Sometimes when doing research you stumble on a web site that offers great resources at no cost. While the cynic in me believe the old adage that says, “you get what you pay for”, I have found the free resources listed below to truly be a help for teachers.
Internet4Classrooms (i4c) is a helpful site for integrating technology into your classroom. Here is a bit of information about i4c from their website:
Who is Internet4Classrooms? A decade ago (February, 1997) Susan Brooks and Bill Byles began a collaborative effort to extend assistance to fellow teachers. In November of 2000 that project expanded to a web presence known as Internet4Classrooms (i4c). The web portal which we call i4c is free to anyone who wants to find high-quality, free Internet resources to use in their classroom instruction. The portal is used by teachers on six of the seven continents (there are not many classrooms in Antarctica) and is available to anyone with an Internet connection. No subscription fee is charged.
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/introducing_i4c.htm (link to their home page)
For classroom resources, please follow this link: http://www.internet4classrooms.com/integ_tech_lessons.htm.
Another valuable resource for K-12 teachers is Education World. I found the article, “Technology Integration: Ideas That Work”. Here is a link to the article: http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech/tech176.shtml.
Happy reading!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Elevator Etiquette
I normally blog on technology in education while my colleague rants about various subjects near and dear to his heart or at least something he has been reading about recently. Perhaps this belongs on the rant side of things but I think of an elevator as technology, so here goes.
Elevator rules and etiquette are a set of guidelines that most people attempt to follow except at the University of Central Florida (and I am sure thousands of other places). The twenty seconds that people generally spend on a typical elevator ride can be awkward if somebody breaks one of the unwritten rules. Following a few simple elevator rules and guidelines as well as using general politeness are the ideal ways to be sure you are not creating an awkward situation for others.
Rule Number 1: Let me off the elevator before you come storming on! The first thing to remember before you getting onto an elevator is to let the people off who wish to exit. This is a basic rule of politeness. It also makes more room on the inside of the elevator for you and others. Letting others exit first also helps with the flow of the traffic in and out of the elevator. When waiting for the elevator to arrive on your floor, step back. You do not need to crowd the entry way. I have yet to see an elevator on campus that had a Disney-like line wrapping around the building with people eager to get on the elevator. Remember, dear friend, you are not so important that you have the right to run over people who are trying to get off the elevator. If you are that late for class (teachers & students), leave your home or office earlier. Play nice!
Well, that is all I really wanted to say, but since there are other rules I will go ahead and cover them also. Just remember some of us are not the smallest creatures inhabiting the earth and we will get out of the elevator one way or the other. Do you really want someone my size trampling over your fit and trim body to get out of an elevator? Did I mention that I am claustrophobic?
2: What if you are inside the elevator when it stops? Those who are nearest to the door should exit first. If you are standing near the door on a crowded elevator, see if anybody in the back needs to get off of the elevator. If they do, politely step outside the elevator so they can exit easily and then step back on once everybody has exited.
3: Pushing the Buttons! First, do not let a mischievous child be in charge of pushing the buttons. If you do, you will likely be stopping on every floor. According to Chad Hagy the following etiquette is appreciated. “If your floor is lit up, do not press it again. There is no need to push the button once it is already pressed. Also, if there is space along the wall, stand in an empty spot away from the door. Many new elevator passengers choose to step to the back of the elevator to provide the utmost space for others who may get on. This makes it easier for those who exit on another floor and for those who might be entering on another floor.” (Proper Elevator Rules and Etiquette, 2007) Remember, keep children who behave like I used to away from the buttons—we have been known to push the alarm button.
4: Pushing Personal Boundaries! It is correct to move towards the back of the elevator or towards the side walls. Do not crowd other inhabitants of the small space. Do not touch someone on the elevator—especially if you do not know them. And lastly, save your smooching for once you exit the elevator. Personal displays of affection on a crowded elevator are inappropriate even though I have read some interesting stories to the contrary. If there are only the two of you on an elevator have fun, but remember many elevators have cameras in them and YouTube is very popular.
5: Be Quiet! Please don’t hum, sing, whistle, smack chewing gum or any of the many other things that irritate me. Yes, it is all about me. If you recognize the song being played on the elevator, please don’t sing along to the “music”. You may acknowledge someone on the elevator but no lengthy conversations.
