Teacher Talk

Tired of Learning

That's right, I'm getting tired of chasing edtech. While the technology is changing rapidly and it's incredibly exciting to be a part of these changes particularly as they relate to the world of education...I'm starting to tire of 'keeping up.' Please understand, I love the excitement and have always been an early adopter. What is exhausting is that sometimes I would just like to use the technology instead of understand it.

Image from Somadjinn. Spinning Disco Lamp. MorgueFile.

For example, I want to access all of my email from one location (Thunderbird works for me). So, what's the issue? The level of technical expertise I need to make this happen. So, I set up an account wanting to get my gmail to this desktop application. That's easy until I get a warning that says,

Mail server pop.gmail.com responded: Your account is not enabled for POP access.

So, I go to Gmail and look around for the link to the settings page so that I can enable my account for POP access. Hey look! I can FORWARD the email to another one of my accounts...this should meet my need. In fact, what a great idea! Done. Ooooh, and here's the POP access infor too...as long as I'm here, I may as well make sure it's all on.

Basically I over-engineered a solution and now recieve emails as well as copies of emails in Thunderbird. What's more is that it all stays ad nauseum in Gmail. My EdTechies friends and colleagues will tell me exactly how to fix this, the issue...I don't want to know how. And while I want it fixed, I don't want to fix it.

It's All About Me (Being a Professional)

Several weeks ago I declared this blog in need of a revamp. Since then I've spent a great deal of time reflecting on ed tech, social networking and my own professional development. Of course, all of the thoughts stay neatly tucked inside my mind.

I've been watching and learning from newbies to blogging (NB) as well as those who are blogging experts (BE).

What have I observed?

Trepidation & Innovation
Does it make me nervous? Yes, especially at first. However, I believe we need teachers who can model how this can be done professionally. (BE)

Intuition & Risk
I have great passion for what I do and am diving into the edtech professional development arena as well, in hopes of bringing the excitement of technology into more classrooms. (NB)

What have I learned?

Certainly, there are liberties I have as I'm not currently working in a school. In fact, there are benefits to not being employed at all.

• As long as I'm not prepared to fire myself, I've got "job" security (wondering if this isn't really "in" security).
• Morning is any time before noon.
• I generally agree and get along with myself.
• Ignoring bureaucracies that don't make sense to me.
• Setting the barometer for sense-making.

Does this mean I'm free to blog with random disregard? Absolutely not.

In addition to being accountable to myself and my family, I'm accountable to teachers, both instructors and customers. My participation in the education community, by default, necessitates and deserves professional representation.

In brief, trepidation, innovation, intuition and risk are a normal part of the blogging experience. Throw in a dash of my own good judgment and a sprinkling of support from people I respect and I can open up, letting those thoughts get a little air (of course, don't want to be TOO open-minded for fear my brain will fall out altogether, but that's for another post).

Coming Soon to the Teacher Toolbar

www.bubbl.us
www.freemindshare.com
Mind mapping application (FREE) that lets you brainstorm online.

Geogebra
Educational Materials and Dynamic Worksheets (not an oxy-moron)

Rashi is a super creative math teacher. Learn more here:
http://figuresspeakmathematics.blogspot.com/
http://mathematicslearning.blogspot.com/

http://www.fingertipsoft.com
Easily convert your keyboard for alternate characters.
45 day trial and $29 to buy
I love this program!

Which Superhero are You?

Your results:
You are Spider-Man

Spider-Man 80% Superman 70% Robin 65% Catwoman 65% Wonder Woman 60% Iron Man 50% Hulk 40% The Flash 40% Green Lantern 40% Batman 30% Supergirl 30%

You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

I'm a Twit

If one who twits is a twitter then one who twitters must be a twit. Twitter is well, it's a site where, well, it's...okay, I don't quite know yet (I believe this also qualifies me for twit-status).

According to Twitter.com:

It is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

Why? Because even basic updates are meaningful to family members, friends, or colleagues—especially when they’re timely.

• Eating soup? Research shows that moms want to know.
• Running late to a meeting? Your co–workers might find that useful.
• Partying? Your friends may want to join you.

With Twitter, you can stay hyper–connected to your friends and always know what they’re doing. Or, you can stop following them any time. You can even set quiet times on Twitter so you’re not interrupted.

Twitter puts you in control and becomes a modern antidote to information overload.

I'm not convinced that Twitter has any redeeming value. That said, I've recently committed to sticking with it in an effort to give twittering a fair shake.

