A pleasure. This blog seems great.
Bonnie

Nice to have you as a friend. The podcast idea is a good one, especially for absent students. I have just started a wiki for AP students to post things related to the eleven themes for the US AP curriculum. Unfortunately the course is so content driven that it's tough to do all the tech things I'd like to. But that's what we're all here for, to figure it all out. Catch you later.
Dave

Having a blast with PollDaddy.com!

Thanks for the invite. One idea for a commercial would be to advertise aspects of your school--special events, elective classes, next Friday's lunch menu, the benefits of visiting the counselor's office.

Thanks for inviting me to be a friend. Great idea to teach Blogging to kids.

Hiya Mrs. Durff, I'd be happy to be your friend. I LOVE your hat. :)

Glad you enjoyed the blog! From your profile pic, I would have pegged you to be a fan of the Good Doctor! :-)

Durff, you didn't start anything. I took exception to some of the comments that's all. As someone who has gone 13 years without commercial programs, I take exception when someone suggets that my decision to not watch tv is "a nifty personality test" and "it defines you as an educator". I've learned over the years that there are hills to die on and this is one that I have had many squirmishes over, been branded an idiot and lots of other things. It's very similar to me taking exception to the comments my wife and I have had about having 7 children. To me, these are in the same league. So you can just smile at what is said in the comments. I usually don't get into these but there was too much said with zero explanation to let go. Besides, as a principal, I've seen this type of stuff done all the time. I've heard "That's not what I meant" too many times from kids who did mean that but didn't want to face up to the consequences when someone took exception. No different here. Hope your summer is going well. Wish I was at NECC!

I figured I"d join the conversation. It's going to take me a while to get used to this network, but we'll give it a shot!

Thanks for the Pageflakes link to NECC -- I stumbled upon it on someone else's blog post, where you responded with the link.
Kevin

Thanks! We made lots of videos last year and I experimented with different ways. For this one I used Digital Blue Movie Creator 2.0. It takes still shots also and comes with great software.
A newer version of the camera is our now but this one works great for my student projects. If interested, I can post more details on the camera from a workshop I did on it this summer.
See camera: http://digiblue.com/digital_blue/dmc2.html

Looking forward to reading what you have on blogging.
Thank you,
JoNelle

Okay, I'm new at this and not very good about navigating. You left a comment on my page about something along the lines setting up "a blog in a walled garden," and I hit the delete button when I thought I was hitting the reply button. What I wanted to ask was this:

What blog sites would you recommend (especially for the technologically challenged like myself)? Thanks.

Thank you Durff! I really appreciate the links!

Hi Durff- Let's set up a call! Choose a few details preferences - aprox. time/grade level..I have grades 2-5. My days are different and topics very flexible!

Hi Durff- Looking at your resources to see your time zone, etc...My wikispace testing site shows my schedule
http://gheswiki.wikispaces.com/CR+2.0+Schedules
I set up many other spaces for students and teachers. I'm on EST and the times you sent to me - all of my students are gone. We could do a wikispace later and they partner up on responses like you suggested.

How about let's try out some initial non-live student communication. My logitech webcam sends video emails- mine could send a video message to yours and ask those questions. We'll come up with something that is open at each of our places.

My 4th graders have a username password on wikispaces. I'll send an invitation for you to join and you can see if it is blocked.
btw- I looked at your blog AND global communication Flash meeting last night. got great tips and resources. I looked more at Flash meeting again too- looks like another possibility. More in a bit- need a bit more figuring.
Actually I signed up my classes for 2 more of Technospud's projects. 1. Salute to Dr Seuss and 2. O.R.E.O. which are more possibilities.
We did a few of her projects last year- but not communicating with others- we sent in our results and analzed results across the nation.

http://www.essdackartsnacks.org

Hi Durff, how are you? Have you heard of YouFig.com? It's a useful site for collaboration between students and between teacher & class. It's invitation only and I still have a few invites left. Let me know if you'd like one. Looking forward to seeing you around here.

