Thing #6

Once I got the hang of adding blogs to my reader it was lots of fun. I'm linked to blogs that will help me grow as an educator as well as blogs that will help improve my quality of life. When I started adding them I kept thinking of other topic I would like to add to my reader. I like the idea that I can scan the topics to find those that catch my interest and skip over others.

I'm not only leaning about how to become a better educator by using technology in my classroom but how to become a better distance runner and healthier person.

Thing #5

Where do I start............. Every time I read a new blogI find something I want to run into my classroom and implement it into a lesson. Within the last couple of weeks my classroom as received a projector,a promethean slate and a Macbook. I am already playing with them and my students are draw in by the technology. They want to use it. They are all excited. The only draw back is there is just one slate and they all want to use it.

Today I read a blog about using cell phones for learning and found yet another avenue to explore or at least research. Not all my students have access to a computer on a regular basis but almost every middle school student has a basic cell phone.

Thing #4

After reading a few of the blog listed I realized the ones I enjoyed the most were the ones that seemed most like conversations. Blogs give you the opportunity to share your thoughts, experiences and even vent. What bloggers have to realize is that everything they post can be seen by anyone with internet access. The sample blogs were of course chosen for us to view Written by educators or students made them a safe read. With this in mind I decide to flip the coin and look a bit deeper than the blogs listed and what I found was that not all people realize that blogs are connected to them. Bloggers need to be careful what they say and how they say it. You need to keep in mind when blogging how the reader will interpret what you are posting. Will they understand what you are saying and will what you are saying offend them.

I really enjoyed reading the blog about using blogs for sustained reading time. I am always looking for new way to engage my students in reading. In desperation to just get them to read I have allowed them to even read gaming magazines. As a teacher who works with struggling readers I am excited about trying this in my classroom. I know that blogging will allow them to not only strengthen their reading but writing skills as well. In this age of technology I feel like I'm already behind in not having known/tried blogging with my students already. I know they can do it........they already have their cell phones downloaded with all the newest features.

Thing #2 - Thoughts about 2.0

The Machine is Us/ing video reminded me of an introduction to computer programing class I once signed up for in college. Everything had to be typed just right....right amount of spaces and exact language or it wouldn't work. I am glad that technology and the web is moving towards an easier more user friendly avenue.

Shift happens I'd seen before but seeing the statistic again still amazes me.The Vision video made me think about what I hear my students talk about before class. My Space, Facebook, Blogging and downloading things into their Ipods. I know the basics. I own an Ipod and can download music. I use the web to research and plan. I pay bills and make purchases online. I email and text daily but when something is not connecting right in my classroom, like the video to my projector.........one of my students will fix the problem. I look forward to the day that our students have enough technology available to them at home and school to be able to immerse themselves into digital learning.

7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners

As a new runner training for my upcoming half marathon I was able to take the tutorial and apply it to my training. I was able to see what my training schedule was missing and fill in the gaps. I believe we are life long learners in every aspect of our lives. If we don't strive to learn more............are we living?



Now to apply it to the 23 things.



The most challenging thing for me during this course will be not to get frustrated when the technology is not working for me.......this is my second time to try and post this. My life seems so busy these days. With school, family, training and a second job I try to allot all my time. So when I have to back up and start over I often look at it as I have lost time. I hate to be behind or late.



I think the easiest thing through this course for me will be to ask for help when things don't work. When I do become frustrated because it's not working there are a couple of teachers at my school who have already been through this course. They recommended I take the course and they also happen to be fellow runners so we already have multiple connections. If this blog doesn't work this time I may be calling on the tomorrow.



I think the most important thing for me to work through will be to think outside of the box. I want to learn more about what my students are doing on the web. I don't want to be like my parents. They still can't program their remote.