I've not blogged about class in so long that I'm pretty sure my license is going to be revoked or expire or something!
This past month we had two more days of service, and continued through The Six Most important Decisions book. We've actually wrapped up Parents and are making our way into Dating and Sex. We had some good discussions last week as we looked at survey results.
It was fun to look at how little or how much some students knew about their parents and vise versa. I think it offered a good opportunity for my students to have a conversation with their parents. Even some who swore they knew everything and told their parents everything tended to get something wrong.
This week we've started in on rules of dating. Students are currently posting personal type pages as a blog on NING. They can get extra credit by replying to someone's ad blog with a hyperlink to their own personal page.
I am going to try to make an effort to be better at this!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Cursed!
I think I might actually be cursed. And I'm pretty sure they're going to revoke my seminar license. We had another eventful Friday to say the least. But before we get into that, let's take a look back at the week. Moving along with the second decision, Friends, we wrote another journal before exploring friendship survival tips. The journal was, "Write about something nice you can plan to do for a friend or group of friends in the near future. How will this improve your relationship?" The class was split into groups that each had a single tip to explain or illustrate to the class. It was kind of interesting seeing what they took a way from each tip.
The second part of the class we wrote another journal:
“It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.” Explain. Is this true? Give examples. This part of the book focused on peer pressure. There was some good conversation about how to stand up to peer pressure. Mr. Pitts also flew us all to UNC from the moo I think via Google Earth. It was really cool being able to zoom in on areas of the campus and see some pictures. It made things on Friday's trip stand out that much more.
Friday we rolled out as close to 7:30 as I could make it. Thankfully we had Mrs. Bolick as a guest driver! She really did save the day; although, most of the kids had no idea. The trip was much longer than I had planned on, so we missed our tour time. But Ms. Brody got the kids into an informational lecture, which was very informative. Then we ate lunch in the pit! It was really a chill day. The unfortunate part was that we had limited time. So after enjoying the culture of the pit, we headed to Franklin Street where we got to do some shopping and take in more of the culture.
The kids seemed to really enjoy the relaxed nature of the day. However, my curse struck again! We had gotten to Statesville on the way home when I40 turned into a parking lot. Luckily I knew a few ways around. We had to go a bit out of our way, but still made it back to school before the dance...almost an hour late but before the dance!
Next time I'm adding an hour for traffic's sake!
The second part of the class we wrote another journal:
“It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.” Explain. Is this true? Give examples. This part of the book focused on peer pressure. There was some good conversation about how to stand up to peer pressure. Mr. Pitts also flew us all to UNC from the moo I think via Google Earth. It was really cool being able to zoom in on areas of the campus and see some pictures. It made things on Friday's trip stand out that much more.
Friday we rolled out as close to 7:30 as I could make it. Thankfully we had Mrs. Bolick as a guest driver! She really did save the day; although, most of the kids had no idea. The trip was much longer than I had planned on, so we missed our tour time. But Ms. Brody got the kids into an informational lecture, which was very informative. Then we ate lunch in the pit! It was really a chill day. The unfortunate part was that we had limited time. So after enjoying the culture of the pit, we headed to Franklin Street where we got to do some shopping and take in more of the culture.
The kids seemed to really enjoy the relaxed nature of the day. However, my curse struck again! We had gotten to Statesville on the way home when I40 turned into a parking lot. Luckily I knew a few ways around. We had to go a bit out of our way, but still made it back to school before the dance...almost an hour late but before the dance!
Next time I'm adding an hour for traffic's sake!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Again!
I'm getting so bad at this. I had a good excuse, but you know what they say about excuses. So let's get right to it. Two weeks ago, we had a crazy week with the PSAT. We had our normal Wednesday morning on Tuesday, and then Tuesday afternoon, we had a rotation of PSAT Prep, connections, and Student Led Conference prep. Wednesday morning was the PSAT and that afternoon was a normal Wednesday. Thursday was a regular Thursday, and Friday we returned to service.
So for the one day we had that week, Mr. Pitts led the class through a reflection of their Interviews. They also discussed the top 10 mistakes that applicants make in college essays. They looked at samples and began work on theirs.
Come Thursday, I was out with sick babies. My daughter ended up with an ear infection, and they thought that my son had strep. I stayed out with Zayden the rest of that week and the first part of this past week. I didn't get back to school until Wednesday.
The first part of the week was spent peer editing essays. The second part of the week students participated in a fish bowl discussion of Friends.
Friday we had Accuplacer testing in the morning and The Crucible in the afternoon.
This week we will continue to explore Friends.
So for the one day we had that week, Mr. Pitts led the class through a reflection of their Interviews. They also discussed the top 10 mistakes that applicants make in college essays. They looked at samples and began work on theirs.
Come Thursday, I was out with sick babies. My daughter ended up with an ear infection, and they thought that my son had strep. I stayed out with Zayden the rest of that week and the first part of this past week. I didn't get back to school until Wednesday.
The first part of the week was spent peer editing essays. The second part of the week students participated in a fish bowl discussion of Friends.
Friday we had Accuplacer testing in the morning and The Crucible in the afternoon.
This week we will continue to explore Friends.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Two for One?
So I totally missed last week's blog! Let's see here's the week in 30 seconds or less: the week started with the class being assigned about four pages to prepare a lesson from. The second part the lessons were taught, which went well. Friday was an early release and we did some PSAT prep.
That's awfully compact, but pretty accurate. We did some updating too, but that was the gist of it. This past week Mr. Pitts has taken more of a lead in the planning. I began by presenting a little information about the presentation we went to see on Wednesday and about our trip to The Carl Sandburg Home. Then Mr. Pitts led the classes through reading another section from our book. At the end of the reading, each table shared what they found interesting. Then Mr. Pitts had the class write about four areas: Passion, Talent, Need, and Conscience. We were looking for a place where those four areas overlapped. It helped some students begin to think seriously about what they want to major in when they transfer to a four year University.
The second part of the week Ms. Brody came in and we explored CFNC. After about 15 minutes of getting everyone into their accounts, we took some quizzes to find out which majors and or careers might fit our personalities. There was also a pretty cool tool that let you compare careers. Students worked on a worksheet that they e-mailed back to themselves for future reference and use.
Friday was a long day but still a lot of fun. We left later than I had hoped because several people were late or just didn't show up at all. But before too long we got out on the road. We drove to Flat Rock, NC were we visited The Carl Sandburg Home. The park, which was Sandburg's home from the 40s until his death in '67, was gorgeous, the park staff was awesome, the kids were well behaved, and the program we went through was very informative. All in all, it was a fantastic day! The only thing that would have made it better would have been not running into spontaneous construction traffic and an accident which put us over an hour behind.
This week, it's more work to get ready for mock college interviews, interviews, and a return to service!
That's awfully compact, but pretty accurate. We did some updating too, but that was the gist of it. This past week Mr. Pitts has taken more of a lead in the planning. I began by presenting a little information about the presentation we went to see on Wednesday and about our trip to The Carl Sandburg Home. Then Mr. Pitts led the classes through reading another section from our book. At the end of the reading, each table shared what they found interesting. Then Mr. Pitts had the class write about four areas: Passion, Talent, Need, and Conscience. We were looking for a place where those four areas overlapped. It helped some students begin to think seriously about what they want to major in when they transfer to a four year University.
The second part of the week Ms. Brody came in and we explored CFNC. After about 15 minutes of getting everyone into their accounts, we took some quizzes to find out which majors and or careers might fit our personalities. There was also a pretty cool tool that let you compare careers. Students worked on a worksheet that they e-mailed back to themselves for future reference and use.
Friday was a long day but still a lot of fun. We left later than I had hoped because several people were late or just didn't show up at all. But before too long we got out on the road. We drove to Flat Rock, NC were we visited The Carl Sandburg Home. The park, which was Sandburg's home from the 40s until his death in '67, was gorgeous, the park staff was awesome, the kids were well behaved, and the program we went through was very informative. All in all, it was a fantastic day! The only thing that would have made it better would have been not running into spontaneous construction traffic and an accident which put us over an hour behind.
This week, it's more work to get ready for mock college interviews, interviews, and a return to service!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Moving Right Along....
