Blogging in classes

Yup, I got another article about this emailed to me today.

Article is here...

Man, I can hardly wait until this stressful time at work calms down.

Let's say a prayer....

Beannacht

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

iPad use

Ya know, when I finish this double teaching section of the year, I'm going to have to review some of the posts here. At bare minimum, to see if they make sense ... Imma thinking some of them need some editing, as I just write and then click "publish post" most of the time.

The other thing is so that I can review really cool stuff that gets sent to me. Like this blog about using technology in the classroom.

Cool. Glad to think that in a few minutes, I'm off for a few days.

OK, I'm still in pain, but it's a good pain

How to share files with students. How do I do that without making myself an object of media scrutiny ... or derision.

Well, I have been using Dropbox with myself ... that is seeing how easy it would be to share files between my iPhone, Macbook and other wonderful Mac products. But ... there is also Google Docs ... but I have not yet had a lot of time to use/play with that technology.

Well, there is also FarFinder/Presence which is kinda messing up the waters. Provide an URL to one file where students can read/download an entire class' set of readings in one go ... or download the readings one by one.

To their smartphones... which after today, might prove to be a not so smart phone. Man, I need to do something about Internet Addiction in my classes. Kinda frightening what people think they can do at the same time. Seriously.

In any case, I need to be more savvy than my students in oder to lead them to greater wisdom .... or at least what to do "when their printer runs out of ink at home"

Oh, this hurts

I'm trying to get myself up and going; my work schedule (although I am grateful to have my position) is rather overwhelming at the moment.

It's my birthday today, and rather than going out, having some fun ... I went to bed early. Seriously, like five minutes after my eight year old child was in bed, I was snoring.

It's not that I'm old...I'm getting burnt out. Which isn't a good idea.

In any case, I sw this link on my email today ... ten tips for using project based learning. I also read this article about how the computer games children play could be so much better....

I'm busy... so what do I do? I set up a blog on a topic I'm interested in learning about and I'm going to run with it for a few weeks. "Learn what I can, absorb what is important and disregard the rest."

who said that? This guy:

A series of links to follow

I get a lot of email about using electronics in the classroom. Technology. Stuff I know I should take the time and read and share. I know that.

I like to share stuff. Here is a thingy about technology and it's affects on our spiritual self.

Another link about using electronic devices to teach writing. I have to admit, I like letting my six year old child use my iPad. I helped her learn cursive writing yesterday. She's not supposed to see that until she's eight.

Another artcle about teaching science in a high school setting using cell phone technology. Remote labs. Using equipment remotely that you'd never be able to get inside your own lab.

Pish posh, you say. the iPad is something only for adults. Yeah, right.

Why to blog

OK, so there are some posts that I have yet to go back and read ... there are some great stories out there. This story about bloggers from a grade three class in the States is just plain ol fashioned cool.

I have kids; do they need a blog?

I have a blog; do I need readers?

I think the answers are "Maybe" and "No, but they can provide feedback."

An attempt to Google docs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RyhssELwSnjbZmgzXDU8U_x1usp-ovq-kfsdkyas7RQ/edit?hl=en&authkey=CMn1_k0

try that out ....

and see it if works.