- I read the syllabus. Both of them.
- I use Firefox and love it. I have Chrome and IE also but I don't use them a lot.
- I installed Instapaper and learned about using bookmarklets. I'd used them before but not much.
- I created a Delicious account. I have Diigo and Pinterest already, and commented on them.
- I have 2 or 3 ways to get on the 'Net.
- I picked the three blogs I mentioned in my previous post.
- I had originally requested to follow those blogs with an email reminder but I think I'll use Google Reader.
- I re-started my old Blogger blog, Tech Bits.
- I THINK I sent all my info to Dr. Luck... but if I didn't, hopefully he'll let me know.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Jan. 26 part two
Here's my "assignment checkoff" for this lesson.
Sat., Jan. 26 - overwhelmed but maintaining
I'm managing so far this semester... by the grace of God!
Just briefly I want to mention the blogs I am following. Originally I had a different list of 3 I think, but I couldn't find it and decided to go back and select them again.
1. The Innovative Educator. I already had this blog in my Google Reader but I didn't realize it! A couple of years ago I took a class where I had to follow blogs and and it was on my Blogger page too.
2. Edutopia blog. When I first started teaching, an assistant principal suggested I look for ideas on Edutopia. Well, I was overwhelmed and knew most of that stuff was way over my head and out of my control. Some of it still is, but I don't find this website quite as intimidating anymore.
3. 21st Century Educational Technology & Learning. A friend, fellow educator and informal mentor retired at Christmas. She is still young, but she's been an educator for well over 30 years and she felt it was time to do it. I understood, totally, and I don't blame her. Though I felt she adapted well to the computer age, I was reminded that she and many of her friends and colleagues became teachers in the 20th century and that was the way she learned to teach, and there was nothing wrong with that! However, today's students - especially when they get to high school, where I teach - are digital natives. Though I "immigrated" at a pretty young age, I can relate to both ways, and I can use any help with technology I can get!
Just for fun, here is one I also had on Google Reader that I find interesting: The Fischbowl. I don't always agree with Karl Fisch but he's very intelligent and his blog is thought provoking.
Just briefly I want to mention the blogs I am following. Originally I had a different list of 3 I think, but I couldn't find it and decided to go back and select them again.
1. The Innovative Educator. I already had this blog in my Google Reader but I didn't realize it! A couple of years ago I took a class where I had to follow blogs and and it was on my Blogger page too.
2. Edutopia blog. When I first started teaching, an assistant principal suggested I look for ideas on Edutopia. Well, I was overwhelmed and knew most of that stuff was way over my head and out of my control. Some of it still is, but I don't find this website quite as intimidating anymore.
3. 21st Century Educational Technology & Learning. A friend, fellow educator and informal mentor retired at Christmas. She is still young, but she's been an educator for well over 30 years and she felt it was time to do it. I understood, totally, and I don't blame her. Though I felt she adapted well to the computer age, I was reminded that she and many of her friends and colleagues became teachers in the 20th century and that was the way she learned to teach, and there was nothing wrong with that! However, today's students - especially when they get to high school, where I teach - are digital natives. Though I "immigrated" at a pretty young age, I can relate to both ways, and I can use any help with technology I can get!
Just for fun, here is one I also had on Google Reader that I find interesting: The Fischbowl. I don't always agree with Karl Fisch but he's very intelligent and his blog is thought provoking.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Jan. 24 - What I've done this week!
Well, first let me say that I'm sort of surprised I've done anything this week. Here's a summary of my week:
Mom was in ICU from Monday to Thursday and came home on Friday. I stayed with her from Monday to Thursday, finally slept in my own bed Thursday night (which was AWESOME), and went back to work on Friday. I reinstated my blog Thursday night in an attempt to get off to a good start in my classes. After work Friday, I went to Mom's to get her settled in, and while waiting in her driveway, installed Instapaper on my iPhone, having already done that on my home and work laptops on Thursday.
I goofed off on Saturday since my brother was staying with Mom and my next turn was coming. I watched TV, did laundry, played with the cat as well as online. I didn't do a lot of classwork but I did a little reading on the message boards. On Sunday, I went to church, shopped, and napped before going to Mom's in the evening for her birthday. I also spent the night, and installed Delicious on my work computer, which I have found is nice to have home on the weekends.
Since Monday was a school holiday, I took care of Mom on her birthday. My brothers located my late grandfather's old lift chair, which wasn't being used, in a friend's house. It has been a real boon for Mom. People brought food so I didn't even need to cook, just heat stuff up. Mom's friend JoAnn came to stay the night, so I went home. I called in for Tuesday because I didn't have anyone to stay with Mom during the day. She had a pretty good day. More food! I am on the fried chicken and doughnut diet. I read through some of the messages on the boards.
