Christine's Corner

Flickr

2010-01-03T12:16:00.002-05:00

I know it has been a while since I have posted but I found something that I think deserves sharing. As classroom teachers, we often take pictures in your classroom of things we are doing. I admit that I am a shutterbug. I love to take pictures of what the class is doing and share those pictures with the parents. I usually use Photobucket but have recently discovered that Flickr allows you to post your pictures directly to the blog without having to upload them separately. This can really make your life easier when it comes to sharing. You can write your blog as you post the picture without having to go through the posting process twice.

Flickr is also awesome because if your school is a Mac school, you can also upload photos directly to Flickr from iPhoto (and even Facebook but that is another entry). I think I may be playing with my Flickr account even more now. Check out my Flickr page as well as some groups that I belong to. Enjoy and happy snapping!

My Flickr Photostream

Project 365 through Flickr

My Project 365 Blog

Awesome!

2009-12-23T21:47:00.001-05:00

I remember this as if it were yesterday. This really brought back memories :)

2009-12-12T15:28:00.000-05:00

2009-06-20T14:34:00.000-04:00

This is Abbie on our way home from Blue Springs. We wore the poor
thing out.

Fwd: Secretary Clinton Launches the Virtual Student Foreign Service Initiative

2009-05-13T21:49:00.001-04:00

I recently signed up to receive e-mails from the White House Blog. I really like the way President Obama is utilizing technology to keep people informed and to get people involved. The program below sounds like a very interesting program. Feel free to read more about it. As a sidebar, I am posting this via email rather than actually going to the blog and posting. Blogger now has a wonderful feature that allows you to post entries from email and from texts. Check it out some time!

Secretary Clinton launched a new initiative today to allow for a rising generation of citizen diplomats to conduct digital diplomacy.

Virtual Student Foreign Service (VSFS) Internships, announced by Secretary Clinton at the 2009 New York University commencement speech, are part of a growing effort by the State Department to harness technology and a commitment to global service among young people to facilitate new forms of diplomatic engagement. The VSFS Internships will be developed over the next year and will seek to harness the energy of a rising generation of citizen diplomats.

Working from college and university campuses in the United States, American students will partner with our embassies abroad to conduct digital diplomacy that reflects the realities of our networked world. By combining the talents of young people across America and the right technology, we can forge the solutions that our century demands.

Sign up to receive more information and updates on Virtual Student Foreign Service Internships.

Join the Virtual Student Foreign Service Facebook community.

Read more…

The Mac Store

2009-04-30T20:22:00.002-04:00

Well, I finally got my wish on Tuesday. I took my class to the Mac Store for a field trip. Now, this is not the make-up store I am talking about. Being the techie that I am, I was surprised when one fellow teacher wondered why I was taking the kids to a make-up store. Many other teachers had no idea of where it was that I was going. When I explained where it was that I was going, I got the normal "only you Mrs. Cowan" since I am such a techie geek.

Anyway, we spent 2 hours in the store and the kids had a marvelous time. They spent an hour creating a video using Photobooth and IMovie. Their videos amazed me to say the least. They spent the remaining hour checking out the IPhones, IPod Touch, and IPods. They were asking me about the apps, programs, and much more. The kids (and adults) really had a good time. We then walked to McDonald's for lunch. It was a really nice day.

So, the next time you are trying to figure out a field trip, may I suggest the Mac Store. Check this site out for more information.

Website Rant

2009-04-18T08:17:00.006-04:00

Okay, this has been bugging me for a while and I haven't said anything about it or posted about it but I have to admit that I have hit the point where I am frustrated and saddened. I have a website that I have put 100's, if not nearly 1000's of hours into. I have worked hard to create it, maintain it, and make it user friendly. The website has actually been around for nearly 12 years though it moved domain name 4 years ago. I enjoy maintaining it because that is my hobby.

Well, I like the teacher web-hosting sites that are designed strictly for teachers that charge a yearly fee (ie. Teacherweb, etc..). However, I wanted unlimited space as well as the freedom to design my own space so I opted to have Yahoo host it under the small business plan. It has worked for several years like this.

Several months ago I discovered a cool feature that allows me to see pages linked to mine. For the fun of it, I surfed the links. I have done that occasionally in recent months because it is interesting to see all of the other pages. There are so many gifted teachers out there with so many wonderful ideas. It is fun to make those connections.

Well, last month I discovered a group of teachers had created a web page together for their grade level in another district. This sounds like a great idea and would make it easier on the teachers because they could take turns updating the page. However, they did something that really bothered me. They copied not 1, not 2, but 3 full pages from MY PAGE! They copied the pages down to the graphics, embedded links, formatting and embedded codes. I have a code in the pages to prevent copying but apparently it doesn't work. My name appeared nowhere on their page unless you clicked to open a graphic in a new page which brought you back to my site. No credit, NOTHING! They didn't link to me, they COPIED from me! If I looked at the pages in question, I was looking at my pages!

I realize that what I posted on my site is what classroom teachers do. They are our strategies. However, I am the one that typed them up into terms my student's parents could understand. I used my own classroom experiences in creating them. I am the one that organized them and I am the one that added additional hints to each strategy for parents to use. I added the graphics that I purchased for my site to use. I formatted the pages and made them into webpages. I posted them by purchasing the website space. I did it. Doesn't that mean it is my work? Is it any different than an author writing a book? I mean we have all purchased those strategies books and found a strategy or two that made us go "I already know that" or "I do that already." Does that mean I can copy that author's work and claim it as my own?

I emailed the teachers asking them to please provide a link back to my page. The response I got (only two of a dozen responded) was disheartening to say the least. One claimed she didn't get them from my page (even though the code in her page LINKED to MY page). The other simply said "Wow." I emailed back asking if this meant they would be removed. She said she would discuss it with her grade level.

More than a week passed and still no change. It was obvious they would not remove the pages nor were they going to give me credit by linking back to me. So, I spoke with their principal. Perhaps I should not have but I didn't know what else to do. All I asked for was credit for what I had done. I walked her through the pages in question and showed her how I discovered that they were my work. I stated that all I wanted was either a link back to my page giving me credit for what I had done or the pages removed. She responded that they would be removed.

More than 2 weeks passed and the pages were not changed. This bothered me. I know we get busy but all I wanted was credit for hours of MY WORK! That is all. They were able to take the time to copy the pages and post them. It would take seconds putting a public link on the pages back to me saying courtesy of or created by me. That's it. So, I went to the next step. I emailed the county office. Suddenly, the pages were removed. However, what still bothered me was an email that I finally got from one of the teachers.

She forwarded me a email conversation between herself and the principal. One of the principal's emails indicated that I was trying to take credit for normal classroom strategies. Apparently, she had tried to explain this to whomever at the county office. I was being the bad guy taking credit for my work. This mentality really disturbs me.

We tell our students not to copy from one another. Yet it is okay for her teachers to copy my work and post it to their site. Like I said, I am the one that typed them up. The strategies came from my own experiences. I sat at the computer and put them to paper just as many authors do. I did it, not those other teachers. Yet it is seen as okay for them to copy and post it as their own?!?! I just don't get that. I purchased the graphics for my site yet it is okay for them to post it to their site as their own?!?! I formatted the text, created the supporting documents, and added the links yet it is okay for them to post it to their site as their own?!?! With this mentality, does this mean I can copy one of my many reference books and post it to the web as my own?

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T18:37:00.001-04:00

Big Thunder Mountain and Other Inklings

2009-03-03T20:31:00.005-05:00

It is no secret that my daughter Abbie means the world to me. Like most moms and dads, I would do anything for her. I simply want what is best for her just like every other parent out there in the world.

It is also no secret that my daughter Abbie is growing much too fast like every other child out there in the world. We decided this past weekend to pay a visit to the land of the mouse (Disney World ). Abbie loves to visit Disney and being Florida residents with seasonal passes, we visit for a day here and there. (As a sidebar, Seasonal Passes are WORTH EVERY PENNY!).

Well, like I said, we decided to visit this past weekend because we needed to get away.

Well, as Abbie has grown, she has continued to ask if she can go on certain rides. Most of the time, the answer has been no because Abbie is not tall enough yet. When we went last month, she was still not tall enough for many of the rides. Needless to say this has disappointed her on more than one occasion.

Well, like most kids her age, Abbie must have had a growth spurt since our last visit. As we were riding the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, Abbie informed us that she "would" be going on Big Thunder Mountain. She left no room for argument or discussion on the matter. It was clear that her mind was made up and she would not take no for an answer, regardless of the silly sign that states "you must be this tall to ride this ride." She was going on Big Thunder Mountain PERIOD.

With fear clearly etched on our faces and in our walk, Bob and I began the slow trek up to Big Thunder Mountain. You see, our daughter is a very loving child but she is also a very strong willed child (like most kids out there). Since her mind was made up about that ride, we feared the tantrum that might follow should she not be tall enough to ride it.