We began our week exploring more of our book, 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make. Specifically, we read the first 15 pages or so of the first chapter, School. The focus is on staying on the high road and seeing it through. at times you feel like you're preaching to the choir, but it's worth stressing the importance of staying in school.
The second part of the week we had two rotations. Mr. Pitts was in charge of one and I the other. When with Mr. Pitts, students took a survey and participated in a webquest type of assignment. The survey gave students their personality type and possible majors related to their type. Then they went on to find more information about majors and careers. They looked at unemployment rates and found colleges that offered their majors.
When they were with me, we worked on our social network on ning. First they wrote a blog about all of the things they've ever wanted to be when they grew up. They were required to have at least one embedded hyperlink. Then I asked them to go over to the forum section and respond to my question about their favorite part of junior year so far. If they had time, I encouraged them to respond to another forum.
Friday was our second service Friday. We returned to the same locations that we were at the Friday before. The highlight of the day for me was reading a story to one of the kindergarten classes. It was also very nice to pick up each location and be back at school in plenty of time to catch the buses. We have four service Fridays left, the second and third Fridays in October and November.
I can't wait to see what this week brings!
The second part of the week we had two rotations. Mr. Pitts was in charge of one and I the other. When with Mr. Pitts, students took a survey and participated in a webquest type of assignment. The survey gave students their personality type and possible majors related to their type. Then they went on to find more information about majors and careers. They looked at unemployment rates and found colleges that offered their majors.
When they were with me, we worked on our social network on ning. First they wrote a blog about all of the things they've ever wanted to be when they grew up. They were required to have at least one embedded hyperlink. Then I asked them to go over to the forum section and respond to my question about their favorite part of junior year so far. If they had time, I encouraged them to respond to another forum.
Friday was our second service Friday. We returned to the same locations that we were at the Friday before. The highlight of the day for me was reading a story to one of the kindergarten classes. It was also very nice to pick up each location and be back at school in plenty of time to catch the buses. We have four service Fridays left, the second and third Fridays in October and November.
I can't wait to see what this week brings!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
How can a short week be so long?
Last week was technically a short week, but boy it didn't feel like it! We blitzed on Tuesday, which means before lunch we had seen all classes. They were quick thirty minute classes, but it worked out better to keep things together. We mostly just worked on our 6 Goals for the 6 Decisions and updated our planners.
The second class of the week, we started by organizing our binders. We're only half way through the first 9 week grading period and already notebooks look like an Office Max exploded. We sorted through and put everything in its place. The next part of class consisted of tallying a weeks worth of out of school behavior. Everyone, myself included, logged a weeks worth of activities when we're not in school. We then took time to categorize those activities and total the hours spent doing various things. I collected these for a future lesson.
Then we read "School vs. Education" by Russel Baker. It's a satirical piece that questions what it takes to become "educated". We then had a good discussion about how one becomes educated and the control we have over our education. We talked a bit about attitude and desire being the key difference between going to school and getting an education!
Friday was September 11th, the anniversary of a travesty. It was also the National Day of Service and Remembrance. I was glad that our first service Friday was on the National Day of Service. At the end of the day, most everyone seemed to have had a good time. There were definitely quite a few students on my bus who were very excited about their day. And we made it back to school in time for the buses, so it was an awesome day!
The second class of the week, we started by organizing our binders. We're only half way through the first 9 week grading period and already notebooks look like an Office Max exploded. We sorted through and put everything in its place. The next part of class consisted of tallying a weeks worth of out of school behavior. Everyone, myself included, logged a weeks worth of activities when we're not in school. We then took time to categorize those activities and total the hours spent doing various things. I collected these for a future lesson.
Then we read "School vs. Education" by Russel Baker. It's a satirical piece that questions what it takes to become "educated". We then had a good discussion about how one becomes educated and the control we have over our education. We talked a bit about attitude and desire being the key difference between going to school and getting an education!
Friday was September 11th, the anniversary of a travesty. It was also the National Day of Service and Remembrance. I was glad that our first service Friday was on the National Day of Service. At the end of the day, most everyone seemed to have had a good time. There were definitely quite a few students on my bus who were very excited about their day. And we made it back to school in time for the buses, so it was an awesome day!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Progress report? What? How did we get half way through the grading period?
I'm still trying to figure out how we've got to the midterm point? Wow what a ride! This past week was good.
Mr. Pitts led a journal on a quote that tied back to Dead Poets Society. We then discussed how it applied to the movie and our lives. Then we reviewed The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by discussing them. We then had a chance to get a broad overview of The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make. The decisions are School, Friends, Parents, Dating & Sex, Addictions, and Self Worth. We'll start with School! What are going to do about it! We answered some brief questions about each of those 6 decisions in our journals.
The second part of the week Ms. Brody came in and talked about University visits and our trip to UNC-G. I made a few announcements about college classes and the magazine sales. I handed out the rubrics for the finding my place Friday collaboration and for the Essential 55 presentations. Then Mr. Pitts led the class through an activity writing SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) Goals linked to the 6 Decisions. The goals will be placed in or on the students' binders.
Friday was a whirlwind University visit to UNC-G. It was a short visit, but a good day. We got to explore a little, got an awesome group picture, ate all we could eat, and roamed around campus a bit more before heading home. My group found the meditation room...the Zen garden was full of rocks, but the room was pretty cool. On the ride home, the bus I was driving tried to die...repeatedly. Nevertheless, the kids were awesome, and we had a fantastic day!
Mr. Pitts led a journal on a quote that tied back to Dead Poets Society. We then discussed how it applied to the movie and our lives. Then we reviewed The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by discussing them. We then had a chance to get a broad overview of The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make. The decisions are School, Friends, Parents, Dating & Sex, Addictions, and Self Worth. We'll start with School! What are going to do about it! We answered some brief questions about each of those 6 decisions in our journals.
The second part of the week Ms. Brody came in and talked about University visits and our trip to UNC-G. I made a few announcements about college classes and the magazine sales. I handed out the rubrics for the finding my place Friday collaboration and for the Essential 55 presentations. Then Mr. Pitts led the class through an activity writing SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) Goals linked to the 6 Decisions. The goals will be placed in or on the students' binders.
Friday was a whirlwind University visit to UNC-G. It was a short visit, but a good day. We got to explore a little, got an awesome group picture, ate all we could eat, and roamed around campus a bit more before heading home. My group found the meditation room...the Zen garden was full of rocks, but the room was pretty cool. On the ride home, the bus I was driving tried to die...repeatedly. Nevertheless, the kids were awesome, and we had a fantastic day!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Carpe Diem!
Another week has passed and I'm starting to feel more comfortable in my new role. There is still a lot to do, but some things seem to be clicking. Last week was interesting. Mr. Pitts, my student teacher, started Monday, but I couldn't be there. I had to appear for jury service. I was eventually dismissed and back to school by Tuesday.
Mr. Pitts had Mr. Young to help with Monday and I was back on Tuesday to lead the class. We reflected on our experiences with the "Finding My Place race", the scavenger hunt that never seemed to end. We also filled out collaboration rubrics evaluating our performance and the performance of our teammates during the scavenger hunt. After that, Mr. Pitts had a chance to introduce himself and answer some questions. Off Campus Learning fee sheets and planners also went home. I postponed all presentations until the end of the week since I wasn't there on Monday.
The second part of the week started with Essential 55 presentations. Nearly every group had a chance to present a review of the Essential 55, some more creatively than others. Most groups just read the rules and then "acted' them out. I was a little disappointed especially since so many people had told me how good this group was at this type of creative presentation. After the groups were done presenting, we went through their planners some. We looked at different elements and how to use the planner effectively. We also added a bunch of Friday activities and other important dates.
Friday was a good day, though I did hear a game of witch hunt almost got out of hand. We started the day with a presentation to kick off our Magazine sell. It's a good opportunity for our students to help the school and help themselves. Students will receive $10 for every $50 worth of magazines sold for their end of the year Road Trip! After that, we spent the morning team building through game play. After lunch we watched Dead Poets Society. I asked students to view the film thinking about the 6 areas we will explore through our book, The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make.
I'm looking forward to this week and our first of three University visits!!
