Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter!

Christmas Thoughts...

After living through Hurricane Ike last year (2008), the Houston flood of April (2009), and having one crazy, busy, super stressed summer and the months that followed due to major life changes... Well, you just get to have a different outlook on Christmas and general celebrations.

I grew up in a family where "celebrations" weren't really celebrated... Not because there wasn't anything to celebrate, but because unfortunately, it was just the way it was. Trust me, don't ask.

Anyway, from an early age, I learned to be content with little... But little did I know that I still had a long way to go before I could actually understand how to live life in "good times and bad." The efforts for recovery and getting back to the routine after these major life-altering events have been crazy, hard, and believe it or not, good. Yes, good and here's why.

To make my long story short, this Christmas I didn't even put up a Christmas tree since I've been between homes. I don't even know where it is at my house. It's always been me the one that "celebrates" things and moments in my family. This year, there were no Christmas presents, no birthday presents, no birthday "party" either, for me. I'm 28 now, and I still feel like I don't have it figured out yet. My soul thirsts for God, there are still many broken things in my life, and as the world gathers to celebrate the joyous occassion of the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the world, I can only think of one thing: I would love for everything in my life to be just right. I'm not talking about having more money, more material things, etc... But in an overall evaluation of everything I wish I could come to the conclusion that everything is right by actually feeling it. Isn't that the way things should be? Living "the right time" at the right spot, the right thing, the right moment, the right words, the right thoughts, the right actions... That's what I wish for. I know it's probably confusing to read this... Many thoughts come to mind as I'm hanging out at my parent's house and that always stirs a lot of different things within me.

The Bottom Line: May you and your loved ones enjoy the true meaning of one of the most popular English phrases all around the world, "Merry Christmas." It's not the presents. Not other stuff nor the decorations, although they're not bad to have (but actually pleasant and nice to look at!) if the focus is Jesus. It's about being in the company of each other, enjoying the peace that God can give in a family or individual, and having that profound, grateful attitude of being happy in abudance and in scarcity... the good times and bad, and recognizing that Jesus is the source for everything good. That's the real blessing and gift of Christmas, in my humble opinion.

A Christmas Greeting

Ho ho hooo! I am a dancing Santa Claus and I have a wish for you. Watch my dancing Santa video card at

http://www.dancingsantacard.com/?santa=694607

Enjoy! :)

You're invited!

Be part this weekend of the beloved classic:

Que Pasa, U.S.A?

Only one other person that happens to be a friend and colleague knows about my love for this TV show, aside from my family of course... Thanks for listening to me, Robia! :)

Source: Here

What's up?

A lot since my last post :)

1. In October, reminisced about the year 1999 as I ran into a live, TV concert performance of the Backstreet Boys. Yes, you can laugh but they did define my junior and senior year of high school. I graduated back in May of 99. They also came out with a new CD on October 6. FYI in case you're wondering :)

2. I'm enjoying teaching my group of kids this year. I couldn't ask for a better year! :) In spite of the "busy-ness", meetings, more work and expectations, and less time to sleep and rest, I've had some great new lesson ideas on this great school year. Most of my students (like 93%) this year are sweet, smartER, caring, polite, and good-hearted. This formula = success.

3. Enjoyed a very happy Thanksgiving :)
Thankfully evaluating all the blessings I've received this year: New house, new car, new attitude for and @ work, and a new outlook on life. Aw, refreshing... and worth the wait :)

Source: Here.

4. Been using my acitvboard and loving it! Especially the speakers... Great sound! It makes grading papers, lesson planning and organizing your classroom OK when listening to music with surround system on those long afternoons.

5. Busy being a new homeowner :) And spending lots of $ on paying bills :(

6. Watching a kitten "grow up" (Vivo - check out one of my early posts) and become as big as his mamma, already!! And he's not even 5 months old yet until Dec. 18th. The awesomeness of life :)

7. Countdown to my birthday as December started! I'll be 28 soon... Yikes!!!

8. Watched an episode of strict parents on MTV, accidentally, and I'm glad to report that I'm on my way to good parenting! LOL :) Seriously, these parents were both coaches. It was cool and hilarious to hear the things I tell my students on TV!! At the same time, it was touching to know that care, going the extra mile, and redirecting children's behavior often and as needed, in order to help them stay on task or on the right track - pays off. Well, sometimes. Especially for the kid. And that is what it is all about when you become an educator. Helping kids change their lives, one child at a time, one day at a time.

OK. Enough nostalgia and perfect world thoughts.

9. The little and simple things make me happy. I attended a grade-level team meeting this week where our 6th grade AP had breakfast for us (yogurt, various kinds of donuts, fresh fruit, granola bars, and!!! chocolate and a candy cane on each one of our seats). I was excited to just be @ work! Hahahaaa... and was ready to listen to what he had to tell us. At the same time, with him being a guy and all, I was impressed at how sometimes people do try to make an effort to plese you and make you happy. And that is great to have, at work and in life.