Well, slowly we trekked our way up the mountain. Surprising yet unmercifully, there was no line. It was then that we spotted it. There, beckoning us, was that infamous post with those huge red arrows. Those enormous red arrows that Abbie now towered OVER. That wretched post with those huge red arrows that now clearly yelled at us, "She's not LITTLE anymore!" That infamous post with those huge red arrows that taunted us by calling us old.

I know I shouldn't put it that way but she is truly growing WAY TOO FAST. It was less than a year ago that she was much too short to ride those rides. Now she stands a good two to three inches TALLER than the minimum. Where did the time go? Before we know it, it'll be time for school. Then it'll be time for a license, then college, then marriage, then grandkids and so on. Life is definitely moving way too fast.

However, no matter how fast she grows, she will still be my little girl. I find solace in the fact that she held on tight to me for the entire ride.

Baby Shower Cake

2009-02-17T23:21:00.003-05:00

Most people may not know this but I used to be a cake decorator for Publix Supermarkets. I was not one for very long but I enjoyed it. I used to decorate cakes for fun. Well, I decorated a cake for a baby shower this evening and thought I would share. I also decorated cupcakes as well. I had forgotten how much fun it was to do that. Have a great evening! I am off to bed :)

Very Interesting

2009-02-16T15:53:00.002-05:00

You are The Hermit

Prudence, Caution, Deliberation.

The Hermit points to all things hidden, such as knowledge and inspiration,hidden enemies. The illumination is from within, and retirement from participation in current events.

The Hermit is a card of introspection, analysis and, well, virginity. You do not desire to socialize; the card indicates, instead, a desire for peace and solitude. You prefer to take the time to think, organize, ruminate, take stock. There may be feelings of frustration and discontent but these feelings eventually lead to enlightenment, illumination, clarity.

The Hermit represents a wise, inspirational person, friend, teacher, therapist. This a person who can shine a light on things that were previously mysterious and confusing.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

DocStoc

2009-02-07T09:06:00.003-05:00

Reading Inventory - Get more Business Documents

Like so many teachers out there, I love to create files or documents for classroom use. I enjoy adding my own touches to them such as graphics and word art. Well, like so many other teachers out there, I have file folder after file folder on my desktop full of all of these goodies I have created. One of the main reasons I pay for unlimited space on my website is so I can store and share many of these files. I wanted parents, teachers, and students to have access to the files such as newsletters, forms, etc.

Well, Nicole recently published some documents she created on her own blog. I was curious as to how she accomplished this so I checked out the site. It is called DocStoc. It is currently in Beta form which means it is still in the testing stage. I am sure eventually, like so many other resources out there, it will eventually become pay for use. However, in the meantime, it is FREE and it is a nifty tool. You can embed documents within your blog, website, etc. You can share your site with fellow teachers so that you may exchange files and so on. Check it out!

My Horoscope (my own take on it)

2009-02-05T21:09:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I posted my horoscope from a website I clicked on in my search of the net for new stuff. For the fun of it, I decided to see what my horoscope was. I know I am a Capricorn but the sun rising stuff was all new to me. Anyway, the post from several days ago was the result of my surfing.

What amazed me about it was the accuracy of it in its description of me. Like most capricorns, I set high goals for myself and work very hard to achieve those goals. The moon sign portion struck a nerve with me. The possible weakness of being overly sensitive rings so true with me. Most people may not know this portion of my personality until they get to know me. I have been and probably always will be overly sensitive. I take things to heart much to the dismay of my husband. As he puts it, I tend to "think too much" and try to extrapolate information about others and their feelings/perceptions when I really don't need to. That is the way that I am. It is my flaw and I am okay with it.

The rising sign of scorpio REALLY hit the nail on the head. Like I said, most people do not know how overly sensitive I can be until they get to know me. I have tended to weigh my words carefully and control my reactions to the point of bottling my emotions. Bob calls it my "poker face" because I don't tend to let anyone in. I don't let others know what I want and it often results in my own frustration. I may come across as rather stern and unemotional when, in fact, I am truly the opposite of that. I'm not sure of how to overcome that aspect of my personality. I am slowly beginning to express my feelings and opinions.

As for the Chinese sign, that describes me well in some respects but seemed to miss the mark with other aspects. I am, after all, an extreme introvert that shies away from attention so I have no claim to being popular. I often observe and remember things. I have often given in just to prevent discord. I willingly share and do indeed need to be the one taking the initiative in that respect. However, I do not seek to be rewarded. I do like the occasional pat on the back so if that counts as a reward, then I am indeed guilty of that. That is my take on my horoscope.

My Horoscope

2009-02-03T14:37:00.001-05:00

Your Sun Sign: Capricorn Sun 1° Capricorn 53'

Element:
Earth
Key Planet:
Saturn

The sure-footed Mountain Goat can climb to higher altitudes than any other mammal. And you sure-footed Capricorns are also well-suited for climbing. You set high goals for yourself and then you overcome whatever obstacles may appear between you and the top of your personal mountain. As you climb the ladder of success, your ambition pushes you forward. Status can be important to you and often, at the top of your game, you gain personal satisfaction by knowing that others respect you for what you have accomplished.

Motto: "If opportunity doesn't knock, then build a door."
Greatest Strength: Your ability to overcome obstacles
Possible Weakness: Too much work and not enough play

Your Moon Sign: Pisces Moon 22° Pisces 53'

The Moon in Pisces is like having an emotional antenna that picks up every radio station in the universe. Feelings flood in from all directions, sometimes filling you with delight, sometimes with panic. Learning that all you feel is not yours can be an enormous relief because it reduces the emotional load you have to carry. You are not responsible for everything that you feel. Yet this openness also makes you compassionate and imaginative, openly receptive to others and their needs. Knowing when to pull back, though, is essential to your well-being since you absorb so much of what's going on around you.

Motto: "I can feel your pain,"
Greatest Strength: Boundless empathy and imagination
Possible Weakness: Being overly sensitive

Your Rising Sign: Scorpio Ascendant 17° Scorpio 15'

Looking at the world through Scorpio Rising gives you a very measured view of your surroundings. You have a tendency to carefully weigh your words and your reactions... controlling your feelings so that you only show what you want others to see. You're passionate, yet not overtaken by emotion most of the time. This power makes you very skillful in emergency situations as you channel the intensity you feel with focus and direction. Letting others in takes some time, so you can come across as more stern or closed than you actually are until you feel comfortable enough to relax and let them in.

Motto: "Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut."
Greatest Strength: Not flinching in the face of a challenge
Possible Weakness: Not being direct about your desires

Your Chinese Sign: The Pig

The PIG THE PRISTINE PIG

Mantra: Honesty opens all doors.

The Pig is true to his goals and beliefs. Their natural simplicity makes Pigs popular and loyal - once a friend, they'll be your friends for life. Pigs can be stubborn, but they will give in for the sake of peace. A Pig is happy to share what he or she has but needs to be the one taking the initiative in giving and wants to be rewarded for it. Sensual and energetic, she is persuasive and perceptive. The Pig sees and remembers everything.

Twitter Friends

2009-02-02T18:20:00.002-05:00

Okay, I know this will come as a shock to many but perhaps I am not the introvert I thought. I have found myself on Twitter quite frequently in recent weeks. In fact, I have found myself making more and more connections each day on Twitter. Those connections have also helped me to grow professionally. I find it a great way to share resources as well as connect with educators across the world.

In honor of those connections, I stumbled upon the coolest way to display those connections when looking at Melanie's blog. So, here you go with my own Twitterverse.

Get your twitter mosaic here.

Pandora

2009-01-24T11:01:00.001-05:00

Check this out! Radio streaming on-line. You can add it to your iPhone or listen to it while you work out. The best aspect of this is that it is free.

Let the games begin!

2009-01-21T22:16:00.005-05:00

It is no secret that I am a geek to the core. I grew up reading. I spent hours in my room reading whatever I could get my hands on. I did rather well in school. I do indeed own a light-saber. I have seen Star Wars so many times that I can recite every line from memory. I even wore the Beta (probably should not share that one since that reveals WAY TOO MUCH about my age) tape out. You would be able to find a pocket protector or two in my home. My glasses recently broke so I am forced to wear my rather nerdy looking ones. At the age of 22, I called my parents while they were out of town to get permission to go out. I can frequently be found using the latest technology or trying to learn the latest program. I am a nerd to the core and I proud of it.

However, I also try to be frugal, especially in these tough economic times. That is why I have refused to purchase an iPhone for the past few years. I always try to be on the leading edge of everything. It is not so much a "Keeping up with the Jones'" as it is, quite simply, to be able to utilize the latest technology in the classroom. However, I could not be convinced that the iPhone was a necessary purchase. My cell phone had worked just fine and that was enough for me. Therefore, I had refused to purchase it despite my husband's best efforts to convince me of its importance.

