Final meeting

What a day!
Went on an impromptu tour or the library and saw the Kinsey collection. Some amazing documents and artwork from African American history. Then made a movie about it!

 

This experience has been life-altering.  I have discovered my inner artist, I have rekindled my love of the profession. I have made great friends and acquaintances. My lone regret is that I will not be able to come back this summer.  I will, however, become a great ambassador for the Institute.  

So in the words of the great Alan Cumming in his role as the emcee in "Cabaret..."

"Auf Wiedersehen.....a bientot....."

[fade to black]

 

Back to School - September Session

Had a great time today seeing everyone again! (Except Silence...he wasn't here.  Hope everything's OK for you and your family)

We all shared what we've been up to since the summer and how the year's going.  Everyone seems to have had a real positive experience and has really adjusted to the post-Common Core implementation better than most. 

I really feel recharged coming here today.  It was just the pep session I needed to get me rolling into really getting my classroom on solid ground. 

I really want to get more into the material from the conference and get my curriculum supercharged. 
This first unit DID NOT go as planned.  Perhaps I can kick more rear on the next one.  I also plan to gel my subject area peeps more.  7th grade social studies is going to have to advance to level: next. I will have to be the one to make that happen.  Especially working with 2 coaches.

I think my next move will be to set up a group dropbox for the group to collaborate with. Also going to get my kids more computer lab time, and the rest of the school be darned to heck.  If they are not going to sign up for it, I will.

Been a great ride and look forward ot seeing everyone in the Spring.

Day 20

Saw some great technology plans from our awesome group this morning.  Capped it off with a phenomenal potluck lunch.  Unfortunately I had to leave early due to a family emergency. Thankfully, everything is going to be fine.

I really got a lot out of this conference. This past school year was a difficult one for me. So much that I was contemplating a change of career.  Of course, all teachers say that at the end of the year, but I was actually updating my CV.  I took a chance in applying for this conference and was fortunate enough to get in.  It has exceeded every single one of my expectations.  I have learned so much about how I need to be thinking, planning and teaching completely different than before.  More importantly, I feel empowered to do that.

I also feel renewed to go back to work in august with a new outlook on my job.  I had gotten into a rut.  Times they were a-changing and I was plodding my way through fossilized instruction.  I had begun to experiment, but without the knowledge I have now, they had a tendency to blow up in my face. It became easier to put on that comfortable pair of pants that was my old way of doing things.  Little did I realize that they had become threadbare and beyond repair.  I can see that clearly now.

It has been an honor and a pleasure to have participated.

Day 19

Heard a lot of great presentations today.

Everyone presented their lesson plans and demonstrated how they plan to integrate what they've learned in the conference into their classrooms.

Totally stealing the idea from Tomlin about hashtagging.

Mine will be #taoofodom

What is liberating is knowing that I can successfully avoid the old way of doing things.

Day 18

And so, we are fast-approaching the end.

Worked on a presentation to show my district or school or whoever may be interested.  Planning to make an audio file with it so IF I am asked to present, I won't go hoarse or forget key points.

Finished up my lesson plan and I am satisfied with the product.  May need tweaking before it goes live in the fall, but it'll do for now.  Now I just have to do a handout. 

Went over accommodations this morning for special needs students.  Gave me a lot to take in and think about.  Always good to expand that toolkit.

Toured the TK Martin Center.  Had to keep it together because it was SO emotional being there.  Jacob learned so much there and they were so good for him. He still talks about the children he interacted with there and all the adventures they had.  I can still hear him saying "No crying in ball!" to that kid who was crying during the Christmas pageant.  I also remember how nerve-racking it was for me the first time I went with Margaret to drop him off.  I remember looking at the building and saying "He's is on the second floor.  Oh. My. God." This was followed by every possible nightmare scenario flooding through my thought stream simultaneously.  We kept just about every piece of art he made there. 

Day 17

The art project is complete.  Der Mauerspringer (walljumper) ist komplett. 

For better or worse.

Today we experimented with audioboo.  I think I can use this for my visual/auditory kids.  Plus, I won't go hoarse repeating the same thing over and over again.

We also learned how to integrate audio into powerpoints and upload them. This will be a tremendous help because kids can actually access my lessons with the powerpoint which will help kids like the young lady I had last year who emphatically told me "I can get it when you explain it."

We also adventured into the bizarre and terrifying world of copyright law and fair use.

Can't believe it's winding down.  I don't know what i'll do next month!

Day 16

Had to leave early (at 3:45) to close on my mother-in-law's house.  All I can say is:

So today we put together a course in Canvas.  Really user friend'y and a lot preferable to Coursesites I think.  Gonna try some experimentation this July and see what I can put together for the fall.  Lots of planning to do!!

We also went over powerpoint and how to do some neat tricks with it.  This seemed counterproductive to what we were doing yesterday with Prezi....but I see the point.  One of my concerns about the whole flipping of the classroom is:

What happens when the internet is down.

I guess we can use our backup (jumpdrives, powerpoints) which actually makes a lot of sense.

Art project is on hold til the glass is ready....really excited.

I have truly found myself in art.  I am abstract, and this project has allowed me to explore that side of myself with more depth and articulation than ever before.