tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:24:04 +0000imagesjournalspicturestoolsbishopblogchallengeembedded mediamagistrabooksrequired readingavatarCursillouser_profilecommunitywowgeocachingproblem-solvingpersonal historymicrobloggingA Christmas MemoryEdTechTalkweb2.0wednesday#ksybpublishiPodworshiptop10videowrite30d2bbbdigital memoriesWOW2.0balancerantsummertimeiste2011readinghigher educationwalkingishmael beahfallblogchallenge2010eat pray loveteaching ideas reflection gettingbetter learningaudiencesuccessbenedictineepiscopalcollegefallessential_skillsideasonlineteach42reading fallblogchallenge2010 poll googleformelizabeth gilbertabout mebook reviewtuscaloosafunprofessorshipbloggingwidgetkevinhmemoircohlong way goneclassicsdissertationmediatechnologyreflectionk12online2008wikipodcastskillslistsidebarphotosbest blogsinspirationedublogawards2010yes_techtaskslesson planscover to cover girlsmemoriesread aloudfreshmenbill gatesiste2011 infographics conferencelatinorientationk12online08tomatolearninguwateachingthinkingpaperPLNdiocese of Alabamamathresearchfavoritesteacher educationgraduate schoolteacherchallengegoalsspiritualityblogsponsorlifeJohn Pedersonreadershipchild soldierreading titletalk librarians lms mediaspecialistsplurk4th dayfoodtwitterthehelp movies racism integrationcohiiPadsnowwritinghealthkevinhoneycuttuniversityReflections, opinions, and ideas from the mind of Lauriehttp://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Laurie)Blogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-2585686383373407349Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:23:00 +00002012-01-25T12:24:04.411-08:00Why do I read picture books to college classes? After some careful consideration of this question, I realized I do it for many reasons. I think one selfish reason is to give myself permission to buy more children’s books for my own library.  I see so many great books that are being published and want to share them with my classes. I am also a big fan of reading aloud to students since ithttp://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2012/01/read-alouds-for-grown-ups-heck-yeah.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-4582688506421446757Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:10:00 +00002011-12-17T18:10:51.896-08:00This reflection about my Papaw Fowler is one that I quite literally stumbled upon when I was rearranging things in my office at UWA this week. I have not had time to write like I should this week, but this piece from a 10-year-old paper journal leaped into my consciousness and would not let go so I write it here to share with the world. As I sit in room 321 of Redmond Regional Hospital on a coldhttp://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/12/merry-christmas-papaw.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-6560058576138470509Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:59:00 +00002011-12-01T13:24:49.751-08:00 This semester has been challenging to say the least.  Teaching was something I was sure I had “figured” out and didn’t need to worry about.  I had gotten comfortable with my teaching and slipped into a bit of laziness.  I took for granted that my students would love technology as much as I did.  I whizzed through directions because I had explained them so many times before they were http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-i-learned-from-my-ed-505-class.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-5786627139335814150Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:32:00 +00002011-10-20T12:32:34.440-07:00 In honor of the National Day of WritingOctober 20, 2011I write because I like to tell stories.I write because I like to play with words and language.I write because I think I have something to say.I write because I think people might care what I think.I write because I cannot keep all these thoughts in my head.I write because I cannot imagine not writing.I write because of Laura Hunter and Billhttp://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-i-write.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-1093361797230703316Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:28:00 +00002011-10-19T11:28:09.882-07:00Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to hang out with old friends from a former job.  We worked together to make schools a better place for kids to learn and teachers to teach.  Our clerical help, Kathy with a K and Dale, were angels in disguise because they could organize and manage all of us and the mountains of paperwork that a curriculum and instruction department produced with http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/10/working-with-friends-means-so-much.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-8014325833344574639Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:03:00 +00002011-09-14T08:05:04.577-07:00teaching ideas reflection gettingbetter learning The last week has been very frustrating for me. I am teaching a unit I dearly love about using Web 2.0 tools to create a unit.  However, my class is struggling mightily with this.  I am not sure if my directions were lacking or if this particular class needed more information/rationale about why we are doing this assignment or if I have taught these Web 2.0 tools so many times that I http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/09/reality-check-on-my-teaching.