Well, Bob came home the other day from school with an odd looking thing on his face. It looked as if he had done arts and crafts at school that day. So, I asked him what he made. He gave me a quizzical look to which I responded that he had something on his face. It turned out that it was a part of his cell phone. Okay, I finally granted he needed a new phone. I told him I would think about the iPhone but I was still rather apprehensive about it.
I noticed my phone was making noises as if it were charging then not charging earlier this week. I thought nothing of it until I examined it closely a few days later. My adorable little Samsung had a broken charger port. Piece of the charger had broken in half in it so it can no longer charge. It has not been a good week when it comes to technology in the Cowan house.
We were able to plug along this weekend with our phones. Bob then told me the latest iLife was due out this month and he shared with me some of its features. So we ventured to the Mac store under the guise of getting the latest version of iLife. Of course, while there, Bob convinced me to play with the iPhone. I have played with it before and, like my very first Mac computer, I was not impressed.
But Bob was not going to give up on it that easily. He pointed that I could surf the net. He mentioned that I would be able to Twitter. That caught my eye. you see, I have the Twitter bug now. So I twittered and found it easy on the iPhone. Alice twittered back that the iPhone is worth it. Melanie had twittered not too long ago as well that the iPhone would be great. Then I saw how fast the internet is on it. It is faster than the school network. Bob said he could program my emails to be forwarded to the phone which would be awesome. I could check my email after school without having to rush home. Then I checked out the prices. It was actually cheaper to switch to the iPhone than it was to remain with our previous cell phone service.
At that point, I was sold. So I am now the proud owner of the iPhone. Now if only I could figure out how to hook the phone up to a projector at school. I could access internet so much faster with my class then. But that is a whole new blog post!

7 Things You Don't Need to Know About Me

2009-01-03T18:43:00.008-05:00

I got tagged today by Melanie. The challenge is to post 7 things you don't need to know about me. I'm surprised it is only 7 since I know there is much more in my past that I would rather forget. Being the introvert that I am, I try to avoid attention rather than attract it so coming up with 7 things that I would rather not have anyone know about me is rather simple since the list is exceptionally long. I guess I'll just go ahead and let the proverbial cat out the bag. :)

1. I was called Captain Crunch affectionately by my family as a teenager and well into adulthood. The reason for this is quite simple. My driving record is chock full of crunches. I totaled my first car on my Dad's birthday. I rammed my parents shiny, brand spanking new van into the car across the street because I mistook the accelerator for the brake. This was only 6 days after I had totaled my own car. I hit a parked car. I slammed into the back of a CR-V on 1st street in my own brand new Saturn wagon. Some lady decided to go in reverse down San Pablo and nailed the front end of my Saturn wagon just mere weeks after I had just fixed it from the last accident. Some kid nailed my brand new Blazer in front of my school doing 70.

Needless to say damage was done to my nice new Blazer. My own sister hit my brand new car in the driveway of my own home and somehow it was seen as my fault. One of the vendors at school this past year hit a tree that hit my "brand new" Odyssey. But, the creme de la creme had to have been the accident my first year teaching. I was on my way to school on Atlantic Boulevard about a month into the school year. I was just passing Kearnan when I looked to the right for just an instant. Big mistake to say the least. Next thing I knew, I nailed the back end of a Duval County School bus that was already in an accident with 3 other vehicles. Let me tell you, transportation gets out there quick when a school bus is involved. They were kind enough to call my school and let them know I would be late. As you can tell, Captain Crunch, oddly enough, is an appropriate nickname.

2. Most people know that I am an extreme introvert. It takes me forever to actually get up enough nerve to talk with anyone. I jokingly told a fellow teacher a few weeks ago that it took me a while to speak with another friend I had known for 15 years. I said I had just spoken to her last year for the first time. So, this may not truly be a surprise to anyone. During my senior year in high school, I missed 2 weeks of school due to a family emergency. I returned to Stanton just in time for mid-terms. To my horror, not one of my teachers had marked me absent for those 2 weeks. They did not know I was out. One even insisted that I had been there the whole time and refused to let me have extra time to prepare for the mid-term. As you can tell, I am truly quiet.

3. I used sun-in way too much in high school. Sun-in and brown hair do not make blond. Safety cone orange seems a more appropriate description of what Sun-in and brown hair make.

4. I have not always been a Mac fan. My husband wanted to "treat me" to a new Mac since it was better for web design and graphics. I nearly threw it out from my 2nd story window after 2 days because I just didn't jive with it. For the next two years, I claimed I hated it (but was quietly using it more than him). Now, I admit, I am an avid Mac fan and have been one for 4 year now.

5. My parents had a clear catfish when I was two years old. I apparently loved to watch that fish all of the time. One day, my Mom went looking for me and found me staring at the fish tank. She noticed there was no fish in it. She looked all around for the fish and could not find it. Finally, she asked me if I knew where the fish was. My response, "Fishy good!" Apparently I have loved sushi all of my life.

6. I enjoy watching T.V. just as much as the next guy. I like a good mystery, romance, reality show, game show and so on and so forth. I am, however, embarrassed to admit that growing up, my absolute favorite T.V. show was a show that very few people watched. It was the epitome of cheesy 80's television. It had the action, adventure, the cute sidekick, excitement, bad on-liners and over acting at its best. I loved to watch T.J. Hooker starring William Shatner. There, I said it. I admit it. I absolutely loved that show. I would adjust my schedule just so I would be able to watch it. I even offered to do the dishes for my mom so I could watch it. She had a small black and white television in the kitchen that I could watch if I did the dishes. So, everytime that show was on, I did the dishes just so I could watch it.

7. I read fanfiction. Youch, I am not sure I really wanted to admit that one but the cat is out of the bag. I like to visit fanfiction to check out the latest story on some of the shows I watch. I have no idea as to how I got hooked on the stuff but I have certainly discovered there are many talented writers out there on the worldwide web.

Well, now that I have thoroughly embarrassed myself, it is time to tag seven others. I now tag

Courtney

Now is your chance to blog 7 things you would not normally blog about. Have fun :)

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-10T10:20:00.000-05:00

My New Ticker

2008-11-15T22:26:00.001-05:00

Technospud Projects

2008-11-04T22:10:00.000-05:00

   Okay, so it is not called Technospud Projects anymore. However, it is still pretty much the same thing. It is now called Projects by Jen and it is a fabulous site. A wonderful teacher name Jen has created this site with projects to allow teachers to collaborate across the country. If you have not had the chance to check it out, I highly recommend it. I have been doing these online projects of hers for several years and have to admit they are a blast. It is interesting looking at data across the country and comparing results.
   In September, my class did the Oreo Stacking project. You would not think that 3rd graders would enjoy stacking Oreos as much as they did. They had a blast! I assumed they would enjoy it to some extent but I never expected the responses I got. They wanted to continue stacking the Oreos as well as try different things to see if they could alter the results. They were thinking outside the box.
   This past week we participated in the Pumpkin Seed Counting Event. The kids had a wonderful time. They were very involved in taking guesses, digging in the pumpkins, and counting the seeds. I admit that I even had a great time watching them get excited about estimating and counting.
   We are also going to be taking part in the Holiday Card Exchange this year. I did that last year with my class and was amazed at the response. The kids went home explaining to their parents how to use Google Earth. I had no idea what Google Earth was until I participated in this project and I found it fascinating.
Like I said, if you have a moment, check this site out. She has so many wonderful activities that you can do with your class (and other classes across the country).

My "Brand New" Classroom

2008-08-16T19:52:00.002-04:00

Well, school starts in less than two days! Where did the summer go? Here are some pictures of my new classroom. Check it out!

What reading materials count?

2008-08-12T23:30:00.001-04:00

This is something that I have been contemplating for some time. What reading materials count toward meeting the Million Word Campaign/25 Book Challenge? When I taught 2nd grade, as a grade level we agreed that 1 chapter from a chapter book equaled 1 small book. That small book counted as one of 40 books that were required for a single month. When I taught 4th and 5th grade, a chapter book equalled a chapter book.
   However, this is not the aspect of The Million Word Campaign/25 Book Challenge that I found myself wondering about. I have been wondering, how do you count all of the "other stuff" that is read on any given day? I, for example, have been REALLY slacking when it comes to reading an "actual grown-up" book in the past few years. I hate to admit that I have read 3 books a year. (Now bear with me, there is a point to this meandering that is about to follow.)
   I know, that's an atrocity especially considering when I was 12 years old and the ONLY gift I would WANT would be books. At age 10, my mom bought me about 25 of the Hardy Boys Series (the ones I was missing) for a birthday gift. During my tenure at Stanton, I won the Superintendent's Reading Program for the entire school 5 out of the 6 years I attended. I was a true book worm to say the least.
   So, some may wonder, what happened? Why do I no longer read as much? What changed a once "voracious reader" into such a "slacker"? To be honest, nothing happened. In reality, it would be inaccurate for someone to assume that I no longer read that much. Quite the contrary, I read (on average) 2 to 3 hours a day (once the 3 year old is asleep). So, what do I read?
   I read anything from blog posts, websites, newspaper articles, magazines, fiction on the net, wikis, etc... The list could go on and on. That brings me to my dilemma? How do we count what students read in this digital age? Granted, not all will have internet access but what about those that do. How do we count reading a blog post? How much does a MySpace count? What about a wiki? How about an email? How do we count these items in meeting the The Million Word Campaign/25 Book Challenge?

