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:)