I went back to school on Wednesday and worked today too. My cousin stayed with Mom yesterday and my brother stayed today. Yesterday she ate well but had a lot of company. When they all left, she was ill as a hornet. A nap helped matters a great deal. I did no homework or schoolwork... just hung out on her couch when she was resting, and followed her around while she piddled through the house with her walker. This afternoon, I went back to Mom's where I relieved my brother until JoAnn returned around 7. Actually both brothers stayed for awhile after I got there. While there, I tweaked an old test to administer tomorrow (if we don't get iced over).
Now it's nearly 10 and I'm home again, wondering if the wintry mix that's predicted will allow me a little more time to work on my classwork. I hope so. I am so far behind in my grading, planning, and my own classwork. Of course tonight I goofed off online for an hour before getting onto D2L. Oh, well. Tomorrow's Friday and even if I have to work, Fridays are usually a little more relaxed and fun at school. If I don't have to work, I have to go to Mom's to relieve my brother at 1:00. I have installed Delicious on my home computer tonight too. I tried it a few years ago and didn't like it. Now it seems a lot more user-friendly. Also, I downloaded the GenieO page. I find it a little creepy because it has obviously used my search history... oh boy. :D
Mom was in ICU from Monday to Thursday and came home on Friday. I stayed with her from Monday to Thursday, finally slept in my own bed Thursday night (which was AWESOME), and went back to work on Friday. I reinstated my blog Thursday night in an attempt to get off to a good start in my classes. After work Friday, I went to Mom's to get her settled in, and while waiting in her driveway, installed Instapaper on my iPhone, having already done that on my home and work laptops on Thursday.
I goofed off on Saturday since my brother was staying with Mom and my next turn was coming. I watched TV, did laundry, played with the cat as well as online. I didn't do a lot of classwork but I did a little reading on the message boards. On Sunday, I went to church, shopped, and napped before going to Mom's in the evening for her birthday. I also spent the night, and installed Delicious on my work computer, which I have found is nice to have home on the weekends.
Since Monday was a school holiday, I took care of Mom on her birthday. My brothers located my late grandfather's old lift chair, which wasn't being used, in a friend's house. It has been a real boon for Mom. People brought food so I didn't even need to cook, just heat stuff up. Mom's friend JoAnn came to stay the night, so I went home. I called in for Tuesday because I didn't have anyone to stay with Mom during the day. She had a pretty good day. More food! I am on the fried chicken and doughnut diet. I read through some of the messages on the boards.
I went back to school on Wednesday and worked today too. My cousin stayed with Mom yesterday and my brother stayed today. Yesterday she ate well but had a lot of company. When they all left, she was ill as a hornet. A nap helped matters a great deal. I did no homework or schoolwork... just hung out on her couch when she was resting, and followed her around while she piddled through the house with her walker. This afternoon, I went back to Mom's where I relieved my brother until JoAnn returned around 7. Actually both brothers stayed for awhile after I got there. While there, I tweaked an old test to administer tomorrow (if we don't get iced over).
Now it's nearly 10 and I'm home again, wondering if the wintry mix that's predicted will allow me a little more time to work on my classwork. I hope so. I am so far behind in my grading, planning, and my own classwork. Of course tonight I goofed off online for an hour before getting onto D2L. Oh, well. Tomorrow's Friday and even if I have to work, Fridays are usually a little more relaxed and fun at school. If I don't have to work, I have to go to Mom's to relieve my brother at 1:00. I have installed Delicious on my home computer tonight too. I tried it a few years ago and didn't like it. Now it seems a lot more user-friendly. Also, I downloaded the GenieO page. I find it a little creepy because it has obviously used my search history... oh boy. :D
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Starting now!
Thursday begins a new semester and with any luck, it will be the next-to-last semester for me. I like learning and I like classes but I would like them a lot more if I didn't have to teach them while I'm taking them! So... I am glad to see light at the end of the tunnel. I almost quit school completely this semester and if this week is any indication (and yes, I know this is the first day!!!) there will be times when I question my sanity for sticking with it! Maybe for some of my teacher/student friends it was an easy week, with early dismissals and late starts and days school was closed completely. However, my mother has been in ICU this week so it has been... interesting.
HOPEFULLY in the end it will be worth all the work. It had better be! :D Though who am I going to blame if it's not???
This semester I am going to do a better job of keeping up my blog than I did last year when I did this. I am no longer the technology coach in my end of the building because it was really taking a toll on my teaching. I was averaging $5 an hour for the coaching end of it and that was being generous. When I got a poor score on an observation I decided it was time to let that go. I still have a very over-committed schedule. Oh, well. I am looking forward to my classes and hopefully I will have time to focus on them!
HOPEFULLY in the end it will be worth all the work. It had better be! :D Though who am I going to blame if it's not???
This semester I am going to do a better job of keeping up my blog than I did last year when I did this. I am no longer the technology coach in my end of the building because it was really taking a toll on my teaching. I was averaging $5 an hour for the coaching end of it and that was being generous. When I got a poor score on an observation I decided it was time to let that go. I still have a very over-committed schedule. Oh, well. I am looking forward to my classes and hopefully I will have time to focus on them!
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