When I taught self-contained SLD (4th-5th grade) 15 years ago, I was happy when my students read a comic book because it was a battle to say the least when it came time to have them read an actual book. The fact of the matter is, not every child is going to want to sit down and read a book per say. Even in recent years, I have taught students who just don't want to read a book. They will read an email, a blog, a newspaper article, fiction on line (fan-fiction as I have heard it called by some of my former 4th graders), MySpace, etc. How do we count these items towards meeting those standards?
I have had some teachers say you should not count an email or newspaper article. To me, it should count in some sort of way. Isn't reading a newspaper online still reading? It requires the same comprehension skills that reading that same article in hard copy would require. Shouldn't a story that someone has written online count as reading as well? I had one teacher argue that a story online is not written by a published author? However, isn't it a published author since the story DOES APPEAR online for the world to see? It seems to me in this new digital age, these are the things we need to start considering when monitoring student progress in meeting the The Million Word Campaign/25 Book Challenge.

The Ultimate Gift

2008-07-27T21:34:00.005-04:00

Like I have said before, I am a night-owl. I stay up late surfing the net and doing work. Occasionally, I will even have the opportunity to watch a movie.

Before I was married, I was a movie fanatic. One year, out of the 102 movies that came out in theaters, I saw 90 of them. I can pretty much connect Kevin Bacon to just about any other actor. Every Friday night I ventured to the movies as my own special treat for the week's work. After I met Bob, I cut down on my movie watching time. Then Abbie came along and I pretty much stopped seeing movies (until recent weeks when she is now willing to watch a Disney flick). But, I digress. Well, last night, I decided to rent a few movies that I had not seen. One of those movies was called The Ultimate Gift. I stumbled upon it searching the web the other night and it intrigued me.

It is based on the book, The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall. Jason Stevens, the main character, had lived a life of privilege. He was a true trust fund kid. Then his grandfather, Red Stevens, died. In Red's will, he stipulated that Jason must complete a series of tasks (that turn into a sort of a scavenger hunt) in order to earn his inheritance. He did not even give Jason a clue as to what the inheritance would be.

Initially, Jason was not going to complete the tasks. However, for some reason, he changes his mind and decides to give it a go. The results are a wonderful film that I can't say enough about. I found myself laughing and crying as I watched. It was really a great movie. If you have 2 hours one day, I strongly suggest you check this one out.

I loved the film so much that I am now reading the book that it was based upon. I have been laxed in reading adult books in recent years but this one has inspired me to take the time to read a book for me.

The Ultimate Gift

2008-07-27T01:06:00.001-04:00

Things that make you Hmmm....... part 2

2008-07-26T01:35:00.003-04:00

Okay, so it is late and I, being the night owl that I am, was surfing the web. To be more specific, I was surfing YouTube. I stumbled across the video I posted and found it very intriguing to say the least. The video is a trailer to a documentary created by Robert Comptom called Two Million Minutes.
This documentary chronicles the journey of 6 students in high school as they prepare for college, hence, the title of Two Million Minutes. This documentary compared how two American high school students spent their time versus how two Indian students spent their time versus how two Chinese students spent their time. I would be curious to watch the entire video at this point.
I have to admit, I wonder if we are leaving our students behind in the ever changing global market. Are we, as a nation, not placing enough emphasis on education? Let's face it, when budget crunch comes, what is the first thing cut? EDUCATION! Counties and states are facing millions of dollars in spending cuts which seems asinine when you consider we are falling further and further behind other countries when it comes to achievement.

I watched ShiftHappens several months ago and it seemed to ring so true. China's top students outnumber ALL of our students! We, as a nation, are falling further and further behind.

Some argue that funding is not the answer. Throwing money at a problem does not necessarily solve it. Sometimes that only makes the problem worse. Some say that our students are more well-rounded for the real world than other countries' children because they have placed TOO MUCH emphasis on education.

There are no quick and easy answers to this dilemma. This video is just another one of those things that make you go hmmmmm.....

Things that make you Hmmm.......

2008-07-26T01:33:00.000-04:00

The Nerd Test

2008-07-20T21:26:00.000-04:00

The Nerd Test

2008-07-20T21:07:00.002-04:00

I stumbled upon this test when visiting a fellow teacher's blog. It turns out that the rumors were true. I am a nerd. What I don't get is that only 12% of the population scored lower than I did in the sci-fi/comic section. I don't even own a comic book!

Chicago

2008-07-20T20:20:00.003-04:00

Well, I just returned from a two week trip to the Windy City. It was fabulous! Most days were cool with highs in the mid 70's. Towards the end of our trip, it did warm up to the 80's but it was still beautiful.

We took Abbie to so many different places this past visit. We went on a boat tour of the Chicago River. I learned quite a bit of new information. For example, I did not know that the Chicago River was 18 inches lower than Lake Michigan. I had no idea! They are also in the process of building a new skyscraper that will be 150 stories high. If you are interested, the penthouse can be purchased for a meager 46 million dollars.

We also ventured to Navy Pier for the very first time. I had no idea they had a museum dedicated to stained glass. It was raining the night we went so we were unable to enjoy their ferris wheel but we had loads of fun nonetheless.

We ventured to the 100th floor of the John Hancock building as well. It offered a spectacular view of downtown Chicago. The view was simply amazing.

Well, I will post some other places we have visited in a few days. Have a great evening!

At the Beginning

2008-05-28T19:20:00.000-04:00

Gosh, it is hard to believe that it has almost been six years since I got married. I look back and it feels like it was yesterday. Yet, at the same time, I feel like I have known Bob a lifetime.
You may be wondering the purpose of the video above. Well, when you get married, there is the ever important "first dance." I am not much of a music connoisseur. Bob knows all about music. He listens to all sorts of music.
When I started dating him, I was flabbergasted by all of his CD's. I have seen collections but nothing that can even compete with his collection. You name it, he probably has the CD. If he doesn't have the CD, he's got it on his ITunes. He jokes that he has several days worth of music.
Anyway, back to the "first dance." Bob and I were at a loss when it came to figuring out our song. Our tastes are very different. I tend to listen to more pop and rock whereas Bob listens to country, instrumentals, and new age. We both like Enya and Lorenna McKennit with a few other odds and ends but that is all. I listen to Matchbox 20 and he listens to the Partridge Family.
That left us trying to figure out what song went with us. Well, I happened to mention the movie Anastasia one day. It was a warm, sunny Sunday afternoon toward the end of the school year. We were just hanging out chatting.
I recalled a song by Richard Marx that I loved. Bob, honestly, had no idea what song I was talking about. I couldn't put the song into words because it had been several years (4 to be exact) since the movie had been released. I remembered the tune but drew a blank to its title.
Bob, being the music junkie that he is, took me to a site (not napster) that allows you to look for tunes to download. So, I began searching. About 30 minutes later, I stumbled on "At the Beginning" by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis. I played it and felt a connection to it almost immediatley. Bob seemed to like it as well. He still was not ready to committ to it but he was ready to add it to our list.
Several days later, rather unexpectedly I might add, Bob agreed to "At the Beginning" as serving as "our song." The song seems to fit us. So, if you have a moment, check out the video above. It is a beautiful song. Later!

At the Beginning

2008-05-28T19:15:00.000-04:00

Using Technology in the Classroom

2008-05-27T11:25:00.001-04:00

This past year, I have found myself using technology in the classroom frequently. I find myself evolving into a Web 2.0 teacher. I am learning, networking, exploring, implementing, testing, retesting, creating, sharing and having fun. I have found many useful websites out there to help with my instruction. Take Quizlet for example. Quizlet allows you to input vocabulary terms to study. It creates flashcards, games, tests and so much more. Best of all, it is free!

I have also utilized PowerPoint so much more this year. I taught my 2^nd graders how to create PowerPoint presentations. I broke the students into groups and assigned them tasks to research. Each group was given a folder that contained some research I printed for them, books, and graphic organizers. I provided graphic organizers to help them organize their information. The students were then responsible for writing a report that could later be made into a PowerPoint display.

As the students improved in their researching techniques and the use of organizers, I provided them with less and less information. They are now at the point they can find their own information using the computer, books, library, and other sources. They have even learned how to draw their own graphic organizers.

The students have also improved in their use of PowerPoint. At the beginning of the year, I had to sit with them to create the slideshow. Now, they are able to create the shows themselves with little assistance from me.

We also took those PowerPoint slideshows a step further and began using Voicethread. Voicethread allows the students to add their own voices to the slideshow. I then post the final product to their blog for their parents to see. I honestly feel using Voicethread helped with my students’ fluency. They now recognize when their reading does not sound fluent and will determine they need to re-record on their own. They LOVE doing it and constantly beg me to let them make a show!

This leads to blogging. I have actually had a blog for several years now. It has been within the past two years that I have begun to use the blog in the classroom. Initially, the blog served as a way I could keep parents informed. I could post the newsletter, cool links, videos and so much more for the parents to see.