Mr. Pitts had Mr. Young to help with Monday and I was back on Tuesday to lead the class. We reflected on our experiences with the "Finding My Place race", the scavenger hunt that never seemed to end. We also filled out collaboration rubrics evaluating our performance and the performance of our teammates during the scavenger hunt. After that, Mr. Pitts had a chance to introduce himself and answer some questions. Off Campus Learning fee sheets and planners also went home. I postponed all presentations until the end of the week since I wasn't there on Monday.
The second part of the week started with Essential 55 presentations. Nearly every group had a chance to present a review of the Essential 55, some more creatively than others. Most groups just read the rules and then "acted' them out. I was a little disappointed especially since so many people had told me how good this group was at this type of creative presentation. After the groups were done presenting, we went through their planners some. We looked at different elements and how to use the planner effectively. We also added a bunch of Friday activities and other important dates.
Friday was a good day, though I did hear a game of witch hunt almost got out of hand. We started the day with a presentation to kick off our Magazine sell. It's a good opportunity for our students to help the school and help themselves. Students will receive $10 for every $50 worth of magazines sold for their end of the year Road Trip! After that, we spent the morning team building through game play. After lunch we watched Dead Poets Society. I asked students to view the film thinking about the 6 areas we will explore through our book, The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make.
I'm looking forward to this week and our first of three University visits!!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Crazy Weekend!
I completely forgot to write my blog yesterday! It was a crazy weekend. With my daughter's fourth birthday and then finding out I had jury service this Monday, I just completely forgot. So here goes...
We started the week with a journal reflecting on Friday's activities at Granite rec. We talked a little about the good and the bad from that experience to try and improve on future Friday activities. A lot of groups seemed upset that groups 8, 9, & 10 finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and the word "cheated" has been thrown around a lot. This Friday we heard more of it. It bothers me that so much energy seemed to be focused on cheating.
After discussing Friday, we went over my syllabus, website, and various links. We watched some of the videos from Friday. We also discussed my expectations a little more.
The second part of the week was spent preparing for the Graduation Project and reviewing The Essential 55. We wrote a journal about three things we liked, then we created a chart with at least three research ideas and products that could be done. We spent quite a bit of time answering questions and brainstorming research and product topics.
From there students were grouped by tables and assigned a group of rules from The Essential 55. They are preparing creative presentations to refresh our collective memories about what the Essential 55 are. I also pulled a few students to record video updates that talk about what's been going on in their classes and what's coming next.
Friday was an adventure to say the least. Students were split into 18 groups of 4. Each group was given an envelope with a picture in it. The pictures were taken in K building and Redwood Park as well as the path between the two. What should have happened was that groups would find their first picture and then find another envelope with a different picture. They would follow this trail collecting pictures as they went. At four places along the way they would run into their teachers who had challenge puzzles. Once they successfully completed the puzzle, the students were given another picture clue and a puzzle piece. At the end each group would collect 33 pictures and 4 puzzle pieces. When all 72 puzzle pieces were put back together, the students would "find their place" putting together a group picture of them.
Unfortunately, it didn't work so well. First when the teachers met and decided on how many pictures should be on the trail, we all thought that 33 could be found by lunch. We were wrong. We may have made the course too tricky. But that factor was the smallest. All teams were told to stay together and follow their own trail. Some chose to pick up any clue they saw rather than follow their own path. Some chose to leave group members behind. Some group members chose to wonder off from their group. Some even claimed to be ditched when really they had done the ditching. And the worst part was that someone chose to take envelopes with clues. By doing that, they left holes in the trail that made it near impossible for some groups to finish.
This was by far the biggest disappointment all day. I had made a point of explaining that the only way to win would be for all 18 teams to finish and bring back their puzzle pieces, and yet some people were so hung up on winning that they ruined the game for others. I hope we learned some valuable life lessons, but I fear that some people missed the point altogether.
As we journey this year to "Find My Place", I hope we can return to the memories of Friday and remember that we may face obstacles and we may indeed run into people who don't want us to be successful but at the end of the journey, it's really up to us to make the most of our journey!
We started the week with a journal reflecting on Friday's activities at Granite rec. We talked a little about the good and the bad from that experience to try and improve on future Friday activities. A lot of groups seemed upset that groups 8, 9, & 10 finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and the word "cheated" has been thrown around a lot. This Friday we heard more of it. It bothers me that so much energy seemed to be focused on cheating.
After discussing Friday, we went over my syllabus, website, and various links. We watched some of the videos from Friday. We also discussed my expectations a little more.
The second part of the week was spent preparing for the Graduation Project and reviewing The Essential 55. We wrote a journal about three things we liked, then we created a chart with at least three research ideas and products that could be done. We spent quite a bit of time answering questions and brainstorming research and product topics.
From there students were grouped by tables and assigned a group of rules from The Essential 55. They are preparing creative presentations to refresh our collective memories about what the Essential 55 are. I also pulled a few students to record video updates that talk about what's been going on in their classes and what's coming next.
Friday was an adventure to say the least. Students were split into 18 groups of 4. Each group was given an envelope with a picture in it. The pictures were taken in K building and Redwood Park as well as the path between the two. What should have happened was that groups would find their first picture and then find another envelope with a different picture. They would follow this trail collecting pictures as they went. At four places along the way they would run into their teachers who had challenge puzzles. Once they successfully completed the puzzle, the students were given another picture clue and a puzzle piece. At the end each group would collect 33 pictures and 4 puzzle pieces. When all 72 puzzle pieces were put back together, the students would "find their place" putting together a group picture of them.
Unfortunately, it didn't work so well. First when the teachers met and decided on how many pictures should be on the trail, we all thought that 33 could be found by lunch. We were wrong. We may have made the course too tricky. But that factor was the smallest. All teams were told to stay together and follow their own trail. Some chose to pick up any clue they saw rather than follow their own path. Some chose to leave group members behind. Some group members chose to wonder off from their group. Some even claimed to be ditched when really they had done the ditching. And the worst part was that someone chose to take envelopes with clues. By doing that, they left holes in the trail that made it near impossible for some groups to finish.
This was by far the biggest disappointment all day. I had made a point of explaining that the only way to win would be for all 18 teams to finish and bring back their puzzle pieces, and yet some people were so hung up on winning that they ruined the game for others. I hope we learned some valuable life lessons, but I fear that some people missed the point altogether.
As we journey this year to "Find My Place", I hope we can return to the memories of Friday and remember that we may face obstacles and we may indeed run into people who don't want us to be successful but at the end of the journey, it's really up to us to make the most of our journey!
We all journey towards the end; but in the end it is the journey that matters.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Week One!
Wow! What a week! I had a lot of fun during my first week as a seminar instructor. It seemed long, but an entire week on a blitz schedule always seems long. We started on Monday by talking about what seminar is and what they would like it to be. I went over schedules and a ton of forms.
Tuesday, we used sticky notes again this time we talked about each class. It worked out well and gave us time to talk about things we're looking forward to and the things that are making us anxious. The graduation project came up a lot, as did college biology. It was good to be able to have a candid conversation about some of these things.
Wednesday, we picked up college text books and tried to pay college fees. The vast majority of the juniors got both things taken care of, which was good. There are still a few who need to go and pay their $7 fee. Of course it was raining on Wednesday, which meant I got wet all day, but at least it wasn't 90 plus degrees!
Thursday, Mrs. Flowers our college liaison came in to help everyone with their student e-mail, blackboard, and webAdvisor. She helped make sure everyone could access their accounts and went over some of the features of each. I had everyone set up their accounts on or social network, http://cechsyear3.ning.com. It's a closed network just for us! I've been very pleased and excited about all the activity so far.
FRIDAY! was so much fun (sorry Brooke). We loaded buses and headed to the Granite Rec for team building, swim tests, and free play. You can see the videos to check out all the action!
We started with The Great Riddle Race! We split the students into teams of 7 and they had to run across the field to hear a riddle. then they ran back to their team to work out the riddle. They could earn clues by doing silly things. Again, check out the videos! Several student ran themselves ragged and a couple even got sick from the heat.
We moved from the heat to the pool. We got a large percentage of students swim certified, so that was good. Mrs. Grogan and myself also so offed some mad skills (not really) on the diving board.
After our time in the pool was over, we had lunch and then hung out and played. There was a football game going on, sword fighting, lounging, and scooter riding. it was a great day!
