Home Archives for 2010

Breaking down open adoptions

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Breaking down open adoptions
Pennsylvania's new law encourages relationships between child, birth family
-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 

5 Tasks to Teach Yourself to Teach with Technology

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Some months ago I had a plan to write a book of tasks to get teachers using technology. As with so many of my plans and ideas, time and circumstances over took me and I never got further than the first 15 tasks. When I went back to do some more I noticed that I was taking so long doing these that some had gone out of date, so to try to get some use from the tasks I've decided to revise them and start publishing them here so anyone can download them and use them either to do teacher training or to develop their own ability to use technology.

So here are the first five. If they are popular I'll publish the next 5 for new year, so they can be my new years resolution and yours.

Task 1: Create your learning journal
So here goes. The first task is based around Penzu and you can download the task or read it on Scribd. In this task you'll create an online journal that you can use to reflect on the other tasks you'll be doing, so you should do this one first.

Task 2: Create online storage for your teaching images
In this task you will create a Flickr photo sharing channel. You'll need to do this to enable you to best do some of the later tasks as they come up, but having your own store of images online that you can use for various teaching purposes is always really handy.
Task 3: Create an online speaking activity
In this task you'll learn how to create an online speaking activity using VoiceThread. So if you have never done that before try the task and see how your students like the activity you create.
Task 4: Create a blog with a video activity for your students
In this task you'll create a simple blog and use it to make a video based activity for your students. Many of you may already have your own blog, but it's a good idea to have a separate one that you can use to experiment with and create activities for students. Once you have created the blog you'll be using it for other tasks as you work through them.
Task 5: Create digital books with illustrations
In this task you will create a digital image book based around a short text. Once you have created the book you will embed it into the blog you created in the previous task.
If you manage to do any of the tasks please do leave a comment and tell me how they went and if the response is good I'll try to put 5 more tasks on the site early in the new year.

So, if you celebrate Xmas please take these as my gift and if you don't celebrate it, you will have more time to do the tasks.

Best wishes for 2011.

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Nik Peachey

So Ask Me a Question

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I recently spotted this very interesting site called Vyou.com which exploits video to create asynchronous conversations. I find it interesting because of the simple way it creates presence. As you can see below, it looks like the person (me in this case) is waiting ready for your question.

All visitors need to do is type a question into the text line below the video and the creator will get a message with the question and post a reply. You can try it if you wish by posting a question to me. I'm not sure yet how long it will take for me to answer though.



This is very quick and easy to set up. You just go to the site and register for free, then once your registration is validated you record two short video clips. One is the one you can see above and another for unanswered questions. As questions are answered they appear below the 'waiting' video.

It's also a bit like Twitter in that you can 'follow' people and build up a group of followers. These people all receive notification of any video responses posted.

I'm trying this out because I think it's a great way of getting students to speak to each other and ask you or each other questions. All you need is a webcam and a microphone.

How to use this with students
  • You could set up your own grammar or vocabulary answers site and students could send you questions.
  • You could get students to ask each other questions about a story.
  • You could play animal, mineral or vegetable and each students has to ask question to see what you are thinking about.
  • You could just get students asking and answering questions about their likes and dislikes etc.
  • I think this would work particularly well for class exchanges with students from other classes or countries.

What I like about it
  • It's free and very quick and simple to set up.
  • There's a real feeling of presence and that someone is there waiting for your question.
  • I can generate some real spoken interaction.
  • It's a very simple idea made very effective.
  • You can embed the video chat into your blog or site.

What I'm not so sure about
  • Of course something like this is very much open to abuse, especially as it allows anonymous questions to be posted.
  • The widget which I've embedded into my post is a bit big and it would be nice to have smaller sizes.
  • A lot of the example conversations that have been created on the site are a bit adult in nature and certainly inappropriate for younger learners, so if you use it, be sure to use it with adults and embed it into a blog or site so that your students don't wander round the site.
  • WebCams aren't generally very flattering, especially in a bad light, but you can always wear a big hat or dark glasses.
If you do give this a try, please do follow me and I'll reciprocate, as I'd like to find out a bit more about how this will work in practice. You can visit my profile on the site at: http://vyou.com/nikpeachey . There you will be able to see a better view of the full size widget.

I hope you find this interesting.

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Nik Peachey

Grow Your Own Personal Learning Network

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Well this is my first blog posting for quite a while, but I'm hoping to have a lot more coming up very soon. This is just a quick posting to share a session on building your own Personal Learning Network, that I did for teachers in British Council Bilbao recently (25th September 2010).

The session was part of a larger conference that was happening all over Spain to celebrate 70 years of the BC in Spain.

You can watch a recording my conference presentation here.


Or follow this link to it: http://tinyurl.com/382rmy2

The links from the presentation are also below and you can download a PDF copy of the presentation slides here: PLN Presentation slides (PDF 4.7 Mb)

Tools for growing your PLN

Twitter
LinkedIn
  • LinkedIn is a great place to put your online CV, connect with other ELT professionals and start joining special interest groups. The groups are a great place for sharing and finding information.
    http://www.linkedin.com
  • I'm on LinkedIn at: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/nikpeachey
Facebook
  • Although controversial as a teaching tool, Facebook can also be a useful professional networking tool, just start looking for the ‘Like’ button on various websites and click it to keep in touch with what’s happening. http://www.facebook.com
  • I'm on Facebook too and am in the process of creating a page for people interested in learning technology in ELT. http://www.facebook.com/NikPeachey
Ning and other independent social networks
  • Many of the IATEFL Special interest groups use Ning for discussion of very specific areas of teaching. Here's an example from the Global Issues SIG
    http://global-issues.ning.com/
Yahoo Groups
Blogs of course
Some great bloggers to follow are:
Feed Readers
Storing links and social bookmarking
These are great tools for storing links to information so that you can find them when you want them and share them with others.
Simplybox

Here are some tools for reflection

Slinkset
More information
I'd really like to add a special than you to Barbara Sakamoto from Teaching Village for allowing me to share here work on PLNs and for helping to save me and I hope you a lot of work too.

