Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Working my way Back to You!
On a later flight tonight, but weather permitting should be back in class tomorrow (Wednesday). The funeral for my grandma was held on the 22nd and the internment at the cemetery was mercifully brief as the Michigan winds were kicking up. We had a lunch afterwards with about 100 people in attendance - most were family. Been helping box and ship and clear out the house the past few days.

Weather is open for today, but another strong storm is expected later tomorrow and hoping to get the next connection before any more delays. It's a balmy 35 degrees or so today and although my grandma's rented house got lots of snow, the roads were clear today. We'll see! Weather around here changes often.

Get your WIKIS updated and Period 2 take the background off from the front page that was added please :). Hope to see you soon. Have pictures of the snow to show you!

Sunday, February 25, 2007

It's been snowing all day to day off and on. About 4 inches or so -- hard to measure from the window! Looking forward to catching a plane and making all the connections to get home. Look forward to seeing all the progress made on your projects and stories while I have been gone. Be sure to update your WIKIs -- look forward to the presentations when I return.

Friday, February 23, 2007

BRRRR.. It's cold and sunny here. A balmy 13 degrees with a slight wind chill. Yesterday at the internment at the cemetary it was about 0 degrees with the wind chill. Hope all is going well with your guest teacher and I look forward to seeing you next Wednesday. Send me some messages through your WIKI's so I have something nice to read! Thanks for being so understanding and working so hard to impress our guest teachers with your incredible ability to adjust and adapt. If you want to check the weather where I am look for Saginaw - Sheperd- Mt Pleasant areas. The only other big city close is Lansing and/or Midland, Michigan.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

The land of the tundra -- high yesterday was 32 Degrees. Be good for the guest teacher. Will send more news when I have it and thanks for all your wishes and support. You all are wonderful and I will see you when I return.

Friday, February 16, 2007

WAVE - Week of Feb. 19 - Feb. 23

Tuesday - VOCAB for Week #21 - WORD UNDERSTANDING RECORD ( do both grade levels to fill in both halves of the sheet).

7th Grade = cacophonous (harsh sounding)
The cacophonous clatter coming from the kitchen was harsh to the ears.

8th Grade = profuse (very abundant; flowing)
Her friends gave many profuse compliments after her amazing performance.

WEDNESDAY WRITING
How is it possible to meet someone new and not judge them? Why or why not? Give examples. Remember writing until 9:25 THEN check grades, bulletin.



Tuesday, February 13, 2007

WEDNESDAY WRITING for Feb. 14th

Read the Prompt and you have until 9:25 to complete your writing then work on checking your grades from 9:25 am until the WAVE bell rings.

We all want to be treated fairly.

Write about what you feel is fair and unfair in your home, your school, or your life in general. . Use details to support your reasons why or why not.

Would others consider your opinion to be fair or unfair? Explain who would or would not and why.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

TECHNO WOES

When things go wrong with tech, life can be very frustrating. Like needing to unplug an overhead projector because somehow it interferes with a grading program? Very odd. I like logic. If A is not working, it's because of B, C, or D. However lately, that has not been the case.

Grading program won't boot up? Check to see if you used blue fonts last! Have to reset a password once every 45 days? Just do it daily and it seems to work. Technology frustrations abound... and when it doesn't make sense, it's that much more irritating.

Cannot get hi-speed modem to connect even though it's one, plugged in, and the lights are blinking? Then just unplug everything reboot! If only life were that way... cluttered house? Just have the magic people take everything out and only put back in what is necessary. Scrap your car on a metal pole? Just have someone re-finish and re-paint it for you. The problem with all these little tasks is that they take TIME.

Sure, most people think teachers have all this "free time". This includes meetings before and after school, grading and responding to over 150 papers-- over 200 for some and this is supposed to be informative comments so that the students can improve-- not just a score. Then entering the grades, updating the homework site, sitting on at least one or two committees, responding to parent/teacher/staff emails (preferred), phone calls and notes. Differentiated instruction for EVERYONE in class above those who have formal plans and accommodations in place, managing the classroom network (for techies) and that FREE TIME for organizing? There are only 24 hours in the day. There is not a teacher I know who does not bring papers home (or stays very late to get them done the next day).

Do I love my job? Absolutely...is it very misunderstood by the public as to what the responsibilities of teachers are in this day and age? ABSOLUTELY!!! Higher pay is one aspect that would be helpful and I would love to have an expense account so that I could have things that personally help me be more organized. Give me Paris Hilton's or another high-paid athlete, or personalities income for a week and I would probably make more than two or three years' work of salary.

The incredible amount of time that is required to prepare, reflect on the day, then adapt for additional learning experiences is phenomenal. It's a great job... just some days the technology that we have to make life "easier" ends up making it that much more difficult and cumbersome. There are days I enjoy just unplugging and reading a book. Anything without wires.
TECHNO WOES

When things go wrong with tech, life can be very frustrating. Like needing to unplug an overhead projector because somehow it interferes with a grading program? Very odd. I like logic. If A is not working, it's because of B, C, or D. However lately, that has not been the case.

Grading program won't boot up? Check to see if you used blue fonts last! Have to reset a password once every 45 days? Just do it daily and it seems to work. Technology frustrations abound... and when it doesn't make sense, it's that much more irritating.

Cannot get hi-speed modem to connect even though it's one, plugged in, and the lights are blinking? Then just unplug everything reboot! If only life were that way... cluttered house? Just have the magic people take everything out and only put back in what is necessary. Scrap your car on a metal pole? Just have someone re-finish and re-paint it for you. The problem with all these little tasks is that they take TIME.

Sure, most people think teachers have all this "free time". This includes meetings before and after school, grading and responding to over 150 papers-- over 200 for some and this is supposed to be informative comments so that the students can improve-- not just a score. Then entering the grades, updating the homework site, sitting on at least one or two committees, responding to parent/teacher/staff emails (preferred), phone calls and notes. Differentiated instruction for EVERYONE in class above those who have formal plans and accommodations in place, managing the classroom network (for techies) and that FREE TIME for organizing? There are only 24 hours in the day. There is not a teacher I know who does not bring papers home (or stays very late to get them done the next day).

Do I love my job? Absolutely...is it very misunderstood by the public as to what the responsibilities of teachers are in this day and age? ABSOLUTELY!!! Higher pay is one aspect that would be helpful and I would love to have an expense account so that I could have things that personally help me be more organized. Give me Paris Hilton's or another high-paid athlete, or personalities income for a week and I would probably make more than two or three years' work of salary.

The incredible amount of time that is required to prepare, reflect on the day, then adapt for additional learning experiences is phenomenal. It's a great job... just some days the technology that we have to make life "easier" ends up making it that much more difficult and cumbersome. There are days I enjoy just unplugging and reading a book. Anything without wires.