My First Blog--Eating, Playing, and Explain Everything!

After attending the Anja Greer Conference on Math, Science, and Technology at Phillips Exeter Academy as well as ISTE 2014 in Atlanta, I realized that this old dog CAN learn new tricks. My main goal from attending both conferences was learning how to implement technology in teaching high school math. I can't even begin to tell you what I have learned...previously, I thought being technologically savvy meant knowing how to navigate my iPhone and Mac well. Not only did I learn a ton of new things, I began to actually USE my twitter account @lisaqt314, started reading blogs (I start my morning each day reading through blogs on bloglovin.com) and watching tons of free Google webinars on http://www.simplek12.com/. I am inspired daily by what so many of these great teachers (and bakers! yes I follow food blogs, too) do! I have learned so much and decided to just pick one major thing to start with rather than make a list...it will give me more to write about in the future!

Math~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Explain Everything page looks like on my iPad

One of the best things I learned about at Phillips Exeter is the Explain Everything App. You can check out how to use it here: http://www.morriscooke.com/?p=134. Explain Everything is so easy to use, so intuitive. Using the iPad, I can create a video that explains a math problem. I can write in different colors, draw pictures, and record my voice so students can basically see the problem all over again, any time they want. Here is one video I made that goes over the famous "maximizing-the-area-of-a-three-sided-fence" problem. By the way, I should tell you that when I went to ISTE, I was told NOT to perfect the videos (hard for me to not perfect)...basically do it once and be done with it. Otherwise, it will take too long to create each video. That was the best advice for me because I would have redone this video 12 times before finally uploading it to youtube! And trust me, if I can do this, you can too!!

Now the BEST thing about this is I can use a URL shortener and/or QR code creator (I use the chrome extension goo.gl URL shortener) to create a short link or QR code for the video...and copy it right next to the problem in my notes. (I pre-type my notes with lots of examples and space...I find that gives me a lot more time for questions and discussion). See, here's the codes! So for the more difficult problems, a student can look at the video at home to see me explain it again. Explain Everything is awesome! And so is the google shortener!!!

QR code for my Explain Everything video

http://goo.gl/8nQPTX (goo.gl shortener for my video)

Play~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know, it's not in the right order of Eat Play Math, but it makes sense to focus on the math first for me!! For the PLAY part, I need something good for the soul...something that makes me just feel great, that is unrelated to work. This could be a great workout, a fun excursion, a class unrelated to math, a fantastic restaurant, an awesome time with the family, or a fun time with friends. 

For my first blog, I'm going to talk about a cooking class I took this week with my mother-in-law. It was at Publix Apron's Cooking School. Publix is a grocery store chain in Florida. There are other several cooking classes available if you look online...Wholefoods has them from time to time, as do local culinary schools. This one was so much fun because there were only 5 of us and 2 chefs! I met a food blogger, who also inspired me to get started. Follow Shaina on Take a Bite Out of Boca. I wish I took pictures (there are some on the food blog I just linked you to), and I will for next time. For now, just do something fun that is great for the soul!! It was such good bonding time for my mother-in-law and me, and I learned something and met other people with common interests. So fun!

Eat~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For this portion, I am going to post a recipe that I tried and loved. My family asked for this again this week after I made it last week. I find most (if not all) of my recipes on Pinterest. Follow me on http://www.pinterest.com/lisaqt314/ for the recipes I love as well as tons of math/tech stuff! What I made was Healthy Blackened Chicken Fajitas with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
A. MAZE. ING. (Yes I know how to spell amazing, ha ha!) 

photo courtesy of 
http://fromeverydaytogourmet.blogspot.com/2014/05/healthy-blackened-chicken-fajitas-with.html

Well I think that is it for my first blog! I hope you enjoyed. Comments or questions? Let me know :)

~~Lisa