PLN Update!!

So, I am still using Symbaloo alot, and still find it useful. The color coordination thing is ridiculous. So cool.
I am also using my TweetDeck often to keep up with my multiple accounts (like Facebook and Twitter) at the same time. Some new things I have discovered that you may have noticed on my blog are:
My Grooveshark Widget
My wibiya Toolbar
Shelfari
Stumble Upon
**For instructions on how to use any of these things, see my Final Project: Carly, Chelsea and Kristen's Final Project
-Grooveshark
This is my favorite music website because they have literally everything and it is all free! I don't have to download stuff because I do not have time for all that, I can just add it to a playlist and keep up with it. I have different playlists for different moods actually. If you have a smart phone you can download the app and try it out for a little while and then I think it's like $8.95 a month which is actually cheaper than Napster, I believe. I wanted to enhance my blog with this!
Music is important to me.
Recently my friend was talking about being restless and I told her how music helped me through so many sleepless nights, inspired me to act like a grown up and be brave, brought back memories without reducing me to tears, reminded me that I was not alone, and just brought me joy. This seemed to do the same for her. It was a relief to see her so much calmer again.
Can anyone really define the power of music?
I want you to think this week about what music has done for you.
As a teacher, I think I can use music to teach poetry, meter, rhythm, rhyme, things like that. But I would like to play soft music without words to calm my students while doing class work or maybe a test. I think it soothes nerves and lets out inspiration we may otherwise hold back.
My widget by Grooveshark came out of this. I felt the need to share this with viewers of my blog.

-Wibiya toolbar

I recently developed a slight addiction to Stumble Upon, and one of the blogs it "stumbled" for me used this feature. I thought it was very cool because it's not just for you, it's convenient for the people viewing your blog. I know I post a lot on my blog. I'm talkative and witty and opinionated so I have a lot to say. If someone happened to feel chaotic, they could join me in live chat to ask any questions they had directly. Say, if you were a teacher, a parent, member of administration, or student could ask you anything they need to momentarily. Also, you can translate the post if you need to, view recent posts, share on twitter, like on facebook, watch my YouTube Videos, and also view my latest twitter updates. To me, this is useful, but especially for a teacher. Being reachable and available at the time that questions arise or help is actually need is vital.
Go to www.wibiya.com to get and customize your own for free! You can customize what websites or features you would like to use. If you need any help, you know how and where to reach me!

-Shelfari
Imagine a book nerd having all sorts of books to show off to the world that they have read, want to read, or are reading. They are able to participate in open discussions, talk about the edition of the book they are reading, write descriptions, and many other things. As a teacher, you could also have a class shelfari to keep a record of what your class has read and let them write their own descriptions or reviews.  You could even encourage them to do their own (extra credit?) to keep up with Accelereated Reader books as well as class readings.  I could see students who get readings confused easily being able to immediately record their recollections, impressions, and a general overview of the book and keep up with it.  It is also available on most smart phones, iPods, as well as iPads.
Would you like to view my shelf?: http://www.shelfari.com/o1515079450/shelf




-Stumble Upon
I spend hours on this website.  I find the coolest things.  I have found amazing photography website, sites for resources in education, sites about different countries, sites with poetry and graphics (these were my favorite!)
You can follow this link to view my favorites that I have been acquiring over a few days! This site is pretty self-explanatory as far as usage goes, but I would love to answer any questions you may have.  As far as its use in a classroom, I guess its more enjoyable than academic; but if your kids are goofing off on the internet, they could find a lot more use out of this than, say, facebook.
Here are some links you can check out that are from stumbleupon:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/198bOF/candychang.com/before-i-die-in-nola
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2TRXnp/www.whatshouldireadnext.com
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/6Bqhby/www.graphicpoetry.net

To me, my PLN is the sum of all the things that help me learn and keep up with what I'm learning but that also enhance that, like the Grooveshark Widget. I have also used Evernote a few times and like it quite a bit, as well as Tweetdeck, Glogster, and Symbaloo.