Thing #12

Google+

Google has made it very clear that it wants to be involved in our lives. That's a good thing. Google doesn't stop creating great ideas, which usually build from a foundation to a skyscraper. Take Google+ as an example. It started as a very similar idea as Facebook, but has now developed into a fully organized concept that is growing in new tools every day. You can access all of you google accounts on it, as well as keep up with all of your friends on live group video chats. The endless capabilities of this site design have proven to outweigh its crepehangers by moving forward and propelling far beyond what Facebook could wish to do in the span of months it took for Google+ to get off the ground. The two are no longer seen as rivals. Google+ is for the "multitasker." Any person can set up an account for Google+ and move their friends instantly into a "circle" for organizing friends. Keeping people separated in terms of status updates and friend requests just reduces the unneeded drama. Oh yea, did I mention that you can do almost anything with Google?

Picasa

Oh yes, you can also store, edit, and share your photos with Google's Picasa Web Album. Picasa is a free downloadable program that grabs all of your photos (in your personal library), and organizes them by date, place, folder... It can even recognize faces.

YES, FACES.

Once you tag a person in Picasa, it will recognize that person and tag all of the other photos that that person is in. It proves to be very convenient when you look up photos with friends in the background, or even when you just want to search a name. Probably the best part of Picasa is that it's free. The Second best part about Picasa is that it can remain a private program for you to use, and is only used as a photo share device when you command it to share particular photos. It is a safe and effective way to organize your photos. It organizes them for you!!! You don't have to do a thing. It will recognize all of the information and place it in its proper place without the assistance that many other programs need. (And it's free)

Ya just can't beat free.

These are just two of the many tools that Google has placed on the web for us as users to utilize. We can keep things organized, and better yet, save time for ourselves. Make the most out of Google. Just like any of the other sites that I show you, I encourage you to at least try. If you don't like it, no big deal... It was free in the first place. (unlike free chicken samples at the mall where you run the risk of picking up who knows what.)

Thing #11

Following your RSS feeds doesn't always have to be about work.

I have learned over the past few weeks that fallowing information based blogs doesn't have to be boring. Take, for instance, the Cool Cat Teacher blog as a valid example. I enjoy learning more and more about the developing ideas that she has about her class environment and plans for the future. Her ideas are as fresh as the seafood in Encinitas CA. For those that haven't had fresh fish on the west coast, just know that her ideas are REALLY FRESH.

Let's take a step back though. Our minds are not geared for ideas about our tedious plans for the future, or even about what can be absorbed by reading information. Sometimes we just need to relax and enjoy some "good reads." For this, I will point you in a new direction that I only recently learned about.

Confessions of a Pioneer Woman is by far one of my favorite blogs as of right now. It is a blog about an every day city living woman who has married and moved onto a working ranch in Oklahoma. She makes my days better. Her writing has the ability to brighten any terrible day.

This is just one of the many photos that she shares on her home page (which you can reach by clicking on the Bacon Table Photo). Allowing yourself to enjoy the RSS feeds is a way to keep you up to date on all of the different parts of life that you look forward to. Mine just happens to be the Pioneer Woman.

Follow them. Subscribe. Add them to your RSS feed and stop bouncing from site to site. You can fully enjoy all of your subscriptions by looking into your RSS Feeder. I prefer Google Reader for my own use. Once you catch your stride, you can use this tool to your advantage. Education, work, or just for fun, find a few blogs and watch all of the updates happen in one place, like on your Gmail account. By subscribing to blogs you are allowing yourself to be exposed to new material early on. You are prepared for what comes out of educators mouths. You might even have a very witty, and intellectual comment to add to a conversation. Either way you look at it, you can't lose by viewing. You won't be disappointed.

Thing #10

RSS Feeders Save You TIME.

If there is one thing in this world that we need more of, it's time. One way to keep up with the information that you regularly view on the web is to subscribe to an RSS feed.

