#10

I had no idea a site such as Creative Commons existed so if I ever saw a logo I probably didn't pay attention to it.  I think a site such as this is invaluable to students.  It allows them to be creative and explore, yet become more knowledgeable regarding copyright laws.  As much as we think that everyone student has a computer I am aware of students who still do not have access to one.  Teachers who could have this available for students to use in their classrooms could close the gap with students in those situations.  I am not in the classroom anymore but we do make presentations for the students and ask a student to post new information on the web for us.  I can see using some music or images to enhance our presentations.  I will admit that I typically do not use images for fear of infringing on the copyright laws.  I am sure there are cons to using Creative commons, however, other than stripping the creativity from the student I am not sure what they would be.

Wiki was sticky but now I'm fine on #9

Wow, it has been a long night !!  I had a little trouble in the sandbox but trial & error finally produced a completed wiki.  This was certainly one time when wiki didn't live up to it's name! All that aside I had fun trying to be creative at 3:00 a..m.  I certainly learned a lot going through the steps and back tracking when I didn't do something correctly.  Answering the burning questions are fun and, again, I put them right on the page then had to go back to put them under the discussion tab.  I really think I want to make a page for our Counseling office.  The potential is unlimited!!  Check out my wiki @
http://misd23sandbox.wikispaces.com/ThinkingInsideTheSandbox

Thing #8 - Wikis

I feel so behind on the times!  I read Westwood School Comp. Science written by Vicki Davis.  Her wiki was very organized which included calendars, schedules, links to resources, and assignments.  Because we have read her blogs I knew she would have an informative wiki.  I don't think there is much I could do to her wiki to improve it.  I also checked out Code Blue.  Although this was a simple wiki, it looked like it was probably a fun project for the students.  It incorporated imaginative personalities and scenarios yet the links to the medical information was thorough.  I did find it difficult to browse through but was to be expected since it was made by younger students.  I may have tried to guide my students a little more with setting it up in order to correct this.  However, there is that fine line of just letting the students do it and allowing the creativity and learning process to take place.  I also browsed the Kindergarten Counting Book.  While I think this is a cute idea I am not sure how effective this really is for the K student.  The pictures, in my opinion, are of low quality and do not represent the reflected number.  Some of the pictures are blurred, some are cut off, and some of the background patterns are distracting.  I think with clearer pictures, maybe a solid background, maybe sound to count with the student could improve this wiki.  I had written in my contract that I would like to make a page for my CTE students.  I think a wiki page could be made by our counseling office for our students.  I can see it having testing information, test prep resources, calendars for registration, credit checks, parent meetings, etc.

Commence to Comment - Thing #7

I have to admit that reading through blogs (before the class) I have often thought of comments but never really wanted to put them out there so I would just read them and close them out.  Once I actually commented it became a little easier to write down my comments.  I don't know why I have been so reluctant to comment because I do enjoy reading them and other people's perspectives.  I understand the etiquette and wish everyone would adhere to it because there are those comments that you read and question the writer's mentality.  I think  Coolcat Teacher's Blog made some valid points.  I agree that a comment should be more than just a "yeah".  It should make a contribution, so to speak, just as if you were having a conversation with the blogger.

Thing 6

I have fed my reader, read through some edublogs, and chosen two blogs to follow from classmates.  I probably have spent way too much time on reading the edublogs!  Although they had a lot of information I have to say my favorite reader was a baking site.  For one, I LOVE to bake but I am also helping my daughter plan her husband's 40th birthday party so.....Party = Cake!!  This site is so cool cos she has such a creative mind.  I loved looking at her creations.

Thing 5...continued

Reader is set up!  And I went back and created my avatar..... note the beach background.  Can you guess where I would rather be?
I read with interest the blogs from students 2oh that were written by juniors and seniors addressing their senior year or the college admissions process.  As a high school counselor guiding juniors and seniors I was curious what their perspective was regarding that matter.  One blog spoke about the "push" to make decisions of what school you want to attend. How daunting it could be.  Another spoke of not wanting to save the world just because it looks good on the applications but rather participating in activities that are meaningful to the individual.  But the one that I really enjoyed was Three Lessons.  Apparently, this was a student who was a good student in middle school but upon entering freshman year he soon became discouraged and uninvolved.  Fortunately, something spoke to him and helped him understand the importance of doing.  So he became involved in extracurricular activities. In doing so he learned some important life lessons. These are lessons he will carry into his adult life. While his statements weren't epiphanies they reinforced what we already know about students becoming involved in school. The human connection is the connection we need as humans throughout our entire lives.  The video says a lot of what we preach to our youth but when they discover it on their own it is so much more meaningful to them!

The 3 R's and a Blog (Thing 4)

So after reading the blogs I think that blogs are somewhat of a river for our thoughts, feelings, and opinions that are channeled through words,  They then become linked to greater bodies of water (the web or followers).  Blog reading is a bit like hearing what a person is thinking, sometimes in snippets.  The writing is short but concise.  Commenting on sites allow for a flow of conversation to take place among a diverse group.  Commenting can run the gamut from approval to a totally different viewpoint.  It certainly can facilitate learning because it allows others to share their knowledge.  As I read the Extreme Biology blog, I thought to myself, "Wow! If I was a student today this is the information I could be exposed to."  I am constantly reminded how far we have come yet how far behind we can quickly become in the realm of technology.  And not just teaching through technology to our students but how to access it.  I joined Facebook just to keep up with my children, nieces, & nephews.  I was at a restaurant the other day and I saw a 4 year old with an IPad !  Certainly there are still children who are not exposed to technology in these terms but sites such as Duck with a blog will allow those students to have some exposure in an educational setting.