Introductions

[Kevin H.]

Hello
Please spend a minute to introduce yourself to our community.
Kevin

[Kevin H.]

Hi
This is Kevin.
I teach writing and some technology to sixth graders in Western Massachusetts, and am the technology liaison for the Western Massachusetts Writing Project. I blog, podcast, videocast, etc, because I am very curious about the multimodal means of expression now becoming available through Web 2.0.
I created this Ning network as another way to examine the possibilities for students as writers and creators of content for an authentic audience.

Kevin

[Anne Rubin]

Funny coincidence! My husband and I are moving to Williamstown in the fall!

AR

[Matt Rolph]

Hi, I'm Matt Rolph. I am contract faculty at Plymouth State University, where I teach an interdisciplinary seminar in Critical Thinking to first year (college) students and coordinate a developmental advising program for students without majors. I am TL for our Plymouth Writing Project, and have been since the site was founded in 2002. I've been at Plymouth State as an educator since 2001, and first came here as a student just out of high school in 1988. My BA is in English Literature, and my M.Ed. was focused on the teaching of writing. I've been a technologist and a consultant for many years, and keep my oar in by building websites, usually for charities, people I know, or students of mine, but I love teaching best and crave technology that serves education well.

I was born in Kansas, but raised in Canada and Brazil, and, though I read over a dozen languages and speak four or five imperfectly, there are lots of times I don't really know what people are talking about. Popular culture as pervasive as the air we breathe is occasionally a mystery to me. But it's a joyful learning process.

[Kevin H.]

You are quite the world hopper, Matt.

I think the phrase "I love teaching best and crave technology that serves education well" sums up a whole lot of sentiment.

Kevin

[Peter Kittle]

My name is Peter Kittle, and I'm the director of the Northern California Writing Project in Chico, California. It's probably the best place I've lived (aside from London)--great combination of outdoor activities, a college-town culture, small town feel, and generally relaxed environment. The fact that the Sierra Nevada Brewery is here has nothing to do with my opinion ...

I teach English Education courses in the English Department at Cal State Chico. I used to teach high school English in Washington state. I'm a cultural studies type who revels in lots of the popular culture stuff that Matt finds occasionally puzzling; my students find it odd that I make little distinction between my ways of thinking about a novel by Dickens and the latest episode of Lost, but there you have it.

Because I apparently haven't grown up (in terms of my behaviors and interests, anyway, size of my belly notwithstanding), some acquaintances have told me my middle name should be Pan. I spend many hours each week on my muni, and enjoy skateboarding with my middle child (Tyler, who's 13; there's also Drew, 16, and Seth, 9). My patient wife, Lisa, is an elementary school teacher in a nearby town.

[Kevin H.]

I can't resist putting this onto this site (Maybe Joe B. will see it, too)
Memories of last year's Tech Matters.
-- Kevin


In Chico

In Chico, don't get discouraged,
They just think that you’ll understand.
In Chico, we’ll come together,
Wikis and Weblogs -- it all gets out of hand.

Even though there’s heat on the street
We’ve made friends you just can’t beat
And everything we’ve learned will slip away.

And I know, things will get better
Oh yes, they will, just like our leaders planned
Oh, Yes they will, in Chico, it’s all grand.


Now, if only I had a podcast of it.
Kevin

[Tonya Witherspoon]

Hi - I'm Tonya Witherspoon. I am the technology liaison for the South Central Kansas Writing Project at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. I enjoy writing, art, music, and encouraging creativity with current technologies. I have taught PK-12, higher-ed spending most of my time working in very high minority, urban public and private schools and the College of Ed at WSU. Although, I also spent a couple of years at a professional development service center in rural Kansas working with very small rural populations.

My husband, who is also a teacher, and our five children recently opened a high-tech learning center in Wichita called MindScapes. We pooled our ideas and experience together to create what we hope is a great learning and recreation spot for people of all ages. We are teaching classes in writing, animation, robotics, web design, graphics, etc. We are also hosting a few different types of events such as "Family Nights" for people of all ages to spend time with the latest technology creating and learning and "After Hours" where teenagers can hang out and play all of the latest video games while enjoying music and each other's company. We are planning a Harry Potter Book 7 Release party that should be tons of fun. It will be hard to have those boxes of books ahead of time and not open them!!

Check it out:
http://mindscapeswichita.com

[Kevin H.]

I continue to learn from you and appreciate all of your sharing, Tonya.
Your Mindscapes idea is so fantastic.
Kevin

[Bonnie Kaplan]

I'm Bonnie Kaplan, Co-Director/TL at the Hudson Valley Writing Project. I live an hour away from our site at SUNY New Paltz, but that's okay. I live about 25 minutes from New York City and that's wonderful.
I loved teaching 8th graders and directing high school theater for many years. I just finished teaching a grad course in Digital Storytelling and that's a wonderful new challenge. They aren't 8th graders, but as many of them entered the classroom shaking with trepidation as they sat down to the computer. And I could totally relate. So I still have classrooms to work in, even if the students are older.
I love being challenged by the guitar and by the computer.
Tonya, I want to hear more about your mindscapes. I see you left a website address.
Bonnie

[Felicia]

Bonnie,
I didn't know you lived so close to New York City. I'm an alumni of New Paltz and love the area. It's good to see that the college is hosting a Writing Project.

[Bonnie Kaplan]

Hi Felicia,
New Paltz is great place and close to where I was born and raised, Ellenville. I spent lots of time taking classes at SUNY, who knows maybe our paths crossed. Where do you live now, Felicia? It would be cool for our sites to join together for something. I know Paul Allison from TM '06 and Karen as well. I love IMing with her. I hope we get to meet face to face at the conference.
Bonnie

[Cynthia Calvert]

I wish I lived close enough for your Harry Potter Release Party. I can't wait to get my book. I had planned to re-read the other six before now, but have found other things to occupy my time. Sounds great.