This is the end,...

• I did not start this class with a lot of excitement.  I knew I was coming in behind the power curve and with no desire to have my computer permanently attached to my body.  I have struggled, these assignments have taken a lot of time with a lot of trials by error.  I understand I need to learn these applications and it is beginning to make more sense.  These assignments showed how technology could be incorporated into the classroom and how it might even make some of the more menial tasks easier to manage.  
• Favorite discoveries- Bubbl.us was my favorite discovery.  Maybe not such an Ah-Ha moment for most people, but this is something that is used in the classroom I work in almost on a daily basis.  Plus , I like to use this format when planning a unit to make sure there is an activity in every center.
• Affect on,lifelong learning goals-Now that I have tried some of these Things, I will try to use more technology in my future  classroom.  It might be painful in the beginning, but I think it will benefit the children, especially children who are visual learners.
• Surprises- What I was most surprised with was that most of these Things did the same thing.  There were different places to go to to accomplish the same task.  Choice is good and different people have different preferences.
• Influence teaching- This was the first year I noticed students who came in with mouse skills did not have great pencil grip strength.  This was also the first year that more than half of the students came in knowing how to maneuver around the web sites and were able to help each other.  I need to catch up with them and take what they know and build on it.
• Keeping up, how-have to-I feel part of my professional development is keeping up with, understanding and using current technology trends in the classroom.  I may be kicking and screaming all of the way, but I will do it.
• Resolution to maintain, time- not there yet- I am not sure if I am ready to make the time commitment to give to the computer.  I still like reading books, ones with paper pages.  I think my cell phone is about five years old and still do not know how to take pictures with it.  Learning a skill to teach others that will continue to help them learn is something that I will keep up with.
• Record what you learned in blog-it would probably turn into more of a personal complaint- I think if I started a daily blog it would turn into a complaint about my life blog.  I am still not convinced I need to do this.  I am still not on Facebook either.
• Re purpose, share, add to email signature line-blog-not there yet-I am not ready for this step either.  I am a very private person and being an educational assistant for so long sometimes I feel like I know my place.  Maybe one day.
• End or beginning?  I just started this journey and I am definitely a one thing at a time type of person.

Thing #23

CREDITS

Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachersis based on Learning 2.0 - 23 Things, a staff development program for theMesquite Independent School District. That program was based on the Learning 2.0 program that was designed by Helene Blowers and adapted by the California School Library Association and others. Content and style for Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers has been borrowed and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License.

This statement is found underneath Anne Wall's picture on the web page.  Creative Commons is new to me, but I think when teachers are guiding students as to where to find resources, examples or copies, this web site should also be talked about.  If it is listed with the names of other places to look for information, it will be used more often.  I think this exercise and the one submitted for class, has made me more aware of what to look for when I am looking at other people's work.

Thing #22

I have heard people talk about creating and sharing binders with their classmates for class projects.  Maybe this is what they were talking about.  I do like the idea of being able to go to one place that will store necessary information, items can be added, deleted and shared.  My three binders are:  (under the name mpg) Center/Station ideas for preschoolers, Teaching reading to preschoolers and Social/Emotional development of preschoolers.  These topics are important to me and Re issues that I feel I need to stay current on. I especially loved Google filling up the binders.  At this moment I do not have time to surf the net for information to put in the binders and think the help from Google is a good starting point.


http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=387703

 In the classroom, LiveBinders could be used to store information for a particular grade level, state standards, school policies and calendars and information pertaining to state testing.  Information is exchanged via email within a school, so this could also be stored in the same manner.  As for using this with students, older students could use LiveBinders to store research for group projects or to store older work for review for midterms or final tests.  

