Everything's Amazing, Nobody's Happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus
This is an interesting video with a funny spin on how our world is changing. I encourage you to take a look at it and consider how you fit into this picture. Are you so fast paced that the smallest hiccup causes you stress? I know I tend to be! I think many of us (especially those that fit into the nerd category, such as myself) not only expect things to work, but expect them to make our lives easier. I don't know how many times I've said, "all the technology in the world and THIS is how we have to complete this task?" I always find myself thinking about how things could be made better and am annoyed if the way we're doing it just doesn't make sense! Would love to hear your comments!

Is it time for "the talk"?

When I was growing up, "the talk" had something to do with birds and bees. Yeah, you know the routine--Mom or Dad fumbling over their words while you sit with your eyes on the floor (or anything but your parent for that matter) and pretend like you didn't just hear them say sex for the third time! Yeah, it makes me a little queasy thinking about it too.
And now, years later, I'm the parent and I often think about how I'm going to be in this very same situation one day. But is this the only talk I need to have with my daughter? Absolutely not. In today's world of the internet at your fingertips, there is yet one more "talk" you need to have with your children. I'll be referring to this one as the "Web talk". The web talk is just as important as the sex talk and for many good reasons.
Children today are growing up in a world where chatting online is more common that talking on the phone. They're sharing anything and everything about themselves without considering the possible consequences. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children states that 1 in 7 youth aged 10-17 experience a sexual solicitation or approach while online. This information alone is enough for many parents to ban the internet in their house. Banning the internet, however, will work about as well as what you want to ban in that other "talk" mentioned earlier. That in mind, though, it is important not to ignore this information. Parents need to take the time to explain to children what the internet can bring and prepare them for situations that may arise. Do your children know what to do if someone approaches them online? Don't ever assume that they do. They may know how to use the internet, but knowing how to safely use the internet is what is important.
There are many internet safety sites available to parents. I like the information provided by the National Center for missing and Exploited Children and encourage parents to check it out now!

SMART Touch Recognition

Just wanting to share this one! This is a fantastic enhancement to an already awesome product!

Sexting and Schools

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Sexting is becoming a widely known term today. This video is a great conversation about the consequences of doing so and what can be done to help prevent this from continuing to be a problem. A comment is made in this video about how we filter the internet to prevent teens from accessing sites, but on their phones, kids can get just about anywhere. The good news is that people are starting to realize this and are finding ways to filter phones and help prevent some of the consequences that are found in this video.
The first time I heard of this happening in a school, I was totally suprised and couldn't believe that anyone would do such a thing. But, now I learn that 1 in 5 teens have tried sexting. So, now we know it's an issue. Let's brainstorm ways to prevent it.

Who Inspires You?

In the midst of working on a project, I was directed to the book Presentation Zen. I quickly found the website www.presentationzen.com and was drawn in by the very first article, "Who inspires you?" This is a question most people don't consider, but upon really thinking about it, the people who inspire me are always on my mind. When I come to a tough situation, I often think about the people around me and consider what they might do if given the same issue. Professionally, I think of a very dear friend of mine who taught me to:
1. Build your learning network, it will help you grow in many ways, both personally and professionally.
2. Challenge old ways of thinking and help to create new ideas in others' minds
3. Stay up to date with new ideas by researching trends in educational technology. There's always something to learn-especially in this profession.
4. Push yourself to be as good as you believe you are. Don't let fear get in the way when your heart is telling you what you need to do!
This last one is the one that is really hard for me. Still working on it, but I'm getting better and with encouragement, I'll get there one day.
So, I would like to ask everyone to think about someone that inspires you. I only mentioned a professional example in my life, but we all have many people that inspire us in many facets of life. Think about yours and share your gratitude with them.