Thing 11: Finding More Blogs to Follow

     The easiest tools for me to find blogs were google and blogsearchengine.org, as they are both pretty similar in structure. Since I am already very familiar with google, it was so easy to use the other similar site. Technorati was more difficult, mainly just because the site has such a wide range of information available as soon as you get to the site. It is just a little overwhelming, considering I am used to a simple search bar.
     I found several new education blogs to follow and added some others I already liked to my RSS feed. Other than the tools provided in this lesson, I just search for more blogs in RSS itself. I am pretty happy with the amount of blogs I am now connected to, so I don't feel the need to continue looking.

Thing Ten: RSS

     I really liked using RSS because you have access to a mind blowing amount of information at one time, in a convenient way. It is so easy to use- you just have to search for a topic you are interested in and many feeds that fit that topic pop up. All you have to do is start clicking on them to see which ones have interesting posts and then add them to your feed. Then, you instantly have access to all the information your feeds post with the click of your mouse.
     I could use RSS to have a list of many different teachers' feeds and educational feeds to follow to pull ideas from for teaching. In my personal life, I could use it to have many blogs that fit my interests compiled in one convenient location for me to read. Other teachers should certainly make use of this technology, just like I plan to. It is another great tool to save time (which we all could use more of!) and it is so easy to use, I would certainly encourage all of my colleagues to use it to follow the educational blogs they like.

Thing Nine: Generators

ImageChef.com Poetry Blender

Poetry Blender



Sticky Note


Some of these generators are a lot of fun and could really liven up my classroom presentations. I brought some of my ideas to life, and plan to generate similar images/ videos for use in actual lesson plans. The only thing I didn't love about some of the generators was how difficult they were to transfer to my blog. However, it seems easier to transfer them to something simpler, like a powerpoint presentation.

Thing Eight: Mashups

  

Honestly, I was not thrilled with this "mashup" exploration. I found many of the websites poorly composed and far from simple to navigate and use. However, the concepts of some are very original, and I like the ideas behind them. For instance, I used Spell with Flickr to create my heading. This could be fun for use in my home- I could print out a spell with flickr version of our last name to hang on the wall, or for use in my classroom to have interesting headings hanging at stations.

My feelings about photo sharing online are essentially " to each his own". I am very careful about what I post online because I do care how my public image is perceived by others, especially future employers and my family. However, if others feel the need to share every detail of their life through pictures with the entirety of the internet world, then good for them. For most of us, though, it is a great way to find pictures of things we need (like when I am trying to explain how adorable a German Wirehaired puppy is) and help others accomplish the same.

Thing Seven: Flickr

    Today, I discovered Flickr for the first time. Although I have heard of this site before, I have never used it. It was very easy to navigate, and searching for tags brought up a large amount of pictures that were relevant to the tag. I liked this site better than Instagram, another picture sharing app I use, because Instagram tags can bring up all kinds of pictures, many of which are not relevant to what I am looking for. The only reason I chose to just browse and not sign up for Flickr is that I already have an Instagram account that has linked me to many people I follow and enjoy their posts. And I don't really think I need another social media site to distract me at the moment.
    One of the tags I searched for when I was exploring Flickr was "german wirehaired pointer" because my "dog son" is a german shorthaired and wirehaired mix, and I just adore the breed in general, especially the scruffy wirehaired pointers, like this sweet puppy.

Image citation: Andrea Arden. "Darren the German Wirehaired Pointer." Andreaarden. 6 Oct 2012. 26 Aug 2013. http://www.flickr.com/photos/45837907@N04/8060067980/in/photolist-dheXpj-aycBy5-ay9V92-8c8QEK-7CohP1-7CojNy-9XYpDB-9XYpNP-7Cjt7c-7CjjMK-7CjuXz-7CjgmB-7CjhXe-axoJSz-8cc9yQ-7Cob9E-axrr1Y-7CokVf-e3tgx7-a77cFR-7Co7sC-7Cjmmp-8jqzz5-8jmPrd-dGfMws-dQzuJj-dGfMzu-dGfMEh-drjijg-dGfMqQ-9SPrD4-e3nA1P-9SRyZN-9SNGzg-8BCPUo-9SSk8S-9cNtz7-9SNJov-9SPtdv-a5jPyK-9SPs6i-9SSihQ-9SRzEG-9SRzYY-9SSjUj-a7obzD-a5jPTM-9SR5yb-9SQi2a-9SNHgF-adQyfR

