Twitter

Things I have done to avoid writing this blog:

1. Taken out the recycling

2. Ate some potato chips

3. Gathered all the ingredients for supper ( my counter looks like a cooking show)

4. "Thought" about washing the deck window

5.  Poured a refreshing glass of iced tea (love me some summer)

6. Ate some more potato chips (kettle cooked, enough said)

What is wrong with me???  This blogging is hard for me!  It just goes against my nature to write for all the world to see.  

Ok. Twitter.  Thumbs up!  It is a great premise and the execution only has a few technical issues for me.  As you know, I love reading what others write.  The written word is one of life's great pleasures and I am truly interested in other people.  I want that glimpse into someone else's thoughts and world.  But I have this "no trespassing" sign on my words.  Crazy, huh?  

I am already enjoying the information I am finding on Twitter.  I didn't realize one of my favorite blogs had a Twitter feed.  Heads up:  you need to follow @plugusin.  Bill Ferriter was a speaker at the PLC conference in Minnesota and was amazing.  I do like the brevity of tweeting but it is also a double edged sword for me.  I am thinking too hard about what I am tweeting.  It is frustrating.  With technology I always feel that if I don't achieve "mastery" then it isn't good enough.  Good insight to how students might feel, right?!  What is my response as a teacher?  Come on, try!  Give it your best effort.  And so I shall.

Big technical issue:  how do you follow a conversation or even have one?  It is totally confusing to me. Why this issue?  Have you ever tried to follow your child's Twitter?  What are they saying?  I tried this without supervision.  I ended up calling my son about his Twitter asking "WHAT are you talking about?"  I was thinking he was not rational.  Turns out he tweets song lyrics (For the love of Pete.  Are you kidding me?)  I still don't understand conversations on Twitter but maybe I shouldn't use my son as the only example.  

My plan is to use a classroom Twitter account with my students.  What I like is that there is no deadline.   If we tweet, we tweet.  Hopefully, students will become more cognizant of spelling and grammar rules! I want the technology to work for me, not the other way around.  I think Twitter and I might become friends!

The 10 Skills Modern Teachers Must Have

I don't like to be bossed. You should know that.

Let's talk about this article. I am overwhelmed when it comes to technology.  I don't want to spend that much time on it.  I would rather be on my deck or chatting with my friends or hanging out with my family.  Technology in the classroom?  Want to know how I handle that?  I don't.  It's all smoke and mirrors, baby.  I have many fooled.  (geez, I really hope my principal isn't reading this).  I hate to disillusion them but I think this summer tech challenge is forcing me. I don't like to be bossed. 

I do just what I need to in order to teach my students.  If it works for me, then I will learn it.  If it takes me too long to figure it out, I will avoid it.  I am currently avoiding Google docs so if you see it anywhere around I may have to take off.  Let's work out a signal ahead of time so Google docs won't get suspicious.  I have tried it but it seems so wonky to me.  It just won't do what I want it to do.  Google docs doesn't like to be bossed.  Who knew?

As teachers, we know how precious our time is and I refuse to compromise.  I am going to try some new technology this school year.  If I can't figure it out in a reasonable amount of time then I will give its number to Google docs.  I don't like to be bossed.

Disclaimer

This is just weird.  

Blogs are like Christmas letters.  I love reading them.  I don't care whose letter it is, I am reading it.  Even if I don't know you, I am reading it.  They are wonderful and silly and I just can't get enough of them.  I even asked a colleague to get me her past Christmas letters (written by her husband) because I am addicted to them. I had to know what the other letters said!  What was I missing?  Where had they go on vacation that year? Who lost a tooth?  What crazy thing had grandma done?  I even have a friend who writes her Christmas letter from the point of view of the cat. The whole premise cracks me up and I anticipate those letters each December.  Who's to say that the cat isn't actually writing them? Can you imagine?!

With that being said, I would NEVER write a Christmas letter.  Never.  Not. Going. To. Do. It. Who cares what I have to say?  I think of how boring it would be to write one.  It would feel like a punishment.  I would procrastinate and whine and be very owly.  It would be ugly.  So I will not write a Christmas letter.  

That is how I feel about writing a blog.  I love reading blogs.  Any blogs.  Cooking blogs, teaching blogs, if-I-have-to-deal-with-my-kids-for-another-minute-I-will-freak-out-blogs, celebrity gossip blogs, funny blogs, any blog. I look forward to reading each of the blogs from this summer tech challenge.  What a treat for me. Wait, what?  I have to write one too?  Oh.  But I don't want to.  Who cares what I have to say?  Other people will read it?!  I feel the need to run.  Far and fast.  (Just so you know, this is my usual response to things I don't want to do.  I threaten to run away.  Just ask my husband.  PS:  I can't run.  Things shake and it is not pretty but that's another story for another time. Remind me.)

I imagine all kinds of cyber judging going on while you are reading this.  I can't live like that!  I am going to pretend that you are not there.  No offense.

I don't know how this will turn out.  It might not be what it is supposed to be.  I will follow directions....to a point.  Just so you are aware, it probably won't be as "educational" as it should be (deep thinking is exhausting).  I will try to behave.  I will.

Anyway, good luck to you! And if anyone wants to post their past Christmas letters on their blog, I won't stop you.  You can even put an educational title on it.  I would be forever grateful.