Items, Events, Calendar, Eclectic Stuff (truc et chose)

Discussion of Social Networking and Education:

1. Use by Teachers for professional development

2. Use by classrooms

3. Use by students

Web Spotlight: Animoto: Grab all those pictures you took in Advisory (you did take some, didn't you?) and throw them into Animoto. Let groups of students pull together music they'd like to set the pictures to and let Animoto do the rest. Thousands of possible combinations let each group's work turn out different with the same base material. What a great way to motivate the kids through the dark winter months.

The Art of Revision (702)

Board Quotes:

Writing makes our thinking visible for ourselves and others. - unknown

Feed your brain with words. Read till your eyeballs fall out - Wilson Rowls

A writer takes a sentence, cuts it within an inch of its life, adds a clause, tucks in a few adjectives and then - when it can hardly stand up - hacks away at it again. It's hard work and don't let anyone tell you its' not - Helen F. Brassel

The writer is careful of what he reads, for that is what he will write. He is careful of what he learns, for that is what he will know. - Annie Dillard

You have to do a lot of bad writing to get the good writing. - Don Murray

Writing is long periods of thinking and short periods of writing. - Ernest Hemingway

It is perfectly okay to write garbage as long as you edit brilliantly. Until you have something down on paper, even if its terrible, there's nothing to work with, nothing you can improve - C.J. Cherryh

Use as many words as you need and not one you can live without. R. Jordan

The best stories are not written, but rewritten. - Scott Willis

Show, don't tell. Writing and reading are acts of discovery. 'Telling' robs a story of the feel of discovery - Rick Jones

Regard your writing as literature - unknown

Poetry is fewer words that say more. - unknown

Carol A. Josel

Bio: Has a smart big sister.

Valerie went to Yale, Cornell, and Penn. Valerie is also an artist.

Two things I could do: Swing by my head and get nose drops on the green velvet sofa.

Good advice: You need to find something that you're good at.

University of Maine started as a nursing student.

Didn't do well in Organic Chemistry.

She has a free e-newsletter. Please sign up for one.

She has a blog!

Carol's ideas for making writing an everyday expected activity:

1. Message each other frequently by leaving notes on pillows, desks, mirrors, wherever.

2. Make letter writing a habit for all, sending them to friends, relatives, even Santa.

3. Write your autobiography as a gift to your child.

4. Have your child write an annual “Year in Review”--an ongoing record of your lives.

5. On birthdays, give written gifts of family stories and recalled moments.

6. Send postcards to each other—without going anywhere. We all love mail.

7. Make the sending of thank you notes a must for everyone.

8. Keep a family journal, a record of your lives over time—and include captioned photos.

9. Writing letters to the editor keeps the juices flowing.

10. Promote journal writing—and respect privacy.

11. Encourage your child to write and perform skits or puppet shows. Think Popsicle sticks.

12. Contact Student Letter Exchange for pen pals: 516-887-8628; www.pen-pa.com