More fun with Animoto

I have been playing with Animoto to create a video for Banned book week.

Summer Camp Fun

Hi everyone. I just found (and enjoyed) the idea of using ChatTango from my PBWorks Summer Camp class. I've posted the chat window in the sidebar. I am finding that the Things classes have prepared me well for doing this course. In the section of ideas for using technology on Wikis, I discovered that I had done almost all of the suggestions as part of the Things classes.

So, Thanks to the folks who ran the classes, and stop by my new Wiki for some of what I am doing there. The link is TTSP Media Wiki for Students.

The Education Continues

I have started CampPBWiki as part of my continuing on the path of learning more about technology and library stuff. So far I have begun another wiki for school, focused on helping me teach students how to use the internet and technology with care and thought. On the plus side, I am already getting ideas from seeing what other people have done. On the negative side, the site has been down for most of a day now, and I haven't been able to get back to my "homework" or with playing on my own wiki. It reminds me that I could stand to cultivate a little patience. When it gets back up the site is TTSP Media for Students. I would love ideas or feedback from any of the Things on a Stick folks.

I am also learning how to coexist with my family, which is both easier and harder than I thought it would be. I am finding that I have to ignore that they are here so that I go off and behave the way I would if they weren't here. Otherwise, I am likely to spend all day sitting at a computer or feeling frustrated that they don't move enough.

So I am off to ride my bike for a while or to go for a walk. Otherwise, I will turn into one of those scary blob people from Wall-E!

The Intrusion of Life (and Death)

Yesterday the mother of one of my older son's friends died quite suddenly. Today is the first day of vacation from school for me, and I was expecting to feel footloose and fancy-free. But instead I am thinking about what to wear to a funeral and how to be supportive to a family with a 22 year old and an 18 year old. So many issues bubble to the surface. I remember when my son and this group of friends were 13 years old and had to deal with a death of one of their classmates. (My son ended up being a pall bearer, and I think it was harder on me than him.)

Yet these are the lessons of life. Last week one of my coworkers had her baby a month early, yet the little peanut and mom are doing fine.

Circles and cycles go around, life goes up and down, and we just keep doing the best we can.

May Sharon's memory only be for a blessing.

Technology and education

I came across this link via a fabulous blog called "Free Technology for Teachers." I think this video sums up what the 23 things and more things were all about.




I like how this video shows some of the ways the technology keeps changing and that we have been and need to continue to adapt to it.