Sept. follow up

It was so good to see all of my GAETI comrades and facilitators again today. So hard to believe that it has already been 2 1/2 months since our June institute! Such good news to hear that GAETI has been funded again for next summer. I hope that some of my colleagues will apply and attend. It was encouraging to hear both the success that you have all had with your new teaching strategies and tools and the trials that you have experienced (since I, too, have experienced a bit of both). I think I can really use the newspaper activity that we completed this afternoon soon as we will soon be studying the Spanish-American War and yellow press journalism. Animoto seems soooo easy, too! I think that will be a great tool for review for my students. I hope you all will stay in touch and I'll see you again in March!

Week Two

I feel this has been a very productive week. I was kinda freaking out last week when my promethean board went down but with the block schedule and how we have to plan for that, I really haven't missed it nearly as much as I thought I would. Parts are in and I do hope to have it back up and running by next week, however. Students have been working well together in their groups. So pleased! We do need to work on transition times in between activities a bit, though. Love my Classdojo! I think this app has helped students stay on task. They have quickly realized that now, I can easily keep a record of all positive or negative behaviors. I plan to reward the student(s) with the most points accumulated in each class and reward the class with the most accumulated points. Our first test is next week so I'm anxious to see those results. Good Luck to the Wildcats on Saturday!

Some students seem to be having difficulties with some of the assigned websites. I'm learning that not everything will work fully and completely from your phone. So if you have access to a computer at home, it may be best to access them from there. Also, keep in mind that Google Chrome works better for many technologies than Internet Explorer. If you don't have Chrome, you can download it free. My website was blocked by the school but should be accessible now.

First day of school 2014-15

Today was our first day on the block schedule at LHS. It's going to take a little getting used to for us all, but overall, I think it went great. The students kinda looked like deer with their eyes in the headlights, though, no matter how cool they tried to act. We do have SOOO much to learn this year! In class today Western Civ students researched the prehistoric eras. They will be using the info on Thursday to create a Toilet Paper timeline. U. S. History students tried to summarize the State of Mississippi U. S. History Framework objectives. Maybe this is why they reminded me of the deer! I can remember how I felt the first time I saw it, too. All students who were in class today should have received their usernames and passwords for my.hrw.com, our online textbook. B day students will receive their tomorrow and we will really get rolling.

School's Out for summer!!!

Looks like we made it! It has been such a pleasure to be here at MSU with all of your this month. I was very conflicted about whether or not to apply for this institute since it did require such a time commitment. I only applied on the very last day and then, even after that, waited to the last day to confirm my participation. However, the only two days that I dreaded coming at all were the first day and the last! After that first day, I was excited to be here every day. (By the last day - I was about ready to be done!) There was something new, different and exciting each day. It is always so reassuring to come to workshops and realize that there are some many wonderful educators all across the state doing some really great work with our students. I hope you all know that you are appreciated for what you do. And thanks to Dr. Bracey and the other staff that facilitated - you're great. Look forward to seeing you all in September!

Thirsty Thursday

I really enjoyed the tour of the T.K. Martin Center this morning even though I've been in there before. My nephew who suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2003 utilized their services a number of times before his death in 2011. I also know a number of other people who have used their services including a neighbor, John Adam Long, whose spinal cord was damaged in a car accident a number of years ago. Even though he is a quad, he now participates in triathlons and Iron Man competitions. Just amazing! I am glad to continue working on my lesson plans using technology. I'm anxious to see how all that I've learned is going to affect my classroom - weeellll, maybe not that anxious :) I certainly have enjoying getting to know each of you but I'm kinda ready to enjoy some summer, too! The art projects turned out great! Some of you really did a fantastic job! Even mine turned out better than I expected. Lesson closure is always the hardest part for me so I'll just go for now and see you tomorrow!

Hump Day

I really, really, really liked the infographic, piktochart, and audioboo technologies that we learned this morning. I can really (once again) see myself and my students using this a lot! The best things about it - it's FREE, it's FUN, and it's EASY! I can also see how this will be a great help to our language programs! Thanks Dr. Lee! Appreciated the time to work on my lesson plans this afternoon. I am so NOT GOOD with making tables and charts and my lesson requires so many of them :( I do - in my real life - have some already but was trying to make all new - very time consuming for me. I've just never been good at spreadsheets and excel - it's part of the reason I got so lost the other day when we were trying to create games. Well, we really enjoyed having Dr. Lee - he showed us so many things! but good thing he gave us his email - have a feeling I'll be needing it!

Big Day for MS!

I really appreciate the morning session on Canvas. I can really see myself using that a lot! I just found out that I will not be teaching government and economics next year but will be teaching a dual credit class (either U. S. or World History) and I think those students would really get into using Canvas. I'm going to practice on them for maybe one or two nine weeks and then spring it on my other students. It seems like a wonderful organizational tool for someone like me who is NOT very organized at all. The powerpoint presentation this afternoon - once again, I just did not get it. First of all, the version of powerpoint that I have, am familiar with and prob will continue to use does not have those options that she was showing us. Secondly, you have more background choices, true, but other than that, it seemed to make powerpoints more difficult, not easier, to me. I like to see what I'm creating as I'm creating it. I'm always having to move things around and insert things, etc. so once again, I'm just being a dinosaur. Anyway, need to run - Gotta go VOTE!!!

