Thing #24: Wait, I thought I was done!!

Well, here it is....the last thing.  They really should change the name of this project to 24 Things...

I really enjoyed experimenting and exploring all of the Web 2.0 tools that were presented in this project.  I had no idea that half of them even existed!  I am so excited to use these tools in my instruction and to teach my students how to use them.  I enjoyed using the image generators the most.  This program has affected my lifelong learning goals because it has taught me how to utilize technology to my advantage.  I am now "armed" with tools to make school a little easier for me and a lot more exciting for my students.  I was literally shocked at how much I love blogging.  As I said in Thing #1, I held a grudge against all bloggers.  Now, I realize how much fun it can be and I can't wait to start my own classroom blog.  I plan to keep learning about the advancements in Web 2.0 by keeping up with blogs about educational technology.

So, where do I go from here?  Well, to be honest, I don't think I will continue using this blog just because I can't commit the time and effort to do it well.  I do, however, look forward to using blogs (as well as all of the other Web 2.0 tools that I've learned about) in my classroom someday. 

Thing #23: Creative Commons

I loved the video about copyright--I actually looked at using this video for my Webquest activity for this class as well.  Ultimately, I decided that 2nd graders would definitely not benefit from this video at all.  I had to watch it twice in order to get all the necessary information!

I know that the APSU 23 Things blog is modified from the original because of the Creative Commons icon at the bottom of the page.  In addition, many of the pages mention the "Creative Common" license at the end of the post.  Finally, a description of the original source is located in the "Credits" section of the blog. 

In my career as a teacher, I plan to use Creative Commons as often as possible.  Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed by all of the copyright laws.  It is so hard to know when it is okay to do certain things and when it is not.  Creative Commons offers educators and other professionals a way to share their work and allow other users to share it as well.  Teachers have access to many great resources on this website, and even better, they don't have to worry as much about breaking any laws!

Thing #22: LiveBinders

Wow! What a wonderful website.  For the past couple of months, I've been telling my husband over and over again, "I really need to buy a nice filing cabinet to start organizing all of my resources for my future classroom."  I have not bought a filing cabinet yet and all of my papers are in a big, nasty pile shoved into my desk.  This website is like a virtual "filing cabinet" for websites, PDFs, documents and images.  For my EDUC 3070 class, we had to create a real binder with five artifacts for each of the ten principles of INTASC.  Using LiveBinders would be another way to complete this assignment. 

The first binder I made is titled Grade 2: Physical Science.  I made 3 tabs for this binder, one for worksheets, one for experiments, and one for review activities. I also made a binder for Grade 2: Life Science and Grade 2: Earth Science with the same tabs.

I love this website, however I am "old school." I would much rather have a hard copy of a worksheet or resource filed away in my real filing cabinet (that I don't have yet).  Personally, I think I will stick to organizing my favorite websites using bookmarks and bookmark folders. 

Here is an example of one of my binders:

Thing #20: YouTube

One of the many reasons why I love YouTube is that it is so easy to find a useful video for almost any topic in the world.  Educators especially have to be careful when selecting videos for classroom use and sometimes, knowing what is good and what's not is difficult.  Another thing that I like about YouTube is that it is so easy to use.  Sometimes, I will forget the specific title or topic of a video, but if I just type in a few description words in the search bar, usually it comes up with the video I was looking for.  Because of how simple YouTube is, I could see using it to find videos to enhance my instruction or incorporating the site into an in-class activity. 

I chose the following video because it is inspirational.  Personally, I love ABC's Person of the Week because it is a simple, beautiful reminder of how one individual can make a difference. 

Thing #21: Animoto

I had so much fun using this site to create a video.  This would be a great activity for upper elementary students at the beginning of the school year because it is engaging and easy to use.   Students (and teachers) could use this site to create a video introducing themselves to their classmates. 

I chose to create my video using pictures of my dog.  When my husband and I moved down to Ft. Campbell, we said we were going to wait to get a dog, despite the fact that we both wanted one very bad.  That decision lasted for about 3 weeks after our arrival.  We were without cable for the first month, so my very bored husband started searching for puppies in the Tennessee area.  Some guy out in "God's backyard" was selling black lab/golden retriever puppies for $90 each.  We drove about 1.5 hours and found the world's cutest puppies.

Needless to say, Brody has been one of the best, most expensive decisions of our life so far.  He brings so much joy to our lives and my husband and I often joke that we talk to the dog more than we talk to each other.  Enjoy the video!


