mindtools.com is a helpful site that reminds us of the all too familiar lesson of taking care of our mental health.
This site suggests many strategies to aid in this area:
- Building defenses by adopting a healthy lifestyle and achieving a good work-life balance.
- Asking for help from those who have the resources for finding information or problem solving.
- Managing stress with exercise because it improves blood flow to the brain and helps clear thoughts.
- Minimizing environmental stressors by making sure we have enough privacy when we need it, and enough social interaction when we want it.
Call it what you want. Teachers are bombarded with meetings that require before, during and after documentation. Professional development to train us on how to complete the documentation comes after the deadline. Multiple inservices for the latest new/old strategies to achieve student success can often impede our listening skills and motivation as a self initiated learner. Yet, meaningful methods to provide educational skills and strategies do bring relief. The most useful inservice I’ve had lately has been CGI(Cognitively Guided Instruction) for mathematical thinking. This is one of those new/old strategies that allows the student to think of ways to solve math issues and share with others, instead of the teacher telling all to solve “this way” unaturally.
Before Cyber Teacher, I only used the internet to go to the LRSD web site because I needed some type of information from email or to register for professional development. Can’t say that is my favorite. This past week has given me an entire new perspective. I’m learning that this is technology that can be used as a tool in many was professionally and personally. Thomas’ website (ualr.edu/tswallace) gives step by step instructions on how to do anything I can think of on the computer, and many others I could not even imagine. My favorite site is ualr.edu/tswallace
I find that I have am distracted and have listening challenges when I am preoccupied. I am always preoccupied! I cope by reminding myself that I can’t do it all. I focus on the current speaker or issue. Trying to do my honest best and not worrying about the rest.
A self initiated learner is a student of life. This is a person who seeks out info. and loves to learn by exploration.
The Brister Children
Yes. Day 2 and I’m now convinced …we do need to invest in something faster than dial up 
They can get jobs…right?
My first day as a “CYBER TEACHER” has been full of infomation.
- We subscribed to the list server
- Learned a lot of Technogeek Vocab.
- Intro to Word 2007
- And finally, posting my first blog!!!!
I am looking forward to learning more daily.
My goal is to develop tech skills that’ll help me to communicate more with my students and parents. It will be a bonus to be able to teach my 1st graders to be more tech savvy.
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