10. Snow day! and early release at school @ 12:30 today because of the snow. It was exciting. Super fun. The kids had a blast. It's moments like these that remind us that working with kids is fun... Well, good kids that is :) Days like today are much needed. We even celebrated a colleague's birthday during lunch. You could see the snow storm happening before our eyes since my classroom is sorrounded with windows on two of the four walls... For a couple of hours, my class turned into a science lab :) At dismissal, I played with the snow, made snow balls, threw them at another teacher friend and the sorrounding areas... Froze my hands as I removed all the snow from my car before driving off, and walked in the snow and freezing rain as it was coming down my face :) Driving in the snow was a first for me. When I got home, went outside in the cold for like 20 min. looking for Vivo's mom - Minni, who finally came back inside after her adventure today... And as I waited for her, the neighbor's cat also showed up at the same time in our backyard. Yes, I fed him too.

After work today, I've been hanging out at my parent's house since we live 2 min. away from each other! lol and I'm staying here tonight.

11. Even the Weather Channel covered our story: Snow in Houston!? They sent their best, Jim Cantore, to report on the happenings all around the Houston area. When a city with an average temp of 67 degrees around this timeof year hits freezing conditions and 1 in. of snow at Hobby Airport (more than NY and Chicago, per the news media) - You bet it's news!!!

Vacation @ Work

When needing a vacation from "work" @ work, consider this:

• Signing up for the computer lab,
• Visiting the library,
• If you have an outdoor classroom available at your school, use it!
• And if everything fails, switch your classroom for a day with another teacher... Especially if you have access to a classroom portible.

Life is lovely, as it should be, when you get to escape your every day routine outside of your classroom. How do I know? I'm at the computer lab all day today finding statistics on countries in Latin America. Yes, a wonderful demographics project that helps with benchmark concepts, use of technology in the classroom, and motivates students to learn in a different way than regular class... In other words, everybody is a winner with this plan! It's my first time @ the lab this year and this is what I have accomplished so far today with 1.5 hours still to go until the end of the day:

• Checked email
• Signed up for a mandatory ActivBoard training
• Signed up for a substitute for that day...
• Entered grades...
• Checked today's assignments...
• It's like I suddenly disappeared from the school, completely invisible... great feeling...
  
• In every class period, taught a mini-lesson
  
• The kids are "into it" :) and quiet!
• Kept myself hydrated by drinking lots of water
• Jammed to "Wait for Me" by Rebecca St. James - background music only, no vocals, as I've worked...
• and wrote this post in my blog.

After a rough start to my Monday... Auditorium duty and unexpected parent conferences, this was the perfect "planned" lesson/day.

In conclusion, the lesson today is:
Sign up for the computer lab OFTEN !!! :)

And enjoy your stress-free, drama-free, noise-free, and interruption-free, very productive & successful day! Yes, I feel like life is beautiful right now... :) The grass is always greener at the end of the rainbow, and yes, that pot of gold is waiting for you @ the other side of the bridge... And so on... You get my point. Cloud 9 below... :)

Thank God for day brighteners!

Say it with flowers...

Good for any occasion.

That's a Curveball...

Picture from here.

Wow, I never thought I would ever say this... But I think I got thrown off my little boat! I was sailing across the ocean, everything seemed to be fine, and suddenly - there I went. Down. Fast.

It happened so fast that I didn't really process it until 24 hrs. later.

So what happened, right? You might be saying, "this girl needs to get to the point!" You're right. And that's precisely the thing: It was one of those things where there was a chain of events that got started by this one thing... and everything else followed... But it all made sense. It was as if there was a massive, condensed, and intense lesson going on before me. And yes, I think I learned the reason, got the message, understood the lesson, whatever you want to call it. In addition, I also see where my mistake lied.

What did I learn?

It's in the times when everything is running smoothly, you're getting everything accomplished, God is blessing you in every single possible way, and you feel good - that you truly need to worry and be alert. In other words, WATCH IT.
That's the problem.
God wants to bless us beyond our wildest dreams, but it is up to us if we can handle it and live up to that level of "administration" of gifts. Does that make sense?
In difficult times, when there is adversity, we are drawn closer to God. But when everything is going great, yes, it's true, we neglect our relationship with the Giver of everything good because things are sooo nice. It just happened to me and I was not a very good fighter. Literally, BIG things going great in my life. Although I saw it happening, it was as if I couldn't do something about it... or just didn't react because I was lazy... I felt like I was slowly slipping away... I could see it and feel it. Because of my disconnection with God, one little thing caused me to slip, brought me down... and other things came tumbling down as my little rock at the top of the pyramid came falling down, all the way down, and bringing other things down along with it... Yes, it's called, "Still learning how to put God first above everything else" at age 27, knowing much, much better. Disappointed? Yes, in me. I even feel guilty for so many reasons. I know I can do better. So why don't I??? Aaaah! Self-analysis.

