BP12_OMM_Go!Animate

I struggle again since it's just me teaching myself...I created this movie twice, and both times I tried to add a voiceover with garage band, my whole computer froze and then shutdown erasing everything...so now, I can't get the cartoon into iMovie as...well, I don't know why.  So last week I gave up ad just didn't submit that part of the assignment and now I'll just offer the link to me unfinished project, since it's taken me 5 hours to get this far and I just won't do it anymore!  Here ya go if you are interested in my project!

BP11_Comment to Craig

Here's what I think about Craigs creation...

BP10_Comment to Karen

Check out Karen's 2.0 tool and those inspired by it, including me!

BP9-goanimate

I just discovered goanimate.com and am instantly entertained.  My wife have both been creating animated cartoons and giggling like school kids.  Goanimate.com allows you to use characters and backgrounds to create animated cartoons.  You can add your voice and alter it, you can use thought bubbles, you can create your own characters, their costumes, and add your own photos as the stage.  It allows you to add movement, facial expressions, and props.  You can create it all by scratch and use your own creativity, or you can use everything that is already there to make your cartoon. The characters are great, the tutorials are very clear, the backgrounds are diverse.

Although I do not have access to computers to work with students on projects like this, I think that this will be a great tool to pass along to our technology teacher.  We can collaborate on themes I am working on in character education and anti-violence curricula.  It would be a great intervention to have kids create cartoons to depict friendship skills, problem solving skills, or school skills in general.  As an intervention for my AR project, I can encourage our tech teacher to have kids create cartoons depicting bullying situations and how the victim and bystanders combat the situations.    

In my general practice, this tool is going to be lots of fun and a new way to get my points across during classroom guidance lessons.  I can create examples and have the characters role play using skills that the kids are working on, even asking particular students in the class questions coming from the characters...I think they would respond really well to this tool, and be excited to create their own.

BP7_Comment to Ashlee

Follow this link to see what I think about Ashlee's ponderings in BP5...

BP6_Comment to Jamie

Follow this link to my comment on Jamie's epic 2.0 moments!

BP5_iWeb

My action research project feels so rough and I'm still so confused. I've recently felt like it is just too much to have on my plate...even asking my wife today, "can I just quit?"   Of course her answer is: "No,we need that pay raise and you need to find some motivation in your job!" Shucks.   So what I want to focus my action research project on is connecting with more of our student's families, and providing opportunities for them to access the resources I have that might help their family flourish.  There is still such a stigma with "counseling" and most families fear me and see me only as someone that teaches kids all the things that families are doing wrong with the goal of removing students from unhealthy homes. That is the last thing my job is!  Well, it is my job to keep kids and families safe and healthy, but I realize life can be hard and everyone goes through rough patches and learning from their mistakes...our mistakes. I have so many resources and interventions, but between the stigma that keeps families away, language or cultural barriers, and busy schedules that don't allow for them to access me during the school day those resources don't get to the families that need them. I need to find a way to reach them, or more of them at least.  My first efforts will involve creating a website through iWeb that is available to anyone.  iWeb is such an easy, straightforward and attractive tool that will allow me to layer a site that is appropriate for families, students, teachers and our community.  I hope to have links to the parenting sites and resources I've found useful, online games that are educational and build on the social/emotional growth of kids, and career related experiential games.  We also have so many community resources available for families that are victims or homelessness, domestic violence,  extracurricular activities, and countless other areas that are affecting families.  I'm unclear about whether or not my district will approve this, but I will do my best!