Turning Point Blogs!

BLOGGING - Makes me feel like I'm on the Bridge of the Enterprise!

While it is much more nerdy and C21 I can't help but feel like a pirate radio privateer from 40 years ago. While this job is done with much more assistance (most bloggers don't codde - we don't even know how to spell it!) I still love the idea that like a pirate radio station what we create will be appreciated by our select audience, and that it could potentially help any number of people who happen by the blogs. I admit  it, I may be stretching it.

Nevertheless, Turning Point now have a couple of blogs! In addition to this one dedicated to the TLLP process, I mean. As of last week every assignment currently available for grade 11 and grade 12 college level English (ENG3C and ENG4C) can be accessed via our new English blog - TurningPointEnglish@blogspot.com. As many of our students are also working full time hours, an ability to access their assignments remotely is a major boon. Moreover, students can use the iPads (or the computers) to access their electronic assignments while at school - replacing the dated filing cabinet and photo copier methods.

The online format also provides a very user friendly platform for sharing assignments with other teachers. Keep in mind that Turning Point runs as part of the alternative education umbrella at the HWDSB. We are a ram-shackle crew of 30-40 dedicated teachers spread out over a dozen sites all trying to deliver every credit with some modicum of credit integrity, standardization, and differentiation. The blog platform can be accessed by anyone - and we are already making connections with other alt. ed. teachers out there who need resources and who have resources to share. Our teaching world is unique, but that doesn't mean that we all need to reinvent the wheel.

So I know we're slow learners, and I know that educators have been blogging since the early days - but I'm still proud of myself for learning another way to connect with my students. This isn't a game changer, and it isn't even really that tied-in with the iPads, but it's still development, still progress, and it needs to be celebrated and encouraged.

Check out our first curriculum blog TurningPointEnglish@blogspot.com and let us know what you think. Also keep checking for new subject specific blogs, we'll continue to work on it, but we're very open to suggestions/tips.