Yes, priorities matter.
I see it in a different way after today. In a greater, deeper way and I thank God for that.
I'm reminded of the life of David in the Bible... How he was this amazing guy that had a special relationship with The Lord, but messed up along the way. He was STILL a man from God, but the consequences of not being "connected" to God as he should have, were devastating.

What a lesson for me. I pray that never again do I mess up like that. I'm so thankful to God for being faithful, sovereign, and forgiving - no matter what, and for loving me with eternal love and grace like He does... Dios es bueno en todo tiempo. Thank you God for your forgiveness and comfort in times when I fall and you pick me up. Thank you. Thank you. Gracias con todo mi corazon.

Tostadas anyone?? anyone??

What can I say? I love good Mexican food when I see it, and this recipe for tostadas looks like a winner to me and here's why: Two reasons.

• Although I have my own family version... :) Very few times do I see the "Pre-frying" and baking in oven suggestion. Definitely a must and it's even better when using freshly made, corn tortillas as you fry away. For someone that's very critical of any so-called tostadas, I must say that the recipe does an excellent job at including the true, real ingredients of what goes on in a Mexican Tostada. Plus, they are super easy to make. Think layers!
  
• Second, love the presentation. Yes, even if the recipe is not the greatest or if the food is not up to everyone's taste bud "standards"... you know you can always appeal to their other senses... such as sight! Serve your Mexican dishes on traditional Mexican plates found at local Hispanic stores sometimes... Or if feeling up to a challenge, don't be afraid to explore the flea market. It should be a very interesting experience but you'll find what you need and more! at a discounted price.
  

I can see how this blue plate would be the perfect contrast if I had a rectangular table with a white linen tablecloth like this one below... Aw, the possibilities... classy, elegant, with warmth yet clean-cut. Just my kind... (of style, of course... :)

Picture found here.
Product from Williams-Sonoma.
I love this place!

PS: I can't wait to make tostadas again!!! My friends and family always love them, and my family is very critical about my food, so I'm sure yours will be loved as well! :)

World Studies: Cuba

Cuba in a nutshell...

When people think of Cuba they most likely think dictatorship, Fidel Castro, Guantanamo Bay, Cuban cigars, Miami, and yes, Desi Arnaz (Lucy's husband, Ricky, in I Love Lucy). But there's actually more to Cuba... Way more.

Although the land is only 90 miles away from Florida, it's a completely different world. It's kind of like going back in time... to a place that stopped 60 years ago. In the following list, I intend to bring more awareness of this unique island nation.

1. This is the land of the guajiro, a Cuban from the countryside but a popular expression in conversations with others...
2. Cafecito (expresso coffee) is always good at anytime...
3. A guayabera for men is a must in every closet (a popular man's shirt)
4. The people that make it to the U.S. don't forget about their families back home... and try their best to bring everyone to freedom.
5. Awesome arroz con frijoles negros (rice with black beans) and yuca
6. La Guantanamera (remains a classic, Cuban folk song)
7. The Cuban people that become Christians are like the Great Wall of China - Solid, firm, and never down... And lasting for thousands of years. After living to "resolver" with a painful history and present, I can see why all the Cuban ministers I've met have a strong faith in a very powerful God.
8. Roots of one of my favorite sayings, "Viva Cuba Libre."
9. There's no place like El Malecon de la Habana or Cuba's Seawall in Havana.
10. And yes, check out this video (hilarious! at first)... Watch the last scene... I think it says it all: Culture, passion, love, greatness, romance in more than one way, pride, family, unity, talent, happiness in the midst of adversity, and true beauty.

Thank you DJHazElCubanoo for uploading this classic and memorable video back on YouTube... :)

Muchas gracias a DJHazElCubanoo por volver a poner este video clasico y memorable en YouTube para el deleite de todos nosotros que crecimos en una familia como la de Los Pena. :)

Facing Reality As I "Retire" My Summer

Time to retire my summer 2009 Avatar: I love you, Swimming!!!
I attended today the Grand Re-Opening of the SBISD Natatorium and it just seemed like the perfect conclusion to my passion this summer: Swimming.
Labor Day already passed... It's starting to cool off... The A/C @ school is no longer breaking down, and swim team season started when school did... Sooooo, summer is officially over : (

As hard as it is to accept reality, at least I can say that I've had an amazing summer, filled with excitement and new things. Lots of learning, that's for sure... And that's great.

