Cool Thing #13

5 Reasons Why I Dislike APA Style
By

Anita Hicks

1. It makes me feel psychotic. (Is that why it is from The American Psychological Association?)

2. Boredom. I feel like I am in a writer's prison! APA style is boring, boring, boring.

3. Dread. I dread writing assignments (see number 2).

4. Possibly a waste of life. Do teachers even read the content of your paper or do they spend all of their time checking the APA style rules and regulations?

5. Headings, tone, length, punctuation, abbreviations, proper alignment and spacing, citations of references, in-text citations, presentation of numbers, statistics, figures and tables, margins, font type and size, hanging indents, page headers, paragraph indentation, title page, abstract, paraphrasing, table of contents, order of references (see number 1).

The above document was created using Zoho Writer. Then I published it to this blog and added this red text. Zoho is so simple to use. A great tool for collaboration! I also like the fact that you can begin creating a document from your desktop but then are able to modify, view or print from another computer. I definitely see Zoho in my future.

Life is too short for APA. . .Have FUN!

Cool Thing #12

Hi. How are you? Me? I feel as smart as Einstein! Why? Because of my newly acquired knowledge of Google tools. And you know what? Learning about Google tools was easy and FUN!

I started by setting up my home page with iGoogle. I was surprised that it only took 30 seconds. . .how cool is that. . .I know, right. Now, I am able to view my inbox, the local news headlines, Comedy Central's joke of the day, weather forecasts and sports scores (Go Saints!) all on one page. In the classroom, iGoogle could be used to quickly access appropriate sites for students and to view a multitude of news sources.

Next, I used Google calendar. This tool allows me to keep track of important dates, tasks and events. I love Google calendar and I will definitely use it as a teacher. I will use it to stay organized and to keep parents informed. This tool is also accessible by mobile phone. Yeah!

Then, I explored Picasa and was able to view the all of the photos and creations that I have uploaded for this blog. But I didn't add any new photos and I'm not quite ready to share. . .yet.

Lastly, I believe that these other Google tools will work great in our classrooms: Google books, Google Earth (I love Mars!) and Google groups (so the students will be able to collaborate on group projects when they are not at school). As I continue on in this journey of Google, I feel like the world is getting smaller. Does that make sense? How do you feel? Do you love Google as much as I do?

PEACE

Cool Thing #11

I'm seriously considering changing my name to Anita Google. . .seriously. I love Google and that's why I mainly used Google Blogs to search for feeds. And while I must admit that I liked using Technorati as well, Google wins. I looked briefly at Syndic8.com but I found it to be, well, yucky. I like sites that are easy on the eyes, plain, and navigable and Syndic8 was maybe too tech-y. I don't have all the terminology down yet, so please feel free to help me, please.

Some of the blogs and sites that I chose were: Teacher Lingo, NPR Topics in Education, Webblogg-ed, The Happiness Club Blog, Kid's Lit, and The Wayne Dyer Blog. I think all of these feeds will be useful to me in the areas of educational research and stress management.

I have learned a great deal from this thing, but I found the Cool Cat Teacher post "How to Create Your Circle of the Wise" was the most helpful. I like how she encourages us to look for people that will inspire us and warns us to stay away from the negative naysayers. She is definitely an inspiration to me and I consider her blog to be a most important resource. How do you feel about her blog?

LIFE IS SHORT-HAVE FUN WITH GOOGLE READER

Cool Thing #10

What a time saver! I am always looking for ways to become more organized, so I am really excited about using Google Reader. The Google Reader will help keep me informed about the things that I care about without my having to search all over cyberspace. And as a teacher, being organized and informed are crucial elements for success and sanity. And I like sanity, don't you?

It is so very cool, this thing #10, because now, I can keep up on my classmates blogs and have the websites, that I view daily, both in the same place. Plus, by learning this thing, I was motivated to subscribe to some new blogs and sites (see blog 11).

This tool will be extremely helpful in: exchanging ideas with teachers and parents, keeping the students up to date on current events, and for collaborating in classroom and professional projects.

In the future, I may consider a public page. . .maybe.

Cool Thing #9

All of the images for this cool thing can be accessed by using this link: customsigngenerator.com
Custom sign generator gives you access to a plethora of different sites where you can create personalized images. For instance, this Albert Einstein image was created using the "Famous People Message Generator" option #19 under "Make Graphics with Text". This generator has over 500 different faces to choose from, and allows you to create any message you would like.




Did you know that Albert Einstein took Education 5540?





This image was made the same way using option #1"Sign Generator"







I had never heard of image generators before this thing. . .it's really a fun tool to play with on a cold rainy day. I'm still pondering how I can incorporate some of these into my classroom. Perhaps I will let the students use them to create and post the classroom rules.

Cool Thing #8

My Corgi is a movie star! This was a fun adventure but it took hours out of my life, literally. I couldn't stop playing at Big Huge Labs. My only disappointment there is that I wanted to make a Andy Warhol type of pop art poster, but the final product just looked weird.

I also liked the motivational posters on Big Huge Labs but I'm still looking for a photo to create one with. It would be neat for the students to be able create motivational posters to decorate the classroom with.

The calendar option would be a great way to keep parents informed about monthly classroom events.

I also think that Spell with Flickr would be a cool way to get the students to play with vocabulary words. I had some difficulty with that site but I plan on revisiting. I love all of these fun tools. I wish I had more time to play! How about you?

Cool Thing #7

Beware! This is my cat, Thurber and he is mean!