Then, my use of the blog evolved even more. I began showing the students how to write a blog entry. They begged for the chance to blog, especially my weaker writers. They wanted to share their work with the world. They wanted to tell everyone what we were doing in class (acting as reporters so to speak). They loved seeing their names and their work on the World Wide Web.

Next year, I plan on implementing technology even more in the classroom. I hope to be able to utilize making videos, sharing documents (GoogleDocs), and so much more. Isn’t’ technology grand!

YouTube and its other uses!

2008-05-27T10:05:00.004-04:00

Okay, I will admit that I am an occasional Youtube viewer. Sometimes I am looking for a music video or a television show or even news report. I started watching videos on Youtube several years ago and never once considered its uses in the classroom.

Then, quite by chance, I stumbled on a School House Rock video last summer. I forget what I was looking for but I was surprised to find that. I remember the catchy tunes on Saturday mornings that helped me to learn verbs, nouns and conjunctions. Who doesn't recall that catchy phrase, "Conjunction Junction, what's your function?” I loved those as videos as a kid. Then it struck me, why not use them in the classroom? So, this past fall, I began exploring the uses of Youtube, TeacherVision, and so on in the classroom.

I discovered that the kids are so much more likely to remember what they have seen in the video rather than just hearing me tell them the information. You can find SO MUCH good stuff on YouTube. Bill Nye, Science Theatre with Dr. Matt, School House Rock, and so much more. You just type in what you are looking for (ie. food web) and check out what pops up.

I would just recommend viewing them at home first. Once you have selected the video you want to use, add it to your favorites. You will need to create an account which is easy to do. Then, in the morning, go to the site (you must use the teacher port because the site is blocked on the student ports) and open the videos you wish to use. I would recommend doing this in the morning to allow for load time. Even though we have Comcast through the county, it is much slower than your home computer. The county is working on fixing this problem but in the meantime, I have found loading the videos in the morning reduces wait time.

I also add the videos to the class blog. Youtube (as well as most of the other video sites) has the neat feature of embedding the videos into a website. This is a wonderful feature. I frequently embed a video that I think parents should see with their children. You can also control what is shown on your website by not permitting related videos to be shown, having a border, and so on. I just love the feature and my students' parents have responded well to it.

I also discovered YouTube can serve more than just a place to watch videos. I have gotten into making my own videos (using IMovie - yes, I am a MAC fan!) and uploading them onto Youtube. I made the video below in about an hour and used it at a PTA program for intermission.

Well, that is all for now. Have fun surfing!

Wow!

2008-04-20T20:01:00.000-04:00

Okay, I heard this speech online by Tim Robbins and must admit, I found it very interesting. He made some very good points. I am not going to say much else. Just take a moment to listen to it and formulate your own thoughts. That is what makes our nation great. You are allowed to formulate your own thoughts and express your own opinion.

Photobucket

2008-04-20T17:46:00.004-04:00

I admit, I am a hardcore MAC fan. The Mac computer can do so much more with photos, graphics, video, and audio recordings. You can make a movie with the click of a button. I could spend hours on that topic but I'll save that for another day. :) Anyway, being the Mac fan that I am, I also tend to take A LOT of photos. My digital photo album on IPhoto contains over 20,000 images from just the past 5 years. This does not include all of the images I have still stored on DVDs and my laptop. That is A LOT of pictures.
   Well, I like to share pictures. Parents LOVE to see what their child is doing because they cannot be in the classroom with us each day. Grandparents love to see photos of the grandkids (or, in my case, grandchild) that live so far away. Friends love to see the places you have been. You know the drill. However, photos can take up a huge chunk of web-space. My virtual field trips page on my web page (which is nothing but photos of some of the places I have been) is over 10 gigs! That was less than 500 of my photos. That was the space needed for the photos, the webpages holding the photos, albums, details, etc. That ate up most of the space provided for by one of my web-hosting companies. Sure, you can compress the photos or adjust them so they don't take up as much space. However, you can lose the quality when you do that and I am just not willing to give that up.
   I wanted to be able to create videos with the photos and share them on my blog. Photobucket provided me with that option. Initially, I used the free membership options. However, as I played with it more, I decided to go ahead and try the membership. It was worth it. They give you 5 gigs of space. I already have over 1500 photos posted and have used only 2% of the space allocated. I have been able to create neat little videos that I can embed within my blogs. I have made slideshows and remixes. I have to admit that membership was worth it. You can organize your photos by albums which will allow you to upload hundreds of photos. I have enjoyed playing with it.
   Here is an example of one of the remixes I made. It took me fifteen minutes and was easy to do. It also posted easily on my blog.

I could have also created something on IMovie or IDVD as well but Photobucket provides the hosting. You can't beat that because these shows will take up a substantial portion of your webspace.

Downtown Chicago

2008-04-13T18:02:00.002-04:00

The Train to Chicago

2008-04-13T17:47:00.002-04:00

The University of Chicago Lab School

2008-04-13T16:57:00.002-04:00

This past spring break, we were able to spend some time up north with my mother-in-law in Chicago. We were even given the opportunity to visit the University of Chicago's Lab School. This is the pre-K through 12 school that my husband attended and graduated from as a child. You see,Bob grew up in Chicago so he is one of those transplanted northerners.
   I, on the other hand, am one of those few oddities you find in Jacksonville, a native Floridian. I was born and raised in Jacksonville. I attended two schools, Resurrection Catholic School and Stanton College Prep (when it was 7-12). Then I attended UNF so I really have not ventured far from home.
   Anyway, we visited the Lab School and I was impressed to say the least. It was an amazing experience. The classrooms were large yet busy at the same time. Shoes, gloves, and mittens were sitting on old furnaces to dry out. That is something you do not see in Florida. The pre-K classes had cubbies for their students to store their book-bags, jackets, lunch boxes and other normal items you find in a school. There were lockers that lined the halls. On the lockers were pictures of the students sledding. The students actually were taught sledding. Like I said, this is not the stuff you see in Jacksonville.
   Well, we were also given a tour of the schools by a parent. It was very interesting to see how different things are done there. First of all, students are not graded until 8th grade. The teachers, however, are responsible for giving the parents detailed progress reports about their child. The school does not wish to start a sense of competition at a young age. The students, by first grade, are able to start walking themselves to the various resources such as music or physical education.
   Music, Art, Media and P.E. are integral parts of their program. This was refreshing to see since we live in a time of severe budget cuts and fiscal belt tightening to the point that these resources are often the FIRST to get the "proverbial ax." It was nice to see a school that did not cut these programs in budget crunch times but rather expanded them.
   The school has a very rich history. Being located on the University of Chicago, it is surrounded by interesting architecture (Frank Lloyd Wright designed several buildings nearby) and fascinating statues. The 5th graders even created their own paper mache replicas of the gargoyles that can be found all over the campus. The students replicas can be found lining the hall.

The school also hosts an array of activities that promote learning outside the box so to speak. I believe that it was the fifth graders that create posters of their favorite books. These posters are sort of a campaign poster for their favorite book. The school then "elects" their favorite book that year. After a text is elected, that author is invited to come speak to the school about his/her work. Most author's accept the invitation. I just thought that was such a neat idea that I hope to share it at my school.

Well, I must be going. As Abbie would say, school work is calling to me. Have a great afternoon!

This one's for Bob!

2008-03-30T18:14:00.000-04:00

Our daughter is 3 years old now. To occupy her while we drove when she was younger, we often sang to her. Bob, being the type of guy he is, did not know a whole lot of songs to sing. One day, he sang this commercial to Abbie. She now asks for it constantly. He recalls seeing it while he was growing up. I can honestly say, I never saw it until today. This one's for you Bob! Enjoy :)

Bob

2008-03-29T09:39:00.000-04:00

I know they say everyone has a soul mate. I can honestly say, until about 6 1/2 years ago, I did not believe that was possible. I thought it was an old wives' tale or a myth or fairy tale. Soul mate, HOGWASH! But then, along came Bob.

Bob and I started as co-workers. We would hang out together when the staff would venture out on Friday evenings. I chatted with him in the hall. He'd stop by my room to chat. I'd stop at his office to chat. I occasionally cat-sat his cats when he went out of town. There really was no special reason that I did this. I did it to help him out. He seemed like a nice guy who needed a favor. I never thought anything more of it.

You see, I have ALWAYS been a rather independent minded person. I set goals for myself and worked very hard to achieve them. In high school, my priority was to do well so I could go to college. I didn't date or go out that much. I worked and I worked and I worked. Then college came and my priority was earning my degree. I worked and I worked and I worked. After college, my priority was to focus on my career and again I worked and I worked and I worked. Once my career was going, my priority was to own my own home and so on and so forth. Finding a soul mate was not my priority. I wanted to be able to depend on myself first and foremost before I depended on someone else.

Heck, I was SO INDEPENDENT that my own mother thought I would never get married. She figured I would be single forever. But that is the way I was. I was a focused woman whose priorities did not include the whole myth of finding my soul mate. But, then along came Bob.

