Technology

It's funny. When I started teaching, I never thought of myself as a tech geek. Then in grad school I began monkeying around with the eMac in the grad students lab (which was really a closet). I also took an internet design class and learned to build some webpages. Here are the results -- Writing Remedies and How To Run the Wing-T Sweep.

Then when I finished grad school and returned to Lincoln, I was able to teach a semester long night class of college comp at the college. With that extra money, I invested in a MacBook and an iPod.

Things have never been the same since. I've been tinkering and learning ever since. After four years the logic board in my first MacBook went kaput, so I upgraded to a sleeker MacBook, with many more features. It was not long before I discoverd comiclife and iMovie.

Then I discovered Keynote. Now I'm using Timeline 3D, podcasts, and my iPod classic on a regular basis to design lesson plans.

Now I'm anxious to see what I can do with my SMARTboard.

As a result of my tinkering, I've fallen into some opportunities to present at various functions. First, it was presenting various lessons at my MNHS graduate history classes. Then I was able to present at several common preps at Lincoln. Last year I was asked to present at our local Kramer Brown Fall Drive-In. Today I was just asked to present again this year. And a few weeks ago I was asked by the TRF Morning Kiwanis club to present to them on facebook, twitter, blogs, and cell phones.

That's the funny thing about life. Had you told me that I'd know all of this stuff or have these opportunities, I'd never have believed it.

Tinkering is a good thing.