Google for Educators

If you have not already explored Google for Educators, you are missing out.
Take a look at lessons that were submitted by teachers by clicking here. You can choose by product, subject and grade. These are lessons using google apps. There are even posters that you can download and print for your classrooms.

Target Tech in Texas (T3) Grant

The T3 Grant will fund movement towards 21st century classroom as envisioned by the Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020. The grant strives for more media rich and project based learning to promote critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and career rediness. Calallen ISD and Odem/Edroy ISD will be provided with grant money. These funds will provide current and innovative technology to teachers and students so schools can focus on improving both teaching and learning.

Calallen ISD has partnered with Odem/Edroy ISD in a collaborative effort to identify common needs, goals and resolutions in K-8 and to create a broader participation within the community as we move towards 21st Century classrooms. We are excited to have this grant and the many opportunities it is providing our teachers and students with.

WallWisher

Who's Out There?

So at this moment, I know that someone in Sheppard, Texas is viewing this blog. Are you an educator? Did you find anything useful? Is there anything that I can do to make this blog better? I just started blogging this past December. In the past, I only participated on various blogs, but never started one of my own. So, constructive criticism is always welcome.

CSCOPE Parent Portal

C-SCOPE now has a parent portal. Please refer parents to this website. Parents can find out what is being taught by grade level and subject. There are also other resources to that allow parents to support student learning at home. They can even sign-up for the newsletter. Click here to find out more.

Design a Cool Website Contest

Design a Cool Website is a contest just for high school students and sponsored by Microsoft, NASA, TBEC, and the State of Texas. The registration deadline is Feb. 24, 2010 and the submission deadline is Mar. 25, 2010. Students can win cash and prizes. NASA-Johnson Space Center in Houston will host the winning teams to honor their accomplishments. Email me for more information.

Technology Applications Teacher Network

Technology Applications Teacher Network is another resource that was mentioned to me at TCEA. I just went to the website and signed up. TATN was put together as a collaborative effort between TEA and several Texas Education Service Centers in hope of provideing teachers with resources to implement TA TEKS in grades K-12. There are technology infused lesson plans for every grade level. I am just
getting familiar with this site so I will research it and get back with you all.

I need to get more information about this, but from what I understand TATN pays $400 for a 30 minute presentation at conferences such as TCEA. These presentations are of course on the topic of technology in the classroom. I will try to find out more. If anyone out there is familiar with this, please share with us. Thanks!

Day 5 at TCEA

Well, as you can see, this post is a little late. The last day at TCEA was a bit exhausting, but I am so glad that I was able to attend. I came home with an abundance of knowledge and technology tools that I will be sharing with you. There were so many great presenters that I had the opportunity to listen to and many more that I wish I could have heard. TCEA put together a great conference and it is my hope to bring along some teachers next year.

I also have to thank Rey and Bryan for putting up with me and attending the Avermedia presentation on the last day. I figured the more people we had there, the better our chances would be in winning the new document camera and a class set of Aver pens. Instead, some lucky librarian won the package. Oh well...maybe Avermedia will read this post and donate a set to us!

See you all on Monday!

Day 4 at TCEA

Four down, only one day to go. I awoke to lots of rain this morning. I had to wake up extra early to make it on time for Geocaching. I volunteered to help out with Geocaching. The nice lady at the volunteer booth pointed me to where I needed to be. When I arrived, the presenter told me it was canceled and that I was not needed. You can imagine what was going through my mind. Oh well, I had a back up plan of course. I was on my way to attend the Engaged Mathematics session only to find out that the presenter for that session was late. So I sat down patiently and decided to go over my daily schedule. A few minutes later, a TCEA rep walks in apologizing for the delay and assures us all that the presenter was on their way. Well, the presenter's manager shows up instead, aplogizes again, and informs us that his presenter would not be coming, therefore there will be no Engaged Mathematics session. What luck!!! FYI...the presenter was from eInstruction. I asked for a Mobi to make up for this, but I got a t-shirt instead. I tried!!!