Well, as I said, Bob and I would venture out at work gatherings. We would chat and have fun. I was naive and never viewed these outings as dates. I viewed them as friends hanging out and having a good time. Then, one day, Bob asked me to dinner. I said sure and offered to invite a few other co-workers. "No, just you," was his response. Initially I was like "Oh" and then it hit me like a sledgehammer, "OHHHHH". Bob had asked me out for a date.

This was a new experience for me. Like I said, my focus had always been career oriented. The only date I had been on was my prom. I was not a social butterfly to speak. As Bob has told me on several occasions, I am very hard to read and much more difficult to get to know. I am an INTROVERT to the extreme.

Well, I said sure and we went out on our first date (October 13th to be exact). Several dates followed and I was having a great time. Never before had I been treated so well. Bob would open car doors, walk me to my door, treat me to dinner, bring me flowers, and basically spoil me. I liked him but I wasn't sure if he was the "soul mate" everyone talks about finding.

Christmas came and Bob invited me to a party. In a very cute way, he asked me how I wanted to be introduced at the party. He said I could be his cat-sitter, co-worker or girlfriend. He preferred the third choice but said it was up to me. GIRLFRIEND?!?! I had never had that label before so I was speechless to say the least. I approved of that label.

Then Bob had to leave town for Christmas. I still was unsure of how I felt since this was all so new to me. It wasn't until he was gone that it hit me like a ton of bricks. I MISSED HIM! I thought of him every second he was gone. Celebrating Christmas with my family was miserable because I missed BOB. I called him several times while he was gone. It was weird having these feelings.

When I picked him up from the airport, I was SO EXCITED TO SEE HIM that I ran up to him. Seeing him made my day, week, month, or whatever term you wish to use. Even as I write this, I still have those same feelings of joy.

He proposed on February 20th (at a faculty meeting) and I, of course, said YES! I have been complete ever since. He knows me better than I know me. We finish each other's thoughts. We know what one another is going to say. He makes me feel better simply by being there. He listens without judging. He is patient even when I lose my cool. He calms me when my nerves are fried. He knows my feelings and moods without my saying a single word. He knows my deepest thoughts without even talking about it. Bob is my other half. He is truly my soul mate. For that, I know I am truly blessed.

Earth Hour

2008-03-28T22:45:00.002-04:00

Visit http://www.EarthHour.org for more information. Turn off your lights on March 29, 2008 at 8:00 pm for one hour.

Blogging so to speak

2008-03-28T16:22:00.003-04:00

Well, I have spent the past few weeks trying to figure out a way for my students to blog without giving them my password. In order to blog, you must have an email address and a password. My students do not have an email address so I kept pondering.

I read on Once Upon a Teacher's blog that students could be given an email account on gmail. I tried this and it did indeed work. I managed to create an email account for each of my student's but I am not sure if 2nd graders can handle it yet. I am also not comfortable with gmail yet. It is not an account I access often so I haven't really played with it.

I could also have given each student an email address through my web hosting control panel on my website. I can create over 1000 email addreses if need be. The only problem, each student required an email for me to send the email inviting them to accept the email account. Sounds confusing doesn't it? It is. I really wanted to call and ask my web hosting provider to explain the purpose of my creating email accounts IF another email account is required in the first place. Why create a new email address if you already have one? Made absolutely no sense for my purposes.

Therefore I ended right back where I started. How do I allow my students to have their own blog when an email address is required? Well, I thought and I pondered and I thought some more. I know some may wonder, why is it important to have the students blogging? Well, blogging is writing and writing is what I am trying to get my students to do more freely. What better way to engage them than to allow them to publish their own writing for all to see.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand, getting my students to blog. Then, it hit me. I created another email account using my web host. Since I have other email addresses, I could "accept" the invitation. I "accepted" the invitation and then went to blogger.

I then created a new blog using that email address and a password that I could give to my students. Once the blog was created, I confirmed the email address for the blog and thus, a new blog was born. The students had the email address they needed to create a blog without actually having access to the email account itself.

I passed the information on to the parents with a brief newsletter and have since passed the blog on to the class. I did this Wednesday. It is now Friday afternoon and I have already had 4 students add a blog entry. They are short entries but it has them writing. Then, once more and more students use the blog, they will feel free to write more and more.

Obviously, parents will need to help them to log in but that is fine with me. The class was really excited about this opportunity. It was their way they could talk with one another and the world. Well, I must be going. I have to add some information to the class blog about things to do over spring break. Take care!

The Class Blog

The Hardy Men starring Tom Cruise?!?!

2008-03-26T21:50:00.000-04:00

You know, there are some things Hollywood should really leave alone. You may be wondering what prompted this odd entry. I was surfing the net the other day and stumbled across an article that really bothered me. Let me preface that with a short history of myself.

As a youngster, I spent many of my days reading. I devoured books like there was no tomorrow. My big Christmas gift consisted of MANY books. Books were the only thing I wanted. I didn't want toys or clothes or even money. I wanted books. Well, one Christmas I got more than I ever could have asked for.

I used to read the Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon (or the Strathmeyer Syndicate as I later discovered but that is a whole different story). I frequently used my allowance to buy them whenever I could. I had about 25 of the books and really wanted the rest of the series. I couldn't earn the money fast enough to get the books. Santa must have thought I had been a good girl so he brought me the rest of the series (or so I thought until I discovered all of the OTHER Hardy boy Series that are out there).

Well, I was floored. I was in hog heaven so to speak over my new collection of books. I can't explain why I loved reading the Hardy Boys' books. Perhaps it was the adventure. Perhaps it was the mystery. Perhaps it was the excitement. Who knows? All I knew was that Nancy Drew books bored me to no end (which is odd considering I am a girl) and the Hardy Boys always left me on the edge of my seat.

Then I discovered one Saturday afternoon that The Hardy Boys had alter egos in the form of Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson. (No, I did not watch the prime time version because I was not old enough at that time. I may be old but not that old yet.) I was thrilled! The show had the excitement, mystery, intrigue and adventure that I adored. I was happy.

Fast forward 30 years. I stumbled across an article that read Tom Cruise was in talks with Ben stiller to do a remake of the Hardy Boys except the characters would be aged and become The Hardy Men. Yikes! Tom Cruise as Frank Hardy is just plain stupid. Tom Cruise as Joe Hardy is asnine. Has Hollywood truly run out of ideas that they have resorted to remaking almost everything? Doesn't Tom Cruise have better things to do than to ruin a wonderful series? One can only hope this was a wild rumor and they truly aren't considering this idiotic notion of a remake. The Hardy Boys was a classic. Leave it alone.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T12:29:00.001-04:00

A walk on the beach

2008-03-20T22:55:00.003-04:00

Good evening! I just got home from a walk on the beach and a trip to a book store. Abbie had a blast at the beach. Here are just a few snapshots from our little adventure. Enjoy and have a nice evening!

American Idol

2008-03-16T17:12:00.002-04:00

Well, I happened to be visiting Youtube and found Phil Stacey's latest video and decided I had to share it. Perhaps it is pride over the fact he is from Jacksonville or it is the fact he seemed like a nice guy. Family was a priority with him and that impressed me. I had only watched Idol a few times in the past and had never really been impressed. I had a hard time buying into the whole phenomenon.

However, when I heard that Jacksonville had made it into the "big leagues" so to speak with an actual "Idol Candidate," I decided to watch. I admit that I liked his singing. I especially enjoyed his rendition of "Blaze of Glory" from Bon Jovi. That is not an easy song to tackle (rock ballads usually aren't ) and he did a great job with it. I will be watching for Phil Stacey's album. Take care and have a nice weekend.

Spring Break is coming!

2008-03-14T00:02:00.002-04:00

I made this widget at MyFlashFetish.com.

A Visitor

2008-03-13T23:47:00.009-04:00

For those of you that may not know this, my family loves animals. We all, Abbie included, have soft spots in our hearts for animals. Bob and I would love to rescue more cats if we had the room. Abbie has already started saying she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up so she can keep the animals healthy.
Well, Boo, our youngest cat, was rescued from our neighborhood. He actually came trotting up to us the day after Halloween last year and we kept him. He immediately took to Abbie. His family still roams the neighborhood. Well, we leave food out for this one relative of his that tends to hang around our house. She will not let us pet her but she does sit at our front door waiting to be feed.
Anyway, I noticed that there was a gray cat eating at the bowl. I told Bob and he went to check it out. I have to admit, I was not wearing my glasses and was looking from the second story window of my home. He laughed at me and responded "Dear, that is an opossum." I did not believe him until I grabbed my glasses and saw that, yes, indeed, we have an opossum. I snapped a few shots of our late night visitor. Check it out. Considering what the opossum is doing, the Ratatouille Photobucket Album seemed most appropriate. Night!

"TECHIE" overload!

2008-03-10T12:15:00.002-04:00

I know I have admitted on more than one occasion that I am a techie by nature. I find myself craving the latest gadgets, surfing the net for the latest ideas, and consistently trying to find new ways to use technology in my classroom.

