"ABC, it's easy as 123":Thing Seven

For "Thing Seven," we are asked to upload an image from Flickr. I chose option one and decided to just explore the website. There are useful qualities in this website. It is always to explore everyone's pictures and see what goes on in his or her world. As a teacher, just searching the keyword "Education" many pictures show up that relate and represent education all over the world. I myself, did use the keyword "Education". The one picture I found that I did like is by James Brauer. The picture basically has three alphabet blocks, reading A B C. The picture is named, "The Importance of Early Childhood Education." I find that early education is the most critical. Children are always changing and developing. It is important that they learn life values and lessons early ahead. As teachers, we are to provide the base knowledge that children will need in later years for high school and college. 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/k12cornerstones/5916756206/ 

YouTube it: Thing Six

For "Thing Six" we are ask to explore a Web 2.0 tools from the awards list. For this particular blog posting I chose YouTube. Yes, just as everyone else, YouTube is nothing new to me however I find this tool very useful for everyday life. YouTube not only has videos for entertainment but many videos that can be related to any class or subject that a student needs help with. There are instructional videos for how to use Smart Boards or even helpful hints with any math class. In many ways one can like this tool and there are not any dislikes I find in this tool myself. It gives users the opportunity to create an account with no cost. Even if a user does not have an account of his or her own, one can still explore other accounts their friends or family may have. When searching a video, other videos appear that are similar that may help you or entertain you. Whenever you explore other videos and information users give out, you can create an account and give back by sharing your own information or videos you may think the world needs to see. As already stated, YouTube is also useful for school-related topics. You can search any subject or problem you are learning in class and find many instructional videos to help you out. YouTube is one Web 2.0 tool that can keep students interested in not only entertainment but learning as well!

School 2.0 future: Thing Five

Web 2.0 tools are the next step in developing technology in the education world. From what I have read, many 2.0 sites are promoting the use of these tools for not only teachers, but the students and parents as well. So far, I have enjoyed using the Web 2.0 tools because it has given me a broader since as to how technology now fits into education.

To me, the term "School 2.0" means turning education to a new direction in technology for students. In the article I read, Web 2.0: A Guide For Educators, it stated that students between ages 12 and 17 use social networking for communicating about everything, including school-related issues. Web 2.0 can help students become much more interested into school and learning because of the tools they can use. 

Schools in the future will have students using Web 2.0 for school as much as Facebook for social issues. Students may even excel in the classroom and achieve higher grades because they will be up to date with new information and what is going on in the classroom when he or she is not present. Web 2.0 will introduce a future of new learning!

Commenting builds confidence: Thing Four

For "Thing Four," we are asked to discuss the importance of commenting and pick 5 of our classmates to comment on. Commenting helps one as a teacher to not only interact with classmates or co-workers, but helps one to get involved! Interaction is one of the top important tools of being teacher because a teacher must interact with students, other teachers, the principal, and also the parents. Having a blog and commenting on others helps to interact with many people!

Out of the readings I took a peek at I noticed the statement, "You show the blogger that 'you hear them'." I found this very important because as future teachers we all need encouragement and the satisfaction that we can grab attention on important topics. The second statement I found said, "Writers like knowing they have been read." I know that it gives me more confidence to know I am being heard. Commenting only proves that one is being heard.

The 5 classmates I chose for this particular 23 Things are:

1. Ava Jayne

2. Emily Rittenberry

3. Doshanna Richards

4. Marilea Blair

5. Susan Peterson.

The sort of comments that I left were such things as "Well done!" or "Powerful words!" But also, I made statements and thoughts. I would like to always go into better detail so my classmate knows, I hear them and I love commenting!



Future benefits: Thing Three

In the future, blogger can be beneficial to me in my teaching years and the education program itself. In the education program, I can blog about all my education classes and teachers, as well as, my field experiences and student teaching. Sharing my ideas and encounters can help with receiving feedback from other education majors who have already accomplished the experiences I am facing. Blogger can also be helpful in my very own classroom whenever I am in the working field. Students can check out my blog for a summary or comments on the lesson(s) from the day or week. Parents can check out my blog for the same as the students or additional information they may not be familiar with. Parents and institutions I work for can check out my past blogs just to be familiar with how I teach or go about the classroom.

Blogger is definitely a web 2.0 tool I will keep within my reach for the near future.



Avatar me: Thing Two

For "Thing Two" we are instructed to describe our experience with creating a blog and uploading an avatar. Creating my blog was not very hard for me. I could easily pick a name for the posting and what not. I chose to name by blog "Blair's 23 Things" because my real name is Cristina and that is how it is presented in the class list so naming it "Blair" can sort of give everyone a heads up as to what name I am called. Actually creating and posting a blog is not very hard for me. I enjoy getting to write freestyle and just share whatever thoughts come out of my head. I actually enjoy this part of the web 2.0 tools project. Lastly, I will explain my avatar experience. An experience and learning process is definitely what it was! It took me asking Mrs. Richardson a week later to help me with not only uploading my avatar to my Blogger profile but where I could even find my avatar after I had already created it. Fortunately, I got the avatar all straightened out quickly. This is the first time I made an avatar of myself as well. I gave myself my green eyes just for personal touch and placed my hair in a ponytail to show my working side because I work a lot and my hair is usually in a ponytail. And to end with, I put myself in simple clothes to express my simplicity that just may stand out through my blogging.

I am only a beginner: Thing One

This is my first time blogging and I would like to take a few sentences to describe this experience. For starters, it is definitely a learning process for me whenever it comes to technology in general. So, as a non-efficient technology girl I had to take careful steps with beginning the 2.0 web tools. It is hard setting up a blog to me because there are so many tools, gadgets, and work that go into a blog. Creating a name and getting started was just the beginning! However, I know as a teacher-to-be it will benefit me in later years. I can keep my blog to discuss experiences when I am actually working in the classroom later. I can give and receive feedback from other teachers who also blog. Though hard to dive into use with, web 2.0 tools will help with my career.

For "Thing One" I had to watch a short tutorial about the 7 1/2 habits for lifelong learning. Each habit is beneficial and inevitable for teachers but out of the 7 1/2 habits I will describe which was easiest and which was hardest. Habit number 1 is what I, personally, found easiest. Habit number 1 stated, "beginning with the end in mind." I may be a somewhat slow learner, but I am good at planning and setting myself goals. As a teacher, setting goals for not only me but my students is just what I plan on doing. Habit number 6 is the habit I found the hardest. Habit number 6 stated, "use technology to your advantage." I already said that it is a learning process whenever it comes to technology so I am nervous whenever I am told the best thing to do is use technology as much as possible. I have talk to a couple of teachers who say they personally do not feel the need for much technology in their classrooms so I always figured I could be the same way. However by week 3 in my Education 3040 class, I have learned that will not and should not be the case.