The Good Ghoul's Guide to Getting Even

Breaking Dawn this is not. Still, The Good Ghoul's Guide to Getting Even starts out as a little hokey (okay, in all fairness, I had just finished Breaking Dawn a few minutes before jumping into this book, so maybe my expectations were a little too high), but then actually turns into a decent, spoofish (is that even a word??) take on vampires, only the main character in this book is an overachieving, somewhat nerdish future valedictorian who suddenly finds herself among the undead. Being the problem solver she is, she sets out to find a way to undo her undead status, taking the reader through several twists and turns before the book's end. PG13 (mild language)

Breaking Dawn (!!!!!!!!)

In a word (er... textspeak...OMG!!!! (translated "Oh My Gosh!")). Breaking Dawn was, by far, my favorite of the series - even surpassing that of Twilight, which was in itself, an obsession from the moment I turned the first page. Without giving away anything, I think it's safe to say thatStephanie Meyers has accomplished what every author hopes for - a final novel (in a series, that is) that, one way or another, neatly wraps everything up with countless twists along the way. I'd better stop there before I given anything more away. Final word? Read it!!!! PG-13

Stuck In Neutral

I have to admit that I've had Stuck In Neutral in my classroom library for quite some time, but never got around to reading it until just now. This book is unique, in that it tells the story from Shawn, a fourteen year old boy with Cerebral Palsy. Although he appears to be a "vegetable" (his words), he is actually just a normal fourteen year old boy, with all of the hopes, desires and worries that go with that age - with one exception. He believes that his father may be planning to kill him. Although this is completely a work of fiction, the author is the parent of a child much like Shawn, which lends a truthfulness to the story that I don't think would have been there. PG

Leaves - A Writer's Community Ning

I'm revisiting two things I have "touched" in my past, but didn't pursue at the time. The first came about four years ago, when I went through the New Jersey Writing Project Institute, and became addicted to the writing community, and went through GREAT withdrawals when it ended because I loved the interaction within the writing process. The second thing was recently when I "did" the Ning part of 23 Things. Over the last week I've been back into the NJWPT/Abydos Institute, working through a new piece with a community of writers - and have remembered how much I enjoyed being a member of a writing community. This has spurred me to revisit my wish to start a writer's circle in SBISD. Sooooo... I've created a Ning entitled "Leaves" (get it? Spring Branch - branches have leaves - leaves of paper??? ). The link to it is on this page. Please take a moment to visit, and, if you feel so compelled, join! I've set it up so that anyone who'd like to join, can.

Incantation, by Alice Hoffman

I love it when authors sneak in history while telling a fantastic story! Set in the 1500s in Madrigal, Spain, we are given a glimpse into the lives of the Conversos, Jews who had converted to Christianity to avoid persecution during the Spanish Inquisition. Told in the voice of Estrella (a.k.a. Raven), Hoffman skillfully spins a tale of fierce loyalty, the importance of family, and most of all, the necessity of staying true to oneself, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable uncertainty and danger. An absolute MUST READ! G

Fear Nothing, Dean Koontz

Okay - I admit it - I LOVE Dean Koontz novels. While he does have a tendency, in my opinion, to overuse similes and metaphors a tad too much, he writes one heck of a story, with complex characters caught in complex situations. As a teacher, I appreciate his ability to use dialogue to "flesh out" his characters (in my opinion, he is downright masterful!); as a reader, I can't get enough of his high intensity, non-stop action plots - PLUS, you just never know what twist he'll throw in. In Fear Nothing, the books protagonist, Christopher Snow, finds himself in the midst of a mystery when his father's death sets in motion a bizarre series of events that will ultimately redefine his understanding of not only his closest friends, but the world around him. Koontz deftly weaves a story that asks the question, "What is risked when humans play God?" Definitely a "more mature read" due to some of the content, this one is not a book I would just put out on my classroom shelf, but would definitely recommend to "readers in the wild", as John O'Flahavan would say (at least I think it's John O'Flahavan that says that! :) ) R

