Class #4

Whew.... that was a lot of info.  I am looking forward to the week off to do a little work.  I like all of the sites we've been learning about and can think of many different ways of using several of them in class.  

I think making a Pecha Kucha will be challenging, yet fun.  I also am looking forward to the Prezi one where I get to "brag" about how cool my photos are.

All that being said... I still wish I had a little more time to play around with all of the websites we've been going to.  

Session Three

Well... I'm liking the class.  We've got a lot of fun, creative people and there is a lot of information and ideas being shared.  The websites we've been sent to for class have been really good for the most part.  It's great seeing various examples of what we're learning about.
That being said, I am beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed.  There are so many websites to visit and write about that I feel like I don't have the time to appropriately check out each site. I don't want to have to skip some of them or not spend enough time on them because I've got other things going on at work or at home.   I'm sure we all have the same problems... and I don't want to make excuses, but I think you understand my position.

I am getting a little excited to make my own digital story.  Looking at the suggestions in the digital story telling book, they say no more than 500 words.  Wow.... 500 words... that's it.  That's not a lot of words.   Plus I'm trying to think of what kind of story to do.  Should I do one I can show my students (and then have them make their own), should I do one for family or one for my zombie march site to help promote it.  It's really hard to say.  Even after I decide what... I'm not sure what really to talk about that has a surprise or twist to it or emotion.  There is definitely a lot to think about.   I'll be doing a lot this weekend on that, along with lesson planning, delivering Cub Scout popcorn, etc.

Why can't we have 4 day work weeks w/ 1 day to catch up!?!?!

Digital Stories & My Class

I am trying to get my students to write more and not think of writing as a chore.  I think the ability to use technology as a vehicle to help the reach the goal of writing.  Right now I am thinking that posterous.com would be a really great way to get kids to keep a visual journal with a few sentences or paragraph explanation. Or using some other site that would also be equally stimulating to get them to write.  A great site for online news stories that appeal to younger kids is TweenTribune.com.  Not only can kids read the stories, they can post their thoughts and respond to other comments.  All these tools have awesome potential...but the only wall I hit is the lack of available technology for my students.

I also like the ideas in the PresentationZen book.  I think all of the ideas make sense.  However, putting them into practice is a whole other thing.  There definitely is the temptation to sit down and do everything on the computer from the get go.   However, a lot is lost, too.   When you type, you can go back and delete whole sections that may have included a really good idea kernal that will never see fruition because it was deleted, never to be revisited.  I myself have beeing trying to do journaling everyday after my classes about how class went and what I can do to make it go better.  Sitting down and writing about the day, away from a screen is defiantly theraputic.  Especially when you're trying something new or teaching something new for the first time. It's that reflection time that is missing when I type that is the difference I think. I definitely think a little more before handwriting something then when I type something.  


Needless to say.... I'm excited to see where all of these new ideas and resources take me, and eventually my students and how they learn.