I have my YMCA instructor to thank, Juan, for teaching me so much without him knowing about it. Because of his example, I learned to swim, dive, try all the possible strokes and kicks, tread water, discovered and used muscles I had no idea existed, for the first time someone believed in me -- always teling me that I could do it! Without knowing me, he did believe in me and it was genuine. I learned to believe in myself, experienced the first real and genuine words of encouragement I've ever received in my life from someone that didn't even know me about accomplishing something new (had never heard that from people in my life), became 100% comfortable in a swimsuit, learned new levels of patience I had no idea existed, made me feel that I needed to become a better teacher :) (rude awakening... I needed that... All due to his quiet example. I felt like a kid wanting to be just like him!), and most of all: Saber que es posible encontrar a un hombre con grandes cualidades como son el ser humilde, inteligente, servidor, trabajador, educado, prudente, respetuoso, y siii! El ser agradecido; fisicamente fuerte y sano (en buena condicion fisica... De atleta!!!), con metas y proposito, y que ame a Dios por sobre TODAS las cosas. Me hizo pensar en lo que pudiera ser... Lo posible... Tanto asi, que senti el deseo de pedirle a Dios por su bendicion en mi vida de proveerme un esposo que sea increible y a la vez normal... un hombre que ES hombre... no perfecto :) con bastante que aprender y con el deseo de querer ser mejor... Que sea bueno con todos... y super lindo conmigo. :) Es posible. Ahora lo se. :) Y espero que pronto sea una realidad muy probable. Nunca habia vivido un ejemplo como el. Jamas. Y me quedo admirada de como Dios usa ciertas cosas/momentos/personas/ocasiones para hablarle a uno, hacerlo ver, refleccionar y despertar... Porque uso a Juan para bendecir mi vida en motivarme y en todo lo que ya mencione... Y estoy por siempre agradecida. :) Thank you God, thank you mom for your unconditional support, and of course, how can I forget?! --> Thank you, Juan.
I'm reminded of Scripture:

"In everything give thanks..."

and

"To everything there is a season..."

With no further ado, thank you God for my wonderful, busy, very stressful, adventurous, fun and exciting summer! I loved it. And I have You to thank for your provision of all the blessings in my life. Summer is over but your seasons aren't. I trust you and I look forward to a new time, new season, new beginning... a new adventure.

Animoto :)

It's been a while since I've been here... I've been soooo busy trying to move to my new place... and balance life with work. What a task!

We're now being tested every 1.5 weeks or 2, sometimes... It seems like there are 5 new things this year in my school, and particularly true in my department:

1. Eduphoria
2. E-portfolios
3. Benchmarks described above...
4. ActivBoards soon to arrive in October...
5. and a new attendance/grading system soon to come as well...
6. In addition to construction on both sides of our school: A SPARK park and roof rennovations...

Yes, all very lovely :) and stress free (my joke of the day)

Do you see why it is impossible to leave my job at 3:55 every day - and taking "work" home is not an option... :(

I only have Monday (tomorrow) to review my kids on 3 days worth of lessons where I didn't get to teach or "touch on" globalization... but I will tomorrow. I knew I needed something real good and to the point because we don't have time... as always. Soooo, last night, the idea came to me: I could use Animoto to teach Globalization!!! :) Problem solved.
Check out my vid and let me know what you think... Have a great week! :)

The World of "Firsts"

My first time

This post is not about what some people may think it's about... It's safe to read, promise! :)

I never thought that so many "firsts" would happen to me all together and at the same time... The timing so happened to be, I didn't plant it.

It happened immediately after my last day at school, which was the Saturday right before the Monday when everything started: June 8, 2009.

1. Started seriously swimming.
2. Closed on my first home.
3. Took a technology class but not in a regular "classroom" and started this blog.
4. Bought a new car, thanks to Cash for Clunkers.
5. Started a brand new school year as a teacher. For those of you that are educators, you know that it's a roller coaster of craziness the weeks before and after the first day of school.
6. This summer I have met and made new friends along the way... good people. :)
7. Actually started looking the part. Dressing nicer to work and looking "professional" as Harry Wong implies :) Someone told me two days ago that I was finally looking professional... and I laughed. I guess I was not professional enough before...?! *I think it's funny so it didn't bother me*
   
8. My first refrigerator (mine! I actually own it!!) was delivered to my house 3 days ago. It was a gift from my parents. :) Thank you mom and dad.
   
9. I'm having the best beginning of the school year - EVER!!!! I'm relaxed and enjoying it!!!
10. Last, I have received some of the nicest compliments from people I've met lately,
11. and yes, I guess it is a new beginning for me. Aw, what a feeling!
    A friend asked me,

    "What brought all of this change in you?"

    I thought about it... and at that moment I didn't have an answer. My mom, however, knowing me very well said it was the 25-year flood that happened in our neighborhood in April of this year that brought a whole new perspective on life and things. True. I think that sparked it... and I'm glad it did. Our house flooded and we faced tough moments that were different from others we've lived as a family.
    

I am reminded of Romans 8:28 in the Bible, "All things work together for good to those who love God, to those that are called according to His purpose." I guess I'm just not used to all these good things happening to me - and all at once!! How amazing. The only thing that I can say and give credit to as to why this is happening to me NOW - at a time like this - in the middle of a recession and lots of stress and work --> God's grace upon my life. And I'm so thankful for that.
I had never felt God's love for me so strongly like I did this summer and I'll never forget that.