 

 





Thing Six: Web 2.0 Tools

   I discovered lightt today, which allows you to make still photographs into a movie. I could easily download it onto my smartphone and use it just like any other app. I really liked the website itself. It was very creative and visually appealing, yet still simple enough to navigate. The only thing I didn't really like about it was that the website didn't give a clear how-to. For instance, I would want to read instructions first and know exactly how difficult it is for me to make a picture stream before I download the app and attempt it on my own on my phone. However, I am still willing to give it a try. The videos created with lightt are much more fluid than a traditional picture slideshow. It gives the feeling of actually flowing through a shared experience.
     I could absolutely use lightt in my classroom. I could bring stories to life, use it to illustrate life cycles and events, and even let the students create a "day in the life" type film of our classroom to show their parents. For example, I could take still pictures of a plant from seed to full grown plant, then put it together into a movie for my students to see how a plant actually grows. I really liked discovering this app, and am looking forward to trying it out.

Thing Five: School 2.0

     The term "School 2.0" can have a wide variety of meanings. To me, it just means that we have a huge range of options available to us in today's technology savvy world. This can range from using youtube videos in the classroom to having courses held 100% online. The contact between people in this "school 2.0" may be just like any other school, sitting side by side in a traditional classroom, or it could be only over the computer through emails, forums, or even webinars. The overall critique of school 2.0 seems to be that it is overrated or a marketing gimmick. As far as that goes, I say call it what you like, but just about everyone in today's world, in academia or not, can benefit from technology.
     As far as schools in the future, I think we may certainly be moving towards a more technology centered educational experience. However, this can be a very positive transition. Just as we were able to introduce computers into schools, we can easily introduce a wide range of online tools into schools everywhere. Personally, I am excited to have so many different tools available to me once I have my own classroom. I want to keep my students interested in learning and make them feel excited about coming to school, and I think technology offers teachers plenty of options to do just that. 

Thing Four: Commenting

     Commenting creates a sense of community among bloggers by making people feel connected through a common subject or a feeling about a certain thing. It makes the author of a blog feel like his or her readers "get it" and that he or she is appreciated. Whether or not a commenter agrees, a respectful comment of opposition can still make a blog author feel good about his or her writing because someone took the time to carefully read and consider the post.
     Along the same lines, the topic of disagreeing with a blog post is something important to consider. It easy to come off negatively when you disagree with the blog author. However, if you politely disagree and offer your opinion respectfully, you can create some positive discussion on a blog. Further, it may give the author some constructive criticism to help them in future writing. Another important point to think about is how to encourage commenting on your own blog. By encouraging readers to comment by asking them to do so within your post, thanking them when they do, and humbly commenting back throughout your readers' discussion on your post, you can make others feel comfortable talking to you through your blog.
     I have chosen to read the following blogs:
Miss Lorrie' 23 Things
Teddy's 23 Bearable Things
Ms. Peterson's 23 Things About Teaching
Miss I's 23 Thinsgs in Government
Sunny Days in Second Grade
Teaching with Style

The 23 Things blogs I chose are all authored by my classmates. The main reason I chose them is to be able to intract with my classmates outside of the classroom, and learn a little more about them. I chose the other two blogs by searching specifically for second grade blogs. These two stood out to me, because they both are so creative and share an abundance of ideas AND free stuff! I mean, how cool is that?
On each of my comments, I tried to draw a comparison between myself and the blog author in order to find a common ground. On the two second grade blogs, I thanked the authors for sharing their great ideas and pointed out specifically what I liked about the projects and ideas they shared. I think being specific lets them know people are really reading everything they are putting out there and we appreciate the tips and ideas.

