Countdown to Smartboard

Two days and counting. The Smartboard that will adorn my room will be installed on Wednesday! I can't wait. I have many lessons already done and ready to go and I am lucky enough to be subscribed to a wonderful site headed up by James Hollis. He seems to be quite the Guru! He has already taken time out of his busy schedule to help me out with a couple of questions regarding the Smartboard. The resources for the Smartboard seem to be endless. I guess the only setback on finding resources is time. I am excited and ready to start a new page in my teaching career.

Smartboard

I got to use Mr. Page's Smartboard today! What an amazing tool. The technology involved in this thing is totally amazing! The kids really got into it (almost as much as I did!). In my opinion every classroom should have one. It is teaching at a whole new level.

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Computer App Teaching

I had a very motivating and busy day today at school. My 8th graders started using Google Reader today to come up with some information for their new blog post. The 7th graders took their Chapter 7 Test so I got those graded and ready to hand back tomorrow. I got lesson plans done for next week which, to me, was amazing considering today was my first day back in school from watching over my sick kids. I also had the opportunity to introduce my student observer to Google Apps and Twitter. She is so excited. She plans on sharing it with her friends and fellow Golden Apple Award winners. It is really rejuvenating to see a young person that is going to be entering the teaching profession so excited about technology and it's uses in the classroom. I really believe she is going to be a wonderful teacher. She will be my student teacher next fall.

Technology Workshop

On Friday, when you students were enjoying the day off, we teachers were busy learning about technology. Throughout the district creating web pages, creating audio files, and learning about Google Reader, were all being taught and learned. It was a fun day and I was lucky enough to get to help in the teaching. I, as my students know, get very excited about technology. It was a pleasure to work with all the teachers in our district. The below video is how we opened our part of the workshop. I thought my students would like to see the numbers that relate to them and their peers. Some of the numbers are pretty staggering! Enjoy the video and let me know what you think.

Snow (Ice) Days

The first "snow-days" of the season fell upon us this week. The "snow-days" allowed us to have, at least, a four day weekend. My kids enjoyed yesterday but fell into the "boredums" today. I kept telling myself to get writing on my blog but blogging has recently taken a back seat to my podcasting. I think my students enjoy the podcasts more and I also think they have more personality to them.

Anyway, what did I do with the two days off? On Monday I went for a walk with the kids in the mall, went and did some grocery shopping, cleaned the house, and made my "famous" chili. I was busy most of the day. I felt very accomplished and got a lot done. Today (Tuesday) I didn't do much until around 3. I mean, I did the normal things to keep the house running with two kids in it. I cooked lunch for them and picked up the house. I got to spend quite a bit of time on the computer. I took the kids to see "Enchanted", which by the way, was a very good movie, at 4:00 and then I dropped them off at home. I then went to the mall to do my walk. I really needed the walk. It was nice to get out of the house for awhile and just "chill". School is still up in the air for tomorrow but I really need to get back in a routine. You students know how I am!

Podcast Away!

As most of you students know, I went to a podcast workshop yesterday. In some ways it was very interesting and exciting but in others it was rather disappointing. It was more of a push to buy Apple products than it was to enhance our knowledge about podcasts. The gentleman that presented at this workshop was very knowledgeable but I feel at times he talked over some of our heads. We were provided minimal time to work with podcasts on a Mac book. That would of been fine if all of us were familiar with how to use a Mac. I don't think anyone in the room, besides the the two men that came to present at the conference, were familiar enough with macs to get down to business concerning podcasts. Podcasts as a learning tool are, and will continue to be, a wonderful technological advance. I will find out how to do podcasts with Windows. I think I can be successful. All that being said, I was impressed with the Mac book. Once I got familiar with the small differences in how to use it, it was pretty easy to use and I was impressed with how everything seemed to flow together.

PODCASTS ARE DEFINITELY MY NEXT CHALLENGE IN TECH-TEACHING!

