Pause and Ponder

Thanks for the wonderful experince!

What I gained from Digital Writing in the Classroom

To my fellow educators I would stress the importance of the changing world and how technology is shaping it at very quick pace. We must keep helping prepare our students for the world they will be living in. The world is becoming more global by the second. I would encourage our teachers to push pass their comfort zone and get up to par with the technological world that we live in. Students are surrounded by the technology at home and when they step into the classroom they are stepping back into time. I would encourage teachers to participate in technology staff developments. I would encourage all grade levels to participate to getting our students prepared for the world. We cannot teach today's or tomorrow's students like we taught yesterday’s.


My message to the general public would be to support the use of technology in the classrooms. There are those who feel that students will become too dependent on technology, and find inappropriate materials. The same was probably said with the invention of the printing press, radio, and television. We cannot fear change but we should embrace it. All of these can and have been used inappropriately, but all of them have given us the unlimited access to information which can be turned into knowledge. They have become tools for the development of higher order thinking skills if used appropriately.

Let us prepare our students for the world they will live in. They are not only competing with themselves but with the rest of the world. The question is not are they ready, but are we?

Mind Mapping with Mindmeister

What an excellent tool! Mindemeister is a tool that allows users to create mind maps, or what I would use it for in the classroom is planning units and creating concept maps.  It offers a free package , premium and business packages. With watching the tutorial and planing around, I mean exploring the tool, I have fell in love with it.  I think the tool will be very useful in a classroom. I can just envision how much engaging it would be in the brainstorming process of writing. A digital brainstorming web!

Watch YouTube Here Comes Vimeo

Vimeo is a video sharing service. That is similar to YouTube. Vimeo allows an user to  upload any kind of video they create. Vimeo accepts many different file formats and even have a desktop uploader. The free basic account allow for 500 MB of storage a week.  Vimeo supports high definition. If you would like the Vimeo Plus you can upload 5GB a week, with high video quality, no ads, and HD embedding for $59.99 a year.

Smug Mug

Smug Mug is a photo media website that has many great things to offer an user if you are willing to pay. It does offer a free trail to test out the service before you buy. The options and quality of the service is outstanding. The website is user friendly. It is a great way to allow friends and family to view your photos and order prints. It offers unlimited storage for you pictures and videos. They offer many sizes for your photos and many privacy options. I love the unlimited storage and privacy options with this service. The only downfall I can see for this the price when there are free service that perform this service only with the additions of looking at few ads. If you are willing to pay for Smug Mug then it is a great investment. If you not looking for professional quality and don't mind the ads you might want to use another photo sharing site.

My Teaching Biography

I have wanted to be a teacher as long as I can remember. I remember the Christmas when I was eight years old when Santa bought me a large chalk board easel, tons of chalk, and a grade book! I was so excited, that I played school for hours on end. After winter break that year, my third grade teacher gave me a couple of textbooks and extra worksheets to play with, it was like Christmas all over again. My youngest brother would play school with me, even though now he claims he was forced into playing. I showed leadership in my youth. To my child eyes, teaching seemed like a perfect job. A teacher got to write on the board, she got attention from the entire class, and—best of all she always got to tell everyone what to do! I could not have thought of any job that could be better than being a teacher.

I entered college in the fall of 1999, convinced that a teaching career was the one for me. Through the first three years of my college experience, I changed my major several times. Going "green" and becoming environmentally aware was a hot topic, so I switched majors to Environmental Science for a semester. For the first time in my life, I considered the fact that teaching might not be the only career that I might enjoy. Then I decided I wanted to transfer schools, I wanted to go to Coastal Carolina University and live at the beach. With that change I toyed with the idea of a major in Marine Science for one semester, but I soon returned to my lifelong dream of teaching. After, this wandering through the vast forest of college majors, I become conscious to my true destined path, of education.

Now I realize that I have never wanted to be anything but a teacher, and I love it as much as I ever hoped I would. I have always wanted to help people, have a love of learning, and a desire to make the world a better place. I think it is these qualities that led me to the classroom. Walking into my classroom every morning brings back that feeling of that special Christmas when I was eight.

    I feel that one of my greatest contributions to education is a genuine love and concern for my students. I try to help each student to realize that he or she is a precious individual, capable of making our world a better place for everyone. I try to make my classes fun and interesting for the students. To help the students grasp the concept of guerilla tactics, one of the reasons Francis Marion was a well known partisan leader, we had a paper ball fight. One side of the room represented the British and the opposite side represented Francis Marion and his militia. The side led by Francis Marion hid in the "swamp" (under desks). We then discussed the two battle tactics and which was more successful. Yes, teachers teach content, and it is exciting when students learn the content and can apply it as well. But learning has a larger outcome; the student has learned something about how it feels to be successful. They have also learned how it feels to be challenged to reach for success, and maybe along the way they have had to learn something about how it feels to fail, as well. Learning from mistakes is just as important as knowing how it feels to succeed. These are the skills that will carry our students into the next level and the skills that will make them lifelong learners. I like to say that I am building a better world one student at a time. I also love the moments when they grasp a concept and then in turn go and teach that concept to another student who is struggling.

Duck Tape Doesn't Fix Everything

Trying to Catch the Wind with a Net Feeling

I will learn how to say no, I will not feel bad because I have said "NO". Ok... Who I am I kidding, I will not say no because that is just the way I am. I like helping others. Please don't begin to think I do it just for others, I like it because it makes me feel better about myself. So yeah I help others for my own selfish reasons. Right now I have a ton of things to do and yet I want to absolutely nothing. I have this feeling that I am trying to catch the wind with net. I am busy getting nothing done.  I have yearbook, grading, reading, blogging, and so much more to accomplish I need just ten more hours in a day and maybe I will catch up with all of task that yes I signed up for.  I will get there, just maybe catch a little wind in my net.

