Archived Messages

From:	Sandy Hulley
Subject:	On line novel study
Date:	Wednesday, April 18, 2001
We would be most interested in doing an online novel study using the novel, Holes.
From:	kohlmail@spring-branch.isd.tenet.ed
Subject:	Holes Study Guide
Date:	Wednesday, April 18, 2001
Would love to purchase the Holes study guide. Can you provide more info? ldk
From:	Amy Hamilton
Subject:	Online Discussion
Date:	Tuesday, April 17, 2001
My class would be interested in participating in another on-line discussion. Of the two, I would prefer Missing May over Holes. Thanks for offering the opportunity!
From:	Lee Bonson
Subject:	Spring Online Discussion/Novel Guides
Date:	Monday, April 16, 2001
I would be interested in purchasing the Novel Guide for Holes. I would also be interested in participating in another online discussion for Holes. We really enjoyed the Number the Stars discussion.
From:	Sandi Lehky
Subject:	Spring novel
Date:	Monday, April 16, 2001
Hi Liz.......Over lunch today, Martha Radcliffe and I were talking about our participation in your book club. She just asked me if I'd heard anything yet about another novel being added at the end of this year......and upon checking my e-mail after lunch, there you were in my mailbox! Great minds think alike, they say..... Anyway, we'd love one more novel to finish out the year. Neither of us has read "Missing May" (isn't that a terrible admission!?!), but I know the students would enjoy "Holes". A student in our other fifth grade told me she enjoyed "Missing May", and knowing that student and based upon her recommendation, I'm sure this group would love it, as well. We'd be happy to participate in either. We'll need the final decision and pricing information so we can get a check off to you ASAP. Thanks again for a fabulous program! Sandi Lehky Sheridan Elementary School Petoskey, MI
From:	Liz at Small Planet
Subject:	RE: Quality of responses/Teacher's responsibilities
Date:	Wednesday, February 14, 2001
Dear Lisa, Thanks for your feedback about the online discussions. I agree with you that teachers need to supervise their students closely during this activity. Otherwise, it's too tempting for students to use Classroom Connection as just another message board to chat with their friends. Your idea about grading students on their online comments is excellent! At the moment, we can't tell from which school a comment has been posted, since students can select whichever school they like from the list and "disguise" themselves that way. So, I can't really cut a school out of the discussion based on that information. (Plus, I would hesitate to punish a whole class for the behavior of just one or two students without trying to work the problem out with the teacher first.) Next fall we plan to have a more elaborate password system so that there will be more accountability. Regarding students who give away the ending of the book for others, I think we'll have to do a better job of communicating with teachers about the way the discussion works. It won't work if some students have finished the book and are joining the discussion as an extension activity, while others are following the schedule. Thanks again for your contribution to making Classroom Connection better. Your input is very valuable to us. --Liz Grube
From:	Liz at Small Planet
Subject:	RE: Watsons online discussion
Date:	Wednesday, February 14, 2001
Dear Sandi, Thank you for sharing your thoughtful comments and concerns at the Teacher Forum. I think that we have solved the problem with inappropriate comments--the students who were writing most of them have been removed from the activity. Their teacher tried her best to share our Netiquette rules with them, but they did not comply and were too large a group for adequate supervision. I appreciate your problem with the large number of messages posted daily. Next fall we will almost certainly divide the discussion into smaller groups. It's difficult to do before the discussion starts, though, because only about a third of the schools that sign up actually participate. The question is, which ones? We'll have to come up with a system for checking which schools are truly intending to participate as each discussion is about to begin. I do have a tip for you to save on paper, though. The person here at Small Planet who monitors the discussion deletes all the repeated and "junk" comments from the previous day's message board between 9 and 10 a.m. each day. (That's East Coast time.) If you can wait until the following morning to print, you'll get a much smaller page count. I hope that my comments are helpful and that you and your students will continue to enjoy our online activities. I appreciate your feedback very much. --Liz Grube
From:	Lisa Rothe
Subject:	Quality of responses/Teacher's responsibilities
Date:	Thursday, February 1, 2001
Dear All, I agree with those of you that have commented on the decline in the quality responses. I have been shocked that so many inappropriate responses have slipped by. I realize that some kids are accessing this site at home which causes concern. I stress the Do's and Don'ts list and hold all children responsible for their actions while on the computer. I am glad to hear from you that there have already been students repremanded and comments deleted. Teachers, do not allow your students to send a comment without teacher approval. This helps to cut down on inappropriate or shallow responses. Give a daily grade on each submitted comment or response! That'll get their attention. It does mine. Also, instruct your students to only respond to appropriate responses found on this site. Maybe Liz Grube could dismiss schools that misuse the system? I'm not sure how we could address the problem of students commenting on chapters further in the book than what is assigned. I still contend that if the registered teachers new what their students were typing and they assigned a grade, or had to give the ok to submit, then students would not be able to comment on future events. These are my thoughts and concerns. I hope this system can be revised so that we might get back to how it was in past years. Overall, I love that we're all experiencing the same novels and discussing it on-line. Being teachers we are constantly striving to better ourselves and our lessons. The on-line bookclub has added spice to my novel units!
