Instructify

If you read Instructify every day, it’s safe to say you like finding nifty tools for your classroom. Believe it or not, there are more places than this one to find out about these resources (wait, don’t leave! Come back!).

Vicki Davis, owner of the Cool Cat Teacher Blog, is one such teacher who enjoys spreading the word about useful ed-technology. This Thursday, August 28 at 8 p.m., you can talk to her live and sort-of-in-person via Second Life in her presentation, “New School Year: Cool Tools Here.” Davis will share some of the tools and tips she (and hopefully you too) will use this coming year.

Davis’ session is part of “The Future Is Already Here,” a series of interactive professional development sessions from USDLC (you might remember their session, “BANNED in the Bookhenge” from earlier this year). The series is designed to give teachers a chance to hear from and talk with outstanding teachers who integrate technology such as Web 2.0, 1:1 computing, robotics, or serious gaming / 3D Web into their everyday teaching.

If you’re not sure about this whole social networking through Second Life thing, you can still take part through Internet radio and chat at  www.Literacy2Learn.org. USDLC plans more of these events throughout the year, so keep checking back. Isn’t it nice to know there are so many places to find out about great tech resources for teachers? All I ask is that you don’t forget about Instructify. -BILL FERRIS

Cool Cat Teacher Blog

The Future Is Already Here

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The Apple

Our friends over at Education World have all sorts of resources for educators, so we’re happy to take note of some of the tips and hints they have available. From the website’s Professional Development section there’s a great article by Linda Starr on how to win the grant money you deserve. Whether you are a first time grant writer or an old salt of the grant writing world, Show Me the Money: Tips and Resources for Successful Grant Writing offers the techniques you might not know in order to get your foot in the door.

If your school system is unable to give you the funds you need in order to do the things your educational dreams demand, then this guide gives you a push in the right direction of where to look for that money, how to go about the application and proposal writing process, and even gives you a basic understanding of the vocabulary you’ll need to understand the process (RFP, for example, stands for “request for proposal”).

Starr volunteers her “Three P’s”—project, plan, and permission—as well as several other insightful hints on how to best take on the seemingly unattainable task of getting a grant. The article also includes quotes from real teachers and their experiences with the plusses and perils of going after free cash. Rounded out with a list of links to similar resources, this article will give you a great place to start if you’ve been thinking for a way to fund your science class’s trip to Chicago’s Field Museum this spring or to finally get that kiln for the art room. –JEREMY S. GRIFFIN

Show Me the Money: Tips and Resources for Successful Grant Writing