The Shack

Well...I wish I could say that I LOVE The Shack, but I can't. While the content in and of itself is beautiful, and definitely strengthened my understanding of grace, the writing is less than stellar. I could picture Young reaching for the thesaurus, just digging for that alternative verb - you know, the one your teacher encouraged you to find - the "active verb"? Still, I applaud the author for taking on a HUGE concept, and doing a lovely job of explaining some pretty tough topics in a straightforward, compassionate way. Even though the writing isn't great, it's still worth a read! G

Catalyst

I must admit, I've picked up and put down this book several times, for no reason that I can recall. I loved Anderson's other books, Fever 1793, Speak and Twisted , but just never could commit to this one. Obviously, I finally committed, and found, not surprisingly, thatCatalyst did not disappoint. In the last semester of her senior year of high school, and anxiously awaiting her acceptance letter to MIT, Kate, the character around which the story centers, suddenly finds her already complicated world even more so when through a course of events, the #1 female thug ends up living at Kate's house, an event with more than the expected implications. As with her other books, there is plenty of humor, with an equal dose of thought provoking scenes. I think this book is probably one of my favorites! PG-13

Wiki-wiki-wiki...

Okay - getting on my technological soapbox! Do you teachers ever find yourself bemoaning the lack of time to really get down to the meat of the meetings whenever your team comes together to plan? Do you spend countless (and precious) hours trying to figure out where you put that wonderful short story/found that perfect poem on the web? Do you wish you could have more time to just wax philosophical with your colleagues on whether or not sentence diagramming is a worthwhile way to teach grammar (okay - that might be a bit over the top)? If you have not had time to play with the wiki in depth, I'd encourage you to give it a whirl. Back on Thing #16, I extolled the virtues of wikis, but my extolling was ridiculously ignorant! Now that I have gotten a chance to really start playing with the three wikis I set up for the L.A. teams on my campus, I am in love! I've settled on Wetpaint (see sample wiki for one modeled after the ones we're (hopefully) using at the Forest). Feel free to play, and share your ideas on how you can see it applied in your world! Happy Wiki-ing! (Note: I've included permission at the bottom to copy anything you see that you like - all I ask is that you let me know what you think!)

Water for Elephants

All I can say is "wow"! While this book is definitely NOT one for the kids, due to some adult content, it is a BEAUTIFUL story that leaves you satisfied. Without giving away too many details, this book tells the story of a young man who finds himself homeless and penniless during the early years of the American Depression. Desperate, he jumps what he soon finds out to be a circus train, and soon finds himself caught up in the life of a travelling circus. To say the characters are richly developed would be an understatement! I found myself smiling, laughing, crying and commiserating with all of them. As an added bonus, Gruen has artfully woven her extensive research into the book, basing several of the more humorous, and sometimes tragic, anecdotes on actual events from circus lore. As I said, this is not a book for students; however, I would absolutely recommend it for their parents.
R

Thing #21 - Adventures in Podcasting - The Adventure continues...

Okay - being the stubborn one that I am, I reshot my podcast with my camera, and basically redid it. I successfully uploaded the podcast to Switchpod (yahoo!), and am now hoping that all I have to do is load the url in a la html code. Soooooo... here goes...






Woohoo! It worked! Obviously, I chose to route this through TeacherTube, which was ridiculously easy. When I tried to figure out how to insert the actual podcast into my blog, I couldn't get it to work, so I just went to what I know, which is why I went to TeacherTube.Now I just have to figure out how to get rid of the static....

Thing #23 - I'm (NOT) out of here!

Woohoo! I'm done!!!!!!

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
I'd have to say my two favorites were the Wikis (so ridiculously user friendly!!!! I really like Wetpaint the most, and have set up three planning wikis for my teams (I'd link them, but they're private)) and then it's a toss up between the blogs and podcasts (yes, even though I did my fair share of "gritching" because I couldn't get it to upload, I know the issue is not insurmountable).

