Winding down

As the semester winds down, I am feeling stressed about not knowing any of my grades. All semester I have continued to produce work, yet I do not know if any of it was (is) acceptable. If I missed the mark, I missed it on everything and that makes me nervous. I look forward to knowing one way or the other so that I can be put out of my misery. On the upside, it is good to have the work behind me so that I can breathe easy. The pressure is off for a little while.

OK. I had to post the good news. I finally figured out my problems (as there were several) and got my project posted. My computer is a little worse for wear it seems. I will have to spend some time running clean up. This was very aggravating, and I don't know if I would recommend photostory because of it. How could I possibly send this to family, when this was so difficult. It is a shame because the program is simple, user friendly and fun. I think I just need some distance. Maybe I will think clearer with a little time and reflection. Anyway, I am finally going to call it a day.

I can't even begin to describe the disaster this has been. I have been trying to post my 'project 3' for 2 days. Hours and hours of trying to convert files and figure this mess out. I have had this project done, for a while now and never considered that posting it would be such a problem. I could cry,...I could scream. My computer is going to crash, it just keeps getting slower and slower. I don't know how I am going to get this done. To top it off I just realized that my subscription to questgarden is expired so project 2 is no longer there. I will have to pay for a subscription and hope that I can find the project in their archives. I can't even think about doing it today though. My kids are home this week, so to top it off I have every kid in the neighborhood in and out of my house. I am trying not to freak out.

Project 3

I am finished with my project but I can't get it posted to my website. It seems that I have forgotten how to navigate the website. I need to spend some time working out the kinks in my mind in order to begin to think properly. I can not visualize how to get to my final product. I need to step away and perk a bit. Wish me luck.

I keep forgetting to update my blog. This past week I worked collaboratively with another classmate to create a webquest that ended in a wiki for the students. The process was seemless. I did notice that to hash out the big ideas, the telephone was still the best resource. Once the big ideas were hashed out, however, the questgarden webquest site was very user friendly. It allowed you to work and then post comment, questions, concerns and needs in the checklist section. The next person in can see your work and your comments and then begin working. The process was seemless. It was also good to have someones elses ideas stretching me. I do what I do, which is true of anyone. I was forced (in a good way) to consider someone else's point of view and the value in their ideas. I came out of my little box. I did something that required me to think and stretch. It felt good.

I am just getting started on our webquest. Not only will the webquest be a challenge, but the means of communication will also be new. Everytime I turn around I am being stretched. I get that uneasy feeling as I tackle a new application. In my head I feel like it is good to always be learning, but the reality is that it is hard. I have learned that I do best one step at a time. Don't look at the whole of what I have to master, just look at the next step. One thing at a time. I look forward to having this behind me and having confidence once again in a new skill. I definately like the end result. It is worth the effort, but I doesn't erase that uneasy feeling as I begin.

technology for classroom

With no actual teaching experience, I am finding it challenging to evaluate different technologies for my classroom. I can see limited pieces of the puzzle. I was shocked thismorning by a simple process called portfolio assessment. I would have skipped over it as boring. After watching a short video and seeing the process in action in an actual classroom, I have a whole new perspective. I am wondering about my ability to assess anything at all. Even if I had a classroom, I feel like there are so many worthwhile tools and processes, how can I ever master them all. I bookmark everything that I think might someday be helpful, because I do not know how I am ever going to remember all of this.