Thing #21

Let me just start by saying thank you to my son who helped me with the audio.  I found the background music I wanted to add but could not figure out how to actually upload it.  The Music is from the Index of Native American Music Resources on the Internet and the photos are from a series from the Smithsonian which were free to use.  I could not figure out how to navigate Creative Commons, do not ask me why.  This Animoto Short was created with my class of four years old students in mind.  The teacher talks about Native American Pow-Wows during the Thanksgiving Unit.  I have noticed, in general, the students have no idea what the teacher is talking about.  This 30 second introduction, which could be made longer, would help the children understand what she was referring to.  The only part of the process I was hung up on was the audio, the Web site itself was down so I was not able to utilize their support.  I like the idea of short video clips, especially with young children.

Thing #20

5th grader Dalton Sherman inspires Dallas teachers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe_rPBDFjxMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe_rPBDFjxM

This is the video I chose.  I loved the idea that it was a student making this speech and not an administrator.  I think it is very important to remember we teach because we want to make a positive impact or change in a student.  This site is blocked from the school district I work in, blocked on the computers within the school.  A teacher could upload an appropriate video on a flash drive and then bring it into the classroom.  I am not sure about the copy rights or if permission would be needed by the principal.  I am not a member of YouTube and do not wish to become one.  My oldest son enjoys looking at and listening to different videos he finds on the website.  

Thing #19

So, now I have a membership, but have not idea how to add the badge to my blog.  As you may have predicted, I am not a member of any online community.  I really can not see myself sitting in front of this screen for hours at a time reading, updating or searching on really any site.  I do not have the patience for it and to be honest I would rather be sitting outside with my dogs or talking to my husband.  If I was not in school I would have more time and a need to connect to other professionals besides the teachers in my immediate area.

I needed to leave a comment to finish up this Thing and of course forgot my password to sign in.  I have looked at other social networking sites and I guess I am not that social.  I think it boils down to how much time I would have to play on the computer.  I am only on it for homework, and since my husband came home I rarely check my email.  Sad.  Not sure.

Thing #18

I am not comfortable with joining either of these.  But since a Twitter account was required in Livetext, that is the link that I will provide.  Everyone should be aware of how these sites work because everyone either uses them or talks about them or both.  Schools and classrooms could probably set up a Facebook page that would inform the community of what is happening in their school or classroom.  I am still not convinced that I need to join either of these sites.

michelle parsons (@michelleparson4)  my twitter account

Thing #17

So, I listened to the explanation about how great this tagging and social bookmarking tools are.  I like the idea of being able to bookmark the sites I visit the most.  I am not sure I like the idea of other people piggybacking on them so they do not have to take the time to find the information themselves.  I signed up on Delicious.  Thinking back, I am not sure how much I like the idea of how many sites I needed to join to be able to do the homework, free or not.  Under the tags "educational technology" I ended up on a popular site that allows the viewers to listen to different quotes said by all kinds of people - TED:  Ideas worth spreading.  I did not find the comments section so I typed it in the question bar.  The comments seemed to be more like questions about what could be found on the site than how people felt about using it.  There were ten tags associated with this link.  Within a grade level, teachers would be able to share information quickly and easily with other teachers.  

Thing #16

The start page I chose was Googlei because I had already set it up.  The set up was simple and I liked being to keep my home page simple and not too busy looking.  The calendar I chose was Google calendar.  Earlier, in a blog, I commented  "oh another calendar"-  I still feel that way.  I have events and appointments written on my calendar in the kitchen so everyone can see it.  Then I looked at the sites that are designed to help you keep track of your "lists".  A long time ago, I found myself writing and trying to keep up with a lot of different lists.  Some of which were to be done in the near future and some were more like wish lists or all of the things you wished you had done when you were living in the house, not when you were selling it.  My husband is a list maker, he keeps up with them and updates them constantly.  I got to the point where I had too many lists and all I was saying was" "it is on my list".  Not a big fan of making another list.  Eventually, I will have to be on my computer every day.  When that happens I will probably choose the calendar over the other things.  If needed I can run a copy and post it in the kitchen so everyone will be able to see it and add to it.  The calendar is the one I could see using to keep the parents informed of classroom and school activities.  I am not sure how the students would like it or even use it.

