“Students have always faced distractions and time-wasters. But computers and cellphones, and the constant stream of stimuli they offer, pose a profound new challenge to focusing and learning.” – By MATT RICHTEL
Published: November 21, 2010 at NYTimes.com

• Starfall.com, http://www.starfall.com
  • An incredible, free site dedicated to helping all children learn to read. Interactive stories and print and writing books to go along with them are high quality and engaging.
• Reading for Meaning, http://reading.tomsnyder.com/readingformeaning/index.cfm
  • An Internet subscription service to improve student reading comprehension skills that targets skills often covered on standardized tests: main idea, inference, sequence, cause & effect, and compare & contrast in a very creative way. It includes everything the teacher needs in 35 complete lessons, including graphic organizers and authentic literature. It is very flexible and can be used when teaching whole classes, small groups, or individuals. A great follow up to Starfall.
• Thinking Reader, http://www.tomsnyder.com/
  • Software focused on improving reading comprehension for your struggling readers and special needs students in grades 5-8 who have not been successful with reading. Uses core literature and content material. This software is expensive, but it is meeting a need nothing else is when it comes to our upper elementary students and middle school students who aren’t succeeding
• ReadWriteThink, http://www.readwritethink.org/
  • A partnership between the International Reading Association IRA) and the National Council of Teachers of English NCTE). Provides educators and students with access to the highest quality practices and resources in reading and language arts instruction through free, Internet-based content. The student materials section has incredible, free interactive tools and tutorials for classroom use
• NCTM Illuminations, http://illuminations.nctm.org/swr/index.asp
  • A site developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics that has interactive, visual lessons and simulations for teaching math content in grades pre-k through high school. This is the only site you need to use to teach math in a creative, clearly understandable manner… and it’s free!
• BrainPop.com, http://www.brainpop.com
  • BrainPOP is full of educational animated movies for K-12 that demystify Math, English, Science, Health, Technology and Social Studies topics. This is a must-have subscription for every school.
• LD Online, http://www.ldonline.org/
  • This site is an interactive guide to learning disabilities for parents, teachers, and other professionals. Numerous articles, resources, and ideas on a variety of LD topics are available.
• 4Teachers.org, http://www.4teachers.org
  • 4Teachers.org is a free, multifaceted site that includes a variety of fast, easy-to-use tools for teachers and students. Their Rubistar tool for making rubrics and their PBL Checklists to guide project based learning activities are terrific. Casa Notes is a helpful tool if you have Spanish speakers in your classroom.
• A to Z Teacher Stuf,f http://atozteacherstuff.com/
  • A to Z Teacher Stuff provides teachers with free lesson plans, thematic units, printables, and other resources. The active discussion forums allow teachers to exchange ideas and give advice on a variety of issues.
• Enchanted Learning.com, http://www.enchantedlearning.com
  • A site filled with fabulous printables and activities for the elementary grades in every subject area. The site is free, but if you pay a small subscription fee, the banner ads go away and the printouts are better.
• Freebie Bonus: For elementary teachers, the http://www.dole5aday.com site has an awesome CD on everything nutrition!

The struggle within modern society regarding the adoption of new technologies has been framed as a dichotomy between those who oppose its tendency to redefine culture and those who embrace it. However a new paradigm has emerged among the young generation that sees beyond the bipartisan debate, rendering the debate itself irrelevant. This sense of irrelevancy among a whole new generation is mistakenly viewed as disinterest by the two sides of debaters.

Read more: March 8th, Tech & Learning Magazine

The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has released its annual National Trends Report, revealing new data on the power of technology to increase student achievement and describing the need to equip American children and teachers with the knowledge and technological proficiency necessary to make America a leader within the competitive—and “increasingly digital”—global economy. The report, titled “Focus on Technology Integration in America’s Schools,” describes programs that “effectively integrate technology in efforts to create robust subject matter content, innovative curricula, ongoing professional development, and diagnostic assessments to facilitate individualized instruction.” One of the report’s highlights is the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program, a component of the NCLB Act, and explains how states are using funds to increase student achievement.  – From April 9, 2009 Tech and Learning Magazine

Highlights:

• 31% increase in innovative use of technology by teachers in core subject areas
• 17% – 33% increase in reading achievement
• 18% – 36% increase in math achievement
• 14% increase in graduation rate (66% to 80%)

Great article addressing technology adoption, management and innovation for education in the March 2009 edition of Tech and Learning

Now that digital technology is an integral part of many of our classrooms, we have a new challenge: How can we manage this essential technology? How can we maximize the school district’s financial investment? Most importantly, how can we maximize the students’ educational benefit? Unfortunately, in many districts these questions haven’t been asked, much less answered. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

- By Jennifer J. Farr, Certified New York State Educational Administrator

• Curriculum I developed for the Chinese Foreign Language School