Finding the natural overlap between Constructivist teaching and mathematics can often times be a challenge for teachers that are departmentalized and are responsible for teaching just one subject. The nature of math encourages educators to often times focus on the skills and can make it hard to blend the skills together to show how they overlap in real life. The following links might help in creating more authentic learning opportunities where students can use the skills of math in real life applications.

Yummy Math - Focus to supply math teachers with relevant, motivating, and timely mathematics to bring to their classrooms.

Real World Math - Lessons that use Google Earth and collaboration to present math topics, such as rates or scientific notation in unique ways.

Project-based Learning Math Projects - Information about PBL and Math including links to PBL resources and lesson ideas.

Scholastic Authentic Math Unit Plans - Ideas to bring the real world into the classroom and create opportunities for students to interact with each other and integrate math into authentic learning situations.

Authentic Activities for Connecting Mathematics to the Real World - presented at NCTM Regional Conference, Richmond, VA, October 12, 2007 by Leah P. McCoy

These are just a few websites teachers might find helpful when planning inquiry, project or problem-based lessons. If you have additional sites please share them by leaving a comment.

Create electronic books for free at MyeBook. Their simple and easy to use online tool offers many options for creating original books. You can use one of their templates or start from scratch with blank pages. The tool is so easy to use that an author can simply click on the text tool and start typing to begin.

The online book creator uses drag and drop technology allowing an author to drag items around on pages placing them exactly where they want them even offering the ability to create 2 page spreads. MyeBook includes a Gallery where users can upload their own images or choose from the hundreds of images and backgrounds MyeBooks provide. The gallery also allows users to upload flash items, files, audio clips, and video or embed code to display an online video. Users can drag items from the gallery directly to where they want them on the page or make them the entire background for a page or set of pages. Formatting the book is easy with the formatting toolbar that changes to the tool you need depending on what items you have selected on your page.

MyeBook will save your books to their site and will give you a link directly to it or you can copy and paste the code into your blog or website to display your original creation. To create your free account you must have an email address. The site will allow you to log into multiple locations at one time with one account and work on the projects simultaneously. There is not a printing option for the eBooks

Check out the book I made in a few short minutes. The password is: rocky

Trying to find an easy way to get your students to be able to use SMART Notebook at school and to have access at home? SMART Technologies has made it a bit easier...

Notebook Express is, as they call it, is "a lightweight version of SMART Notebook software." SMART Tech has created this online version so . With this web app, there is no need to create a log in to use it so your students can simply click on a link to it and begin. Because of the small number of tools it is fairly clutter free and could be a great tool for students to use to take notes, brainstorm ideas, outline presentations, and more. They can even save the files to their computer to use later. Another benefit of SMART Notebook Express is allowing student access to SMART Notebook files when they are away from school or machines with the software loaded on them. They can download a SMART Notebook file from your website, or other online location, and can log into Notebook Express and open it there. There are fewer tools and no Gallery but if uploading an existing SMART Notebook file all objects (even the interactive Flash items) will be there ready to be manipulated.

The biggest benefit...there is no log-in required and no software to download - all you need is Internet access.

Last week, there was a bit of a technology "scare"....news leaked out that Delicious (the social bookmarking website) was going to shut down. This news created a low hum of activity all across the blogosphere as well as in my work place. Everyone seemed to be scrambling trying to figure out how to fix the "problem". There were emails, forum posts, blog posts and comments all dedicated to finding ways to replace this technology tool and what I found in watching it all come down is that there really isn't another tool that works like Delicious, but man was it cool seeing these virtual PLN's come together to try and solve the issue. The consensus of the group was that there are some websites that come close (Diigo - which was the option most suggested to switch to) but none that offer the same benefits of Delicious.

After the "scare" last week, I began to hear some ask...if we depend on technology too much? Have we put all of our eggs into one basket and have no back-up plan? Then I realized I had heard those doubts before. They all were sounding like non-users questioning the longevity of technology as if it might someday disappear and we won't need it. To me that is a ridiculous thought; technology is here to stay and we have to figure out how to live with it...how to co-exist and stay sane all at the same time. We can't put our heads in the ground and pretend like the world is going to stand still (or move backwards).

A sigh of relief: Friday, Yahoo announced that they would not be shutting down the Delicious site but that they are looking for someone to buy it. This is great for me now but I have learned to not tie myself to one tool but to use the best tool possible/available at the time and I look forward to seeing what other tools might offer. I vow to continue exploring other options available and to be flexible and open-minded when new tools come along - Diigo here I come. I know technology changes at an alarming rate and if we don't change with it we will be left in the dust with tools that may become extinct.

In my rant about Delicious to my husband, a non-user, I realized that maybe not enough people understand how helpful Delicious (and social bookmarking) can be. There must be lots of people that aren't taking advantage of the benefits of social bookmarking as a way to save websites they love and a way to search for resources from bookmarks of others that may have the same interest. People must not understand that they could be updated through RSS when people they choose to have in their network (circle of Delicious friends) add new bookmarks and soooo much more. If you want to learn more about Delicious or Diigo check out their websites and test them for yourself.

