Yup – I got an ipod Touch today! it’s soooo freakin cool! I still have my video ipod and I’m going to keep that for a while since it’s 30GB and the touch is only 16. I have a ton of audiobooks, so I kept those in the video ipod (along with everything else) and put music and videos on the touch. The coolest thing about the touch is the wi-fi access! I have a wireless network in my house, so I’ve been playing with that. It’s going to be really cool to not have to pull out the laptop, or lug it around in places with free wi-fi. I’m especially looking forward to using it at FETC in January. Maybe I’ll even do some live blogging. The keyboard is a bit sensitive, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.

To keep this post somewhat education oriented, I’ll talk about another new toy I’ve been using – Classblogmeister . It’s a great tool to keep kids safe online while allowing them to blog. I used Learnerblogs for the past few years, but all of a sudden last year I couldn’t access them at school. They weren’t being blocked, but the IT guys could not figure out why the pages wouldn’t load. Learnerblogs was cool because of all the different templates, but in order to have security for the kids I had to set up individual accounts for each student using the gmail+name system. That was time consuming. With Classblogmeister I copy and pasted names from my class roster into their system and had classes set up quickly. Classblogmiester doesn’t have many templates to choose from, but my students will live I have been having some issues with Classblogmeister, but I’m forging ahead with it and I’m going to introduce it to my students tomorrow. I just hope that I can actually access it at school……..

This weekend was a blast. Even though the Red Sox lost horribly in the 11th inning, the game was great up until then and the experience was priceless. The energy at Fenway Park was electric. Everyone was psyched to be there. The weather was actually pretty nice. We dressed for a blast of cold, and when we got to the park I actually took off my turtleneck; I still had long underwear and a sweatshirt on. I was wearing long johns under my jeans and I had wool socks on, too, with all weather work boot type shoes. I also had an ample supply of winter hats, gloves and a scarf in my bag. Around 11pm it got chilly. I went to the ladies room and put a pullover fleece on under the sweatshirt and I was fine. I also had gloves on for a bit, but I was texting with friends and that’s hard to do with gloves on

We did not stay until the bitter end; we left when the score was 9 – 6. By the time we got out of the stadium and around the corner the score was already 13 – 6! We had to take the T back to where we left the car in Quincy and then drive back to RI. We arrived back at the house at 3:10 am! Needless to say we slept in the next morning; I think we got up at about 11:15am. In the afternoon we we watched the Patriots game – at least THEY won!

Here’s a link to my pictures from the game. Enjoy! Red Sox Game

All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go……

I took today and Monday off in order to go to Boston for the Red Sox game! Actually, I’m flying into Providence and staying with friends in Rhode Island for the weekend. One of those friends is coming with me to the game. We both feel bad that her husband can’t go with us, but not too bad! LOL Actually, they have tickets for next Saturday’s game – if there is a game next Saturday. As much as I’d like to see the Red Sox win it in 4, I’ll root for 6 so that my friends can go to next Saturday’s game.

I’m packed for cold weather – after 11 years in Florida 60 degrees is winter to me! And 60 could be the HIGH this weekend in New England. The game is a night game, so I’m expecting near freezing temps during the game. I have a turtleneck and a couple of fleece’s and a Gor-Tex rain coat and warm shoes and gloves, but I can borrow stuff from my friend, if needed – Red Sox winter hat and sweatshirt come to mind

No matter what happens (yeah – right – NOT!), this weekend is a once in a lifetime experience for me. I have never to a post season game of any sort. The last time the Marlins were in the World Series I was trying to get tickets even though it might not have been the Red Sox coming down here (That was the year the Marlins beat the Yankees for the Championship). I was willing to pay a lot more than what I paid for these tickets just to see a World Series game, but I never did get tickets to that game. I’m a die-hard Red Sox fan, but I’m also a BASEBALL fan!

Then I had to get airfare (I live in Florida). I ended up with GREAT flights that weren’t too horribly expensive. If the Red Sox don’t make it to the next series, then I’ll still go up and spend the weekend with my friends. I do have to take off Friday and Monday, but everyone at work was so supportive and happy for me – they know what a big Red Sox fan I am. The kids who I had in class when I made the purchase – nice to be the computer teacher and able to be in front of a computer all day – were so great when I told them – the were SO happy for me!

Then, I had my friend’s log in because she got picked to try for tix too – and at 3:10 – 5 mins before the final bell – I got in again and got her tickets for Game 6. Standing room only tickets and that game may not even be played, but she was happy. So she’s going with my on the 13th and then maybe again on the 20th!

I’m still flying high from the excitement! Woohoo! GO RED SOX!!!!!

Post Season here we come!!!

