Saturday, April 23, 2011

Managing and Organizing This Wonderful Obsession-2 Great Sites to Help!

It has bitten me BIG TIME!  Over the past few months I have found so many amazing teacher blogs.  I really don't remember which blog I found first, but I know I started clicking on the sidebar to see other blogs adding them to my 'favorites' on Internet Explorer.  Soon my list was VERY long.  One blog I found Free Technology for Teachers had a post about Google Reader, enter Helpful Site #1.  If you are trying to look at many different blogs I would HIGHLY recommend checking into Google Reader.  You simply set up an account with an email.  Then you can start entering blog urls.  You can make folders to group the different kinds of blogs you are looking at.  I have the following folders in mine; Kinder, First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Technology, Reading Literacy Focus, and Various or Unknown.  When you first enter a blog into Google Reader it will show the last 10 posts.  I would recommend scrolling through those posts.  If there is something that catches your eye click on the star and you can come back to it later and read it through thoroughly. 
I currently have almost 200 blogs in Google Reader!  Every time a new post is published Google Reader makes the blog title bold and it lists how many entries you have not 'read'. 
A GREAT feature about using google reader is when you are looking for something specific you can search all of the blogs you have.  I heard one of our kinder teachers talking about starting on oviparous animals.  We search in my Google Reader and found 15 blog posts that had oviparous in them.  There were kinder, first, and several multi grade blogs.  I consider that a terrific feature!!
The next issue I was facing was both my favorites window going on and on with teacher resources, student resources, teacher (nonblog) websites, and more.  The other thing is that I had started my own blog and my sidebar was also going on and on and on and ON!!!  I didn't want to eliminate any of them, but I had only put on 3rd, 2nd, and 1st grade blogs and I hadn't got to kinder, 4th, or various grade levels then I found Sqworl, thanks to a number of bloggers. 
     I have two accounts one for my teacher resources stuff and one for blogs.  The one for the blogs I have attached to my sidebar.  That way anyone who visits my blog has access to all of the blogs I've found!  Now I have room to post more blog buttons. (I LOVE blog buttons)  Not all of my sqworl folders are complete yet, so check back soon. 
    I hope this post can help you organize your obsession too!
   One more note--if you do not see your blog or a great one you know of in the sqworl links or if it is mislabled please leave a comment.  I am still working on kinder, tech, reading/literacy and 4th & above folders! Thanks!

9 comments:

  1. I love how you have your blogs organized by grade level on the sidebar using Sqworl!! I have neglected my Sqworl account. I really enjoyed clicking on and checking out your 3rd grade blogs. I haven't seen a lot of those! Would you mind adding mine?? That way your peeps can see me among all the related groups. I'm going to do this. I have so many that I follow and then I forget who teaches what grade.
    Thanks!!

    Julie
    Thoughts of a Third Grade Teacher

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  2. Oh, I'm on there! Ha! I'm such a dork! Sorry! hehe

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  3. I'd love to be added to the kinder blogs!

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  4. Thank you for the great information! I'm going to do this. I teach 2nd grade however, I benefit from many grade level blogs :)
    loryevanspage.blogspot.com

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  5. I love how you have your blogs organized. I think I am going to have to do some serious organizing of my bookmarks too.

    Thanks for including me on your sqworl page. I feel honored!

    Lights! Camera! Action! Our Year in Second Grade

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  6. Hi,
    WOW!! Nice job! What a lot of work for you. It's GREATLY appreciated!
    At the same time... I thought I sent you a note to add my Kindergarten blog. Is it too late?Kindergarten Tales.
    THANKS!

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  7. Hi, I am new to blogging. I really like your blog. There is so much wonderful information. I would like to have my blog added. http://teachdramado.blogspot.com/

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  8. hi! i wanted to share my sister's kindergarten blog with you. i happen to think it's fabulous. i thought you might add it to your sqworl links :) it's http://mrsleeskinderkids.blogspot.com
    btw, i love your blog. it's great! :)

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