How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
Talk about the breath of life! This has shown me a whole new set of things to "chase", and it's only a mouse click away. PLUS, like literacy, technology is a dynamic body of knowledge, always changing, so it's not like I'll ever know it all (even if it was static, I'd still never know it all). Finally, technology dovetails into just about every subject out there, so if I should ever move from a classroom teacher to another educational position, the knowledge will transfer, too!
Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I am amazed, looking back, at how MUCH I learned, in such a short amount of time. The title of this post says it all - I'm not finished. I am going to go back and play some more (I WILL get that stinking podcast uploaded!!!!!).
What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
Maybe offer a "BYOL" (Bring Your Own Laptop) meeting - at a Starbucks, even - where people could come get in person support for specific issues they are having.
If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?
Absolutely! Put me on the list now!
How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote 23 Things learning activities?
Pivotal
Paradigm shifting
Dynamic
Life Changing

Thing #22 - It's a Ning Thing

Well, still haven't resolved the vid/podcast issue, but have decided to move on, since I think I've solved the mystery, and just need to shoot it so it'll be uploadable. I played around with several of the Nings, and then joined one of the sites and created a Stratford Alumni Ning - even emailed it to several of my husband's class (he's kept up with about ten of his buddies - kind of impressive, since he's class of '77, and I'm '84). He then informed me that one already exists, and is linked to the SHS home page. Oh, well, I at least got to play with it! I think I'll create a Ning for Writing Teachers - maybe some of my fellow 23 Thingers/Writing Teachers (hint, hint, Grammar god :)) will join in the fun....

I can see all kinds of applications for Nings in the classroom. For the kids, contains so many of the other components (blogs, forums, insertion of vid and pod casts, that I can see it as a wonderful, user friendly way for groups (or individuals) to create focus groups, and incorporate research into that. For example, my skateboarders could create a Ning that included a blog for fellow skate boarders - complete with different threads - video insertions of famous skateboarders, photos, etc. In fact, creating a Ning would be a really cool end of semester or end of year project because it would require the kids to incorporate everything they learned, both technologically, and L.A. curriculum related (not that the two are mutally exclusive, though) into one final place. I think I'll explore that more this next year, as I'm sure there are parental approvals, and such, that I'd need to get.

Thing #21 - Adventures in Podcasting! Ready to SCREAM! Part II

I know this seems like I'm perseverating on this (and I am - it's 5:05, and I am still in my pajamas, and have permanently grown into my couch at this point). I searched all the graduates' blogs, but didn't find anything other than a lot of very cheerful (grrrrr!) posts regaling pod and vidcasts, and how easy they are to do. Being the stubborn one that I am, I decided to try creating a new Photostory with an actual photograph, to see if that made a difference - which it did! Sooooooo - I'm going to try to just photograph the Powerpoint slides I made, save those into Photostory as pictures (even though I saved the Powerpoint slides as .jpeg files), and go that route. In the meanwhile, if any of you Kickball Captains can advise me on how to convert those files into something that will upload through Photostory, I'd greatly appreciate it! I think I will forge ahead, though, to Thing #22.

Thing #21 - Adventures in Podcasting! Ready to SCREAM!

Okay - ready to scream now! I've been to at least 10 different sites, trying to get my stinking podcast uploaded, and finally went back to Switchpod, thinking that maybe I'd clicked the wrong thing. I mean, after all, I created the podcast with Photostory, and then used Switchpod - both of which were recommended by the 23 Things instructions, but got the same message "The submitted file was of invalid type." I have NO IDEA how to get this stinking thing up! Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

Thing #21 - Adventures in Podcasting!

Okay...holding my breath that this worked! This was, perhaps, the most complicated Thing of all - or maybe convoluted is a better word. I thoroughly enjoyed creating the Podcast with Photostory, and decided that rather than taking pictures, and using those, I'd try to see if Powerpoint would "translate" - which it does (although I think you have to save it as a jpeg file, but I may be wrong). With that decided, I sketched it out, and then created it (which took three days, off and on). Special props to my daughter for providing the voice work (I figured since middle school kids are my target audience, it would be better with a twelve year old narrating it than me). All of this was relatively easy - if not a little tedious. When it was time to upload it, though, it got a little more complicated. I went to Switchpod, but when it was time to upload, it looked like it was working, but then told me the format was unrecognized! UGH!!! I checked out the FAQ section, and found the link to Ourmedia, which required a download of Spin Express, a "translator" program. At this point, it was pretty easy - I had to register on an archive site - and then the upload wizard guided me through the rest. As I sit here typing, I've inserted the html code from the archive site (when the upload finishes, it takes you to your archived site, where the code is located just a little further down the page), and will now click "post", and see if it works. Crossing the fingers...