Please also check out the other recorded presentations as they include:
I hope you find these useful and thank you to everyone at the British Council Bilbao for their hospitality and professionalism under pressure.

Related links:
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Nik Peachey

Another year under the old belt

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Well, today is the glorious day that comes around once a year.  It usually entails a flood of facebook wall posts, an outrageous amount of libations debauchery, and of course having to change a certain number in my blog title.  You guessed it -- today is Amstel's birthday!   So now THIS is officially the story of a 24-year-old birthmother.  Thank you mom and dad for the gift of life! 



Crazy how it's been almost six years since I first found out that I was pregnant.   I remember I had just turned 18 when my Political Science class decided to do an election debate in front of the entire school.  It was right before the 2004 presidential election, and my topic was abortion.  I chose that topic.  I spoke passionately about a touchy subject that I really didn't know a whole lot about; but I knew what I believed in.  I argued that abortion was morally wrong and not a viable option for unplanned pregnancy.  I think I touched on some brief fetal development facts, and I spoke passionately against the killing of the tiniest of human beings.  I don't know why I was drawn to that topic, but it was something that really touched my heart.   Later that week is when I fearfully took my first pregnancy test.  And it came back positive.  The irony!   If you want to hear God laugh tell Him your plans, right?  It was the first of many "coincidences" (or should I say God's plans) that would occur throughout the next six years of my life.  



I started Amstel Life when I turned 22.  At best, I wanted to help people to understand why I chose to place my daughter for adoption with the Dollar family.  I also wanted to help other birthmothers who had placed, and most importantly, I wanted to show women facing unplanned pregnancy that there is a peaceful and  positive alternative to abortion.  Never in a million years did I expect to receive the support, feedback and encouragement that I have experienced through Amstel Life.  Never in a million years.  Thank you!



Here's something cool that you guys should know about.  Scholarships 4 Birthmothers is a nonprofit that was started by a birthmother to give scholarships to women of all ages who have placed their baby for adoption and want help with school!  Please consider donating a few dollars to this wonderful cause. They are only $50 away from their goal! 



There are two info sites:

scholarships4birthmothers.info

scholarships4birthmothers.blogspot.com



It's been a great day so far.  This morning, my boss called me into the conference room.  I sat down with my notepad and pen, ready to take notes.  Then I realized that my colleagues were surprising me with birthday cupcakes and a Tinkerbell card that played music.  It was pretty much awesome.  They proceeded to tell me about what they were doing when they turned 24, according to my boss, "before there was electricity."  Haha.   Deanna called my phone today and left a sweet voicemail of her singing happy birthday.  At the end she said, "Happy Birthday Mimi!" (Mimi is my mom)... "I mean AmyHutton!"   That made my day.  



Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes!

Here's to another year of Amstel Life!



















































Flowers delivered to my desk from my best friend Natalie.

Message: "I hope these flowers find you well and you don't eat them."

A Birthmother's Progression

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I get a ton of questions from birthmothers who want to know how I was dealing with my open adoption (x amount of time) afterwards.  Any woman who places her child for adoption will deal with her experience differently, but something about comparing experiences with other birthmothers can be sort of comforting.  So I figured I'd share the condensed version of my progression from the adoption to where I am today. 



The first few weeks after I signed the adoption papers I was a complete mess.  I held it together in front of other people, but behind closed doors I cried and cried and cried...and cried.  I was depressed, sad, and I felt like the past nine months were just a blur.  I also couldn't believe I actually went through with the adoption.  Robbie and his family were so incredibly supportive, and I leaned on them to make it though.  I knew that Deanna would be fine with her family, but I wasn't so sure about myself. 



A month after the adoption, I began my freshman year in college, and I had a terribly hard time adjusting to being in a new state, at a new school, and starting at a school where I didn't know anyone.  I was excited about starting college, but the reality of having to make new friends and to completely start over was terrifying.  Not only did I have to worry about the typical problems and issue that every college student has, but I also had to deal with the sadness and depression that went along with the whole adoption experience.  I got to visit Deanna often, and that made me feel better, but I still found myself struggling to cope with everything I had been through.  I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, and although my doctor had written me a prescription for anti-depressants, I felt like they were merely placebo pills.  My loss felt like an open wound, and nothing seemed to make it better.



Six months after the adoption, I had a terrible encounter with a faculty member at my college.  I wrote about this in a previous blog post, but in case you missed it, here's the shortened version.  I was contemplating going into either communication or teaching, and I couldn't decide what I wanted to do.  I met with an advisor in the School of Education, and she grilled me about my desire to become a teacher.  She implied that if I didn't care enough about children to make the decision to become a teacher, then I should probably just move forward with communications.  I lost it.  I was in disbelief.  I ran out of her office, sat on the bench outside of the building and just bawled.  It was the lowest of low points in my life.  That's when I numbly stumbled into the Counseling Center, and I met the counselor who helped me to get through the next four years of my life.



A year after the adoption, I transferred to NC State, and I began my sophomore year.  I also decided that I probably shouldn't attend any of Deanna's future birthday parties because I couldn't hold it together during her 1st birthday party when everyone sang "happy birthday."   Aside from that emotional breakdown, I was doing better.  I had made lots of friends, and I joined the club swim team.  I got involved with 'Real Choices," a student organization that helps pregnant and parenting students. I also got involved with lots of pro-life organizations and events in Raleigh.  For the first time after the adoption, I felt like I could really make a difference in people's lives because of what I had gone through.  And that was a good feeling. 



