I’m a teacher…
Those few words tend to explain it all. The scared look disappears from one’s eyes when a herd of folk with bags and boxes run towards them saying, “it’s okay, I’m a teacher.” Instead, the eyes turn glassy as the holder of said free items watch in awe.
I’m a teacher. Those words make it all okay.
It seems to be a fact — teachers like free stuff. Not just any free stuff (although there are very few limits), but rather free stuff that can be used in our classrooms. When will the stuff be used? Well, that could be at any point over the next 20 years…our families would prefer if the junk free stuff leaves the basements, cars, garages, living room piles (did I really just say that? Yes, admit it, we’ve been known to have *a few* school piles in the living room throughout the week) sooner rather than later. But we, as teachers, know that anything from a toilet paper roll to an odd item laying on our neighbor’s lawn — anything that’s free, can typically be useful in the classroom.
Take, for example, the broom I picked up from my neighbor’s garbage one year — a great broom — good solid broomcorn. A broom that was perfect for the anticipatory set I use during a science unit where I swat a pie pan which hits an egg which then falls into a jar. Yes, I have a broom that I use once a year and it sits in my basement with my forces unit for the entire year just waiting for those 5 minutes of anticipatory set.
Take also, the stack of old ditto copies I was given from a former teacher — wonderful purple (remember that smell?) images that have started to fuzz on the edges…but they were free and you never know when you’ll need some solid purple fuzzy clip art!
Free is good. Given that it’s Web Wednesday, I share with you a free resource online that I use every day in my classroom…and lots outside of it too!
Pandora is an internet radio site. You type in the name of a group/singer or the name of a song and Pandora will play you non-stop music that is similar to that group/singer or song. And it’s free! There is the occasional advertisement (like Home Depot…questionable as the person listening to *free* radio is likely not going to buy something…but somebody’s gotta pay for this fantastic resource).
You can even give a thumbs up on songs so Pandora will continue to play them for you on that station. Signing up (for free) means that Pandora will save that song and play it more often on that station that you’ve created. You can create as many stations as you want…and it’s free. Or you can just keep returning to www.pandora.com and use the free service without signing up. You just won’t be able to save your stations.
So why in the classroom? Sometimes you need music — you can create stations that are appropriate for your students. There are also pre-made stations for children like:
that play appropriate and pre-screened music. So there are never concerns about inappropriate music coming on.
Having the music station is great for certain uses, but does not work for activities such as the conga line where you need music immediately. There’s always the chance that the station will begin with an advertisement. You certainly don’t want the students doing a conga line to the home depot advertisement.
Free. Useful outside of the classroom — I heart the Pandora iPhone app!
Let me know what you think! Happy Web Wednesday!
It’s Wednesday…which means I have a few treats from the web to share with you!
