CafePress Questions ...

So, here’s a good one for you … LAST January CafePress automatically billed my credit card for a website that I no longer wanted. Billing the credit card was quickly resolved. However, they took the cash balance that I earned through my sales and applied it to the credit as well. It’s been TEN months since this error occurred and they STILL haven’t returned the money to my account – even though I’ve been told that this money should have been returned to me a number of times. If you have experienced the same or similar problem, PLEASE SEND ME A NOTE! I want to see if this is a common practice by the company.

Since I have been calling more often, I’ve also started noticing that not all of my images and products appear in the Market Place. All of my photos are tagged with my name, so there is no reason why they shouldn’t be appearing. If you sell products in the market place and have noticed the same error, please SEND ME A NOTE.

I really am interested in seeing how wide-spread this problem is. Thanks!!!

Internet TESL Journal

Internet TESL Journal is one of my personal favorite sites for flash quizzes. (A flash quiz means that each time students access the site, the questions are introduced in a different order.) I prefer this kind of an online quiz because students can be tested on the same information but STILL be seated next to each other ... The other advantage to using this site is that students don’t become accustomed to the order of questions and memorize the answers. From my experience, it really seems like a better way to use the same system to test the student’s understanding of the points.

Sheppard Software

Sheppard Software: The first few times I stumbled across this link, I didn’t include it in any of my resources; the colors of the site are quite bright, the titles of sections are titled “Kid’s Corner”, and even some of the pictures were of children. I was concerned that including the information would make my adult learners feel as if they were not viewed as a mature individual.

However, after taking a closer look, I realized that the site is evolving. The developers realized the information was not only attracting their initial audience – elementary aged students – but it’s also beginning to attract a wider audience. At the bottom of the page, the information is divided into levels, such as what would be interest an elementary, a high school, or an adult student.

One of the problems that many of our students face is loosing academic time while they are acquiring the language skills; thus, the students spend the time learning English rather than the specifics of geography. This site could possible link the two areas if the students are specifically directed to the specific subject. As teachers, we know that students learn faster when engaged and interested in the topic!

Before introducing this to students, pre-screen the site. Be sure that the link that you send the students includes more of the mature material. Thus, sending them to the “Painting Activities” page really wouldn’t be helpful. Nevertheless, the resource is DEFINITELY worth looking into!

Sites for Mothers

I’m interested in creating a series about how we – mothers – TRULY look after childbirth. This is a series that will probably take a lifetime to complete because anything besides the Hollywood perfect image is seems to be simply unacceptable in the overall culture. Also, I'm learning how to balance being a mother, working, and all of the other details that have now become of my daily routine ... In the process, I found found a few groups that seem to focus on these areas.

dA Mommies is a group of artists who are mothers. I really like this group because it is a wonderful platform for mothers to share their stories, artworks, and get advice about any of the two.

The Shape of a Mother is a site where mothers share images of how they REALLY look – rather than the nip-and-tucked version that is smeared all over the media. A while ago, I submitted an article called “Beauty, Art and Post-pregnancy” – which the above link will forward you to.

Pregnant & Beautiful is a group of artists who focus on women, their bodies, children, and other images. This is a new group that I just stumbled across …

Does anyone know of other groups that are platforms for mothers? I’m also interested in areas where mothers can network with other artists.

BASIC Vocabulary for Students Learning English

This resource is intended for students who are learned English as an ESL/ELL student in the high school setting, an adult student in a community education program, or a student just beginning to learn English as a Foreign Language. All of the resources included in this link are free! If there is an area that you would like to see expanded, please feel free to leave me a note either just below this blog or in the “Reader Feedback” section of http://www.squidoo.com/english-vocab .