review games

So i just read a great edublog on review games involving technology (http://21csyers.blogspot.com/). The blogger explains three game show-esq games she plays with the class to keep all of the students involved. I recently played around the world with my class, which they enjoyed, though since not every student is involved at all times some loss interest fast. She explains these powerpoint trivia games in detail that force all students to be active participants. Another thing that I found very interesting was that at the end of the year for review she has the students make their own game. That way they are using the technology themselves as well as having fun and reviewing for the exam! I feel this would be very useful for all of us... check it out.

Suenos (Dreams)

Okay... am I going crazy or do you guys all have dreams about MAC as well? I recently had a conversation with a few of the group members who agreed that we just cannot escape from school, it even follows us to bed. At first I thought I was having a mental breakdown haha, but then I talked to one of my good friends at the bar last night about the LSAT. He randomly looked at me with terror in his eyes and said "Shannon, I think there is something really wrong with me, I cannot escape from the LSAT". He said that while at the bar he couldn't help but feel as though he should be home studying, and that everything people were saying reminded him of ?'s on the test. I laughed and asked if he had been dreaming about it, and he said "every night" with a sigh, hah. Somehow I managed to make him feel a little better with some inspirational words, and I ended up feeling better knowing that I wasn't the only crazy person out there. I then went home telling myself over and over not to dream about MAC, and you know what, ... it worked. Last night I dreamed about Romulus instead hahaha. I guess we will just have to ride this one out and except MAC as something being pumped into our veins for the next few months. With that, I would also like to tell you all that you are not alone, and we can do this!

Techy Kids as teachers

So I recently read a blog post by an edu blogger that was so interesting... I loved it. She explained how she searched on youtube for videos explaining how to use programs such as ScreenFlow and IShowU. The great thing was that she found tutorials and explanations by kids who were in 7th and 8th grade! She included their videos on her page, and I could not believe how professional and knowledgeable these kids were. I think it is great that kids are doing this, especially because a lot of their teachers may not be able to. Some people made comments asking whether or not school seems important to kids if they can learn everything at home and teach themselves. I believe that it is. For example, if any of you have ever taken an online class you know that they are convenient and and efficient, though you lose that personal interaction that can help a lot. Therefore, it shouldn't be Internet OR school, but Internet AND school. Plus I would rather have kids that know what they are taking about teaching my students about technology, rather than myself who pretends she knows what she is talking about ;)

So this is what it's all about

So I don't know about you guys, but being in the classroom with all the students makes me forget about all the loans I am taking out for this program haha. I love my mentor, the school, the administration, the security guards, the office secretaries, the students... everything! The only trouble I am having is adjusting to being called Ms. Cook. So my teacher gave me some homework to correct just if they did it or not, and I found myself correcting their mistakes and writing out detailed explanations on why it was wrong... and then giving examples of the right way to do it. I never thought that I would do something extra that I didn't need to haha, though I did it out of instinct! I hated it when teachers would mark off points and not tell me what I needed to do to fix it because then I would still get those same things wrong the next time around. Hopefully I will stay this ambitious as the year/years go on haha. Lastly I have a song for all of you to download it's call No Stress (English radio) by Laurent Wolf.