Make your own photo slideshow at Animoto.

Thing #19: There's other social networks besides Facebook???

Visit TeacherPop

I was completely unaware of how many social networks there were out there!  I'm not a member of any online communities, but I joined TeacherPop and could not believe how many great resources and discussion forums there were.  What a great way to communicate and share ideas with other teachers! 

I explored a few other online communities as well.  The thing that surprised me the most, is that users can create and customize their own page within these communities, just like on Facebook.  I think that is one of the things that makes it so different from blogs.  On Teacher Librarian Ning, there was a "starter kit" on the front page which consisted of links to teacher/classroom blogs, helpful websites and other great resources for teachers.  I also checked out "Bake Space."  I loved the easy-to-use format and organization and also how simple it was to create a personal cookbook and swap recipes. 

Thing #18: Social Networking

I am part of the 41.6% of the U. S population that has a Facebook page.  Here is a link to my page, although I'm not sure how much of it you will be able to see because of my privacy settings. 
http://www.facebook.com/emily.brennan.13

It is important for teachers to know about social networking because it opens a lot of doors for communicating with colleagues, parents, and other professionals in the field.  Social networking allows an easy, comfortable exchange of information and ideas.  Before I moved here and transferred schools, I was in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin.  Similar to APSU's "milestone" program, UWM had "blocks."  We would move from block to block with the same group of people (called a cohort).  My cohort had a Facebook group and we used it to ask about homework, remind each other of deadlines, exchange ideas about projects, and plan group activities outside of school.  Facebook was a really convenient way to make sure everyone was on the same page. 

One thing I dislike about social networking is the lack of privacy.  Even though my page is set to private, I still worry that somehow, people will find my information (not that I have anything to hide, haha).  I only add friends who I would really like to stay in touch with, which is why I did not add any friends like the 23 Things post suggested.  In fact, I am slowly but surely cleaning up my friends list.  I think as long as users are careful about what they post online, having a Facebook is okay.

I could see myself having a classroom Facebook page to keep parents, students, and other teachers "in the know."  This would be one of many forms of communication I would use in my classroom. 

Thing #17: Tagging and Social Bookmarking

While I was working on the blog post about Flickr, I was frustrated because I did not understand what the purpose of tags were.  After watching the Common Craft video, I completely understand why tagging would be essential when using a social bookmarking site such as Delicious.  I often find myself annoyed at how many bookmarks I have saved on my web browser and even when I have them sorted into folders, I still feel overwhelmed.

After creating my account, I typed in "educational technology."  I was astounded by all of the tags that came up in relation to this phrase.  There are thousands of websites saved on this page but somehow, the tagging system makes it way less chaotic.  I can definitely see why social bookmarking would be useful in the classroom.  First of all, these sites are available anywhere where there is internet access, which means that both students and teachers can quickly get to their favorite websites.  This is unlike a bookmark bar which can only be accessed through one particular browser on one computer.   Additionally, social bookmarking can be used to share ideas and resources between colleagues and students.

Thing #16: Getting Organized

Out of all of the choices for customized home pages, I chose iGoogle.  After playing around on it for a little while, I was saddened to find out that iGoogle will be "phased out" next year.  Bummer.  I really like being able to see the weather, important news stories, Facebook and email notifications, etc. all on one page.  I suppose I will keep iGoogle as my home page until it is phased out in 2013.

As for the calendars and to-do lists...I am the type of person who needs to have everything written down and organized in order to be productive.  I have lists for literally everything one can think of and sometimes, I will write stuff on my list just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing it off.  Although I can see how online calendars and to-do lists could be helpful, I prefer to hand-write events and things using an actual pencil and paper.  Personally, I think it is much more work to open the internet, type in the web address, get to the correct screen, and type in each item in comparison to hand-writing the lists.

Here's a screen shot of the to-do list I created:

I think all of these tools could be used at home and at school, as long as the user had access to the internet when they wanted to view their calendar, list, etc.  Call me old fashioned, but I'd much rather write my grocery list on a piece of paper.  That way, when I go to the store, I can use my phone as a calculator and I won't have to worry about flipping from app to app!

Thing #15: Wikis

My freshman year in college, I had a group project in which we had to create a wiki about a particular political issue.  I was not a fan of this project whatsoever; maybe because I was the one who had to do most of the work or maybe because I didn't fully understand the concept of a wiki.  After watching the video, "Wikis in Plain English," I had a more vivid picture of the concept.  I also loved the example of 10th grade English Literature Circle wiki--what a creative way to hold a discussion!