I'm looking forward to another AWESOME week!!!
Tuesday, we used sticky notes again this time we talked about each class. It worked out well and gave us time to talk about things we're looking forward to and the things that are making us anxious. The graduation project came up a lot, as did college biology. It was good to be able to have a candid conversation about some of these things.
Wednesday, we picked up college text books and tried to pay college fees. The vast majority of the juniors got both things taken care of, which was good. There are still a few who need to go and pay their $7 fee. Of course it was raining on Wednesday, which meant I got wet all day, but at least it wasn't 90 plus degrees!
Thursday, Mrs. Flowers our college liaison came in to help everyone with their student e-mail, blackboard, and webAdvisor. She helped make sure everyone could access their accounts and went over some of the features of each. I had everyone set up their accounts on or social network, http://cechsyear3.ning.com. It's a closed network just for us! I've been very pleased and excited about all the activity so far.
FRIDAY! was so much fun (sorry Brooke). We loaded buses and headed to the Granite Rec for team building, swim tests, and free play. You can see the videos to check out all the action!
We started with The Great Riddle Race! We split the students into teams of 7 and they had to run across the field to hear a riddle. then they ran back to their team to work out the riddle. They could earn clues by doing silly things. Again, check out the videos! Several student ran themselves ragged and a couple even got sick from the heat.
We moved from the heat to the pool. We got a large percentage of students swim certified, so that was good. Mrs. Grogan and myself also so offed some mad skills (not really) on the diving board.
After our time in the pool was over, we had lunch and then hung out and played. There was a football game going on, sword fighting, lounging, and scooter riding. it was a great day!
I'm looking forward to another AWESOME week!!!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
New Year!! New Class...for me...
Well, tomorrow will be the first day of my second year at CECHS. Last year was great, and I am eagerly awaiting the good things I know are to come this year. This year I am on to whole new adventures!
Juniors!!! Seminar!!! Student Teacher!!!
I'm excited about all of the possibilities that each of these new adventures present. It's a new curriculum and a different role really. I'm excited though. I'm easily bored, so all of the changes will keep me on my toes. I'm looking for new connections between the other disciplines. As a team, we're exploring new technologies and new uses of technology.
Since this year's college biology schedule is different, we'll have the whole day Friday for seminar and extension activities. That means we have more freedom, and it also means last year's plans won't work without adjustments. We'll be reading The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make by Sean Covey. We're also going to work with Mrs. Grogan on The Graduation Project.
I'll have a student teacher, Mr. Pitts, who will be with us from August 24 till December. Together we'll look at the world of seminar! I've not had a student teacher before, so that will be all new to me too. I'm sure Mr. Pitts will bring a new perspective to our seminar class. He's finishing up his degree at Appalachian State.
Here's to an awesome year with a new team, teaching a new subject, with new students!!!! Buckle up, 'cause here we go!!!
Juniors!!! Seminar!!! Student Teacher!!!
I'm excited about all of the possibilities that each of these new adventures present. It's a new curriculum and a different role really. I'm excited though. I'm easily bored, so all of the changes will keep me on my toes. I'm looking for new connections between the other disciplines. As a team, we're exploring new technologies and new uses of technology.
Since this year's college biology schedule is different, we'll have the whole day Friday for seminar and extension activities. That means we have more freedom, and it also means last year's plans won't work without adjustments. We'll be reading The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make by Sean Covey. We're also going to work with Mrs. Grogan on The Graduation Project.
I'll have a student teacher, Mr. Pitts, who will be with us from August 24 till December. Together we'll look at the world of seminar! I've not had a student teacher before, so that will be all new to me too. I'm sure Mr. Pitts will bring a new perspective to our seminar class. He's finishing up his degree at Appalachian State.
Here's to an awesome year with a new team, teaching a new subject, with new students!!!! Buckle up, 'cause here we go!!!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Slacker!
I'm such a slacker! I didn't post before the Road Trip because I was out of town. Then I just forgot to since! I'm rushed for time, and I have a semi awake baby in my lap, so I will try to update soon...but in the meantime. I've uploaded all of the video footage from the Road Trip. I'm working on a DVD. Oh and we were 100% proficient on the English I EOC.
It's been an Outstanding Year!
In case I don't update any time soon:
Freshmen, best of luck in all you do! You guys were amazing to teach.
ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!
It's been an Outstanding Year!
In case I don't update any time soon:
Freshmen, best of luck in all you do! You guys were amazing to teach.
ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Wrapping Up Loose Ends...
Everything seems to be coming to a close, together...at the same time. We've got a week and then it's road trip time, then EOCs, and then last couple of days and the year wraps up. So I guess it's good that everything has been coming to a close!
We've had multiple projects going on at the same time. All of which were in different stages. About five weeks ago we launched a cross grade level Book Club. Each group has been working on wikis for their book that need to be finished before the road trip.
We were also working on creating short story animations in my class, which I've posted on my youtube account. And as a cross curricular project, students created PSAs (public service announcements) in science, social studies, and English class, which are also posted on my youtube account.
We started this past week by writing a journal about the Group PSAs. Then we spent the rest of class playing literary baseball with the classroom responders. The game reviews grammar, editing, and literary elements that could show up on the English I EOC.
The second part of the week we looked at an editing selection included with the sample test items from the state. We focused not on answering the questions as much as how to approach the different types of questions. The rest of the class was open for students to work on wikis, animations, or PSAs.
Friday, we started with a trip to B104 where we presented short story animations and PSAs. Students wrote about whether or not each video was effective. Then we returned to a regular Wednesday third period. We missed that class Wednesday due to the early release. then it was down to the cafeteria with the sophomores where a quintet from the North Carolina Symphony played and talked to us about music!
We've had multiple projects going on at the same time. All of which were in different stages. About five weeks ago we launched a cross grade level Book Club. Each group has been working on wikis for their book that need to be finished before the road trip.
We were also working on creating short story animations in my class, which I've posted on my youtube account. And as a cross curricular project, students created PSAs (public service announcements) in science, social studies, and English class, which are also posted on my youtube account.
We started this past week by writing a journal about the Group PSAs. Then we spent the rest of class playing literary baseball with the classroom responders. The game reviews grammar, editing, and literary elements that could show up on the English I EOC.
The second part of the week we looked at an editing selection included with the sample test items from the state. We focused not on answering the questions as much as how to approach the different types of questions. The rest of the class was open for students to work on wikis, animations, or PSAs.
Friday, we started with a trip to B104 where we presented short story animations and PSAs. Students wrote about whether or not each video was effective. Then we returned to a regular Wednesday third period. We missed that class Wednesday due to the early release. then it was down to the cafeteria with the sophomores where a quintet from the North Carolina Symphony played and talked to us about music!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Where did it go?
This year has flown by like a bullet train! Two weeks before the Road Trip and then finals. Wow! This past week I took Monday and Tuesday off to have some dental work done and spend more time with my brand new baby boy! I created another webpage for the first part of the week. I had them write a journal about their short story animation and then work with their group to create group PSAs.
When I got back to school, I spent the second part of the week clearing things up and tying up loose ends. We started by examining question answer relationships and indicators in EOC questions. Then we filled out evaluations and reflections on the contributions made by each group member during the animation projects. I extended the due date for finishing the movies to Tuesday to make sure we get the best possible animations.
We also clarified what needs to be done for the individual PSA planning and then the group PSA. We are shooting for finishing the group PSAs by this Friday. I felt like we had things straightened out and everything should be back on track now! I cannot wait to see the animations and the PSAs!
We finished off last week at MerleFest. As a group we saw Doc Watson and David Holt. It was a great performance! I actually bought an iTunes album, Legacy, that is a similar to the show we saw only longer and with more songs and stories! The weather was awesome and the festival was very impressive! I got several neat souvenirs and a lot of great pictures!
When I got back to school, I spent the second part of the week clearing things up and tying up loose ends. We started by examining question answer relationships and indicators in EOC questions. Then we filled out evaluations and reflections on the contributions made by each group member during the animation projects. I extended the due date for finishing the movies to Tuesday to make sure we get the best possible animations.
We also clarified what needs to be done for the individual PSA planning and then the group PSA. We are shooting for finishing the group PSAs by this Friday. I felt like we had things straightened out and everything should be back on track now! I cannot wait to see the animations and the PSAs!