From:	Sandi Lehky, Sheridan Elementary
Subject:	Watsons on-line discussion
Date:	Thursday, February 1, 2001
Dear Ms. Grube: As you know, this is the first year Sheridan Elementary has participated in your book club. We were "late bloomers", as our new computer lab just became available to us this fall. We really enjoyed the book club during "Bridge to Terabithia" and have now jumped into the "Watsons" with both feet. My students are just devouring the book, and it's so much fun to see the growth and improvement they've made after doing one previous novel this way. We are thrilled to have this opportunity. However, I do have some concerns and would be most appreciative of anything you can do to help/correct these. First, we definitely are aware that there is misuse of technology, and in fact, removed one of our students from the group, based on inappropriate comments she had posted from home on Tuesday. Today I printed comments from a previous day's discussion, and was amazed to find 48 pages of comments! My concern is threefold. First, the sheer volume of comments makes it extremely cumbersome to have meaningful dialogue with another student or school. It takes far too much time to scroll through 48 pages of responses while looking for those directed to our students. Is there a way to divide us into smaller groups? I'm afraid in this case, I can see the problem, but am not sure of the best solution. We enjoy corresponding with other students from all over the country....so do we divide by geographical location? Grade level? Number of pets? OK, obviously I'm kidding. But I'm wondering if we can find another way to split participants into smaller, more manageable groups. Second, my students and I were appalled at the quality of comments. Today they commented on all of the "wasted time and space" with what we refer to as "cyber-junk" -- the "wazzup", etc. Certainly you are not responsible for what your participants post, but how can we convey to all participants that this book club is an incredible learning tool when utilized properly, and that most of us don't appreciate this continued foolishness? And third, and certainly related to #2 above, we seem to have far more participants this time around who insist on reading ahead, posting comments relating to later chapters, and spoiling the story for those who are following the prescribed schedule. Is there any way to strongly discourage this? Comments posted for today included subject material for chapters 7, 8, and even 11. Since our scheduled discussion this week only encompassed the first four chapters, this was distracting to those of us who stayed on schedule. I really feel one of the strengths of this program is that the way it is structured, we can dissect each novel and look at it from many different perspectives. Each lesson focuses on a different skill or literary element, and should be taught at a sane pace. But with so many participants racing ahead, it ruins the suspense and diminishes our current discussion. Any suggestions you have would be most appreciated. We are enjoying our "Small Planet" experience, and hope to continue for years to come. Please understand that my comments are not criticism of your program, but are born of sincere concern and desire for improvement. Thank you for your time and consideration! lehky.sl.u@petoskeyschools.org
From:	Liz Grube
Subject:	Registering for Number the Stars
Date:	Thursday, February 1, 2001
Dear Jill, I hope that by now you've registered for any online discussions you'd like to join at Classroom Connection. Our discussion of Number the Stars begins on March 19. To sign up for this activity, go to the following page and click on Register. http://www.planetbookclub.com/teachers/classroom.html
From:	Liz Grube
Subject:	Additional online discussion
Date:	Thursday, February 1, 2001
Dear Amy, Thank you for your messages. We may still add another discussion at the end of this year. Which books would be possibilities for your class? We'd need to stick to the books for which we're offering novel guides: Holes; The View from Saturday; Missing May; Sing Down the Moon; The Cay; In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson; Shiloh; Tangerine; Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry . . . What's your vote? P.S. Votes from other teachers are welcome, too!
