In the last few years, Google has not only become a common noun, but a verb as well. Can’t find something, “Google it”. As one of the most widely used search engines, Google has become a tool we can’t seem to live without. While most of us are handy at using Google to quickly search for answers to life’s questions, we may not realize the potential applications offered by this cutting-edge company.
I sat down with a teacher last night who was selected as one of 150 teachers in the US to attend a training for educators sponsored by Google. She painted an enticing picture of the Google workplace, complete with a rejuvenation station every 6 cubicles or so. A stocked refrigerator and snack cupboard, a hammock and a relaxing environment, all set up with the expectation that if employees are tired or need some nutritious energy, they’ll come refuel here. According to this teacher, Google gives employees 20% of their day to do whatever they like, with the intent of creating an environment that fosters creative thinking and a productive work ethic. And it sure must be working!
Google has not only made work easier for its employees, but for you as well. Here’s a great way to stay updated on current information from your favorite websites, without having to hop around from site to site. Use iGoogle RSS feeds to bring updated information, about issues of interest to you, straight to your home page.
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Get a free iGoogle account. Go to www.igoogle.com
- Click on “Add Stuff” which should be found in the upper right hand corner of your screen.
- Click “Add feed or gadget”, on the lower left hand side of your screen.
- A window will appear with a box that says “Type or Paste the URL Below”. Paste the exact web address for the site that you wish to get updates from. For example, I want to get updates from the education section of the New York Times. So I went to that website (http://www.nytimes.com/pages/education/), copied the address, and pasted into the box mentioned before.
- Go back to your iGoogle home page. On the left you’ll see a menu bar that lists all of the items which will show up on your home page. Want your RSS feeds to be on the top, just click and drag them above the others in this list.
- A final note: Sites that do not support RSS feeds will prompt a “Not Found” response when you enter the address on iGoogle.
This may seem simple, but you’ve now saved yourself the time of going directly to your regular sites. Any time new information is posted, a link will now appear on your iGoogle home page.
Happy learning!
Day 1. It’s the beginning of a new year and we all have great ideas of how we will do things differently this year. To help you organize your great ideas, and keep your planning time short and sweet, here is a tool for creating a simplified planning calendar.
It is inevitable – we spend money that is never reimbursed picking up a few odds and ends here and there to supplement our curriculum. So how can we manage our finances in order to save a few dollars? One way is to take advantage of discounts for teachers. The new year is quickly approaching, and I am guessing you have a few things on your wish list for your classroom. Or maybe you are doing some personal shopping, and you didn’t realize that you could save some money just because you are an educator! I’ve done some snooping around and here is what I’ve found:
Maybe this is your first year teaching - or maybe you have been teaching long enough to have children of former students in your class. Whatever your age, experience, subject area or personality, you could benefit from the guidance of a mentor.
We are in the midst of challenging financial times, but I don’t have to tell you that. Each of us has been impacted in one way or another. We can’t even get a break watching TV, with an endless stream of news updates on jobless rates, the stock market, and bailouts. And while you may not get rich selling all that gold you’ve stocked away, I’ve come across a great way to get some money back in your school, and your program.