We finished off last week at MerleFest. As a group we saw Doc Watson and David Holt. It was a great performance! I actually bought an iTunes album, Legacy, that is a similar to the show we saw only longer and with more songs and stories! The weather was awesome and the festival was very impressive! I got several neat souvenirs and a lot of great pictures!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Easter Break & the Week Before....
I had anticipated not being at school the week before Easter, so I created an interactive web page that laid out the two days of instruction. It went like planned, except I was there. I had been rather impatiently awaiting the arrival of my second child. He however was willing to wait. It was interesting using the web page to deliver my instruction. The kids seemed to get a kick out of it too. I mean there I was sitting at the front and they were watching a video of me explaining the day's activities.
We left for break on Thursday, and I chose not to work Friday. My daughter left Thursday with her Mimi and Pappy to go to PA for Easter. They were on standby to get her when we went to the hospital to have the baby. Since the baby didn't seem to want to come, Maggie went off on a grand adventure, and my wife and I were transported back to right before Maggie was born. We were free to go out to eat and linger. We could do a little shopping without Mags asking when we were going home or what she was getting...it was fun. I also got to work in my shop. I made some craft type items to be sold at the school yard sale.
Easter came and went without a baby...but Monday, April 13th a new baby would arrive! Zayden Alexander Miller was born at 11:02. He was a healthy natural born baby weighing in at 9lbs 10oz and 22in long. We got a CECHS visit on Tuesday then it was off for home. Maggie was supposed to come home Monday, but we had to settle for a visit at the hospital and then getting her back yesterday. She got to spend some time fussing over her brother. She's going to be a great big sister. She told her brother yesterday that he was so lucky to have a big sister like her!
I hope everyone had a great Easter and continues to enjoy spring break!
We left for break on Thursday, and I chose not to work Friday. My daughter left Thursday with her Mimi and Pappy to go to PA for Easter. They were on standby to get her when we went to the hospital to have the baby. Since the baby didn't seem to want to come, Maggie went off on a grand adventure, and my wife and I were transported back to right before Maggie was born. We were free to go out to eat and linger. We could do a little shopping without Mags asking when we were going home or what she was getting...it was fun. I also got to work in my shop. I made some craft type items to be sold at the school yard sale.
Easter came and went without a baby...but Monday, April 13th a new baby would arrive! Zayden Alexander Miller was born at 11:02. He was a healthy natural born baby weighing in at 9lbs 10oz and 22in long. We got a CECHS visit on Tuesday then it was off for home. Maggie was supposed to come home Monday, but we had to settle for a visit at the hospital and then getting her back yesterday. She got to spend some time fussing over her brother. She's going to be a great big sister. She told her brother yesterday that he was so lucky to have a big sister like her!
I hope everyone had a great Easter and continues to enjoy spring break!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Well Prepared! Maybe too Well!
We'll as the arrival of our second child draws near, I've made preparations so that I would be ready to go out at a moments notice. I used a special tool that captures my screen and audio and recorded last weeks directions for assembling our short story animations. And for this week I created an interactive web page in lieu of lesson plans. I hadn't had my hopes up until Stacy, my wife, went to the doctors last week and he said that Zaden would more than likely be here by Saturday. Well, it's Sunday evening, and I have a new prediction. April 20th! Just back from break...I think that's the winning date!
As for class, we had a weird week. We had adjusted our schedule on Wednesday and Thursday so we could see "My Heart in a Suitcase". The play was rescheduled and off we went Thursday morning to arrive at a quiet and empty civic center. Apparently there was a break down in communication somewhere and while we were informed of the rescheduled date, the play was not rescheduled. So we went back to school and continued on our way!
The first part of the week we focused on getting as many pictures taken as possible. Some groups were finishing boxes and sets. The second part of the week we went over instructions for creating the movies in movie maker. All groups have recorded their audio and most have a good start or are finished working on their pictures. Check out the pictures, and depending on your internet speed, you can play the slide show and get an idea what their movie might look like. You can also listen to their audio on my website. Finished movies will be due the week after spring break. I can't wait to see them!!
Friday was a rough day. We found out that one of our students had lost his father in a car accident Thursday night. It made for an emotional and trying day in our close knit family. We started the day working on an Algebra quiz and short story animations before heading to the theatre to hear a couple Caldwell County Musicians perform.
I can't remember the first performer's name, but he played country and a little bluegrass. He plays regularly at Woodlands Barbecue in Blowing Rock (I want to say Wednesday and Saturday night). He talked a lot about how he learned to play from his father who played more blue grass to his country and southern rock. The last song he performed was about seeing his father in himself more and more everyday. He didn't know it, but that song had a very special meaning to all of us!
The second performance was from "Pop" Ferguson and his son, Clyde Ferguson Jr. They played and taught us about the history of The Blues! The two of them together were funny enough. Mr. Ferguson had to unplug "Pop" a time or two to keep him from playing right over the history lessons. It was a very enjoyable experience. There was a really cool article about "Pop" in the News-Topic not too long ago.
I really enjoyed both performances immensely. From there we went to lunch. The afternoon was tricky. We split the freshmen into two groups. While the first group went up to the third level to work on MAP testing, the other group had a chance to talk to some counselors about how to best handle the loss that occurred Thursday night. We all had a chance to make cards and write letters to show our support. We flipped the groups halfway through the afternoon. As students finished they worked more on their animation and Algebra test.
It was a busy and emotional week! I image this week will continue to be that way!
As for class, we had a weird week. We had adjusted our schedule on Wednesday and Thursday so we could see "My Heart in a Suitcase". The play was rescheduled and off we went Thursday morning to arrive at a quiet and empty civic center. Apparently there was a break down in communication somewhere and while we were informed of the rescheduled date, the play was not rescheduled. So we went back to school and continued on our way!
The first part of the week we focused on getting as many pictures taken as possible. Some groups were finishing boxes and sets. The second part of the week we went over instructions for creating the movies in movie maker. All groups have recorded their audio and most have a good start or are finished working on their pictures. Check out the pictures, and depending on your internet speed, you can play the slide show and get an idea what their movie might look like. You can also listen to their audio on my website. Finished movies will be due the week after spring break. I can't wait to see them!!
Friday was a rough day. We found out that one of our students had lost his father in a car accident Thursday night. It made for an emotional and trying day in our close knit family. We started the day working on an Algebra quiz and short story animations before heading to the theatre to hear a couple Caldwell County Musicians perform.
I can't remember the first performer's name, but he played country and a little bluegrass. He plays regularly at Woodlands Barbecue in Blowing Rock (I want to say Wednesday and Saturday night). He talked a lot about how he learned to play from his father who played more blue grass to his country and southern rock. The last song he performed was about seeing his father in himself more and more everyday. He didn't know it, but that song had a very special meaning to all of us!
The second performance was from "Pop" Ferguson and his son, Clyde Ferguson Jr. They played and taught us about the history of The Blues! The two of them together were funny enough. Mr. Ferguson had to unplug "Pop" a time or two to keep him from playing right over the history lessons. It was a very enjoyable experience. There was a really cool article about "Pop" in the News-Topic not too long ago.
I really enjoyed both performances immensely. From there we went to lunch. The afternoon was tricky. We split the freshmen into two groups. While the first group went up to the third level to work on MAP testing, the other group had a chance to talk to some counselors about how to best handle the loss that occurred Thursday night. We all had a chance to make cards and write letters to show our support. We flipped the groups halfway through the afternoon. As students finished they worked more on their animation and Algebra test.
It was a busy and emotional week! I image this week will continue to be that way!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Light at the End of the Tunnel
I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel this past week for my National Boards. I successfully finished and shipped my portfolio on Wednesday (it was ready to ship Tuesday), and now all I have to do is take the assessment portion. It was quite a relief to finally mail the portfolio. It had to be post marked by March 31st. I managed to ship mine a week early and right on time according to my schedule. It was a grueling process, but not many things worth doing are easy.
It did seem like a long week and there are two reasons for that really. The first was that we had student led conferences on Monday and Tuesday. I was at school both days by 7:30, which isn't unusual for me. Monday I was on my way home close to five. Tuesday, however, was a late night, and I didn't head home until after six. Nevertheless, I felt the conferences went really well. I felt better prepared, the parents seemed better prepared, and as a rule the students were better prepared.