I enjoyed contributing his picture to the apsu23things group. I also enjoyed viewing the other member's pictures. In the past I have used Photobucket, but only to be able to post furniture photos on Craigslist. I think I like Flickr better because it was easier to upload the photos. Also, signing up for an account to Flickr was simple because I already had a Yahoo account.

I don't know why, but it feels kind of creepy knowing that my photos are on public display. I think I have some kind of crazy fear thing, in my subconscious mind, handed down from my mother (she is a very private and fearful person). But hey, option number 2 in this discovery exercise was the most fun and I don't have any real concerns. Just don't tell my mom, OK?

I'm not really sure how much I will use Flickr in the classroom. I do love creative expression and believe that it will be a great tool, I'll just have to give it some more thought.

Life is short-Have fun with Flickr!

Cool Thing #6

I chose the site donorschoose.org
On this site, public school teachers, from anywhere in America, can request items needed for various class projects. Individuals can peruse the various requests and donate funds in any amount they wish, to whatever project they choose. Next, once a project gets full funding, the materials are delivered to the classroom. Then, all of the contributors, to that particular project, receive a cost report for the project, photos of the project in action, and a thank-you note from the teacher (give at least $100 and you'll get hand-written thank-you notes from the students). On some of the projects, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will fund 50% if one donor chooses to fund the rest. The requests that I viewed ranged from pocket folders to digital cameras.

This site also has a blog, an impact page,(where you can check key statistics), a store where you can purchase advertising products and great ideas on how to get the word out.

We all want our students (future leaders) to be able to learn and explore the greatness of Web 2.0 tools but, let's face it, there are a number of schools that are at a disadvantage. This Web 2.0 site is the "real deal"; it can help us make a difference. Now, it is not my intention to persuade poor graduate students to spend their grocery money to help purchase school supplies for others (even though it would be cool if we all gave something. . .even a dollar would help), but please check out this website and see if it resonates with you, OK?

Cool Thing #5

For me school 2.0 means a new way to analyze, a new way to critique, and a new way to share. It's about thought combined with action. It's media used constructively! It's a cool new way for us (the world) to break out of the old stale mind-sets of merely "good ideas" and step into endless possibilities of really, real solutions. I am excited about the future of education! We are now entering a thrilling new time, a time where we are no longer limited to our classrooms, to our schools, or to our districts; we can collaborate, plan, and create with anyone and anywhere in the world and fast. School 2.0 is not about regurgitating answers for a test that only measures how well a person can take a test. . .no way! I believe School 2.0 is the new and true NCLB. It's the way learning should be.

Everyone one I know has a page on a social networking site or uses other web 2.0 technology. And I truly believe in the great potential of these applications. I think they can be especially useful as a way to raise awareness about the problems that plague our world (like the genocides in Darfur). Web 2.0 is exposing us to ourselves. It's showing us that our actions (no matter how seemingly small) make a difference. WE ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! What a beautiful thing that we can all be a part of the cure. So, I am thankful that Web 2.0 is forcing us to be aware, to be better communicators and to be a solution oriented society. And soon 2.0 will be a natural part of life just like using the telephone. Let me know your thoughts.


Life is short-have fun!

Cool Thing #4

It's not that I dislike commenting on other people's blogs, it's just that I have this fear that I will, unintentionally, say something ridiculously stupid. And then, I will have to avoid eye contact with my classmates and slump around in the hallways like some type of abused animal for fear of being rejected. But I am willing to change. I am willing to face this blog thing head on. Not only because I have to, but more importantly, because I know that it is important for me not to stay stuck in my head and fail to do one of the most important things in life-GIVE. And this is why I feel that thing #4 is so cool. Because we can give a part of ourselves away; we can leave a part of ourselves behind, like "The Cool Cat Teacher explains in her blog,"How to comment like a king (or queen)!" And while blogging and commenting can be a little scary, it forces us to "put ourselves out there", to become more open, and to get to know each other better. Yeah!

Everyone wants to be heard. Everyone wants to belong. A life lived for oneself is indeed a dreary existence, and I don't think we are here on earth to shrink back and to not participate. But, while I strongly believe this, often times I have found that it is hard for me to be the one that takes the first step. I am actively working on this.
But I want you to know, reader, that I appreciate your blog entries and your comments . . . I really mean it. But I am still working on the procrastination thing, so if I fail to respond please don't perceive me as rude or uncaring. I'm probably just in a "blogging funk",( as was identified by Darren Draper in the "Drape's takes" blog), busy writing a paper for Dr. McMahan's class or doing something really daft like watching Project Runway. But we will discuss forgiveness in another blog, OK?

Stay tuned. . .

UPDATE

For this thingy, I am following ALL OF YOU. . .Yeah! But I am instructed to only list 5, sorry. Anyhows, here they are:

Jessica Watson-Because she is way smarter than me, she is totally funny and she takes cool pictures. Plus, I am hoping that by reading and commenting on her blog I will magically become smarter (or at least people will perceive me to be when they read this)

Eddie Barnes-Because he speaks Latin. . .need I say more?

Natalie Dean-Because she loves the YouTube and because she makes awesome videos.

Dusty Brady-Because his blogs are interestingly funny. (I think he warped my brain with a technology laser beam).

David Rawls-Because he uses both sides of his brain at once. How does he do that?

Morgan Conwell-Because of her awesome imagination and creativity.

And Here are two of the blogs that I chose to follow outside of AP:

The Dr. Dyer Blog-Because he inspires me to be a better person.
And
Kid's Lit-To keep up on the latest and greatest children's books.

So, there you have it. I really hope all of you keep having fun and please, please keep blogging. Please.