Pod... Makes me think of Peas!?!

So, I started the summer so on top of things and every minute of my time was used to it's fullest... I now find myself almost three weeks behind on my Fabulous Technology class and vacation coming up Tuesday!  Granted, I am tired, I am staying hungry, and I am exercising now more than ever... but I am a mommy of a 2 1/2 year old... these things together, I am running out of go juice. I am spread thin but for the first time in a long time feel like everything is getting done plus some and that scares me because school is started and this will soon come to an end!

Back to this blogging tech class thing  I am doing... technically not doing... It and I are definitelt not 2 peas in a pod right now!

I find myself frustrated... I am not necessarily behind because of lack of trying... I have had a very difficult time finding podcasts worth reporting on...I looked forward to finding several podcasts that could be used, as they were, in my classroom and I am so far not finding much. I also find that the uploading time is sooooooo long, for so many. All I think is, if I am getting impatient, how can I expect for my students not to be.  Also, I have to pull up one podcast and let it upload for almost thirty minutes sometimes before I can watch it without it stopping after every three words... I do think that podcasting can be beneficial and there are a great deal of uses for it in a classroom. It is and always will be, a positive thing to me when students get information about art from places other than my mouth... I get tired of saying the same thing everyday of the rotation and it is hard to make it interesting and fun everytime... I think using podcasts that explain the how to's of art media, curators and various others talking about and critiquing a piece of art, or even explaining the process of visiting a museum, how great to not invent the wheel and say the same thing all the time! The kids are also so enthused by the "BIG SCREEN" and often want to watch something on it... in my room that is generally power points, a great way to choose the images and show them quickly and with a great variety.

I found that NGA has some podcasts with video, definitely the route I would like to take more often than just audio... If perhaps using the podcast to use as writting prompts or pull emotion to the surface without a visual to taint the experience and let each child take from it their own... artistic thoughts. I am visual and when the students come to my room it is all about being "overwhelmed" by the amount of visuals that surround us every minute of every day and finding a way to filter and use those things to promote and help build ones own experiences and art.

I now have a chance to get into the forming a podcast of my own... stay tuned... I am going to try this and see where it goes....don't expect it too quickly as I want ot hear or see a few more before I go for it.