I have wanted a Mimio Interactive Whiteboard for years – the price is right and my Media Specialist, who was with me this year, has agreed to purchase one for me I showed it to the math teacher who was with us and he wants one too – I’ll share mine with him for the rest of this year and we’ll try to get him one next year.

I also got some good info on making Digital Stories better. Just some small tips to take them up a level. I did some workshops on podcasting, which is something that I want to do, but haven’t felt that I have enough knowledge to do. Too bad we don’t have Macs because Garageband is the coolest thing! I will do podcasts with audacity and other tools.

Did you know that headphones use the same technology as microphones? If you plug headphones into the microphone jack you can use them as a microphone! My students are doing that to narrate their digital stories. The quality is not as good as if you used a microphone, but until I figure out how often I’ll podcast, I’m starting out with headphones (Note: I didn’t learn this at FETC – I learned it from my friend’s 14 year old son)

I didn’t win an ipod as a matter of fact I didn’t win anything. But I have decided that I NEED a video ipod, so I’ll be buying one next weekend

I have a ton of stuff to go through and new websites to visit – I’ll post any other good stuff as I find it.

I love this conference! Every year I get some great ideas to use in my classroom – software and best practices. One year I won a copy of Office 2003 and last year I won a copy of OneNote. This year I really want to win a new ipod

There are two software programs that I found last year that I still use in my classroom, and will continue to use. EdClass is a program with lessons that integrate core curriculum with Office products. It is only for Windows (maybe they have a Mac version that I am not aware of) and offers options for Win98, 2000 and XP. You can also choose your Office version from 2000, XP or 2003. I bought this for use as my computer curriculum, but my media specialist thought it would be great for everyone. There are plenty of activities to go around. I did a (poorly attended) training and then no one ever used the program.

The other program that I found last year is my favorite! NetSupportSchool is a program that allows me to monitor the computers in my classroom. It not only lets me *spy* on the students’ computers, but it also lets me take control of their computers in order to help. It also lets me broadcast lessons and videos from my computer to all of theirs. I can even log on, log off, shutdown and reboot the computers from my workstation. There is so much that this program does and I haven’t even learned it all. We bought this program for my computer lab, and two other rooms. The research teacher has a mini-lab of 13 computers and the media center has a full lab of 25 computers. For some reason we never installed the program in those rooms. That reminds me to check on that next week. We should do it in the media center at least. We didn’t have a permanent research teacher at the beginning of the year, and then when we did hire one, I didn’t want to overwhelm her with added technology.

I am looking forward to finding new ideas at this year’s FETC. Is anyone else out there who reads my blog going?

1) I almost quit teaching at one point. Thank goodness I figured out that it wasn’t what I was doing, but where I was doing it that was the problem. Each job after that revelation was a better place and made me a better teacher. I think that the job I have now is my final one – I have finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up

2) I’m an only child. I always wanted more siblings, but that was out of my hands. Actually, I always wanted an older brother – that wasn’t going to happen as I was my parents first try . I tell people who ask my opinion about being an only child, not to have just one. I found it to be a lonely childhood and now as an adult, as I contemplate my parents getting older, I have no one to help me with the responsibilities or to share my fears of my parents growing older.

3) I almost didn’t become a teacher. I was absolutely, horribly frightened by the prospect of student teaching. So I actually came into teaching through the ‘back door’, as I like to call it. My undergraduate degree is in Psychology and I have an M.Ed. in Special Education. My graduate program allowed me to get teacher certification in Severe Special Needs without an undergraduate degree in Education so I never had to do Student Teaching . In the state I teach in now I have certification in what is called Varying Exceptionalities, which allows me to teach almost anything Special Ed, and a Reading Endorsement, which is like having a Master’s in Reading, but it was only 15 credits. I don’t currently use my Special Ed certification. I teach Computers and Reading in a Middle School.

4) You’d never know I used to be shy and afraid to talk in public if you knew me in person now – I can talk anyone’s ear off. Last night at a New Year’s Eve party I realized I was babbling away to someone I’d just met – I have yet to figure out how to gracefully stop talking once I realize that I’ve gone into babble mode

5) I am a beer snob. I love what I call ‘real beer’ and I love finding new beer. Budweiser, Miller and those types of beers are NOT real beer. Some of my favorite beers are (in no particular order) Guinness, Bass, Sam Adams, Magic Hat, Newcastle, DeChutes – oh I know I’m leaving out so many. If anyone has any beer recommendations for me, I’d love try some new ones.

OK so those are 5 things you never knew about me. I’ve been thinking long and hard about who to tag with this, but so many people have been tagged, and some have decided to tag themselves, that I’m going to break tradition and not tag anyone in particular, but to say that anyone who chooses to should share 5 things about themselves.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I also have to decide who *I* will tag!

Have a Happy New Year! See you next year!