I continued going to my counselor (who coincidentally transferred to NC State's counseling center) until my senior year of college.  It was a long and difficult progression, but four years after the adoption I felt like a different person.  My senior year at NC State I become president of Real Choices, and I also became president of an honor society for the top 12 seniors at NC State.  I was planning social events for student moms, teaching Sunday School  to a class of rambunctious 8th graders, interning at a local television station, having a blast with my friends, and visiting Deanna and her family often.  I finally felt at peace with my decision, and I was humbled and amazed at the impact Amstel Life was having on so many people in the adoption world.  I thought to myself, "this is what open adoption is supposed to be." 



Today, it's been more than 5 years since Deanna's adoption, and I sometimes have to stop and remind myself what I've been through.  There are times that I am still in disbelieve I have a daughter.  Seriously, sometimes I can't believe I created such an amazing human being, and I am so proud of that.  I had a lot of help and support from my family and friends, but most of all, I believe it was my faith that carried me through.  The night before I signed the adoption papers in the hospital, I prayed long and hard.  I remember making an agreement with God.  I said, "God, if I go through with the adoption, please just don't let me regret my decision."  And 5 years later, He has not broken our agreement.  I started my open adoption journey by putting every ounce of faith I had in God.  And today, my trust has only gotten stronger. 



Sometimes I stop and think about everything that I've been through.  I am still completely amazed at how our open adoption has turned out.  I don't think anyone could have imagined a story this good.  If you ask me, it's not just a coincidence; it's a God thing.  With time, a strong support network, and lots of faith, anything is possible.  For all of the birthmothers out there who are in the beginning stages after adoption, there is hope!   Trust me, I have been where you are. Yes, it is going to be incredibly difficult, but it does get better.  And when you finally make it to the point where you are at peace with your decision, it will make every sacrifice you made completely worthwhile. 



For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. -Jeremiah 29:11

Welcome Welcome Welcome (back)!

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It's been a while, it's been a looong while.  But Amstel's back in action TODAY.



Where to begin?  I visited my sister in the NC mountains and had a blast at her rock party, went on not one but two family vacations (San Diego & Tampa), moved into a new place on the hottest day of the entire year, went with Robbie to visit Deanna on her 5th birthday (July 11th), picked up some new responsibilities at work, was diagnosed with a sleep disorder (excessive daytime sleepiness), was banned from Web MD by my family, had a quarter-life crisis, and then realized I hadn't blogged in nearly two months.  A lot has happened!  But I can't complain. Life is good, and I love being a professional, independent, (most of the time responsible) young adult.



I came across a really neat article in Newsweek called, "Why Birth Moms Deserve Respect" by Raina Kelley.  If you haven't seen this yet, please read.  It's worth it!   My favorite part of the article is the last few sentences:  "By indicating that placing a child for adoption is a selfish or painless choice when it’s not, or talking about birth mothers as if they were all crack-addled prostitutes or at the very least wayward youth, we not only limit a woman’s right to choose but also shut out the possibility that there are other people out there who would love to adopt. Why not try respecting these women as mothers able to make the best decision for themselves and their pregnancies—even if that decision is not to parent?"  Just thought this was worth sharing with all of my fellow birthmothers out there. 



In case you were wondering, 5th Deanna's birthday party was great.  She had a joint-birthday party with her friend at a gymnasium, and I do believe that the adult men had more fun than the children...















































































































Robbie and I gave Deanna the "band in a box," and we made sure to tell her that Don would love to be woken every morning to the sound of clashing cymbals.  On that note, I'm out!  More good stuff to come soon on Amstel Life.

Mid-June Updates

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I'm heading to the NC mountains this weekend to visit my sister, Michelle.  Woohoo!  It should be a great time.  She just moved into a new house and is having a "rock party" which means that instead of bringing a housewarming gift, we're supposed to bring her a rock to put in her yard.  As you can see, we're very extravagant. 



So Deanna's 5th birthday is coming up in less than a month, and I have no idea what to get her!  Dolls?  Crafts?  Games?  I'm running out of good ideas.  De said that Deanna wants to have a pirate/dolphin/mermaid birthday party theme.  Can you tell that she has been to Sea World recently?  I'm thinking maybe some kind of mermaid doll for bathtub play time or a cool craft set would make a good gift for a 5-year-old. De told me that Deanna has been really into tye-dye lately, so maybe I can incorporate that into her birthday present....ideas are welcome!  



De called me a few weeks ago and told me that Deanna has been organizing things lately.  If you know me personally, you know that I am the queen of organization and neatness.  De had to call me immediately and tell me that Deanna had taken it upon herself to clean out her top dresser drawer and neatly organize her underwear into tidy piles.  She did this all on her own without being asked!  What kind of  4-year-old does that?   When De walked into Deanna's room and saw what she had done, De started laughing and said, "We need to call AmyHutton!" 



It's interesting and fun for me to hear these kinds of stories from De and to piece together how Deanna has become the person she is.  She really is a little bit of everyone!   



She gets her neat/organized side from AmyHutton.  Example: As I mentioned before, Deanna organizes her underwear into neat piles without being told.  That Type-A personality is already shining through.  When Deanna was 3-years-old, she made certain that the hair bands tied on each side of the handlebars of her bicycle were matching and perfectly aligned. 



She gets her crafty/creative side and her good heart from De.  Example: Deanna LOVES crafts. Absoluely loves them.  And when she was in preschool last year, Deanna walked up to her teacher and told her, matter-of-factly and completely out-of-the-blue, "I'm going to pray for Ava."  (Ava is a little girl in her class).  

How sweet is that?



She gets her tough/sporty side from Don.  Example:  Deanna had a Wolfpack mobile hanging above her crib since the day she was born.  (In case you're wondering, yes, it played the NC State fight song.)  A die-hard fan, Don has ingrained the phrase "Go Pack!" into Deanna's head.  I think that may have been her first sentence.  And when Deanna starts to cry, Don will tell her to say, "I'm tough!" 



