To both commemorate the new year and celebrate fifty posts on Teaching Speaks Volumes, I have updated the layout and look of the blog. The header features artwork from a very talented colleague, Lynda Boltz. Her talents can be reached at lynda313@aol.com.
I love using word clouds (via Tagxedo or Wordle) with students. I have created them for short stories we will study or using students’ own writing. A word cloud sizes words to highlight their frequencies of occurrence within the writing.
The following word cloud is of the first fifty Volumes of TSV. It provides a snapshot of this blog’s discussion over the past 20 months:
Does something stand out to you in this word cloud? Please let me know in the comments…
Teaching Speaks Volumes 
Hi. I’m a follower of your blog. I have an idea to pitch to you tonight. I work for Charlotte Meck. We were emailed this evening with EVAAS data from the state and from our district. It’s quite enlightening to see how much lower my district rates teachers than the state does. So I emailed a reporter from the Charlotte Observer I know to ask if she had the raw data from the state. She sent it to me. My husband is currently a master’s student at UNCC studying data analytics. He’s going to convert the data into a “heat map” of NC which will show which will show where teachers are rated higher vs lower. I wanted to let you know in case you wanted to use it once he gets it generated. He’s going to do it later tonight and I’ll be asleep so it will be tomorrow before I can get it to you. Just wanted to find out what email address I can use. I can also forward the raw data to you if you’re interested. >
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Hi! Yes, I’d love any data and analysis! It’ very interesting that different districts put their own spin on the state interpretation. You can reach me rickylynne76@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!
~Erica
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