Thing #15

Every time I want to read the spolier of a movie or find out who played a character in a movie, I go to Wikipedia. Whoever thought of the idea of being able to post a topic and allow the world to create or have input on the information was a genius. I don't think I've found one topic that I've thought about looking on Wikipedia for that I couldn't find. This lesson taught me that there is more than just Wikipedia though.

I took quite a bit of time browsing the Book Lovers Wiki. By the time I'd finished, I had a list of new books to read and even places to order the books for less than half of the publisher's price. I have a friend who teaches computer science, so I sent him the website address for the Computer Science Wiki.

The Sandbox was fun but the image I wanted to upload was too large. I finally learned the ease of how to edit a wiki page. I may just become a contributor to Wikipedia someday. One activity that I thought of for my Science class is to use the classroom set of laptops to create a Wiki of Science Notes. I could assign each group in my 4 classes a topic. Their challenge would be to add something of importance to the Wiki for their topic. No group could repeat anything already stated on the Wiki. At the end of the day, I could print out the Wiki topics, and copy the notes for each student.

Things #14

Once again, I am amazed at something else that I've learned in this class. First Zoho and now http://www.bubbl.us/index. I tried Flowchart.com first and was impressed with how easy the program is. It reminded me too much of Inspiration and Kidspiration though. I do think it would be more useful and take care of more Technology Apps if older students were allowed to use the program. I could see our Math teacher using the site for the kids to complete one of her many and usually fun JAM topics.

I spent most of my time on Bubbl.us and must admit, I'm hooked. It would make wonderful presentation material and I love the idea of being able to change the colors of the bubbles and to connect a parent bubble with a child bubble in a matter of clicks. The only thing I couldn't figure out was how to get my complete bubble to fit in my screen.

I did not like mindmeister though. Probably because I didn't really take the time to view the video and thought I'd just try to "figure it out." I got tired of it and tried something else.

Thing #13

I had never hard of Zoho before this class and I'm now hooked. I will definitely use this site to transport documents from home to school. Even though I use my flash drive, I have been known to forget the thing in the computer at home or school. This program will solve the problem.

In the classroom, I see Zoho as something my kids could use on the laptop and then those who have Internet access at home could use to finish their documents. I will share this site with colleagues and friends who will come up more creative ideas than I ever could.

I did find publishing to my blog easy and simple so that's something I will introduce to my Quest students also. Enjoy.

Dear Mom,

I remember when I used to get so angry with you for making me rewrite my homework because it was messy, or for making me make my bed before I left home, or bathe off my fresh layer of sand. I remember when I used to get angry with you because you would come into my room and take my flashlight to keep me from reading when I should have been sleeping or when you would discipline me for acting up no matter where we were. I still remember the temper tantrum I threw in McClellan's for a pair of flip flops and you had to buy the flip flops because they tore up when you spanked me with them. (Now someone would say that was child abuse even though the only thing hurt was my pride.)

Remember when I used to sneak your best cake pans outside to make "mud cakes", or when you would let us play outside in our underwear during a spring rain, or how I used to challenge you to our "animal name calling contest" and you'd let me call you a jackass. Remember how you would pinch my cousin and me for playing in church and when I told the preacher I wanted to be a madam. Remember when I used to ask you what a word meant and you would say, "Look it up."

Remember when you told me that, "I brought you in this world, and I will take you out." and I still believe that. Remember when you used to cook my friends and I thin T-bone steaks and eggs for Saturday breakfast and how all of my friends wanted to spend time in the country with us instead of at home. Remember the kegs of Kool-Aid and water on the porch, locking us outside to play because we would track mud on your freshly moppped and waxed hardwoods, the summer softball games in the pasture, and the kickball games in the winter in the pasture, and the Halloween party in the barn, and when I jumped out of the barn into the pond and chipped my tooth only to have it fixed and then I chipped it again and decided I like the chipped tooth better because it was a "war wound".

Remember how you taught me how to can food, make preserves, wash on a washboard, make lye soap, cook from scratch, dry fruit on an piece of tin, to sew, to unplug a drain (the old-fashined way), how to tell which plants I could eat if I was lost in the woods, how to build a campfire, how to cross the road when new tar was being laid, how to be a good respectful girl so that boys would understand that I'm marriage material, and how to climb in the "curving" if a tornado comes. Remember when the bike chain came off of my bike and I thought it would be a good idea to super glue it back on but ended up super gluing my hand to the chain. Remember when I got gum in my Kindergarten teacher's hair?

Oh, remember how you used to rent horror movies and we would watch them together and then when it was time to walk Keisha home you would sneak out and scare us. Man, you sounded just like Jason coming. Remember after I watched Psycho, I started calling you "Mother" like Norman when I was I angry with you. Remember when you and Daddy bought the GMC Jimmy with 23 miles on it and told me that, "it's yours if you want it and yours if you don't" and I was the first girl in Marshall with an SUV and who was driving at the age of 15. WOW!

Remember how you came to school to tell me that your grandmother had passed and when I went to pieces you were my rock and how even though Daddy would let me get away with murder you stood firm. Remember when I came in past curfew and you didn't yell, but gave me a blanket and made me sleep in the car during winter and you came out to check on me every hour. Remember when I started the food fight in junior high when you didn't yell or spank, but you made me eat crackers and water for lunch the next day and my friends refused to help me because you "whip people". Remember how Craig and Kenyatta came down the night before and morning of before I left for college because none of us wanted to go our separate ways and we stood in the yard and made plans to get together once a month no matter where we are and we still do.