She gets her silly/hyper/rambunctious side from Robbie.  Example: Deanna came to my house on Mother's Day with Don and De.  She was the most hyper-active individual I had ever encountered.  She was bouncing off the walls!  My roommate Emily commented, "She is just like Robbie!" and we all laughed because we knew it was true.   Deanna has a BIG personality, and she definitely gets a lot of that from the Robster.



And of course, outside of the four of us, Deanna has gotten a plethora of great characteristics from all of her many extended family members as well.  Open adoption is certainly multi-faceted, and each person who cares about Deanna has in some way molded her into the amazing nearly-five-year-old that she is today.  



Alright, off to the mountains!  Now if only I could find a really cool rock...







































































































































Memorial Day 2010

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I've been trying to decide the topic of my next blog post for the past few days.  I'm still undecided, so I'm going to just start writing and see where this goes.  As we say in the media business, "buckle up!" Okay, we don't really ever say "buckle up" but it sounded kind of thrilling before it sounded weird.



So I went to Charleston, South Carolina this past weekend for a mini-road trip.  It was absolutely beautiful!  I would so go back again.  On the way back home to Raleigh, we stopped in to Myrtle Beach for a quick little babe visit.  Don, De and Deanna were all on the beach, so we changed into our swim suits and headed to the beach to see them.  (Along with a few Amstel Lights of course.)



When I first walked up to De, Don, and Deanna on the beach, they were hanging out with some friends from Don's work.  Deanna, who was playing with their son, ran over and gave me a huge hug.  She said, "Hi AmyHutton."  What happened next sort of caught me off-guard.  I watched as Deanna ran back to her little male companion, and she told him excitedly that I was her birthmother.  She said it proudly and with confidence.  Like it was something she was excited about!  That just made my day. The little boy didn't understand what that meant, but he just smiled and nodded.  He didn't have to understand what it meant, but it was obviously something great, something cool.  "That's my birthmom!" 



Heather @ Production, Not Reproduction offered another Open Adoption Roundtable prompt:



Imagine your child as an adult describing their open adoption experience. What do you hope they will be able to say about you? How did you view their other parents? In what ways did you support their relationship with them? 



My hopes for Deanna's adult life are very optomistic.   I don't worry as much as I did before that Deanna won't understand why I placed her for adoption or that she will be mad...I optimistically think (and hope) that Deanna will think about everything she has, not what she doesn't have as a result of the adoption.  I'm sure she will have lots of questions and thoughts as she gets older, but ultimately I think she will understand.  Someday I hope that Deanna will still be able to excitedly and confidently say, even when she is an adult, "That's my birthmom!"  And I'll probably still smile the same way that I did when I heard her say it for the first time on Memorial Day of 2010.



My relationship with Deanna is close and evolving.  Deanna will be 5-years-old in July, and I feel like she is really starting to grasp our true relationship.  Yes, I'm just another person in her family who loves her and wants the best for her, but we share something that is so close and so special.  Even Deanna's relationship with Robbie is so natural and close. When Deanna becomes an adult, I hope 1) that Don never allows her to date and 2) that she will always treasure the relationship we have been building for the past years.



I often think about how lucky I am to have Don, De, and their families in my life.  It means so much to me when Don's mother, Priscilla, sends me sweet messages and tells me how much she admires and appreciates what I have given her family.  Priscilla is an amazing woman...she told me recently that she promises to be the best grandmother ever to Deanna.  That meant the world to me!  Everyone in Don and De's families have welcomed me as one of their own, it's awesome to be able to call them my family.   



Look how much fun we had this weekend! 

And in case you're wondering, I did not injure myself doing the recreational gymnastics in the sand. 



























































































































































































































Happy 4th Mother's Day!

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I've decided to seriously consider eliminating the space between "Amy" and "Hutton" and just make it one word: "AmyHutton."  That's how Deanna says my name anyway.   She says "AmyHutton" super quickly like it's just one short word.  Like Madonna. Or Bono. Or even Cher.  AmyHutton.  I like it. 



I realized yesterday that De and I will forever share the same Mother's Day anniversary.  Yesterday was our 4th Mother's Day together.  It's kind of cool to think that we both became mothers on the same day.  Isn't that a special and unique bond to share?  I only made this obvious realization as I opened the card that Deanna had made for me, and I saw that the front of the envelope said, "Happy 4th Mother's Day Amy Hutton!"  Has it really been 4 years already?   That I cannot believe.  



So how did I spend my Mother's Day?  Don, De, and Deanna stopped by my house yesterday for a quick visit (they were in town visiting Don's mom and dad this weekend).  Deanna hopped out of the car, performed an impressive display of gymnastics, and watered the flowers, plants, and large wooden swing in my front yard. (Apparently the swing still had some growing to do.)   Then we took some Mother's Day pictures, and Deanna gave me a card that she decorated especially for me.  It was really sweet.  



This Mother's Day wasn't nearly as tough as some of the previous ones I've experienced.  In the past, Mother's Day used to be a day filled with self-pity and sadness. Woe is me.  But yesterday was different from the others; I'm not sure why that is exactly, but I do know that I am feeling more at peace with my decision than I ever thought possible.  Not only that, but instead of feeling like a forgotten mother, I had a plethora of family and friends saying "Happy Mother's Day" to me. This was a small, simple gesture that really meant a lot.  It's nice to feel appreciated.  :)  Not that it's always going to be easy for me from now on, but at this point in my life, I am at a place of acceptance and complete faith in the Lord.  I know that I made the right decision.  I know that my life, Deanna's life, meeting the Dollars, were not merely accidents or coincidences.  And I know that God has amazing things in store for me.  I'm not sure exactly what yet, but I've got a great feeling about this upcoming year. 













































































































































































 



































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الخميس، 16 ديسمبر 2010

Breaking down open adoptions

Breaking down open adoptions
Pennsylvania's new law encourages relationships between child, birth family
-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 
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5 Tasks to Teach Yourself to Teach with Technology

Some months ago I had a plan to write a book of tasks to get teachers using technology. As with so many of my plans and ideas, time and circumstances over took me and I never got further than the first 15 tasks. When I went back to do some more I noticed that I was taking so long doing these that some had gone out of date, so to try to get some use from the tasks I've decided to revise them and start publishing them here so anyone can download them and use them either to do teacher training or to develop their own ability to use technology.

