Final Project Completion

Well, I've decided to call it quits on my web site redesign. First, I decided what colors I wanted in the background, then I had to design some sort of a banner. I used Adobe Photoshop to create my logo and buttons. I created a couple of different template web pages in order to redo some of the pages on the site. Then I started redoing pages. I had to change the template a couple of times as I started because I forgot something the first time. But by the time I had redone 2 pages, I had the templates the way I wanted and then it was easy to transfer information. Twice I had to redo a whole page of links because I forgot to move the template to the page instead of vice versa, but oh well, live and learn. Then I spent several days making instructional videos. I really don't like listening to myself, but not much I can do about that. At least I don't have to look at myself too. I discovered I probably say "like" too much, and I'm not referring to how girls, like, say, like. Get it?
The pages you should look at are, of course, the 1st page, my student web pages, 7th grade motivational movies, my 8th grade commercials, Mr. Haiman's and Mr. Cotant's Page, and updated a bunch of the links. Some links were deleted, and some were rearranged.
Here is the link again: http://137.86.166.16/Schools/tmswebs/Welcome.htm

Class Review

In this class, ECOMP 6008, I felt going in that I had a pretty good background of a lot of what we were doing. However, I know that you can always learn new stuff, and I was excited to see where this class would take me. I gained a greater understanding of search engines and advanced features, wikis, and blogging. All of which will become part of my classes this year. My biggest problem will be finding time to fit in new stuff. I only have students for 12 weeks, and only 41 minute periods. I also have to stuff in keyboarding! Ewwww.
I still feel I have some more learning to do about Wikis and so that is on my list of things to do in the next week or so. I want students to be able to add to one wiki, but I want to be able to determine who adds what. I'm not real clear on whether each student creates their own wiki or their own account within the wiki I create? Anyone want to take a jab at clearing that up for me?
I love the del.icio.us account. It's so handy. I think my students are really going to enjoy this one. I'm pretty sure I'll offer an inservice training for staff on it sometime this fall. I can't imagine anyone not wanting to have access to all their links from anywhere. And, I'll probably be inservicing our teachers on wikis as well.
Ahh, heck, while I was talking about wikis, I realized that I had not made a link on my website to the wiki my group worked on together about student and parent internet safety. That is definitely going on and will be referred to the very first day of class.
I really enjoyed my final project. It gave me a chance to do something that I have been meaning to do for some time. In fact, this class gave me time to look and do a lot of stuff on my "I'll get to it" list. It definitely deepened my level of knowledge.
And last, but not least, I enjoyed blogging, chatting, and working with professionals on all these projects. Your insights were always interesting, and several of you gave me "Ah Ha" moments. Good luck to all of you in your new year.

Final Project

I am very excited about my final project. I was asked to build a website for the Torrington Middle School about 7 years ago. So, I did. It took up massive amounts of time. Sometimes I had an elective with students that helped me out. Some years, I was on my own. Then 3 years ago, quite a few teachers were hinting that they would like to have their own web pages, but did not want to learn HTML, Frontpage, or Dreamweaver. So our school district bought School Fusion. I have to say, it is kind of nice not to have to keep everybody's pages up to date. However, I did not totally do away with the TMS site, because for some things it was just easier to post that way, because of rights issues on School Fusion as well as what they support. I have not had a lot of time to keep it updated. It's not bad, but it needs some work done on it. So, I am excited to have this opportunity to do that. I am going to work mostly on links from page to page, as well as some of the colors and designs, plus, I have an instructional video page, but only have one video. I would like to add a few more, especially stuff I get asked a lot. so, here's the link. If you don't look at it today, you might not notice the changes, as I have already started doing recordings, and will probably start working on a navigational bar and some colors today. I'll let you know when I am done and you can compare the two.

http://137.86.166.16/Schools/tmswebs/Welcome.htm

More Online Projects

I found one site that has lots of tutorials on HTML, that I could use when I am gone. Again, I don't think it can replace me, because they aren't very interactive. It is mostly reading, but most of the tutorials are short, so a student could read a little and then go try what the author is suggesting. Every now and then I also have a student that would like to go further than what we do in class, this site also has some more advanced tutorials as well, which would be nice for those that would like to go a little further. I wish I would have found this a few years back. For those of you who enjoyed the web page unit, you may like this.
I wouldn't use it for any students below 8th grade; it's been my experience that HTML is hard even for them. Each tutorial is fairly short; I read one in 10 minutes, but then the point is to go try what you read about, so I would think that most of tutorials could be done in a class period. Expecially the primer tutorials. It's free, and you just need your computer, notepad, and some time. If you want your students to post their webpages obviously you will need an ftp server, so that would be your only cost, unless your district already has one, like mine, and then you are set.
http://www.htmlgoodies.com/primers/html/

Online Projects

There are definitely a plethora of online projects to be had out there, especially in the areas of Math, Science, Reading, Writing, and the integration of technology. However, I do not find a lot of them that deal with software, the workings of your computer, etc. Which is what I was trying to find. So, I decided to just pick some projects that could be fun for students to do if/when I need to be gone, that wouldn’t require me to write up such lengthy sub plans.