RSS simply stands for: Really Simple Syndication

This is an easy way to keep up to date, without losing a date. One suggestion from me would be to add it on to your email account. Google offers this tool with any normal email account, and lets me know when I have new material to read if I feel I am in a reading mood. This also allows you to comment with promptness. Comments are soooooo important to bloggers. That tad bit of encouragement can go a long way in the world of a blogger. If you learn that you have helped somebody in a way that informed them of a more convenient lifestyle then you have accomplished what many try to do every day of their lives in the work place. RSS is a great was to keep those comments in check, and to keep your eye on the people who have new things to say.

I know that there are many educators out there who blog daily, and sometimes multiple times a day, with information that can drastically enhance other classrooms and educators. Use this tool to better your use of the web. Learning from others is as easy as letting the information directly fall into your inbox. RSS allows that to happen. You can chose to read, or ignore any post, but at least you have the option.

I will use this. (already do use this) I find it to be a convenient way to organize my blogger contacts and to know what is the most recent and relevant information from those that I follow. I hope that others use the same for me. I'm not an everyday blogger by any means, but I do find that there are important things from time to time that I should share with others. If you are looking for some recent posts from you fellow bloggers without the long search of finding their private page, put them in your RSS file cabinet and let the web do the work for you. Give yourself some more time.

RSS = More Time

Happy Blogging, friends.

Thing #9

There was once a time that protesting took full force to the streets. We have, fortunately, passed that chaotic time, but we can still have fun with the concept. I used Image text generator to create this fun rendition of an old-school protest. We need more tools like this being used in our schools. This allows creativity and knowledge to be projected with a fun moral. This image generator was free and allowed me to upload the photo strait into my blog.

This is not the only one of its kind on the web. This was in my opinion one of the more user friendly sites to create a photo of my liking. All that was required of me was a few fun words. The rest of the "production" was done by the site, thus proving: If I can do it, so can you. Image text generator has many templates and photos to choose from, like cartoons, protest signs, sticky notes, love notes... the list goes on. I encourage you to seek for other generators. The ones that pop up on the 3rd or 4th page of your google search are usually the more underrated ones, and those are the ones that are fun to work with.

This type of operation can be done with images also. Use one of your own images and insert some fun text message lingering in the forefront. Use a political figure with some comical remark. For example, I used good 'ol McCain for mine.

You don't have to make fun of the person's public speaking abilities, but hey, why not. I'm sure he meant well.

No matter what you might choose to go find today on the internet, use it to its fullest, and more importantly,

Share It!!!

We are better off working together. So help out, and make it available to others.

Happy generating...

Thing 8 (spell with flicker)

Use the tools designed to fulfill Flicker's potential.






The MashUp you see above took me about 5 seconds to create, 20 seconds to apply to my blog, and will last a life time. I used Spell with Flicker.

This tool is useful in so many ways. I envision a very exciting idea... Allow your class to pick one of their favorite words/phrases from one of the books that have been read in class. With this flicker tool, let the class, in small groups, make their own mash up and then share it with the class as a whole. They will be teaching the class! It's almost a free day for you as a teacher. You are still teaching, but you are allowing the students to search for the ideas that get them excited. With that in mind, let me give you a short description of how this tool works.

You spell the word, the program picks the letters for you, and then you can choose from many different letters that are on the flicker site!

That's all there is to it. Chances are, your students will prove to be more creative with their word and letter selection than you are. Don't be offended. They are young and have a world of artistic creation in their developing brains.

Mind you, this is not the only tool that you can use for Flicker. Many different tools have been created to help you produce astounding images of your own. You can make mash ups with words, collages, and even puzzles! Don't feel restricted. If you do feel restricted, Flicker actually encourages you to write new sites for them to use pictures and resources in new and fascinating ways.

Jump on some of these tools to better your Blog!!!

Design
Color matching photos
Mosaic Maker

The options are endless, and the creative aspect only enhances your work in the digital world. Have fun, and create away with others' creations...

