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!