The second reason this has been a long week has everything to do with me being a control freak with a need to be busy. I regularly over plan for the time I have because I want to know what we'll be doing every minute of class. When I'm out, I tend to leave very detailed plans complete with a time line. But this past week has been out of my hands more or less.
We began the first part of the week with a journal about the CECHS Book Club. I wanted them to tell me about their book, as well as, how they felt collaborating online and with the juniors. (On a side note, I've added video tutorials to help groups with their wiki.) So far about half of the groups have created their wikis. Of those, several have been very active and have a great start on the project.
After the journal, it was time to work. The second part of the week, I made some announcements, and it was right back to work. The light at the end of our animation tunnel is growing brighter. Most groups have their audio recorded; I'll try to post them this week on the podcast page of my website. I did post pictures from one group that is a little ahead. The sets and characters are coming together, and I'm excited to film this week.
Of course, my wife is convinced that the our baby will be arriving this week. I doubt it only because I am completely prepared for him to show up this week. I've prerecorded lessons for this week, just in case we do have the baby, and I'm out when it's time to put our movies together. That way someone will only have to push play and pause and we can still finish our short story animations this week.
Time will tell, but the house is filling with baby stuff, and he'll be arriving soon that's for sure!! And we will be finishing our short story animations this week, so I'm looking forward to a fun and exciting week either way!
It did seem like a long week and there are two reasons for that really. The first was that we had student led conferences on Monday and Tuesday. I was at school both days by 7:30, which isn't unusual for me. Monday I was on my way home close to five. Tuesday, however, was a late night, and I didn't head home until after six. Nevertheless, I felt the conferences went really well. I felt better prepared, the parents seemed better prepared, and as a rule the students were better prepared.
The second reason this has been a long week has everything to do with me being a control freak with a need to be busy. I regularly over plan for the time I have because I want to know what we'll be doing every minute of class. When I'm out, I tend to leave very detailed plans complete with a time line. But this past week has been out of my hands more or less.
We began the first part of the week with a journal about the CECHS Book Club. I wanted them to tell me about their book, as well as, how they felt collaborating online and with the juniors. (On a side note, I've added video tutorials to help groups with their wiki.) So far about half of the groups have created their wikis. Of those, several have been very active and have a great start on the project.
After the journal, it was time to work. The second part of the week, I made some announcements, and it was right back to work. The light at the end of our animation tunnel is growing brighter. Most groups have their audio recorded; I'll try to post them this week on the podcast page of my website. I did post pictures from one group that is a little ahead. The sets and characters are coming together, and I'm excited to film this week.
Of course, my wife is convinced that the our baby will be arriving this week. I doubt it only because I am completely prepared for him to show up this week. I've prerecorded lessons for this week, just in case we do have the baby, and I'm out when it's time to put our movies together. That way someone will only have to push play and pause and we can still finish our short story animations this week.
Time will tell, but the house is filling with baby stuff, and he'll be arriving soon that's for sure!! And we will be finishing our short story animations this week, so I'm looking forward to a fun and exciting week either way!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Staying the Course
We are staying the course! This past week everyone wrote a journal about the short story that will be made into an animated version. The rest of the week we were hard at work. I had 100% of the groups turn in both their storyboards and scripts on time, so we're on track. I'm hoping to have finished movies by the first week of April...we might be pushing it!
We launched the CECHS Book Club this past week too! I'm very excited about it. We're going to try and get everyone together for the first and probably only official meeting on Monday. Then from there on out it will be an online collaboration.
I'm nearly finished with my portfolio for National Boards! I'm very excited about that box getting mailed! Oh and I made a couple new slide shows.
We launched the CECHS Book Club this past week too! I'm very excited about it. We're going to try and get everyone together for the first and probably only official meeting on Monday. Then from there on out it will be an online collaboration.
I'm nearly finished with my portfolio for National Boards! I'm very excited about that box getting mailed! Oh and I made a couple new slide shows.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
On Schedule!
So far, we're on schedule! This past week we focused on getting to know our stories for the short story animation project. At the first of the week, we wrote a journal about our story and then got to work. Later in the week we used qwizdom to practice some EOC type questions, and then it was back to work.
At this point most groups have a good start on either their story board or their script, both of which are due at the end of this coming week. Most groups have started creating backdrops and decorating their boxes, which will serve as sets when it's time to film. Some groups have started using clay to create characters or props. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the work that's been done so far. I'm hoping for another good week!
This week we'll get started with a joint project with the juniors. We're starting a book club!
At this point most groups have a good start on either their story board or their script, both of which are due at the end of this coming week. Most groups have started creating backdrops and decorating their boxes, which will serve as sets when it's time to film. Some groups have started using clay to create characters or props. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the work that's been done so far. I'm hoping for another good week!
This week we'll get started with a joint project with the juniors. We're starting a book club!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
What a Weird Week!
Today while I lounged in a hammock, laughing at my daughter in her own hammock, I was struck by how weird this week was. We started off by missing Monday and then a three hour delay on Tuesday because of snow, and by Friday we didn't need coats. It turned into a short compact week, but we still got a lot done.
When we got to school on Tuesday, we had a limited amount of time before college classes. Nevertheless, we made the most of it and took care of some MAP testing that needed done. I also collected FOUND POEMS! I was a little discouraged by how few I got. It's the last major grade of the 3rd 9 week grading period. I'm going to have to make some phone calls this week to get the missing poems turned in before grades are due. Otherwise, several students will have an incomplete for English.
During our one class, we focused on animation projects. You can see examples (not all good) of last year's short story animations on my website. If anyone has not seen the poetry podcasts from the beginning of the year, there's a link to them on that page as well. I left the story selection up to impartial and incorruptible chance. I wrote down the 20 stories from our text book and put the numbers 1-20 on slips of paper. Each class got to pick from a randomly selected group of 5 numbers. Interestingly enough, all of the stories pose their own unique challenges and come with their own advantages.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the short stories make their way into clay/stop action animated shorts.
When we got to school on Tuesday, we had a limited amount of time before college classes. Nevertheless, we made the most of it and took care of some MAP testing that needed done. I also collected FOUND POEMS! I was a little discouraged by how few I got. It's the last major grade of the 3rd 9 week grading period. I'm going to have to make some phone calls this week to get the missing poems turned in before grades are due. Otherwise, several students will have an incomplete for English.
During our one class, we focused on animation projects. You can see examples (not all good) of last year's short story animations on my website. If anyone has not seen the poetry podcasts from the beginning of the year, there's a link to them on that page as well. I left the story selection up to impartial and incorruptible chance. I wrote down the 20 stories from our text book and put the numbers 1-20 on slips of paper. Each class got to pick from a randomly selected group of 5 numbers. Interestingly enough, all of the stories pose their own unique challenges and come with their own advantages.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the short stories make their way into clay/stop action animated shorts.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Allusions, Baseball, and Service!
This has been a good week. We started off with a fun class all about Allusions. We used Billy Joel's song "We Didn't Start the Fire". The song is filled with allusions from his birth up to the time the song was written, 1949-1989. The first time through, I had them work with a group to identify as many of the references that were alluded to as they could.
Then I let them see the video of the song and try to clarify any of the misconceptions they had. Then we went online to a wikipedia article about the song to check our answers. It was interesting to hear what they thought certain things alluded to, for example one group thought that "Buddy Holly" referenced the song by Weezer instead of a rock-and-roll legend. We then moved from the song to creating a timeline of allusions for their lifetime. Again it was interesting to see what they thought to be the major events since 1993 or there abouts.
The second class of the week, we played more literary baseball on Qwizdom. It seems to working. It helps us review literary elements, grammar, and EOC type editing. It's a lot more fun than taking quizzes. When we finsihed our game, we created groups. I had them split to the corners of the room by their shape. Then they joined groups with different shapes. They'll use these groups for their short story animation projects. We spent some time talking about how that project was gong to work. I'm excited!
Friday was another day of service. I drove the lenoir bus and stayed at West Lenoir Elementary School. It was a good day. The kids on my bus all seemed genuinly excited at the end of the day. Some had better experiences than others, but I think they all found something good from the day.
