Thing #6

I have been checking my Google reader daily and am enjoying having the news I want to keep up with come to me. I have found several interesting sites to feed my reader. One of the ones I like best is 2 cents worth. I read an interesting question that was polled yesterday "Can a teacher be a good teacher without using technology?". I was surprised at the outcome. I would have thought more people would think that technology was a must for a good teacher in the 21st century classroom.

Thing #5

I really enjoyed an article in "The Frugal Traveler" about making vacation last for months. When I first read the title it sounded so ideal but after reading the article it could be alot of fun but there are pitfalls and considerations that 1-2 week vacationers don't have. These folks often live in areas where work is seasonal and therefore travel and work until it is time to return home to their jobs. I think it sounds exciting but if you are always worried about running out of money and how to make some more it would kind of take some of the fun out of it especially if you have a family.

Thing #4

The genre of blogging is different than other forms of writing because it is not just 1 authors ideas and a single readers impression but rather a collaboration of several contributing readers impressions and ideas about a subject. Each of these readers has the opportunity to expand the ideas presented and make his/her thoughts part of the idea that is then presented to others and back to the original author. I particularly liked the duck with a blog's blog. This is a great idea for using current happenings that are relevant to the children and encourage literacy. Blogging allows students to dialogue with other students and people all over the world about similar interests in a relatively short amount of time.

23 Things - Thing #1

The most challenging habits for me to implement will be beginning with the end in mind and using technology to my advantage. I am finding out that I am technology challenged when it comes to web 2.0 tools. I also am a concrete and sequential person and have trouble seeing the big picture and working backwards.
The easiest habits for me to implement are taking responsibility for my own learning, viewing problems as challenges, and playing. I believe that learning is personal and you get out of it what you put into it. Exploration of new learning/findings helps make them your own so playing will be most useful in making web 2.0 my own and not just another set of things i know about. I really like to be able to synthesize my learning so that it can be applied to real world challenges, much like the 21st century learners we are responsible for teaching.

23 Things - Thing #2

Thing #2
My initial thoughts about web 2.0 are mixed. On the one hand it looks intriguing and exciting on the other it looks frustrating as there are many new terms and things to learn all at once. I was just beginning to embrace email and now texting and IMing are the in thing. Perspective is vital as we can view these changes as opportunities and challenges for growth or as ways we are being left behind.
The new tools in web 2.0 will change the practice of teaching as we know it. Teachers will need to embrace these tools in order to meet today’s child where he/she is. Today’s learners are no longer engaged by single dimensional activities. Today’s learners are immersed in a 3 dimensional, fully portable multimedia world. They are not only consumers but creators of it’s content. If we are to engage them in learning we must embrace this world. We must teach learners to be thinkers and problem solvers. It is no longer an option to memorize facts to learn things. The body of knowledge is growing at a never before matched pace. We must teach children to use resources to find answers or possible solutions to problems. I see many opportunities for even my kindergarten and PPCD students to use web 2.0 tools such as podcasting, and photo/video sharing. I also see many ways to share with parents and collegues using wikis and blogs.