Thing #23
I cannot believe I actually made it to 23!!!! Celebration time!

My favorite discoveries were Teacher Tube, Wikis, Photo Story......really everything. There are so many tools for me to utilize. I will definitely come back to the Play 2 Play page for inspiration and help. I still have so much to learn and discover. I just hope I can find the time to play around and do all the neat stuff I played with this summer over the coming school year. I was surprised at how computer literate I actually am? Who knew? Now, I am even more computer literate.....(oh, I don't want that information known to the world). I would probably do another one of these programs, but I could not during the school year, and I need to first master what I have learned from this before I move on. Spring Branch is really bad about pushing us to do more when we have not mastered the first thing first. I need time to use and understand all of this new information before I move on. I might do one next summer.....if I felt I was ready.

FUN (my one word to describe the discovery program)

Thing #22
I used Ning last year for Book Club. It was great.....because the kids (an after school enrichment program) got ahead of the teachers in completing books. The other teacher and I could not keep up with their avid reading. It got out of control. So, we linked our group to her 8th grade GT class. Her students posed questions on our Ning account we all worked together through the computers. It worked out well. I would do it again.

Thing # 21

I did it and I loved this...just loved it!!!! You can be creative on a computer! This was fabulous!
Here is my photo story.....

Thing #20
Teacher Tube is great because you know it is appropriate for your classroom! I found a great one and cannot wait to share with my co-teacher this site and video! They even fired off an alligator! I could do without the ads.
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=19272

I also enjoyed this vintage skit from Sesame Street on You Tube. I still laughed. I guess Cookie Monster is a classic like Lucy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJlkplvYdgA

This was fun and I could do it all night and day. For fun I just watched 5 or 6 Adam Ant (80's) videos. I love Adam Ant......now I am aging myself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PonczpswC3s&feature=youtube_gdata

Thing # 19
The first one I went to was Hair Mixer. You can put different hairstyles on people, even yourself. I loved it. Web 2.0 awards is a great reference page. I made it a favorite, just in case I am looking for something new to use.

Thing # 18
We used Google Docs last year for papers, journals, and essay questions. It was a lot of work, but what was nice was you did not have to get the same computer....it was always there. also when we did work in the computer lab and not all the computers were loaded with Word....we just had those studetns got to their Google Docs and the lesson continued. It should be easier for us this year.

Thing # 17
Bravo to Bruce. Wonderful explanations as always. I work with Bruce and we all go to him (all women in the LA dept.) for technology help. I put some of my favorite History sites on rollyo.
http://rollyo.com/search.html?q=Us+History&sid=638968

Thing # 16
I will definitely use a wiki with my friends when planning something! I hate it when I get 20 emails in 10 minutes trying to plan an event or trip. I do like Lee LeFleur's (Commoncraft)explanations about technology. I will think about using a wiki in my classes that have computer access without having to go to the computer lab which is limited access.

Thing # 15
That video was shown to my school on the teacher's first day back a few years ago. Then and today is was poignant. I just completed my Master's degree in 2009 after being out of school for 21 years. It was different and harder. I think because so much information is available more is asked of you as a student. I could agree with almost ever statement held up by those students in the video. I believe technology is great but what is going to happen to our society when we spend more time in front of a screen then with real people?

I also like having a book in my hand and turning pages.....I have not switched yet to screen reading.

Thing # 14
I did a search for School library Learning 2.0 on Technorati and it said there were no results? No blogs were found relating to School library Learning 2.0 in the Blog Directory either? The Technorati "What's Popular" section is unavailable, so I did not see anything popular. Although, I understand what it is supposed to be because of the lady in the Technorati video explained it using Britney Spears as an example. I think tagging is great, beacuase it shows you everything related to waht you are looking for. I have been an Amazon customer since the beginning. I can always find what I am looking for on Amazon greatly due to tagging.

I enjoyed looking and reading posts. Once again I started this last night and just searched and read and searched and read till I was too tired to write Thing # 14. I think that will happen to my students too. Although this is a great too for my students to use to find new and interesting information to share. Saying that, I am wary too......I did get to the side bar a choice to see Mr. Fishbones daughter's sex tape with a picture of her breasts almost completely exposed.....just what middle school boys love to find on the computer. What else could they find? Then I worried about this search was done on my school computer. I was reading posts about 2 of the New Jersey Housewives selling their mansions and where they have been looking to move. Nothing about sex or showing breasts.

