30-Day Blogging Challenge: Days 10 - 14

I admit it - I'm having trouble keeping up with this! It figures that I come back to it on Sunday night, but at least I haven't walked away from it.

Day 10: Sharing
5 Random Things About Me
I always wanted to be a teacher until I worked in a librarian and realized I could work in a school AND in a library at the same time.
I like the take-off and landing parts of flying, but hate the flying part.
I quit skiing because it combined two things I don't like, cold and terror.
I don't mind putting dishes in the dishwasher, but I can't stand the putting them away part.
The first time I worked in a library was in the 6th grade.
4 Things From My Bucket List
I would like to visit Paris.
I want to ride STP again.
I want to knit a sweater.
I would like to travel across the US.
3 Things I Hope For This Year
To retire.
To accomplish a sewing project of some kind each month.
To improve my use of integrating technology in my classes.
2 Things That Have Made Me Laugh or Cry As An Educator
Laugh: One day a kindergarten boy looked up at me as the class was leaving the library, and out of nowhere, he told me I was fired. I asked him if I could go home, and he gave me permission. I never get told I can leave!
Cry: The day a student shot himself at school.
1 Thing I Wish More People Knew About Me
I wish people, like students, knew that just because I believe in structure in a classroom, I am not mean, and when I hear that, it hurts my feelings.

Day 11: Favorite Part of the Day
My favorite part of the school day is right at the start of the day, before things get crazy. I can think, and get an amazing amount of things done in the library before other people's needs start to take over.

Day 12: Next Five Years
I envision the next five years as a radical departure from anything I've ever known. I plan on retiring at the end of this school year, so the routine of 180 days will go away. I would like to teach online, or I would like to work at the local community college. My days at my current (and only) school are numbered, and I know it, but while I will miss a lot of things, there are things I will not miss in the least!

Day 13: Top EdTech Tools I Use
Moodle - I use it every day, and it has been a great platform for my high school classes.
TED Talks - I love TED Talks. They open up the world to my students, and give them a taste of how adults learn.
Blogs - I get so much from blogs in terms of ideas for my classes. I like to try new things, and am not afraid of changing things up, so the innovations bloggers share resonate with me.
YouTube - I never thought I would appreciate YouTube, but there are tons of resources on the site, and they are things I am not worried about using in my classes.

Day 14: Feedback for Learning
Feedback for learning means I'm letting my students know I'm looking at their work, thinking about their responses, and responding to them. On Moodle, I often jump into a Forum discussion, and when I correct a Journal response I comment on the work I've just read. I also give feedback orally, and respond to students during a discussion, or in a one-to-one question or walk-by when they are working independently. I need to be faster about responding to kids - it's the worst thing I do.