There's nothing like having hope in Him who's the giver of all good things. God can take one's imperfections and make something beautiful with that if one surrenders all to Him, just like it's been happening to me since the beginning of June. My faith in The One that knows my past, present, and future has grown over the summer, and I'm deeply grateful for His mercy, grace, patience, and love for me.

And who am I?

Reminder: A struggling, single girl... but seeking Him with all my heart and finding purpose in the journey He leads me on...

Moment of Luxury - Part 2

Sooo, it's been almost two weeks since my last post... and I've been wanting to take pictures of our new teacher's lounge and "broadcast" them to the world... With no further ado, I present to you the work of our MDPC volunteers, including Mr. Bill Stubbs from "A Moment of Luxury" (PBS), and "Matress Mack" from Gallery Furniture. Sorry I took forever! You'll know why on my next post.







Last two.
What do you think? :)

~ Moment of Luxury ~

Yes, today I met Bill Stubbs from PBS' Moment of Luxury!!!! :) Aw, that's as close as I can get to elegance and a moment of luxury. Great, humble, creative, and classy - simply him. I would describe him as conservative yet contemporary and with gusto. What you see on TV is what you get - and more - when you meet him in person. Pepe Pena from Que Pasa USA? would most likely describe him as

"...fino y educado..."

Thanks to good friends at work, I got the courage to say hello and ask this good man for his autograph and yes, a picture with me!! I was a nervous wreck... but he was kind and awesome, and totally was up for it. No, I'm not quitting my job as a teacher and interviewing for an interior design position... Although if you know of a paid internship asking for people with no experience and zero training, then let me know and I'll be there!!!! :)

Here's the story, check this out:

My school had a teacher's lounge that was in bad shape. When an 18-year, veteran teacher is telling you that the place had been like that since then, you know it's messed up. So, to make a long story short, some wonderful, caring volunteers from Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, donated their time, effort, and skills. Cause? Us. Saving Poor Teachers.

Bill Stubbs was one of them. He was in charge of the design and of getting our new furniture that was donated by the awesome, Jim McIngvale, better known as "Matress Mack" from Gallery Furniture in Houston. To say the least, all of us that work at the school were shocked. I was deeply touched and moved by such generosity... To see that someone... someone out there (more like a couple hundred people, we were told), thought of us... and value the work we do as teachers every day, just makes you feel good. We don't have a PTA, we don't have parent volunteers either, and no - people are not jumping and fighting to come to our school and help out. What is that???? We hold no knowledge of that. That's why THIS is significant.

My words don't do honor to what these kind and talented people did for our school... But I will try to take pictures and post them here so you can take a look and judge for yourself. Unfortunately, there won't be any "before" pictures, but just take my word for it! I didn't even eat lunch there!!!

Thank you, Gallery Furniture and MDPC Volunteers, for giving of yourself and sharing it with us. "...And you will know them by their fruits..."

Today in History: August 13, 1965
Celebrating my first, "Today in History" moment, I want to send a SHOUT-OUT to my dad!!! For celebrating his 44th year in this great and beautiful country we call America. Congratulations, dad. Thanks for coming over, working hard, and doing things responsibly since August 13, 1965, and instilling in us principles, values, and a strong work ethic. Dicen que te ha ido bien... :)

At last, Thing #23!!!

I made it!!! :) I'm here!!! I feel like I can do cartwheels!!!

Thing #23, thoughts about the Library2Play program.

1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey? Setting up my blog; playing with bighugelabs; Google tools; learning about how to stream your favorite blogs into one place; being introduced to librarything; Wikis; Google docs; how to embed videos; learning about podcasts; and creating a videocast.
   
2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals? Hmmm... It has refreshed my sense of wanting to learn new things even though I might feel uncomfortable at first... and knowing that I will make it to the end if I keep working and trying my best. I loved the experience and will think of it often.
   
3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you? I felt like things kept getting harder at some "things..." as class progressed. However, it felt good knowing that my prior knowledge of previous things was building the foundation for completing such awesome project.
   
4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept? Although I didn't attend those "tutoring sessions" that y'all offered during the summer, I think they're a great idea especially for people that might not be so confident in their computer skills. The extra help/directions or knowing that someone is there to help you, might be the difference in someone willing to do this on their own. For me, I think it worked best that I started late and missed those help dates because it pushed me to find a solution by myself. I had nobody I could ask or call, and I don't mean that in a "poor me" kind of way. I'm just saying that I was pushed to figure it out and it helped me because I learned. Bottom line, my brain and I worked past our hours of operation as you can see in my posts (past midnight, a problem when you wake up at 4:45 am) and it turned out great. Well, good but with enjoyment = great. I feel like I just took a college class in 6 days! :)
   
5. If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate? Absolutely!!! Let me know and I'll sign up. I can't during the school year, but during the summer, I'll be there!
   