Monday, June 23

I am s susceptible to motion sickness, I just don't see myself using Prezi very often. I literally almost got sick just watching the presentation this morning. That does not mean that I won't use it at all but that I'll have to be careful in using it. I do like the fact that you can incorporate your present powerpoints into the program and that it is so easy to import videos. Also seems to be a world of help available from the Instructional Media Center. And weren't their handouts nice!! I appreciate the fact that we were able to work together again on our webquest and get it added to our webpages. I still do not have it down in my mind about how to add stuff to my page. It is all very confusing to me - I need to understand what I am doing and how it is working before it makes sense to me but I think (HOPE!) that it just takes some practice. I think that is my whole problem with technology - I don't understand how it works - how is this even possible??? Guess that's why it continues to amaze me! but maybe I've finally got this blogging down! I've been practicing with googledocs, downloaded aurasma to my husband's phone (since I don't yet have a smartphone)and played with it and got classdojo set up on my ipad so I think I am making some progress! I also got some of my things put in my 3 ring binder over this weekend so I'm still old school!! Got to have that backup plan!

Fun Friday

It has been another amazing week. Learned so much but still feel I have some much more to learn. I really want to work with some of these applications, getting them added to my website or canvas. Need more practice while I still have a support system. I'm afraid I'll get home and not be able to make it work :( Maybe we can get through with our art project a little early and use some of that time working with these technologies. Want to thank my classmates for sharing such great ideas with us today - you've really put the pressure on us next week to show you something!

WoW!

Learned a great deal from our speaker this morning. He gave me a little more assurance that "everything's gonna be alright". He said, in effect, just teach the standards and that is what I do. Really liked his baseball card example and other analogies - ya'll know I'm all about the analogies! And looks like there are plenty of easily accessible docs out there and scoopit.com makes it easy to locate them. Just wish we could create more than 2 topics without charge! You've got me hooked, now don't leave me hanging! Guess I'll just have to check out the other similar sites or ante up the $13 mo. Looking forward to learning more about Canvas (and coursesites). It is absolutely unbelievable how much I've learned since June 3! Well, how much I've been introduced to. I've really enjoyed getting to know my classmates, too. I heard someone say today, "Can you believe, only seven more days!" I have a feeling we won't be ready to go when our time here is up. But we can look forward to seeing one another again in the fall and spring!

Good Day to be at GAETI

loved the entertaining econ this am. Lots of resources and that stlouisfed website was amazing. Glad to work on my lesson plan this pm and interesting to talk with Chin Chi. kinda in a hurry today - my sister and I are riding together today and she will be waiting on me

Tuesday, June 17

Thanks, Dr. Bracey, for the opportunity to process some of the information we've been bombarded with. I was going to ask for suggestions from classmates about how to go about requesting changes in our district's technology policies so this morning's activity was very helpful. Ya'll don't forget to check out npr.org and the article on technology in agriculture - it was a really good segment I thought. I've already started developing my powerpoint I know - that is Soooooo 2011!)to present to my PLC on Aug. 4 so that activity was very helpful as well. Thanks again, Dr. Bracey, for being so flexible.I appreciated the time to develop a lesson plan using the new ideas and strategies to which we've been introduced. I chose my first unit on Industrialization because I want to hit the ground running. Also enjoyed practicing with Google drive again. I'm sorry the video conference with Taiwan fell through but just goes to show how the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry.

Monday, Monday

Well, I'm getting further and further behind I feel. No chance to "process" this past weekend so, oh, boy, howdy, do I have a lot to go through now. Things that I think will be most helpful from today, though: livebinders, madison-schools (remember, now reason to reinvent the wheel!) googledocs (excuse me, I mean Google drive) slide share, and the QR codes really ought to be a fun way to integrate technology into the 21st century classroom. You know, at the end of this school year, I was feeling pretty good about what I thought was the progress I'd made in developing my powerpoint presentations. Now I realize what a long way we have to go at LHS to bring the power of technology to our students.

