School's mostly out for summer.

So teachers kick back and recharge for the summer in order to spring back for the summer.

Yeah, relaxed like a cat ...in August...all...day...long.

More than 3000 teachers are attending WP Summer Invitationals and Advanced Institutes nationwide.

A partnership of teachers teaching teachers f2f and digitally (although this distinction is fast fading because where live when we write is not really very important just so long as we write.

CLMOOC Making learning connected.

NWP teacher-leaders will be participating in Making Learning Connected (#clmooc) , an eight-week online collaborative learning opportunity. Making Learning Connected engages participants in exploring new digital tools during "make" projects, while sharing reflections with colleagues across the country and around the world.

Source: Teachers Across the Country Connect in Summer Learning Opportunities—Focus on New Ways to Teach Writing, Youth Programs, and Online Collaborations - National Writing Project. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2014, from http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/4275

Sign in with your Twitter account to the NYTimes' Vellum: http://vellum.nytlabs.com/

Canva is the easiest and simplest graphics design tool on the web. And the best for new learners. https://www.canva.com/

Zeega is a unique multimedia tool. I found out about it through a direct connection to KQED's very cool student oriented website, DoNow: http://blogs.kqed.org/education/category/do-now/

Here's a sample zeega: http://zeega.com/162179

Here's another one relating to summer tech academy: http://zeega.com/166353

And another about CLMOOC: http://zeega.com/165704

And one for my daughter's birthday: http://zeega.com/165003

Curation is a term that floats in and out of currency. It stays in my lexicon as part of my continuing desire to reduce noise and find the clear signal in the mix. Readlists is a great way to help someone else filter the noise for a decent 'cell signal'.

Here is a sample for my summer collaboration, CLMOOC: http://readlists.com/2e40cbf9/

I have known about this for awhile,but now that I had a use for it, I really appreciate it. You will, too.

Blendspace is a tool I discovered via Amy Clancy and Sheri Edwards in CLMOOC (https://www.blendspace.com/)

Here is Amy's: https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/aZS4N0GrSXjYdw/narrative-writing


Here is Sheri's: https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/QFsONamkrwq6_g/clmooc-2014

Vine went super viral last summer and I started using it when someone else showed it to me on CLMOOC.

Vine (https://vine.co/)

Here is a vine put together by Kevin Hodgson for this year's CLMOOC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zY_hb7Qv21w

Here is one I did for a friend: https://vine.co/v/hbu6EJ3Vbe5

Another: https://vine.co/v/hlKUO6trAFL


Another: https://vine.co/v/MaDPTVVnnXF


You get the idea. You can't do just one.

This revolutionized my ability to connect. Ease of use. Pretty reliable (we do live in the Model T era of collaborative video connection so it's pretty reliable considering). Free!

Here is a recent Hangout on Air that Sara Jennings and I shared in planning our KWP Summer Tech Academy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI9M4Jm6Thc&feature=share

Use this link to join our merry band of happy lasses and lads, latterday pranksters : http://clmooc.educatorinnovator.org/2014/

Come as you are or as you want to be. Stay as long as wish. Vote with your digital feet to stay or go. I think you will stay.

I will be your Virgil, your Sacajewia, your sherpa up what might look at first like Everest or the wilderness or even hell (well not really but you gotta extend the metaphor to bitter end, yes?).

I will also meet with you F2F or on a Google Hangout (more likely) or some other hybrid of interactivity. Really. I believe in the absolute quality of this product. Money back guarantee.

I can be reached at

Twitter: @telliowkuwp

G+: TERRY ELLIOTT

Facebook: Terry C Elliott

Facebook CLMOOC Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/clmooc/

G+ CLMOOC: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/111619469354411254407

Email: terry.elliott@gmail.com