I am happy to say that the rest of the day went pretty well. I learned so much, and I can't wait to bring all that back to you all. I have one more day to go.

Oh, and the cart I told my mother I would never use, but brought anyway just to please her, was put to good use by me today . Yes, I was all over the convention center rolling around a little black cart that was overflowing with lots of stuff. More free pens! I will not tell her that I used it because that would mean admitting she was right and I was sooo wrong. I miss my family and I am ready to go back home.     

Day 3 at TCEA

I am still alive and going strong! I started the day waiting outside the doors to the ballroom where Chris Gardner was to speak. This is the gentleman that actor Will Smith portrayed in the movie "The Pursuit of Happiness". I had a plan, I had my coffee, and I felt as if nothing could go wrong until everyone else started showing up.

Educators can get quite vicious. It was chaos once those doors opened, and I had to run to get decent seating. As I am getting to the area that I want to sit down at, I notice that about the first ten rows have RESERVED SEATING! How nice...reserved seating...but not for me. So I sat in the 11th row!!!

I'm good and I still have a nice view. I am settled and  finishing off my coffee until 2 women sit down right in front of me in the RESERVED SECTION. Yes, they blocked my perfect view. So everytime I tried to take a picture of Chris Gardner, they were in the way. I gave up trying to get a picture.

There was a book signing afterwards. I had to stand in a ridiculously long line to buy the book only to find out that I had to stand in an even longer line to get it signed. Oh, and I had 15 minutes to get to the next workshop I signed up for. What was I to do...stay in line and get my book signed or forget getting my book signed and make it to the workshop? Decisions, decisions!!!

That was when I noticed  a nice librarian whose workshop I attended way up in the front of the line. So, I got my books signed and made the workshop...that is all I am saying about that.

Today is the day that the exhibits opened up. What is it about teachers and freebies? I was like a child in a candy store!!! I have pens to last a lifetime. I can't wait for tomorrow. Ready or not, here I come!!!   

His speech was phenomenal!!!

  

Day 2 at TCEA

I have survived day 1 and wondering how day 2 is going to roll out.  I am about to begin a workshop titled Podasting, Blogs, and Wikis: Building a Learning Community by North East ISD in San Antonio. This one seems like it will be so much fun. I am more than sure that I will learn something new and share that with you guys. 

I might have to sneak out to search for coffee though!

TCEA Conference 2010

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be here at the TCEA conference in Austin. I arrived just in time to attend the Thinkfinity workshop, but only to find out that it overlapped with the C-Scope workshop. Aahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

The start of my frustrations have begun. I will be talking about the good, the bad, and the ugly...all of my TCEA experiences will be shared.

My goal here is to learn a lot and take that back to you all. I will be posting everyday bringing you valuable resources. Stay tuned!!!!

Black History

February is Black History month. This week we read The Story of Ruby Bridges, an African American, who was chosen to attend an all white school in New Orleans in 1960. In class today we watched Ruby Bridges, the movie, and then compared the book and the movie. It was quite interesting to observe the class experience integration as it was portrayed on film!

Copy of My Astonishingly Creative Newsletter

Let your student's creativity shine with this fun learning tool. Teachers, you to can have fun creating an awesome newsletter to post on your blog, wiki, etc. My daughter and I worked on one together. Click on the link below for one of many ideas.
Copy of My Astonishingly Creative Newsletter

February is Black History Month

Make those research projects come to life with Blabberize. Click on the example below for an idea. How will your students use blabberize?
Here are a few more links to some great Black History resources. These are of course just a few, you may include some of your favorites.
Time for Kids
RPF
Eduhound
HotChalk
CRDL

Blog Training at Magee

Many thanks to Rachel Davis at Magee for providing these links for cute blog templates and photo editing. Click here to access those links.