In the meantime,

• Mom does want to know if I'm eating soup but is comfortable with asking me about it on the telephone.
• I'm more apt to be running late because of Twitter than meeting with anyone who uses it.
• Please consider joining me and we'll call it a Twitter Party. See you at www.twitter.com/epaxton

 

Great Name Change

After a couple of years running this blog under the name Teacher Talk it's dawned on me...this blog needs a makeover, at least a new name. Quite frankly the only one "talking" here is me and while I tire of "listening" to myself, recent silence has got me thinking "What is it that I really do here?"

Thus...

Education Concierge is born. Helping teachers, students, parents, businesses and more to understand, engage and interact with online teaching and learning. Hmmmmm still needs some work, eh?

When a young girl is dreaming about her future she often plays the "How does this name sound?" or "What does this name ook like?"-- game. If you are female, you may recognize this activity (My apologies to Mr. Robert Allen):

• Ellen Myfuturehusbandname
• Mrs. Myfuturehusbandname
• Mr. & Mrs. Myfuturehusbandname
• Dr. & Mrs. Myfuturehusbandname
• Ellen Isthisnamebetter
• Mrs. Isthisnamebetter
• Mr. & Mrs.Isthisnamebetter
• Dr. & Mrs. Isthisnamebetter

And, as I became we become more sophisticated:

• Dr. & Dr. Hescutewhataboutthisname
• Mr. & Dr. Hescutewhataboutthisname

Related to the Grand Name Change there's now the question of hyphenation as well:

• Education-Concierge
• Education Concierge
• EducationConcierge (Will people be able to spell concierge? Will they need to do so?)
• EdConcierge (Will people be able to pronounce concierge? Will they need to do so?)
• Ed-Concierge
• Ed Concierge

Here's to a new beginning, once again...(and adding a the need for a new header to the To Do List)

Gymnastics for the Mind

Gymnastics for the mind, entertainment for the soul and training for the hands is how Oriland describes the art of origami. My much less elaborate description is "beautifully intricate and really, cool looking."

From an educational perspective:
Origami creates creates conditions of intensive interaction of the brain’s hemispheres and effectively allows development of motor skills of both hands, intellectual and creative abilities.

On a somewhat related note, no one sheet of paper can be folded in half more than seven times. Go ahead, try it.

Image: http://morguefile.com/forum/profile.php?username=sideshowmom

Christmas Holiday Humor

Okay, I'm starting to get into the holiday spirit (afterall we've had snow for several weeks now and still can't form a decent snowball). In fact, my children are replacing noses with carrots in every picture they draw, believing a snowman is inevitable before the new year.

My two favorite holiday sites this season:

• Elf Yourself . . . Happy Holidays!
• Santa Hunters

My First Computer: An Etch-a-Sketch 100

This Etch-a-Sketch simulation by the Learning Box evokes wonderful memories and is just too much fun not to play with. Enjoy.

Giggles for Learning

We love how these words summarize parenting (our dads love it too!) and believe there's a comparative teacher summation out there. So, here's the challenge:

1. Create a video that generates similar head-nodding agreement and maybe even a few laughs.
2. Post it at www.TeacherTube.com (like YouTube but expressly for education).
3. Submit a link to your entry here.

It's not scientific and there's no rubric but we'll give you a free course (up to $25 value) if you make us giggle. C'mon and tell your friends too!

Connecting in Internet Time

Have an interest in education and technology?
Consider joining me in Internet Time.

Visit Internet Time

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Teacher's Top-Ten

A teacher's top-ten list of why Kimbo Educational products deserve serious consideration in teaching and learning strategies.

Nursery Rhymes are one of the best tools for helping children build phonological awareness (an ear for sound). Movement awakens and activates thinking. Between birth and three years of age, a child's brain is twice as active as an adult's. Toddlers are particularly receptive to developing both vocabulary and an ear for sound. Music decreases anxiety and reduces stress. Movement is a sensory experience that anchors thought. Exercise keeps us alert and enhances our memory. Nursery Rhymes teach the rhythm and patterns of language. Dancing enhances pattern recognition. Music and movement build a foundation for literacy. Vocabulary size and sound discrimination ability (rhyming words, alliteration, etc.) are the two best predictors of reading success.

Why Didn't I Think of That?

Somethings make so much sense that I can't believe they're new. Such is the case with WebSlides by www.diigo.com <-- my favorite bookmarking and annotating and archiving and organizing and locating and so much more tool for quite a while now!

A musing...

I've been giving serious consideration to how we can make systemic changes in American education, specifically teaching and learning.

As a pioneer (entrepreneur) in K12 education, I often find myself alone and on the road less traveled. Please lend your expertise, opinions and experiences as I welcome voices from outside of my head. Thanks!

Professional Scrubs?

Okay, I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on TV, however I can tell you that a pair of scrubs gifted to me are super comfy. Go ahead and check it out. You might even tell my mom, I mean Barbara, that I sent you.