So here are the first five. If they are popular I'll publish the next 5 for new year, so they can be my new years resolution and yours.

Task 1: Create your learning journal
So here goes. The first task is based around Penzu and you can download the task or read it on Scribd. In this task you'll create an online journal that you can use to reflect on the other tasks you'll be doing, so you should do this one first.

Task 2: Create online storage for your teaching images
In this task you will create a Flickr photo sharing channel. You'll need to do this to enable you to best do some of the later tasks as they come up, but having your own store of images online that you can use for various teaching purposes is always really handy.
Task 3: Create an online speaking activity
In this task you'll learn how to create an online speaking activity using VoiceThread. So if you have never done that before try the task and see how your students like the activity you create.
Task 4: Create a blog with a video activity for your students
In this task you'll create a simple blog and use it to make a video based activity for your students. Many of you may already have your own blog, but it's a good idea to have a separate one that you can use to experiment with and create activities for students. Once you have created the blog you'll be using it for other tasks as you work through them.
Task 5: Create digital books with illustrations
In this task you will create a digital image book based around a short text. Once you have created the book you will embed it into the blog you created in the previous task.
If you manage to do any of the tasks please do leave a comment and tell me how they went and if the response is good I'll try to put 5 more tasks on the site early in the new year.

So, if you celebrate Xmas please take these as my gift and if you don't celebrate it, you will have more time to do the tasks.

Best wishes for 2011.

Related links:
Best

Nik Peachey
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الأربعاء، 24 نوفمبر 2010

So Ask Me a Question

I recently spotted this very interesting site called Vyou.com which exploits video to create asynchronous conversations. I find it interesting because of the simple way it creates presence. As you can see below, it looks like the person (me in this case) is waiting ready for your question.

All visitors need to do is type a question into the text line below the video and the creator will get a message with the question and post a reply. You can try it if you wish by posting a question to me. I'm not sure yet how long it will take for me to answer though.



This is very quick and easy to set up. You just go to the site and register for free, then once your registration is validated you record two short video clips. One is the one you can see above and another for unanswered questions. As questions are answered they appear below the 'waiting' video.

It's also a bit like Twitter in that you can 'follow' people and build up a group of followers. These people all receive notification of any video responses posted.

I'm trying this out because I think it's a great way of getting students to speak to each other and ask you or each other questions. All you need is a webcam and a microphone.

How to use this with students
  • You could set up your own grammar or vocabulary answers site and students could send you questions.
  • You could get students to ask each other questions about a story.
  • You could play animal, mineral or vegetable and each students has to ask question to see what you are thinking about.
  • You could just get students asking and answering questions about their likes and dislikes etc.
  • I think this would work particularly well for class exchanges with students from other classes or countries.

What I like about it
  • It's free and very quick and simple to set up.
  • There's a real feeling of presence and that someone is there waiting for your question.
  • I can generate some real spoken interaction.
  • It's a very simple idea made very effective.
  • You can embed the video chat into your blog or site.

What I'm not so sure about
  • Of course something like this is very much open to abuse, especially as it allows anonymous questions to be posted.
  • The widget which I've embedded into my post is a bit big and it would be nice to have smaller sizes.
  • A lot of the example conversations that have been created on the site are a bit adult in nature and certainly inappropriate for younger learners, so if you use it, be sure to use it with adults and embed it into a blog or site so that your students don't wander round the site.
  • WebCams aren't generally very flattering, especially in a bad light, but you can always wear a big hat or dark glasses.
If you do give this a try, please do follow me and I'll reciprocate, as I'd like to find out a bit more about how this will work in practice. You can visit my profile on the site at: http://vyou.com/nikpeachey . There you will be able to see a better view of the full size widget.

I hope you find this interesting.

Related links:
Best

Nik Peachey
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الاثنين، 27 سبتمبر 2010

Grow Your Own Personal Learning Network

Well this is my first blog posting for quite a while, but I'm hoping to have a lot more coming up very soon. This is just a quick posting to share a session on building your own Personal Learning Network, that I did for teachers in British Council Bilbao recently (25th September 2010).

The session was part of a larger conference that was happening all over Spain to celebrate 70 years of the BC in Spain.

You can watch a recording my conference presentation here.


Or follow this link to it: http://tinyurl.com/382rmy2

The links from the presentation are also below and you can download a PDF copy of the presentation slides here: PLN Presentation slides (PDF 4.7 Mb)

Tools for growing your PLN

Twitter
LinkedIn
  • LinkedIn is a great place to put your online CV, connect with other ELT professionals and start joining special interest groups. The groups are a great place for sharing and finding information.
    http://www.linkedin.com
  • I'm on LinkedIn at: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/nikpeachey
Facebook
  • Although controversial as a teaching tool, Facebook can also be a useful professional networking tool, just start looking for the ‘Like’ button on various websites and click it to keep in touch with what’s happening. http://www.facebook.com
  • I'm on Facebook too and am in the process of creating a page for people interested in learning technology in ELT. http://www.facebook.com/NikPeachey
Ning and other independent social networks
  • Many of the IATEFL Special interest groups use Ning for discussion of very specific areas of teaching. Here's an example from the Global Issues SIG
    http://global-issues.ning.com/
Yahoo Groups
Blogs of course
Some great bloggers to follow are:
Feed Readers
Storing links and social bookmarking
These are great tools for storing links to information so that you can find them when you want them and share them with others.
Simplybox

Here are some tools for reflection

Slinkset
More information
I'd really like to add a special than you to Barbara Sakamoto from Teaching Village for allowing me to share here work on PLNs and for helping to save me and I hope you a lot of work too.