6. How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote 23 Things learning activities? Simply awesome. The best "on my own" class I've ever taken! :)
   
7. Now go and comment on some of the other Players' blogs. Ok!
   

In conclusion, I will try my best to keep up with the 23 things I learned this summer in 6 days :)
and I hope to:

• maintain my blog as my educational journal
• add my blog URL to my e-mail signature line
• re-purpose it as my School Library blog
• share it with my colleagues and administrators

Happy Summer 2009!!!

Thing #22, Ning

All about Nings... No, not really. This is what I understood from looking at all the Nings listed for thing 22. It's another social network that allows you to have different groups within the ning so you can discuss different things within that subject: For example, Social Studies. Then, you might have World Geography, World History, U.S. History, Government/Politics, etc... Right?? That's what I think it is. I think Nings are excellent for college and professors. In the article that I read, "7 things about nings," the author makes a good point about professors creating a sense of community in their class, group, cohort, etc... And we all know that anytime a teacher creates that in their classroom or for their students (if in college), the students are going to be more receptive and motivated to learn and participate.

And then there was one... Thing #23 is next!

Thing #21, almost there...

Discovery: Here's mine... :) I improvised as I recorded w/o a mic. and yes, I know I sound like a 24/7 teacher!! I think it's hilarious listening to the different segments of this thing and me trying to adlib... So what can be done in 30 min. or less? I think this answers the question... I promise I don't sound like that all the time... Really!

Thing #20 and 3 to go...

Discovery activities: Although I use YouTube often, I went ahead and searched for "web 2.0" and "educational technology" videos. I also went to TeacherTube and searched for a World Geography video... I found a short video on the new seven wonders of the world that I would show my students in class. A teacher's instruction can only benefit from having audio/video/visual resources and knowing how to use them in class.

And a funny one from YouTube with the late, Billy Mays visiting the office... I didn't know he had a good sense of humor!

Thing #19

Discovery Activity:1.Explore any site from the Web 2.0 awards list and play with it.The awards are listed by name OR are arranged by subject groups. I explored several and yes, some of them are not free...

2. Write a blog post for Thing #19 about your findings. Consider these questions when organizing your thoughts. What is special about the tool? The one that I chose for thing #19 is www.lookandtaste.com, formerly iFoods.tv It's under the Food category. What are its useful parts, especially with regards to Libraries and school? Any student learning to cook or exploring recipes and culinary techniques (middle or high school student) can find this website very helpful. Libraries can also announce it as a great tool for any person trying to better their food preparation skills. How might you use this tool in your own setting? I can see myself using http://www.lookandtaste.com/ because the content seems pretty good. I checked out the videos that they offer... They range from how to dice an onion to preparing a risotto with wild mushrooms. Easy to use, friendly, and informative. In other words, just my kind of website! :)

Thing #18

Online Productivity Tools

I explored OpenOffice.org and Google Docs.
Although both are innovative ideas used by so many, I find myself more connected with Google Docs. I can see how OpenOffice could be helpful if I'm working on a computer that doesn't have the updated Word that I need for that particular document. So, that's where I'd go online and get my work done there. However, I am really thrilled about Google Docs. How many times have all of us had to gather data from different people as emails come in... But thanks to Google Docs, you can create a "form," email it to people, and Google Docs takes care of the rest! As people send back the information, it is automatically put in into a spreadsheet. Google Docs organizes the info for you and it's soooo user-friendly and simple to use. I'm telling you, it's unbelievable! You can also use your info to create charts, graphs, etc... All without you scrambling for those emails and not spending your whole Saturday on something like that... with enough time for you to do whatever else you REALLY want to do. :)

Thing #17

Rollyo, not Rolo

Discovery Activity: Create your own customize search and write about it in your blog and post a link to it. I went to Rollyo and created my own search engine on interior design. I then searched for information on Kitchen Counters using the four websites I initially provided. Here are my finds. What a great online tool! If only I had known about this in college, I could have saved countless hours of google searches... :(

Thing #16

Wiki

Love it. Great and easy to use. Talk about making it easy for a group of people, especially if you're planning, to interact and get the same information across to everyone. The video from Common Craft was perfect! Thank you, Library2Play.

I also posted my comment in sbisdlib wiki, under Carranza :).

How might I use it in the classroom? Easy. Given the "perfect world" scenario where ALL my students have computer access at home, my students and I could participate in a classroom Wiki in discussions, creaeting "this week I learned" lists, researching a certain topic/location/person and adding info about that to our wiki. We can learn as we go... and best of all, at the end of the year, we could see and reflect on how much we've learned and accomplished as a class...

Bread Pudding!

Ok, I call for a break.

If you're looking for a good, simple recipe for bread pudding, it looks like this one might be a winner!

I read on one of the comments that it uses too much sugar... But isn't that part of the whole bread pudding experience?