For the Sandbox wiki activity, I created my own page titled, "Thing 8 by Emily Brennan."  I uploaded one of my image creations from Thing 8 to share with my classmates.  I also un-highlighted some text on Doshanna's page because I didn't like the color.  I also deleted some superfluous bullet-points and changed the color of some text.  How fun!

As with almost every technological advancement, there are good and bad points about wikis.  I definitely think it's cool that everyone who views the wiki has the ability to change information.  This gives way to an endless supply of knowledge, unless of course, someone decides to change or add information so that the wiki becomes incorrect and unreliable.  That is the downfall of wikis.  Sometimes, it is difficult for users to tell which information is correct and updated and which is not.  Despite this, I think wikis are an excellent tool to facilitate learning.  Wikis encourage cooperative learning and therefore, are a perfect option for a group project.

Thing #14: Go with the Flow

The first website I clicked on was Gliffy. Gliffy is such a great site because not only users create flowcharts, but they also have access to template for Venn diagrams and other organizational tools.  I decided to create a flow chart using this website.  I did not particularly like the format and layout of the website, but I think with time and practice, I would get better at it.  I started looking for ideas about what to make my flow chart on and I found this website that explained the meaning of the symbols.  (elongated circles=start or end of the process, rectangles=show instructions, diamonds=decisions that have to be made).  Who knew that those shapes actually had a meaning?? I decided to make a flowchart that outlined one of the main responsibilities I have at work: paying the bills.

Here's my example:

Next, I tried Bubbl.  Before, I wasn't sure of the difference between mind maps and flow charts, but now I understand that mind maps are more of a "brainstorming" type of activity.  I could see using a mind map before writing a paper or doing a project in order to get ones idea down on paper.  This website was alright; I found it hard to get started, but I could see students enjoying the use of this website as a prewriting activity.

Thing #13: Web-based Applications

It took my mom and dad FOREVER to buy a laptop.  They have had the same crappy, beastly, giant Dell computer for the past 11 years.  When they finally did get a laptop (about 3 months ago), getting the software for it was a trauma.  My dad complained that it was too expensive to buy brand new Microsoft Office software and my mom just didn't understand why they couldn't keep using the Dell.  Luckily, my dad works at a school, so they offered to give him their software to download on the new computer.  There, problem solved.

Others are not so lucky, however.  They are forced to purchase expensive software that they will probably only use to download the applications one time in their life.  That's why these web-based applications are so wonderful! Users can create a free account and have access to programs exactly like those available in Microsoft Office.  Zoho has many tools such as Zoho Show, Zoho Sheet, Zoho Writer, and others.  These applications look very similar to those in Microsoft so there's not a huge "learning curve" if users are accustomed to using Microsoft Office.  I did notice, however, that there are not as many themes to use in Zoho Show (in comparison to Powerpoint) but hey, you get what you pay for (which in this case, is NOTHING!).  The only downside I can see to these Web-based applications is that users must have access to the internet to work on their projects.  When using Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Powerpoint, and Excel internet access is not necessary because it's already downloaded on your computer.

Google Docs is very similar to Zoho, although I think the layout of Zoho is closer to that of Microsoft Office.  I had a little trouble finding my way around this application. The most exciting thing I found on Google Docs was the Template Section.  There was a whole section labeled "Students and Teachers" and it included templates for grade reports, student achievement certificates, newsletters, syllabi and rubrics, presentation notecards, etc.  It had so many resources for teachers and students.  Students can use Google Docs to make group projects, take notes, and more.  Here is a screenshot of the document I created in Google Docs:
 

Overall, I think I would prefer to use Google Docs over Zoho.  Although I did not like the layout of Google, there were way more choices of themes, templates, etc to personalize each project. 

Thing #12: Googling

Just like many of the tools I'm discovering through the 23 Things Project, I was unaware that Google had so many great (and free!) web tools for teachers.  I wasn't a fan of Google alert because I didn't know what to search for.  I try to watch the news every night, so I couldn't really think of any topic that I would absolutely need an email to update me.  I'm not a big sports fan, so I definitely did not want to get an email about the two teams that I have to like just because I'm from the state (Go Packers and Brewers!)  

