VoiceThread

A voice thread is a means of communication over a pictured topic with input from different sources. I thought of this being used by people who are located in different areas. It never occured to me that this was for students in a classroom. However, I can see older students using it as part of a group project and homework.

I thought that the brochure was pretty easy I could have used more help on the resume. I liked creating the brochure it is something that I will probably use at the beginning of each school year to introduce myself to the parents of the students in my class. I think it is a great way to reach out and much more personal than just sending the kids home with their syllabus. I liked desktop publishing, I think that I might introduce it to the kids in my class. Maybe have them make a health brochure or maybe a small exercise program.

Video Games

I love video games. I have loved video games since I was a kid. I know how much other kids must enjoy them too. I think that the technology used by teachers should match that of their kids. It does not have to exceed the kids, but I feel that you need to keep up and not fall behind the kids technology wise. I think that you need to be careful with online chats and instant messaging. Some kids would probably respond very well to them, but you might have a few kids who abuse that privilege. I would stick to "real" instruction, I feel that it is the best way at the moment. If I had kids I would not let them play video games everyday. However, there are exceptions. If the game was educational they would be allowed to play and I would put a time limit on gaming for them no matter what game it was. Kids need to be active and sitting in front of a screen is not what we need them doing. They need to get outside more, explore, and be active. I can see an educational video game helping you study. I think that podcasts can help. I know for me personally I rely on podcasts to help myself. I will usually watch a podcasts of a church that I attend whenever I miss a Sunday service. I remember how much I looked forward to playing Oregon Trail on the computer in class, it was such a great change of pace as opposed to the typical classroom lecture and everyday work.

Delicious

I don't think I would use delicious. The only thing that I saw about delicious that I liked was the notes section where you could write down your thoughts at the time of tagging the page. Other than that I would probably just prefer to use the bookmark function that I currently use. I kind of feel like it would just be clutter on the toolbar. I can see it working for others but not for me.

Spreadsheets

I would use a spreadsheet in my classroom. As far as organization goes I think that anything that helps is a good thing. That is exactly what I feel a spreadsheet does, it keeps you organized. I think that by using a spreadsheet rather than a calculator you can see things more clearly. It is also easier to go back to something if you need to make a change. As I become more familiar with the spreadsheet it should also become quicker, thus saving me time.

About Me

Well...My name is Sam. I grew up in Rockwall, Texas. I currently live in Dallas about 5 minutes from downtown near the Baylor Medical Center and that makes my drive to Commerce very tiresome. I have lived in Dallas for the convenience and work but was recently laid off due to the tough economic times. So, now I live in Dallas for no good reason. It's still nice though even though I complain about the drive and how I wish I lived closer to school. Let's see, I live alone so I really don't have much going on. Since I have been unemployed it has allowed me to focus more on school which has actually been a blessing. I do some welding on the side to have some type of income. I enjoy most sports, football being at the top of a long list. I think boxing is great right now. It was down for a while but it is an exciting time for the sport of boxing right now with Manny Pacquiao and the resurgence of Shane Mosely and Bernard Hopkins. I haven't decided what I want to do after school yet. I either want to teach physical education for younger kids or coach football or find a small school where I could coach multiple sports. I enjoy movies, tv, working out, and tacos. I play with a flag football team in North Dallas and devote a lot of time to that, weekend tournaments and our usual weekly game. I really enjoy being any place where there is an abundance of outdoor activities. My dad was born in Northridge, California which is just north of Los Angeles and I just love all of the outdoor opportunities that the area offers as well as the climate, that permits you to participate. Well...it was tough to think of things to write but I guess I have gone on enough. I am sure we will get the chance to share more.

Week 2 Assignment

I think that blogs can be a very useful tool for a lot of professions. As far as education is concerned I think that it is highly beneficial. Parents can keep track of what their child is doing in class instead of asking them everyday when they come home from school. I know the response that I use to give my parents when they asked me "how was school today" and "what did you learn in school today". I would always respond with "school was fine" and "oh nothing". It would have been beneficial to my parents since I as a child did not communicate with them what was going on inside the classroom. I am now convinced that this is a great idea and the best way to communicate what you are teaching in the classroom. That being said, I would tell anyone who said that using blogs is a waste of time that for me it is a necessary communication tool. The more communication we have between the students, parents, and teachers can't be a bad thing. I only see it as being positive for everyone involved.