PLN

This is from a response on the Classroom 2.0 PLN forum page. The responders name is Marsha Ratzel - and I think this is so very interesting!! It's very down to earth.

The best way I've found is to keep a list going. Use Word or Stickies or
whatever makes sense for you about topics, ideas, quotes, stats...anything that
makes you want to stop and and think. Then when you have time to blog, you can
go back to that idea file and pick one out to blog about. I read lots of other
bloggers...and I feel that is super important. It builds community if you read
and comment on other people's blogs. It maybe one of the best ways for you to
start

FInal Post Wordle

Final thoughts...

So - it's time to turn around and reflect on where I have come.

I have spent a lot of time playing with many of these tools before class started- but that's all it was...playing. I had not made the jump between my personal experiments and my library. This summer helped me to pull those two pieces together. It gave me time to hone my skills and discover new places to explore! I loved that!

So - what are my take aways??? IN A WORD...GOOGLE

First: Google Reader.

I love this tool. I had a list a mile long of blogs I followed now and again...but they are on my DEAD computer. Google reader makes it possible for me to access the blogs from whatever computer I have in front of me. I LOVE that!

Kristin's organization and usage suggestions also made this a more helpful tool. I had played with Bloglines and just got more and more confused. This is clean and easy.

But - her most important suggestion is to keep a short and managable list. This is something that I REALLY need to work on. I keep growing my list.

Goal for this year: Cull my list to those I am really interested in. That will be my focus.

Second: iGoogle

This is another awesome tool. I've changed my home page to iGoogle and keep tweeking what I want to appear and where. This is such a great way to organize the things I really am interested in. This also solves my stupid dying computer issue. Because it's online I don't need to worry about loosng links.

Goal for this year: Keep organizing and subtracting from this page.

Third: Google in general

I was in an ITEC (Iowa Tech Convention or something like that) workshop a couple of years ago on google and all it's extras. It was too much for me at the time. There are so many pieces of this that I really like and want to learn...after the summer spent loving iGoogle and Google Reader I think I'm ready to play with a few more toys...like Google Earth, Google docs and all the Educators possibilities

Goal for this year: Explore Google for Educators and share with my new staff

This Google love is all so unexpected. I have sort of felt that it's trying to take over the world and now I am becoming a believer...little scary! But it's just too good to miss!

This takes me to my PLN...like my blog list it just keeps growing...I have started using twitter and am trying to figure out how that fits in to the whole PLN idea.

I will continue to follow Joyce V and Kathy Schrock and Kristin S and Will Richardson and Warlick and and and...

That continues to be my problem. But - as I use twitter the posts are short and focused - in some ways that's easier for me to deal with than long blog posts. I tend to be a skimmer and twitter may be my best friend.

I also plan to stay connected with the amazing talents that I have been attending grad school. There is so much knowledge and experience and energy in our cohort - I'm really looking forward to growing up our skills together! I feel honored to be a part of that network!!

More books...

Yesterday was a day that I gave myself to read...just to read...and to see Harry Potter!!

And read I did...I read Marcelo and the Real World in the morning and Graceling in the afternoon and evening...and into the wee hours of the morning...I LOVED THEM!!!

I just kept thinking...why wasn't I reading these during class. BOth are sweet and interesting and a bit inspiring - ok Graceling only inspires me to wish I had a Grace and want to learn to sword fight(but I digress).

So - it makes me wonder about my previous opinions about YA being only dark and depressing books.

Both of these books have heavy themes - Marcelo's investigating lies at his father's law firm and Katsa is trying to figure out what to do with her gifted killing skills while rescuing a little girl.

BUt, there is something in the way they are treated that isn't as heavy handed. Maybe it's because it's not realistic fiction - but Marcelo is. I don't know.

I just know I got to the end of them with hope and inspiration...maybe that's a little heavy handed and sappy...

Now I need to write a couple of responses and my final post...truly I'd rather just be reading! :)

Twitter post from Warlick...

THis is a really great website that Warlick tweeted on...

http://necclibrarytoolssmackdown.wikispaces.com/

It is REALLY full of stuff...

Have fun!

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Here is a link to my latest podcast...

http://bethswantz.podOmatic.com

Where I'm From...

This little movie is inspired by a poem written by George Ella Lyon. It shows just a little of what comes together to make me...

Fryer...

How powerful to hear the actual person telling the story. I think that was my favorite part of this presentation. It was also very cool to hear his daughter tell how easy it was to make a voicethread...I think we may have chosen to disagree in the beginning of our learning.

Years ago my students did family tree project. They made a family tree and as they shared their tree with the class they had to 'tell' at least 2 stories about some member of their family on the tree. This would be a perfect way to share that project!

Great ideas!!

What it all Means -Richardson

I appreciated this culminating chapter, but...

Much of this is way out of my control. I know every little bit helps - but sometimes you just feel so alone. When you stand in front of a group of teachers showing them another tech tool and you know their inner dialogue has already labeled you a wacko...it gets a bit hard.

I think that's where the PLN comes into play. Being a part of a PROFESSIONAL network helps you to know that you really aren't alone. You are part of a movement that is challenging the standard and encouraging change.

So, when I read the epilogue and imagined how seamlessly all this fit together - it made me cringe. I really don't believe my district will be to that point before I retire...in the next 15-20 years. I hope that I can come back to this post and know that I sold us short.
But, I'm afraid that is not the reality.

We are but drops in the ocean! But, after all, the ocean is made of of only drops! :)