2012 and beyond....

Just read a blog I follow written by Justin Tarte. Felt it was all very wonderfully said and you can read it yourself if you have time.http://justintarte.blogspot.com/
His last paragraph is something I would like to remember and focus on for the coming year.

"Finally, try to be better than you were yesterday every single day of your life.
Try to do something new every single day of your life. Try to build a new
relationship with someone new every single day of your life. Try to be thankful
for something in your life every single day of your life. Try to take a moment
to reflect every single day of your life. Try to imagine a world that does not
yet exist every single day of your life... Actually, the more I think about it,
don't try to do all of these things, DO ALL OF THESE THINGS!"

I was going to put this as a comment (to myself of course) but thought it would be easier to view if it was a post. Plus someone from the great beyond or CHINA (come on China I want more readers!) would be able to see this post easier than a comment. Just one thing to add to the list Justin Tarte posted for the new year. Always remember....
"If you are not having fun...WHY ARE YOU DOING IT?"
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012 !!!
(I really have a lot more things to add just thought it would get boring. Oh I almost forgot since I am a blogpack of one I would only be boring myself...which is not impossible...more later I am sure!)

Changing Education..

I like to watch 'Ted Talks' it inspires me and fills me full of questions.

So today I watched one called 'The Philosphy of Wrong', it was thought provoking in itself but it also got my mind wondering about Education.

I went to an SAI conference where Scott McLeod led a conversation on 'what is learning'.

I have thought about that ever since and enjoy asking others the same question. Now I want to go a step further and question," Why should education be changed?"

Do you see where the philosphy of wrong led me to this question?

Now I am going to think about this for awhile and then comment on my random and organized thoughts on the topic of changing education.

You are invited!

Yoda vs. Harry Potter...

So during Christmas with my family my oldest son started a debate conversation. Who would win a fight Yoda or Harry Potter and why. Great conversations started with even my youngest son who is 10 contributing. (While playing Lego Star Wars on his DS). So who do you think would win? I will save my decision for my comments.
Then I started these debate conversations:
Who would win a fight Star Trek or Star Wars and why?
Who was more intellegent Gene Rodenberry or Einstein and why?
Okay now your are thinking that my entire family are a bunch of geeks. Not so but sometimes we think like geeks which is not all bad.
Add to my debate conversation list if you have one.
Let the fighting begin, and may the force be with you!

Blog Stats Basic Interpretation...

BlogPack of One status is fine with me. I own up to it and am not dreaming up ways to increase my numbers to say... three. I am not Scott McLeod and have no ambition to compete.

So I looked at my stats after a fellow blogger was commenting on his stats and decided to give my interpretation of what stats mean on my blog.

Disclaimer: this is my own personal interpretation of my blogs stats, it may or may not be accurate, it does not represent any other stats or blog interpretations, and is not meant to demean or negatively portray my blog as not being worth reading or following.

Now lets begin.....

Countries which my blog has been viewed in

USA960 (that makes sense since that is where I am writing from )Russia78(really ? What a pain to translate accurately) United Kingdom26 (You know England)Germany19 (my favorite I love the idea that someone from Germany might wonder what I am blogging about, I think my last name probably pulled that audience in)Japan19(2nd favorite to image someone reading my blog but don't believe it)South Korea19( that one floors me , voted most unusual and unexplainable)Iran17 (I am not sure at all about this one)Canada9(Canada why not thank you and with 9 I believe that)Ukraine5(Wonder what my blog translates to there)China4 (really wanted more from China especially since they have a huge population so step that one up)

Page views 1237, time to dance in the street and then brag on facebook ! Now the interesting part since I did not block my own page views I estimate 99% of those are just me and my blogpack of one. Do I feel bad....NO...going to keep counting my own page views it just makes me happy!

Most viewed Posts...There are two that jump off the page and the pretty graph looks great, the winners are...

Being a Principal can be lonely... 88 views

Blogsafear 42 views

Now I am realistic person and titles seem to pull the viewers in. I really did not mean to pull viewers in by indicating I was lonely but feel that perhaps I sent mixed messages with this blog post. So I am just going to negate the 88 views except for the 10 that were from me.

