April 12th 2011

So another day another web 2.0 application learned.  I spent the beginning part of class fretting about how my new computer already got a virus only to find out that my virus protection was outdated (already) and Steve had to come to the rescue (thanks again Steve.)  I should probably use the computer a little more often so that I know these things.  I think that this class would have been less frustrating for me if I was on my own computer.  I wouldn't have to hunt down which window I was in and I could have easily accessed files on my own computer.  However, we all know that technology does not always cooperate and we as users need to be flexible and adaptable.  I would say that in my past ten years of teaching that being flexible and adaptable is the most important lesson that I have learned.  I found the scavenger hunt to be useful and tiring at the same time.  I think that being such a large document made it feel daunting and overwhelming.  I will be interested to figure out how to do the rest of the things that were on that list.  I was happy to take a break from it though. 
I am excited to try Jing.  I think that is an application that will be easily adaptable into my classroom and to a parent resource center on my eboard.  I know that math is taught very differently know then it used to be and I think that parents would be very excited to have a place to go to get the class notes explained so they feel capable to help their children.  I think that I may want to do an independent project creating a parent resource website of how to for pre-algebra parents so that they can watch the jings and use the worksheets as extra practice for their kids. I will have to see if that is an appropriate project, I wonder what a point total would be for something like that?  Any suggestions? 
Well I will leave with this.....Everything in our lives is all about perspective whether it is our own or our students.  This is the perspective that I prefer......