Google Calendar, on the other hand, is a wonderful tool for teachers.   This is a great way to keep everyone that is involved in the classroom/school environment (parents, students, colleagues and principals) up-to-date.  Not only can you share your own schedules, but you can see others calendars as well.  This could be useful when setting up parent/teacher conferences, meetings, project/assignment schedules, etc.  Google Calendar can be sent to your phone and you can choose to receive reminders by email or text message.  

Google Translate is also an excellent resource for teachers, especially if they students whose home language is something other than English. Google Translate even as an app for Smart phones where you can speak into your phone and it will translate your words into the language of your choice.  Sometimes, Google Translate is not perfectly accurate, but generally it will get the "bulk of a message" across.  It is especially useful in a pinch if a teacher can't get an interpreter in time.  I translated my own blog into French! Click on the link below:

The French Version of "The Brennan Breeze

Thing #11: Finding Good Feeds

The Cool Cat Teacher Blog about selecting good RSS feeds was very insightful.  She gave very helpful tips as to choosing which blogs to follow.  One of my favorite tips was, "Look for people who inspire you.  Life is too tough to have real and virtual people dragging you down."  So true.  Why would you want to subject yourself to reading down-in-the-dumps blogs when you have complete control over what you read?

As I looked through the EduBlog winners, I didn't find much that I felt I absolutely had to read on a daily basis.  However, when I started exploring Google Blog Search, I found several blogs that I was interested in.  It was so easy to add them to my Google Reader feed too! All I had to do was find the RSS icon, click on it, and the blog was instantly added to my feed.  Searching for blogs of interest was so easy using Google Reader; I just had to type in a phrase, such as  "teaching second grade," and I was able to find several blogs to add to my RSS feed.  I added one blog, "Sunny Days in Second Grade," which has fantastic ideas for lesson plans, building classroom communities, and just plain hilarious stories about the adventures of second grade.  Most of the useful feeds I found were teacher blogs and websites  

I thought Topix and Technorati were kind of confusing because there was a lot going on as soon as you entered the page.  I think from now on, I will stick with Google Blog Search.

Thing #10: RSS Feeds

So far, I am in love with RSS feeds.  It's kind of like a Facebook news feed because readers can keep up with blogs that they are interested.  As Google describes it, "It's like a magazine you create!" I chose to subscribe to a combination of 5 blogs and websites: National Geographic for Teachers, Cool Cat Teacher Blog, PBS Teachers, Step into 2nd Grade, and Taste of Home.  I love that I will always be in touch with these websites and I will able to see updates as soon as they come out.  I look forward to reading about new teaching ideas and projects and finding new recipes to make!

RSS feeds can be very useful for teachers.  For example, teachers can subscribe to different websites and blogs (such as the ones named above) and get the latest lesson plans, activities, and classroom ideas.  Google Reader and RSS feeds can be great tools for keeping educators aware and knowledgeable about the events happening around the world, so that they can share the latest news with their students.  

Thing #9: Image Generators

http://www.imagechef.com/

The first image generator that I tried was Image Chef.  I used the quote "Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future," spoken by John F. Kennedy.  I chose the apple shape because that is usually a symbol for education.  I absolutely love this quote and combining the words to make a visual image is inspiring.  I would love to make this into a photograph, frame it, and then hang it in my future classroom!

http://www.signgeneratormaker.com/

The second image I created using Sign Generator Maker.  This website was a little more complicated and shall we say, disorganized, in comparison to Image Chef.  It took me a while to find a sign that I liked and since it wouldn't let me copy and paste the HTML code, I had to save the image to my computer.  

These image generators could be used to decorate the classroom.  For example, children could choose a short poem, copy and paste the text into Image Chef and then have a visual representation of the poem.  This application could also be used as an introductory activity.  Children could type in their name and words that describe them, along with activities and foods they enjoy and then choose an image to represent themselves.  

Thing #8: Please...no more Flickr...

When I first saw that Thing #8 was about Flickr, I wanted to throw a temper tantrum.  I strongly dislike Flickr and I had no interest in using the website again.  I began exploring some of the mash-ups and I instantly became obsessed with "Spell with Flickr."  When I was in high school, I took a photography class.  One of my favorite projects was when we had to go out and take photographs of things that looked like letters so we could eventually spell out a word.  When it came to "Spell with Flickr," creating the words was one thing; uploading them was entirely different.  It took me a while to figure out how to get them to show up on my blog, but it actually turned out to be pretty straightforward.  

