First Project Feedback

So, you have all done your first integration project.

Let's do a share out in comments:

• What tool did you try?
• What went well?
• What didn't go so well?
• Would you try it again?

Read through each other's comments and ask questions if it sounds like something you would want to do. 

PLN Assignment

I chose to investigate Google+ for my PLN.  I joined the following Google+ Communities: Connected Classrooms Workshop, GEG Tri-State MN, WI and IA, GoGuardian, Google Apps Educators, WI DPI Academic & Career Planning (ACP) and WI DPI Agriculture Education/FFA/WAAE.  To start with I utilized them as resources to see what they had to offer.  I read the posts and checked out some of the resources they posted.  Then I posted a few questions on the WI DPI Ag Ed/FFA/WAAE community to see what types of responses I would get.  The other agriculture teachers on the site were great at responding with answers and their own resources.  I noticed the response was not as quick as the WI DPI Ag Ed/FFA/WAAE email listserve, but I feel that is partially because not as many teachers are utilizing the Google+ community yet.
With so many schools moving to Google, I think Google+ is a great way for educators from various locations to interact and share resources.  The Connected Classroom Google+ has been interesting to observe as it connect so many different teachers from around the globe.  
I hope to continue to use this resource and post more information as I go.  I haven't responded to many posts yet, but want to increase that as well.

I chose Twitter for my PLN.  I was a little nervous about Twitter because I am not one to have a status on facebook or even upload anything (I know I need to!). I thought all twitter was putting a status on and having hashtags in it.   I always would hear my sister talking about #hashtags and twitter so I thought I would give it a try.

After I was all done signing up for my twitter account, I looked at the challenge requirements.  I was surprised to find so many educators out there that used twitter.  It was exciting to see what they all had to say and all the resources that I found that kindergarten teachers had.  It was almost like pinterest.  The hashtags really helped with narrowing down the search.  I like to wake up and look at my twitter account and read the inspirational quotes that teachers put on.

I am glad that I was introduced to Twitter because I would have not found all of those wonderful resources that kindergarten teachers have out there.  It made me come out of my comfort zone and use a hashtag and post things.  I don't know if I will be an active tweeter but I know that it is there if I need it.  I will have to say I have used some hashtags.  :)

Google + Reflection

I chose Google + for my PLN.  Although I already had a Google + account, I had only joined because someone had invited me, and I had never done anything with it.  So, I decided to take the challenge, and I started joining communities.  I joined GEG Tri-State, Connected Classroom Workshop, Google Classroom Educators, and G Suite for Education.  I also joined DIY and crafts, just for fun!

I posted a few questions in the Google Classroom Educators community, and I have gotten some answers, which have been very helpful.  I am also learning some things through posts and videos that are coming up in my feed.  For example, I found a great interactive video about Socrative in my G Suite Edu community.

For my search, I searched the term "Viewsonic" to see what would come up.  I found many posts by Jason Webster, a Regional Business Manager at Viewsonic.  I started following him, and I'm hoping some of his posts will help me, or that he'll at least be able to answer any questions I have.

My experience with Google + has been positive.  I've really enjoyed reaching out to other educators and reading ideas that they have about using technology in their classrooms.  It's a little bit addicting, like Pinterest, but for teachers.

Twitter Reflection

I created a Twitter account for my PLN. I was hesitant about signing up because I felt like Twitter was just a bunch of "status updates" and "hashtags" (which I have never gotten into). I also thought it was all about following celebrities; I had no idea that educational gurus were also using Twitter!

I was amazed by the plethora of articles I came across. They truly made me reflect on my teaching practices in ways I had never done before. I searched for things in the education field right away, and one of my favorites that I have been following is edutopia. They post a variety of articles on a daily basis that range anywhere from building a positive classroom community to powerful classroom activities to why you shouldn't give zeros.

While I was not an active participant in the Twitter world (I still can't bring myself to use a hashtag), I found this resource so valuable, and I know I will continue to use it even after GIG. I was always a Pinterest person before, but I found Twitter to have so much more meaningful information/articles that go so much deeper into the educational world. I am very happy that I was introduced to Twitter!

PLN Challenge

I used Twitter for my PLN challenge. I was hesitant because I had twitter in college and was embarrassed about what I might have tweeted a few years ago and I thought of it as something that no one really reads.  I searched #schoolcounselor right away and found a tweet by ASCA (American School Counseling Association), which is where my standards and ethics come from. On their page I found #scchat, which is a school counselor chat.  Someone from there had just tweeted about the chat so I found another school counselor through them as well.

I read the #scchat and it had some good resources as well as school counselors asking questions that I had as well. The best thing I got out of it was articles about mindfulness. This helped me because I try to incorporate mindfulness into my 7th grade explore class and want to expand that to starting it in 5th grade.

I am glad that I ended up using Twitter because it took me by surprise as I actually found valuable resources. I normally use Pinterest for in-classroom ideas and find fun lessons that I just need to tweak for my students.  I found that Twitter was helpful for other aspects of counseling.  Other counselors post articles that interest me and are related to what I'm doing in our school and even inspirational quotes (I LOVE inspirational quotes). I still find it difficult to tweet.