I love what you've said. I want to note especially the value of integrating classroom learning into real life. Cell phones and computers are important parts of students' lives today, and incorporating them into classroom activities makes these activities applicable to real life situations. We don't want students who mourn their lack of experience as Goethe's Faust; we don't want students whose only learning is contained in a classroom. If, suddenly, texting is connected to history, it makes the concepts more concrete rather than abstract.

I really enjoyed looking at the motivation posters that were put up. Motivating students is such an important aspect in the classroom, and is sometimes unacknowledged. I believe that it would be a fun activity if each student was able to make their own motivation poster that could be hung up on the wall. It would be very interesting to see the variety of work from all the students. It also might provide teachers insight on how to better motivate and challenge their students.

Motivational posters are a great wy to reinforce positivity and self-worth into students. Having something that serves as a constant reminder of them striving for excellene and being great may be just the thing they need. Them having the opportunity to create such poster further fosters in them a since of acheivement and feeling of pride that will also build up their esteem and confidence. Incorporating unique and fun techniqus into larning is a motivator in it self, the using of cell phones in the class is bound to leave kids exciting each time they come to class wondering what new cool thing will they do to learn today. Personal touches in learning make it more relational and therefore I believe easier for kids to grasp. Motivation created for them by them is awesome, who better to motivate kids than other kids who understand their challenges and insecurities. This is simply great!

I have seen the word cloud website before (and promptly added it to my Delicious!) and thought it was fantastic for students to be able to create some visual and aesthetic to aid them in understanding a concept and/or the emotions that come with it--very helpful for a L.A. teacher who hopes students take excerpts from books to work with. Because you mentioned in class that so many students are visual learners, the concept mapping programs that allow students to create and see what they should be learning is probably very helpful. Nice resources--thanks!

I think this would work well with high school students. Students seeing their own image on a motivational posters everyday is a good idea. The repetition seems like it would embed positive thoughts and images into the student's psyche. And the ability to customize your own captions makes it just awesome, the various ways you could you this software are almost endless...

I love the idea of having motivational posters with pictures of students in the classroom. One thing I have discovered through teaching (sub) and learning (as a grad student) is the difficulty that many students have with self image and self esteem. It can be especially difficult for students with special needs to see themselves as intelligent, quality, whole individuals. Schools are focused on student behavior and academic expectations. But children who lack positive self-awareness will have difficulty giving and receiving support; and feelings of inferiority can impede their ability to benefit from inclusion.

Thanks for offering the motivator software free to your class of future educators.

Great Idea I love having motivational posters! I think they can be encouraging when they can see their own picture as well!