The first one I decided would be great for students was the online etrips to Yellowstone National Park. Although we live in Wyoming, we live in the opposite corner from Yellowstone. Most of the students are from low income families, and I’m pretty sure most of them have not been to Yellowstone. I know I have lived here all my life and didn’t go until my oldest daughter was about 3. We had fun, but she doesn’t remember it. The site is free, they like you to register, but you don’t have to. It is geared toward 5-8th graders. IT doesn’t tell you how long each trip will take, but once you start the trip, it tells you how many pages long it is. Some of the intros are kind of hokie, so I’m thinkin’ my 8th graders would probably laugh at it, but they would still do it. There are really cool pictures, a place that students can take notes, and vocabulary words in bold in the written script that runs beside the pictures in case you want to read it. A great way for kids to learn some science, and “get out of town” so to speak.

http://www.windowsintowonderland.org/attend.shtml

Web Pages

Creating web pages is something I have a had a little experience in. Little meaning, I'm not great, but I can get the job done. For awhile, I thought that it was something that I wanted to do as a career and took a few classes in it. I also took the classes to help me teach kids as well because I thought it would be something they would think was fun. Well, they do think it is fun and exasperating, and so do I. I also learned that although I can do the pages, I don't have a good background for it when it comes to java, php, asp, etc. I also learned, that although my pages are functional, I don't really have that creative flair, that some web designers possess. I tend to just keep things functional and simple, and I really like clean pages. Nothing too fancy, part in because fancy is sometimes beyond my scope, and partly because I just like the clean look. I have had to design many pages for the classes I have taken. I did one for our local theatre club, swim club and one for my husband. None of which after I was finished wanted the headache of updating them, so they aren't online.
You have all heard me talk about the ranch horse competition and my sister. Well, she raises quarterhorses, and I designed her a website a few years back. I update it usually about once or twice a year if she has new photos or info she needs added. I started pretty simply, and last year I got a lot fancier. I used FrontPage to design it, Adobe Photoshop to do the animated gifs, CoolText.com to design the buttons, and I designed the firey background on the home page in Adobe as well. I took most of the photos except the one on the home page that a friend of my sister's took. All in all, I'm pretty proud of it.
Before I did her site, I had been designing and keeping up to date the Torrington Middle School's site. Then our school bought SchoolFusion so that all teachers could have a website. I still do some stuff on our old site that is linked to our new site, and I am giving considerable thought to updating and redesigning that for my final project.
Here is my sister's website. Enjoy. www.jamiesquarterhorses.com

Chokecherry Syrup and Jelly

Today I have been busy making chokecherry syrup and jelly. It takes a lot of time and attention to detail. Just like online classes. And if you don't pay attention to the details, then nothing turns out. Just like technology. It's not that making syrup and jelly are hard, but then usually learning a new technology isn't either, but...if you miss a step or try to fudge something, well... then your "syrup" or "jelly" just does not taste too great or does not set up. Kind of like that wiki that Ben, Sara and I did. Apparently I did something wrong and the teacher could not tell if I participated or not. So, that got me thinking. If Ben set up the account, and Sara and I logged in under his account, how does one tell who did what? I know I put in my email to become a member, but since we had our wiki set up so anyone could edit it, and never did it ask me who I was, so how did the teacher know? I guess I missed something on this unit and it is an important thing to know because if I am going to use it in class, I will need to know what student did what. If any one would like to answer that question, feel free. So, I guess in this case my "jelly" didn't turn out so well. But here at home, I happily have 18 pints of syrup and 15 half pints of jelly. Yum, Yum!

Ranch Horse Competition

I have a sister, just 2 years older than I, who is really into horses. She has her own little place outside of town and has been breeding and training quarter horses to be good all around ranch horses and some for cutting. At our county fair, 5 years ago, she started a ranch horse competition. Now ranch horse competitions are not unique, it's just that our county had never hosted one before.
If you don't understand what goes on at a ranch horse competition, let me explain. Someone, usually my sister in this case, comes up with "activities" that you and your horse might encounter in every day life on a ranch. For example, Jamie usually has a pattern and list of activities like open and shut a gate while mounted, cross a wooden bridge, dismount and pick up all 4 feet on your horse, load and unload your horse in a trailer, dally a rope on your saddle horn which is attached to a heavy log and do a figure 8 between cones, and always of course, work some cattle, usually cutting one away from a herd and working it (turning it) a few times on the fence line, and sometimes roping it. Of course, you have to do all this in a given time frame, usually 5 minutes! There are usually several judges that critique your riding skills, your horse skills, and your horse.
My sister organizes this event and usually participates. Often my youngest daughter competes also. There are different divisions like colts, kids, women, men, pro. Because my sister organizes it, she enlists the help of all her family. I announce and tell jokes if there is down time, my husband and mother are the timers, my eldest daughter adds scores, and my youngest daughter runs score sheets from the judges to the announcer's booth. There are people who donate cattle, people that drag the arena, people that open and shut gates; a lot of people help with the event. Hats off to all of them.
If you haven't ever been to one, I highly suggest it. It's fun and amazing to watch. Horses are just phenomenal creatures, especially when they have been trained correctly. My sister amazes me with how well she works with horses. She rarely gets bucked off. She doesn't beat them, she is just one of those people that connects. Right now she is donating one of her mares to our Children's home for therapy. Troubled children often find a lot of peace from caring for an animal, or just being able to talk to it. I think that is pretty generous of my sister.
Here is her website if you want to look at her horses. http://www.jamiesquarterhorses.com By the way, I designed her site for her. :-) It is still a work in progress and it's that time of year to update the pictures, but it still looks pretty good. I tried to keep it clean and uncluttered.

Run that by me again.

This video either makes me laugh or sad because my girls are grown and past this stage. Depends on my mood.

Cyber Bullying

Why? What do kids get out of it? Have we taken the "it's not nice to hit" so far that now kids feel like they have to do it via email, texting, IMing? Frankly, punching it out on the playground sounds better, and then make them eat lunch together and talk about it. Face to face, man to man, so to speak. Harder to be nasty to someone's face, no matter how you were raised.