All but one. Even the kids who don't have internet at home or no access? They have cell phones.

What's cool about them twittering is that I have a much better read on who doesn't get what and who doesn't know what to write or how to write it or whatever. I wonder if this will improve the turn in rate on my other assignments.

Kat, check out polleverywhere.com - they have a fairly good system for using texting to get quick poll responses (if you're familiar with classroom use of clickers/personal response systems for lecture feedback, checking on students' understanding, etc, it's the same idea but you have the choice of using students' own devices or web-based responses or both). You're limited to a certain number of responses per poll in a free account, but I know of people using it in quite large classes by having students collaborate on answers and have one group member text in the reponse (plus, the group thing keeps a bit of a lid on the "everyone's staring at their own phone screen" problem).

I mostly know about higher ed uses, but I can nag my polleverywhere fan colleague for more info if you want; there are definitely people using it in K12 as well, and she'd probably have some good resources if you're hunting for ideas.

amych, do you know about edmodo? That's the other thing I'm researching.

Poll everywhere... something I'll have to look at.

I'd never heard of edmodo, but I just watched the intro vid, and I'm intrigued -- I seriously like the idea of an LMS-like thingy that's built entirely around messaging. It seems like it would be a good shift from the usual "my so-called 'course' consists of this locked-up folder of giant pdf's and crappy interaction" that happens so often.

HA! But isn't that what online learning is? Another teacher explained "It's like facebook. But for education. And with polls!"

Who doesn't love a ticky box?

Some CRAZY WRONG PERSON may not like a ticky box. But as I'm the one babbling about instant polling technlogy, I am clearly not that person.

Ugh Kat! I am sorry but that is in NO WAY your fuck up. That preschool is acting like something out of a Sandra Tsing Loh sketch.

I am frustrated and angry on your behalf.

Also on yours, meara. What an asswad.

I mean, I feel bad for my neighbor, because I KNOW from his perspective, there's this annoying neighbor who drives a beater who ran into his brand new car and is refusing to take responsibility....except for how that's not what happened.

Huh. That sucks, meara. Document. Photograph his car and yours and the relative heights and parking positions. Do it right away if possible.

I have decided to embrace the cell phones of my students. I do not permit active conversations during actual instruction. But at this point I have a fairly vibrant texting counseling service going on. My girls text me to tell me their boyfriend might be cheating on them or they fell off their horse! but nothing's broken or they aren't going to make it to lessons or just to say good morning. It's kinda great at this point.

There's an acceptable delay of response. I can always ignore or censor if I need to. And when they really need somebody right then and can't verbalise it, I can be there, no matter where I am. I worry a lot less about travel like we're about to do than I used to. I always worry when I leave them, but now at least there's a lifeline.

Travel! I am now, finally, done with my board meeting prep. There may be a year when I'm not scrambling around with budget numbers going batty the night before the meeting. But that year is not this year.

Well, technically, the meeting's not until Saturday and I'm done today. But the next two days are travel days and we're picking up our intern in Albuquerque. So.

But anyway, I AM DONE! YAY ME! Open Office has just about keeled over and I'm not entirely sure why, but I have the hard copies printed out and ready to go. You cannot take my preparedness from me now.

Oh, and polish! when it was at me, all sparkly in the sun. In case those of you to whom the box is coming want a heads up. Although that's the beauty of a round robin, it probably won't be anything like that by the time it gets to you.