Listening Skills

One of the most amazing skills to observe is listening. I would consider it a true art form. I see wide ranges of listening skills in the kids that I teach. Some kids can listen to my notes and not write a single thing down and that is all they need. These kids usually do fairly well on the tests. I would say that this type of listener only happens maybe once every two years in the school setting. These type of people make me extremely jealous! I have never been able to do this and never will. I am the type of person that has to write something down if I am going to remember it. I do write it down though. Some kids, the majority, take notes daily and follow directions to the T. Then we have the kids (people) that look right at you and look as if they are not missing a word and then they ask you a question two minutes from then about what you just talked about! These type of people usually don't write anything down and expect you to repeat the instructions as many times as they need. I do not have much tolerance for this. If you are a poor listener then learn to write down anything of importance (and keep track of it)! Like I said, as a teacher I see all kinds of listening skills and try to improve every kid's listening skills. This is sometimes a daunting job!...SO LISTEN UP!

A Busy Day

Boy, did today fly by! I was so busy trying to catch up on grading projects, running copies, getting makeup work in the grade book, and putting grades in STI, that the day disappeared without warning. This is always a busy time of year but especially when you have a sick child and the end of the quarter is coming up! I got to school today at 7 and did not take lunch today but pretty much got caught up on things. What a feeling of satisfaction! It is just kind of a messed up week. My son was sick yesterday, the kids had an assembly that lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes, and ISAT testing is on Thursday and Friday morning. This is one of those weeks where your lesson plan book looks more like hieroglyphics than anything that resembles plans for teaching. I think we all need these type of weeks. These kind of weeks keep us on our toes and let us know that we are alive. It gets us out of the daily mud that so many of us drag through.

Substitutes...the lack thereof

Substitutes in Adams County, Illinois are becoming increasingly hard to come by. Why? Are they not paid well enough? Do the kids act differently towards subs in this day and age? Is the lack of substitutes just hurting our area or is it a state, or even nationwide, problem? These are some of the questions I have concerning this somewhat serious situation.

The problem is serious due to the fact that the state requires us, as teachers, to get so many continuing professional development units (CPDUs). I think the professional development is a necessity but if schools cannot get substitutes for teachers to get out of the classroom, attend seminars and conferences, to better their teaching skills and get their CPDUs, then we are fighting a losing battle. There has to be something done!

I will also say that, at our particular school, the quality of the substitute goes down drastically after the first two or three are hired. I am talking about professionalism and the ability to control a classroom. Some of our subs think that it is their right to get onto the computers that are in our room or to change lesson plans at their leisure! Do any of you have any ideas on what to do to solve, or at least alleviate, this problem?

Midterms Already!

The longer I teach the faster the school years go. It seems like yesterday when I was talking about my classroom rules and what kind of things we were going to be doing in class this year. Midterms are this Thursday! In a little over a month we will be celebrating Halloween which, for me, symbolizes the start of the holiday season. We always have Parent/Teacher conferences around Halloween, which is a busy time. The time flies two-fold around the holidays. Not only are you extremely busy at school but there always seems to be something to occupy your time, besides routine items. Holiday parties, holiday programs, getting together with all of the parts of your family are just some of the social events that make holiday time fly by.

The school year is going great so far. The kids are working hard and have finally established a routine (KNOCK ON WOOD). I have a great bunch of kids in junior high this year. I think when things are going well it also puts the time in overdrive. My kids are doing well in school and seem to be enjoying it. I hope we all continue to smile throughout the year. I always have to remind myself to slow down and take time to enjoy the kids.

The School Itch

Well, I'm itchy again! It is that time of summer when my body starts to tell me to get my mind, and body, back into school form. It is time to start getting a routine going. It is time to start the beginning of the school year prep. It is time to get those Powerpoints done for my new class. It is time to get all the summer projects wrapped up. Before you know it it will be the final blowout of the summer. In my case it is the KC BBQ. This is a last chance to get together with friends and cut loose one more time before the school year kicks off.