It looks yummy to me and I can't wait to try it!!

Thing #15

First of all, if you get a chance, watch A Vision of Students on YouTube. OMG, wow! Yeah, not only is the teacher side of me intrigued by this BIG realization, but my normal, every day me, too! It makes you think of education in this country and in the world... and where we're heading in the future. How are classrooms going to look? Very different, that's for sure. I'll be telling kids 20 years from now, "I remember when I was a kid and we had dry erase boards... yep, those were the old days alright..." Ha! I'm telling you, it's making me think!! :) Did you get the same reaction I did? I'm curious to hear your thoughts... Give it up for Kansas State University, Spring Class of 2007.

And on with Thing #15

Discovery Exercise:
-Read two or three of the perspectives on Library 2.0 from the list below. Check.
-Create a blog post about your thoughts on any one of these. Library 2.0 - It's many things to many people. What does it mean to you? What does it mean for school libraries?

I agree with Rick Anderson from Away with "Icebergs." He says that

"...it can be equally disastrous when a
profession fails to acknowledge and adapt to
radical, fundamental change in
the marketplace it serves."

It's time for us as educators to continue developing our skills so that we can reach our students, our society, and prepare for what lies ahead. Our libraries need to continue to change and they're doing a great job. At least, my school library where I work, is absolutely phenomenal! Our librarian is amazing... and she does great things to help our students and adults (teachers, prncipals, counselors, staff, anyone over 18...) be up to date with technology, new education practices, and the library world! Cheryl, thank you! :)

Thing #14

I typed my search, "School Library Learning 2.0" and I got various results...
I must say that I find Technorati with a lot of good stuff... But it's not for me. Maybe because I'm brand new to the blogging world, I feel like it has a lot to offer, and sometimes having a lot on your plate is more than you can handle. At least, that's how I feel about it right now.

On the value of tagging information, I like Delicious and Flickr. It's great to have that option as an online user/participant to be able to save your stuff in tags using words that YOU remember. I can see why people feel that "others" should not be doing the categorizing because it's all about you, and what you think. I respect and appreciate that.

Optional:
1. Register and claim your blog. I'll wait on this one...
2.Explore the various Technorati widgets that you could add to your blog. Check.

Thing #13 is Delicious!

Discovering Delicious...

And no, I'm not talking about food!

Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool. Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance? Yes Or just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere? Both. It can be an easy way to access information that can be helpful to anyone looking for anything, whether it is an easy recipe or research on King Tut's tomb. How can libraries or classroom teachers take advantage of social bookmarking sites? Both teachers and students will have more time to focus on the objective of the lesson rather than spending all their time "googling" and searching for info... They can refer to Delicious and go from there. Quicker and more precise possibilities.

As to Digg.. I dig it!

Thing #12

Creating Community Through Commenting

1. I agree with what I've read so far about commenting in blogs you read. It's important to show the reader and the "community" that you're respectful of their thoughts and acknowledge their ideas and online work.

2. In addition, I believe that you shouldn't just post something like, "Wow, that's great!" -- I admit it, I'm guilty of that... But I didn't know any better! Now... Well, now I do. And I'm going to make sure that my comments are more thoughtful and actually tell the blogger something meaningful so they can continue doing what their doing... It's manners and etiquette. At least, that's the way I see it... What do you think?

3. I commented on 5 other blogs from our Library2Play site...

4. *Last Q that I need to answer... What drew me to comment on two blogs that are not part of our Library2Play class? First, I searched for cymbidium flowers using google blog search and found a blog for cymbidium photography and posted a message there. This new blog is Rachel's... She's one of the two sisters that manage all aspects of the business. I enjoyed seeing the great pictures and reading some awesome posts on faith, love, and hope.

Last but not least, my second random post outside of Library2Play, was here. If you get a chance, read this wonderful post titled: Sincerely, John Hughes. Yes, there's no way I can not comment on this... I grew up watching John Hughes' movies... My brother and I still laugh about crazy moments in some of his movies that happen to be some of our favorite on TV. I was deeply touched by such humanity that Mr. Hughes had, as described by the people that knew him. He was friends with Allison and they shared a real friendship, the kind that lasts no matter what... All I can say is that his movies influenced many, in and out of television. For instance, on Futurama ("The Luck of the Fryfish" episode), when Fry reads, "Here lies Philip J. Fry, named for his uncle, to carry on his spirit..." Do you recognize the song? Touching. Yep, it's the song from the Breakfast Club playing in the background, Don't you forget... by Simple Minds.

Thing #11 - Library Thing.

Discovery Activities for LIBRARY THING, which I love. I'm adding their blog to my Google Reader.
1. Create an account. Check.
2. Add at least 5 titles to your list. Check
3. On your blog, write a Thing #11 post about your experience with LibraryThing. How do you think it could be useful to you in your situation? It encourages me to read more books that people in my groups are reading. Did you check out any of the groups?Yes. Did you find a group of users that share your interests? Yes, although 3 of my fav. books have less than 25 followers... Maybe my reviews will encourage others to discover these books!

