I DID IT! I DID IT! IDID IT!

Oh gosh! I have had such an enlightening experience in this course. It would be so hard to pick just one thing that I can use the most. I love the generators they will be so fun to use this coming year. I think my students will love them. The Google calendar is going to be such a great tool for me to help with planning and to stay organized. I guess if I have to pick my very favorite it would be Delicious. Finding cool and useful web sites and then being able to find them again has been a challenge to me in the past and now that problem is solved.
I feel that this class has helped me become a life long learner through basically forcing me to learn on my own. Boy have I had some challenges. Some things just took me way to long but I did not give up and that has given me confidence as a learner. Right now if you asked me if I would do this again I would have to say, not right now. I need a break, but it was the same with getting my Masters. The Intel class I took was the first course I took after a year and half. My batteries just need to recharge.
I want to try to continue my Web 2.0 learning through RSS Feeds, my own blog, others blogs, and looking at some Webinars every once in awhile. I won't wait so long this time though.

I want to send a heart felt thank you to 23 Things for exposing me to all this new stuff. I feel so confident in my learning, so equipped with new tools and ideas, as knowing how to stay informed with new and exciting ideas.

Thing #23

I have just explored several social networking sites in the past two assignments. By far my favorite for me personally is Facebook which I explained in the last post. I am now a part of the "23 Thingters". I had never in my life heard of Ning. I feel the Classrooms 2.0 will be a great place to continue building my knowledge base for teaching. As far as the networking sites are concerned for my students it doesn't apply. I don't see at this time any reason a 5 year needing to explore an online social networking site. Maybe a child being home schooled could connect with a parent and build a network of friends they could learn from and meet with for social activities. A formal school Kindergartner's parent could do something with them but as far as it being a part of what they do in my classroom let say is just manageable. In conclusion, social networking will be very valuable to me as a teacher. Staying in touch with my co-workers on a personal and professional way is so important and can easily be done through social networking. I am using it now and will continue to use it in the future.

Thing #22

I have both a My Space and Facebook account. I don't visit my My Space account very often but as far as my Facebook account goes, it is one of the best parts of my life right now. I see no educational value in it for my Kindergartners and feel that it is just not appropriate for 5 year old at all. All I can do here is report a couple of my ABSOLUTELY AMAZING experiences on Facebook. I have connected with several of my fellow teachers and we stay connected through the account. It seems like it brings me closer to them through their comments and pictures. It is just plan fun. But, the most amazing parts are the following: I lived in Aspen, Colorado in the ski season of 1989/99. I was a maid at a hotel there. I had just the best time of my life. I had a roommate from Sweden. Her name is Asa Cronheden. After the season was over, she came back to Oklahoma and our plan was to look for our next adventure. Well, she meet a boy. I started school and yada yada yada. I think you can probably guess what happens now. Yes! She found me on Facebook some 20 years later. I just think that is amazing! She is living in Sweden and I would have never been able to find her because I didn't remember her last name but she found me. CRAZY!!!!! I have had another friend from Louisiana find me and several friends from high school. Since I am recently divorced it has truly been a godsend!

Thing #7b

I really haven't been that overwhelmed by the feeds to my reader lately. I have kept them to a minimum in the first place and still enjoy the feeds of others blogs the most but did find an interesting article to share. Will Richardson posted a blog about Digital Inclusion. It resonates with me because including more technology into my classroom is exactly what I am trying to do with this class and other classes I have taken this summer. The blog is mainly about the issue of its not what can all this technology add to education but rather what can education add to tools that are available. That it is up to parents, educators, and the school systems to demand something new. I really need to find a way and start looking at ways to help even my Kindergarteners to become more a part of the tools that are available. I think I can do this with the knowledge that I am gaining in this class through exploration and discussion. I can't wait to explore more while my students watch on the "big Promethean board". I think it will be awesome to see what they might start doing on their own. Between this class and my new Promethean board I think I can lead my students into 21st Century Learning.

