welcome to my blog

I have created this blog for an online course I am taking about blended learning.  I will write each week to explore different concepts I have learned about and how they relate to what I do in my ninth grade English classroom.

I teach at Altoona Area Junior High School.  My current teaching assignment includes academic English 9, poetry, Diversity in Literature, and Journalism.  Teaching these different classes allows me to explore a variety of content and teaching methods.  I am most proud of my journalism program and it has grown over the years.  This is the first year that we are online using the internet.  The site has evolved this year, and I have lots of goals for next year.  Check it out at livewire.aasdcat.com

I also try to use technology effectively in my classroom and have developed wiki spaces for the students.  These are also evolving.  I am just finishing up To Kill a Mockingbird and have tried to successfully integrate technology with the study of this classic literature.  You can check out my English wiki space at PletcherEnglish9.wikispaces.com