Saturday, December 31, 2011

No Wish List for 2012

Rusty 2012

How about starting the Year of 2012 with not so much weigh, to-do lists and wish lists?
How about taking a look back and just writing down all the accomplishments of 2011 to come to the conclusion that, YES, we´ve done much, accomplished tons, and still have a lot to do.



No wish list, but light-living, guilt-free 2012 with care and passion
with bonds and intensity
trust in others and self-confidence

To keep moving ahead
Doing our best
With a look back only to realize that
the future can be bright and light
It all depends on us
and our positive vibes


Oferendas a Iemanjá

In the year of  Iemenjá, the mother of all living things and the owner of the waters,
let us live with the flow
re-energized by calmer waters
let us float and leave regret and negativeness behind
keeping 2012 as a year to remember and cherish,
the one that we accomplished with no promises or lists,
but with at least one action that made a difference.

How about setting yourself for a great start in 2012 with all the positive sparkles one can think of?
Not with a big list, but with a lookout for doing more good, acting more upon your life
and living the way you feel it is right, not how people think you should be or do
2012, the year of flow and taking hold of your own self emanating vibrancy and passion

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Books, Summer, Books

Organizing BooksFor many, this is a winter list. Well, for us down South it is summer time, a perfect period of the year just to goof off with a great book or e-book in hand just for the sake of our own delight or of catching up whatever we couldn't read throughout the year.

I, personally, blend pleasure and work when it comes to summertime reading. Nothing better than being carried away by a good story or starting to dream and plan the year ahead.

Here's my list:

- Equator - Miguel Sousa Tavares
- Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
- The Help - Kathryn Stockett

I'm already enjoying myself with  Jonathan Field's "Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance". Great inspiring stories!

Also, in my Kindle I have some books for my professional development in the list:
The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age
Playing with Media: simple ideas for powerful sharing
Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054KBLBI/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title


Well, I guess I'd need more than my holiday season to catch up with my reading!

And here are some lists that you might enjoy, as well:

http://www.edutopia.org/winter-reading-list-2011
http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2011
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/14/143293240/year-end-fiction-wrap-up-the-10-best-novels-of-2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/books/10-best-books-of-2011.html?_r=1

So, what's in your reading list for summer or winter?

Friday, December 2, 2011

mLearning - from Apes to Apps 2

The mLearning course at the Consultants-e is in full steam.

ssoosay Wishes you a Happy Mindfulness Day 12/09/11One of the highlights of the week is Gavin's video of some exciting iPad apps. I do agree with Gavin that real apps, not the ones specifically created for education, are much more exciting and full of potential in the classroom. It seems that publishers and app developers in the educational field are too far apart from what really makes apps an amazing tool for learning. Most of the educational apps lack flame, the alluring possibilities of the touch technologies. This market should really look into the apps kids love, the highly popular games and apps to give them clues to what really makes a difference when developing an app.

In my opinion, Flipboard is still one of the apps that makes use of the capabilities of the iPad to its fullest. Love it. Now, need to explore some that Gavin mentioned. How about you? Which app is your favorite? Which one would you like to give it a try with your students?




Here are the apps Gavin mentions:


Flipboard
Pressreader
Zinio
storyboards
strip designer
popplet
iThoughtsHD
Moodboard
Slide by slide
iGeopix (Flickr Creative Commons and Google Maps)
FlickStackr
viewfinder
sonicpics
Cork (sticky notes)
art authority
Monet HD
Articles for iPad
Shakespeare Pro
Star Walk for iPad
The World Factbook for iPad
wikihood plus for ipad
underscore notify
Phatpad
writepad
Pages, Numbers and Keynote
Penultimate
Goodreader for ipad