You might say, "It is only the third week in July!". You are correct! I am, as accused by my students, my wife, and my co-workers, a neat freak, an over organized organizer. It did not take me long in my teaching career to figure out that the sooner you get stuff done the more time you have to handle surprises. Believe me, in teaching, every year there are surprises! This will be my 16th year teaching. I know, I am old. There is just something about knowing you are completely ready for that first day of school. The first few days are less stressful. I feel more at ease. The students feel more at ease. EVERYONE is more at ease! So I am guilty as accused! I am organized, motivated, and ready for the 2007-2008 school year to begin!

What Do Teachers Do In The Summer?

What do teachers do in the summer? That is a question that is always asked. Some of us go back to school. Some of us travel. Some of us work another job. Those of us that have kids usually spend the summer dropping off and picking up our kids from summer activities (summer ball, camps, etc.). I thought I would tell you a little about my summer.

I usually go to bed later than usual but I still usually get up around 6:30 so I can do my morning walk (about 2 1/2 miles). I do the walk that early so I can get back before my wife leaves for work. The "regular" things I do around the house are pretty mundane. I do yard work, clean, cook, and run the kids around. This year my daughter is in her second year of T-ball and my son just finished up football camp at QND. The kids are also taking swimming lessons this summer again. My son will also be attending "Kid's College" for his third consecutive year. I always have projects that I like to get done during the summer. This year I have already painted the trim on the front porch and I am working on painting the trim on the garage. Every summer I try to clean out the garage and the basement. I camp, fish, go to movies, and play ball with my kids as often as I can. By the way, my son and I just got back from Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End and I thought it was great! I thoroughly enjoy the kids!...most days. I really consider myself lucky to be able to spend this time with my kids and watch them grow and mature during the summer months. This summer, like most summers, I have to get ahead on Powerpoints for my new book in Physical Science. Next year it will hopefully be Life Science. I also try to take the kids to my parents for 4-5 days during the summer. We always spend those 4-5 days running, trying to get all the fun we can get packed into those 4-5 days.

Some of you might say that I should get another job during the summer. First of all, does this not sound like a job! Secondly, any job I would get during the summer would not even pay for daycare costs for the summer. So to all of you that are angry or jealous of the summers that teachers have, you should be. This is a special time especially when you have kids.

Teaching Tech to Kids?

I think it is time to really stir the pot! The reason I am doing this whole blog thing is because of a really interesting, and I would even say controversial, technology seminar. The seminar was given by Will Richardson. He is a presenter, speaker, teacher, writer, and fellow blogger (although I would say my blogs should not be compared to his). What an interesting seminar it was! I do wish we could have explored his ideas and teachings another day. During the seminar he talked about RSS, blogging, and podcasts. He didn't have time to get to Wikis, which I am still in the dark about. He had some very interesting points about education. His one example that stands out in my mind was about memorization. He said, "Why would a teacher have students memorize the capitol's of the states in this day and age? Wouldn't it be much better to teach them how to find the information quickly and easily using technology that they already use?" This really hit home since I have had this feeling for quite awhile. I am not saying that technology can solve all problems and that some worksheets and memorization are not needed, but I think as educators in this day and age we need to seriously rethink how we are teaching. Since almost anything can be found on the web fairly quickly, shouldn't it be taught in schools? I don't mean "Look this up on the web." I mean, "Let's learn how to do research on the web. Let's also learn what are valid information sources on the web." Do I mean just students when I make these statements? Certainly not! I would venture to say that most students could actually teach most teachers a thing or two concerning the web, including searches. The one thing that was discussed in the seminar that worried many of the educators were standardized tests (ISAT, ITBS). Obviously these are not set up for technology savvy students. Something will have to change in the state of Illinois, and nationally, for this type of technology driven curriculum to take hold. Another obvious negative is the price tag. Most schools (especially my school's size - under 300 students 7-12) don't have the monies available to implement this type of technology driven curriculum. Will Richardson has written a book that I have to get my hands on. The name of it is Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. What is your opinion on where technology is going in the classroom?