Classroom Gamification Organization

Gamifiers organize their classroom gamification systems in all kinds of ways. Me…. well I’m old school. Paper, dividers, clear sleeves, envelopes and a big honkin binder! 

Today while organizing my elements for my year long game of my gamified classroom I realized that there is great power in looking back, seeing where you have come from and how far you have come. Oh and I also give you a peek into my binder and how I organize my game and its elements.

Organizing Your Gamified Classroom

Interested in learning more, bringing it to your classroom and using it to bring out the very best in your students? Check out more of my vlogs about my classroom, gamifying and learning. 

Other peeps and resources to check out too:

#XPLAP Twitter Chat

Michael Matera

#XPLAP Book Study 2 Notes

#XPLAP Chat Design Challenge Theme Notes

#XPLAP Chat Mini-Games and Quest Ideas 

Stefanie Crawford

Adam Powley

 

Talking To Strangers: BlogHer2013 Table of One

The hall where we were going to eat the first day was HUGE. So HUGE the energy fills you up, but too many tables to scan to find a familiar face or even new friends we had met and it leaves you linking…oh my lawrdy!

“There’s a table,” Kim said “Let’s go sit there!”

“Ok,” I smile and breath in deep summoning bravery to meet another new person.

We were trying to stretch out our comfort zones so we each sat on one side of her, not able to rely only on each other. We introduced ourselves. We made small talk. She was just finishing up her lunch and waiting for an appointment. Her gaze into the empty space in front of her told me her mind was somewhere else, preparing for what was to come. Soon two lovely women with big warm, smiles and a midwestern vibe sat next to us. Their smiles invited us into the conversation. It really was impossible not to talk to them. Then as quickly as they could share where they were from blogging worked it’s magic in just the way it it does unveiling that Kim, Dawn and Cathy were from exactly the same area, minutes away from each other to be exact.

“Can I sit here?” a voice comes from my left.

I look up to see young woman with a friendly and a laid back warmth.

“Sure” “Yes!” “Sit”, come from all the ladies at the table.

She sat.

We ate.

I checked to see what Kim was doing and smiled as she as she laughed and talked with the two women she had connected with.

“So how do you like BlogHer so far,”the young woman asked.

I told her about the two sessions I had been to, the energy and all the wonderful people we had met so far.

“What about you?” I asked hoping to learn more about her.

“I’m here representing a company, Find & Save. I don’t actually have a blog but after all these amazing stories I’ve heard here, it makes me want to start one,” she finishes with a smile and a long pause.

“Blogging is one of the most amazing things I have done. It has giving me a voice I never knew I had. It allowed me to meet and get to know the most fantastic woman. It’s incredible!”

“Oh I don’t know,” she answered looking down her food.

I pause and think maybe you overdid it. My passion is thick…or maybe just maybe that isn’t a look of no, but look I don’t know.

I smile at her and softly say, “You know you can be whoever you want online (and I shared my story). You can be and talk about whatever you want.”

“I don’t know,” she says.

“Start by writing about something simple… a trip to the park and then keep writing until you find your stories, your own voice.”.

We finish our food and it is time for Kim and me to leave.

My thoughts pause for a second…I wonder?! Should I?? So I take a deep breath and smile at her again, get up from my chair and walk over to her.

Kneeling down next to where she is sitting I look up to her and say, “Email me if you have any questions at all. How to get started, how to set up things, anything. I would love to help you with any questions you have. I mean it!” I smile again.

Taking the escalator down to the buses I smile at Kim.

“I’m ready. I’m going to do it! I was talking to that woman about starting a blog. It energizes me. It reminded me…again…. how much I love creating for others, talking to and working with someone until I am able to take their vision, mold it, bring the best out of them and make it oozz and shout who they are. I love it!!” I tell Kim (she listens, smiles and nods with a familiar duh! Laverne…I already knew that. Happy you could finally join me).

From that table of one a brand new confidence was found (I know…another…I can’t help it!). With a portfolio I am proud of, experience that makes me confident in what I can create, the nudge (who am I kidding it a full on shove) of several dear friends and that single conversation I am finally going to do it! I am going to open my very own Estys shop and really make my graphic designing a business. So with another reason to hold my head a little higher and my shoulders back a little stronger I am slowly working toward the goal of having the shop up and running by the beginning of the year.

Watch out Estys here comes Heck Awesome!!!!

EstyorBust

 

There is more to come….

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Where the HECK has LV been?

Into our second week of the new year and you have seen no posts, no drawings, no New Years resolution… where the HECK has Laverne been.

Maybe she got trampled by that nasty flu virus going around…. no it wasn’t that.

Maybe her holidays were crazy busy and she didn’t have time to write… no it wasn’t that. (My holiday was absolutely fantastic, low key and uber relaxing!)

Maybe she simply has not been inspired to create… no it wasn’t that (I actually have inspiration coming out of my eyeballs!  Isn’t that fantastic!)

Maybe she decided to just boycott the whole New Years resolutions thing… nope! not that either (That resolutions thing…I have one already started and prepping to share it with you!!)

Ok, LV enough with the banter!  Get to the point!

2013 arrived. I read others lovely and inspiring posts with their one word, three words or moving resolution posts.  I began to wallowed for a while, not having enough time or energy to write a New Years resolution post when the year flipped into 2013.  I wanted to join the slew of other bloggers sharing theirs.  I wanted to link up and share mine with everyone else.  I wanted to read blogs, leave comments and ooze up all the love that comes from a great link up… but I couldn’t.

Most days (holiday breaks and work weeks alike) I am left with 2-3 hours of me time at the end of the day.  It is time that I cherish and hold sacred.  I used that time to write, draw and create.  The problem with 2-3 hours is that while to the average lay person that sounds like a vast amount of time, in the blogging/creative world that time goes by like the snap of your fingers.  That time also only leaves me to work on one thing at a time.  If I am working on an illustration, I can only work on that and not write a post too (or at least I have not learned to do both), if I’m writing a post I can only do that and not draw.  If I log into Twitter….well forget about it!  Nothing gets done, but the time I spend on their with friends is so wonderful!  So you get my point.

As the New Year rolled in and I wallowed in not being able to post I started to think about what I was doing during this time.  I was adding a tweek to a friends blog design which was the … OMGAWD that is it!!  Fantastic and I was redesigning Shirley’s  blog. As I reflect on what I spent my time doing,  I realized I was doing exactly what I would want to be doing.  I was working with two friends,  designing and beautifying their spaces and I was lucky enough to be part of their journeys… and I could not have thought of a better way to welcome in 2013!

SMChange

 

 

HeckAwesomButtom

 

 

12 Days of Joy: Day 5

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For the last few weeks I have struggled to find balance between writing and drawing.  I often only have time for one, but I love both.   I absolutely love that I have both of them as creative outlets.  Today I bring you Moose.  Throw in a holiday cupcake and some bubbles and…well…so much fun!!!

BathMoose

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KissMoose