Saturday, June 5, 2010

Why I Love Google Voice or...

..When things Work Exactly the Way I Want them To.

Over the last winter break, I requested access to Google Voice. I was accepted and set up the best number I could think of where the last four numbers spell BOOK. Perfect for a reading teacher, right? My thinking when setting up the number was:
Now my students can contact me outside of school if they need to, they're not using my home or cell number, and Google keeps a record of everything.

During the school year, some of the readers I roped into reading early on would text me in the evening if they finished their book and ask me to bring another to school for them the next day. I'm sure they thought I was weird, but this made me ecstatic.

Yesterday, I had the following conversation with a student (edit: when I was having the conversation, I wasn't sure who the student was. Looking back at my Google Voice records, now I know.)


StudentHey ms o have any new good reading recommendations? 2:06 PM
MeKeeper by Mal Peet. I just read it and it was awesome. About soccer and the world cup winning goalkeeper. What are you looking for? 2:07 PM
StudentJust any new books lol im going to be taking a trip up to barnes and noble and im hoping to find a couple of good ones  2:08 PM
MeThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. You wanna give me a few topics so I can narrow my recommendations? 2:10 PM
Studentmystery and maybe a comedy ?  2:11 PM
MeI'm on my way home right now, I'll take a look and text you in a few. 2:12 PM
StudentOka thank you :)  2:13 PM
MeFor humor: No More Dead Dogs by G. Korman, The Schwa Was Here by N. Shusterman, Fancy White Trash by M. Geerling 2:28 PM
MeFor mystery: The Compound by S.A. Bodeen, I, Q Independence Hall by R. Smith, The Tomorrow Code by B. Falkner, The Adoration of Jenna Fox by M. Pearson. 2:31 PM
MeHope that helps. Text me when you're there if you still need help. 2:31 PM
StudentOka thank you :) :)  2:31 PM

What happened here was the thing I dreamed would happen, but didn't figure would. A student needed something to read, remembered that I give suggestions, and even though she's no longer in my class, used her resources to get where she was trying to go. And that conversation with her totally made my day.

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