Hi Durff- Thank you for the Skype session. Points you made to my students about privacy and saftey helped give more power to what they have been learning this week. Hearing about you and your students made these very important lessons more real and personal.

MrsDurff - I liked the k12 session. For an unfamiliar medium you did a knock out job. Hopefully my first foray into making a similar presentation (whenever that may be!) will go as smoothly.

I really liked the presentation by the Generation Yes president. Very cool stuff. And of course the Moodle presentation...(my new favorite site is pageflakes.com...I might just be addicted)

Great k12onlineconference presentation, Durff! (I'm still working my way through all of them!) I can relate to you being a Web 2.0 "infant", as we seem to have been bit by that bug at about the same time. Amazing how quickly we learn though, huh? The preso was non-threatening, and I will encourage some of my more timid colleagues to watch it. Great approach!

Here is my latest pyschosis - my presentation wiki from the ACSI presentation I did yesterday - ACSI presentation

Latest Durff Psychosis = ACSI wiki

Thanks for the tip.

I did see the topic re: Parents as Partners. I am going to have to schedule several of these meetings as regular appointments so I can begin to participate!

I missed your Happy Easter...thank you! Same back to you!

its more Green in June!


Jim

Hi there! It was lovely to meet you tonight. :-)

That shows you how ignorant I really am:)
Check out the group I created called "The Teacher's Life Podcast Community". You want to be a part of the show?
At least check it out. If not, it's all good....I'm sure you have a great radio voice:)

Someone wrote me and told me you put my podcast out on your twitter. Thank you. That was noble of you. Off to school....have a good day.

so let me get this straight.....I do a new podcast and it is updated on all those things? I visited that site and can't really tell whats going on. Obviously it updates all of those things at the same time....but do I need to do something? I couldn't figure out the beta code thing, so I requested it, but it said it would take a few days. So, did you hook that up for all your accounts or something. Either way, thanks for the link. I'll look into asap.

Yes! I'm a bit of a Gee fan. I've implemented a lot of his principles of learning in my class to try and motivate students to attend class and complete work (I teach in a day treatment center for emotionally impaired students). I'm really interested in how to structure my curriculum delivery to mimic what makes video games so addictive (like moving up levels, personalizing avatars, rewarding small gains, etc.) and I'm having some success. I'd love to talk about Gee's stuff if you're interested.

Hi Durff - I'm glad you did! I really appreciate sharing all of your experiences and questions. It was nice meeting you.

Hi Durff. I was wondering if you have students or educator friends who would be interested in participating in a nationwide SAT Vocab Video Contest @ MIT university. You can view contest details at BrainyFlix.com Please let me know. Thanks!

Lady Greenfield, professor of synaptic pharmacology at Lincoln college, Oxford, and director of the Royal Institution, "...told the House of Lords that children's experiences on social networking sites "are devoid of cohesive narrative and long-term significance. As a consequence, the mid-21st century mind might almost be infantilised, characterised by short attention spans, sensationalism, inability to empathise and a shaky sense of identity". [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/feb/24/social-networking-site-cha...] Listen to the podcast to get the full impact of her point of view. What do you say?

Kim Cofimo's words of wisdom = "Teachers who use technology in the classroom are: flexible, willing to take risks and try new things, not afraid of failing, able to learn from their students, adaptable, and comfortable with the fact that they are not the smartest person in the room. Cultivating this kind of mindset is the first step to understanding how to use technology successfully in the classroom." What kind of teacher are you?

Hi, Durff,
Happy Mother's Day.
Thanks for all your wonderful links and words of wisdom

Thanks for saying hi. I had been meaning to look at this and had it bookmarked. I was at a conference this week and someone (Either @markwagner or @fitzwalsh) suggested it and I made sure to sign in.

Hello Durff,
Interesting place you got there. Looks like a real hub of activity. Thanks for the welcome greeting.