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-4641833976941836889Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:11:00 +00002011-08-31T09:15:30.517-07:00reading titletalk librarians lms mediaspecialistsIn my next life, I want to come back as a librarian. Oops, sorry, that is library media specialist now, huh? At least I think I do after reading all kinds of cool stuff the librarians and others on #titletalk on Twitter discussed August 28. Their whole job (well, not exactly, but. . .) is to get the “right” books in the hands of the kids and teachers they serve. They have students come to http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/08/in-my-next-life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-6580220458437754193Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:34:00 +00002011-08-18T08:34:07.997-07:00thehelp movies racism integrationI went to see The Help on a hot, steamy Friday night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 2011. I had read the book so I knew the premise of the book, but the visualization of that era was stunningly recreated in the movie. The fifty years that had intervened between the time of the movie and my own life were whisked away as I was drawn utterly and completely into the life of Southern women of 1960s http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-view-of-help.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-1465544809563352974Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:12:00 +00002011-07-15T07:28:54.963-07:00technologyteachinggeocachinguwaYesterday, we had a great time introducing the school age group of the Campus Summer School Program to geocaching. Geocaching is a high-tech scavenger hunt that uses GPS satellite technology to pinpoint a location where a container with a log and/or trinkets is hidden. (See this web site for more information.) After an introduction to geocaching by Dr. Jodie Winship, we divided the kids into http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/07/kid-geocaching-at-uwa.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-3369676003705195034Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:53:00 +00002011-06-30T08:57:46.800-07:00top10kevinhoneycuttinspirationiste2011 10. A good time was had by all! How could we not with Kevin Honeycutt as the speaker? 9. We should create a table of gourmet learning food for kids, not just the same old thing. 8. How would you feel if I told you that you could not use your phone or laptop all day at work? Perhaps you would feel like you had a digital limb amputated. This is how kids feel when they come to school http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/06/top-10-takeaways-from-trends-tools-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-6217356746395206376Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:10:00 +00002011-06-30T07:55:35.724-07:00iste2011 infographics conference So, here I am at ISTE 2011. I am going to take an idea from a blog post idea list and use it here. I am going to interview myself about my ISTE experience so far. So away we go. . . Me: So, Dr. Fowler, how have you enjoyed ISTE this year? Dr. Fowler: I have really enjoyed getting to attend sessions, learn new things, and present on infographics. Me: What session has been the best so far? Dr.http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/06/unlocking-potential-at-iste-2011.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-6042299095977593730Thu, 09 Jun 2011 22:01:00 +00002011-06-23T08:56:13.456-07:00I edited this and added pictures of the things I described. Challenge for June 8: List 5 things from the room you're currently sitting in, and explain why they're special enough to be in the room 1. Don’t Look Back Mary Engelbreit Poster 2. Wedding Picture in frame from the Reillys 3. Metal LA Sculpture by Gus 4. UWA Tiger 5. Family Pictures All of these things remind me of who Dr. Laurie http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/06/five-special-things.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-1093684047441799415Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:28:00 +00002011-04-06T17:26:07.097-07:00So my Spring Break has come and gone, thankfully without illness or injury (for some reason I am usually not feeling well during Spring Break!). And with that break, I have had time to read for pleasure a couple of books from the Young Adult section of the Tuscaloosa Public Library. First is Virals by Kathy Reichs. Yes, that Kathy Reichs who created the character of Temperance Brennan in manyhttp://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/04/spring-break-ing-book-reviews.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-6289868590587703247Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:57:00 +00002011-03-10T09:00:51.414-08:00So I have had a not so good week at work because I am sweating the small stuff.  I have lots of projects going on that do not have to do with teaching my classes and it has really stressed me out!  Tonight, though, teaching my graduate students in ED 505, I remembered why I do technology--IT IS FUN! :) Here are the web sites we explored tonight. Wordle BeFunky BigHugeLabs (Pop Art Poster) http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/03/dont-sweat-small-stuff.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-8548617742255054117Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:14:00 +00002011-03-03T17:32:05.898-08:00rantteacher educationhigher educationbill gates “To flip the curve, we have to identify great teachers, find out what makes them so effective and transfer those skills to others so more students can enjoy top teachers and high achievement.” --Bill Gates in the Washington Post Feb. 28, 2011 photo © 2010 OnInnovation (via: Wylio) more info Dear Mr. Gates, I am an assistant professor from one of the many places across the country where http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/03/mr-gates-you-sir-are-no-teacher.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-6432642107939136265Thu, 24 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +00002011-02-23T21:00:56.211-08:00memoirmagistralatinteachingmemorieslearningabout meWhy did I love Latin as a 14-year old?  I am thinking it had much to do with my strengths in verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences, but I am sure it was more than that. Mrs. Elisabeth McNair was a dynamic teacher.  As incoming freshmen, we had heard she was tough. She gave killer tests and you had to learn to translate out loud in class, but if you were on the advanced track athttp://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/02/latin-lover.