Avatars, aka Another Version of Yourself

In the first school district I was hired in, I recall my superintendent lecturing us on 21st century learning and how if we didn't have an avatar already our homework was to make one! This shocked me at first. Of course I had an avatar, I had a different one for each hobby I partook in. I just never thought avatars would be mentioned within the school building. For those who are unaware, an avatar is just a symbolic representation of who you are online.

With the teacher challenge this time being on the creation of avatars I spent many hours creating my "alter" egos. I visited http://www.sp-studio.de/ to create a South Park inspired avatar which is my avatar for this blog.  I also created one using http://www.wimpyourself.com/.

For an avatar not specifically fit for a profile icon I visited http://cpbherofactory.com/ which fufilled my need to become a graphic superhero!

Virtual Brainstorming!

Use this link to create a graphic organizer for brainstorming. It is very user friendly!

https://bubbl.us/2.0#77004/e1e01/48L9gq1n3NOE/

Who am I? & Why should you care?

An About Me page should:

• have interesting images
• show a condensed resume highlighting achievements
• give background information about your life
• give a peek at your personality by listing hobbies and interests
• list contact information for networking if possible

Grading Parents?

A current issue brought to the forefront in education is having teachers grade parents. I agree that a successful student needs an effective teacher, good administrators and involved parents.  How would you feel as a parent being graded on your involvement with your child's school? On the flip side as a teacher would you feel comfortable grading parents? I feel some students would be at a disadvantage because of their home life that they can't change. Check out the full article here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/26/kelli-stargel-teachers-grade-parents_n_814585.html/

Bloggers Gone Mad!!!

With just about everyone starting a blog these days, how does one choose the right blog to follow? The answer to that is easy- if you know the top five factors to look for in an effective post. So take a minute kick up your feet and ask yourself why you follow the blogs you do.
Okay that's long enough to think. Are you ready for the top 5 factors in an effective post? Drum roll please...

1.       Hook the reader with a catchy title and image if possible.

2.       Keep your post short and sweet.

3.       Have a clear layout and readable text.

4.       Make it relatable to your audience.

5.       End with a question.

Do you agree with this list? Do you feel there are more than five factors needed to write an effective post? I can be persuaded to change my top 5.

My Life As A Blogger!

My life as a blogger is similar to that of the 90’s sitcom known as “My so-Called Life”. Blogs are relevant, ever changing and sometimes drama filled much like a teenagers everyday life. I try to keep up with chosen blog topics and have begun dabbling in the world of math blogs. With most people having 24 hour access to the Internet at their finger tips I feel it is harder than ever to keep up with everything in cyberspace. Blogging has helped me figure out answers to complex math problems and has given me the freedom to vent on a world-wide platform. I enjoy exchanging ideas with others through blogs and often wait anxiously for responses to my posts.

Use a "Wordle"

Blogging Wordle

Check out this link to use with vocabulary terms. This makes reviewing vocabulary terms fun and engaging!