I'm looking forward to a good week getting started with the animation projects!
Then I let them see the video of the song and try to clarify any of the misconceptions they had. Then we went online to a wikipedia article about the song to check our answers. It was interesting to hear what they thought certain things alluded to, for example one group thought that "Buddy Holly" referenced the song by Weezer instead of a rock-and-roll legend. We then moved from the song to creating a timeline of allusions for their lifetime. Again it was interesting to see what they thought to be the major events since 1993 or there abouts.
The second class of the week, we played more literary baseball on Qwizdom. It seems to working. It helps us review literary elements, grammar, and EOC type editing. It's a lot more fun than taking quizzes. When we finsihed our game, we created groups. I had them split to the corners of the room by their shape. Then they joined groups with different shapes. They'll use these groups for their short story animation projects. We spent some time talking about how that project was gong to work. I'm excited!
Friday was another day of service. I drove the lenoir bus and stayed at West Lenoir Elementary School. It was a good day. The kids on my bus all seemed genuinly excited at the end of the day. Some had better experiences than others, but I think they all found something good from the day.
I'm looking forward to a good week getting started with the animation projects!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The Day Came!
I knew the day would come and sure enough it did. I was good for so long. But last week I completely missed my blog. I should have seen it coming. But to be fair, last weekend I was tied up at the Regional Wrestling tournament Friday and Saturday, I coach at Hibriten, then drove to Pennsylvania and back Sunday and Monday. I spent this past weekend in Winston-Salem at the State Wrestling tournament, where I'm proud to say I coached four outstanding wrestlers. One of our wrestlers won the tournament earning himself a place in the trophy case as a State Champion and another finished third in the state, an impressive feat in itself.
But since I missed a week, I'll start there! The week of February 9th to 13th, I finished my switch with Mrs. Grogan and got all four classes back together at the beginning of the week. The end of the week, we played Baseball with Qwizdom. I created 50 questions from literary elements and grammar and loaded them into the program. It then splits the class into two teams and we play baseball. The team with the most correct answers win the situation (get the hit if they're batting or the out if they're fielding). All of the classes seemed to enjoy playing. I plan on adding more questions and playing again soon.
Thursday we had a slightly altered schedule due to the Locks Of Love program. It was very touching to see our kids give back and to hear the dedications that they made. That Friday, the 13th, we got ready for service with preservice rotations and watched Glory Road, continuing our exploration of Black History Month.
This past week was reduced to three days for me. I was out Monday with my daughter, coming back from Pennsylvania. Maggie had lost a filling and we drove to Pennsylvania to get it fixed. Yes I know there are quite capable dentists in North Carolina, but our dentist in Pennsylvania is also Maggie's uncle. I was out on Friday for the North Carolina State Wrestling Tournament. So the week seemed rushed to me.
The beginning of the week we journaled about the Uglies, reflecting on what we liked and didn't like about the book and how we worked with it. Then we read The Lady, or the Tiger by Frank R Stockton. The story is open ended and has always caused a lot of speculation as to what ultimately happens. I had the students finish the story from where the author leaves it open. They had an opportunity later in the week to share and the ones I heard were really good!
The second part of the week, we talked about Uglies, turned in books, and started our final project. While we read the novel, students were asked to keep track of quotes that were interesting, well written, or even confusing. Their task now is to take those quotes and make them into a "Found Poem". They need to either capture the events of the story or its essence. They then have to present the poem in some form. They are free to decide how to present the poem, but all poems must be at least 20 lines long. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished projects!
Friday they spent the day working service at a local school or agency. I hate that I missed the first day of service rotation! I'm looking forward to this week being a little less hectic than the last two!
But since I missed a week, I'll start there! The week of February 9th to 13th, I finished my switch with Mrs. Grogan and got all four classes back together at the beginning of the week. The end of the week, we played Baseball with Qwizdom. I created 50 questions from literary elements and grammar and loaded them into the program. It then splits the class into two teams and we play baseball. The team with the most correct answers win the situation (get the hit if they're batting or the out if they're fielding). All of the classes seemed to enjoy playing. I plan on adding more questions and playing again soon.
Thursday we had a slightly altered schedule due to the Locks Of Love program. It was very touching to see our kids give back and to hear the dedications that they made. That Friday, the 13th, we got ready for service with preservice rotations and watched Glory Road, continuing our exploration of Black History Month.
This past week was reduced to three days for me. I was out Monday with my daughter, coming back from Pennsylvania. Maggie had lost a filling and we drove to Pennsylvania to get it fixed. Yes I know there are quite capable dentists in North Carolina, but our dentist in Pennsylvania is also Maggie's uncle. I was out on Friday for the North Carolina State Wrestling Tournament. So the week seemed rushed to me.
The beginning of the week we journaled about the Uglies, reflecting on what we liked and didn't like about the book and how we worked with it. Then we read The Lady, or the Tiger by Frank R Stockton. The story is open ended and has always caused a lot of speculation as to what ultimately happens. I had the students finish the story from where the author leaves it open. They had an opportunity later in the week to share and the ones I heard were really good!
The second part of the week, we talked about Uglies, turned in books, and started our final project. While we read the novel, students were asked to keep track of quotes that were interesting, well written, or even confusing. Their task now is to take those quotes and make them into a "Found Poem". They need to either capture the events of the story or its essence. They then have to present the poem in some form. They are free to decide how to present the poem, but all poems must be at least 20 lines long. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished projects!
Friday they spent the day working service at a local school or agency. I hate that I missed the first day of service rotation! I'm looking forward to this week being a little less hectic than the last two!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
I remembered!
At least I remembered to blog this week. On a random side note that has nothing to do with class, I found a fun website. It's Obamiconme.com. Regardless of political views, it's fun to play with the site and make your own pictures like mine. You can make them say HOPE or CHANGE or whatever you want. Just some random fun!
This was a good even if it was all mixed up. I started the week with the Juniors and was supposed to be with them both Monday and Tuesday, but Mrs. Grogan's daughter was sick and she had to be out on Tuesday, so we're going to complete our switch this Tuesday. I had fun with the Juniors. We worked on Graduation Project prep. It was fun just getting to interact with them some since I don't typically have those kinds of opportunities.
With groups B, C, and D, we wrote journals on Selling Out and being Sold Out. I wanted the focus to be on the motivation behind the behavior. We had just gotten to a point in the novel where Talley basically sells out her friend and the smoke. It was good to go beyond the book and the surface and explore why exactly we chose to sell people out. A group wrote about their day with Mrs. Grogan. They seemed to enjoy the lesson and had fun with her. It was an interesting experiment. While students might be used to having a substitute, this was different in that Mrs. Grogan is an English teacher and she planned her lesson on her own. So it was like having a different teacher for a day.
We spent time working on the quote project. For A group, it's due on Wednesday, and for B, C, and D it's due on Thursday. For the project, they were given a 12 X 18 piece of white construction paper. They had to pick a quote from Uglies and fully illustrate a poster of the quote. The had to use the entire paper and capture either the literal or figurative meaning of the quote. I've already seen a few, and I'm very impressed.
Wednesday we used the early release day as a work day at the students' request. They felt like they needed more time for both their high school and college work, so we obliged and had a pretty productive day. That turned Thursday into an A day and Friday into a B day. We used Friday afternoon to watch The Long Walk Home, a very emotionally charged film dealing with the lives of two families, one black and one white, during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. It was a good follow up to the Mike Wiley performance we saw last week and fits right into Black history Month.
Friday worked out to be much like tomorrow will be for A group, since B, C, and D will be with Mrs. Grogan. I hooked up a set of Qwizdom remotes. They're classroom responders that allow students to respond to questions on the screen, and they get immediate feedback. It's a pretty cool system. I can then see all of the answers given and it logs things for me. I've just started to play with the software, but it looks like it'll come in very handy as we prep for the EOC. We spent the rest of class reading and talking about Uglies. We're about to finish the novel.
Saturday I competed on the teacher team during the Dodge Ball Tournament. It was a valiant effort and raised money for the Road Trip at the end of the year, not to mention a whole lot of fun.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
....Whoa!
The past weekend was jam-packed with things going on, and I never got to post last week's blog. I meant to do it last night, but I got sick and spent the night curled up on the couch dying.
