Will Richardson is Mr. 2.0!

He is great! What a smart and nice guy he is. We are covering his textbook in our technology class. It talks about how the web can be used as a teaching tool in the classroom. Blogs, wikis, podcasts are all good examples of such tools. Anyway, we were introduced to SKYPE today, and our test subject for the tool was Mr. Richardson, himself. He really made me think about how the web isn't just for reaching out or publishing your words. It's what happens after you reach out and after your words are published. It's the connections and the communities that you form and join that makes this such an amazing medium. It totally struck me and make me think about how high and far our words could go.

His blog is here

Hit it. He is amazing.

Our professor says he hangs around the Skywalker Ranch these days. Now I admire AND envy him.

Have a pleasant tomorrow.

Photos of Me on PhotoPeach

Chapter 3 of our Will Richardson text

Mr. Richardson seemed to pluck the reason for including this chapter in his book right out of my head! Lately I have been feeling like I have painted myself into a corner in terms of expressing myself through blogs. I understand and can elaborate on the merits and the benefits of using blogs in the classroom, but have been unable to personally throw myself into consistantly creating blogs for my own "unique purposes."
It makes perfect sense that to be able to model and scaffold the use of blogs for your students successfully, you are going to have to blog yourself. Barbara Ganley's quote in the text about how a teacher needs to be "confident in her tools" so it can rub off on the students, is right on the money.
I take my writing very seriously, and take full responsibility and ownership of my work. While I do plan on allowing that trait to rub off on my students, I do sometimes feel quite vulnerable when posting on the World Wide Web. I will work on that vulnerability and hopefully overcome my insecurities of technology. Our technology class has helped greatly in that regard, as well as our Richardson text.

-on a sidenote, I am looking forward to skyping with Mr. Richardson....anyone else? If you are reading this entry after the fact, what did you think of it?

Subscribe Free  Add to my Page

Seriously now, speaking of Lifestyle....

Food is not the only shift in my lifestyle. I have taken it upon myself to upgrade as many aspects of my life that I see fit. I have moved from my home to a better place, taken better control of my health, and now, I am looking and building towards the future. A great aspect of this future composition involves the integration of technology. In my home, in my life, and in my classroom.

Truly, I am that individual who was always last to get on board with technology. I didn't discover the Internet for myself until 2002. I didn't own a digital camera until 2005. I just bought myself an IPod a month ago. However, I have discovered, since the start of my tenure as a Johnson and Wales graduate student, I am a fast and enthusiastic learner.

I know that I will never achieve the pinnacle of Web 2.0 knowledge. I most likely will not be able to discover every single nuance and feature of the Digital Age that we live in. But I also understand that the children that I will be introducing general learning strategies to will hopefully go on to achieve amazing heights ESPECIALLY in regards to technological advancement. My own goals as a teacher involve opening the doors of opportunity for them to embrace that achievement. And learn.

The idea that is most exciting to me is that even though my roles are to be a teacher, a facilitator, and a coach, I will be right alongside of them learning to advance in a technological and knowledge-based world.

Look out, you might get hit with something brilliant here!

Pow!