Thing #21

I have explored the Google tools. I had no idea they had so many tools available. Before this class I just thought Google was a search engine. I had heard of Google docs and my principal has used them a couple of times and I will no doubt be seeing more of them in the future, but I just can't see myself using them. Never say never though right?

I added Cowboys Stadium as a Google alert. I have recently landed a job as a Suite Server at the stadium and will be working the Cowboy games. I can also work the concerts and events (Paul McCartney is coming August 19th, how cool?). I am hoping that by setting up the alert I will see new events as they are added. After adding the alert I checked my e-mail and haven't gotten anything yet. Maybe it takes a day. So.....I don't know how to link that. Well, as I was looking around my google account I looked at manage alerts and was able to add the alert.

I like the iGoogle page much better than my Yahoo home page but it won't link here. The iGoogle home page seems to have a lot more things that I would be interested in keeping up with.

I am going to use this calendar rather than the calendar I found in the Thing 12. I will use this calendar this coming school year. I can edit it from any computer. Home, school, computer lab, or anywhere else. This should be very helpful for this upcoming school year. I am going to keep working with the calendar but want to get this blog over with!

Thing #20

I can use Google documents to create newsletters and calenders for parent communication. I can also use Google documents to communicate with my co-workers on an array of different topics as a collaborative effort. I know that I only needed to state three things but I can also make my schedule, end of the year certificates, flash cards, and word studies on a Google document. Those are just a few of the templates that I found useful as a Kindergarten teacher. I would imagine if I look in the Fall there will be even more. I would think that the possibilities would be endless. I have some pretty smart people on my campus. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them adds new templates themselves. Google docs have personal applications as well. I am recently divorced as I've mentioned in I don't know how many other posts, but is center of my world right now. I need to make a budget and I see that there is an application for this purpose. I also see that I can create a Christmas card to share with friends and family. Who thought of this stuff?

Thing #19

I watched "Going and Coming". What a great way to integrate technology into a Kindergarten class. Each student can look at a picture and describe what they see. I could make a voice thread for pictures. I could then even use the thread to guide my students through a piece of writing. I could make a hard copy of the picture so that they could add their writing underneath. What a great way to build vocabulary as well!

OMG!!!!!!! The Venn Diagram. How cool is that? I see projecting it on paper and writing down what they have to say as well as recording their responses. Or, can I write in the voice thread some how? I am definately going to put voice thread on my to do list for back to school. I will apply for an account and play with it at that time. I found a mini tutorial that I can use to help me.

Thing #18

Well, I have to start with nostalgia,

RIP Michael!!!!! His music added so much joy to my youth!

I explored You Tube and Teacher Tube. I found the best stuff on You Tube. I found a video that shows how to play a math game to teach students to compare numbers.

When you watch the video on You Tube it has links to other videos from the same people that are useful as well. The same goes for the other video I found that is a learning story about the 10 Little Pigs.


The "How to" video was about how to mediatate. Very relaxing and calming.


I didn't realize that You Tube had these types of videos available to me. It is so amazing the resources available to out there these days. WOW!

Thing #17

I listened to several podcasts. I listened to a few podcasts from PBS because I have a lot of respect for Public Broadcasting. I subscribed to John Merrow"s weekly cast in my reader. Several of the podcasts were just to difficult to try and listen to, you have to subscribe to some new site or download something and I just didn't fell like it was worth it. I found some bedtimes stories that were easy to access through the Education Podcast Network, Miette's bedtime stories, but they weren't bedtime stories for students. Her voice reading would put me to sleep though. But it gave me an idea to try to find some stories for my students. I found a Learn a Song site that podcasts songs and it has the text on the screen. Here is Baa-Baa Black Sheep. I should be able to access this song off my blog and then find others for our Fluency songs and poems in CSI. I can then put it up on the Promethean board and the kids can see the words as well as listen to the pod to learn how to sing the song.