Thing #6 - Again!

Okay - had a chance to play a little more with mashups. I initially intended to add a magazine cover, but found the jigsaw program, and thought how cool this would be to have kids find an image that represented a theme from a short story or book. So, here you go...

Thing #10 Revisited

Okay - had a little more luck this time. I don't know what is going on with my connection, but for some reason, I just couldn't get to some pages the other day. ANYWAY, here's my contribution for the Image generator. I can see all kinds of applications for this tool. Kids can use it as a response to something they've read. I also wondered if these could be inserted into a powerpoint or PhotoStory, and then turned into a Podcast. Something to play with in the future...

Made with free image tools @ TXT2PIC.com

Thing #21

Woohoo! I've been looking forward to this Thing all along. Now I can finally figure what to do with all of those videos we shot this past year, after getting proper permission, of course! I particularly liked the video on TeacherTube on poetry slams, since I've been really wanting to take "Open Mic" to the next level, but wasn't sure how to give my kids a visual of what a poetry slam looks like. Check out the video below to see what I'm talking about. (Be patient with the beginning - it's a student made video, so you have the middle school flavor! :))

Thing #20

Had a little trouble getting to the Web 2.0 listng. Something is up with the link, I think. I googled "Web 2.0", and found it that way.

What is special about the tool?
I think the way that it's a "one stop shop", and it's a one stop shop of the best.
What are its useful parts, especially with regards to Libraries and school?
It's almost like you have to know what you're looking for, and then it will be there (probably!). I think of it almost like a toolbox of tech tools.
How might you use this tool in your own setting?
I can see how this might be a resource for the kids to use like a menu, of sorts, so that they can have whatever tools they need, technologically speaking, to create the product they are shooting for.

Thing #19

Open Office? Not so much! I couldn't get it to open, and when I tried to save it to my computer, it was going to take 11 minutes to download! And that's on my fancy-schmancy new district issued laptop. I did play with the Google Docs a bit, and like the similarity between those programs and Word. I could see it being an affordable way for kids who may have the computer, but not the software (Microsoft ain't cheap!). I can also see it kind of like a wiki, in that, if I understand the software, you can share documents with others. Not sure, come to think of it, if I saw where you can have multiple writers. If so, that makes it ever so much cooler!

Thing #17 -

I'm not sure how I feel about Rollio . I set up an account, and created my Rollio list, but can't figure out how to get back to MY page. I can definitely see how it would be useful when kids start researching, particularly if there is a central idea being explored. I'll need to play with it a little more to get more comfortable.

Thing# 16 My Life Just Got Easier (and a WHOLE LOT MORE EXCITING)!!!!

Wow! I had NO idea how useful wikis could be!!!! I see an immediate application for using this as a remote type of planning tool for the 7th and 8th grade L.A. teams that I'm on (which is what I'll be doing as soon as I finish this post!). I also really like the 10th grade Lit Circle wiki, and will definitely be using that in some way, shape or form next year. I also had fun playing around in the SBISD wikisandbox. Now I'm off to see if I can create my own!

Thing #15 - Bye-bye Birdie

From Michael Stephens's Blog "One of the principles I would add to the Library 2.0 meme is that “the Library is human” because it makes the library a social and emotionally engaging center for learning and experience. " Please forgive my boldness at this next comment (and this may be the one comment on my blog that pulls the most responses), but it seems to me that the role of the librarian as the sweet-lady/man-that-can-help-you-use-a-card-catalog-or-find-a-book has gone the way of the dodo bird. We (that is teachers and students) need him or her to be our guide, not only in using the library as a learning tool, but also the constantly emerging and improving technologies that will move our students into the future, ESPECIALLY since our population (at least at my school) doesn't always have access to computers, etc. at home, and rely upon the school to meet their technological needs.