Applications such as "Spell with Flickr" and "Mappr" could be used in various ways in the classroom.  Mappr would be great to use for a geography unit.  Children could find pictures of places they have been or places they would like to go, and those pictures could be uploaded and positioned on a map.  Images could be placed in the classroom blog so parents could see examples of their child's work.  "Big Huge Labs" offers a variety of applications, such as jigsaw.  Most children love puzzles; Jigsaw would be great for an indoor recess option or as a quiet learning activity if a child has completed their work early.  

As for my feelings about sharing photos online, I think it is fine as long as they are appropriate.  Especially when working with children, teachers need to be very aware of what their students are being exposed to.  In addition, if teachers are uploading pictures of their students to their classroom blog, they must get the parent's permission first.  

Thing #7: Flickr

I chose not to create a Flickr account for Thing #7.  This is the first time I have ever been on the website and the first thing I noticed was that it seemed very hard to navigate.  I went through the tutorial and it helped a little, but I was still slightly confused. The tutorial led me to the White House Flickr page, as well as the NASA page.  It was very interesting to look through the photos in these groups; one that especially caught my eye was the satellite photo of the aftermath of 9/11.  It was crazy to think that something so horrific looked so "minimal" from space.

It was hard for me to find a tag that interested me. I searched words such as education, food, dog, home decorating, etc and nothing really caught my eye.  Finally, I searched the word "Cedarburg," which is my home town in Wisconsin.  I miss home just about every day that I'm here, and eventually my husband and I would like to move back.  I found images that local businesses have uploaded, as well as photos of some of my favorite places.  Seeing these pictures put a smile on my face and made me excited to return home.  Despite this, I really dislike the site because it is not user-friendly at all.  Even after the tutorial, I still felt lost; I would rather upload and view pictures on Facebook.  I tried over and over to upload an image as a URL  and I kept getting an error message saying that the image was not "public."  Next, I tried to send the picture to my email so I could upload it from there; unfortunately, it would not let me do that unless I created an account. 

After almost 30 minutes of trying, I gave up trying to upload a picture to this blog post.  The following is a link to the Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce group. 
Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce

What a pain in the booty! I am not impressed with this website one bit...Hopefully my next post will be more positive.

Thing #6: So many choices!

The Web 2.0 tool I chose to explore is called Evernote.  This handy application is a note-taking device that can be used and transfered between Macs, PCs, and even some Smartphones.  Registered users can also use the website to access their Evernote account wherever they are.  The basic version is free, which makes it even better!

This application/website is great for many reasons.  First, you can take pictures of things you like, upload them, and sort them into categories such as: things to buy, redecorating ideas, etc.  Users can also record verbal memos and upload them onto Evernote.  This application is also great for saving websites.  Evernote will keep all your favorite sites in one place and also has the capability of taking screenshots, so you only have to store the pages you need.  Additionally, users can create "notebooks" to save all their important notes in one place.  

This application can be useful in so many ways for teachers and students alike.  Teachers can use it to record observations about their students, bookmark websites, videos, and lesson ideas, and create a shared "classroom notebook" so that all the students have access to important information.  Students can use Evernote to take notes in class or as a virtual "assignment notebook," among many other things.  

Website: Evernote

Video featured on website: Use of Evernote in Schools

Thing #5: School 2.0

The two videos highlighted on APSU's 23 Things Blog provided a helpful explanation as to the meaning of Web 2.0.  This opened up a whole new understanding for me as to how these new technologies can be used productively in the classroom.  

I used to think that having too much technology in the classroom could be a "bad thing."  Maybe that's because I grew up without cable, I had dial-up internet until I was a sophomore in high school (2006), and my sister and I played outside, instead of being immersed in video games.  I realize that times are changing, schools (and students) are becoming more technologically advanced and it is generally to our advantage to keep up with the ever-changing world of technology.  

To me, School 2.0 is the phrase that describes how schools are changing to include all of these new technologies.  Teachers are using iPads, Smartboards, Blogs, YouTube, social networking and so on to facilitate learning and engage their students.  Children have a short attention span as it is, but adding interactive technology to lessons and activities will keep them interested, and hopefully, make the learning "stick."  

I think schools will continue to change with the technology, constantly adding new gadgets and gizmos to help students learn and grow.  Let's just hope they don't find a way to replace teachers with holograms...

Thing #4: Why Commenting is so Important to Bloggers...

