Thing 9

I made this logo on customsigngeneratore. This was a fun but difficult application to use because the instructions were not as clear as I would have liked them to be. I felt  lost trying to get my custom creation into this blog.

I got this image from imagechef.com. I know that I will use this site to help me down the road. I might even introduce my students to this site so they can use it for presentations.

Thing 8

This first mash-up came from playing around with mosaic maker. I enjoyed using this mash-up and it was easy. The only thing I did not like was that I did not get to choose my pictures from the tag options. I was stuck with whatever pictures the computer randomly choose. This might be a great tool if you had lots of pictures in your own flicker account that could become useful for projects and teaching tools.














This second mash-up came from spell with flicker. I had a hard time with this site because even at the smallest size this image remains huge. This application works best with one word or maybe a short phrase but it seems to leave out the spaces sometimes. This might be a fun tool to use for student projects that allow students to get creative with the spelling and writing on a project. Overall I think Flicker and its mash-ups can be a great addition to the classroom. I also think photo sharing can be a good thing as long as it is done responsibly.

Thing 7

Playbills

I am a big theater buff. I love reading old playbills and looking at pictures of old performances. I think that using flickr in a classroom my not always be the best idea but it might give the students a chance to see first hand pictures from places or things they have never seen before. I could see myself using this site to introduce concepts in geography of in social studies. I think that students will get a better understanding of certain concepts if they can see first hand explanations or experiences through flickr.

Thing 6

Exploring Web 2.0 award winners was a lot of fun. I ended up choosing to use Pinterest. This site links you to anyone in the world whole might have something to offer on every topic imaginable. I have created a board strictly for educational ideas that I find while playing around. I can also go and search for activities and crafts for whatever topic I am covering in my class. This site has so many links to other teachers and classrooms around the world that I could find a new activity for every topic if I wanted to. Using this site in my classroom one day will help me plan everything from how to decorate my classroom to new ideas for how to present new concepts each year.

Thing 5

School 2.0 sounds scary if you ask me. I shudder to think that some day our kids will not even go to school. They will just meet over the internet. School 2.0 is a concept that allows teachers to add technology to their classrooms in a new way that is free and can be fun and interactive. Most of the time students already know how to use many of these sites even if we as educators do not. The Web 2.0 is the future of education, is a place that allows for professional development. This article shows you how to use many web 2.0 sites that will be useful to me down the road as a teacher. I also looked at Teachers 2.0. This site had tons of podcasts that were geared towards teachers to help make their classrooms more tech friendly. This website is changing to allow more listener contributions of ideas as well as questions.

As I said earlier in this post, I firmly believe that Web 2.0 will create a learning environment in which our kids do not have to come to school because everything will be available on the web. This is sad because more teachers will be out of work and students will not get the one-on-one time they sometimes need to reinforce concepts. Web 2.0 Will also make things more learner centered meaning students will be more responsible for what they are learning. However I firmly believe that parents and the government will still hold teachers responsible if students refuse to do the work.

Thing 4

I have found commenting to be an important part of the blogging world because it creates a sense of community that allows for open and relaxed conversation between people. Commenting also lets the author know that people are reading their blog. When people comment in a professional manner it can spawn a discussion that allows for multiple view points to be heard and considered. My goal is to one day have a blog where people actually read what I say and then respond just like we are having a conversation. This validates both the writer and the reader.

The first comment I made was:

I understand that playing and having fun can be hard for many of us. I know that for me it is always a struggle between classes and work. I have found that if nothing else, I need about 20 minutes to myself everyday. In order to make this happen I have tried to find a chance to take a nice relaxing bath or read a chapter of a book before I go to bed. While this doesn't seem like play, it allows me to do something for myself that I enjoy.

January 26, 2013 at 2:29 PM - I made this comment to remind the writer to try and take just a little bit of time for herself everyday. I feel that this comment brings in my own life experience and allows me to have a conversation with this writer.

The second comment I made was:

Life of a graduate studentJanuary 26, 2013 at 2:36 PM

I like the idea of posting interesting links for your students in your blog. I am not really sure that this would work too well with younger kids but I think the idea is great and if you have older students who will take things you post and run with them, the concept would be quite effective.

- I think that this comment will spark a discussion that might give me some other ideas on how to use blogs with younger children as well as lets the reader know that I like the ideas they have brought to the table

The third comment I left was:

Life of a graduate studentJanuary 26, 2013 at 2:41 PM

I also lack confidence in myself as a learner. I hate feeling like a question might have already been covered and I just missed something. I do not want other people in class to roll their eyes and be frustrated because I asked a question that they already understand.

