Podcast...

Although our assignment for creating our own podcast isn't due for another week, I'm a little panicky.  I really want to create something meaningful that I can use in my classroom, but can't seem to come up with an idea.  I've looked online for some ideas, but so far all I can find are ideas that are geared to older students and not elementary.  I also don't just want to lecture, but to make my podcast entertaining for my classmates and for my students. to listen to  If not what's the point?

Stay tuned, hopefully you'll hear back from me shortly with  a grand idea! :)

Another Milestone...

Last Sunday, Jack hit another milestone.  Every milestone he has completed has brought me joy and pride.  This current milestone brought me to tears. We transitioned Jack from his high chair to a booster seat at our dining room table.  He's been in a booster seat before at restaurants, but seeing him sitting at our table, I admit I got a little misty eyed.  I'm getting chocked up just thinking about it again.  What is wrong with me???  I told Bryan about my feelings when he was sitting at the table playing with a puzzle and he admitted that it bothered him a little as well.  I think a part of it is that high chair has been in our dining room since Jack started eating solids at 6 months when he was just a baby.  When. He. Was. Just A. Baby. I (we) have suddenly realized our baby is no longer a baby, but turning into a little boy.  How and when did that happen?!

Books vs Electronic Readers

I am a book lover, have always been.  I want to thank my parents for my passion.  I was read to on a nightly basis and believe that was what made the reader I am today.  I can only hope to instill this onto our son as he grows.

 My dilemma is this: I kinda want a Kindle, but feel like I am committing treason toward my books. I then find this video of a baby not much older than my son now can work and IPad like there is no tomorrow, but does not know how to turn the pages of a magazine.  The author poses the question of wondering if books and magazine will be  extinct by the time our children are adults.  My answer is, I hope not. Sure our sonknows that our laptop is where he can watch Elmo and Cookie Monster on YouTube, but he also loves his books and knows how to turn the pages of a book.  Maybe when Jack is older he will prefere to read off of an electronic reader, but he will know what the books his mom and dad still read are.

Baby and IPad

Useful Blog

As I was browsing the web, looking for some useful information to use for our wiki project, I came across a a blog that will be useful to my teaching.  I believe that using picture books can be a powerful tool to teach difficult concepts. 

If you get a moment check out Teach with Picture Books

Pat on the back

So I have to give myself a little pat on the back.  If you haven't read my previous post What to Write? please click the link.  So I commented about how I would like to jazz up my blog and make it less cookie cutter.  One feature that I saw was adding a music player to your blog.  I went down to the bottom of the blogs that had this features and thus preceded to figure out how to add to my own.  So please turn up the volume of your computer and enjoy. :)  I am very proud of myself for this technological  accomplish. I even added a hyperlink to this post!!

What to write?

So as I sit in front of my laptop staring at a blank screen wondering what I could write that would interest my followers.  I took the advice of a classmate and clicked the "Next Blog" button.  I clicked through about 4 or 5 and nothing seemed to peek my interest, but then I seemed to notice a pattern: how do all these authors make their pages so snazzy?  I followed the blogger design and did not see any of these cool backgrounds and graphics.  One even had music!  I want to to learn ways to pretty up my blog.  Perhaps if I could personalize it to fit me better I would be more incline to write in it more?? :)

Promethean Boards Take 2

The past week I attended a course on the basics of how to use the Promethean Board in the classroom.  Though just from playing with the Promethean board on my own I had figured out many of the basic features, but they were many cool tools that I had yet to explore.  One really neat feature was I could use the magic pen to write on any document or webpage on my computer, another click I could change my handwriting to typed text.  Everyday I am consistently learning something new.  Just yesterday a student showed me how to clip my pens to the side of my board.  I love it when I can learn new things from my students. :)

Virtual Apple Picking?

 Today my husband and I took our 16 month old son to Treworgy Orchards to go apple picking.  For those who have never been it is a wonderful experience; not only do they have apple orchards, but a giant pumpkin patch, petting zoo,hay rides, corn maze and much more.  One of the things that I love about the Orchard is just being able to connect with nature.  There is just something about self sustainability that is ultimately satisfying.  At home, we also have a small garden and there is nothing like going out to your back door and be able to pick your own food for your dinner.

Being a parent of a young child, I often wonder how society will be when our son is grown.  Incredible changes have been made since I was a youngster, and I cannot imagine when he is an adult what new and improved technology will exist.  I love technology, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it can be a little unsettling on how our society is changing.  I recently read about schools who are replacing their library books with electronic readers.  No more books?!  I cannot imagine a world without.  Social interaction with human to human contact is almost a thing of the past with social networking, texting, etc. Will our son grow up in a virtual world?

I hope places like Treworgy stay open so that future generations can grow up and appreciate both our technological and environmental  world.

Off the Grid!

In this day in age we as a society rely heavily on technology. Fifteen years ago many of us probably didn't have a mobile device and definitely not a Smartphone. How did we EVER survive?? We've become so accustomed to our gadgets and devices that when they cease to work or we forget them at home we are lost.

During these past few days I can relate to my statement. The first day of school was Sept. 1, and because I was such a late hire to my school district I have yet received my school laptop or put into the system. Attendance is done on a computer, so I had to run up and down 3 flights of stairs to deliver a paper copy these last few days(I'm getting in great shape) to the school secretary. Our agenda for the beginning of the year activities could be found on the schools webpage, which I couldn't access because I didn't have a user name or password. We have new and beautiful Promethean Boards in our classroom this year and unfortunately mine to date just looks like a fancy whiteboard in my room.

I should hopefully be getting my laptop next week, but not having it the first week of school has been difficult for me, and has made me realize how much I now rely on technology to aid in my teaching.

First Day Jitters

Tomorrow is the first day of school. I can't even explain how nervous and anxious I am.  As you can probably guess I am a school teacher and no matter how many years I've done this, I still get nervous for the first day of school.  However, this time my anxiety is 10 times that it normally is because this year I am at a new school in a new school district.  Not only that, I was hired about 2 weeks ago and have been scrambling to get my room to look at least respectable for when students arrive bright and early tomorrow. 

Now from my post your first impression is probably that I am an negative, see the glass half empty kinda gal, but in all actuality I'm the totally opposite. I am able to (usually) see that silver lining in that quintessential cloud.  I know once the students enter my room all my worries and fears will disappear.  I will survive and the key to this all is not to show my discomposure in fromt of the students, because everyone know just like bees and dogs, kids can always smell fear! :)