Thing 12: My, what many abilities you have, Google!

For this exercise, I chose to explore Google Calendar and Translate. Google Calendar can  link to my IPhone calendar app, which is very convenient for our busy family. I can also share it with my husband. Now he can never say he didn't know about an appointment or activity! You can also create many separate calendars. As a teacher, I could create one for my classroom with due dates and upcoming activities. I could share it with students and parents both in printed form or on the class blog.

Google Translate is a really interesting tool. I put in a few phrases that I knew in both Spanish and French. The written and audio translations were both correct. This could be a great tool for a teacher of ELL and ESL students.My daughter's kindergarten class recently welcomed two student's with hearing impairments. Her teacher has been teaching the students the alphabet and key phrases in sign language to help foster better communication between students. Google Translate could do the same for student's who speak a primarily different language than their peers and their teachers.Teachers could learn and teach their students key phrases to better communicate with their classmates. This would make for a warm welcome for students and create a more inviting atmosphere.




https://www.google.com/calendar/render?tab=yc

http://translate.google.com/#en/es/Welcome%20Back%20Students

Thing 11-Finding Good Feeds

It's funny how many sites have the orange icon and other "follow me" links. I've never really paid attention to them until now. Finding feeds was fairly easy for me. I searched using all the provided avenue,s and I felt that Google Blog Search was the easiest. Topix seemed the least helpful. Technorati's home page was chock full of political articles and blogs which was a turn off for me, but I did search and find a blog to add. I also searched a few of my own favorites sites and found ways to add those to Google reader

Leyden Learn 365 and Larry Felazzo's Website of the day were two educational feeds that I found interesting and worth adding to my feed. Leyden Learn is a school wide blog of East Leyden High School. Teachers from all departments take turns with the daily post. Felazzo's blog is geared toward teachers of ELL, EFL, and ESL, but has information for all educators.

Now that I'm aware of how to use Google reader and RSS, it will make keeping up with blogs I've discovered so much easier. I'll develop my own stock pile of useful sites for my future classroom!

(Thing 10) My Goodness, Google!

My Google account is quickly becoming much more than just email! Who knew!? Email, Blog and now the added convenience of Google reader, its becoming on one stop shop for Internet information. 

This is the first time I've heard about RSS, or the first time I bothered to search out what it meant. This is a really valuable tool for individuals and teachers alike. It is an excellent time saver. Personally and professionally it can keep you connected to all your favorite blogs and informational sites. Teachers can use this to subscribe to valuable educational blogs and websites. They could encourage their students to create their own and subscribe to educational sites that interest them and use the information gleamed from them to create a project.

RSS is a great tool and asset for educators.

Thing 9

These generators would be a fun addition to the classroom. You could use them for ice breakers, to make signs for the classroom, and introduce lessons. Personally, you could use them on your blog -if you do that sort of thing ;)

http://www.comicstripgenerator.com/create-right.asp?title=+&text=This+is+so+going+in+my+blog....&tag=October+10%2C+2012&fontsize=12&font=comic&color=black&move=&move2=&cartoons.x=77&cartoons.y=11&cartoon=1950s-home-computer-pc&time=0027

http://www.images-graphics-pics.com/signs/smilies/sign-generators.asp?page=1

Thing 8

Flicker and Flicker mash-ups can create fun and useful photo and word collages. Students could enjoy using them for presentations and artistic creations. In regard to your personal life, they would be great for photographs around your home or in scrapbooking.

I'm comfortable sharing photos online with those I know. I use Facebook and Instagram to share photographs with friends and family. I don't feel entirely comfortable sharing personal photos publicly online. If I took landscapes or impersonal photographs, I would feel comfortable using Flicker or other photo-sharing sites.