This comment allows me to add a personal experience to the conversation while showing the blogger that I understand where they are coming from.

The fourth comment I made was:

Life of a graduate studentJanuary 26, 2013 at 4:48 PM

I also find it easy to take responsibility for my own learning. I was home schooled all the way through (K-12). After I left the once a week class sessions, I was on my own to figure out when I would do my homework and when I would balance all my other school work as well as other extra curricular activities. I learned very quickly that no one would figure all this out for me. I was on my own and learning the material was my responsibility.

This comment allows me to take and offer my own experience as well as tell the blogger that I am in the same situation they are in.

My fifth class comment was:

Life of a graduate studentJanuary 26, 2013 at 4:52 PM

I have a tough time beginning with an end in mind. I always want to jump right in and get started. I have a hard time thinking about what I want something to look like when it is finished and I am terrible at making plans to get things done. I would much rather wing it then plan. I hate making lists and goals and I dislike too much structure in my own life. I like structure in the classroom but I love things to be kind of crazy in my own life.

This comment gives me the chance to provide a different point of view to the blogger and allows for me to express my own struggle with this area.

The first outside comment I left was:

http://orgjunkie.com/2013/01/5-steps-to-organize-anything.html#comment-88198 I choose this blog because I have been looking for ways to make cleaning and organizing my house easier.

I really need to get my house cleaned up and organized. I am tired of all the piles of clutter that bulid up because I never take the time to clean and put things away. Thank you for putting the process into just a few steps that make sense and keep me from losing my mind. - I left this comment because I wanted to let the author know that they made a difference in the way I will clean up my house.

The second outside comment I left was:

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/01/my-best-couponing-tipfrom-former-coupon.html#comment-74749  I choose to comment on this blog because we are both couponers that have busy lives and we are trying to save as much money as possible.

Thank you for providing me a way to stock up on products I need without having to spend hours clipping coupons. I just don’t have enough hours to clip coupons and search for all the best deals. I like that you have brought everything into one place and made this so easy that anyone can really pick up and start doing this. - I left this comment because I feel like she has given me an option that is doable without spending hours clipping coupons. Between school and work I just don't have time to clip and search and shop like I used to. This has been an eye opener for me and I plan to take this info into my life as I move forward.

Thing 3

One great way to use my blog when I start teaching is to have a class blog that allows us to blog with other classes around the world. This kind of interaction with different cultures and schools is great for kids because it allows for students to be reminded that the world is a lot bigger than what they see on a daily basis. Another great way to use a blog in the classroom is for it to be a means of communication between the teacher and the parents. Students can find any missing assignments if they are out sick and they can keep up with what is going on in the room. If I need volunteers for a field trip or the class needs some extra supplies, the parents can be made aware of the needs and help fulfill them if possible.

Thing 2

• What previous experiences do you have with blogs, reading or writing?
• How did you decide on your posting name and the name of your blog?
• What was your experience in creating the blog? Was it hard for you or easy? Why?
• How does your avatar reflect your personality? Did you create an avatar that looks like your real self or someone totally different? Why?

Most of my experience with blogs comes from reading other peoples blogs on subjects that interest me. I have written a blog before but I always let it fall apart when my life gets busy. I decided to make naming this blog really simple. I call it My23Things because that is what I am working on. I have no interest in being super creative with the title for this blog because after this class I don't plan to ever use it again. Creating this blog was super easy because I have made a couple blogs before. I am used to the set up process and the manner in which I can put things into my blog. My avatar looks a little like me but not a lot. I just went in and selected things that I thought looked good together, I enjoy hiding behind this toon for my face.

Thing 1

Well I think the the easiest habit for me is to use technology to my advantage. I am always using either my phone or the computer or some other form of technology to make school easier for me. I find that using technology comes pretty easy for me. I think the hardest habit for me is to have fun because I tend to push myself so hard to succeed that I forget that I need to do fun things as well as get lost in my school work. I am working hard at becoming a life long learner and I hope that I never stop learning.

I found setting up my blog to be a wonderful and gratifying experience. I did not have a tough time setting it up because this is not the first time I have set up a blog. I enjoy the interaction that a blog allows. I am looking forward to playing with all the Web2.0 tools that we will get to play with and explore.