Google Docs

Travis set up a google doc for our curriculum process, and I actually used it successfully!!

More Technology Frustrations

As a teacher, I have always looked up to those that use technology with ease and have such creative assignments. Now that I am trying to use more technology, I am continually frustrated by the school's limitations and wonder how other teachers worked with them.

A colleague of mine created a cool blogging assignment to go with Macbeth. However, the computers at our school only allow so many people to create google log-ons on each computer. (Something like that!) With a couple classes already using google accounts, and many more students creating them individually, the computers are already maxed out. So, if I want to use the assignment, students will have to do it at home. I know all my students do not have computers, and I also think the product would be of more quality and more students would actually do it if it was a class activity.

It is just frustrating that some of us are trying to be innovative and improve student learning, but we do not have the resources to allow us to do so. However, we are encouraged to use technology and criticized when we do not. I just wish people would give me what I need then.

No more gripes, I promise!!

Thing 8

I actually use databases quite a bit with my students. Like many of you, I also had extensive opportunities to use them in graduate school. I thought there was nothing else for me to learn about them, but I love the visual search. I am such a visual person, and sometimes databases are overwhelming for me. Knowing that I can search in a concept map-type format is very helpful!

Google Lit Trips

Another thank you to Travis!!

For those of you teaching literature, go to www.googlelittrips.com. There is a wide selection of novels. You need to download Google Earth, and then you can follow the characters on their journey. There are videos, historical info, discussion/journal questions, photos, and other goodies.

It is very cool, and a fun way to get students into a novel. I am going to use it with Grapes of Wrath tomorrow. We are watching a dust storm. FUN STUFF!!

Delicious Frustration

After touting about how much I LOVE delicious, I have found a bug. And no one wants bugs in their delicious items.

I actually think it is an issue with the blocking mechanisms at the high school (weird) and not delicious (because nothing could be wrong with delicious!)

When I bookmark things at school, they happily appear on my computer at home. However, when I bookmark items at home, they do not appear on my computer at school, and that seriously ruins the point!!

If anyone has found a way around this little glitch, let me know. It is not any fun if I can't delicious:(

Thing 7

Once again, I have a whole pile of papers to grade so I am blogging instead. It's even better, because I used up 30 other minutes watching Obama. I figure my kids don't need to know their grades anyway:)

While I do use google quite a bit, I am amazingly overwhelmed by all the things it does that I am not aware of. I love that I can use it as a calculator and to figure out chemistry equations. It may not be completely useful for an English teacher, but it could be a neat trick to have up my sleeve.

Seriously, I am OBSESSED with Delicious. My classmates knew I would be when we learned about it. I am constantly running across things I would like to use in the future, but I've never been that great with my favorites. I knew that favorites aren't a mystery, but I would forget about them or they would be on the wrong computer when I wanted to use them. Now I have delicious everywhere.

The problem is I keep bookmarking things. I have already bookmarked so much that I don't even know what I have. I figure it will be a fun surprise for a rainy day or to use all that free time I seem to be bored with:)

I think the best part is that delicious lets me save all the technology tips I'm getting that I am of course going to use in the future!!

Thing 6

I have successfully used Google Documents with a colleague to work on unit calendars. It is great because we are not in the same house, so we are able to work on our calendar during the day when we can't easily walk to the other house. It's cool because you can comment and edit on the same document at the same time.

I am also interested in exploring bibliography templates on Google docs. I know that using templates is a little controversial in the English world, but I like the idea of getting students in the habit of knowing they need to cite sources in a specific format. (That was the longest run-on sentence)

As far as Wikis go, I have found some really cool English wikis and I would really like to set one up for my students. It would be really cool for students in multiple classes to interact. My problem is that I am finding the final product very cool, but I have no idea where to start. My Milli goal is to create a wiki for my students by the end of the year, and ultimately I'd like them to create pages.

I'll keep you posted:)

Video Question

Hi everyone~
I had this idea to have my students create a found poem from Book Thief and then set it to music, and maybe include images. I was going to try and use Animoto, but it seems complicated. Any great ideas on how I could do this. I'm sure there is a very easy answer. Clearly I'm showing how much I haven't used technology in the classroom!!

Thing 5

On my way home from school today, I stopped at the Chaska Library and got a library card. I spent much of my youth in the Stillwater library, but suprisingly it was a little intimidating to go get a card. Dumb, I know. It was a much bigger deal to me than it was to the librarians.

After getting the card, I walked around a little bit. I had forgotten how cool libraries are. Somehow the college library doesn't quite fit in. Although, I spent a lot of time there too. There seems to be some comfort at a library.

I'm not sure why I was surprised, but I ran into a number of my students. In fact, there were a lot of students working on computers and homework. It was nice to see that students have a place to go after school and access to technology that we all want to use more of in the classroom.

I have a feeling that I will be visiting the library much more frequently, and I'm thankful because I would not have gone if it wasn't an assignment!!

Outbrain

Many of you who have registered for technology for teachers probably read about this, but I decided to try out Outbrain. It is a rating system, so now I have little stars on my blog so you can rate what I am saying (just what an English teacher needs). However, in the future, Outbrain will allow you to link to other blogs with related material to the one you are currently reading. Since I have become a blog addict, I am excited about that feature.

Wordle Fan

I am a huge fan of Wordle. We have been talking about the power of words and powerful words in class with The Book Thief. I designed a lesson for Thursday just so I can use Wordle.

