Happy many things.
It is Homecoming week here at my school; many girls (and boys) walking around with mums bigger than their bodies on today! Also Halloween--had to take away a mask last class period. Distractions, distractions! How do we teach with so many distractions?
What is distracting to one is not distracting to another. In all my classes, we are using computers and Web 2.0 tecnologies to enhance the learning experience. For example--in my Sports Marketing Class, they are working on a big 9 weeks project; 12 different assignments. My cooperating teacher has posted the whole assignment on a "wiki"--it's a web based technology, like wikipedia. The students are actually creating this project on the web--you can see it at http://springwoodshs.wikispaces.com/ and by navigating under S & EM Project, then the Team Pages. Is it distracting for them? NO!! They love using all of the new technologies; they are better at it an more interested in it than a lot of long time educators, and they are all (well, most)working very hard.
No, it is not your traditional paper and pencil make a poster activity. It's innovative! I am learning so much from my cooperating teacher about keeping things new and fresh in the classroom. But there are many teachers aout there who would not attempt a project like this, out of fear and something new. Also it is "a distraction" for the students to have internet access, according to some teachers. What if they are on My Space? Facebook? You Tube? At school? Bad?
Picture this--in my Business Education Independent Study Class they are partcipating in an internet based global project called Flat Classroom http://flatclassroomproject2008.wikispaces.com/, based on the book "The World is Flat" by Thomas Freidman. As part of this project, they have created a social network (called a Ning) that looks a WHOLE lot like Facebook--the kids immediately relate to it, and are using it to connect with other students in the project all over the world. See it at http://flatclassroomproject.ning.com/ Bad? No--REALLY good!
So a long story to make a point--"distractions" can be positive. And what is a distraction to you or me is an educational opportunity for someone else.
Here's to all of life's distractions
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
But Miss-Why do I have to blog?
I was asked this question today by one of my students. Why do I have to blog? I can express myself many other ways, he said. This is very true. We are using blogs in the classroom as a way to promote communication, of all types, by our students. Our students today do not do enough writing, and I am finding with my own high school son that he considers writing a chore, or a punishment. We, as teachers, are not doing enough to promote writing as "fun", or a creative outlet. So I sent my students to Ms. Cuellars blog. It's writing, but it's fun! It has links to interesting places, and even a video of her face on an M & M singing that she created. One student asked--I can make my blog fun like that?? That's the beauty--a blog can be anything you want it to be. The sky is the limit. Blog on........
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
TeXes PPR Test
One month and then some down in my student teaching, I have until December 10 until I am "done". Actually , I have decided I will never be "done" student teaching, because I will always have something new to learn, and sometimes the students are the teachers!
I took my second certification test today--the TeXes PPR required by the state of Texas. I hope I passed. I thought I was prepared, then had some extra time this morning and went to Barnes & Noble to look at an additonal review book--those questions were a lot harder than the review book I had been using. So that made me nervous. Glad I looked at the second review book, because it was a better indicator of the test than the first (Princeton Review--bad marks from me). If I don't pass, I know which book to get for next time!
Anyway, my point, and my mentor teacher and I discussed this, is for the test you have to answer the politically correct way, which may not actually be the way that works in the classroom. I know I probably missed a few questions because of this.
A good productive day, overall. If I had been at school, my students were also testing, taking the PSAT. I hope my mentor teacher is getting a lot done without me there following her around! Sometimes it is hard to share "space"--my "space" is a corner of a desk right now! Looking forward to my own classroom....
I took my second certification test today--the TeXes PPR required by the state of Texas. I hope I passed. I thought I was prepared, then had some extra time this morning and went to Barnes & Noble to look at an additonal review book--those questions were a lot harder than the review book I had been using. So that made me nervous. Glad I looked at the second review book, because it was a better indicator of the test than the first (Princeton Review--bad marks from me). If I don't pass, I know which book to get for next time!
Anyway, my point, and my mentor teacher and I discussed this, is for the test you have to answer the politically correct way, which may not actually be the way that works in the classroom. I know I probably missed a few questions because of this.
A good productive day, overall. If I had been at school, my students were also testing, taking the PSAT. I hope my mentor teacher is getting a lot done without me there following her around! Sometimes it is hard to share "space"--my "space" is a corner of a desk right now! Looking forward to my own classroom....
Thursday, October 2, 2008
MISS!!! I need help
The title of my blog is how my students summon me. Now, I am a casual person, but I do have a name. So now that my students are becoming more comfortable with me, we are working on proper ettiquette! My name is Mrs. Clayton or Ms. C--since both teacher in my room have last names beginning with C, that is a good way to get one of us to respond.
But it also means that more and more students are asking me for help, and I am taking a more active role in teaching the class, so I am relishing the "MISS"!!! requests.
