Essential #4 Skype

Skype is loaded and running from my office computer. I was able to connect with both Jason and David today. My monitor does not have a web cam so I had to purchase one (logitech) for it.  Even though it has a microphone in it, I also purchased a headset that has a microphone.  The outer office, even when my door is closed is very loud at times.  Having hearing difficulties, the headset makes it so much easier to hear.  However, the text feature is also an added bonus with regard to this same issue.

I can see many benefits of skype as an administrator.  It can allow meetings to take place with my colleagues and supervisors and not have to leave the building.  What a time saver this resource could be!  In addition, the program allows for the sending and receiving of documents and/or files. If there was an application I needed support in using, data management could open the application to demonstrate it for me, or I could open my desk top for them to see what issue I was having. Again, we do this without anyone having to travel to any other site.  This is a wonderful resource - and at a price administrators really like . . . free.

Essential #3 Twitter

I enjoyed setting up my Twitter account.  I knew we would be limited to the 140 characters in our posts, but I didn't realize we would be limited in how many letters we could use in our name.  I thought I would keep Pondering Principal as the title/name, however that was too many letters.  At first I was trying to keep the principal portion and was shortening the ponder. Sometime later it dawned on me to just switch to a variation and I came up with Pondering Princ,  I have enjoyed following the links that have been posted on the tweets by David and Carol.

Essential #2: Blogs

This essential is about creating and maintaining Blogs (web logs).  I initially created this blog when I thought I was going to be able to do the RESA online course. The blog has been sitting, with only two posts. It was great to have the refresher/review video segments, and then to spend time remembering what password I had created when I first set this site up. After I accessed my blog, I deleted the previous two entries and now I am ready to begin.

As I visited various blogs from the four different blogging sites suggested, I realized that large amounts of time can be consumed in reading what other authors have posted.  I also began to discern that blogs differ in quality of content.  For example, one of the blogs on quality instruction (http://quality-instruction.blogspot.com/) was really weak. One day the post just dealt with gathering all the pens and pencils out of a drawer and putting them in a cup; and if it was going for a deeper meaning,I think the symbolism was lost.

I subscribed to a site titled, Principal Reflections, because I found that I could relate to what the blogger was saying. The content was something I could relate to, gain insights from and connect with.  It seemed to me that I would be able to find helpful information/resources from this author.