So after a LOOOOONG hiatus from blogging, I have returned, with a newfound goal of streamlining my life in all of it's facets....
I'm going to focus this blog exclusively on my teaching as our school goes through some MAJOR curriculum and organizational changes. I found myself in a 'funk' this past year, and honestly, I'm not sure if it was from personal reasons or professional reasons... but I am going to use this next school year to focus on my professional self and making some MAJOR changes to both my practice and my organizational methods.
Beginning Monday, I'll be able to use a prototype of my INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK that I'm using this fall. I'm using my 5-6 and 7-8 summer school students as guinea pigs for my experimen. They have no idea what's in store for them... (insert evil laugh here). I'm planning on posting some of what we complete on this blog, and then modify it for the school year. We'll see how things go...
I hope to find some motivation and encouragement on this blog - coupled with what I hope is some profitable documents on TeachersPayTeachers.com I have found a TON of useful resources on this site, from FOLDABLES to LESSON PLANS to COMMON CORE CHECKLISTS and I hope that I can share some of my own resources to the teaching population.
Finally, I will mention my own TEACHER ORGANIZATION methods. I have been teaching for (gasp) 18 years and you might hope I know what I'm doing... but admittedly, I am always finding new and improved ways of doing things. My most recent endeavor is the online lesson plan book. There are definitely pros and cons to this. This past year, based on my course load, I went back to the 'traditional' method, but I'm hoping to use the electronics to my advantage this year. I also am super psyched about hyperlinks and PDFs as a method of using technology to save not only paper, but also communicate to parents and students alike. However, training the kids and equal access continues to be a challenge. Sometimes I wonder if 'traditional' paper and pencil should continue rather than the modern electronic education.
Still, I would LOVE to podcast and vidcast and 'flip the classroom' but I know I can only bite off small chunks (I tend to take on LOTS and not always get the results I should...). Picking a goal and taking the small steps to meet it will be my new endeavor. And I hope to share it with you.
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Stress
I am quite overwhelmed and need a stress release.
I get a hug and a kiss from my kiddo and that makes me soooooo happy.
I realize that work and it's related items are exhausting, but it's so nice to be appreciated.
Now...I have to get back to my piles of goodies...(ie: papers)
I get a hug and a kiss from my kiddo and that makes me soooooo happy.
I realize that work and it's related items are exhausting, but it's so nice to be appreciated.
Now...I have to get back to my piles of goodies...(ie: papers)
Saturday, November 19, 2011
On the road again...
Heading back from a whirlwind of a trip to our nation's capital with the eighth grade. Always an adventure, always in flux, but after recuperating, I can say was a successful trip.
Overall, my question becomes though: "what is our goal". I think that I have some personal goals that I could like our students to reach - how they fit into the world, how they fit into history, how they fit into our country... and respecting those who came before them. It is overwhelming when you think of the enormity of what is available in DC, and I think that it is unfortunately impossible to see it all, but being able to form it around a theme would be wonderful. Getting everyone to agree on a theme will be the challenge.
Of course, it is important to me that the kids realize the sacrifice that veterans made to establish and maintain this countries liberties. The war memorials and Arlington National Cemetery are always my favorite places to visit to have that moment of awe. Unfortunately, for me, the fast paced aspect didn't allow for that quiet moment to soak it in. I'm continuously kid-wrangling.
Pausing a moment to reflect is especially important for our town in the past several years, and nationwide important in election years. Being able to reflect on where we've been will help in planning for where we're going. I think that we as a society tend to forget that. The media certainly helps facilitate much of the negativity. But kids are so impressionable and are becoming much more of a 'sound bite' generation that they don't study the big idea. That really concerns me.
I also have decided that I am very scattered, but have high energy during trips like this. My goal for next year is to script that energy into something that can be in hand for other teachers. I don't really think about it, but others have said that I do a 'good job' at it, so I really should get it on paper. Maybe I do have a future as a tour guide! The high energy though does come at a price. I'm spent...and sick. My body has hit a wall and I need to sit back and take care of myself to gear up for what the next week has to bring...
