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!!