Thing #15

I will have to think about what I will post in the sandbox.  I have never used this application, I agree it looks easy and useful.  This would come in handy for my son's Scout Troop,  for when they plan their trips.  They never seem to know who is bringing what and when and where they are meeting.  This would be nice to use with parents when the class is having a special event and the teacher is asking them to bring in items.  Students could use this in the same manner but for projects and papers. Every teacher has a wish list, this would be a neat way to get parents to donate items that are needed.  I added my thoughts about a blog to consider reading if you are looking to laugh.  

Thing #14

In an undergraduate class I had to create a web which represented my brain storming a topic that I planned on teaching to my class.  My classroom is a prekindergarten room and now that spring is here, we will be learning about insects.  Bubbl.us helped me create this diagram faster and easier than when I did it on my computer.  This might also work with a group of students who are brainstorming their thoughts on a project, each student would be able to have a bubble.

I also looked at the Venn diagrams on Gliffy.  Prekindergarten children are usually only comparing two items, but Venn diagrams help visual learners see the relationship and auditory learners hear the process of the comparison.  In the classroom, the teacher draws the Venn diagram on a large piece of paper and then hangs it in the room.  Using a template would allow the teacher to quickly type in the outcome and then send it home to help the parents reinforce what their child learned that day.

Thing #13

Here we go again.  Checked out the web site, this might be a good tool to use in the classroom.  Students would be able to write assigned work on this site and still access their work on their home, school or library computer.


https://writer.zoho.com/index.do


For some reason, Google docs looks very familiar.  Maybe we explored this site in class or in another "thing".  Students could use this site much like zoho in that it will also allow them to save their work and still be able to access it on another computer.  When students are working on group projects, all group members are able to access the work.  I would probably choose Google docs just because it is familiar to me, both sites seem to be able to do similar things.

Thing #12

I started with a Google Alert page for Clarksville, Tennessee.  I am not able to watch the news everyday and most weeks I miss at least three days of news.  It will be nice to have important news sent to my email account that I try to read once a day.  At the moment, I can think of two examples to use Google Alerts in a pre-kindergarten classroom, the Olympics and Election Day.  These are two topics that, in the past, the students have loved watching and keeping up with.  I also set up an iGoogle page.  I am not sure how much I would actually use this page, unless I set this as my homepage.  It is a simple set up, which I like.  There is a place to chat with friends, that may be used to talk with parents and the option to open a Gmail account, which could also be used in the same manner.  Newsletters and important reminders could be sent to parents through either of these applications.
            http://www.google.com/ig?hl=en                     iGoogle page  
            http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en&gl=us     alerts

Thing #11

This was one Thing that was easy to do.  Click and read.  This was not confusing and some of the feeds may be useful.  I liked the listing for the best feeds.  I think finding a good feed is like finding a good book or a good place to work.  My friends have suggested and recommended many shows, books, movies, clothes, food, etc... to me.  I think a good friend or colleague would point me in the direction of finding a good feed.  And even if the original feed is something that is not that interesting or useful, it could lead to another feed that will be exactly what you are looking for.   

Thing #10

HELP!  Really Simple Syndication.  Understanding what it is and how to do it are two separate things.  I think this should have been Thing #3 allowing Thing #4 to be the five different feeds the user would want to see every day.  I like being able to only have to click on one button instead of clicking on several buttons to get to the same place.  I also like being able to subscribe to what I want to read and see.  I like not having to feel like I have to check the web sites for updates all of the time.  This would have come in handy when I was substituting, I think I would have been able to find job placements faster.  I have worked in classrooms where the teacher was required to have their computer on so they could read any updates throughout the day, this must have been how they were able to do it.  I think this application could be used with a class that was following a news story or learning about a weather event.  Students might use RSS feeds to watch animals in a zoo or in the wild for a period of time.  Some teachers like to base their lesson plans on projects, like themes but taking most of the year to finish, and this tool could be used in the classroom and at home if needed.  