Overall, my question becomes though: "what is our goal". I think that I have some personal goals that I could like our students to reach - how they fit into the world, how they fit into history, how they fit into our country... and respecting those who came before them. It is overwhelming when you think of the enormity of what is available in DC, and I think that it is unfortunately impossible to see it all, but being able to form it around a theme would be wonderful. Getting everyone to agree on a theme will be the challenge.
Of course, it is important to me that the kids realize the sacrifice that veterans made to establish and maintain this countries liberties. The war memorials and Arlington National Cemetery are always my favorite places to visit to have that moment of awe. Unfortunately, for me, the fast paced aspect didn't allow for that quiet moment to soak it in. I'm continuously kid-wrangling.
Pausing a moment to reflect is especially important for our town in the past several years, and nationwide important in election years. Being able to reflect on where we've been will help in planning for where we're going. I think that we as a society tend to forget that. The media certainly helps facilitate much of the negativity. But kids are so impressionable and are becoming much more of a 'sound bite' generation that they don't study the big idea. That really concerns me.
I also have decided that I am very scattered, but have high energy during trips like this. My goal for next year is to script that energy into something that can be in hand for other teachers. I don't really think about it, but others have said that I do a 'good job' at it, so I really should get it on paper. Maybe I do have a future as a tour guide! The high energy though does come at a price. I'm spent...and sick. My body has hit a wall and I need to sit back and take care of myself to gear up for what the next week has to bring...
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Summer, it was nice knowing you...
Time flies when you're having fun. Summer has come to a close as we hunkered down for Hurricane Irene - fortunately, a bust around here, but other places are seeing swollen rivers and cars bobbing downstream like rubber ducks. Dangerous - and hopefully, people took precautions and aren't being stupid.
The kids are excited that they have an extra day off (call it a snow day for lack of another term) but I'm surprised that the delay isn't posted online on either the school site or the television station. We received a phone call on Saturday from the Superintendent, enough to ease my mind prior to the storm, but I assumed that the television stations didn't post it yet...focusing more on the canceled church services and shelter openings. However, it is now Sunday evening and it still isn't posted. Of course, the kids were expecting to go on Tuesday anyway...so maybe it will show up on the scroll tomorrow.
As for summer, it was a blast - busy, busy, busy. Still have a long list of items that weren't accomplished, but did get through many of the little items on the list. Throwing in the towel on some of the items that I am perfectly capable of, but choosing not to (painting rooms, major cleaning), I think I'll give in to the hiring squad. I can't do it all of course, but would like to have a clean house for more than 10 minutes.
Awaiting the onset of fall weather to make the switch for seasonal clothes. Might be able to get a few more weeks out of the summerish items before packing them up and finding the wool sweaters and snow boots. And then I'll be eagerly anticipating the next real snow day!
The kids are excited that they have an extra day off (call it a snow day for lack of another term) but I'm surprised that the delay isn't posted online on either the school site or the television station. We received a phone call on Saturday from the Superintendent, enough to ease my mind prior to the storm, but I assumed that the television stations didn't post it yet...focusing more on the canceled church services and shelter openings. However, it is now Sunday evening and it still isn't posted. Of course, the kids were expecting to go on Tuesday anyway...so maybe it will show up on the scroll tomorrow.
As for summer, it was a blast - busy, busy, busy. Still have a long list of items that weren't accomplished, but did get through many of the little items on the list. Throwing in the towel on some of the items that I am perfectly capable of, but choosing not to (painting rooms, major cleaning), I think I'll give in to the hiring squad. I can't do it all of course, but would like to have a clean house for more than 10 minutes.
Awaiting the onset of fall weather to make the switch for seasonal clothes. Might be able to get a few more weeks out of the summerish items before packing them up and finding the wool sweaters and snow boots. And then I'll be eagerly anticipating the next real snow day!
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