Thing Three: Using Blogging in Teaching

     This is my first semester in the MAT program, but so far both courses have really driven home the idea that we (as aspiring teachers) have an abundance of online resources available to us. Blogs are possibly my favorite of those resources so far. The first hand stories from teachers actually doing my future job are inspiring, comforting, and helpful. Experienced teachers can give new teachers some encouragement with tips and ideas on how to get through the sometimes difficult transition from student to teacher. Further, it allows all teachers across the globe to form a community, sharing ideas and opinions, and helping each other become better teachers. Beyond my own education, I could use a blog in my own classroom to let parents know what is happening on a weekly basis and to showcase student work. I could also use a blog to document my personal development as a professional throughout my career.

Thing Two: My Thoughts on Blogging

     I honestly don't have much experience with blogging. I have very much enjoyed reading other people's blogs in many different subject areas. Some I have read because I knew the author and was curious about what he or she had to say to the entire cyberspace world. Others I read because I was interested in the subject or could relate to the author. And some I read because I enjoy working in the fitness industry, so "taking my job home" is actually really fun for me, and researching by reading fitness blogs is a great way to do so. With all that blog reading, I have never actually done my own blogging. Once, I started one. I even started typing my first post, but it never made it past that point. Perhaps this is because I enjoy a more private style of writing. I do enjoy journaling in the privacy of my own notebooks. There is something appealing to me about pen on paper, like I'm doing something different in our technology driven world.
     When creating this blog, I chose "Mrs. K's 23 things" because I considered my future students. My second graders will most likely be calling me Mrs. K, as my first name, Callie, is not very common, and my soon to be last name (Kvartek) is a mouthful even for adults. So, Mrs. K it is. After choosing the name for my blog, choosing the design and the color scheme was a lot of fun for me. Then, I wrote my first blog post, which again was very simple- essentially one click and go. It was a very simple process for me, maybe because I have experience with online classes that use forum posts for assignments, which is similar to blogging, or because I have been working with programs like Microsoft Word since elementary school.
     Creating the avatar was probably the most entertaining part of the entire process. I started by attempting to create a female avatar that resembled me, with blue eyes and long curly brunette hair. Then, it got interesting. The clothing choices ranged from sweaters to see-through mesh tops. I ended up choosing a wedding dress, because I am getting married next summer. Right now, wedding planning is a big part of my life, and I am really enjoying it. I also gave my avatar a coffee, because I am a big fan of good coffee. Plus, with two jobs, wedding planning, being a dog mom, graduate school, and a social life (occasionally), I am a little reliant on my caffeine fix at times. I guess I made my avatar look somewhat like me because I thought of my future students again. If they were ever to read this blog, I would want them to get to know something about their teacher and what was going on in her life while she was learning to instruct them.

Thing One: Lifelong Learning

     The easiest aspect of lifelong learning for me is "taking responsibility for your own learning". I am a very independent person and am a strong believer in taking control of the situation you are in. I believe that by taking initiative and doing my best in every aspect of my life, good things will come. This very much applies to lifelong learning. If I take initiative to further my education on a daily basis and do my very best at my studies and my jobs, I will be rewarded by becoming a successful teacher. Further, if I do my best as a teacher and continue to take the initiative to learn and be better and better, I can be proud of the teacher I will become.
     The hardest aspect of lifelong learning for me is play. I am very driven and goal-oriented. Therefore, I can be extremely hard on myself and I do not accept anything I see as failure. This may be laziness, having a poor attitude, taking longer than expected to reach my goals, etc. Because of this, it is difficult for me to relax and just play.

     I think that blogging is a great tool to share information and trade tips, tricks, and opinions with others in my field. Setting up a blog was very simple, and being able to design it and be creative was fun. I have never created my own avatar before, so that was really entertaining, as well. They had plenty of funny outfits and hairstyles to choose from.