Thanks for the tip!! I love when people create curriculum for me!!

Thing 4

Thanks to Travis and my friendly blogger buddies, I am ahead of the game on this one!!

Travis taught me how to use igoogle in one of our first sessions, and Blazek had already got me going on a google calendar. I'm not really sure how I managed my life before igoogle. I have my calendar, reader, and blog all in one spot. Plus, I get to read my horoscope every day too!! I almost never go to my blog. Instead, I just blog from igoogle and respond to blogs through my reader. It's just so nice that everything is in one place. Plus, I feel like I am finding google tools and gadgets to add every day. It's one stop shopping, weather included:)

Google Educators Newsletter

In my hunting around, I signed up for a google newsletter for educators. I might regret that decision. I keep finding new blogs to read, and now I'm adding newsletters. I think I'm becoming a technology monster. However, my training today with my table PC shows me that I'm still clueless!!

If the newsletter is any good, I'll pass on the tips.

Thing 3

Well, I am procrastinating with all the other things I need to do, like write recommendations and lesson plan. I thought MILI homework would be more fun.

My students are currently completing some research on war. I used a number of handouts from the RPC. I realized that next time I might want to revise them a little for my specific purpose, but the students seemed to find them useful. It also focused them on the process rather than just priniting pages and calling that research. I also required them to use at least two databases from the media center. They complained at first, but many of them found so much great information that they never even went to google. I am willing to bet that they will use the databases next time they have to do research.

I recommended easy bib as one tool they could use for their bibliographies. However, citation machine seems more user friendly. I will definitely suggest it since they can't easily get to citation maker, on the media center page, from home.,

I thought I had the hang of it.

I am struggling. I tried to comment to a comment Emily made to me. Instead, I ended up commenting to my original post. How does one comment to a comment? Or can one not have a blog dialogue?

WIKIe

I started a WIKI today to get the hang of it. However, I'm not exactly sure what to do with it. I would LOVE ideas for how people have used them.

igoogle tip

I learned today that if you don't sign out of igoogle on a public computer, the next person may be able to see your stuff. So always log out when you are done!

Did someone ask about unblocking?

I am blogging at the high school. Apparently it is unblocked for the moment:)

Thing 2

I'm back...of course after the tennis match. Sadly, Nadal lost. Looks like it will be #5 for Federer in the final tomorrow.

Thanks to thing 2, I now have a lot more blogs to read. I think this RSS thing might get me in trouble. As an English teacher, too many things to read!!! And you have probably noticed that I'm long winded in my blogs too!!! SORRY!!

Interesting Article

I read an article in the paper this week about how schools are dealing with cell phones in the classroom. Many administrators felt that it was important to incorporate texting in lessons rather than trying to ban it altogether.

I realize that no cell phones in the classroom is our current policy, but I was wondering if anyone ever used texting in a lesson plan and how they used it.

Thing 1

Well, we are one week down and still no major papers to grade so I decided to do a little MILI homework. It seemed especially important since I have not done anything since our last class.

I of course need to take a little break in a minute to watch the Murray/Nadal tennis match. It anyone cares, I'm cheering for Nadal.

But, I found it very interesting that students of all ages seemed to be overwhelmed with the amount of information available to them. I know that all the new technology has been very overwhelming for me.
With a new gradebook, website, sub system and web 2.0 tools, I feel like I'm trying to just get my head around everything. However, I do feel like I'm going to like my new tools when I really figure them out.

What is interesting to me is that I take for granted that my students have grown up in the information age. I tend to just assume that they can use technology. While many of them are more saavy then me, many still don't have access to or use a lot of technology. And those students that do often just want to find the quickest solution rather than digging. When I was growing up and researching is books (GASP), I had limitations about what I could use so I need to remember as a teacher that students still need guidlines and direction even though the information is at their fingertips. In fact, with the huge amount of information, I think those guidelines become even more important.

As far as my classroom, I have made it a goal to use more technology this year but I don't want to force it. I want to use technology so it enriches student learning. I don't want to just use it just so I can say i did. I also have to echo Nancy's statements, because it can be frustrating to use technology because there seem to be so many hurdles. In addition to data privacy, there is also a concern that students will create weird names and post innapropriate messages. As a teacher, it seems to be a battle I don't want to fight if I can avoid it.

However, I am excited to find tools I can easily use without those battles!!

Blogger and igoogle

I put blogger and igoogle, and now I can post from igoogle without going to blogger.com...FANCY

RSS and igoogle tip

I am not so sure about the RSS yet. My computer hates me, so it might work better at home. I have a feeling that I might subscribe to websites and have thousands of posts to read. Of course, I have the time:) I do like the idea of going to one spot to read everything though.

Talking about everything in one place...

Travis taught me about igoogle. to set up an igoogle page, go to google and click igoogle in the top right corner. Then you can search for gadgets and add all sorts of gadgets plus all your google pages...gmail, google calendar, google reader...the sky is the limit. Then when you go to google, all your pages will come up in one place. It's GREAT!! I'm very excited about this tip. I might get organized yet!!

Research Project Calculator

This site http://rpc.elm4you.org/ is an excellent source of lesson plans and materials for any assignments that are research based.

Metronet Site

This Website http://metronetmili.pbwiki.com has many teaching and Web 2.0 resources.

First Blog

I actually created a blog!!! If I had known it was this easy, I would have done it years ago. Now is the hard part...I have to be witty. Don't expect too much from me:) I'll just leave it to him for now.