Please also check out the other recorded presentations as they include:
I hope you find these useful and thank you to everyone at the British Council Bilbao for their hospitality and professionalism under pressure.

Related links:
Best

Nik Peachey
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الجمعة، 17 سبتمبر 2010

Another year under the old belt

Well, today is the glorious day that comes around once a year.  It usually entails a flood of facebook wall posts, an outrageous amount of libations debauchery, and of course having to change a certain number in my blog title.  You guessed it -- today is Amstel's birthday!   So now THIS is officially the story of a 24-year-old birthmother.  Thank you mom and dad for the gift of life! 



Crazy how it's been almost six years since I first found out that I was pregnant.   I remember I had just turned 18 when my Political Science class decided to do an election debate in front of the entire school.  It was right before the 2004 presidential election, and my topic was abortion.  I chose that topic.  I spoke passionately about a touchy subject that I really didn't know a whole lot about; but I knew what I believed in.  I argued that abortion was morally wrong and not a viable option for unplanned pregnancy.  I think I touched on some brief fetal development facts, and I spoke passionately against the killing of the tiniest of human beings.  I don't know why I was drawn to that topic, but it was something that really touched my heart.   Later that week is when I fearfully took my first pregnancy test.  And it came back positive.  The irony!   If you want to hear God laugh tell Him your plans, right?  It was the first of many "coincidences" (or should I say God's plans) that would occur throughout the next six years of my life.  



I started Amstel Life when I turned 22.  At best, I wanted to help people to understand why I chose to place my daughter for adoption with the Dollar family.  I also wanted to help other birthmothers who had placed, and most importantly, I wanted to show women facing unplanned pregnancy that there is a peaceful and  positive alternative to abortion.  Never in a million years did I expect to receive the support, feedback and encouragement that I have experienced through Amstel Life.  Never in a million years.  Thank you!



Here's something cool that you guys should know about.  Scholarships 4 Birthmothers is a nonprofit that was started by a birthmother to give scholarships to women of all ages who have placed their baby for adoption and want help with school!  Please consider donating a few dollars to this wonderful cause. They are only $50 away from their goal! 



There are two info sites:

scholarships4birthmothers.info

scholarships4birthmothers.blogspot.com



It's been a great day so far.  This morning, my boss called me into the conference room.  I sat down with my notepad and pen, ready to take notes.  Then I realized that my colleagues were surprising me with birthday cupcakes and a Tinkerbell card that played music.  It was pretty much awesome.  They proceeded to tell me about what they were doing when they turned 24, according to my boss, "before there was electricity."  Haha.   Deanna called my phone today and left a sweet voicemail of her singing happy birthday.  At the end she said, "Happy Birthday Mimi!" (Mimi is my mom)... "I mean AmyHutton!"   That made my day.  



Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes!

Here's to another year of Amstel Life!



















































Flowers delivered to my desk from my best friend Natalie.

Message: "I hope these flowers find you well and you don't eat them."
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الاثنين، 30 أغسطس 2010

A Birthmother's Progression

I get a ton of questions from birthmothers who want to know how I was dealing with my open adoption (x amount of time) afterwards.  Any woman who places her child for adoption will deal with her experience differently, but something about comparing experiences with other birthmothers can be sort of comforting.  So I figured I'd share the condensed version of my progression from the adoption to where I am today. 



The first few weeks after I signed the adoption papers I was a complete mess.  I held it together in front of other people, but behind closed doors I cried and cried and cried...and cried.  I was depressed, sad, and I felt like the past nine months were just a blur.  I also couldn't believe I actually went through with the adoption.  Robbie and his family were so incredibly supportive, and I leaned on them to make it though.  I knew that Deanna would be fine with her family, but I wasn't so sure about myself. 



A month after the adoption, I began my freshman year in college, and I had a terribly hard time adjusting to being in a new state, at a new school, and starting at a school where I didn't know anyone.  I was excited about starting college, but the reality of having to make new friends and to completely start over was terrifying.  Not only did I have to worry about the typical problems and issue that every college student has, but I also had to deal with the sadness and depression that went along with the whole adoption experience.  I got to visit Deanna often, and that made me feel better, but I still found myself struggling to cope with everything I had been through.  I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, and although my doctor had written me a prescription for anti-depressants, I felt like they were merely placebo pills.  My loss felt like an open wound, and nothing seemed to make it better.



Six months after the adoption, I had a terrible encounter with a faculty member at my college.  I wrote about this in a previous blog post, but in case you missed it, here's the shortened version.  I was contemplating going into either communication or teaching, and I couldn't decide what I wanted to do.  I met with an advisor in the School of Education, and she grilled me about my desire to become a teacher.  She implied that if I didn't care enough about children to make the decision to become a teacher, then I should probably just move forward with communications.  I lost it.  I was in disbelief.  I ran out of her office, sat on the bench outside of the building and just bawled.  It was the lowest of low points in my life.  That's when I numbly stumbled into the Counseling Center, and I met the counselor who helped me to get through the next four years of my life.



A year after the adoption, I transferred to NC State, and I began my sophomore year.  I also decided that I probably shouldn't attend any of Deanna's future birthday parties because I couldn't hold it together during her 1st birthday party when everyone sang "happy birthday."   Aside from that emotional breakdown, I was doing better.  I had made lots of friends, and I joined the club swim team.  I got involved with 'Real Choices," a student organization that helps pregnant and parenting students. I also got involved with lots of pro-life organizations and events in Raleigh.  For the first time after the adoption, I felt like I could really make a difference in people's lives because of what I had gone through.  And that was a good feeling. 



