Questions,+Tips,+Problems+and+Triumphs

John: My Idea is to build a WIKI that will help make the necessary connection and assist with collaboration around the RTI process in my school. When the RTI process started its journey in our district and where it is currently could be characterized as epic. It has truly taken our school district and each building a long time to land on common language and methods. The common core standards, “CCSS” are the mandated foundation of universal curriculum with the local curriculum being the districts chosen programs to deliver that core. Currently in our case the recent adoptions of both Everyday math, “EM3” and Literacy by design, “LBD”, really rocked our world. If you’re an elementary teacher this is literally everything you due. The actual process of going thru each of these adoptions is painful and time consuming as you know. The wide range of programs available is amazing. Plus witnessing how the text book company’s fight for your business is the reality of big money. In the end things can get very confusing.

The RTI process in my building is built on the idea that all teachers will be working on all levels across the entire curriculum. So helping with this challenge is where my vision of the WIKI comes in. I have started with some basic organization of the pages being named by grade level and then basically being drill down-able to linking local curriculum to the common core with the goal that teachers will add content and collaborate as we move along. Yes I know I’m a dreamer… I will be sending out invites today. More later.

Jennifer - Monday night - success! I needed to stop thinking about it like hierarchy, and just think about links and link backs. (Hypercard sounds vaguely familiar, actually!) I need to go back in and cite the standards, but I am happy with my changes as far as organization, and they took next to no time. This is a very intuitive tool as far as editing goes. Just read the directions, follow the steps, fill in all the blanks. (Once I got the layout in my mind.) THANK YOU! :)

Jennifer - Creating a Wiki was TOO easy - the first one I created had a mistyped name! (I've emailed help at wikispaces about deleting it.) I'm still in the mindset of a website. I created the Wiki, made a home page, made a subpage, and then was stuck - I wanted my subpage to have subpages, and so on. Typical file folder/chapter/website structure. I know Wikis are different - my mind hasn't adjusted yet.

Yes, it is SO easy! Think of a wiki as a stack of cards - **each page is a card and all are equal** (like the first hypertext tools - Hypercard on Mac and HyperStudio on Apple 2GS - I think you are too young to remember). **You** create the hierarchy (subpages and sub-subpages in two ways: 1. by controlling what you have in your Navigation bar and how you set it up (you don't want to have every page in the navigation bar) and 2. by creating links on a main page to subpages (the main page would appear in the Navigation bar and give access to these subpages). //**Example**//: You might create pages for small groups to work collaboratively or a page for each student to write /respond to a prompt individually (or both). You might not want to have all of these pages show up in your Navigation page as it will go on forever. Create a "main" page that shows up in the Navigation bar; then on that page, type their names or their group names, and create a link to to their pages. Do you see how, metaphorically speaking, you are pulling from the stack of "equal" cards (pages) to make your own hierarchy, which can be changed at any time to suit your objectives. All the pages you create are saved and can be linked to another page at any time or left in the "stack" for another time or purpose. (//Have I made my self sufficiently obscure????) Seriously call me if you would like to talk. Maybe if you change the permissions and I can see your pages, we could chat on the phone as we view them together and I could clarify more easily. 262 796 1433 - or cell 262 853 0285. I love your questions - as a former English teacher, I am very interested in how you will use this. It is such a powerful tool for writing/responding/collaborating.//
 * Emmy: **

The Wiki I created is for teachers. I am still not sure how to Wiki with my students. When looking at the examples listed in links of best Wikis, I ran across http://mslew.wikispaces.com/home I keep checking back to see what she is doing, as she is also an English teacher. The first time I checked, she had clearly started the site over for a new school year. The second time I checked, students had made some introductory posts. Today when I checked, she had much more on the site, as examples to this year's student for a multi-genre project. Of course, as soon as I started digging in, my son woke up from his nap! :) I will look again later, maybe she will inspire a student Wiki idea for me!

Question - how do I invite John to my Wiki? The only way I am seeing to invite people is with an email address. And did my invitation to you work, Emmy?

I received the invitation to your wiki but the permissions you have set do not allow me to view the pages. Can you change it for the duration of this class from ** "Private" **to ** "Protected" **Just Click on ** "Manage Wiki", "permissions", **and make the change. Everyone will be able to view pages, but not contribute. Don't worry about people seeing your pages. I have had mine for quite a few years - and no one has ever visited.
 * Emmy: **

**Discussion 3:**
== **Share your experiences with all of us as you create your wiki. Are you having trouble with something? Do you have a solution to someone else's problem? Have you found any tips or tricks you would like to share? Have you found a helpful website not on my list? Create a link to it here. Use this space to get comfortable collaborating.** ==