Ending or Beginning?

    Well, I guess this is it. I have come away from this class with more than I ever could have imagined. I can't think of one thing we have experimented with this semester, that I wouldn't use in my classroom. I have enjoyed becoming a part of the online teaching community, the blogosphere, the web 2.0 community, and the APSU education family. I plan on always referring back to this blog for future references in my classroom, and maybe even for lessons in my block classes! The Livetext portion of this class has also helped me tremendously with making sure I support my selected standards in a variety of ways! If I had to pick a favorite "Thing" we did it would be the organizing tools such as iGoogle and google calendars, because I like using widgets and having everything I need right on my home page when I open it. I am also grateful that you showed us the Pioneer Woman on one of the first days of class because she is an inspiration, and I am always checking out her blog.

     I am definitely glad that this course ended up being what it was, because I now feel like I am ready to teach from a technological perspective, which is what the world is turning into anyway! Thanks for all the great tools and tips! Have a terrific summer!!



Thing #23

     I just searched "23 things blog" in Google and the first result was this blog on Blogger from 2009 that is the same structure as our 23 things

 http://resa-23things.blogspot.com/

     I guess it really is easy to use someone else's idea, but I think hers from 2009 is more for people who are already teachers, where as we are getting a head start and learning before we begin block classes. I will probably do at least one lesson with every class I have about creative commons, fair use and copyright laws, so they don't get in trouble with it in high school or in the real world. I absolutely loved the Disney video on Diigo too! 

Thing #22

     The three Livebinders that I created are:
      1. 8th Grade Required Reading- Reading list with plenty to choose from, Vocabulary Strategies, and The Face on the Milk Carton Lesson Plan
      2. Class Information- Class Roster template, Field trip/Permission Slip template, and a Rubric template.
      3. Website of the Day-I picked random ones to put in here, but it would be a collaboration of every student's WoD, much like our group on Diigo!

I have inserted Binder #2 Class Information below. I think these would be great to keep all of your students writing samples in, and even take some of the best samples and combine them to give as writing guides to your students. Or you could use some of the ones that had mistakes to show them what not to do. There are so many different things you could do with these Livebinders!

  

Class Information

Thing #21

     Well this may just be one of the most fun things ever! These would be great for presentations in and out of the classroom! I wish I had the money to spend for an upgrade because I love doing things like this! The song I picked is "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman because it is one of my favorites and has some parts that remind me of my other half and myself. These are my favorite pictures of Cody and I. I thought I would give him a little credit and put him in my blog since he is the one who brought me to Clarksville!

Make your own slideshow at Animoto.

Thing #20

     The video that I selected from YouTube is one of a Middle School teacher, giving some advice for the first day of school. This is something that I have been thinking about for a while, and it is never to early to have a plan! The teacher in the video makes a good point on being yourself with the students, because by middle school age they are able to tell if you are just trying to be their best friend or if you are actually interested in getting to know them. He says the best thing to do is be yourself regardless of your teaching style and I couldn't agree more! And he has really pretty eyes :)
     I have always liked YouTube for its fast and easy search system, and that it always brings up related videos or ones by the same member on the side of the screen and at the end of the clip. I have most always been able to find what I am looking for or something that similarly relates. If you have your students create an account, it is a good way for them to do some feedback commenting on a social site. Just make sure they don't get into any comment wars like many users do!

Here's the video I selected:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE-OAnSm4lM



    

Thing #19

     I found that Teacher pop was a little like facebook in that you can add photos and leave comments on other members' walls. I uploaded a picture of myself and Cody to the site and commented on my friend Kayla's wall. I tried to get the badge, but my embedding code would work so I gave up! The social communities that I am currently a part of are: Blogger, TeacherPop, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Project Playlist, and IMDB. The new site I chose to join was GoodReads, since I plan on teaching English and I love to read a lot anyway. During registration it has you select your favorite genres of books, and then rate some in each category. It will then automatically give you several new books that are similar to the ones you give good ratings too. You also have the option of selecting "want to read" so you can have a sort of wish list. It will then give you recommendations based on your ratings. I really enjoyed this sight and I think it would be helpful for students who need help finding a book to read on their own. I will try and remember this site to help students who don't like reading so much, or don't know where to look get a head start!

     I also checked out Craftster, and found some neat ideas for the classroom. There are two other sites that I am a part of that I really enjoy finding things to do in the classroom. They are Pinterest and etsy. Pinterest is a board of "pins" from all kinds of users, that give craft ideas, and videos where etsy is more of crafts to buy and sell, but you can choose to search locally so you can pick up things for your students or classroom without leaving town!

I found this personalized hall pass hanger on etsy by typing in "classroom" in the search bar for $40. It will last a long time!

Thing #18

Here is my Twitter account link: https://twitter.com/#!/ashton_ishing
And my Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1073794591

     Social Networking is the best way to share ideas and events that are going on in your classroom, school or community. Teachers need to be up to date on the latest technologies in their students' lives. Also if students see in class that they can use these sites for educational resources, it will make them more enthusiastic about doing their work and sharing their findings.

     From our previous LiveText assignment, I am already following several educational Twitter accounts. Everyday they have interesting facts, and links to current educational issues, and events that I like to check out. Even following Austin Peays accounts on twitter lets me know when things are going on around campus so these should work at a lower level too. I'm not sure that I found anything really new since I have had a Facebook and Twitter for quite a while now.

     I like both Twitter and Facebook equally and have found that they have great features. You can have groups on Facebook, and can "favorite" a tweet on Twitter and you will always have it to go back and look at. Twitter has a page that shows current issues also, but I think facebook is more universal and easier to navigate in a classroom setting.

     I think for classroom applications a Facebook page would be best for a certain class to have, or a group of students to start one for a project or assignment or something like that. At the school I transferred from I had created a group where I friended all of the freshmen that would be coming there in the fall and updated the page for events and class dues and due dates! It felt like a pretty big accomplishment to me and the response was great!