As you may have noticed, the sudden increase in popularity of "Sh*t My Dad Says" in the past few years has sparked a bazillion spin offs.  And so, since it's mid-week, and you're probably ready for a little distraction, I give you a few of the "Sh*t ____ Says" videos that are applicable to my world.  Enjoy!

Despite spending the majority of my teaching career in high school, I have many elementary teachers who'd find this funny - Sh*t Teachers Say:

As a die-hard Apple fan, I present Sh*t iPhone Users Say:

Can't let a blog post like this slip by without a shoutout to Saskatchewan!

Vanessa

P.S. Happy Leap Year Day!

I got a little preview recently of what the future of SMART Notebook holds.  And believe you-me, it's awesome!

SMART Notebook 11 is on the horizon, with the anticipated release date to be sometime this Spring/early Summer.  For those of you with an existing version of Notebook, it will be as simple as a free download; if you're not currently using the software, it will be available for purchase as per usual.

Why am I so excited about the newest update to this software?  So. Many. Cool. New. Features...including:

- embedded web browser -- the web browser is actually inserted as an object in Notebook

- audio recording -- no more messing around with Audacity files then trying to convert them to the appropriate extension and inserting into Notebook.  Do your recording and embedding directly within Notebook!

- activity builder -- a bit of a simplified version of what teachers with Flash were doing previously outside of Notebook

- support for widgets -- TONS of possibilities out there, with lots of third party development happening.

...and a million more fun options!

Can't wait to get started with the full version in a few short months!!  Keep your eyes peeled for the official annoucement of its release :)

*UPDATE*  ;feature=youtu.be">Here's a great video with a little sneak peek of some of the awesome features coming

Vanessa

Ahhh...Teachers' Convention season.  What a glorious time of the year where educators get a rare opportunity to network, learn, see new technology, share ideas/commonalities with other professionals, grab a bag full of free loot from vendors and go to the bathroom because they need to, not because a bell has rung.

Palliser District Teachers' Convention is right in the middle of the season, being held today and tomorrow in Calgary.  For those who don't know, it's my old stomping grounds school division, so I enjoy being able to go now as a member of Sharp's and catch up with so many great former colleagues.  Since I'm on maternity leave this year, I'll just be making a quick appearance at our booth sometime this afternoon (after lunch plans with colleagues), so be sure to stop by our Sharp's Audio Visual booth and say hi!  If you're not able to be in attendance (or even if you are!) follow along on Twitter with #pdtca2012.  Forgot your booklet? Click here for the online version. 

Despite my lack of full involvement this year, I was still interested in perusing the convention booklet to see what sessions were being offered.  Looking for some technology sessions, but not sure what to go to? For what it's worth, I give you my picks:

1. Session D15 - SMART Lessons and Literacy Ideas (division I).

   - You really can't go wrong with a session not only focusing on integrating the SMART Board into LA, Math, Science and Social Studies, but this one promises to share already devloped lessons.  Score!

2. Session E14 - Using Student Owned Devices in the Classroom: Strategies and Success (divisions III and IV)

   - This is such a hot topic these days, and many educators who may feel like they'd like to venture into the realm of student owned devices often are too afraid or unsure of how to effectively integrate them without causing more distractions.  Learn how to use iPods, Smartphones and digital cameras from an AMAZING teacher/tweep of mine Derek Keenan.  I highly recommend any session that he leads :)  He's got some other ones, so take a look at your booklet and mark them down!

3. Session 108 - How to get the Most out of Your SMARTBoard in Kindergarten (division I)

   - Obviously, I'm a bit biased, so I love when a SMART Board session makes an appearance at convention.  I'm also a bit biased because I've had one of the presenters in a workshop of mine, and I know that she'll be a great person to share her personal insights in how this technology can work for the younger folk.

4. Session I14 - E-Liability (all divisions)

   - A bit of a different sort of technology focused session, this one promises to discuss the new challenges that educators face with social media and technology being ever-present in our students' lives.  Cyberharassment directed at teachers is on the rise, and the steps that should be taken in those circumstances will be shared.

5. H13 - Breeze for Teachers (all divisions)

   - Admittedly, I've never used Breeze for Teachers, but this session sounds interesting.  The presenters promise to share how to maintain a successful school website with all the key components - online homeowrk, photos, daily news, etc.  Anything that can improve/enhance communication between school and home is A-OK with me!

Have fun with whatever sessions you choose! Enjoy this precious time to collaborate and learn with your colleagues.  And don't have toooo much fun at the hospitality suites ;)

Vanessa

It's hard to believe, but I just received my official SMART Board Revolution members' email from Matt & Obe, celebrating FOUR years of their awesome website!!

For those of you not familiar with this site, I strongly recommend checking it out.  It's a user-based Ning network, where the main goal is for SMART Board users from around the world to connect, share, discuss and help each other out with all things SMART.

Interact and contribute as much or as little as is best for your situation.  The only requirement is that you officially sign up to become a member, and then the rest is up to you! Join groups with others that have common experiences, such as a geographical location, a specific SMART product, such as SMART Response or SMART Table, or similar professional specialty, such as grade level or subject area. 

Head on over to the Forums section to get answers to common problems, share lesson ideas, learn tips and tricks and find upcoming training opportunities. If you really want to fully immerse yourself in the user experience, jump onto the blog bandwagon and start your own blog hosted by the SB Revolution, check out the chat feature for real-time discussions or maybe create a video to share with other members. 

One of the best, albeit often overlooked, features of the site? The customized Google search engines found halfway down on the left-hand side of the page:

Use them to find other sites and activities devoted to SMART product use, including lesson plans, discussions and tips.

Happy Birthday, SMART Board Revolution!!

Vanessa

I had a WAAAAY more insightful and thoughtful blog post started for today, but alas, the flu has been making the rounds at my household, and so you get a little bit of quick humour instead.  You'll just have to wait a few more days for my wonderful words of wisdom!

Given the fact that a TON of my Facebook friends are teachers (usually former classmates in University or colleagues from my teaching days), I've seen a certain picture pop up numerous times in my newsfeed over the past 24 hours.

Essentially, there have beena lot of variations of the following Meme floating around on Facebook where it breaks down 6 different viewpoints of how members of society view various jobs, teachers included.  The Washington Post did an excellent job of covering this story, so I'll let you read the full background here.

How many of you have felt this way over the years??

Vanessa :)