Well, I must admit I have hit overload. My brain seems to be going a mile a minute nowadays and I can't keep up. For example, I saw this AWESOME teacher website the other day. She has posted videos her students have made for variuos projects. Then I stumbled across another website where the teacher has posted student projects. Then I came across ANOTHER website where the students take you on a virtual tour of their classroom. That was just within ten minutes of surfing!?!?!?!

I want to do all of those things but I find myself lacking the time. I, like every other person out there, am trying to cram 48 hours worth of work into a 24 hour time frame and that is just not possible. I guess I need to make a list of priorities when it comes to technology in the classroom. So, here goes my list.

1. More student work posted digitally! - I realize I need to make a point to publish more student work. Most sites I have seen select a theme for the year and then publish accordingly. I need to select a theme for next year and publish student work accordingly. I really like how my 4th grade class had the theme of "Take a Leap Into Learning" with frogs being the centerpiece. However, I am leaning towards a "Hollywood" theme. Thistlegirl Designs has some awesome graphics related to Hollywood. I just might have to go that route.

2. Keep the website up to date and simple! - My biggest problem is keeping the website up to date. It has gone through some major changes in the past two years. I have gone from ChristinesLessonPlans.Com to just plain MrsCowan.com.

I must admit, I am happy with the how it has evolved. It seems to grow every single day. Just last year it was a jumbled mess. Now, it seems more organized. Like I said, I do like how the page has eveloved but I wish I could keep it up to date. I just need to post items that only need updating weekly rather than more often. 3 years olds tend to limit free time and I know my 3 year old keeps me busy. (That is an entirely different post and I wouldn't trade that darling 3 year old jewel for anything in the world. She is the reason I keep striving to learn more and more just so I can keep up with her :) )

3. Start creating videos. - Sounds simple, right? This is easier said than done. Granted, a Mac computer makes it easier with IMovie. You can click and drag, add music, add words, and so on. However, I want to get into the more complicated aspects such as blue screen use and more intricate editing. Whether or not I accomplish this remains to be seen but I will give it a go.

I think 3 goals should do it for now. I want to be reasonable in my own expectations. Most of my goals will probably be accomplished this summer since that is when I have more time to do things. Of course, last summer was supposed to be the time for me to do more things but life happened. That's okay though because I do the best that I can do. Later :)

YouTube

2008-02-24T17:43:00.002-05:00

   Good afternoon one and all! Well, 2nd grade at my school recently had a PTA program and somehow I volunteered (or was volunteered, I am still not sure) to create a video with facts about the Presidents. Being the techie (and perfectionist) that I am, I could not pass up this challenge. I spent a week wondering how to create a video with music, pictures and text. I could create a PowerPoint but it would not run on its own like a movie. Music can be embedded into a PowerPoint but it would not be the same as a video.
   I also thought that I could do a photbucket slideshow but I would not be able to embed the music. Well, I must admit I was stumped. I was racking my brains out trying to figure out how to make a video with pictures, music, and text. I knew that my mac at home had IDVD but I had never made a movie using that program. Then, by accident, I opened a program on the mac that I had not used before.
   That program was called IMovie. IMovie is program similar to Finalcut which is used for creating videos. I began playing with it to see what the program could do. I must admit I found the program to be very easy to use. I started my movie by uploading the pictures of the presidents. Then I uploaded a tune that could be played while the pictures are being shown. The product at this point was not bad. It looked like a music video. However, that did not meet my needs.
   The video needed text to go along with it. Through some testing and playing, I discovered how to add the text. The video seemed to meet my needs but I still had to get input from the other second grade teachers. I wanted to make sure what I visualized was what they visualized for the project as well. This lead to an all new problem. How do I show them the video on short notice (less than a days notice)?
   Thus, a new YouTuber was born. YouTube, for those you who may not know, is a website that allows you to post videos for free. I decided to post the video I created so the other teachers could view it easily (rather than clog their mailboxes with a huge file). Here is the results of my very first "movie" endeavor.

Dust off the noggin for this one

2008-02-19T20:32:00.000-05:00

One thing ...

2008-02-10T22:41:00.000-05:00

Dude!

2008-02-10T22:35:00.003-05:00

If you EVER have the opportunity to go to Epcot, please make a point to stop by and see Turtle Talk with Crush at The Seas. Dude, it was SWEET to say the least! Here is a short snippet.

Isn't he fabulous! My 3 year old LOVED the show. It amazes how much technology has changed just in the past year. Blogs, twitter, gabcast, podcasts, slideshare, public favorites, youtube and such have taken the nation by storm. Teachers still express disbelief at all the changes. A vision of students today is so accurate. Students are more tech savvy today than their teachers.

When I taught 4th grade last year, I was amazed at the number of students that were on-line. I was also amazed at the number of students with MySpace accounts. 4th Graders on MySpace! It is happening more and more everyday and teachers are the ones being left behind. There have been many jokes made in reference to No Child Left Behind and teachers being left behind. It does seem to be true in some areas. I think the area of technology is one of those areas.

Teachers today have the daunting task of competing with the Wii, Playstation, and so much more in order to even perk a child's interest. I have discovered that more so this year than in years past. It takes more than a book to maintain the interest of a 2nd grader. We are expected to be innovators with the resources of Fred Flinstone. For example, the school I am at JUST got new computers in the classroom. K-2 got 2 computers while 3-5 got 4 computers. 2 computers for 19 students. 4 computers for 25 students doesn't seem to compute either. The laptop I was issued is 4 years old (some are even older) and has issues of its own.

It also does not help a teacher's cause when teachers rant about getting new computers when their "old" computer which is 5 years old works just fine. My question is "Works fine as what, a PAPERWIGHT?!?!?!" That rant appeared in the Times Union the other day and I was dumfounded. If you don't want to use your computer, put one of your students on it then. They could teach us a thing or two.

I could go on for hours about this but I won't. I simply feel strongly about the subject of technology in the classroom. Our students need to be given more opportunities to use it in the classroom. Otherwise, they are truly being left behind in the global market. You don't need top of the line either to allow them the opportunity to use it in the classroom. I have done my best to rig my classroom to allow for maximum integration of technology. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be the teacher ranting about a new computer(if you by chance read this, give me a call and we'll see if you would like to trade computers). I'd love to have access to a new computer because they have more capabilities. But I don't so I make due with what I have and I honestly feel I am doing my part to prepare today's students for the global market.

Our Disney Day Adventure

2008-02-10T21:38:00.001-05:00

I know, I know! You feel like you have entered Bill Murray's Groundhog Day. I know what you are thinking. "Didn't she just talk about this last week?" Yes, I did. Well, we up and went to Disney again for the day on Saturday. You have to love the Florida Seasonal Pass Holder Ticket. In just a few visits, the passes will have paid for themselves.

Anyway, my sister called us Friday night and asked if we wanted to go to Epcot on Saturday. Abbie said yes of course. That child cannot resist the chance to go places. She is like a sponge! She just absorbs all of her experiences and remembers so much from them. It amazes me when she recalls an event from a year (or more) ago. But, I digress.

Well, we went to Epcot and had a wonderful time. I captured some neat videos and photos that I would love to share with you. Feel free to check them out!

Our Disney Day Adventure

2008-02-04T06:47:00.000-05:00

To Mac or Not to Mac, that is the question!

2008-02-03T15:56:00.001-05:00

Well, Duval County has begun refreshing some schools in the area of technology. Sheffield, for example, has brand new PC’s. Other schools are due for a refresh as well. Some of those schools will be getting Mac’s. The teachers at those schools will also be getting IBooks which is the Mac version of a laptop.

Can I admit I am so JEALOUS! Before I met my husband, I was a hardcore PC person. I had a HP laptop which went EVERYWHERE I went. I had a HP at home which I thoroughly enjoyed. Every new Windows, Office, etc. that came out, I had it. I was a HARDCORE PC FANATIC!

Then I met Bob. Bob had a PC but preferred a Mac. I was not impressed. When we got married, we purchased a brand new Dell. It served as an “Our Computer” sort of thing. It was a joining of the households if you will. Well, we loved the Dell. It met our needs with website design, email, internet surfing, word processing, and so on. It was a good little computer.

During our second year of marriage, Bob decided to surprise me with a new EMac. His logic for the purchase was that Mac’s were known for their graphics and exceptional website designing capabilities and I had become heavily involved in designing my website. On its third day in our home, I threatened to throw the EMac out of our second story window. This panicked Bob since he had just purchased Adobe Suite (for the Mac) so I could make PDF documents.

That EMac frustrated me to no end. There were many days where I was willing to throw it out of the window upstairs. But, I persevered. I eventually became very adept at using it. Dare I say I even began to like it. Well, our poor Dell eventually gave out and we needed to buy a new computer. We are a two computer household. I use the computer so much for school that poor Bob wasn’t able to use it that often which is why we need 2.

This was around the time when the new IMacs came out with the ability to run Windows (like a PC). I could not believe it! A Mac that could act like a PC! It was the best of both worlds. We ended up purchasing a new IMac with all of the bells and whistles. I love it! I never thought I would say that a Mac can do so much more than a PC but it can. It can even run Windows better than a PC (Sorry Dell).