Thing #14

Hmmm...Technorati. Not sure how I feel about it, quite frankly. While I did find a great blog that comments on the state of education in Texas, I'm not sure exactly how I will specifically integrate it into my classroom, other than just turning kids onto the site. One thing that does spring to mind is that it could be a very useful way for kids to read posts on books they're reading, either in class, or for pleasure. I'll need to think more on this one, and get more comfortable using it first, though....

Thing #13

I wish I'd known about this last year! What a great way to guide kids to the sites they need for research! del.icio.us is the way to go! No more worrying about if they'll find the information they need, and that the sites they visit will be appropriate. I also intend to teach them how to set up their own del.icio.us account (assuming that's "kosher" with the district technology gods), to use as a way to show they've done some independent research.

Rebel Angels, by Libba Bray

In this second part of the Gemma Doyle trilogy, Bray picks up the pace where she left off, wasting no time getting back into the action. I think that's one of the things I like most about this trilogy - almost every other page contains an element of mystery, a twist, or action - and sometimes all three! In this book, Gemma must reenter the realms to undo what was done in the first book, A Great and Terrible Beauty (see my prior post) . PG-13

Thing #12

I think it is on the Ten Techniques page where "lurkers" are talked about. I immediately felt pegged as a lurker, but then got to thinking...which is worse - to post inane, ridiculous responses, so as not to be guilty of lurking, or lurking? I realize that this post is not intended as an "always" thing, though....

Another post that caught my attention was on the Ten Commandments of Blogging site. I'm referring to actually two different sections both of which talk about grammatical and typographical errors. I must admit, there are blogs out there that contain posts from people who struggle with spelling/English/grammar (I mean ABSOLUTELY NO OFFENSE!!!!), and it can be, at times, distracting. It's like I tell my students, "If you are going to publish your writing, and you want others to understand what you're saying, you need to do everything possible to make sure your message is clear - including checking your spelling and grammar." On that note, using blogs with my kids (a.k.a. students) will give me an opportunity to talk about register with them - in a nutshell, consider your audience when writing!

Thing #11

Holy smoke! My classroom library just took on a whole new life! My vision will be to set this up, and then invite the kids to add their comments to it, as well as use this as a way for them to access reviews to help them choose books. VERY COOL!!!! I especially love the Author link on the Zeitgeist page - what a wonderful way for kids to see that authors are people, too!

Thing #10

This post is really just a place holder. For whateve reason, I kept getting Internet Explorer errors for all but one of the links. Still, I can certainly see where the Comic strip generator could be a great way for kids to respond to something they've read in comic strip form. I'll update this post as soon as I can get to those links...

Thing #9

Which method of finding feeds did you find easiest to use?
I think my favorite is "piggybacking" off of other sites. This seems to be the easiest, since the challenge of finding the feeds that I'll find pertinent lessens with each subsequent link.

Which Search tool was the easiest for you?
I especially like the Topix tool, as it links me to local issues and interests. I also like the Google tool, mainly because it is so easy, and "works like my brain" - in other words, I can type in the topic as I would say it, and it generally takes me where I want to go to - plus, it is familiar because of its layout.

Which was more confusing?
I found the Syndic8 tool not so much confusing, as not as appealing visually.

What kind of useful feeds did you find in your travels? Or what kind of unusual ones did you find?
I love the "I Am Matthew Williams and You Are Not" - very cheeky, but with some interesting info....

What other tools or ways did you find to locate newsfeeds?
I don't know that I necessarily found another way, so much as I'm much more aware of what I can do with the sites.

Thing #8 Response

How cool! Here's my thoughts...
What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?
I think, more than anything else, the "one stop shop" is the best thing about this tool.
How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your school or personal life?
Personally, this will keep me more in touch with the different blogs I frequent. I know my hubby will love this, once I turn him on to it. For my students, I could see setting up a page that they could access related to a central topic, and linking it to my portal.
How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?
I would think that this would be invaluable for librarians for keeping up with the new YA titles that are out there (Teri Lesesne's blog is awesome!)

