Thing #13

I thought it was fun to try out a web-based word processing tool.  Zoho Writer has some neat applications.  I liked the ease with which I could find interesting symbols like δ and the ability to pop in math signs and symbols like .  While I  wouldn't use it for a classroom situation, necessarily, I would and likely will use it with my 10 year old son who has dysgraphia and keyboards all of his homework including his math.  

I also had some fun with trying out the different fonts available.  While there isn't as large of a selection as I have with my Microsoft Office 2010 software at home,there are still all the basic ones I use everyday and even a few different ones to play with .   Another thing I liked is that the program saved my work automatically.  Nice!

When thinking about Google Docs, It would be a terrific way for students to edit and comment on each other’s work or even do a group assignment in “round robin” fashion.

When I compare the two, I actually think I prefer Zoho. One thing I noticed was that when I was making a picture in Google draw, I could not get the line to stop drawing.  No matter what I tried!  I finally had to just take a screen shot of the pic as it was.  Eeek!  In a classroom of students all trying to work on a project, things like that would be a pain.

Thing #13

I thought it was fun to try out a web-based word processing tool.  Zoho Writer has some neat applications.  I liked the ease with which I could find interesting symbols like δ and the ability to pop in math signs and symbols like .  While I  wouldn't use it for a classroom situation, necessarily, I would and likely will use it with my 10 year old son who has dysgraphia and keyboards all of his homework including his math.  

I also had some fun with trying out the different fonts available.  While there isn't as large of a selection as I have with my Microsoft Office 2010 software at home,there are still all the basic ones I use everyday and even a few different ones to play with .   Another thing I liked is that the program saved my work automatically.  Nice!

When thinking about Google Docs, It would be a terrific way for students to edit and comment on each other’s work or even do a group assignment in “round robin” fashion.

When I compare the two, I actually think I prefer Zoho. One thing I noticed was that when I was making a picture in Google draw, I could not get the line to stop drawing.  No matter what I tried!  I finally had to just take a screen shot of the pic as it was.  Eeek!  In a classroom of students all trying to work on a project, things like that would be a pain.

Thing #2

Creating my blog was easier than I expected.  I appreciate the opportunity we had to get started on it in class last week; I didn't feel quite so inept, since I had a way to get feedback on what I was trying to do. Now I've had a chance to refine the design and personalize it a bit. I thought the background was boring, so I switched it  for a terrific orange/pink/fuschia watercolor swirl.  Nice!

I didn't have any deep inspiration for my blog title.  I'm Mary, and I have 23 Things to blog about.

I have mixed feelings about my avatar, mainly because I couldn't find the perfect hairstyle.  Yet isn't the search for the perfect hairstyle a real-life dilemma, as well?  I tried to make my avatar look as much like me as possible.   At any rate, my biggest challenge was to copy and paste my avatar's html code in the correct place.  I'm happy to report that it only took two tries. I think I'm getting the hang of this.

Thing #1 -- 7 1/2 Habits

In considering the "7 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learners", I realized that Habit #2 - Accept Responsibility for Your Own Learning is almost intuitive for me.  As a child, I was a voracious reader, consuming books in order to know more and more and more.  Though I've been out of the classroom and away from formal learning experiences for a very long time, I have continued to read, research, ask questions, discuss and debate with people who will challenge my thinking and inspire me to grow. I know that choosing to go back to school right now will require all the drive I can muster.  No one else will push me as hard as I will.   This is my learning.

Habit # 6 - Use Technology to Your Advantage is easily the habit I will struggle with the most, at least initially.  I have never been naturally inclined toward technology and have been known to ask my kids for help with tasks as simple as texting and attaching pictures to email.  However, because I realize the importance technology plays in the education of students, and the ability to communicate with peers, parents and those same students, I have determined to work hard to "catch up" in the area of technology.

As I began to set up this blog, I felt a little bit like I was trying to "dog paddle" in the deep end of the pool. But it really hasn't been as hard as I imagined it would be, and I know I need to push through these feelings of inadequacy.  I can do this, and in the process, I can add some terrific tools to my toolbox.