TWITTER AND THE CLASSROOM!!

I love Twitter, I really do! It's pretty amazing how much one person can say in 120 characters. While not all of what is said on Twitter is stimulating, interesting or worth reading it has totally revolutionized social media. For all of you that read this blog enough, you know that I am looking to be a teacher once I am finished with my masters this December and I am always thinking about teaching and new ways to motivate, excite and interconnect things that kids use and like into the classroom. I have been wondering about how could I include social media into the equation? So why not bring Twitter into the classroom? When I asked about this and looked into it, all I received was negative responses and ideas...until now! Finally I have found an article and video from CNN and on another blog post about how a middle school history teacher from East LA has used Twitter to help engage shy students in learning history. Watching this video, has inspired me and has shown that Twitter and social media in general can really enhance a learning environment within a classroom or within different curriculum areas. I think adding Twitter to curriculum areas could get students motivated and excited about the curriculum, and it could be a way for students to express themselves and participate. I also think Twitter could be used to help ESL students have a voice and practice reading/writing English. I love seeing teachers like Enrique be inventive (by using students interests like social media) in the classroom to help further engage the students and enhance learning.

Let's look at how current or future teachers can use social media to help students vs. looking at it as a negative thing. 

http://www.good.is/post/twitter-in-the-classroom-watch-this-teacher-engage-shy-students-in-learning-history/

WEEKEND WARRIOR FUN!

Just to inform everyone, this weekend has been stellar! After a week of feeling stressed, and a bit lonely I am having a fun weekend. Why may you ask? 

1.) I was finally able to get outside in LCC (Little Cottonwood Canyon) and do some rock climbing with my friend Chris. I did not lead any routes today however, I worked and improved my anchoring abilities. I cannot lead any routes until I successfully am able to anchor myself at the top of a route. I am getting better with setting anchors, now I just need to practice a bit more and get a bit faster setting them. 

2.) Not only am I getting used to being a head swim coach, but I am also starting to have the club run my way and with my ideas! 

3.) I was able to meet up with two girlfriends whom I had been disconnected with for a long time... and I went out to breakfast with my good girlfriend Shauna. The french toast was absolutely delicious. 

4.) I GOT some rollerblades, which I have been wanting for a while now thanks to my friend Tonya! I love to rollerblade :) 

5. I also am showing my love for the LGBT community of Utah and Salt Lake City by attending Salt Lake City's Gay Pride Parade tomorrow with two friends. 

Oh I love fun weekends, especially fun weekends in the summer. I feel blessed this weekend! 

Other photos from the Christie Lee adventure

Some of the fundamentals to run the Christie Lee around the Captain's seat 

Capitans are not the only one's to drive the boat....
I ended up being a pretty decent driver! 

Luke hard at work doing some maintenance on his boat. You know he has some serious work to do when he has on the maintenance suit. 

Just one of the standard uniforms when fishing!

Lastly, here is myself washing off the fish after I helped Luke get the fish ready to go on some ice



Well I can officially say that I have been a deckhand on a commerical fishing boat now.
I also can say that I have trolled for and caught a King Salmon.
I also can say that I have learned a lot about the commerical fishing industry and I have seen some of the ups and some of the downs within the industry as well. One thing that I really took from my experience is that the commerical fishing industry is very tough, requires a lot of patiences, requires a lot of trust and communication and really brings people together.  I feel like this experience/adventure brought Luke and I closer together. Things weren't always easy for us within the 3 week period, but we got through every bump and we celebrated every good moment together. I am so glad that I decided to submerge myself in this new experience and really step outside my comfort zone. While the commerical fishing lifestyle may not be for me 24/7, I know that I can handle it and be apart of it for smaller amounts of time! I am so glad I was able to share something with Luke that he not only does for a living, but also loves. I think relationships work best when both people are willing to at least try to participate and take interest in the other person's hobbies, interests or employment. I feel like I have learned so much more about who he is, and what he values based from this experience. Overall I am so happy to have not only survived this experience, but also learned a lot and have gotten closer with Luke. I also had more fun than I thought I was going to have so to me that is the icing on the cake!

Salmon fishing

Here I am holding my first caught wild Oregon King Salmon ever! This one was very small (still legal) King Salmon at 28.5 inches long. In order to keep salmon in Oregon they must be at LEAST 28 inches long, so this guy was barely legal. It was pretty awesome to have finally caught one especially after a long day of throwing up, and feeling very sea sick thanks to the sloppy sea.

Another look at the beautiful King Salmon that I caught! These fish are so beautiful and so much bigger than I ever imagined they would look in person. The scales on these salmon glow so brightly in the water!

Adventures on the Christie LEE

       Welcome to my three-week fishing and fixing a commerical trolling boat adventure on my boyfriend's (Luke) boat the Christie Lee. Heading into this adventure I really did not know what I was getting myself into. Frankly I had no expectations, and nothing to really compare what pretty much living, fixing and fishing on the Christie Lee would be like. While I would conisder myself a decently "rugged" gal who is not afraid to get a little dirty...I was blown away with being submerged into the fisherman lifestyle where instead of getting dirty in some dirt or mud, they get dirty in oil and grease. I have never been around so much oil and grease in my entire life.
     I didn't know excatly what I was getting myself into as I volunteered to come, fish and stay with Luke for a few weeks as we won't see each other too much after this for about 4 months. I did not know I was volunteering to  become proficient in drilling, or helping to replace old wires so we could wire new wires throughout the engine room. I also did not know I would learn most tool names through rote memorization through handing Luke different tools that he needed. Heck I did not even know that three types of screw drivers existed! I also did not know that I would learn how clean up oil spills safely and effectively either, but I learned that too.
      I thought I was coming to do mostly fishing. Well we have done a bit of fishing, but I have done quite a bit of work helping Luke get ready to still go fishing. What has struck me the most about this whole adventure is how we work, and work, and work some more to fix things on the boat, yet there is still so much more work to be done. As Luke would say "there is always more to do." Yes I learned this very quickly.
   While I still don't think I could live the life of a fisherman, it has been kind of fun to experience this type of lifestyle. It also has been kind of stressful too in some ways and definitely takes some getting used too. I really wear mostly the same outfit everyday and am used to just being dirty now, but it did take a bit to get used to. I also had to get used to having greasy hands and sleeping on the boat. While the lifestyle takes a bit to get used to, it's a lifestyle that I have a ton of respect for. Fishermen work so hard, and are " do it themselvers." I am so impressed with how well Luke can solve most of the problems on the boat. He truly can fix anything! I must say I find it sexy! While he can fix anything...I have surprised myself with helping him with some issues. I guess I could do okay in this lifestyle. I have even helped put a woman's touch to the boat by suggesting a few ideas for ways he can make the house of the boat a bit more cozy.
    To wrap up, this experience has been humbling, a confidence builder, good for our relationship and more fun than I would be....but also more stressful than I thought it would be too. I have seen how great, tight and helpful the Oregon fishing community are towards each other. I have met some wonderful fishermen who I'll always remember and hopefully see again!
     Next post can hopefully be about my actually experience and thoughts of a multi-day salmon fishing trip and include pictures too.

Much Love from Florence, Oregon!