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Matt

English Learners 101: Academic English

February 14, 2010
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English Learners 101 is a series of articles about how to support English learners with appropriate academic content instruction. Between 2004 and 2008 I served as the English Language Development Support Teacher at an extremely diverse elementary school in the San Francisco Bay Area. During this time I also completed a significant review of research [...]

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Workshop: Using Technology to Improve Home School Connections

February 6, 2010

This is the outline of my Saturday, February 6, 2010 workshop, “Using Technology to Improve Home School Connections,” that I am presenting at the East Bay CUE Cool Tools for Learning VI Conference.
Learn how to use free and inexpensive tools to improve home-school connections, increase parent involvement, and boost student achievement. See how WordPress, FeedBurner, YouTube, [...]

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English Learners 101 Series: Academic Content Instruction for English Learners

January 25, 2010
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This is the introduction to an ongoing series of articles titled English Learners 101.
English Learners 101 is a series of articles about how to support English learners with appropriate academic content instruction. Between 2004 and 2008 I served as the English Language Development Support Teacher at a diverse elementary school. During this time I [...]

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Using Technology to Improve Home School Connections

January 13, 2010
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On Saturday, February 6, 2010 I will be presenting a workshop at the East Bay CUE Cool Tools for Learning VI Conference.
East Bay CUE is a professional organization of educators dedicated to supporting the use of technology in education. East Bay CUE is a local Computer Using Educator (CUE) affiliate representing Alameda and Contra Costa [...]

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Daily Five Reading and Literacy CAFE

September 27, 2009
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Last year I began using The Sisters’ (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) process of teaching balanced literacy to my fourth grade students: Daily Five Reading and Literacy CAFE. Periodically I will post information, videos, or examples of how I am implementing this balanced literacy structure.
Daily Five Reading and Literacy CAFE
Daily Five Reading is just one [...]

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Name Podcast using GarageBand: A Great Back to School Activity

September 20, 2009
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This simple, yet powerful project allows students to share a little bit about themselves at the beginning of the year. At the same time it allows students to jump into some simple audio recording and editing using GarageBand.

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Student Created Mini-Books

September 20, 2009
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Throughout the year I give students homework assignments that include making small, foldable books. I call these books B3 (B threes) or Beanie Baby Books. (My former partner teacher came up with this name because it is the size of a book that a Beanie Baby would read.)
I use these books for all subjects [...]

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Welcome to Blue Sofa Media

September 7, 2009

What is BlueSofaMedia.com?
BlueSofaMedia.com is a new teaching blog focusing on innovation, creativity, student engagement, professional development and technology integration.
I want to share with you the things that get me excited about teaching.

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