6: No Cell Phones! One of the most important rules to most elevator passengers is to remember to turn off your cell phone. You can switch it to vibrate or turn the ringer down to a minimum level, but do not talk on it while you are riding with other passengers on the elevator. The other passengers do not want to hear your conversations in the same way that you do not want to hear the conversations of others. It is considered rude to talk on your cell phone while riding an elevator with others.
Oh well, this became a lengthy epistle on elevator etiquette when all I really wanted to say was please stand back and let me get off the elevator before you run me over trying to get on the elevator. Here’s to whoever created the wonderful technology we call an elevator!
Elevator rules and etiquette are a set of guidelines that most people attempt to follow except at the University of Central Florida (and I am sure thousands of other places). The twenty seconds that people generally spend on a typical elevator ride can be awkward if somebody breaks one of the unwritten rules. Following a few simple elevator rules and guidelines as well as using general politeness are the ideal ways to be sure you are not creating an awkward situation for others.
Rule Number 1: Let me off the elevator before you come storming on! The first thing to remember before you getting onto an elevator is to let the people off who wish to exit. This is a basic rule of politeness. It also makes more room on the inside of the elevator for you and others. Letting others exit first also helps with the flow of the traffic in and out of the elevator. When waiting for the elevator to arrive on your floor, step back. You do not need to crowd the entry way. I have yet to see an elevator on campus that had a Disney-like line wrapping around the building with people eager to get on the elevator. Remember, dear friend, you are not so important that you have the right to run over people who are trying to get off the elevator. If you are that late for class (teachers & students), leave your home or office earlier. Play nice!
Well, that is all I really wanted to say, but since there are other rules I will go ahead and cover them also. Just remember some of us are not the smallest creatures inhabiting the earth and we will get out of the elevator one way or the other. Do you really want someone my size trampling over your fit and trim body to get out of an elevator? Did I mention that I am claustrophobic?
2: What if you are inside the elevator when it stops? Those who are nearest to the door should exit first. If you are standing near the door on a crowded elevator, see if anybody in the back needs to get off of the elevator. If they do, politely step outside the elevator so they can exit easily and then step back on once everybody has exited.
3: Pushing the Buttons! First, do not let a mischievous child be in charge of pushing the buttons. If you do, you will likely be stopping on every floor. According to Chad Hagy the following etiquette is appreciated. “If your floor is lit up, do not press it again. There is no need to push the button once it is already pressed. Also, if there is space along the wall, stand in an empty spot away from the door. Many new elevator passengers choose to step to the back of the elevator to provide the utmost space for others who may get on. This makes it easier for those who exit on another floor and for those who might be entering on another floor.” (Proper Elevator Rules and Etiquette, 2007) Remember, keep children who behave like I used to away from the buttons—we have been known to push the alarm button.
4: Pushing Personal Boundaries! It is correct to move towards the back of the elevator or towards the side walls. Do not crowd other inhabitants of the small space. Do not touch someone on the elevator—especially if you do not know them. And lastly, save your smooching for once you exit the elevator. Personal displays of affection on a crowded elevator are inappropriate even though I have read some interesting stories to the contrary. If there are only the two of you on an elevator have fun, but remember many elevators have cameras in them and YouTube is very popular.
5: Be Quiet! Please don’t hum, sing, whistle, smack chewing gum or any of the many other things that irritate me. Yes, it is all about me. If you recognize the song being played on the elevator, please don’t sing along to the “music”. You may acknowledge someone on the elevator but no lengthy conversations.
6: No Cell Phones! One of the most important rules to most elevator passengers is to remember to turn off your cell phone. You can switch it to vibrate or turn the ringer down to a minimum level, but do not talk on it while you are riding with other passengers on the elevator. The other passengers do not want to hear your conversations in the same way that you do not want to hear the conversations of others. It is considered rude to talk on your cell phone while riding an elevator with others.
Oh well, this became a lengthy epistle on elevator etiquette when all I really wanted to say was please stand back and let me get off the elevator before you run me over trying to get on the elevator. Here’s to whoever created the wonderful technology we call an elevator!
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