A reason why I have been hearing "MISS" so much is that we have had a lot of technological issues this week with our classroom computers. Yeterday, they started "hiding" files that we were working in, causing the students to have to open them again and again (and again, and so on) to perform all of the necessary functions we were learning in the lesson. Some of my less than patient students were very frustrated. I was beginning to loose patience myself, especially after I sat down to work through a few lesson and had to repopen the document 22 times (I kept count). yesterday afternnon, nice Ms. Cuellar stayed late to try and fix the problem. We thought we had it fixed! Then the first class that tried it today continued to have problems. Technology is a wonderful thing, but when it doesn't work, it is a TERRIBLE thing.
Maybe tomorrow will be better... :)
But it also means that more and more students are asking me for help, and I am taking a more active role in teaching the class, so I am relishing the "MISS"!!! requests.
A reason why I have been hearing "MISS" so much is that we have had a lot of technological issues this week with our classroom computers. Yeterday, they started "hiding" files that we were working in, causing the students to have to open them again and again (and again, and so on) to perform all of the necessary functions we were learning in the lesson. Some of my less than patient students were very frustrated. I was beginning to loose patience myself, especially after I sat down to work through a few lesson and had to repopen the document 22 times (I kept count). yesterday afternnon, nice Ms. Cuellar stayed late to try and fix the problem. We thought we had it fixed! Then the first class that tried it today continued to have problems. Technology is a wonderful thing, but when it doesn't work, it is a TERRIBLE thing.
Maybe tomorrow will be better... :)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Post Hurricane Ike
Well, we are long last back at school after Hurricane Ike. Many in the city do not have power, still, almost two weeks later. The first day back, we had all the students blog about their Hurricane experiences.
For me, it was much louder than what I expected. It was scary, because the hurricane came on shore at 2:30 a.m., so most of the heavy winds and rain were during the dark hours before daybreak. By daybreak, the winds had calmed down enough to go outside. Our neighborhodd did not have much damage, but there were so many trees and tree limbs blown down around us. Many roads were impassable and there was no power, so the stoplights did not work. We were lucky because our power was restored after only 4 days.
I am glad to be back student teaching and getting to know my students.
For me, it was much louder than what I expected. It was scary, because the hurricane came on shore at 2:30 a.m., so most of the heavy winds and rain were during the dark hours before daybreak. By daybreak, the winds had calmed down enough to go outside. Our neighborhodd did not have much damage, but there were so many trees and tree limbs blown down around us. Many roads were impassable and there was no power, so the stoplights did not work. We were lucky because our power was restored after only 4 days.
I am glad to be back student teaching and getting to know my students.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Hurricane is Coming!
My first week of student teaching was, lets just say, ATYPICAL. My first day my teacher had to leave to help evacuate her sister from Lake Jackson. So I got to Experience TEACHING right off the bat and learn that the key to teaching is..always expect the unexpected. The day went great! I enjoyed meeting the students and finding my way around. I learned what is good and bad to eat in the school cafeteria. I learned that I need to invest in more comfortable shoes!
My second day was a little calmer, but not much. You see, those of you not on the Gulf Coast may not know this, but, um, we have a little HURRICANE named Ike headed straight for us. So we were already assuming we probably would not have school today. Students can sense this a mile away--by 8:00 a.m. they were already asking if the school was getting out early. No such luck, but they did cancel today as expected. Since landfall is not expected until overnight, today is actually a pretty nice day in Houston. My younger son and I just ventured out to see what was still open. The grocery store seems to be the most popular place to be--and we did find McDonalds still open (of course). The husband and other son went off to the gym; also still open. Most everything expected to be shut down tonight, so have to get out while we can.
That's all for now!
My second day was a little calmer, but not much. You see, those of you not on the Gulf Coast may not know this, but, um, we have a little HURRICANE named Ike headed straight for us. So we were already assuming we probably would not have school today. Students can sense this a mile away--by 8:00 a.m. they were already asking if the school was getting out early. No such luck, but they did cancel today as expected. Since landfall is not expected until overnight, today is actually a pretty nice day in Houston. My younger son and I just ventured out to see what was still open. The grocery store seems to be the most popular place to be--and we did find McDonalds still open (of course). The husband and other son went off to the gym; also still open. Most everything expected to be shut down tonight, so have to get out while we can.
That's all for now!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
My First Blog
Hello! This is my first blog. Tomorrow I begin a 12 week assignment which will involve a life change for me. I am finishing my teaching certificate to teach high school business after spending 25 years in the corporate world. I will meet my students and spend a couple of days observing "how things work" at my school and in my classroom. I'm so ready to begin! I am working with an awesome teacher and hope to learn a lot. More later...
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