Skyping with Chris

Before I knew this was the assignment we were supposed to do, I did it!  I had missed last class because I was in Dallas for my sister's wedding.  My boyfriend couldn't come with me, so we just talked on the phone for the first night that I was away.  The second day, I was feeling really down, so one of my sisters suggested I Skype him.  After cleaning everything up for the wedding, Chris and I skyped.  He was messing around with his computer and kept taking funny snapshots of me, so I wanted to get one of him too.  I had no idea what I was doing, but I took a photo of him on my step-mom's computer.  Unfortunately, since I didn't look at the assignment, I don't have the photo as proof, but I'm sure Gina could vouch for me. 

Anyways, Chris and I skyped for over an hour, till he had to take an online test.  The video was pretty clear, but kept freezing up...but that might also have been because we started playing a game, where one freezes to make the other think their computer froze, when really it didn't.  Silly, I know, but it made us both laugh.
I actually didn't like skyping simply because I felt it was torturous to see him but not be near him or hold his hand.  I don't think we will skype again unless we are apart for a longer period of time. 

I can see some benefits of using it in a classroom, but if I can't be in the classroom, there must be some reason for not having time...so I don't think I would have the time to be in live video.  Perhaps my students could use it if they are sick, to tune into the classroom and still get the same lecture and participate without infecting everyone else, but I see no other point to using it in the classroom.

Copyright

Sorry guys,

This is going to be a little short because I'm going out of town in a couple of hours and am too excited to really focus.  But before I watched our little video on copyrights, I knew you could only take a little bit, or a percentage of something.  In high school, my BCIS teacher taught us this, but I had forgotten about it till now.  In addition to being reminded about this, I learned that copyrights can enter the public domain but that it takes a long time to get there.  I thought this was interesting but am too impatient to wait for things to get there and then copy them, so I think I'll just stick to following the copyright rules.

Video for Class

This is just a sketch script that is subject to change.  My video will go along with Standard 2, Objective 3d of the Utah Core Standards for Education.

The movie will start with a zoomed in, blurry photo that is slowly moving into focus with epic, "astronaut" music.
The topic of BYU is introduced when the picture comes into focus.
There will be a collage of pictures/ scenes of BYU life, each focused on in turn with a story or a part of BYU history that contributes to the idea of "new pioneers" in Utah.  This history will be vocalized by me.
The video will then discuss opportunities to grow in the Utah community, that BYU has to offer and cultural events like football, dances and such.  It will end with this aspect of the cultural life and the final scene will be an overview of campus to the school song.

Like I said, this is just a sketch and as I start to make it, it will probably change.

Miss Winfree's Classroom

Hey everybody!

I have finally finished my website...or at least I think I have!  Feel free to take a look.  It's https://sites.google.com/site/historyjewels/home

Let me know what you think!

My PLN

I still feel like I don't know a whole lot about PLNs  but I am trying to make this work.  I usually don't get on a computer much except to research and write a paper and even then, I try to read a book.  Call me old fashioned, but either way, this stuff is all new to me.  I guess you could say I am like my grandpa (he is the one who inspired the sailboat background)...who has never touched, nor will touch a computer or a cell phone, or anything like it.  But since I am working on getting more comfortable with Google Reader, I figured I should continue to work with it and learn more about it by making it my Personal Learning Network.  I figured I could just keep searching for people to follow who share my interests in teaching and then as I follow them, just share what I have learned.  So here goes...the start of something never done before...at least by me.  I only hope it goes well...

Helpfullness

Hey guys!

Since I am a history teaching major, naturally, I would turn to helpful history websites.  One of them is:  http://teachinghistory.org/

This website has teaching methods, materials, and history content for all grades.

For my minor, TESOL, I found this blog about teaching English Language Learners that I think would be really helpful:  http://rong-chang.com/blogs/

And the last one is:  http://ushistoryeducatorblog.blogspot.com/

A blog for history teachers with links to other subjects.

Enjoy and good luck with all you do!

About Me

My name is Julie Winfree and I am from Lewisville, Texas (20 minutes from Dallas).  I come from a large family of eleven children and then four step-siblings.  I love being from Texas and having a large family, although not to the point where I will hang a Texas flag or have a large family myself.  I am majoring in History Teaching with a minor in TESOL K-12--Bilingual-Spanish.  I am a history nerd (yes, I admit it) and read biographies for fun.  This past summer I read books about the Mountain Meadows Massacre, a biography of Anne Boleyn, and am currently reading Queen Elizabeth's biography.  I also love to sing, dance and play sports, all of which I do when I am really stressed out.  I love to work hard and have been working with my hands since I was six-years-old.  I currently work in the Cougareat as a Student Manager and Lead Crew Supervisor over Freschetta.  I tell everyone this is the best job in the Cougareat, but I believe that a job is what you make it--if you want it to be fun, it will be; if its just a job to you, then it won't be as great.

I am new to blogging and don't completely understand all of the benefits of using one, but I am excited to learn and experiment with this one.  I think it is a good way to share one another's thoughts about the class and to get help on assignments.  We can help each other with feedback on projects and also collaborate ideas.  Since this is a technology class, it is good to experiment and learn to use different types of technology to get a better feel of what is in the world.