ok, I got a headache - help

Is it just me? I have been trying to open up the Panraven website and log on to finish up my story and slideshow but I cannot get in. After getting some of my ed 330 homework done, I am now going to get the movie requirement done. I think I better check on the revised requirements on blackboard. I will be taking the two classes we have and human biology and CIOS 110 - which will help a lot in my future associations with computers. :D Goodness knows I need to know more on computers than I do now! In my personal life after some nice days out berry picking, I unexpectedly had to escort my grandpa to Bethel last Wednesday. He was experiencing numbness in his right hand and slight weakness. Being 89 years old and having past chronic heart, lung and other problems the doctors decided that a CAT scan was in order and we found ourselves in Anchorage until yesterday. He is doing well, and I am now determined to at least finish most of the assignments before the other classes get started. My girls are camping in the annual school camping trips but should be back tomorrow. I have saved the floor and sorting out the clothes for them. :P If anyone has any ideas on how I can get into Panraven let me know..thanks. Hope all is well in your areas and enjoy the season!

My first week home

I have been home for a week now and I can't believe how fast time flies!! I know I still need to do school work, yet I have this overwhelming need to feel the wind on my face after our two weeks in class. My girls got some of the housework done, thank goodness...I am so sore from putting away dried fish and going picking but its a good "I did something" kind of soreness. The kind that makes me wish I had my teenage body back - the one that didn't get sore or tired from a little hard work. I got this montra in my head "I WILL do homework, I will ...after I do this first, but I will...I promise." Sad huh? :)) My brothers are going out hunting for moose now and we are trying to harvest some berries now that our fish is packed away. Hope all y'all are having better luck in keeping up with the classwork. Miss talking to you and have a great summer- what is left of it.

Reflections on the Intensive Technology Class Week

Life is all the more exciting when one finds new toys to play with! I was amazed that we learned as much in our intensive technology class as we did in just five days! The movie maker and book maker were my top two new "toys" I can see spending hours upon hours working with. Panraven is such a neat website! I was so wishing I had my pictures at home. I really want the kids to be able to use this website to create their own little books in my classroom once I have a classroom. I doubt they will be as eager to start as I was but I am sure they will be close - and just imagine their enthusiasm when presenting this to their parents and community! I want to make another movie ...heck movie-S-S-S once I get a camera in hand...of the community, my family...the possibilities are endless!!! I feel like a kid with brand spanking new "just-out-of-the-box" toys I never knew I was dreaming of! I enjoyed the powerpoint activities and I am so grateful to learn of the google "plus, minus, quote" thing - that makes searching so much more effective! the blog sites for everyone is a great way to keep in touch. Favorites saver delicious thing is a very useful tool that i am glad to have been introduced to...I am glad to have met everyone during the class and I hope to see you all sometime soon. Its been a great week. The only regret is that I have to wait until Monday to see my family again.

My treasures

Here are my children


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

I didn't have many of the pictures I wanted for this

Inspiration and powerpoint in the classroom

Just recently I have been introduced to inspiration, a writing tool that makes the brainstorming and organization of an essay assignment a lot faster than doing things on paper (the old style as some say). The other program powerpoint, which I have known about but have not used as often as I would like, that makes presentation visuals more elegant and fun. I was asked to reflect on these programs from my instructor...I may have anyways here if I was used to putting my thoughts out in cyberspace.

(ok - this first paragraph just blares out the range you may find me in years- I don't mind. For those that do not know I am 36 years old with three teenage kids, a single parent earning my degree sometimes by sheer stubbornness. I believe there should be more teachers out there that want to make a difference in the quality of education in Alaska and strive for it.) OK, no more philosophy - back to the assignment:

I believe that using inspiration is a great tool. For those that despise the formal writing process and oftentimes just write without much organization this program gives a fun method of organization practice and in time skill. One may feel like its not work at all, that it is just play. If one may want to start younger this would be a good visual tool to show the kids how to use bubbles, how to use an outline and how each relates to the other. I would still like the kids to do something on paper. Penmanship is also an important skill.

Powerpoint is a great tool that most presenters use in the screens. One can incorporate personal pictures, charts, and animation to embellish the quality of their presentation and the interest of their audience. I believe it is already well known and is often the standard method of using visuals. The actual creation of powerpoint is fun, yet needs higher thinking skills so the grade level in a student creating his/her own powerpoint presentation would possibly start in the 5th grade. This is wholly dependent on the skills of the actual classroom.

I personally will find ways of using this in the classroom for various activities. I will not make it a totally technology dependent class due to the limited abilities of Rural schools.

Big HELLO from Rural Alaska

Hi My name is Nastasia from Alaska! My tiny spot of the world is Russian Mission, a village of about 300 people on the banks of the lower end of the mighty Yukon River. I am an Alaskan Native, Central Yup'ik. Sadly I myself do not speak the language. This blog is a test, it is only a test...in the event that this was an authentic blog entry ... just playin. In my other blogs I will have a little more information pertaining to who I am and why I chose teaching in Rural Alaska, and some of my struggles of obtaining my degree. Until then...Best wishes to you all and if you have tips on my comments, opinions...I want YOU... to participate and drop a few lines :D