I continued going to my counselor (who coincidentally transferred to NC State's counseling center) until my senior year of college.  It was a long and difficult progression, but four years after the adoption I felt like a different person.  My senior year at NC State I become president of Real Choices, and I also became president of an honor society for the top 12 seniors at NC State.  I was planning social events for student moms, teaching Sunday School  to a class of rambunctious 8th graders, interning at a local television station, having a blast with my friends, and visiting Deanna and her family often.  I finally felt at peace with my decision, and I was humbled and amazed at the impact Amstel Life was having on so many people in the adoption world.  I thought to myself, "this is what open adoption is supposed to be." 



Today, it's been more than 5 years since Deanna's adoption, and I sometimes have to stop and remind myself what I've been through.  There are times that I am still in disbelieve I have a daughter.  Seriously, sometimes I can't believe I created such an amazing human being, and I am so proud of that.  I had a lot of help and support from my family and friends, but most of all, I believe it was my faith that carried me through.  The night before I signed the adoption papers in the hospital, I prayed long and hard.  I remember making an agreement with God.  I said, "God, if I go through with the adoption, please just don't let me regret my decision."  And 5 years later, He has not broken our agreement.  I started my open adoption journey by putting every ounce of faith I had in God.  And today, my trust has only gotten stronger. 



Sometimes I stop and think about everything that I've been through.  I am still completely amazed at how our open adoption has turned out.  I don't think anyone could have imagined a story this good.  If you ask me, it's not just a coincidence; it's a God thing.  With time, a strong support network, and lots of faith, anything is possible.  For all of the birthmothers out there who are in the beginning stages after adoption, there is hope!   Trust me, I have been where you are. Yes, it is going to be incredibly difficult, but it does get better.  And when you finally make it to the point where you are at peace with your decision, it will make every sacrifice you made completely worthwhile. 



For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. -Jeremiah 29:11
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الأربعاء، 11 أغسطس 2010

Welcome Welcome Welcome (back)!

It's been a while, it's been a looong while.  But Amstel's back in action TODAY.



Where to begin?  I visited my sister in the NC mountains and had a blast at her rock party, went on not one but two family vacations (San Diego & Tampa), moved into a new place on the hottest day of the entire year, went with Robbie to visit Deanna on her 5th birthday (July 11th), picked up some new responsibilities at work, was diagnosed with a sleep disorder (excessive daytime sleepiness), was banned from Web MD by my family, had a quarter-life crisis, and then realized I hadn't blogged in nearly two months.  A lot has happened!  But I can't complain. Life is good, and I love being a professional, independent, (most of the time responsible) young adult.



I came across a really neat article in Newsweek called, "Why Birth Moms Deserve Respect" by Raina Kelley.  If you haven't seen this yet, please read.  It's worth it!   My favorite part of the article is the last few sentences:  "By indicating that placing a child for adoption is a selfish or painless choice when it’s not, or talking about birth mothers as if they were all crack-addled prostitutes or at the very least wayward youth, we not only limit a woman’s right to choose but also shut out the possibility that there are other people out there who would love to adopt. Why not try respecting these women as mothers able to make the best decision for themselves and their pregnancies—even if that decision is not to parent?"  Just thought this was worth sharing with all of my fellow birthmothers out there. 



In case you were wondering, 5th Deanna's birthday party was great.  She had a joint-birthday party with her friend at a gymnasium, and I do believe that the adult men had more fun than the children...















































































































Robbie and I gave Deanna the "band in a box," and we made sure to tell her that Don would love to be woken every morning to the sound of clashing cymbals.  On that note, I'm out!  More good stuff to come soon on Amstel Life.
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الجمعة، 18 يونيو 2010

Mid-June Updates

I'm heading to the NC mountains this weekend to visit my sister, Michelle.  Woohoo!  It should be a great time.  She just moved into a new house and is having a "rock party" which means that instead of bringing a housewarming gift, we're supposed to bring her a rock to put in her yard.  As you can see, we're very extravagant. 



So Deanna's 5th birthday is coming up in less than a month, and I have no idea what to get her!  Dolls?  Crafts?  Games?  I'm running out of good ideas.  De said that Deanna wants to have a pirate/dolphin/mermaid birthday party theme.  Can you tell that she has been to Sea World recently?  I'm thinking maybe some kind of mermaid doll for bathtub play time or a cool craft set would make a good gift for a 5-year-old. De told me that Deanna has been really into tye-dye lately, so maybe I can incorporate that into her birthday present....ideas are welcome!  



De called me a few weeks ago and told me that Deanna has been organizing things lately.  If you know me personally, you know that I am the queen of organization and neatness.  De had to call me immediately and tell me that Deanna had taken it upon herself to clean out her top dresser drawer and neatly organize her underwear into tidy piles.  She did this all on her own without being asked!  What kind of  4-year-old does that?   When De walked into Deanna's room and saw what she had done, De started laughing and said, "We need to call AmyHutton!" 



It's interesting and fun for me to hear these kinds of stories from De and to piece together how Deanna has become the person she is.  She really is a little bit of everyone!   



She gets her neat/organized side from AmyHutton.  Example: As I mentioned before, Deanna organizes her underwear into neat piles without being told.  That Type-A personality is already shining through.  When Deanna was 3-years-old, she made certain that the hair bands tied on each side of the handlebars of her bicycle were matching and perfectly aligned. 



She gets her crafty/creative side and her good heart from De.  Example: Deanna LOVES crafts. Absoluely loves them.  And when she was in preschool last year, Deanna walked up to her teacher and told her, matter-of-factly and completely out-of-the-blue, "I'm going to pray for Ava."  (Ava is a little girl in her class).  

How sweet is that?



She gets her tough/sporty side from Don.  Example:  Deanna had a Wolfpack mobile hanging above her crib since the day she was born.  (In case you're wondering, yes, it played the NC State fight song.)  A die-hard fan, Don has ingrained the phrase "Go Pack!" into Deanna's head.  I think that may have been her first sentence.  And when Deanna starts to cry, Don will tell her to say, "I'm tough!" 