Thing #10, online image generators

Ha!! :) Check out my Word Mosaics!!

and my new neon sign

Brought to you by the wonderful sites of Image Chef and Comic Strip Generator.

I love these!!! and I can see how easily they can be used in the classroom. For example, if you're trying to see if your students understand the abstract idea of FREEDOM or REVOLUTION, simply have them use one of these websites where they can use words, images, and their own artistic touches to show you that they understand the meaning of it. How cool is that?? I wish that back in my day we would've had online image generators like these...

Thing #9

• Which Search tool was the easiest for you? Google Blog Search... Maybe because I've been using Google more since I started with this project... :) Maybe I'm bias now.


• Which was more confusing? Hmmm... Actually, none. They were all helpful, they're just all different. For example, Topix provides a detailed list with pictures to the side in order to draw your attention...


• What kind of useful feeds did you find in your travels? Or what kind of unusual ones did you find? Useful: Politics, news related, international news, weather disasters, and fashion! :) Unusual: Jon & Kate Plus 8.

Thing #8

• What do you like about RSS and readers? It makes it easier to know or read the latest on your favorite blogs or news websites... By having it all come to you and not having to battle all the ads on the websites.
• How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your school or personal life? In my personal life, I can check my google reader and find out exactly what I need to know without going to all 5 different websites. Also, I can see how it could be used for daily classroom enrichment and research by having it all there avaialbe to students. Precious classroom time will not be wated!
• How can libraries/teachers/administrators use readers or take advantage of this new technology? Simple: By first becoming comfortable with it ourselves in our every day lives... Then, we can use it for every day instruction.

Thing #7

Google Tools.

I chose to explore iGoogle and Google Calendar. After choosing a theme for my iGoogle page, I redesigned it to fit my needs by adding gadgets such as a TO DO LIST, Places to see before you die, and Simple Recipes.

Of course, the one thing I added to my Google Calendar right now was the first day back at work! Aawww... August 13th is the day!

Possible Educational Uses: I can definitely use iGoogle in the classroom. I show my students many pictures throughout the year about people all over the world... If they look at my iGoogle page as I'm projecting it to the front screen, they will be able to see that I'm not kidding when it's good to know the world YOU live in...

Thing #6

I just made a trading card using Big Huge Labs and a puzzle. Can you tell that I'm hungry as I'm trying to do my project?

Have you heard of Flickr Color Pickr??
I just did! Wow. Love it. I can see myself using this mashup.

Thing #5: Flickr

Great website for great photo-sharing! I like how you're able to find pictures using "tags" and reading the comments left by others... Here's a picture I found under "World Cultures" since I teach 6th Grade Social Studies.

Also tagged under "Guatemala" and "The Greatest Place on Earth..."

Thing #4

Registering this blog... Check.

Thing #3: Blogger and Y!Avatar

Neat.

I never thought I would have a blog... I mean, I'm not a reporter or a person that has a lot to say to others about stuff, like Dear Abby... I'm just not like that. Don't get me wrong, I think a lot about stuff but I'm not one of those people that thinks they're super qualified to let everyone know how things should be run in the world and in their own lives. Trust me, I'm not perfect and I'm aware of that. Sooo, to answer the question for Thing #3: What are my thoughts about Blogger and my Avatar? I love it! Talk about self-expression, everyone's got a need for it. My Y!Avatar pic. reveals a side of me that very few people know about.

7 & 1/2 habits: Thing #1 and Thing #2

Last night I started my 23 things class... Yes, almost 2 months later but I'll get it done on or before Aug. 10th, 2009. As I watched the 7 &1/2 habits presentation online, derived from 7 habits of highly effective people, I recognize my attitude as my greatest strength or easiest habit to practice.

Thankfully, I've learned from my mistakes and things that happen in life (habit #3: viewing problems as challenges) ... as I've maintained a good, positive, and grateful attitude. Yes, it's hard sometimes, I won't lie. But overall, I always have a good disposition for learning, working with people, and dealing with every day situations.

As to the hardest for me, I have to be honest: Habit #4 - Being confident in yourself... as a competent, effective learner. Yep, I struggle with that one because sometimes I can be critical of myself or feel like I'm not doing a good job on something... I have to stop and remind myself that I'm new at whatever and that it takes experience (time & practice) to get good at something.

Welcome! Bienvenido!

Greetings and thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to stop by and read my thoughts, ideas, and notes on various things... as I'm starting a new life-long learning adventure this summer. Yes, blogging is part of it! I'm taking a class called 23 Things. So far, I'm on thing #3, creating a blog. When I signed up for this, I thought it would be a great way to get my professional development hours easily... but I think that I'm also going to enjoy learning in a fun, very independent way...