Thing 3

Whoa! Setting up a Google Reader account and adding RSS are soooo easy. It gave me a new outlook on this blogging thing. I found one article in particular that struck a nerve and hit home. Sports vs Libraries talks about how people/parents don't like it when we talk about taking sports out of the schools, but you don't see people/parents making a fuss when we talk about closing a library. Are people/parents not as concerned about their kids educational futureas they are their physical future? Don't get me wrong, I truely believe we need sports in schools, especailly since our kids are not getting PE everyday like we use too, but I do believe that not every person that plays a sport will succeed at that sport later in life enough to support their future. Not every football player is going to play for the Atlanta Falcons, not every golf player is going to turn into a Tiger Woods. I feel like we need to encourage our children to get their education and have fun doing it.

Scrappin Marie

Thing 2

I found after reviewing many of the blog selections that there are a wide variety of blogs out there. It took me reading more than half of them to find one's I was interested in. It really is amazing to me that their are the most simpliest of blog pages to the most complex. I can see where blog pages wrote by children could help them improve their thinking and writing skills, not to mention their reading skills. They are having to use their brains and "exercise" it. Take it from a parent who knows; if a child is struggling in reading, they will struggle with everything else. Expecially, the comprehension of what they are reading. Personal blog pages also let you get to know the person and their beliefs and thoughts. When blogging we get to express ourselves in thought.

By commenting on each others blogs, we get to express our feelings on the subject and at times it can lead others to form an opinion on whatever topic they are searching for. We, as bloggers, can also be informational sources to a student that is looking for something for school. When children blog on a subject, it causes them to think and form their own opinions. They are also using their reading skills. I feel that blog writing is different from other types, because we are able to express our feelings and there is no right or wrong answer.

As far as blogging facilitating learning; yeah I think it can. I really enjoyed reading the one blog sight Is this SSR 2.0? I think if you want to get kids to learn to read you have to catch their attention and find something that interest them. By using the computer and blog sites you open them up to a whole new world not just the opinion of the author like in books. It gives them a chance to voice their own opinions.

Who knows.....maybe this class will change my opinion about blogging and other web-sites on the internet.

Scrappin Marie

Thing 1-B

I feel that Web 2.0 could make a positive impact in my professional practices by making my life easier to communicate with others. Although, I'm not a teacher, I do have 2 Girl Scout troops I'm leader of and 2 other leaders that I mentor too. I feel that I owe these people a professional attitude.

By setting up a blog site, I could say what I needed to and only have to say it once. Also, parents and leaders would be able to refer back to the blogs for info. It could also be used as a way for leaders and parents to share ideas and to get to know one another. I always create a newsletter for parents to know what is going on that month. A blog would be a way for the girls to know what they miss when they are out and get ideas from other girls on how to complete those badges.

By blogging my girls would have the chance to learn from each other. I feel that we, as a whole, have turned our world into a digital world and our kids only know how to communicate in the digital world. If we, as parents and mentors, want to keep their attention, we must move with the times. I'm sure I could save a lot of trees if I moved into the blogging world of Web 2.0.

The world is moving so fast, that I think I would like to try to move with it. Who knows after this course, I may even start a blog for my Girl Scout Troop.

Until next time!
ScrappinMarie

Thing 1-A

Here I sit at the computer wondering what I have gotten myself into! I'm a parapro at the Early Learning Center, so by days end, I'm usually done for. I've been at the ELC since the first year it opened as a substitute teacher starting November 05. My daughter was in the Statham class. In January 08, I took a full-time position as a parapro. I figured as much time as I was spending there, I should go to work full-time and get paid in the summer. I dearly love my job. I am happily married to a wonderful man for 17 years. I have 2 children: A daughter in 3rd grade at Statham and a son in 9th grade at WBHS. I am very active when it comes to my children. I have been a Boy Scout leader/parent for 9 years now and he is working on his Eagle. I'm also leader of my daughter's Girl Scout troop now starting year 4. My first thought at taking this course was, OK I'll get 3 PLU's and put myself ahead of the game. Now, as I think about it, I'm hope to become alot more knowledgeable of what all I can do with the computer besides email and create documents.