Can anyone identify with this?

Tweetwhirl

Wow!

http://www.tweetwheel.com/georgygrrl

Keyboarding Discussion

I need some help. My district is reconsidering the need for keyboard instruction. I need input from other teachers as to what works, what doesn’t, how long it should be taught, and by which method.
I have started a wiki that anyone should be able to click “Edit” and post comments. After you have typed in your response, please just click “Save” and we should be all set. The wiki is here: http://teachtouchtyping.wetpaint.com/
Thank you very much for any assistance.

Budget Woes

It’s a tough time to be a computer teacher. New software is very expensive. I have tried a lot free programs, like Celestia and Stellarium (seems to freeze up), cool stuff like Google Sketch up and Google Earth, but we are always having to update and then, the programs freeze up and quit.

The other problem that is happening more frequently is the bandwidth issue. Since I can’t use the free software, I try the web. I am thwarted there due to bandwidth, or the lack thereof.

I have to really think ahead to all the possibilities of what could happen to mess up my lessons. Whoever thinks being a computer teacher is a piece of cake should try it for a week. Yes, it’s the best job in the world, and yes, I do love it, but just because I make it look easy doesn’t mean it is!!

My Computer Lab

Comment Challenge

If you are looking for my previous lessons and reflections, I accidentally erased them all last night.
Yeah, not so smart of me, was it?

http://commentchallenge.wikispaces.com/31+Day+Comment+Challenge

Day 6: Engage another Commenter in Discussion

I know I can do this easily. I think I will do better with this homework!
I finally completed this task. It also took me way longer than expected. I think that the organizers of these tasks should say You have 30 minutes to find and post. Otherwise, I am taking two, three hours of browsing, searching, pondering. I must waste a ton of time! How on earth do these other people do it? Their blogs are always up to date, they comment intelligently on Twitter, they respond politely to their blog comments.
It’s astounding!

Now onto the next lesson, which is:

Day 7: Reflect on What You’ve Learned so Far

Hmmm.. three lessons that I’ve learned thus far… Well, I found out that I am pretty agreeable! It’s very hard to find a lot to disagree with!

I also found out that I feel uncomfortable with a lot of fuss over my posts. I am not sure that I need to post more than I do. I like posting on my two blogs when the mood strikes me. I also read other ed tech type blogs all the time. I try not to post too often because they are often of the “Oh I love what you said! I agree!” variety, which is a no no. So I tend to only post when I really need to, otherwise I just read and move on.

And lastly, I mostly use my blog to remind me of stuff that I want to remember or use in the future. I like to highlight information that I really think may get away from me. That happens to me all the time, regardless of how hard I try to copy and paste the URLs or the info!

Day 8: Comment on a blog outside of your niche

The Breadth and Depth of Attaining Knowledge or

Is Twitter going to ruin my brain for deeper, headier learning?

It seems that many can’t just enjoy Twitter for the little communications program that it is. Instead we have to dissect it, scrutinize the people who use it, whether you be followERS or followEES. If you don’t follow those who follow you, are you a bum? If you respond in an insipid way, certain twitterers will twit, in a very circular fashion, how some people waste their time.

Frankly, I think that all of these discussions are a waste of time. I hate to be a negative kind of gal, but what’s wrong with just enjoying whatever we each reap from it? I love the links, the sharing of info on educational technology. I enjoy the few friends that I have “made” (in a virtual sorta way) and I look forward to seeing what they are up to each day.

One day, I decided to let some classes use comics to experiment with. I twitted for links and was sent enough comic links to keep me busy for the rest of the year. Within minutes, my class had links to have some fun.

I have to admit to some uneasiness with Twitter etiquette. I know that others are, too. If you are being followed, must you also follow that person? My gut reaction would be, no. I don’t follow certain people because I want them to follow ME. I have, at this point, very little to offer. After all, the people whom I follow are top notch in their field. Why on earth would they follow ME? I am honored that I can be a casual observer and grab a link or two, or a nugget or two of their wisdom. I am in this for learning…not popularity.

So if you see me anywhere, say Hi. I won’t be mad if you don’t follow me, as long as I can continue to eavesdrop and hijack your links and share your lesson plans. I am grateful for being able to do so!

Discouraged…

One problem I find discouraging is that many websites that have super cool activities on them require an email address in order to use them. I have some very tech-savvy 5th graders who would enjoy places like animoto.com but the email address thing stops me.

Next year I’d love to try to have every 5th grader come to school with an email address already in place, or permission so that I can get them one, in order to have more freedom. Of course, along with freedom comes responsibility and appropriateness. I wouldn’t mind teaching either of those things if we could just have access to more areas on the web!

Home sick? No biggie!

This is such a cool thing! A teacher was home with a sick little boy today. She had a specific lesson in mind for her class to do in the computer lab. I said, “Go on your web cam and teach the class.”

Her comment: I haven’t showered yet.

That cracked me up…like how would we know? So I told her when the class was ready and she came on. Her class was so happy to see her! She had been out for the second day so to them, it was forever! She taught her class, the kids got the job done, they responded to her questions using their epals account.

We both felt good. I think about 17 kids did, too!

Nutrition

I was just perusing one of the nings to which I belong and I came across this article on nutrition: http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/. I am quite excited because the link in the article, as well as the information, will enable me to support our PE teacher who is beginning her unit on nutrition very soon! I am quite excited. THIS is why I poke my nose into every available educational/teaching/technology area that I can!

Here is the link to the game: http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/kids_game.html