The Whole Blog: This blog was created using Word Press. It does required some programing skills and a yearly fee. The pros of using this format is someone else does the up kept so I can focus on posting and creating. The cons; I can get frustrated when my knowledge of programing runs out and it takes a bit of research to learn how to embed the different features we have used. (It’s usually really easy, however, at times I can complicate breathing…and I owe a great deal to my wonderful, awesome, frustrating, annoying “baby” brother, who teaches technology classes at the Art Institute in Chicago. He will actually take my phone calls at 10pm over this stuff and for the most part not make fun of my attempts…to much. THANKS! Matt!!) **Many of the free creative tools I use on the home page can be easily embedded into teacher web, blogger, and others.**

Home Page: This page is used as a running diary of our classroom learning activities and events. We post our work and photos using several different resources. For a complete list of resources click on the Teacher Resource page on the right under Categories and scroll to the bottom.

Recent Posts: I like this feature because often it has the latest homework podcast at the top. Which makes for a quick check of homework.

Podcasting: We are currently using Gcast for homework because it is free and easy, requiring only 5 to 10 minutes each day to complete. One student (chosen by a prearranged classroom job chart) will make the call. I chose to use my cellphone number for extra security, for example; I press 9 on my phone, enter the pass code and hand it off. They read through the assignments hit the # button and hand it back. I listen to the message if I didn’t hear it while they were recording and hit # again. It’s about a 2 minute wait… then I go to the Gcast site and click through a few choices, such as color of icon, size and then cut and paste into my site.

Categories: Here you will find all the links I use while teaching in class or the computer lab. A few of them have been blocked from my school, however the students can use them at home for study. I try to create/update the posts as I am lesson planning, so keep checking back as the posts do change from year to year when I teach each subject again. (I’m not real good at remembering to change the post date and my time stamp is off, so please don’t go by those for the changes…one of these days I’ll deal with the details but it’s not high on my to do list.)

Just for Fun:Totally a time wasting place…but everyone needs it now and again…many of the things posted have come about from discussions with the kids…”Hey, Miss Nelson have you seen…” Others have been…”Will you post…blank…so I can see it. I’m not allowed on youtube…” Basically, all the posts are student driven/requested/suggested. I have placed rules on what I will post (school appropriate language, gestures, topics…) and will often review the suggested site with the student. We discuss the “rules” before…”If anything embarrasses you while watching this with me..then maybe, just maybe it’s not appropriate”… and quite a few times the student has decided against having it posted without me having to say anything. “Oh, I forgot about this part…Oh, that’s the second bad word…Uhmm…no, don’t post this one…I forgot about that…” (AND then I’m not the bad guy…win/win.) This has been such an eye opening activity. It really shows me what they are doing on-line at home, what / who they are listening to, and what they are interested in.

Spelling Word Lists: I have leveled lists in my room and do not want trouble about posting the words on-line from the publisher. So, if you want to know more about them email me and we can talk. www.2shayn@gmail.com

Teacher Resource Page: Having taught in another state for years, I created this page for former teacher friends who wanted to know where I was finding some of the things I use in class. I try to update and check over this list in the summer–so if you find any dead links–sorry–email me or wait–I’ll fix them this summer

FQA: Yes, I do sleep. However I’m sure to be about a week behind on grading, and I know I have that paper the office needs NOW, on my desk, under my desk, in a pile…somewhere…just give me a second or three to find it ( and fill it out). Basically, this is just what I enjoy doing…or what I chose to do when I want to avoid what I SHOULD do. On an average, I try to only spend about 20-30 minutes a day on the website. The reality is… a week or two can go by and I’m only posting homework, then suddenly one week I’m all about the site and I’m on for hours. Another week, nothing, and then one day I’ll tell myself I just have to do this one thing and look up and an hour is gone. This is the second year on this format/ site and I just build it one thing at a time. It’s just growing with me, step by step…I do what I can, and TRY not to worry about the rest. The cool thing about technology is I don’t have to recreate the wheel. I see this as a way to organize what I am doing/using and a way to share it with my students in one place we can all use. I can link and forget because it’s here for us next year. It’s great not to have to go…now where was that site I used last year…