Thing #16

Library Thing, Library Thing, Library Thing.........
I don't really see the relevance for me. I already have a Library Thing or two. One of them is called Alice Swank. She helps me gather books and isn't that what the Library Thing is to be used to do? I also have an extensive library of my own. I have them organized and grouped several different ways so that my students and I have access to them as we need them. I tried to think of some of the titles I have but since I have the memory of a flea I used the internet and some of sites I have found thus far in this course which brings me to the relevance of what this Thing has brought. In exploring the sites I had already saved in my new Delicious account I found several more sites to add. I have saved them in my account and plan to use them in conjunction with my Promethean board this year as read alouds that my students can enjoy. I can always try to catalog my books on Library Thing that I have in my personal library at school once I get my hands on them this fall but what for? Anybody have any ideas let me know.

Thing #15

Playing in the wiki sandbox is a little more fun for me than playing in a real one, the sand can get all over the place. I had already set up my own space on the wiki from the activity before. I just kinda played and looked at some ideas from other wikis. I added a site I like, Starfall, but I don't think I did it right. My sandbox is a work in the making check it out. My goal is to create a wiki space with Dayla McDaniels for this coming school year and then teacher our students how to access it and use the links for them to explore and learn. I played around with some more generators, I think that I will have a lot of fun with generators in the future. I added a new image that I generated to my wiki space.

Thing #14

Although Vicki's Wiki experience seemed very exciting, I just don't see it in my teaching future. I teach Kindergarten. I could see maybe a Third or Fourth grade class creating a Wiki page and we could enjoy experiencing some of their pages but teaching a Kindergartner to do one on their own is not practical (i don't think).

I explored:
The Kindergarten Counting Wiki. I am confused as to weather it is a wiki or a blog or a page on the wetpaint website. I did add it as a bookmark on my delicious account because it is pretty cool and an example of something we can this coming year in my class to integrate technology in my Kinder class.

The Salute to Seuss wiki. I can definitely see that this is a wiki. I look forward to learning about how to make my wiki have those links on the sides. I see myself making a wiki, adding some of my delicious sites there and teaching my students how to access my wiki then clicking on the places they want to explore.

The Code Blue wiki. This to looks like a wiki to me. This will be a personal web site for me. My son loves this kind of stuff. We spent a lot of time following the links and I think his Science will thank me when they start back this fall.

In conclusion, I have had the attitude of "What in the world do I need a wiki for?" but after exploring the different wiki's of other teachers I can see a place for wiki's in my future. Thank you for providing those to me.

Thing #13

Delicious is such a great tool for school and my personal life. So often I will find a great web site that I want to share in a lesson. In the past, I have had to write down the web address, try to keep up with it until I needed to use it, type the address in the address bar the day I want to use it, and then keep my fingers crossed that I actually wrote down the correct address (so often I didn't). Now, I can just tag it in my delicious account and access it from any computer, home, teacher computer, student computers, computer lab computers or anywhere.

I am still exploring with delicious. I want to start adding my personal bookmarks so that I can access them from anywhere. I am also still trying to figure out how to share with MISD23THINGS. I added it to my network. I looked at the wiki but don't see anything. Maybe it is there and I just don't know where to look but I did manage to link my account to this post. I had tried to do a delicious account when I took the intell class but unsuccessful but was very interested in it so I am very happy that I have one now!

Thing #7a

I decided to follow a few of the blogs of my fellow classmates. Little did I know it would add them to my google reader. Well, it did and that is the part of my google reader I have enjoyed the most. I scanned the couple of feeds I have saved but nothing struck my interest like the blogs of my friends and co-workers. I work with Angie Helms, she is such a great teacher. She is on like Thing #20. I am so jealous but I won't hold it against her. I enjoying reading her blog for Thing #18. Her video for literacy centers is perfect to help show the kids a good example of how they should work.

Thing #12

Alright, here we go! Are there some cool tools out there or what? Number #1, I have spent two days on this Thing. I think it should actually be two things but anyway. I got my Wiki going. I am so proud of myself for getting that all figured out. Number #2 If anyone reads this you have to put double brackets around [[TOC]] to make a table of contents.

Wordle, great way to make a collage of word wall words I think but I couldn't figure out how to export but could use it on the Promethean Board.

