The website, http://www.uni.edu/currtech/index.html, states that its purpose is "to provide a resource for teachers and future teachers to explore their options for integrating technology and information standards into their curriculum." The website proceeds to do just that. It provides links to online resources for encyclopedias, books and media, periodicals, web directories, and the Library of Congress. In addition the author provides links for fiction resources. The author also provides a variety of usuable lesson plans. The author did utilize several links from her own university rather than providing links to more variable sites. The website is easily navigable. Only one link appeared to be outdated; however, the website itself does not appear to have been updated since November 2005. Despite this the material is still usable and useful for research. I would recommend this website as a resource for educators. Educators can use the website to find links to websites their students can use for research. Teachers can also use the provided lesson plans to enhance the use of technology in their classroom.

TEENAGERS!!

How is that someone you love so much can be so frustrating? My teenaged son who turned 14 yesterday is about the most hard headed child I know. Not really but he sure can get on my nerves at times. Actually both of my children are pretty good and I am able to talk to them for the most part. Kurtis just gets something in his head and will not listen to anything else. We had a disagreement tonight over something stupid. The result was that his stepfather told him to sit on the couch (can't send them to their rooms as punishment anymore-they enjoy that!) and he is now sleeping after ignoring us for about an hour. The punishment is that he can't go to his room to play games or watch what he wants to watch. In addition I had promised to give him some extra money towards a stereo that he wants-he lost that. He'll just have to save some more. Thing is I feel bad about it! I know I shouldn't because he brought it on himself. I know that he feels bad. I hurt his feelings because I saw him tear up but he'll never admit it. I can deal with him not admitting it-I just hate hurting his feelings. Not that I don't think that he didn't need corrected-I just wish there was a way to do it without hurting feelings. No, I'm not a touchy, feely, politically correct person who gets offended easily. I am typically pretty blunt and straightforward about things. I don't care if my kids/husband get mad at me but hurt is a different thing. I can't really explain it any other way. Probably doesn't make much sense anyway. Oh well got to get back to schoolwork. We'll see what his mood is like when I wake him for bed!

Journals

I remember as a kid keeping a journal/diary in a spiral notebook. I don't remember what happened to them. They sure would make interesting reading if someone found them (or maybe not). Anyway I have never kept any type of journal as an adult. When my dad died last year I found some things he had written. He had actually started a journal a few times and had just scraps of paper with thoughts written down in other places. I enjoyed reading his thoughts-some things were actually about me and my kids. Anyway I saw a therapist for a few weeks to help me deal with his death. She suggested that I journal. I did start one. I have always been better at putting my thoughts in writing rather than just saying them. My husband and I used to argue that way! I would get so frustrated during an arguement that I would go to our bedroom and write him a note! We don't do that anymore. I also thought how good it made me feel to read my dad's thoughts. A way of keeping him with me. I wanted to leave something similar for my children. However, I did not write faithfully. I found I spent more time thinking about what I wanted to write rather than actually writing! That was still a form of therapy but in no way anything permanent for others to read. I wonder if blogging will also fall by the wayside. I don't know. I think that by knowing others will be reading might hold me more accountable. We'll see.

I guess I should say a little about myself. I am 35 years old. I grew up in Houston but married and moved away as soon as I graduated high school. He was in the military. Later I also joined the military. Fourteen years and two more husbands later (!) I moved back to the Houston area. We have lived in Waller County since 2002 and recently (this week) moved to Magnolia. I have two children (14 & 13) and two stepchildren (25 & 22). The stepchildren each have a child, which makes me a NaNa.
I find I get bored easily which might explain the moving around, although after this week I am tired of moving. I enjoy reading even though I do not have enough time to do so. I also enjoy learning.
I completed an undergrad degree in criminal justice in 1996 and was certified as a peace officer in 1995. About the time I completed my degree my husband was retiring from the Air Force. We moved to a small, small town in the Texas Panhandle. He had family, land, and a home there. I planned to work in law enforcement; however, a better paying and more interesting position came along. I started working for Children's Protective Services. I primarily conducted investigations of abuse/neglect of children. I stayed there 3 years-loved the job, hated the supervisor. I then moved to Texas Youth Commission. I was there 2 years before we moved back to the Houston area. I then worked at a private child placing agency. Recently I decided to seek certification as a teacher. I had to go back to school to take 4 classes to be eligible for the alternative certification program. I am taking those classes now and hopefully will start the program in June. In the mean time I took a huge pay cut to work as an instructional aid at the high school. I felt like this would be a great experience to prepare me for teaching. Also we knew we would be moving out of the school district and my children wanted to remain in the school. Yes they both wanted me to work in their school district!
So that's me in a nutshell. And yes I am still procrastinating-I should be doing school work! Guess I will work on that for awhile.

Okay. I'm new to blogging so we'll see how this goes. I decided to blog because I enjoyed reading a friend's blog. Actually she's a classmate from middle and high school and I only see her at reunions but it's still fun to read. I guess it's a way to keep in touch with the past.
It will be interesting to see if it's as fun writing as it is reading!
I think I'm only writing now to avoid unpacking. We just moved and I am tired of packing and unpacking. I have a dozen other things I should be doing and instead I am doing this.
Anyway this is just a test blog. I'll get into a routine soon and see how it goes.
Hope to hear from some other bloggers.