Sum-Sum Summertime

Praise the sun, slip-n-slide and long evenings! Well, try to at least...

With two little ones, we have been enjoying the sun (with loads of SPF 50 of course) and our backyard every evening that we can. We have made trips to the Erie Zoo, of which Jason says that the animals are going to know me and the girls by name! (*I really like our zoo - it is small, safe and the girls love it!) We are even letting the girls stay up longer so they can enjoy the weather and run around, which sometimes is not worth the next morning. We also just finished our basement and the carpeting will be installed on June 30. Jason and I can reclaim our upstairs!

On the work front, it is finally quieting down after a hectic May and a busy start to June. I finally have time to think about future projects and my fall class. I have also been thinking of some Act 48 courses that I would like to offer at a local reading center (Reading Now!). And, in the midst of all of this, Michael Cortes and I have had a conversation about some programs that we would like to develop together.

Can I handle more? Do I want to? Should I? Yes - Yes - and Probably not.

However crazy my life gets, I seem to always want to do more!

What is Red?

I recently had the honor of spending a morning with my 3-year-old's class and teaching them American Sign Language (ASL). Now, mind you, I am no expert, but I do have a passion for the language and enjoy teaching it to both of my girls - ages, 3 & 1. So, I drafted an Instructional Plan (IP) and shared it with the teachers for their review and for them to note anything that they would like updated or felt would work better with the students. (video of the PPT.)

The students were just finishing up a two week unit on the ocean/beach and Jalen (my 3YO) wanted to learn about rainbow colors (that she already knows, so why learn them again?!?) So, I designed the IP to teach the students their colors in sign as well as one ocean/beach image (crab, fish, sky...)

It was a success. The students enjoyed signing and another mom made a ocean cake!

In the mere 90 minutes or so I spent with the class, I feel so blessed that I am able participate in my children's lives at school. Their teachers are very welcoming and appreciate help from the parents.

In reflection of this session, I would love to be able to use the SmartBoard (SB) to teach a similar lesson in the future or have another teacher be able to do so. The SB has the ability to add video, audio, capture the lesson, as well as have images ready to be "slid" into the viewable area. I think that the SB would help make the presentation seamless and documenting it for review later on or to share with other teachers.

I Spy with My Two Eyes...

As you walk around campus what is something that you noticed that would not have seen as little as 3 years ago? Go ahead, guess, it is not a trick question!

Ear buds! All types, but mostly those little white ear buds that are synonymous with an iPod.

iPods are not new, they were first launched in October 2001 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod). As of September 2007, over 110 million iPods have been sold worldwide.

I can remember when iPods were used to store or share data, to save files, but now, I am guessing that most iPod owners use the powerful electronic device for music and video. I Googled, "What else can you do with an iPod?" and found a few interesting sites. Here is a favorite: http://www.kottke.org/plus/50-ways-ipod/.

A recent Web post (shared by a colleague) discusses using a flash drive to store applications - well, an iPod is pretty much a really big flash drive, so why not take this advice and put more than the Top 10 on your iPod? (http://tinyurl.com/5mtx35).

I have no complaints about the iPod. I think that it is useful, compact enough to take anywhere and flexible enough to store and retrieve data (and yes, block out the rest of the world with your newest iTunes purchase.) I also appreciate that I can easily download and sync podcasts on practically any topic...from PhotoShop tricks & tips (http://tinyurl.com/56n8ly) to conference reviews/commentary (http://tinyurl.com/6ozx79) even mini ASL lessons (http://www.sfibaby.com).

But I have to ask, what if we all listened to one educational, inspirational or commentary Podcast a day - or even one a week - we would undoubtedly learn something, maybe even share that new knowledge with a friend or colleague. Would we gain a better understand of others? Would we become more open-minded? Would we share Podcasts or invite others to listen to the same and then discuss the topic? What would the impact be on 10 people listening and discussing a motivating Podcast series for a semester?

I also understand that there are some pretty shady Podcasts out there, but just like anything on the Web, the user/listener/subscriber must use their information literary skills and decipher the creditability and accurateness of the content. Who created the Podcast? What was their purpose? Are they a known expert in the field or someone who is studying the topic? Can you contact them with further questions? What other resources have they published (Web site, blog, books, articles, etc...)

So, with everyone listening to something I encourage you to plug in when you go to the gym, sync before a long bus trip, share a "bud with a bud" and discuss the topic. I challenge you to use your iPod for more than just a music player.


Personal confession: I had an iPod years ago and used it only for data! Can you imagine? I stored images, files, workshop materials and agendas. I would take it with me and use it as an external hard drive. Now, I have downsized to a Shuffle and have not one file on it! It is filled with music, Podcasts and audio books (well, one book at a time!) I plan to upgrade in the near future, but I really like the compactness of the Shuffle.

When did you get your first iPod???

Spring is here!

Now is the time of year when I yearn to get my camera out and capture the new beginnings of life...new flowers, new nests (one robin has created a nest under our deck since we moved into our house in 2004) and of course, the girls discovering the outside world all over again. Spring is like a new beginning, a chance to look at the world with fresh eyes that have just woken some the deep sleep of winter.

Just like the thaw that comes with Spring, technology can de-ice a classroom and re-open the eyes of the learners as well as the teachers.

There are many "new beginnings" that technology can bring into the classroom, including digital primary resources, video and live events from experts. In a recent UStream presentation (http://tinyurl.com/5el54f) Jim Beeghley, IT Policy Specialist for PDE (http://tinyurl.com/5bf6wr), shared his expertise with students about the Battle of Gettysburg. During the live presentation he zoomed into digital images from the Battle of Gettysburg for the students to really "see" the pictures, even down to the bullet holes in the windows of the Gettysburg Cemetery (http://tinyurl.com/5lzuuo). Not only was he able to share these images during the presentation, but the students has access to them at any time since the images are posted on a Web site (http://tinyurl.com/5lecft).

The Internet, social media and electronic communications (synchronous or asynchronous) allow us (teachers, parents, guest speakers) to be "enlivening" (as a faculty member from my University puts it) in our classroom and to share with our students, peers and lifelong learners our expertise and passions.

Like Many, I Have Addictions

And some of those addictions prove to be fruitful...like Twitter. Some, not so fruitful...like eating two whole bags of Cadbury Mini Eggs over the past week or so.

As for Twitter, it makes me feel part of the big picture. I follow many techies, social stragtists and friends. I have to say, that most of the tweets that I read all relate back to technology and work. Where else can you log-on and see what is 'hot,' where folks are or are going as well as connect (and when I say connect, I mean that I get a PM on my cell) when someone has a comment for me. (OK, so I know there are other mirco-blog apps, I just happen to use Twitter.)

I view myself as a simple girl from NWPA and when I received a PM from a technology guru yesterday I was overwhelmed! He tweeted about a dynamic presenter that I recently viewed on TED and I responded to his original tweet.

How else could this type of communication and connectedness take place?

I know that these are pretty obvious thoughts, but I just have to say that I am proud to have addictions...well, for the most part!

April 2nd - Early Work Day and Sick Babies

This morning started early, before 5 am since Josie decided to wake up. I got some Motrin in her, changed her diaper and was able to get her back to sleep. I decided to get up and out the door to get to work early since I'll have to leave at 9 so Jason can get to work. I'll be able to grab some things to take with me and work on them at home while the girls are napping (I hope!).