Writeboard, I sent my co-teacher Dayla a message on there we might really be able to use that to communicate. We will see.

Ta-Da List, Oh I am a big list maker. This might end up being one of the best tools for me ever. I'm still checking it out

Poll Daddy, I might use this for fun. Sending friends silly polls like this poll (I tried to link a poll I made but it didn't work).

30 Boxes, I set up a calendar. I think this would be a great application for our school calendar and all our activities.

Last but not least although I'm not a big fan of cartoons but who can resist

Thing #11

After exploring how to use generators and develop my own I have done several new things. I added my name to bottom of my page using Spell with Flickr

I tried to create a mosaic on Mosaic Maker but couldn't get it to pick up my favorites I had saved on Flikr. I tried a couple of times and then went on to the Trading Card Maker. I made a card and saved it to my desk top. The image I am showing is from Presidential Seal Maker. I can see endless posiblities for this application in a Kindergarten classroom. Being able to add text to images will be a great tool to continue to help develop vocabulary. Cartoon images for "Fry's Phrases". Images of the students, our classroom, our school, and more can be created in so many different ways. I love this tool. I think it is the most useful one yet for my students.

Thing #10

OK! I have a slideshow in Picasa that I would like to post. One of my problems with pictures is that I have some pictures on my home computer. I put them on Picasa and made a "movie". I am doing all the work for this course on a laptop I checked out from school. I figured anything I had or learned would remain on this computer. I guess what I need to do is add a tool to my Learning Contract toolbox list. I need one of those zip drive thingys or what ever they are called so that I can store pictures on it and can use them on any computer, right? I tried to upload my movie from You Tube because I had posted it there for my friends and family to see but it would load. So, I got on my home computer where I have my movie in Picasa. I logged onto my blog and then went from there. When I pulled up Picasa and started to figure out out to get in on Thing 10, I noticed that at the bottom in Picasa there is a blog button so I clicked it and followed that path and was able to post the movie on my blog. One problem, it wouldn't play. So I went back to my home computer. Exported movie to my computer downloaded to Thing #10 and TA-DA!!!!!!!!!!!

Thing #9

Move to CR

Anybody as hot as I am?

I have spent most of the day exploring Flickr and this is the best I can do. I don't get it. I was able to move some photos onto a word document and put some on my desktop. That is how I figured out how to show this one picture. I chose it because it is so hot out today and it is exactly what I need to cool off.

Thing #8

I have never ever seen a "cc" on anything. I think that Creative Commons will influence the creativity of students in the future. It seems like it will allow them to use so many more resources to develop projects. I do go to web sites and use their pictures, videos, and activities to teach lessons to my students but I rarely share content on the web. My teaching materials are mostly books, manuals, and kits owned by various authors and creators. For instance, my Phonics curriculum is owned by Fontas and Pinnel, I do believe. I can't think of any negatives for using Creative Commons. I can't wait to start using Flickr myself. I think we have a "thing" on that don't we?

One last comment, as teachers Creative Commons seems to allow us to create new and motivational lessons without the fear of copyright infringement. I think that will only benefit the students in the end. It makes it seem like only the sky is the limit!

Thing #7

I have so enjoyed reading the blogs of my colleagues. I work with several of them and have so much respect for them. Reading their blogs and others give me insight into what is on their minds. I have gone to some of their blogs to get some ideas for new feeds to add to my reader as well as different gadgets they have added. I added the letter of my name to the bottom of my blog because I saw that Halms had it at the top of hers and thought it looked cool. Then when I did the Flickr thing I learned how to do it and went for it. I haven't gotten any comments back on my blogs yet but I am hoping to get some soon. It would really motivate me to continue blogging in the future (after this course). I wonder if I set up a blog for my parents if they would blog me back or not. I am Co-teaching next year and my co-teacher is taking this class as well (Hi! Dayla). I am 100% sure we will give it a shot!

Thing #6

OK, at first try I wasn't being very successful in Thing 5 but I wrote my blog and continued onto Thing 6. The links and suggestions in Thing 6 brought me to several new feeds and information. I have been checking them out and just skimming and looking for information that I find of some interest. I decided to share one that my son thought was super cool.