We started out last week looking at Number 12 Looks Just Like You. It's an old Twilight Zone episode that is very similar to Uglies. We wrote down some of the quotes or scenes that really put us in mind of Uglies. In both the novel and the television episode, we have characters who are struggling with an identity crisis. So we wrote bio-poems using two different fixed forms of poetry.
On Wednesday, we finally got a chance to see Mike Wiley's performance, "Tired Souls". I thought the performance was wonderful. I had the opportunity to see him perform one of his plays before and thoroughly enjoyed that play as well. He is very talented and entertaining. He makes history come alive and uses a lot of audience participation to increase engagement.
The second class of the week involved a Fish Bowl Discussion. I took volunteers to enter the center of the fish bowl and begin our discussion. I had statements written out in a cup that they could pull from when one idea was exhausted or to keep the conversation going. Those on the outside had to take notes and observe the discussion on the inside. If they wanted to join the conversation, they tapped someone out and took that person's spot.
I found it interesting how each class handled the discussion differently. I didn't actually have time to set it up with Group "A", but I hope to do it with them soon. Some groups the "fish" changed regularly and nearly everyone "swam" into the conversation. In another group the fish bowl occasionally stagnated. Regardless, it was a good controlled way to discuss some of the ideas that we've seen in the novel and even the Twilight Zone episode.
Friday was our health fair. We got lots of nutritional tips as well as some exercise. The day went very smoothly and the kids did an excellent job of participating!
This Monday and Tuesday, I was supposed to be with the juniors, while Mrs. Grogan taught the freshmen. We switched Monday as planned, but today will have to wait for next Tuesday.
But that is for another blog!
We started out last week looking at Number 12 Looks Just Like You. It's an old Twilight Zone episode that is very similar to Uglies. We wrote down some of the quotes or scenes that really put us in mind of Uglies. In both the novel and the television episode, we have characters who are struggling with an identity crisis. So we wrote bio-poems using two different fixed forms of poetry.
On Wednesday, we finally got a chance to see Mike Wiley's performance, "Tired Souls". I thought the performance was wonderful. I had the opportunity to see him perform one of his plays before and thoroughly enjoyed that play as well. He is very talented and entertaining. He makes history come alive and uses a lot of audience participation to increase engagement.
The second class of the week involved a Fish Bowl Discussion. I took volunteers to enter the center of the fish bowl and begin our discussion. I had statements written out in a cup that they could pull from when one idea was exhausted or to keep the conversation going. Those on the outside had to take notes and observe the discussion on the inside. If they wanted to join the conversation, they tapped someone out and took that person's spot.
I found it interesting how each class handled the discussion differently. I didn't actually have time to set it up with Group "A", but I hope to do it with them soon. Some groups the "fish" changed regularly and nearly everyone "swam" into the conversation. In another group the fish bowl occasionally stagnated. Regardless, it was a good controlled way to discuss some of the ideas that we've seen in the novel and even the Twilight Zone episode.
Friday was our health fair. We got lots of nutritional tips as well as some exercise. The day went very smoothly and the kids did an excellent job of participating!
This Monday and Tuesday, I was supposed to be with the juniors, while Mrs. Grogan taught the freshmen. We switched Monday as planned, but today will have to wait for next Tuesday.
But that is for another blog!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Oops!
Oops, I knew it would happen sooner or later! I forgot to blog last night. I think I even thought about it but decided to watch a movie while massaging my pregnant wife's back.
Last week was kind of crazy what with 2 days on 2 hour delays. We had a modified "A" day on both of our delay days. Thursday remained fairly normal. In class we read a little bit from Part II, but we spent most of our time taking a one question quiz.
I asked:
What are the pros and cons of living up to or down to society's expectations and standards?
Some of the responses were focused only on Tally's world, which was okay, but the responses I really enjoyed saw the connections between our society and Tally's. As we move on through the story, we will be looking at that same question. This novel has been a lot of fun, especially in the questions it poses about our world.
Oh and I totally missed our campus visit on Friday. My daughter got sick Thursday, and I stayed home with her Friday!
Last week was kind of crazy what with 2 days on 2 hour delays. We had a modified "A" day on both of our delay days. Thursday remained fairly normal. In class we read a little bit from Part II, but we spent most of our time taking a one question quiz.
I asked:
What are the pros and cons of living up to or down to society's expectations and standards?
Some of the responses were focused only on Tally's world, which was okay, but the responses I really enjoyed saw the connections between our society and Tally's. As we move on through the story, we will be looking at that same question. This novel has been a lot of fun, especially in the questions it poses about our world.
Oh and I totally missed our campus visit on Friday. My daughter got sick Thursday, and I stayed home with her Friday!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Getting Ugly
College classes are underway again, and we're off and running. This past week we spent the majority of the first class discussing Uglies. It's opened the door to really evaluate the world we live in by examining the world in which Tally lives. The world of Uglies seems so unlike ours at first, but as we took a closer look, we were able to see many connections.
The second class of the week didn't go as well as I had hoped, but I think it more of less worked. We wrote a journal about our Ugly nickname, the characteristics that make us unique or special. We talked about how we're not ruled or owed by that trait. It allowed us to go back to our earlier conversations about whether it's worth sacrificing our individuality.
Overall, I'm pleased with our progress in the book. It's been a lot of fun, and it fits in so well with our global issues unit. What's coming in science and social studies is going to really click with what we've already been discussing in my class. I'm also excited about our big project coming up!
Friday was a "Who Am I?" rotation. In my class we talked about figurative language, metaphors, similes, and personification. We focused on metaphors and wrote personal metaphors, which we then added images to and created a page for the "Who Am I?" book.
This week is probably going to be a bit crazy. We have an A Day on Tuesday (barring snow cancellations), Mike Wiley performance on Wednesday, B day on Thursday, and UNC at Asheville Friday.
The second class of the week didn't go as well as I had hoped, but I think it more of less worked. We wrote a journal about our Ugly nickname, the characteristics that make us unique or special. We talked about how we're not ruled or owed by that trait. It allowed us to go back to our earlier conversations about whether it's worth sacrificing our individuality.
Overall, I'm pleased with our progress in the book. It's been a lot of fun, and it fits in so well with our global issues unit. What's coming in science and social studies is going to really click with what we've already been discussing in my class. I'm also excited about our big project coming up!
Friday was a "Who Am I?" rotation. In my class we talked about figurative language, metaphors, similes, and personification. We focused on metaphors and wrote personal metaphors, which we then added images to and created a page for the "Who Am I?" book.
This week is probably going to be a bit crazy. We have an A Day on Tuesday (barring snow cancellations), Mike Wiley performance on Wednesday, B day on Thursday, and UNC at Asheville Friday.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Welcome Back!!
It was so good to be back at school this week. We really seemed to hit the ground running, but not without being purposeful in our use of the extra time before college classes started. Sometimes it's easy to forget that the kids have not spent an extortionate amount of time with everyone. They know most of their class at this point, but they don't know all of their class as well as we'd like.
We lengthened all three daily high school classes, Monday through Wednesday, with the understanding that the extra time would be spent getting to know our knew groups and each other better. It was definitely time well spent. I enjoyed getting to know more about them, and I managed to work one of the activities right into a lesson.
The first part of the week we created similarity wheels, which showed us that while we are very different we have a lot of common ground. From there we discussed the idea of BEAUTIFUL. They wrote a journal about what qualifies something for them as beautiful. Then we discussed how our society defines beautiful for us and how that definition has changed over time. We then created beautiful collages, which I turned into a wall of beautiful. It's really cool to see the back wall covered with images that "mean" beautiful to us.
The second class of the week we started reading Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld. I'm really excited about teaching this novel. It fits so well into our Global Issues unit. We will be integrating with Science and Social Studies in a much more direct way, which is fun! The novel poses so many good questions about our concepts of beauty and waste. It's an interesting look at what our future could easily become.
This week we'll really get into the discussion of the first 7 or 8 chapters and continue reading the novel. I hope the kids give it a chance. It's a really good novel!
Oh and Mrs. Grogan, the junior English teacher, and myself are planning a swap day! This will give me a chance to get to know the juniors better, and she will have a chance to get to know the freshmen better.
I'm looking forward to this week!
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