Quick update:
The iMac fundraiser is underway. We have $200 raised — $600 to go. Secured some iMacs from a local school, which will help.
Lesson plans are slowing progressing. Just finished 5-8 music today. More to come.
Computers are nearly ready. Need some field testing, but just about ready.
Our summer program ends on Friday, so I get my room back.
Where did all the summer go?
Busy, busy, busy. And forgetting to post. Rubber is hitting the road, as I imagine most teachers are feeling right now.
Here's what I've been working on:
I've replaced my four iMacs with four better ones, and have linked them up with my eMac server (I've been trying to do this for two years). I've made tremendous progress in the setup process, and am now testing applications with the new server software to work out bugs. I hope to have 50 applications ready to go by the end of the week.
Internet has arrived! Now I can make these posts more habitual.
Here's what I've accomplished during the past few days:
Our summer program is in full swing now, and I'm teaching on Mondays and Wednesdays. It has been going well, and shouldn't take too much more time to plan or prepare.
I canvassed five local businesses in hopes of funding Math Facts in a Flash. So far, nothing yet.
I procured 10 iMacs as donations! Should have any shortages now...
I'm developing some stuff for reading, and working on my management plan.
Two more days until the internet is installed at home...
Our summer school program begins tomorrow, and I spent most of yesterday and today in preparation for it. I'm teaching a basic juggling class. It should be light and enjoyable.
My intense work-periods at school begin this week as well. Since I'll be at school for the program already, I'm going to stay in excess of that time. It's time to start hauling on these projects. Hopefully, future updates will be littered with progress. For now, I'll sign off.
It was bound to happen sooner or later. I think my last post was at least 3 days ago. Our home internet is down, so my access is a little limited.
Here's what I accomplished in the last few days:
Not much actually. Internet access is slow at the school, too, for some reason. It's awful how addicted I must be to having internet access.
Few things are more cleansing than some spring cleaning (or summer cleaning, in the case of teachers). I won't be back at school again until Sunday, but my work this week has been worth it.
Here is what I accomplished today:
The last of the unsorted materials have been put away (there's still some junk on one bookshelf, but that's forgivable). I'll have to remove some desks, since I'm not expecting 20 students again. I feel like I have some workspace to use now, and that ample junk has been thrown away.
Once again, I was unproductive. Most of the morning was spent running other errands. My school time was not used very well, although I got a few things done.
Here's what I accomplished today:
I ran a phone cord through the ceiling and around to the other side of the room. Now I have a phone at my desk. Hooray!
I threw some more stuff away. Pretty soon there will be nothing left on the student desks, where I have been storing things.
Didn't get much done today. Other urgent matters were pressing: church VBS took precedent.
Here's what I accomplished today:
Moved a few more things around and organized. My inventory is completely updated. I've almost finished backing up the first round of disk images online (I'll check the status when I get to school tomorrow).
Tomorrow will be a lot of errands, meetings, and prior obligations. Good luck getting any school work done...
Amazingly enough, I've been spending almost as much time at school as I do during the school year. Lots of necessary things, though.
Here's what I accomplished today:
My desk is much more organized now. Things that had been thrown into drawers are now intentionally placed (or thrown away). I'm really hoping to do more with less next year.
I purged a lot of stuff around the room. I've seen the trap that some teachers fall into — "pack-rat-ism." It's actually a cleansing feeling to get rid of things I have little use for. I'm sure I'll never miss them.
Today was a work day at school. I know, it's Sunday. But the church I attend is attached to the school. One trip saves gas, so I worked in the room a little. Thankfully, the carpet cleaning was done, so I was able to move some things around.
This is what I accomplished today:
Hello again. Looks like I've managed two in a row here. Being a Saturday, I did not spend as much time working on school things.
Here is what I accomplished:
I'm nearly 1/3 finished typing out sorting sheets for my 5th grade spelling curriculum. It's going faster than the 2nd grade, because the template is already made. I also have worked out my lesson plans for the introductory period for spelling.
I've never had a blog before, so I'm considering this an experiment. I've taught grades 3-4 for the past 3 years, and am starting to get my feet on the ground in this profession. For lack of anything better to write about, I'm going to summarize daily how I've been preparing for my next school year (I recently spoke to a non-teacher who wondered what teachers do during the summer - consider this a response).
Hi - this is my blah, blah, Blog!
Welcome to the first day of class. There is much we will do here. Please write down some of the things you know about computers and what you would like to get out of this class. You do not have to leave your name after you have written in this blog.
Hi Mrs. Ruiz
I know how to play games but that is all. I would like to learn how to use MS Word. Thanks!!
What are some strategies that can help adults develop a positive attitude toward learning? How can they be incorporated into a practical setting?
Bruner (1966) also contents that learning is an active process in which learners based their new ideas is on older acquire knowledge. He believes that the learner transforms information and creates hypotheses to make decisions. This uses the learner’s cognitive ability to construct new ideas on past knowledge. The educator goal is to engage the student in an active dialogue and to translate material to fit the students understanding. The material should be laid out in a cumulative manner where the learner builds upon what they’ve learned before.
The shift in societal norms of the nuclear family has changed dramatically in the last few decades. There has always been a small part of the population, parents, who did not spend quality time with her children. With a population of the United States and the world growing exponentially, that small population has now grown into a population that is noticed and it affects the overall growth of the educational whole.
What is autism?
According May 4, 2007 issue of Newsweek, environmental factors in the development of autism is becoming as concern for many parents. Though the condition is caused by mostly genetic reasons and many siblings will also develop the disorder, usually the sibling will rank only 10% of the risk factor. According to Caren Dobkin's, professor of psychology at the University of California San Diego, the 90% do not have enough quirky behavior to qualify for the diagnosis of autism, but they do show atypical patterns of social interaction and communication.
A few months ago I watched a documentary about the high incident of people with severe mental retardation who were musical savants. It was incredible to watch a person play a complex piece of music with such skill and yet function at a three year old level. To me this demonstrates just how complex the brain is and how many mysteries related to human development lie within.