My pride...Blogsafear...love the name. Might make a movie about it. Might have to do with a blog pack of one and the fear that installs in blogkind. Just wish I had the time to write it. Hmmm wonder what kind of viewing stats I would get with the title. ...Blogsalove...nah!

Viewers that referred me..wow thanks ...not sure exactly why but makes my day.

Search keywords///What is that about , it seems really odd. Can't explain some of them.8

Comments: One of my posts got 8 comments. What a great discussion. Oh wait 7 of the comments were by anonymous, yeah they were me. Wonder what a psychologist would say about that. So to keep me from conversating with myself someone needs to step up and comment. Is that so much to ask. I comment on other blogs, sometimes because I am interested, and sometimes just to be nice. If you want to just be nice that would be fine.

So this has gotten a little long and I will eventually have to post a comment so the blogpack of one signs off...............

Plumbing for Principals 101

There is an old saying ...if you can't be smart or good looking at least be handy!

Now I would like to adapt that saying to my new position as Assistant Principal...

If you are not the smartest or best looking principal at least know your plumbing!

Last week was so busy with reports due and parents to be called that just finishing was almost impossible. To add on that student issues seemed to crop up every half hour. Okay bring it on! I then got a call that the bathroom stall door was hanging off it's hinges and might fall on a kid. Okay take it off and put it in my office till I get there. Then the call that it can't be put back on. Okay just leave it off and I will look for new hardware. Then a report that all the stalls are locked and the girls can't go into the stall without crawling under the door. Okay I go and get a chair and my yard stick and off to open the doors (yep done it more than once). Then a call that the bathroom floors are sticky in the TK room and not sure why. Okay off to see what they mean by sticky...wrong floor cleaner used and reacted with the wax. Write up a maintenance request and get a wet mop to do the best to clean up. Then a call that someone has written with poop on the stall walls. Okay go and look (really don't want to) and it is not poop but tootsie rolls , thank you God. Then a report (it is Friday oh yeah!) that their is water all over the floor of the boys bathroom. Okay another look and find the seal that is not working, get the floor mopped up, another maintenance report and almost time to go home.

I know that in all my training in education , knowing how to evaluate and fix bathroom stalls, floors, and toilets never came up once. Now put on top of that the other maintenance issues such as bleachers that won't pull out, keys that don't work, PA systems that need fixed, and the list goes on. Is this the principals job and part of educational leadership? No and Yes... If the principal can't help with a solution who will? It is the principals job to lead the way to make teaching easier by solving maintenance issues. I will say that too much time can be spent on maintenance so I am trying to understand how to walk that fine line. Any comments? (I only have one tootsie rolls to write on stalls and look like poop, that is really creative!)

Snow

It is truly a beautiful day in Iowa today. Snowing , looks like a snow globe. I like snow, always have always will. As an educator I know that it also means students without boots, snowpants, gloves, hats, and sometimes even a warm coat. I was not poor growing up but came from a big family and never had snow pants, wore boots that were too small, socks for gloves, but always had a coat that kept me warm. I was lucky. I applaud schools in my two districts for having extra outer clothing for students who perhaps forgot or don't have their own. I hope that is how it is all over the great state of Iowa. Let every student enjoy the snow at recess time.

Building Community...

Went to visit the principal of Jacobson Elementary, Mike Thompson. Thank you to Belmond Klemme and Mr. Lewis for hosting me. Thanks also Mr. Duncan Principal of Prairie Valley Elementary and MNW Elementary for giving me the opportunity and time to visit. My schedule has been busy as any asst. principal and only got about two and one half hours of conversation but the time was worth it's wait in gold. I had a list of questions and not all got answered but what a great conversation. Since it was a school day Mike had to continue with his duties such as discipline and bus duty. I know the most important part of the day for me was the idea of building a network with another administrator. I am fortunate as an assistant principal I always have one person that I can network with. I have met a lot of administrators since I have started but it is difficult to have time to talk with them and build working relationships. I feel I have that started with Mr. Thompson and Jacobson Elementary. I am building a community of administrators and school districts one person at a time. Sincerely thanks...