Honestly, I did not even realize that a reader could comment on blogs until I read the instructions for Thing #4.  This is proof of how clueless I am about the blogging world, and new technology in general.  I have read plenty of blogs before, but I always stop reading at the end of the content, and obviously, I don't pay much attention to anything else.  

After reading the four articles posted in the "APSU 23 Things" blog, I've realized why blogging is so important.  Commenting helps to create a sense of community and interaction among the writer and the readers because it opens up many doors for discussion.  It allows readers to share their ideas, give constructive criticism, and offer new solutions to a particular problem.  Additionally, comments allow people to discuss common interests, which in turn, creates a sense of community.  Commenting literally invites interaction between the writer and his or her readers.  

Blue Skunk Blog's post about commenting was short, sweet and to the point.  He states, "Anywho, if you would like to make a blogger's day, leave a comment on a post. Agree, disagree, add, or just say thanks, but make it heart-felt. Make it relevant. Don't be a troll."  Writers can invite these genuine comments by asking questions in your blog, as the author of ProBlogger suggests.  Reading the articles mentioned above, as well as the others, made me realize just how many "rules" there are to blogging.  

The first comment that I made was on "Moore to Learn's" blog.  She expressed how much trouble she had choosing a name for her blog.  I shared the same sentiment and also discussed why it was so hard to choose a name.  The title of a blog is the first thing readers see, and of course, authors want to make a good first impression.  I will be updating this post as other bloggers add more content to their blogs.  I also commented on "Lugomania's" blog because I agree that Youtube is a wonderful tool for teaching, but I also think that teachers need to pay special attention to the videos they are choosing.  Tammy (Tammy's Tales) also made a good point in her blog about how the key to teaching is to "beg, borrow, and steal." I agree completely--why reinvent the wheel if you don't have to!  I also commented on "csilvers" blog--she had great ideas about making personalized monopoly cards for rewards, as well as newsletter templates.  Finally, I commented on "Mixon's Magical 23 Things."  On her blog, there was a conversation about Itunes versus Pandora.  I recently discovered Pandora and I absolutely love it.  I think it would be a great website to use during student work time.  

I also commented on Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog.  This blog is so great because she uploads videos of her class and their learning experiences and allows children to write about what they've learned.  She gives many helpful suggestions and ideas about teaching first graders, which is the grade I would love to teach.  Her latest post was a video of the kids summarizing what they learned in first grade.  My comment was about the use of technology in the classroom and how it contributes to an interactive learning environment. 

The other blog I commented on is called Blue Kitchen.  I love cooking and trying new foods (my husband is my guinea pig when it comes to trying new recipes!) The author had recently posted an article about organic versus inorganic foods. I commented on it by sharing a "rule" I heard about buying organic foods.  

Thing #3: Blogs in the Classroom

As I alluded to in the last post, blogs don't always have to about nothing.  They can be useful, too.  For example, I've read blogs to get ideas about new recipes, good books to read, fun things to try, and so on.  These blogs have inspired me to try new things, which is usually always a good thing!

As an educator, I look forward to reading other's blogs about teaching methods, lesson plans, classroom set-up, learning stations and all of the wonderful, work-intensive things that go along with this profession.  Many of my professors have said things like, "There is no use in reinventing the wheel," or "Teaching is about begging, borrowing and stealing!"  There is a lot of truth in these sayings; it is a waste of time to try to come up with a unique, never-been-taught lesson when there is a plethora of ready-made lessons out there.  The trick is to put your own unique spin on these lessons. The beauty of being a teacher is that we have the ability to change, modify, and elaborate the lesson so that it fits the needs of the students in the classroom!  Blogs are an excellent resource for teachers to share ideas and discuss the successes, failures, and improvements of a lesson.  

Blogs can also be used in the classroom as online "classroom newsletters."  I remember one of the coolest projects I did in middle school was to create my own newspaper about myself.  I loved coming up with the name, creating a layout, inserting pictures, and so on.  Creating a blog could be a classroom project; students could vote on titles, choose pictures to include, and create their own posts.  Communication with parents is vitally important to the classroom community and a blog would be just one way to keep the parents "in the know."  It is important to keep in mind that not all families will have access to the internet, so blogging should not be the only way to keep in touch with parents.  

Older students can use blogs to write about their experiences with certain lessons or units, communicate with the teacher, or have discussions with classmates.  Nowadays, students are more engaged if they are working with technology as opposed to pen and paper.  There are endless ways to use blogging technology in the classroom!