From:	Liz at Small Planet
Subject:	Watsons discussion buddies
Date:	Thursday, February 1, 2001
Dear Mrs. Hardenstine, Your students can choose online discussion buddies simply by writing to their chosen partners directly. The student form allows students to type in other students' names in the "To" field. Liz Grube
From:	Daisy Hardenstine
Subject:	Watsons Go to Birmingham discussion
Date:	Thursday, February 1, 2001
Dear Ms. Grube, Would it be possible for my two 7th grade classes to connect with just one class online. Could you send an e-mail to another 7th grade teacher, so that we could get in touch and pair students up to correspond. I want to monitor my classes and I feel that they maybe more focused if they were just responding to one class. Please let me know if this is possible and if any other teacher is interested. Thanks, Mrs Daisy Hardenstine
From:	Mike Beernink
Subject:	Chocolate Unit
Date:	Monday, January 29, 2001
If anyone has anything on a chocolate unit, could you please e-mail me at michael_beernink@gwinnett.k12.ga.us Thank You! Mike Beernink
From:	Amy Hamilton
Subject:	Responding to additional online discussions
Date:	Friday, January 5, 2001
We are in school until the 2nd week in June. Would love an additional discussion. Thanks for offering.
From:	Jill
Subject:	Book Clubs
Date:	Tuesday, November 21, 2000
This is my first year using book clubs. I have enjoyed it and so have my students, but I haven't got a chance to do an online discussion. I have signed up, but haven't received any information. I am very intersted in being a part of the Number the Stars discussion.
From:	Amy Hamilton
Subject:	Size/quality of discussion
Date:	Wednesday, October 18, 2000
We have a new computer lab this year and so I started this discussion with the students submitting their own responses. As a result, I feel that I don't have as much control monitoring their work. I think for Number the Stars I will go back to the group responses, where 3-4 students submit one comment form for their group. When we did this, it forced them to discuss their ideas before reaching the computer keys and I could circle around and add ideas and questions. Also by the time we went to the computer, they had their responses on paper and there wasn't as much ad-libbing as I'm seeing now.
From:	Liz at Small Planet
Subject:	RE: Number of schools per session
Date:	Friday, October 13, 2000
Dear Sandy, Thanks for your feedback. We agree that the volume of messages posted each day has become too large. We'll probably divide the next discussion into several smaller groups. We've already removed the disrespectful message you mentioned. (I believe the student who wrote it was not aware of our guidelines about the use of capital letters.) We are monitoring the discussion to weed out inappropriate messages, and I hope that no others will slip through. Thanks for letting us know that you enjoy the activities at Planet Book Club. We're trying to make each activity better than the last one, so keep sending us your comments and suggestions!
From:	Sandy Bartlett
Subject:	Number of schools per session
Date:	Wednesday, October 11, 2000
I love Bookclub and so do my students. I have used it the past two years. However, this year there are so many comments to read . Is there any way to limit the number of schools involved in a book study as we did before, or break them up into separate sessions? Also could we stress monitoring of student comments before they are sent? One, in particular, was very disrespectful about the use of capital letters. I understand there are several bookclubs out on the web now to choose from. Just want you to know I like your program and plan to continue with it. Thanks for all your hard work with the new format.
From:	Liz Grube at Small Planet
Subject:	RE: Classroom Connection format
Date:	Tuesday, October 3, 2000
Dear Sabrina, Thanks for your input. I understand your problem--there are an awful lot of messages to scroll through each day. During the first few years of our online discussions, I created links between messages when one student wrote to another by name. However, I was doing it "by hand" for every single message, and it became way too time-consuming. That's why we created the automatic posting system last spring. We're thinking of adding a "To:" field to the student form so that when students submit comments they can type in the name of the person they're addressing. This name would appear in the left-hand column with the "From" information that's already there. Then it would be easy to scroll down the page and see if one's name has been mentioned by another student. I also think we'll have to break up the activities into just three or four classrooms per discussion area, so there isn't such an overwhelming number of messages to read every day. We’re committed to making these activities work as well as possible. Feedback from teachers like you is invaluable, and I hope we’ll receive lots more of it as the year goes on!
From:	Sabrina Frittenburg
Subject:	Classroom Connection format
Date:	Tuesday, October 3, 2000
Last year when our group responded to another student's comments the side bar indicated who sent the orginal message, i.e. To Sabrina Frittenburg Heritage Glen Public School Oakville, Ontario From Mary Smith Houston, Texas However this year it is not clear who is replying to the posted message. We enjoyed last year's format as daily each student could quickly locate who had responded to their comment. The personal connection was very exciting for our students and the side bar allowed them speedy access to their messages. Today has been confusing for them as reading all the messages is too time consuming. Even if the comments have the student's name in the text, this still creates a problem as there are many "Jennifers." The students would have to take the time to include addresses (school and state or province). This leads to too much typing. We hope you are able to solve this problem. Thanks for all of your hard work and effort.
From:	Lloyd (Small Planet)
Subject:	Welcome
Date:	Tuesday, October 3, 2000
The Teacher Forum is officially open for business! We hope you find this forum a useful way to exchange ideas with other teachers.