She gets her silly/hyper/rambunctious side from Robbie.  Example: Deanna came to my house on Mother's Day with Don and De.  She was the most hyper-active individual I had ever encountered.  She was bouncing off the walls!  My roommate Emily commented, "She is just like Robbie!" and we all laughed because we knew it was true.   Deanna has a BIG personality, and she definitely gets a lot of that from the Robster.



And of course, outside of the four of us, Deanna has gotten a plethora of great characteristics from all of her many extended family members as well.  Open adoption is certainly multi-faceted, and each person who cares about Deanna has in some way molded her into the amazing nearly-five-year-old that she is today.  



Alright, off to the mountains!  Now if only I could find a really cool rock...







































































































































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الجمعة، 4 يونيو 2010

Memorial Day 2010

I've been trying to decide the topic of my next blog post for the past few days.  I'm still undecided, so I'm going to just start writing and see where this goes.  As we say in the media business, "buckle up!" Okay, we don't really ever say "buckle up" but it sounded kind of thrilling before it sounded weird.



So I went to Charleston, South Carolina this past weekend for a mini-road trip.  It was absolutely beautiful!  I would so go back again.  On the way back home to Raleigh, we stopped in to Myrtle Beach for a quick little babe visit.  Don, De and Deanna were all on the beach, so we changed into our swim suits and headed to the beach to see them.  (Along with a few Amstel Lights of course.)



When I first walked up to De, Don, and Deanna on the beach, they were hanging out with some friends from Don's work.  Deanna, who was playing with their son, ran over and gave me a huge hug.  She said, "Hi AmyHutton."  What happened next sort of caught me off-guard.  I watched as Deanna ran back to her little male companion, and she told him excitedly that I was her birthmother.  She said it proudly and with confidence.  Like it was something she was excited about!  That just made my day. The little boy didn't understand what that meant, but he just smiled and nodded.  He didn't have to understand what it meant, but it was obviously something great, something cool.  "That's my birthmom!" 



Heather @ Production, Not Reproduction offered another Open Adoption Roundtable prompt:



Imagine your child as an adult describing their open adoption experience. What do you hope they will be able to say about you? How did you view their other parents? In what ways did you support their relationship with them? 



My hopes for Deanna's adult life are very optomistic.   I don't worry as much as I did before that Deanna won't understand why I placed her for adoption or that she will be mad...I optimistically think (and hope) that Deanna will think about everything she has, not what she doesn't have as a result of the adoption.  I'm sure she will have lots of questions and thoughts as she gets older, but ultimately I think she will understand.  Someday I hope that Deanna will still be able to excitedly and confidently say, even when she is an adult, "That's my birthmom!"  And I'll probably still smile the same way that I did when I heard her say it for the first time on Memorial Day of 2010.



My relationship with Deanna is close and evolving.  Deanna will be 5-years-old in July, and I feel like she is really starting to grasp our true relationship.  Yes, I'm just another person in her family who loves her and wants the best for her, but we share something that is so close and so special.  Even Deanna's relationship with Robbie is so natural and close. When Deanna becomes an adult, I hope 1) that Don never allows her to date and 2) that she will always treasure the relationship we have been building for the past years.



I often think about how lucky I am to have Don, De, and their families in my life.  It means so much to me when Don's mother, Priscilla, sends me sweet messages and tells me how much she admires and appreciates what I have given her family.  Priscilla is an amazing woman...she told me recently that she promises to be the best grandmother ever to Deanna.  That meant the world to me!  Everyone in Don and De's families have welcomed me as one of their own, it's awesome to be able to call them my family.   



Look how much fun we had this weekend! 

And in case you're wondering, I did not injure myself doing the recreational gymnastics in the sand. 



























































































































































































































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الاثنين، 10 مايو 2010

Happy 4th Mother's Day!

I've decided to seriously consider eliminating the space between "Amy" and "Hutton" and just make it one word: "AmyHutton."  That's how Deanna says my name anyway.   She says "AmyHutton" super quickly like it's just one short word.  Like Madonna. Or Bono. Or even Cher.  AmyHutton.  I like it. 



I realized yesterday that De and I will forever share the same Mother's Day anniversary.  Yesterday was our 4th Mother's Day together.  It's kind of cool to think that we both became mothers on the same day.  Isn't that a special and unique bond to share?  I only made this obvious realization as I opened the card that Deanna had made for me, and I saw that the front of the envelope said, "Happy 4th Mother's Day Amy Hutton!"  Has it really been 4 years already?   That I cannot believe.  



So how did I spend my Mother's Day?  Don, De, and Deanna stopped by my house yesterday for a quick visit (they were in town visiting Don's mom and dad this weekend).  Deanna hopped out of the car, performed an impressive display of gymnastics, and watered the flowers, plants, and large wooden swing in my front yard. (Apparently the swing still had some growing to do.)   Then we took some Mother's Day pictures, and Deanna gave me a card that she decorated especially for me.  It was really sweet.  



This Mother's Day wasn't nearly as tough as some of the previous ones I've experienced.  In the past, Mother's Day used to be a day filled with self-pity and sadness. Woe is me.  But yesterday was different from the others; I'm not sure why that is exactly, but I do know that I am feeling more at peace with my decision than I ever thought possible.  Not only that, but instead of feeling like a forgotten mother, I had a plethora of family and friends saying "Happy Mother's Day" to me. This was a small, simple gesture that really meant a lot.  It's nice to feel appreciated.  :)  Not that it's always going to be easy for me from now on, but at this point in my life, I am at a place of acceptance and complete faith in the Lord.  I know that I made the right decision.  I know that my life, Deanna's life, meeting the Dollars, were not merely accidents or coincidences.  And I know that God has amazing things in store for me.  I'm not sure exactly what yet, but I've got a great feeling about this upcoming year. 













































































































































































 



































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