WONDER WEDNESDAY: Do You Need A Digital Diet?

Take this quiz to find out:

• Do you... feel the urge to pull out your smart phone when someone else is making a point in a conversation?
• Have you ever realized that you were texting while your child was telling you about her day at school and later couldn't remember any of the details of her story?
• Have you ever felt that something hasn't really happened until you post it on Facebook or tweet about it?
• Does a ringing/vibrating cell phone interrupt and trump everything else?

If you said "Yes" to any (or all, help us all!) of these, then you might be interested in this book by Daniel Sieberg, called The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life. Learn ways to cope, modify behavior, and find support for your habits that may be affecting other areas of your life.

I would write more on this topic and this book, but I'm cutting down on my "online time"! ;-)

TOOLS 4 Tuesday: 1-Page Map Maker & Teacher's Tape

National Geographic’s 1-Page MapMaker 
(in beta or test-version, so may not function perfectly, but still can be a great resource!)

"Customize one-page maps and download, email, print, or share!"

(OR... Use on your SMART Board, just capture the map with your Image Capture tool and use!)

 

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Teacher's Tape
Foam tape for wall hangings, magnetic tape, non-stick tape for shelves, and more! 

As the year begins, classrooms are still taking shape. Why not use an alternative to tape that stays up longer and is safer for most surfaces. I've used this before and found it to be a better option on some wall surfaces. NOT FREE :-( ... but you can get a FREE SAMPLE.

Manic Monday: Online Stopwatch and Timers for ANY Class

"Manic Monday" posts contain information or tips related to time-management, time savers, and organization.

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Check out some of these time tools for time management, learning about telling time, or even about hourly pay rates (... SEE the difference between a $8.00/hour job and a $40.00/hour job). 

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Full Screen Stopwatch: 
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/full-screen-stopwatch/




MANY Other Timers available at:  
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/

Such as...

Full Screen Clock (analog)
(with numbers, Roman numerals, or marks only/no numbers)
TIP: take screen shots of the clocks to use as needed in Notebook files or worksheets, etc.

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< < <  Full Screen Egg-Timer (sand glass)

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Cash Clock (aka- "Time is Money" Clock) (set $ amount per hour)

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< < <  Alarm Clock (minute or hour hand)

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Digital Clock (tired of analog???)

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< < <  Metronome (music teachers rejoice!)

Fun Friday: Back to School Jokes

Friday Fun:
Take some time to relax, have fun, and laugh (possibly even at ourselves!)... 

Here’s one...

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See more at:
Back to School Jokes (from Reader’s Digest)
See them 1 at a time
See them all at once

Thinking Thursday: Brain "Exercise" with Luminosity

"Use it or lose it!" Right?

For kids (students) or adults (teachers, parents, administrators, etc.), Luminosity is a website that has a variety of thinking activities (or games, if you'd rather think of them that way!) You can even sign up for a free account that tracks your prowess over time.

 

Video: Can You Be Their Teacher???

In preparation for the 1st day... An “oldie, but goodie” (from WAY back in Fall 2009) that should be seen by ALL teachers. It’s always a good idea to reflect upon and make sure we are the teacher that our students need. If you’re not, make efforts to become that teacher...

Watch this 2 min. video first, then re-read the text/transcript below from the video.

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You can't be my teacher... 
By Darren Cannell

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From Cannell’s YouTube page:
If you don't know the internet you can't be my teacher, I need someone who knows what I know.  Meet me on the web, at least half way.  Teachers today need to be literate to relate to digital natives.

Text from the video:
Are you going to teach me in a school?
Are you going to make me sit in a desk all day?
Is this what you are going to use to teach me with?
Is this what you are going to use to teach me with? (echo)
Do you know how to use a computer?
Do you know how to use a computer? (echo)
Are you a teacher?
Are you my teacher?
Are you going to teach me using the internet?
Are you going to teach me how to be safe on the internet?
Do you know what goes on on the internet?
Are you sure you are my teacher?
Are you sure you are my teacher? (echo)
Are you going to learn how to use the technology?
I am a digital native.
Do computers scare you?
Are you afraid to use them?
Have you been on facebook?
Have you been on twitter?
Have you been surfing?
Do you even know what is on the internet?
Are you going to be my teacher?
Or just that textbook?
Because I want to know...
what the world has to offer
And if you are not on the internet...
and know nothing about computers.
you can't be my teacher!
I said you can't be my teacher.
Make room for somebody who knows how to use the internet.
Do you think I am going to be ready?
Do you think I am going to be ready?
Do you think you are preparing me for the
 world that I have to live in?
Do you think I am going to be ready?
That's your job!
That's your job! (echo)