My New Webcam

Totally worth the wait!  I can't wait to use it!  Check out my new pic!

Purposeful writing-Take 2

I have a set of turkey puppets that I use for a Thanksgiving song/poem and one of the birds had a torn beak.  One of my students was very bothered by this and wrote me the following note:

Translation:  Sew the chicken! Gotta love it!

Needless to say, I did take it home and sew it!

Reflections on my Journey

I have always said that when you think you know it all,  you need to quit, especially if you are a teacher.  Well, as I quickly discovered, I still  have a lot to learn!  I have really enjoyed learning about the vast array of technology tools that can help me learn and grow as a teacher.  I’ve also discovered many tools that my students can use as well. 

I have particularly enjoyed the format, because I could work as I had time.  Some weeks I completed the tasks for the week and other weeks when life was busier, I waited a week and caught up.  If I needed help, it was only an email or post away! 

I feel like I have learned so much in such a short period of time.  My only concern, is will I remember all of these cool things that I learned how to use?  My only consolation is that our fearless instructor is a short walk for me and I know she reads her email!  Plus I could contact her by Skype with my new web cam!  Thanks for your encouragement and patience,  Cindy!

ONLINE TOOLS

Okay, so when we were challenged to look at 4 new tools that we had never seen before, it was easy.  I had not used, seen, or heard of  MOST of them.  So, I began my journey... There were several that I had fun playing with (many more than four), but the ones I thought would be most useful in my current position are Wordle, GoAnimate, Prezi, and e-Learning for Kids.  Last night I spent probably over an hour playing with Prezi and I find it quite motivating.  To describe it in a few words, it's like creating a poster/presentation in a very fun way!  It looks professional and you can embed videos, pictures, text, virtually anything!  I am excited to use it to present information to my students especially when the content requires steps and cycles.  I found a tool that is much like Kidspiration's webs that can help students see cyclical processes.  On all of the "prezis" you can choose the path and the order of how things are presented.  I see great potential for me as the teacher, but even more potential for students to demonstrate their learning on a given topic.  I think it would be really cool for them to create their own presentations at the end of many of our units or even to show the steps to add/subtract numbers with renaming and regrouping.  Not sure, how this could work, but maybe there is something else out there that is similar that they wouldn't have to sign into???? 

Excited about Skype!

I am really excited about the prospect of being able to contact guest speakers and authors in particular via Skype.  I guess the only context I had ever really thought of regarding Skype was when you see those sweet family reunions or kids talking to their Dads at war.  Duh... I never thought about how I could use it in my classroom with my new WEBCAM!  I am really excited when I think of the vast community I have to choose from with this cool tool!

JING!

I am anxious to spend more time with this tool and see many uses and implications for my classroom.  It would be an awesome tool for students who are working independently in the computer work station or when I might be absent and need to communicate how to complete ANYTHING! to my students.  Can't wait.  Right now I'm just trying to figure out how I will remember all that I'm learning.  BRAIN TRANSPLANT?????

Reflections on Facebook and Twitter

The obvious advantages of both Facebook and Twitter are that they are great, accessible tools to communicate with large audiences and small, QUICKLY!  I certainly see the benefit more readily for older students and their teachers.  I think that regardless of whether you are using these personally or professionally, you have to be careful what you put out there.  What we think are casual conversations can often be misinterpreted and misused.  I still believe in the value of face to face communication when things are important.  I have read things on Facebook and Twitter that make me  wonder if the person who wrote it really thought about who might read it! 

My Little Darlings!

These are the reasons I come to school each day!

Photo Peach Quiz Seriously? Fun, crazy

We're watching YOU!!!! on PhotoPeach

Loving how fun this is!  Sorry about the content!  Inside joke!

New fun!

Just trying to catch up on what I was supposed to do last week!  It's been great fun for me to play with the video and pic features!  I never knew it could be so easy!  I'm excited and hope I can remember what to do!

The end of the first quarter....

My Happy Home on PhotoPeach

Some of the many reasons "looping" worked

These kiddos were in the same class for 1st and 2nd grades.  They decided in our second year to create a time capsule to open when they were seniors!  Many classes since wondered what was in the cool silver container was that said "do not open until 2011"   This spring we were able to get together and look at old pics, visit, and open the beloved time capsule which contained some precious letters to Santa and the teacher, lots of cute pictures, and the memories of the precious time we spent together as family.  When 2010 rolled around I began to get reminders about opening the capsule, and as the "senior year" came, more desperate reminders.  On that cold, rainy Sunday afternoon, one would have thought that time had stood still for a moment or two.  The once small children were now big, yet many of their parents came to see their old classmates and each other.  The moments were precious and the memories shared truly priceless!  After all of these years and much water under the bridge, so to speak, these students still felt "connected".

