Blogs and RSS feeds

I added 5 blogs to my Google Reader account. Seth Godin's, Free Technology for Teachers and Weblogg-ed. Hartford Courant and the New York Times. I find that Seth Godin is inspiring. I've even forwarded the video and his blog to the district's superintendent. His definition of leadership is uplifting. So even if I don't use his information covertly in the classroom, I will enter each class in a positive way after reading his blog. I will pass along his views on leadership to the students so that they will know how to be good leaders.

Using an RSS feed in the upper elementary classroom can be interesting. I can see using it for current events. For example, National Geographic has "this day in history". Children would be excited to see new feeds appear on a daily basis. They can then use the information in their non-fiction writing.

Professional development would be enhanced by teaching the staff that information can come right to them. This presents an exciting new way to gain new ideas for lesson plans or even to keep abreast of innovations in pedagogy. The Free Technology for Teachers blog would improve the teacher's skills immensely. They would be able to pick and choose what is important to them. I am going to request permission to deliver PD on RSS feeds in the fall. I can't wait.

Another benefit of RSS feeds is to stay abreast of news. I'm also going to set up a feed which involves my current interest in what is going on in the Middle East (Irag, Iran, Afghanistan). I have been reading quite a bit, both fiction and non-fiction, about the subject and would like to keet up to date about books on that are on the market.