"I've seen enough", Cold War Kids

The article has a link in it that takes you to a website that allows you to manipulate the video. Pretty cool.

Thing #5

OK, I set my google reader. I was able to subscribe to two of the suggested feeds but couldn't seem to get the third one in my reader. I think this would be a really cool tool but I want to subscribe to more useful feeds. I explored and looked for some relevant feeds for me but I couldn't really find any. I searched for like teaching Kindergarten and didn't really find anything good. Maybe I should have searched more but I figured I would just blog my needs instead and see what happens.

Anybody found any cool feeds out there for us?

I read a blog on Student 2.0. It's great to hear the students of today responding to each other based on kinda of a shout out challenge. One student is wanting to know if others are using the technology they learned in school. "Where have all the students 2.0 gone?"

Thing #4

This blog was from a third grade teacher in Seattle who has begun allowing his students to read blogs during their SSR time. It seems like a great new literacy outlet for the students. I would think it would motivate them to read more when they are reading what their friends wrote. It wasn't part of the teacher's SSR time but what a great way for them to do more writing as well.


This blog reads like a news article. A news article meant to scare me to death I think. It does make you think about your own behavior. It is your responsibility to have control over your actions. Not just because someone may be watching but because it is the right and moral thing to do. I try, but it doesn't always work out and I would hate to think of my opps being broadcast to the world.


After reading this blog I felt the author wants to contribute to the educational environment by making some strong suggestions for where we should be heading in the future of using technology to teach our kids.

I just have to say, "How cool". What great voices! I just love hearing how students feel and are thinking in such an articulate way.

Cute, cute, cute! But I think what would be even neater is if the actually papers the kids wrote were scanned and put in there. I think that can be done right? I'm going to try it this upcoming year

Thing #2

I learned that Web 2.0 is a whole new way we can create, express,and communicate with each other. I see so many new possibilities even for a Kindergarten teacher like myself. Once I learn how to do all this new stuff I am sure the possibilities will be endless. I can already see this as a new way to communicate with my students, my parents, my team, my school, my principal, and who know who else. I can't wait to learn new Web 2.0 tools.

I can't wait to learn all the ways to comunicate through Web 2.0. I have already set up a google email and have found that it gives you so many opportunities to explore new things. I just finished Picasa 3 and posted a video through gmail on You Tube. Super cool.

I have blogged a couple of times in my Intel class but love that I can create my blog for professional or personal use.

Thing #1

When I started in college way back in the day, little did I know it was just the beginning step to my lifelong learning. Taking this course and discovering a whole new Web 2.0 world is one of my personal efforts to continue as a lifelong learner.

I watched the video on 7 1/2 Habit's of Lifelong Learners and felt that the:

Most Challenging Habits for me would be:
#3 Viewing problems as challenges. I often view problems as one more pain to "deal with". I can see how viewing them as a challenges might lesson the stress and help me be a more effective problem solver.

#4 Having Confidence as an Effective Learner. I have often left learning situation feeling more confused than enlightened. I have been trying to build my confidence as a learner. Completing this course will bring me one more step closer to becoming a more confident learner.

The Easiest Habit's for me would be:
#2 Taking Responsibility for my Own Learning
#5 Creating a Toolbox (My principal rocks and has given us access to some of the latest and greatest in technology)
#Teaching and Mentoring others (I can't wait to share what I learned)

The Most Important Habit's for me would be:
#1 Beginning with the End in Mind. You have to have an idea about what you want to learn. Sometimes you get to choose and of course those are the best learning experiences but the rest can be rewarding as well. But I feel you must have an idea of what you want to take from any learning experience before you begin. In teaching, I feel that you must begin with the end in mind. What do I want my students to know and then figure out the very best way to teach them.
#6 Use Technology to Your Advantage. I could have put this in this area and in the "Most Challenging" section. There is so much technology available and it can make learning so much more effective and fun.
# 7 1/2 PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hey! Look at me! I'm a Blogger. Who would have guessed!