Thing #7 (Flicker)

There has always been something very settling about a dead tree. Maybe it's just a personal preference, but, nonetheless, it calms me. Finding new pictures of trees standing by themselves is in so many ways a perspective that i hold over the life of a human. We are surrounded by the things of the world. Our milieus are dominant in our decision making, and the culture is flourishing with new things all of the time.

Stop!!!

Relax...

and look at this, Click Here



This is a photo by Mark Andrew Turner posted on Flicker. Flicker has a very effective search tool that searches "tags." Tags are short words of simple phrases that describe the photos that are found on flicker.com.

You can find your relaxing photo. Use the tags that you are searching for and dig to find the photo that appeals to you! Use this to better your blog, but be sure to credit your photographer. These people work hard to have their photos shared to you. Photo sharing is not a new idea by any means, but the way that we find the photo's that we are looking for has become extremely easy. I mean ELEMENTARY EASY...

There is no excuse to not use flicker to its fullest potential. It will prove to be enjoyable. If you don't happen to find a photo that helps you reach the goal you have set in your mind, then maybe you need to enroll into NASA and hope that there are some photos in space that help you. (That was a joke.) Photos aren't for every body, but if you are looking for any photo for a use of personal preference, check out flicker and search away.

Happy searching!!!

Thing #6 (Exploring Etsy)

Etsy is a rising web 2.0 star. I am very familiar with the Etsy store, but for those who aren't, here is a little rant to get you motivated to check it out for yourself.

I enjoy seeing homemade things. Earrings for my wife, a cool new personalized amplifier head (for a guitar), the list goes on and on. You most likely can find anything within your interest on Etsy. If you are antsy and can't help yourself from checking it out before you finish reading this post, I understand, just click

Here

Understanding that web 2.0 is growing constantly allows our expectations to reach new heights. Etsy is a very easy site to navigate because it is built around the consumers and artist who fill it's pages with endless items for sale by private artists, designers, and everyday Joe's just like myself. You can browse etsy with a very specific interest in mind, or just look for the fun of it. It is basically a fun style of window shopping at a local, downtown, independent store that is only out to share ideas and build a successful incomes for those who truly work for it.
It is free, however if you choose to become a "seller" on etsy, they only charge $0.30 some odd change to post new items to your personal page. It is a way to network with other sellers who have ideas and are building a reputation as a new business for themselves.
I really enjoy this site and I can already ensure that you too will find joy in a short browse. Enjoy it. It is growing, so know that there are new things to browse every day.

Thing #5

Web 2.0/Education 2.0

How are we so fortunate? When did all of this knowledge slam into our computers? It seems like a logical question. The web has multiplied it's knowledge in the time that it took you to navigate to this post. (that's not a factual statement, but could likely be true)

Lets talk about the 2.0 that has taken over my thoughts for the past 30 minutes. The web was at one time a young seedling waiting to sprout, but with the proper nourishment and the brain-water it has now become the one thing that surrounds every aspect of our lives. Should I feel threatened by this grown seedling? I know that there are so many uses for the web that I could never actually make it to all of the sites in one lifetime, but I do think that it is important that all of us understand its capabilities. With time, web 1.0 (all text) jumped into a new pool of color pictures and hypertext that allows us as users to properly navigate and site almost any source online without ever having to leave a search engine. That's some real talent if you think about it. There are people out there making our world easier to work in, educate in, and live everyday in. (please excuse the bad grammar of ending my sentence with a preposition)

I know that the future will fly into my arms without a warning siren, but I don't know if I'm ready for it. I do know, however, that my students will be ready for it –There fancy phones that speak and answer questions. I know that there will be a better way to communicate than the way that we are communicating now. In the future, Educators will make the most out of this technology. I am learning at a very fast pace that my pace isn't fast enough. Educators need to make a move now!!!

Time is a flyin... As educators, we need to step it up with the technology. We need to assert new and innovative ideas that shake our leaders into wanting to help us. Funding is just the tip of the iceberg in our future. Web 2.0 has the answer. It practically does all of the work for us, but that doesn't mean that we should settle with just that. Make a movement, allow yourself to reach outside of the box. Jump into a computer without the preconceived notion that it is only going to cause retina damage.

