Educational Blogging

So for another class, I have to discuss on my blog (no way I'm making a different one after coming up with the perfect name) some educational blogs and how blogs can be used in a classroom.  Well first I think I'm going to use our lovely teacher Amy's blog More than Words, since she was the first teacher I've known to have her students create their own blog. http://content-area-learning.blogspot.com/   I never really thought about using blogs as a teaching tool.  But from the some of the sites I've come across, that's the direction some elementary schools are headed (especially in New Zealand apparently).  There are blogs like 2M Gems, where the teacher posts things not only related to her classroom, but also whatever is on her mind: http://www.2mgems.blogspot.com/  Which I think is neat because the students can use it for review.  Or there are blogs such as Room 9 Nelson Central's Blog 2007, which has student made videos (probably an assignment) posted on the page for parents to see what their children are doing: http://room9nelsoncentral.blogspot.com/ 

Alright well neat, that should do it.  Thanks for following, tune in next week... or whenever I post for the most recent updates on things that concern me. Same blog post, same blog internets!

ME!!!

Ok, well this is the part where I talk about me, because lets face it, if you're reading this then you're REALLY interested in me and what I have to say (or you're doing it because you have to).

I was originally born in southeastern Ohio and grew up about an hour out of Columbus.  Back then my parents were both teachers at a rural high school.  During that time I attended Holy Trinity Elementary school, went swimming everyday of the summer, and read non-stop.  When I turned 12, my parents retired and we moved to Utah so that my dad could fulfill his dream of becoming a ski bum.  Which he successfully did.  I attended Wasatch High and graduated in '07, and I've been at Utah State ever since.

I'm beginning my fifth and final year at Utah State, and I couldn't be more happy to graduate.  After spending all this time pursuing an English Education degree, my goal is within sight.  Last spring I completed my English clinical at Logan High, and at some point this semester (if I ever get assigned a school), I'll be doing my Poli Sci clinical.  I decided English because according to the ACT I'm not too good at Math or Science.  Also, those are boring.  English has the perfect balance of intellectual thought, entertainment, and human understand; that's why it's so appealing to me. Ok blah blah background, blah blah stuff you don't care about, now onto the fun things.

Pens 'N Rails.  Titles, (especially blog titles), are hard.  I once had a Shakespeare professor at UVSC (they will never be a university in my eyes ever since they lost my ACT and I had to retake it), who would give you a zero on a perfectly good paper if the title either A.) was too boring; B.) had quote "stupid font"; or C.) was a pun.  Seriously, he would throw your paper away without reading it, yet people still turned in papers with 18 point Serra-fin font and titles like "Eng 2300 Paper #2!".  But one thing I've learned after all this time gettin fancy book learning, is that I enjoy writing.  Not that I'm any good at it, but I found a joy and a freedom in writing, even essays, (which I've done a lot of).  There is a thrill in making commentary with the knowledge that someone will read it.  Hence, the Pen.

My other passion is skiing.  I've had skis strapped to my feet since I was four.  Even though I grew up in Ohio, I learned to rip sticks and flow pow in Colorado, and since then I've skied in 5 different states.  In high school I could buy a season pass to the Canyons for $70.  I missed a lot of class in high school.  Though I'm not stellar at park, I've been trying some stuff at Beaver Mountain, and I think I'm getting the hang of it.