Thing #2: There's a first time for everything...even blogging!

In my four years of college, I've only been excited about a few projects, and yes, this is one of them.  Unfortunately, many experiences in college classrooms fall into this awful, monotonous cycle: death by lecture, death by powerpoint, death by paper after paper after paper.  Maybe I'm exaggerating just a little, but the one common thread among the so-called "exciting projects" is that they consisted of hands-on, real-life learning opportunities.  I look forward to this project because it offers so many chances to experience and "play with" these Web 2.0 tools.  I am beyond excited to find out how I can integrate these tools within my classroom community.  

As the title above indicates, this is my first blog...ever!  When I first found out that I would be creating a blog in this class, I was secretly excited, although I had openly laughed at those people who created seemingly pointless blogs about their normal lives.  OK, I admit it...I read those blogs where people wrote about trying new recipes, going to the organic grocery store, finding a ridiculously great shoe sale, or getting a free non-fat latte at Starbucks. In general, creating this blog as been a pretty easy experience so far.  The only difficult part was that I was pretty much dragged, kicking and screaming, into the blogosphere.  At one point in my life, I refused to be one of those annoying people with a blog.  Regrettably, I find myself becoming one of those people I once laughed at.  At this point, all I can hope for is that my posts are not as pointless as the ones described above.  

When choosing the title of my blog, I wanted something that would be creative and memorable.  The first name I chose was "Brennan's Blog."  Talk about boring.  I thought "Brennan's Brainstorm" would be creative, but then I spent 45 minutes trying to find a background that matched the title.  Finally, I decided on "The Brennan Breeze" which I think coincides beautifully with my tropical, serene background picture.  When I created the URL, I was not paying attention to what the teacher was saying about using your name, so of course, I used my full name in the URL.  I quickly changed it to "mrsb23things" because this is a blog about my future profession, so why not use my future "professional name?"

The avatar was a whole new experience for me.  I had never created one before, but I had fun choosing the hair and the outfit.  I chose to make an avatar that looks like me; I guess it had never crossed my mind to make one that didn't look like me.  I did feel a little frustrated at the lack of outfit choices for my avatar, but I settled on an outfit that would fit my professional lifestyle as an educator.  Then, after I changed my theme, I thought, "Who would wear dress pants and a collared shirt on the beach?"  I decided to change my avatar's outfit to something a little more "beachy," and I gave her a Starbucks cup for good measure.  Teachers can never have enough coffee, after all...

Thing #1: Lifelong Learning

What does it mean to be a lifelong learner?  As educators, it is important to understand what this complicated phrase means so that we can instill these values into our students.  "The 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Effective Lifelong Learners" is a good reminder about what it means to be a lifelong learner.  It is critical for educators to be well-versed in these habits and more importantly, to practice these habits themselves.  After all, how can we expect our students to be even slightly motivated, interested, and excited about learning for a lifetime if we are not all of those things ourselves?

Reflection is also another essential practice for educators.  After reflecting on "The 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Effective Lifelong Learners," I realized that I will have to make a conscious effort to practice each of these habits.  The easiest habit for me is habit #1-"Begin with the end in mind."  Because of my childhood and the way I was raised, I am always looking ahead and trying to foresee any problems that might occur.  I always have a Plan A, B, C and Z.  I know that when I have my own classroom, I will not have a lot of trouble staying organized and prepared.  I understand that although it is a lot of work to implement a lesson and have several back-up lessons at the same time, it is worth avoiding that awful feeling of unpreparedness.  Staying prepared and organized is also important when thinking about the end result.  For me, having a set of step-by-step directions and a plan is an easy way to stay on top of my goals, evaluate my progress, and re-evaluate if necessary.  

I practice habit #1 so often and so religiously that I sometimes forget to enjoy the journey to the end result, which leads me to habit #7 1/2-"Play!"  This habit is, by far, the hardest for me, but it is also one of the most important habits of an educator.  Teachers must make every effort possible to make learning fun so that children stay interested and involved and I realize that I need to make a constant effort to have a healthy balance between habit #1 and habit #7 1/2 within my classroom.  The reason that education is such a rewarding profession is because teachers get to watch children grow, understand and transform over the course of a year.  Mastering habit #7 1/2 will be a continuous journey for me but I am counting on my students to remind me of the importance of enjoying the process to the end result, which is creating a classroom of lifelong learners.