YouTube

I actually enjoyed visiting the YouTube site. I was able to view all types of videos. I viewed performances from my favorite music artists, dance skits, college step shows, politicians speeches, cute animal videos, and many other things. There were some clips which I found offensive, but I simply clicked them off just as fast as I clicked them on. I definately understand the attraction for young people. It is a great means for expressing oneself in a creative fashion. Now that I see what this site is about I can honestlt say that I will definately visit it again.

Hopkin Green Frog

I sat at my computer, cup in hand, prepared to get into something really deep, namely researching Hopkin Green Frog. I figured it had something to do with "new literacies" knowing Dr. Dana, but just what, I had no idea. I asked both my husband and my daughter if they had ever heard of Hopkin Green Frog before I started my research but they both replied no. Prior to this class, I had always thought of my husband as my computer tech genius. I was pretty computer illiterate and went to my husband with all my technology questions. Lately I have been discovering that we are both out of touch with many of the new literacies. I have been the one exposing my husband to such things as blogging, MySpace, Facebook and You Tube. Although he had heard of these things from his students, he too just felt that it was something that the kids were into. I am now passing on to him how important it is for us to stay abreast of the things that the young people are into.
Anyway, about Hopkin Green Frog... I must say I am once again amazed by the power of the Internet. I found out that Hopkin Green Frog started out as a hand drawn flyer that was hung in various places in a Seattle in 2004. It was initially thought that a child had lost a pet frog. The flyer included a name, address, and phone number. The flyer was later scanned to the Internet and it's interest and circulation widened. The interest and curiousity that was generated caused some from the internet community to research the frog and its owner. It was discovered that the frog's owner was a 16 year old autistic teen named Terry, and the frog was a free toy that had been included with a McDonald's Happy meal. Surprise, surprise, surprise!!! I didn't see that coming! It has since become a very successful meme. A web site called Lostfrog.org was set up in November of 2004. It hosts blog posts, discussion forums, and archives of photoshopped images of the lost frog. The sucess and huge popularity of this meme is contributed to its simplicity and ease of which we can remember its content, as well as our relatability and compassion for a child and a lost pet.

Reading

I love reading novels in my spare time. My spare time includes winter, spring, and summer breaks. I can't seem to find time for recreational reading at any other point in the school year. There always seems to be something more pressing to do. When I do read, I want to read for entertainment purposes only. If a book doesn't peak my interest in the first 50 -100 pages, I usually put it down never to return to it again.
I used to read newspapers daily, but I stopped because the news seemed to get more and more depressing. Now I pick and choose the articles I want to read from the Internet.
I have a hard time concentrating on some technical and educational books or journals. I find myself doing more skimming than anything. I often have to read many of the passages over and over again.
I have been out of the classroom for two years. Prior to that I was a mathematics teacher. I have never taught Reading or Language Arts. There was a time when I thought it was possible for a student to be a poor reader and still excel in mathematics. I no longer think this is true. Students in todays math classes are required to do a lot more than basic computation. It is necessary for students to be proficient with reading and writing in order to express thier mathematical thinking processes when answering open ended questions. When I return to teaching math next year I do realize that teaching reading must become everyone's job, and not just that of the ELA teachers.

The Matrix

I have never been a fan of Science Fiction movies or books. I think that is why I had such a hard time understanding or appreciating this movie as many others did. I definately gained a much better understanding of what the movie was all about after I Googled the Matrix and read numerous reviews and interpretations of it. I have to admit that all of the religious overtones completely escaped me during my first veiwing of it however. I'm glad, because I know I would have been so caught up in how the movie contradicted many of my personal religious beliefs, that I wouldn't have been able to concentrate on anything else.

Hardest assignment yet!

My friend told me she would loan me her copy of the Matrix, but she kept forgeting to bring it to school. I had to finally go to Blockbuster last night to rent it. I picked up a copy of the Matrix, Matrix Reloaded, and Little Miss Sunshine. I had dificulty watching all three.Oh yeah, I hated all three as well. I fell asleep trying to watch Little Miss Sunshine last night. I awoke at 6:30 a.m. and decided to pop in the Matrix DVD. It was just what I needed to put me back to sleep. When I awoke again, I decided it was not the best idea to try and watch this movie in bed, after all, it was my homework assignment. I got up and went downstairs to the family room to pop in the DVD. I tried to watch it again to no avail. This time I decided it might be more fun to walk the dog instead. When I returned I gave myself a good talking to. I was going to get through this movie whether I wanted to or not! I finally made it, sorta! I did a little housework and then at my husbands urging I settled in to watch Matrix Reloaded. Wow, I must have been really tired. I fell asleep again!!! I woke up about 15 minutes ago. I think I'll start researching online. I can't take another sitting of Matrix movie watching. Forgive me DR. D.