How are you using your iPod?

Some of the August Power Tools for Adolescent Literacy Academy participants have mentioned in their blog posts using iPods for musical transitions between activities or as a "musical timer." A second group of Academy participants will start next week (Nov. 16-18). Share with us specific ideas for using iPods in classroom settings. Tell your content area, grade level, the application, and the students' response.

Power Tools Workshops for Your Colleagues

The workshop that inspired this blog and led to these postings is being offered November 16-17, 2009 in Williamsburg, VA. The blog authors have already attended and gained much from their time with the Dynamic Duo of Jan Rozzelle and Carol Scearce. Consider registering for the workshop, Power Tools in Adolescent Literacy.

If you have already been to the workshop, share the "best" aspect of the workshop with others in this blog and encourage others to attend.

Power Tools for Adolescent Literacy for Vertical Teams Initiative

For three days next week in Williamsburg, VA instructional teams from nine middle schools in Virginia will participate in professional development on using literacy strategies in the core content areas. The workshop is the first activity of a yearlong sustained professional development initiative provided by the College of William and Mary's School Leadership Institute and SURN and is funded by the Virginia Department of Education. The presenters for the workshop are the award-winning authors of Power Tools for Adolescent Literacy book, Jan Rozzelle and Carol Scearce.

The workshop will lay the foundation for the work that instructional teams will do in their schools. The blog, emails, iTuneU SURN site, etc. will be used to grow the learning community that will begin to form next week. Each Monday, different instructional team members have been asked to post their experiences using literacy strategies in their content area. All are welcome and encourage to comment, query, and offer support.