Trails Optional

I have a new blog addiction. Trails Optional written by blogger and educator Jen Deyenberg is inspirational to me.  I found it while searching for some ideas for "Smart" Tips and saw the ones Jen had created.  They were very straight forward and to the point, exactly what busy educators need.  Then I started reading some of her other posts and realized she just started blogging with her students, as well.  That's something we've just started doing at my school too (more on that later).  It was great to read and "hear" the challenges and benefits of blogging with students.

I like her candid humor as well, describing in one post, "What have I done?  I’ve created a groups of kids that rolls their eyes if I pull out a worksheet.  Ok, so I roll my eyes when I pull out a worksheet".  It's the typical catch-22 educators who overtly use technology find themselves in.  We know there will not always be a time when we can use technology, in fact, when we most certainly should NOT use technology.  There are times where it's more beneficial for an activity to be hands on, however, it's also a world where students have technology all around them.  Okay, enough of my soapbox.

I'm looking forward to more thought provoking posts from this blogger and can't wait to see where Trails Optional heads to next!

Photo of Rock Garden Trail, in Glacier National Park, found on Flickr, uploaded by kweaver2.