I Am Addicted to Youtube!

What can you do on a beautiful Sunday? How about the beach, bike ride, or anything outdoors? Well, yes but I had a better idea. I spent all day on YouTube! I have always visited YouTube every once in awhile. Since taking the digital writing class, with Bill Gaskins I have been amazed with it! Who knew there was such great videos out there! I have spent the better part of my day catching up on Greek Mythology. (Since now I am the biggest fan of Percy Jackson.) Then a hour on the Make-up Geek! I don't even wear makeup and I know how to apply it correctly now. I fell in love with the HOPE Christian Academy videos. I even watched the greatest love song my best friend wrote for her fiancée! Way to go Jen! I am also inspired by the Weight Watchers videos others have posted! I have seen some things that made me blush but overall, I love YouTube now! I think Facebook is going to be so jealous of my new addiction!

My New Journey

As much as I hate writing, I am writing and almost starting to enjoy it. (Thanks Bill for the confidence booster)If am going to live the life of a blogger I need to find my passion. Yes I could write about school or education because they are my passions but I need to write about something else. I live and breathe school so, I am going to take a break from writing about it. I have started a new journey in my life. Well to be honest it is not that new, I have started at least a hundred times, just never quite made it over the first speed bump.

Two weeks ago My dad and I started Weight Watchers, and to my amazement we are doing great. At our first weigh-in we both lost seven pounds. I have a lot of encouragers to cheer me on! A friends/co-workers are doing the program as well. It is a great help, and they keep me on track at work, while my family keeps me on track at home. Thank goodness they are there. I give the Mountain Dew machine the "evil eye" every time I walk into the workroom. I even sometimes say mean things to it when the workroom is empty. Yeah, I know that is crazy, but if you know me then you know I describe myself as "crazy normal". I have not had a Mountain Dew in fifteen days and three hours! I might need a support group just for that.

I am off to a good start, and even hit the speed bump, or should I say wall! Yesterday I went to go get dinner for Dalton and myself at McDonald's. I had all intentions of ordering a Happy Meal. When I went to order the my mouth just did the talking without consorting with my brain and ordered me a Quarter-pound meal. I was in a state of shock! How could I start telling the drive-thru person my mouth made a mistake? So I just went with it and luckily the brain stepped up to the plate and got me a Diet Coke and instead of a Mello Yellow. The whole three minute drive back home I was feeling guilty. I had came up with a million options for my mouth's disaster. I could just eat half or eat none and get Smart One out of the freezer. Well, being one who owns up to my mistakes, no matter if was not my fault, I ate the whole thing and did not even check the point value, because ever single bite was worth it! I did reprimand my mouth by making it drink water after I finished my Diet Coke.

I crashed into the wall, well the only choice I have is to get up and start again. I know I am going to make a few mistakes and fall off a couple of times, but I have a goal and I want to accomplish it. I want to go back to Europe, and I want to fit in the airplane seat without spilling into Dalton's seat! So I am going to sink my Titanic!

Picture is from: bentobjects.blogspot.com

How Many Times Can You Reinvent the Wheel?

Is there something wrong with the wheel design? No, there is not unless-maybe you are a teacher. I find myself reinventing the wheel every year. What I am I thinking? Why not stick with what works? Well my husband and others who are not educators bring this up to me quite frequently. They always comment, "my teacher had me do this and that." (Which is often not on the best practices list) Then they finish with I turned out fine. Until now I just kind of shrugged it off with a gracious smile. This time I had my comeback and my reason why.
I am not teaching the same children that sat in a class room twenty years ago. Most of the time I am not teaching the same type of students that sat in my class room five years ago. The world has changed and I must change too! I heard this quote (somewhere in all the blogs I have been reading and not quite sure who to give credit to) "What Got Us Here Won't Get Us There". I felt this was a powerful quote. So I am going to have to change and well I am not reinventing the wheel, I am polishing and updating the wheel for the journey ahead.

Just Above Drowning

Do you find as a teacher or just as person you take on a lot more than you expected? I have a very busy two weeks, and you know what I did it to myself. I am beginning to think that saying "no" is almost impossible for me to do! I think I like stress and maybe that's why-I always seem to take on way too much at a time. Or maybe it is that I like the feeling that I am drowning, then the rush of coming up for air? Maybe I will figure it out someday. But, right now I don't have the time.

Lacy Floyd

I grew up in the upstate of South Carolina during the 1990's. I was born in the eighties, however, in 1989 I was only eight and do not really recall the eighties. I love tell everyone that because my husband graduated high school in 1989. He will ask, "Lacy do you remember..." and I almost always respond "Nope, I was in the third grade!"
I grew up in a small town that I could not wait to get out of, even though I do miss it, somewhat. After, my time was up I mean when I graduated I headed off to college. I came to Coastal Carolina to earn a degree in Marine Biology. When I realized I might have to touch an animal I quickly switched majors. My parents gave the advice to choose a career I would do for free everyday no matter what. The decision to change to become an elementary school teacher came quickly after that. I have never looked backed on that decision. I have been teaching for five years. I have taught fifth and third grade. I am currently teaching third grade at Conway Elementary. I am very honored to be CES's Teacher of the Year, considering all of the wonderful teachers at CES.
I am married to a wonderful and understanding guy. We have two dogs that we consider our children.
I have to admit I am not fond of writing. Writing is my area I am the weakest. I am taking this class to help become a better writing teacher. I am looking forward to this adventure, outside of my comfort zone.