Thing #9

  
I must say, I know I should be playing around with all of these sites and just spending all of my extra time having fun and making fun, creative and useful "things" that I will use over and over again in my personal and work life, honestly, I am just not into it.  I do enjoy having the information on hand, if someone were to ask me about how to do or find these types of activities I could help them.   I liked the smiley faces.  I could make a chart of different feelings and the students could point to the one that describes best how they are feeling.  http://www.happyfacegenerator.com

Thing #8

http://metaatem.net/words/

I was not sure how to copy the picture to my blog page, I thought I was going to have to ask for help.  At first I thought I needed to copy the hot mail addresses of each letter, that was a very long paragraph. Once copied, I hoped to click on it and the word would magically appear.  That did not happen.  Leaving Thing #8 and coming back to it, I was finally able to figure out what I needed to do.  Learning about these different tools is like finding out how special effects in movies are produced.  If you have access to a computer, you can use the applications and create pieces of art in your spare time.  Even if you lack inspiration or do not see yourself as especially creative, images can be manipulated in several ways in order to achieve the outcome you are looking for.  If I had more time, I admit I would play around with the computer mainly because I really enjoy looking at the photographs.  In the classroom, I would use pictures to help define words or concepts and expose the children to people, places and things that they would not normally encounter in the classroom or their own neighborhood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thing #7

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lydiarachel09/2381331192/
Picture taken by Lydia Ferriao, 2006.

This is the first time I have used Flickr.com, I could have browsed this site for hours.  I loved being able to use the tags, up to seventy-five.  I liked the tags idea because my categorization of a photo is not necessarily the same as the photographer.  Plus, by using more tags, I think I would be able to narrow down the choices to something that would fit exactly what I was looking for. The picture I chose was not my first choice, but I still love it.  I picked rocks because it relates to the power point I will be working on for this class.  I usually search for pictures through Google images. In the classroom, I would be able to use different images to define new vocabulary or concepts.  Sometimes, small children can only visualize a word or concept in one way, showing them other visuals will help them broaden their knowledge base. 

Thing #6

I chose Etsy.com because I like the idea of being able to purchase "handmade and vintage items, art and supplies".  There are six different categories of items and the site also offers online labs, event information and the opportunity to join teams of artisans.  It is free to join, but there is a fee to list an item for sale and the site also receives a percentage of the sale price.  There are twenty-five headings under the Terms of Use section, all of which should be read very carefully.  I am not familiar with other sites like this one, but basically it sounds like they are not responsible for anything.  There is a blog associated with this site, on which I found an article about homeschooling.  As far as using this site in a classroom or library setting, How-To videos are available for viewing and viewers are able to find local people who are selling items by typing in their zip code.http://www.etsy.com/

Thing #5

I have been working in different classrooms for the better part of the past ten years.  My own children are technologically savvy teenagers.  I had no idea what Web 2.0 meant.  I do understand how the computer has changed from a source used to retrieve information to a technology that allows people to share information and build upon it.  I am currently working with children who are more apt to work a keyboard and mouse than they are at manipulating a pencil.  As a teacher, I need to not only be aware of the technology but also understand how to use it and teach others to use it as well.  I should be aware of current web sites and applications that may interest my students and parents.  It is wonderful for classrooms to have computers available for students, but I feel it is the teacher's responsibility to know how to effectively incorporate technology in their lessons.  Young children come into classrooms having already experienced playing games or watching movies on a computer.  Once in school, they should learn how to use a computer to help them learn and reinforce new skills.  Learning how to use a computer should help students complete their assignments more efficiently and effectively.  Students should be exposed to how to use social media in a way that will enhance their learning. 

Thing #4

I am not a habitual blogger so I was unaware of blogging etiquette.  Blogging enables people to create on line communities based on exchanging comments on different topics of conversation.  I look at this exchange like a conversation.  The rules do not seem too different from a face to face conversation.  It is important to create a blog that invites comments.  To help invite commenting, postings could be left open-ended, ask questions or ask specifically for comments.  I was not aware rules could be made for comments, spam can be blocked and there is a choice to have people who comment sign in with their email addresses or not.  I have not commented on a blog yet, I have not read very many either.  This class will change that.


