Creating your own Google Site...

Creating my own Google Site was challenging for me because of a hard week of a tummy ache.  It's hard to focus when your body is hurting but...I persevered and my site is up and running.  There was a benefit to the process while I wasn't feeling good.  It was a great lesson for perspective when my students are having a difficult time while they are struggling with illnesses, are too busy with activities or having a tough time emotionally.  Although I can empathize with them, I can also talk to them about the characteristic of perseverance.  Speaking from experience, I can tell them life can be tough but it's about rising above it and being tougher!

With that said, the project of creating a Google Site is the topic for the week.  My site has many things my students will need for the upcoming units of study in 8th grade language arts.  There are links to many documents, websites, YouTube videos, Google Earth Tours, a Picasa album of my current students as 4th graders, a survey on bullying, projects that are finished as well as upcoming presentations.  It's like an all in one organization of things we all need to cruise along in Language Arts.  Check it out!  8th Grade Language Arts

Of course, because I teach the advanced language arts students, my ideas are geared towards having my students creating sites as assignments for future projects.  With the use of technology, student motivation always increases.  I see a collaborative effort to have groups create sites about the Holocaust to share with their classmates and parents.  To get them started, I'll have them watch the following YouTube video.

The students will probably find it easier to just build.  It seems they just 'get' technology easily but for those students who need it, I'll provide videos and assistance at each step.  I'm looking forward to seeing the projects the students come up with-their brilliance and skills never cease to amaze me.

This technologist in training will continue training and incorporating all I learn into my classroom-my students will be better in technology and more prepared for the real world.