Task Number Two

Hi Fellow Eleven Tools Bloggers,
  I have read and viewed the videos associated with the first two tasks. The idea of a PLN is a new one to me. I have been aware of the concept but didn't know it had an official title and was so well formed.
I have been busy using tools with my fourth graders but have not kept up to date on what is out there
professionally.  I am behind in that regard, so this class will help close that learning gap. Our students will take to this PLN concept like "ducks to water." It is a high learning curve for some of us.
  I read Vicki Davis's blog about PLN and posting comments. I posted several comments of fellow RCE blogs today and became the "first follower" of several.  I viewed Karen's Music Box and added a comment about how appropriate her Voki was since it matches her two two new kittens. I viewed Kat's blog design but couldn't post my ideas till Kat gets a chance to write a post. I checked out Meg's blog and wanted to ask her advice about adding to my blog design since I overheard her helping Courtney B. the other day but couldn't post my questions yet so will try to do that by email.
  Maybe other teachers can help me with that. How do I find gadgets or things to add to my blog to make it more appealing? I don't know where to look. I just used the basic info from the district website. I looked under "design" on the blog choices at blogger but didn't have a lot of luck there either.

  I commented on Courtney B's blog as I think the cowgirl is a perfect Voki for her as she did barrel riding in her past. It is very appropro.
  I visited Jennifer's blog first as we are on the same grade level and was glad to see her Buckeye
loyalty included.
  I think the PLN we need to start with is from our own RCE blog community and especially since we are all doing the 11 tools this summer and have a common basis to discuss. Our PLN should be how we are doing on this trek of the 11 tools. That may be a bit stale for those people who have done this already, but they can be our resident experts. We are lucky to have them. Once we practice the PLN
concept this summer then we hopefully will be ready to jump in to develop one with our new class in August. (September was a Freudian slip as I remember starting school after Labor Day so I had to change my mistake.)
  What stood out in Vicki Davis's advice was to be careful of criticism and not being like Darth Vader!
Since many of us are "newbies" at this, we really need encouragement in our efforts. This is outside the  comfort zone for people at many different levels.  So we need to be patient with each other! We need to be positive! We need to build a community, but a "safe" one and one that is "inclusive".
The social network I intend to visit once I have more time is the one listed in the directions of Task Number Two-Technology Integration in Education as that is something we are all trying to do
and I would like to see what others have done and how they use it in their schools or classrooms.
Today I was just trying to get the basics, view the videos and respond to the second task with this post.
  Another side comment, but I really liked the musical video that the students/kids did that was on the instruction page. Very clever!
  More later, RCE bloggers!