With a Mac, you can create QuickTime presentations with the click of a button. You can make a DVD of photos that can play in a DVD player in moments. Pod casting is as easy as 1, 2, 3. WebPages are a matter of clicking and dragging. What can I say? I have been converted to a Mac fanatic.

Technology and Reading: Who'd a THUNK it?

2008-01-31T23:54:00.000-05:00

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Web 2.0

2008-01-25T20:45:00.000-05:00

Okay, I admit it. I am a beginning Web 2.0 teacher. There, I have said it. Now you may be wondering what a Web 2.0 teacher is. Well, from what I can gather, it is a teacher that is using a wide range of new and innovative mediums to communicate and collaborate. I discovered a video that begins to explain what Web 2.0 is. Take a moment to check it out.

I just recently began using a blog more faithfully these past few months. I used a blog last year to inspire my 4th graders to write. Since so many people I know have an on-line diary so to speak, I figured why not use it in the classroom. We have to teach writing. Why not allow the students to use technology to do it? The students thoroughly enjoyed the task. Even my "non-writers" so to speak were begging for a chance to be the blogger of the day. The same can be said about my 2nd graders this year. I have learned that blogs are a powerful tool.

I began podcasting last year as well. I do not have as many posted as I would like due to time constraints. There are only 24 hours in a day and I need 30. I am sure many can relate to that feeling. However, I, like so many others, simply do the best I can do.

Then there is Voicethread, Wikis, Google Doc and so much more. One could spend WEEKS in front of the computer screen trying to keep up with the trends. It is amazing how quickly the Internet has changed. I remember creating my first web page over 12 years ago. I was so proud of it. It had a few cute graphics and a couple of links. I look at my site now and I realize the one I had then is nothing in comparison.

Now I find myself at a sort of crossroads in my career. I had previously been trying to earn my masters degree in Educational Leadership. However, I find myself being pulled more and more into the area of technology. I enjoy my time on the computer. I am always trying something new that I discovered on-line. I have found that my use of the computer has grown exponentially when it comes to the classroom. There is not a day that goes by when I don't use the internet to demonstrate something for my students. They seem to respond well to it.

Well, I must be going. I'm off to learn more about Twitter and play with the Voicethread. Have a great weekend!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-09T19:44:00.000-05:00

Well, Happy New Year to one and all! School is back in session so I have been unable to post like I had been. School keeps me very busy. Of course, so does a 3 year old. She keeps me on my toes to say the least. She is back in school as well and seems to be adjusting to the changes in our schedule. She had gotten spoiled these past few weeks with both Mom and Dad home. But, alas it could not last forever. That is okay because we enjoyed the time while it lasted.
I broke down and subscribed to Voicethread this past week. There are so many uses for it. In the classroom, it could be used to have the students tell stories, share presentations, chronicle current events, and so much more!
Well, on that note I must run. I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!

Videos

2007-12-30T23:21:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would share one of my favorite videos. It is Daniel Powter's song, "Had a Bad Day." It is a beautiful song with a very complementary video. If you have a moment, check it out.

The following video is a funny video for all of the mom's out there. It is all about being a mom sung to the William Tell Overture. If you have a moment, please feel free to check it out.

Hey Grandma!

2007-12-27T11:07:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

2007-12-27T00:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I had a fabulous holiday! We spent Christmas Eve in the evening tracking Santa on the Norad Tracker. When Abbie saw that Santa was nearing the Florida, she hurried and went to bed. That Santa Tracker was the neatest thing! It was tied to Google Earth so you could follow Santa's path while looking at 3-d pictures of the terrain. They still have his path posted so if you have the chance to download, I would.

Abbie then spent Christmas morning opening gifts and playing with them. She only liked to open one gift at a time. She would then play with the only that gift for about an hour. Once she was done with that gift, she would then want to open another. She still has a few gifts under the tree. Santa brought her the globe she has been asking for. It was a talking globe that told about customs, animals, and famous places all over the world. She has only been asking for this globe for the past three months. Yes, she is only 3 and yes, she really did want a globe. She asked Santa for it the other day while we visited Disney World. Santa was bit surprised by this request (as were his elves).

The afternoon was spent with my family. We opened gifts, did some cooking, played some games, and chatted the day away. It was very nice and relaxing. Mom tried the trick I learned from Food TV. If you put cut lemons and oranges into the cavity of the turkey (rather than stuffing it), the turkey will be moister. It worked! Plus, the house smelled really good. There was only a hint of the oranges and lemons when tasting the turkey. It was very subtle.

Well, I need to go ahead and say goodnight now. I have to finish up my class web page for a project. Below are some pictures from our holiday. Again, thanks for stopping by and I'll be posting again soon.

Happy Birthday!

2007-12-24T09:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I am now officially a year older. Time does fly when you are having fun. I would have never imagined six years ago that I would be sitting here today, married to a wonderful man and mom to a magnificent daughter. Six years ago I had no idea that this would be my future. I can't complain.

Bob is a wonderfully patient man who seems to know what I am thinking. We have only known each other a short time but we finish each other's thoughts. I can't even count the number of times I will say something (and vice versa) to which he will respond "Get out of my head" because we know each other so well. He has shown me that there is so much more to this world than my small share of experiences. He has also helped me to believe in myself. For that, I love him dearly.

Then there is my energetic and talented daughter, Abbie. Abbie just turned 3 but seems so much older. She has a very dry sense of humor, loves to read, and can surf the net with the best of them. Every single day she amazes me more and more. She shows a deep level of understanding and an eagerness to learn. She is proof of how blessed I am.

That leads me to 2 of my favorite websites. Photobucket and Slide are such wonderful websites. You can make some really neat photo albums to share. I love them for not only home use but school use as well. Photobucket is the website used with Blogspot but you can also use Slide as well.

The above show was created using Slide. It was easy to do and only took a few minutes. It was also FREE which is fabulous in my book.

Well, it is off to bake some more cookies. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-22T18:03:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would add a few more videos from our recent trip to Walt Disney World. The above video is fireworks at the castle just before Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. That was a fun party! They have cookies and hot chocolate available all over the Magic Kingdom. They even offer healthy alternatives such as grapes and apple slices as well. The rides are not nearly as busy and the parade is fabulous.

This video is from Disney's MGM Studios. This video features the Osbourne Dancing Light display which is AWESOME to say the least. Abbie thoroughly enjoyed the display as you can see by her dancing. If you ever have the chance to visit, you should.

Well, that is all for today. Happy holidays!

When you wish upon a.........

2007-12-21T00:29:00.000-05:00

Greetings and welcome to my own blog space. My family has just returned from a trip to Walt Disney World. We had a BLAST! Abbie was really into the Magic Kingdom this visit. It is hard to believe she JUST turned 3 years old. She wanted to visit each character, ride It's a Small World, and basically just keep going. There was no stopping the child. She wanted to go EVERYWHERE! She danced to Off Kilter at Epcot, danced with the dancing lights at MGM, and ran all around the castle at the Magic Kingdom. She amazes me each and every day with her energy and inquisitiveness.

I managed to use the video camera this past visit which was fun. I figured I should try it out rather than just have it sitting in a closet collecting dust. It worked rather well and I managed to capture Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade and a few other tidbits. Here is a snippet of Abbie dancing to Off Kilter's version of the Summer of '69 (gotta love Bryan Adams!).

Well, I am taking some time this week to do some Christmas shopping, bake some cookies, and work on my web site. I really need to update it. I have to admit that I love blogging now. I love how easy it is to add video, pictures, links, music, widgets, and so much more. My classroom blog seems to be doing well. I know my students are visiting it because they email me and tell me. I have found myself using technology in the classroom so much more this school year.

My classroom is a newer portable but the outlets for Internet access are at the back of the room. I have run a cord to the front of the room to allow me to hook up the laptop to the projector. I use PowerPoint to do lessons on reading strategies. Quizlet is used to help the students learn new vocabulary. I also visit websites based on what we are studying in class. I have also figured out how to take photos of students work using the ELMO.

Technology is a powerful tool when it comes to instruction. I have decided to use it as much as possible because that is how students of today are learning. I see that everyday when I look at my own child. She just turned 3 and is already able to navigate the web, close and open programs, as well as use a mouse proficiently. I should note that I carefully screen what she does on-line.

After the holidays, I plan on having my students use Voicethread as a means of digital storytelling. I told my principal that I was going to have my students learn how to podcast.I explained that it would be difficult to do podcasting with the PC's we have at school so I would probably be doing it on my MAC at home. He said to let him know if there was anything the school could do to help. Short of purchasing a MAC, I could not think of a way. Then, by accident, I discovered Voicethread. I was immediately hooked. It is not podcasting but still a powerful tool. I will hopefully be subscribing to it soon so I can post an unlimited amount of Voicethreads.

Well, that is all for now. I probably should go do some baking while Abbie finishes her nap. When she helps me bake, all she wants to bake is chocolate chip cookies. I don't mind but her daddy would like other flavors besides that. Take care and happy holidays!