Remember when you told me it was okay to stop playing softball because my ankles and knees would no longer let me even though it meant I would no longer be on ASA Select, remember your "how to use a condom" demonstration to my friends and I and you told us that if we were old enough to do what adults do, then we needed to be old enough to be honest with our parents before we did anything. Remember when I used to get stuck in the cedar tree because my pet geese would chase me and when I asked for a calf for a pet and named her Cherry because she was the color of cherries. Remember when Trigger kept eating your elephant ears and you reminded me that he was a Shetland pony not a dog and that if I wanted to keep him, I was going to have to turn him out in the pasture, but somehow he just getting back into the yard. (I'm sure you know, but I "accidently" left he gate open each night so he could sleep under my window.)

Remember when I graduated from high school and my whole family, cousins and all, stood up and yelled, "Bojangle". Remember when I graduated from college and I thought you would not get to come because you were recovering from having a breast tumor removed, but when I walked outside and saw you I couldn't walk to you because I had so many tears in my eyes. Remember when I graduated with a Master and you told me not to think I was Master of anything. Remember when I graduated again and you told me that I must have been serious when I said I was going to be a professional student.

Well Mama, I remember those things and I could not imagine not having you and my Daddy as my parents. Some people will never understand the power of time spent with their child is much more than the things bought. Some children will never understand what it's like to grow up the way I did, in the country, staying outside to all times of night, having everything I needed and most of what I wanted. Some children will never understand that having boundaries and expectations do make you a better person and some people will never understand that "sparing the rod" does make a spoiled child.

Remember how I used to love shelling purple hull peas and going to work with you to see your patients and how when you started working 11 to 7 I would go to work with you so all the "old people could play with me and treat me like I was their grandchild." Remember when I told you that I wanted to be a teacher and you said that you wanted to be a teacher but chose nursing instead because you weren't able to pay for college to be a teacher.

One last thing, I still don't appreciate all those spankings I got for cussing, because your grandmother is one who taught me how!

I love you Mama.

Thing #12

The Google calendar will come in handy for use in my classroom. Instead of using a desk calendar to remind myself of ARDs, faculty meetings, and all the other things that come along with teaching, I am going to start out the year trying to use the Google Calendar. I have already set it to remind me when to start cutting my 2-liter bottles for Science and of course staff development and school holidays. If I get crafty enough, I may just use it for my To Do list.

The Google Notebook will also come in handy for sharing and remembering links, clipart, etc. Since it can be accessed from anywhere, I can stop making list of sites to add to my Bookmarks on the computer at school when I find something on the Web from home.

The Post-It notes company may go out of business now that I've found paperless goodies to use.

Thing #11

I've always thought Google Blog Search was the best thing since sliced bread but Topix has it beat in my book. I really like the way I can read the latest "Hot Topic" and then immediately look to the right and find some places to comment and read others comments. I don't have to read about the topic and then go to a blogspot just to post something.

While visiting Edublog, I found a Science teacher's blog that I think is awesome. Too bad he teaches a higher level of Science than I do, but he has done some things with his blog that I would never think of. I think my Quest students had better watch out. They are going to be bloggers!http://rangerblue.edublogs.org/ (Edublog)

I wasn't thrilled with Syndic8 so about two minutes after looking at the bland site, I returned to my 23 things list and went to the next assignment. I did add another feed to my RSS readers. Of course it has something to do with Offbeat News. As mentioned in Thing #10, I also added RSS feeds for Twice Exceptional Children and other topics of interest to me.

Think #10

I already use Google Reader, so I decided to see if I could find more RSS feeds that I'd want to check each day. I was amazed at what's to offer now. Clearly, RSS feeds are gaining popularity since I first started using them. Before this exercise, I only subscribed to the Green Bay Packers feed, This Day in Science feed, and the USA Today weird news feed.

This time, I was able to add WebMD, ESPN.com (as if I don't listen to ESPN radio or watch ESPN enough), Nascar.com, Cool Cat Teacher Blog, and I also found a feed for parents of Twice Exceptional Children (children with high intelligence and a disability--hers is progressive hearing loss). We've come a long way with her (from thinking she was autistic to finding out the culprit is progressive hearing loss) and this feed is just one of the support systems for parents (well in my case godparents with custody) like me.

I already use the This Day in Science Feed to build and keep my students interest in Science. By the second 6 weeks, my kids are bringing in "Did you know facts" and actually looking for things to share. I also volunteer with a girls mentoring organization for low SES African-American and Hispanic girls so the other feeds that I've signed up for will only increase my resources to help them understand their role and importance in society. I haven't spent much time in Cool Cat Teacher blog, but I will.

Thing #9

I spent so much time just having fun looking at all the different signs I can create. I never would have thought to look for a site like this, but now that I know they are around, watch out. I used http://www.signgenerator.org/ to create the sign above. The list of signs that can be made is so long that I spent at least an hour looking at the site before I could make myself create something.

I also enjoyed http://www.customizemagnets.com/ecards/childrens.asp. I created a magnet for the outside of my classroom door that shows a little humor, but it true. Fifth graders don't always do what they should, so a little bit of sarcasm on my sign tells the story.

I played around with other signs so enjoy.

I always write reminders on my hands.

For my Mentoring Girls group.

My sarcasm abounds.