Thing #7 for 23 Things

Wow - this one was a little tougher. I can see great potential with Google Notebook for student research, etc., but had some trouble getting to it right now, as I have to log in as "home" so I can add the Google toolbar app (I guess I can get to it once I log in as myself????). I will definitely use the Google Calendar tool (I think I'll link it to my portal page) for assignments next year (for whatever reason, I couldn't get access to my portal's rights to add the calendar tool), and have also signed up for Google alerts to NCLB changes, as well as any new "tricks" from our illustrious Texas State Board of Education. I can also see how that might be useful for the kids to use (Alerts, that is), when working on current events articles.

Response to Thing #6

Okay - I'm REALLY going to need to do something else today! Curses on you, Kickball Captains - I have loads of laundry that need to be washed, a room to paint, AND it's three o'clock and I'm still in my pajamas! I am having too much fun! I LOVE the BIg Huge Labs site - I am seeing some more exiciting responses to literature coming my kids' way. The magazine cover is going to be such a cool way to respond to a book the kids have read, and the trading cards are just SCREAMING to be used for character profiles (maybe with the kids pulling pix off of Flickr). I also can see an application for the Mosaic tool, to help the kids understand the concept of tone and mood (both teacher and kids generated).

Response to Thing #5

Here are a few of the pictures I found on the Flickr site. I've included a basic description, as well as how I intend to use each picture to support my students' learning. In general, all three pictures relate to the Holocaust, which 8th grade L.A. typically "do" at the end of the year. I find that many of my kids are unfamiliar with the Holocaust itself, and showing them pictures to supplement the articles they read to build background knowledge prior to reading the class novel, Night, really seems to help them visualize what the characters in the book are going through.

The image of the gate to Auschwitz, which says "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work makes (you) free), and shows the "welcome" that the victims received at the camp, really underscores the desperation of the Holocaust. Not only does it depict the harshness of the camp, but it also serves as a grim reminder of how hopelessly hopeful the victims were made to feel. I can think of several different applications for this photo - as a discussion point, writing prompt, or simply to build background knowledge for my kids.

The image of the barbed wire is from a section of fence at Auschwitz. I plan on using this early in the study as a writing prompt, asking the kids to simply respond to what they see.

A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray

If only I had read this book before I took Victorian Lit in college! Libba Bray has done a splendid job of writing a great story, set against the backdrop of the Victorian period, where women generally ran around either giggling, crying, or fainting. Not one to easily follow along, the book's main character, Gemma Doyle, finds herself dropped off at Spence Academy, a finishing school for the daughters of high society, where the students learn the fine arts of needlepoint, dance, music, conversation, and deportment - generally the tools they will need to find a proper husband. However, for Gemma, much more awaits, as she discovers her "gift" of entering the Realms - the place where dreamers and those who have died go to, where to simply think something causes it to be - and must find a way to survive what this gift holds for her. Readers will be treated to not only a wonderful taste of what life was like in England during the Victorian period, with occasional allusions to the monarchy and their role in the upper crust's life, but also are treated to a great story. And, there's a sequel - Rebel Angels! Look for an upcoming post! PG

Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr

Wow! Who thought faeries (not the cute little ones that sprinkle fairy dust, but the ones who are able to cause all kinds of trouble for mortals) could be so exciting! In this novel, the heroine, Aislinn ("Ash" for short) must reconcile the "fey's"intentions for her, with her destiny. For those of you who are vampire fans, and are getting a little oversaturated with that strain, this story offers a nice break. With a fast start, that never slows down, you'll find yourself reading it every spare moment you get, AND it has a sequel, Ink Exchange. (More on that title, as soon as I can get my hands on it!) PG-13

Response to #3 for 23 Things

While I've always considered myself somewhat computer savvy, I must admit this took me a while to figure out - but once I got started, WOOHOO!!!! This is so much fun! I'm really excited to get started with the kids this fall. It also occurs to me that this would be a GREAT forum for teachers, too, to get together and share ideas, questions, etc.

Response to #2 ("Lifelong Learning") for 23 Things

Interestingly enough, I've heard (as has most of the civilized world) of Covey's 7 Habits, but generally just clumped them in with all the other self help psyco babblers. However, I must admit, I'm impressed! How wonderful would it be if we could impart all of these traits to our students - especially those who may not be seeing these ideas modeled at home?