Well, it is Friday, now what?

After a day full of excitement, my evening was full of technology learning, socializing with my neighbors, and the realization that I'm TIRED!!!!  On this beautiful fall morning,  I am reminded that God does call us to times of rest- a very difficult concept for most teachers!  I have been around long enough to know that if I don't heed the warnings that rest is needed, God will help me!  Sometimes, he's helped me rest for long, unexpected periods because I wouldn't take the time to do it myself! 

Let me encourage you today, to grab those moments of rest--- we all need it to do all that God has planned for us! 

Happy Friday and Happy Fall YA'LL!

What the heck is a GOOGLE READER -I asked????

Now, I not only know what it is, but I have subscribed to all of the blogs of my classmates and a few others!  Who knew it could be so fun?  I'm hopeful that I can actually make good use of this to help me so I know when some of my favorites have posted.  I can see this really saving me time and keep me from spending so much time "on the hunt!" Happy reading! 

Social Bookmarking

I think I'm gonna love this new way to keep all of my important things organized!  The knowledge sharing will be a bonus as well, but I am already seeing where the tags will help me find long lost items quickly!  Super smart!

Thoughts about Last Week on another Happy Monday!

Last week I had many classic 2nd grade moments that made me realize why little kiddos are so fun!  For instance when one of my students approached me about spelling a word for her and asked me how to spell attire and I responded with a "Wow!  How are you using that word?"  She replied with, "You know, like the whole attire world!" Later, one of my boys finally landed on a topic he loved. Cars!  He soon came and asked me to add "Cadillac converter" to his dictionary.  The highlight for me was when a non-reader had posted a note on our broken pencil sharpener that stated "do not youse!".  A few days later our custodian replaced the sharpener.  Now, that's purposeful writing!  I'll end with a "first" for me.  Over the years I have received some pretty creative gifts, but the part that always gets me are those that are from the heart of the giver- this week one of my students approached me with something hidden behind her back, and asked me if I liked cucumbers!  When I answered yes, I love them, a perfect cucumber emerged from behind her back!  Don't you just love little kids?

Remind me, why am I a teacher?

Yesterday was one of those days that I asked myself the question!  Even in the moments I couldn't get a word in edgewise and I had every conceivable distraction happening, I came back to the same answer.  I do feel that it's a calling for me.  It's not just my job, but my opportunity to show the love that has been shown to me- even when I don't necessarily "feel" like it!  Today is a new day, and here I am marching on! 

Appropriate or not?

When I first became a teacher often discussions were summarized with the question, is this appropriate for our students or not?  Do you remember those days?  What happened to asking these most simple questions?  Are my students ready for this?  What do they really need to know?  What skills can I teach now that will really be of benefit in the life of my students?

With the emphasis on testing and schools "looking good", I wonder are we really teaching what our students need to know, how they learn, and in the time they need to learn it?  It seems that we are "rushing" through many things and not giving real depth to anything.  It never ceases to amaze me how "easy" something can be for a student when you wait until they are ready to learn it.  You can struggle for months trying to teach a student something like subtraction with regrouping, but when the time is right, the same skill can be learned quickly. 

I often wonder if we, as educators have learned anything? 

My First Thoughts...About Blogging

I know you might have worried by the title that I just now started "thinking", but I promise I have had "thoughts" before now!  I have had a blog for my students for the last 2-3years and I've found it to be a fun way to connect with my students and get their perspective on something quickly and they find it enjoyable.  They think it's much better than writing!  Little do they know, it's the same thing.

As a professional, I have never thought of blogging, but I do see the benefits for me as well.  It has caused me to reflect upon why I use a blog and maybe why I should in the professional realm as well.  I have a friend who is a writer and I've been trying to get her to start blogging her devotionals with the idea that she would get immediate feedback.  Hmm... exactly why I need to think about it as well.  I liken blogging to journaling, just with an audience sort of.

Anyway, I'm excited to think to begin to use this blog for me!

I really enjoy reading Mrs. Cassidy's blog at  http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337