Thing # 13
I am not sure I would want to share my "bookmarks" with my students? My favorites are usually teacher type sites. I spent so much time on Digg, that I fell asleep before I could complete Thing #13. This is what I would fear my students would do: spend so much time . We only have 5o -55 minutes per classs.

Thing #12
I chose blogs that interested me and then I could make a positive comment, or an encouraging one. Then it was easy to do. I gave the blogger credit and a reason why, or I agreed with them. I do think it is important to spell correctly in a blog, so I triple check before I hit post. Politeness should be rule #1. Remember you can agree to disagree.

I used Google Blog and typed in New Jersey Housewives. I posted a comment on 2 different sites. I could spend my life blogging. This has just happened to me.... I just keep reading and going to different sites and before I knew it the whole morning (I am still in my pajamas) has slipped by and now I am behind schedule. I wanted to get to Thing # 15, oh well I have a week! Being on the computer is addicting, especially when it is a topic of great interest to you. I must admit I am addicted to this show. Monday nights I do not miss this show, nor will I answer my phone at this time.

THING #11
I really did not want to create an account...once again with another password and another site I am connected to. I would not use this system, I have my own system. I know what books I have in my classroom and I try to pass on personal books for others to read after I have read them , or I donate them to the public library (if I actually purchase them). I do not keep books. I did add 5 of my favorite books. It was easy to just put in part of a title and just choose the correct book to the right. I would not have time to add critiques. I usually go to Amazon anyway and read reviews of books or subjects I am interested before I buy a book.

I am not sure how I would use this with the students? There is a lot of things on this site...games....puzzles, but it seems geared towards adults and READERS.....I teach resource....below grade level reluctant adolesant readers?

Thing # 10

I love Baseball, so I made myself an Astro jersey on Image Chef . I am a loyal Astro fan till I die.....Go 'Stros. This was fun. I like to create visuals. I liked all of the sites. I can see the kids using these to enhance reports and presentations......but it does take time that we don't always have. I really want to cartoon myself...but I do not have picture on this computer. I will have to do that on my personal computer.

Thing # 9
I am not a blogger.....I do not have time to read all of that mess. If I have a question or need advice on something I will seek "my circle of the wise" personally. I have so much to read already (3 email accounts, text messages, and email on my phone too). I am overwhelmed with messages. I looked at the tutorial on how to create - waste of time and still not sure what the point was? I looked a Cool Cat Teacher and wondered does she live? In a rural area where there is no one to talk to? How does she have time to maintain her blog and write so much? I can spend hours just reading and answering emails. I want to spend the least amount of time sitting at a computer screen. I am a up and moving doer not a sitter. This technology is all too much.

I will probably use Google Reader to find interesting things to add to the subjects I teach. It is a good resource. You won't find me blogging about though. I think I can do Bloglines on my new high tech phone......I just want to make and receive calls. I will not use Technorati....because I will not need to keep up with any blog sites......this one is enough for me.

Thing # 8
Google Reader certainly helps me organize and make "my favorites" list shorter. I am always losing good sites I have found on "my favorites". I could do this all day. I subscribed to several "foldable" activity sites, teaching plot activities, and main idea activities and powerpoints.

Thing # 7
I really liked google advanced search. I never knew about .ppt to find already made presentations on any subject. I searched "verbs" and found several great ones I will use in my classroom this upcoming year on the activeboard. Great tool.

We used Googledocs this year in our classes. The students typed all of their papers and essays using this tool. It was great. They emailed us assignments this way.

Thing # 6

I had a terrible time with Bookr...I made several books....published.....sent to email.....tried to copy and attach to blog.....nothing worked.....so I gave up. If I could ever figure this out....I would be great for my ESL/Resource kids.

I really enjoyed the mosiac...I love to take pictures and do collages. The kids will love this.

Thing # 5

The dog on the bottom of the picture is a twin to my American Staffordshire Bull Terrior, Yankee. I found this picture on Flicker. I could have spent hours looking at dogs. This will be a good tool to use in my classroom when my students want to add specific pictures to their projects.

Thing # 3
I loved making ME on Avatar.....I actually made 2...in case I want to change some time in the future. I was not happy about having to make 2 new email accounts in yahoo and gmail. I barely have time to get through my school email daily.

Thing # 2

The easiest habit for me is to teach/mentor what I have learned or know.

The hardest habit for me is to view a problem as a challenge - I view it as a crisis.