Thanks to web 2.0 we can now be better on a computer. I'm only 28 years old. I'm not too far away from kids pointing at my beard in amazement, but that doesn't mean I want to be naive when it comes to networking, wikis, blogs, or even the basic email links that can be used for my students. It is important to know the boundaries, but it is also important to know that there is no limit to the Internet. It can, it will, and if you don't move with the train early on, then it is going to be much harder to jump onto later.

Our future is going to have virtual classes with kids from foreign countries, readings by great authors, and videos that are specifically aimed at the education of our future. We are becoming more information based within our culture, and it is helping us find new ways to move forward in our educational strategies. We need to use them. Not starting next year when we can commit the time to type out new unit plans, but now. Otherwise we are just watching the train speed up.

Thing 3 (Blogging in the Future)

Blogging is a pleasure. As much as it is a pleasure for myself, it can also be a pleasure to follow another blogger who you feel connected too. I enjoy following people who find a way to make everyday occurrences into an extended metaphor for something that normally wouldn't cross my mind.

For example, a pogo-stick can easily be used as a metaphor for the students who will have to overcome the needless anxiety of "Senioritius." To learn how to use a pogo-stick, you must first take the time to understand the balance of your body and the direction of your every bounce. You will fall down, you will come close, and you will most likely succeed if given enough practice. That all applies to the emotional roller coaster that our seniors face these days.

What if there was a way to continue to pump enthusiasm and direction into those seniors after they leave school?

DUH!!! Blog it up!

There are so many ways to remain in the lives of your students, without being "too close" by todays standards/moral positions by professionals who have made it there business to guide teachers (despite whether or not they are in the education profession). It's non intrusive. It's meant to be read, not posted like a Facebook update.

Understanding affirmation and encouragement is a true talent, and I am very aware that those skills will be tested as a teacher. I will look forward to challenges. Sharing information and encouragement, as a whole, is a simple task when I sit down to write a blog. You get what is on my brain's menu. You get the loaded suitcases, the empty trashcan, and the compiled folder filled to the brim that sets on the corner of my heart, ready to pour out onto whoever finds this blog.

Writing a blog in the future will provide convenience in many ways. As a teacher, my students come first; they deserve a simple gesture, like a weekly blog to keep them grounded as they ponder across the world upon greater endeavors. Getting respect in the classroom is a perfect reason to give respect away from the classroom. It goes all ways, and I'm sure that there are students in the world that would appreciate a personal teacher who doesn't cross the boundaries.

Learning from one another is important. It keeps the world from more world wars, economic breakdowns, and can even help to improve the lives of graduates.

Do you have a way to keep in touch with past students in an encouraging way? If so, I would love to hear about it... So share it with me, just as I share with you.

Thing 1 (Let's learn from others)

First of all, let's be honest with ourselves. If you're reading this, it's because you are in the same place as me. We are looking for more out of what we have. That's a good place to be, so don't be frustrated with that notion. It's perfectly normal to want more: More cake, more friends, more clothes, more time... You get the picture. I want more knowledge about teaching with technology in my classroom.

HEADS UP!!! FOUND SOME!!!

I decided to follow some pretty exciting people who bear an enthusiasm about technology that I don't thing Leonidas had when he kicked people into the Spartan Pit. (might be an overstatement) @markbrumley on twitter. This guy can spit our 30 tweets a day about an amazing array of web 2.0 tips. He lights my phone up with my TweetCaster app.

http://teacherseducation.wordpress.com/

http://teachers.net/mentors/booktalk/topic129/6.03.11.13.34.06.html

I wouldn't be a decent person if I didn't give you a couple more Fun-To-Follow resources. So don't get frustrated with dulling ideas. Find the new ones! Dig In, and Dig It –then share them, please. This is the only way, as teachers, that we can keep each other afloat in this constantly changing world of knowledge. To all of you who enjoy these sites, give yourself a double fist-to-chest bump followed by a peace sign raised to the sky. You'll feel better, I promise.