The five blogs from our group that I commented on include:
1.  Miss Keem's blog #12 - I agreed with her comment on creating "another" calendar to keep up with.  I liked her attitude and how she wrote what she felt.  I liked her "More about me" section because it is nice to know people who feel passionate about what they do.
2.  Leslie's blog - The blog was chosen because of the quote she used in the title, my favorite quote from my favorite movie.  From looking at her blog, she appears to have a lot more experience with technology than I do.
3.  Emily Mount's blog just blew me away.  WOW, it is what all blogs aspire to be.  Loved the music.
4.  Misty's blog - I commented on her poster she made with the applications we experimented with.  I liked the idea of using the poster for academic events and thought they could be used as examples for the next year.
5.  Miss Watson's blog - I loved her creations and could tell she loved what she was doing.  I loved her idea of creating something new and how she tied in quotes to her projects.


The first two blogs I chose to comment on are people that I have had class with previously, so it was more comfortable to comment on what they had written because they knew me from class.    The third person I chose ended up being someone else but enjoyed her blog and then I chose from her followers who to comment on next.  Number four is someone that I have spoken to in class and was surprised that her family in her poster could easily be my family.  (My family being ten years older than hers!)  The last person's blog I commented on was great and I could tell she really liked the assignment.


Two other blogs to comment on:
6.  I commented on the blog "It's Not All Flowers and Sausages".  The last blog was posted in January and when I read it I laughed out loud.  I love her humor and honesty.  I can relate to her stories and feelings.  This is a blog I want to keep up with.
7.  The last blog I commented on was "The Pioneer Woman".  I spent a lot of time browsing through her web site and finally commented on her blog about how the dogs are always happy when you come home.  I can honestly say, no matter what, the dogs are always happy when I come home.  

Thing #3

I could see myself using a blog with teachers on my grade level, with teachers who I have worked with previously and teachers who have a wealth of experience and the heart to share it.  A blog would be one avenue to share new information and techniques with other professionals.  An objective opinion or an opinion based on experience might be the one thing that could get a new or frustrated teacher through the day.  These blogs could be used in the same manner by students earning their teaching degree.  For myself, I like being able to talk to other students who are a few steps ahead of me for their insight.  I could see myself implementing a blog to communicate with parents.  The blog would be able to keep the parents up to date, newsletters get lost and forgotten.  General information about what to expect from their children and what they can do for them could be exchanged.   

Thing #2

    Creating the blog was an easy process because I followed the instructor's directions in class and she was able to help me out when I was confused.  This is a new experience for me, so is working with this type of computer.  I am using my real name for my blog.  I think if I had to create an alias I would probably confuse myself or forget what it was.  Plus, this blog is for a class, about my profession, there is nothing personal to be written or read.  The avatar was something else.  I was not able to keep up with the instructor  and had not read what I needed to in order to start or complete the  assignment.  I was tired and stressed out.  Later, I was able to find some quiet time to read the directions and complete the assignment. The whole process probably took me longer to finish than anyone in history, but I did it.  The avatar Miss Michelle is somewhat like me, that is what I look like pretty much every day.   Since this is my first experience with a blog and avatar, I will probably stick to the directions and not stray too far off of the path until I become more comfortable and confident. 

Thing #1

     Life long learning enables people to grow and understand the world around them.  Learning is a process, which is sometimes overlooked and rushed because the end result seems to be the most important part.  Learning should be a journey that makes a person consider their options, ask for help when needed and understand it will take time.  One of my daily habits is playing with children, teaching them to learn through play.  I think the easiest habit for myself  is being able to teach young children.  I believe each child has learning potential and benefits from an adult who is patient and attentive.  The hardest component in the seven and a half habits is being able to use technology to my advantage.  I am not computer savvy, my time spent on the computer is either work or school related.  I need to learn how to incorporate technology in the classroom.  I need to learn these skills because  the children I am teaching are growing up with technology as part of their every day activities.