Yesterday I was watching a rerun of the final Oprah's Favorite Things show and while still in ahhhh of the 100's of iPads she gave away I was excited to see her encouraging her audience (and the world) to continue supporting education across the United States. She (along with Bing) gave each person in her audience a gift card worth $100 to use at the DonorsChoose.org website.

I was so excited to hear about such a cool program I had to check it out. It seems so simple....

1. Teachers create a wish list on their site.
2. Individuals give a donation to a project they are interested in supporting.
3. When enough money has been collected for that project then DonorsChoose.org will purchase the supplies and deliver them to the class in need.
4. The kids learn and show it off through thank you's, pictures, and more.

FYI - even though you weren't in the Oprah audience you can give more than you think...she and Bing have partnered up and Bing has agreed to donate additional $'s for every Oprah inspired giver. They want to donate $1 million this holiday season and if you are interested in being a part of this project visit the Bing Holiday Website and click Start Here! If you are interested in creating a project for your class on DonorsChoose.com all you have to do is create an account and get started.

In the fast paced, over scheduled, busy world we live in today, stress seems to be at its highest. The teaching profession continues to have more and more pushed into it and teachers are finding it hard to find the balance between teaching, planning, and all the other professional and personal things required of them. Then add eMINTS on top of that, and it could possibly be "the straw that breaks the camel's back" unless teachers are proficient at managing their time and commitments. To be an effective eMINTS teacher, you have to figure out how to juggle it all. Here are some strategies that may help to reduce your stress and become more productive and resourceful.

1. Manage Yourself: You really aren't managing time you are managing yourself. Find out where you are wasting time and make adjustments to your practices. (ie. email, searching for files, etc.)
   
2. Goal Setting: Set goals and make rules for yourself to keep you on track. Get some routines established and set some habits. (ie. Goal - keep up with email. Rule - check email at 3 specific times a day and no more.)
   
3. Write To-Do List: Start planning your day by creating a to-do list. It can be on paper, on your phone, computer, or on the fridge but not only in your head. Prioritize the list and delegate out things that others could take care of for you. Break large tasks down into smaller, more manageable tasks or steps. Schedule the things that are most important to you and don't let those items be skipped.
4. Urgent Items First: A friend once shared that she "eats her frogs first". The frogs being those things she doesn't want to do...she puts them at the top of her to-do list (thanks Stephanie). Put the "urgent" items at the top of your to-do list and work your way down.
   
5. Put on Your Blinders: Block out distractions when working on high priority projects; turn off your email, put your phone on silent, shut your door (turn off the lights).
   
6. Breaks Are Necessary: Take a break when you feel distracted. Stress can get you off track so when you feel it coming on think about taking a 10 minute walk, get up and stretch, or do anything that might re-energize you.
   
7. Add NO to Your Vocab: Learn to say "no". A phrase I learned from an Oprah show years ago that was freeing for me... "I'm sorry....I wish that I could but I just can't". 
   
8. Be Flexible: Practice being flexible and allow time for interruptions and distractions; you never know when they will arise and letting them add to your stress will be counter-productive.
   
9. Reflect: At the end of the day, take some time to look over what you have accomplished and how you managed to do all of it. Think about the strategies that worked for you and the ones that didn't and cut yourself some slack if you didn't get everything done - just move those things to your next to-do list and give yourself some time to prepare for the next day.
10. Use Technology Tools: Here are a few technology tools that may help you out (but be ready to drop them if they end up taking you more time).
    

• Microsoft Outlook: manage your Email and Blogs (see previous post), create your to-do list with Tasks, create Notes for important things you want to remember, and use the Calendar to manage your time. many places of employment are now using the Microsoft Exchange Servers making your account available not only on your desktop machine. Check with you tech support staff if you aren't sure. You never know, you could be checking your mail and more on your mobile device.
  
• Microsoft OneNote: Create a virtual notebook to keep tabs on your life. You can create lists, make drawings, include pictures, insert screen clippings, insert sound and so much more.
  
• Google: Email, Tasks (in Gmail), Calendar, Reader - Think Outlook but online; accessible from any computer connected to the Internet. Google offers tons of tools that you may find helpful - you can see them all at their products page. Sign up for a Google/Gmail Account to get started. And "There's an App for that" ;)
  
• Sticky Notes or Stickies - Create virtual sticky notes on your desktop (think Post Its for your computer). They can be found in the Accessories folder on a Windows machine and in the Applications folder on a Mac.
  
• Evernote: they say "Capture Anything, Access Anywhere, Find Things Fast". You can even download it to your Windows computer. And "There's an App for that" ;)
• Spaaze: "An infinite virtual cork board, is a new visual way to organize pieces of information." Add bookmarks, labels, notes, YouTube Videos, images, and files. You can now publish your board and even collaborate with others. (currently in beta)

What tips, strategies, suggestions or tools do you have that others might benefit from knowing about? Feel free to share them in a comment.

Clock Image - "Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time." Flickr- monkeyc.net. Web. 9 Dec 2010. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/monkeyc/112342184/>.