earth Day Groceries Project is the one that floats my boat, makes me feel like I've made a difference - and the one that connects me most closely with other teachers around the world. Five years ago, I established it as a non-profit 501(c-3). There is a blog, of course :)
I've been using Internet technologies in the classroom with my third graders since 1994. We started out with a 286 laptop and a 2400 baud modem, dialing up to my personal Internet account. Today I have 17 computers in there (4 are laptops), and we are of course on a high speed connection.
I wrote a chapter in Innovative Approaches to Literacy Education: Using the Internet to Support New Literacies that chronicles much of the story of my early years working with technology in the classroom. Published in April of 2005, and an IRA Book Club Selection in June of 2005, the book (my writing in particular) seems hopelessly out of date by today's standards. But there are still good stories and ideas...
Other web work
I started publishing web pages and sites before the first book on html was written (1994). Here are a few that I am responsible for:
www.earthdaybags.org
www.northwestartists.org
www.theshiningplace.com
www.arborheights.com
www.elmgroveproductions.com
www.sogreatajoy.com
Tictech
www.menbakebetter.com
www.livingmysteries.com
Random Thoughts of Louis Schmier
Peregrine Falcon Slideshow
www.somuchbeauty.org
I'm going to start with a bit of current philosophy and get to the bio stuff later. Scroll down to get to that business.
Philosophy
I've doing technology related activities in the classroom for a long time, and I believe my perspective may be a little unique. I've been teaching the same grade (third) now for 16 years. In the same school. In the same classroom for the last 13 years. So, many things have stayed the same. It's nice not to have to worry about stuff like where you're teaching, what grade level you'll be teaching, having to learn a whole new curriculum, etc, etc, etc. That's a huge bunch of energy most teachers have to put out quite often. I choose to put mine elsewhere.
I also get to see things - like kids and technology - change with a clearer perspective. I don't have to wade through the variables of location and age to see how kids are changing, or to see how their use of technology is changing. Most of the other variables stay the same. The big changes are the technology and the kids. And that's where my energy goes. Every spare ounce, I have after I've jumped through the administrative directive hoops.
It was interesting when Friedman's The World is Flat came out. I absolutely gobbled it up. For me, it affirmed that I have been doing absolutely the right things with my third graders for the last dozen years. I am teaching them the skills they will need to succeed when they join the work force. Not the specific skills, of course - but the mindset, the attitude, the way of looking at learning and working together, the ability to learn how to learn, with confidence.
My Work
I'm a third grade teacher in the Seattle Public Schools. I've been doing this at Arbor Heights Elementary School for 16 years now - yikes! Before that, I taught special ed. - severe behavior disorders - for 10 years. So I'm no spring chicken.
I'm obviously very much into technology in education. It's something I've been doing since 1993, when I got an Internet account through NASA's Quest program. In August of 1994 I started up my school's web site. It was the 9th or 10th elementary school with a web site in the world. It is the only one of that group remaining at the same URL - on a personal account, as it has been since since day one. http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts - or these days, arborheights.com will get you there. Let's see, other big markers...
In the spring of 1994 I started The Earth Day Groceries Project. A ritual I go through each spring, it has become the largest educational activity coordinated on the Internet. Of all the web sites and Internet activities I've ever done, the Earth Day Groceries Project is the one that floats my boat, makes me feel like I've made a difference - and the one that connects me most closely with other teachers around the world. Five years ago, I established it as a non-profit 501(c-3). There is a blog, of course :)
I've been using Internet technologies in the classroom with my third graders since 1994. We started out with a 286 laptop and a 2400 baud modem, dialing up to my personal Internet account. Today I have 17 computers in there (4 are laptops), and we are of course on a high speed connection.
I wrote a chapter in Innovative Approaches to Literacy Education: Using the Internet to Support New Literacies that chronicles much of the story of my early years working with technology in the classroom. Published in April of 2005, and an IRA Book Club Selection in June of 2005, the book (my writing in particular) seems hopelessly out of date by today's standards. But there are still good stories and ideas...
My Life
I live in Seattle, Washington, USA, not far from where I teach. I ride my bicycle to work every day. I have a wonderful and talented wife. Our teeny home is made even smaller by our three cats (here's the other guy in the fam). The rest of my biological family lives in CT and NY. I've been out west since 1973. BA (psychology) from UConn in '73, MEd (sp. ed.) from U. of Washington in '81. Hobbies outside of tech related stuff - birdwatching, music (only listening, anymore), home brewing (I grow my own hops). I wish for more time in the day, every day...
Other web work
I started publishing web pages and sites before the first book on html was written (1994). Here are a few that I am responsible for:
www.earthdaybags.org
www.northwestartists.org
www.theshiningplace.com
www.arborheights.com
www.elmgroveproductions.com
www.sogreatajoy.com
Tictech
www.menbakebetter.com
www.livingmysteries.com
Random Thoughts of Louis Schmier
Peregrine Falcon Slideshow
www.somuchbeauty.org
and of course the newest, where I spend way too much time:
roomtwelve.com
ahlness.com
Tune in about a year from now for another scintillating update... - Mark
About this blog
(updated July 14, 2007)
Welcome to my personal blog. I'm Mark Ahlness, a third grade teacher at Arbor Heights Elementary School in Seattle, Washington, USA. I'm using the blogger.com back end to power this blog, while hosting it on http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/mahlness/ Some may recognize the root URL as the Arbor Heights home page. This blog does not have anything to do with the school web site, the Seattle School District, or anything related to or owned by the school district. The views expressed here are my own. I've owned and maintained http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts since 1994.
This space is a place for me to talk about what's going on with technology in education, share ideas with others, etc. I sometimes throw in a bit about family life, birding, etc.
If you have feedback to me that you'd rather send in an email, feel free to do so, at mahlness@halcyon.com
Peace - Mark
Welcome to my personal blog. I'm Mark Ahlness, a third grade teacher at Arbor Heights Elementary School in Seattle, Washington, USA. I'm using the blogger.com back end to power this blog, while hosting it on http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/mahlness/ Some may recognize the root URL as the Arbor Heights home page. This blog does not have anything to do with the school web site, the Seattle School District, or anything related to or owned by the school district. The views expressed here are my own. I've owned and maintained http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts since 1994.
This space is a place for me to talk about what's going on with technology in education, share ideas with others, etc. I sometimes throw in a bit about family life, birding, etc.
If you have feedback to me that you'd rather send in an email, feel free to do so, at mahlness@halcyon.com
Peace - Mark
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