I feel that a lot of the information that was shared with us yesterday will be very helpful in developing common core lesson whether or not I teach Economics next year or not. Economics is one of the content strands in the U. S. History framework so we talk a lot about economics: role of govt. in the economy; shift from laissez-faire to regulation, my coverage of the Cold War is done almost completely from the economic point of view...For the last several years, I've not felt that I had the time to play the stock market game but maybe I'll reconsider that for this year. Also, I enjoyed the Reality Fair that I participated in a few years ago. I know that it was a lot of work to organize, however, so we'll just have to see. I was excited to learn that we will have someone speaking to us from the Federal Reserve next during this institute. I really could use some nifty ideas for presenting that information. I liked the analogies (I'm all about analogies that the students can understand) of the thermostat and the economy as well as the difference between creating value and creating jobs. I liked the blind spot activity and plan to use it with my students. I've done something similar to the pencil video so can use that in Economics as well. As far as service learning goes, I don't see that getting off the ground next year. I do plan to share the fall itinerary with a colleague or two who I feel will be very interested in that, especially if they are able to develop it into some sort of professional development so that they can receive CEUs. And last but not least - lunch from the Pita Pit was great! :)

Gaming and Education

The use of games in education is a very interesting topic. I really can't see myself using them in the classroom during instructional time much but I could use them during homeroom as suggested. I think it would be more appealing to the guys than the girls, however. We'll see. For a novice like me, to make my own games would be very time consuming but it might be an avenue for students who are kinesthetic learners. The most beneficial thing I learned about today was from Katy. louisianabelieves.com looks like a goldmine for CCSS! Thanks, Katy! Also, Excel is something that I have never had much luck with so the extra tips on that should be very helpful.

June 10

The thing I liked best today was the little scratch-off answer keys with the TBL. I think the students would enjoy doing that - it's kinds like winning the lottery when you scratch off the star. I like being able to hold the students individually accountable but then have them work together as well. And 500 would prob serve the whole department for the whole year. Dipity could be very interesting and useful for the students - I just need to work with it and figure it out. As far as the literacy strategies go, I found the book difficult to follow in the amount of time that we had to go over it. It seemed to me that the authors could have made it easier to understand - it was just too detailed. Having said that, the REACH strategy was prob the most useful one I looked at because I (we all, I'm sure) do it already. Resources (in print - dictionary, glossary, index) Electronics (phone or the internet) Association - making connection between the unfamiliar word and one they know already but looking at root words, suffixes, prefixes Context clues - read the sentence before and the sentence after at least 3 times before you ask for Help from a classmate or teacher. I also liked strategy 2 which was summarized by our group member as "What is it about?" and "What about it?" The text called it Telegraphic highlighting but basically, having a student summarize the meaning in a text message to a friend. I'm hopeful that I can convince my admin to let us use their phones for content purposes. Wish me luck!

LOTS of new information to sift through today. From the very beginning, however, I liked the analogy of the house plan. I think I will use that to try to help my students conceptualize the 5 strands in U. S. History. I actually use an older version of the video we watched about technologies as an intro in US History. I'm glad I found out about the PARCC practice test available online and will check that out later. Looking forward, also, to going back and working with crocodoc and polleverywhere. I liked the Key Events strategy in the article we read. Seems much more effective that just having students construct a timeline of events. The tableau strategy - I'm thinking of using that in connection with major labor conflicts - maybe have each class construct a different scene -Haymarket, Pullamn, Homestead, etc. and then have the students' photos shot in each scene - You know, I bet I can collaborate with our Drama teacher who is on my hall for help with this!

Can't believe I actually found something this a.m.! I've done something similar to the TP timeline before but not in a while - may try to adapt that for next year. But, honestly, the fossil museum was kinda boring to me - it's just not my thang, you know. Today's speaker was not as good, in my opinion - kinda blah, kept thinking my students would be going to sleep - though the discussion afterwards was interesting. I did like the Found Poem activity - don't have this icivics thing figured out yet. I'm gonna miss Josh next week - he always helps me with my technology problems so ya'll watch out - I'll be bugging someone else all next week. Looking forward to the weekend! Thanks Dr. Morris!

So, ran into another former student today who is getting degree in the indl tech dept! So good to see these young men My group didn't have much success with the ego caching (I mean geocaching) thanks to Josh, Ed, others - no, it really was mostly our own fault but I enjoyed the activity. Prob will try to use the google earth activity this coming year. Also enjoyed the Timmerman lecture Looking forward to Fossil Friday!

Billie Day 2

Enjoyed running into a former student of mine today who is actually about to receive his Bachelor's in Industrial Technoloy! He is taking a class this summer on Gaming and Education - how fun! I am a bit more clear on CCSS after Mr. Spears lecture but still lost on how to implement in the classroom - HELP! I think (hope)much of what we did this afternoon with maps and charts will be helpful as I teach Economics for the first time. Having the students to research the data and then create their own graphs/charts should be engaging AND helpful as we go onto the block schedule next year. Finally, I really liked the duolingo! I think my grandchildren will like it also. I teach next door to the Spanish teacher and he has been trying to teach them Spanish one word at a time this past school year. He is prob already aware of this program but will share with him ASAP just in case. Got the cake ball recipe and plan to make soon - loved the poppy seed bread this a.m. as well :) Looking forward to the geo-caching tomorrow

Day 1

Day 1 of GAETI: Day passed fast! Enjoyed lunch at the Panada Express and saw old acquaintance there. Enjoyed the review of Magnolia we were given - determined to use it in the classroom this time. Thankful there was no real fire in the building upon our return! Still uncertain about this blogging thing but let's try it and see.