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-3556336454565143221Fri, 11 Feb 2011 19:37:00 +00002011-02-11T11:38:39.981-08:00toolsimagesweb2.0wednesdayiPadideasphotos I feel like a pirate opening a treasure chest. I have spent the week trying to assimilate all that I learned at FETC last week. My Google Reader has been overflowing with new sites and cool lessons to teach. And I have papers to grade, so exploring new stuff is always more fun! Here are the jewels for the week: * My own iPad! I received an iPad as part of UWA’s project to see how we couldhttp://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/02/tech-treasures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-5942870103576657084Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:37:00 +00002011-02-09T11:39:51.926-08:00 var wf_username = "boss";var wf_slidename = "theory-of-multiple-intelligences"; var wf_width = 300;var wf_height = 300; Today at UWA we had a symposium on Multiple Intelligences that included our visiting Fulbright scholar, Dr. Don Van Chau, Dr. Richard Fowler, Dr. Andrea Minear, and Dr. Penny Wallin.  I found the research that Dr. Don (as he prefers to be called) shared to be especially http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/02/multiple-intelligences-and-me.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-2184826849908310779Mon, 07 Feb 2011 23:50:00 +00002011-02-07T15:50:57.018-08:00I love to read. This is not new information for anyone who knows me.  I got a Nook for Christmas and am still adjusting to the e-book reader thing because I love the feel and smell of a real, hardback, too.  Alas, my ever-shrinking bookshelf space is the reason I have transitioned to this new format.  The e-Ink is an awesome way to read on the screen and it doesn’t make my eyes tired. I have http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/02/looky-looky-looky-here-comes-nooky.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-574774410032954816Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:29:00 +00002011-02-04T07:29:32.646-08:00readershipplurkblogchallenge#ksybteacherchallengelearningbloggingtwitterPLNwriting http://www.flickr.com/photos/alamodestuff/4351730264/ For me the readers of my blog are important because when I have readers and commenters, they let me know that I have written something worth reading. This gives me an extrinsic push to keep on writing and posting; I do love a gold star or a pat on the back as we all do.   I also see that to drive readers to my blog, I must become a better http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/02/hey-you-guys-read-me.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-3637714558560308615Wed, 02 Feb 2011 20:29:00 +00002011-02-03T04:44:43.914-08:00blogblogchallenge#ksybwidgetsidebarThe challenge--    1. Add widgets to your sidebar--check 2. Have a visitor tracking widget on your blog--check, check. 3. Spring clean your sidebar--check, check, check 4. Take a walk through your side bar and see what you like--check, check, check, check. I thought first I should assess the widgets I had so here is my list (some of these are from an earlier blog challenge, but others are http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/02/bibbity-bobbity-bling-wonder-of-widgets.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-7975995162504369952Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:56:00 +00002011-01-27T13:07:26.325-08:00videoblogchallenge#ksybteacherchallengemediaembedded mediaI had some success with embedding videos into my blog after last spring when I had a graduate student come and do his dissertation research involving blogs and videos in my class, but before that I hadn’t really used it much. I understood how to embed things from other sites using code provided, but I always thought I should be writing not showing off techie stuff on my blog. Oh, well, that wouldhttp://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/01/nerve-wracking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-1924297709457696298Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:11:00 +00002011-01-27T12:46:14.686-08:00imagesblogchallenge#ksybteacherchallengepicturesMy Nieces and Nephews So there is my Animoto of my nieces and nephews. I love these kids and hope to always be in their lives. So here is a shout out to Hallie Grace, Luke, Eli, and Ella Kate! Love you guys Some random thoughts on images and pictures . . . Images are certainly something that attracts me to blogs. I like to see pictures of where the blogger is or has been. I also love pictureshttp://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/01/pictures-really-are-worth-1000-words.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-17325676148063206Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:32:00 +00002011-01-27T12:46:39.898-08:00avatarblogchallenge#ksybteacherchallengeWhich one of these should be my online avatar? But on to the challenge of this week, I played with many different sites.  Avatars are a great way for me to explore my many sides.  I would not go as far as to say I have multiple personalities, maybe different digital personas is a better term.   For example,  I love my Wii games, but I had almost as much fun creating avatars based on the http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/01/will-real-laurie-fowler-please-stand-up.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015200.post-4398002013844060535Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:29:00 +00002011-01-27T12:46:57.340-08:00blogblogchallengeideas#ksybabout me http://bit.ly/e6a54v I had no idea that I could add pages to my blog. What an eyeopening experience! :)  I don’t know why I had never explored my blog page beyond the posts and comments even when I did a previous blog challenge where I beefed up my sidebar, butI absolutely love Pages!  I never knew this was an option. I had great fun creating my About Me page and then looked back at what http://lauriefowler.blogspot.com/2011/01/who-knew.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laurie)6