Team Work

I do have my coaching endorsement...haven't used it but I remember the concepts. I always enjoyed being part of a great team (not all teams I have been on have been great so when they were it was a joy). I often stayed with a team and was happy even if I did not get a lot of playing time. So Team Building is an important part of what I enjoy about education.
Can't wait to be part of a true team and help to build the team into something outstanding. I am ready for the team work to begin.

Iowa 1 to 1 Conference April 20th

Well what can I say... 1 to 1 Conference ....HMMMM!
I felt very fortunate to attend the conference with two of Prairie Valley High School Math teachers. They are more on the digital native spectrum than I and I truly enjoy learning from their efforts and natural ability. They are impressive in the fact that they search out ways to use 1to1 technology in their classroom but not just for the sake of technology; but rather for the idea that it helps the students learn. When I can learn from a professional educator in my building , it is always a plus. Note to myself: Use these people more!!!!
Took time to hear what was good or not so good from these two staff members. Well they both said it was a lot like the Newell Fonda event they went to at the beginning of the year (Just bigger). Most sessions were perhaps more on the 'First Year 1 to 1 " wow this is great level. They were looking for something they had not been exposed to previously. One session that I also attended was awful. What do I mean by awful? Not true 1 to 1 level but more, look we have a computer and some kids and see what they made... When asking the students what else they do with the computers they aswered honestly,"Nothing we put them away in the other classes".
Not was expected with the third year of 1 to 1 initiative in a school district.
They also commented on how the wi-fi wasn't working and that sessions were difficult to access the sites that were being demonstrated. A lot of sessions were so crowded you could not get in.
What did they like??? Talking with other teaching professionals and picking up a few new ideas from teachers who have been into 1 to 1 for more than a year.
Also attended the conference with the Prairie Valley High School Principal. Always good to bring administration along. The Principal did not attend the Newell Fonda conference and so was more new to a lot of the ideas. He found it frustrating that you could not get on to the sites also. He did enjoy the administrative sessions with google apps.
Okay now what was my opinion? My goal was to get staff excited. I only had two staff members attend...guess I should of worked harder on the sell. I also wanted to excite and interest the administration.... yet again it worked but still need to work harder. I also was very interested in finding out about school districts that have had the 1to1 initiative for at least three years.
I do feel the conference was directed at first year or thinking about it school districts. That is okay ...just hoped for more long term discussions on 1 to 1. Maybe next years theme?!

The ability to get on line was really disruptive!!!! I brought two computers just in case one system worked better. I wish I had left both at home. I got in and bumped out so many times I just shut everything down. Now I know how the students feel on those days at school. A good lesson I suppose. The best part of the conference was the discussion rooms.. which were face to face due to the computer wi-fi problems...maybe a better idea than the chat idea. I did attend a discussion on learning with Scott McLeod which I found very beneficial. No I am not brown nosing ... no reason to...it just was a great opportunity to listen to the thoughts of others in education and I think a discussion that should be started in every school board meeting, Professional Development, and classroom.
What is LEARNING? HOW DO YOU KNOW?

So on a scale of 1-10 with one being the lowest and 10 being the highest I would give the Iowa 1 to1 conference a ...5.

Funny now... maybe in 10 years not funny at all!!!

My son showed me this video and it was so funny!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRmwis_HF_M This is probably being developed as we speak. Remember the Star Trek days and everything that was thought impossible and we now use everyday? So enjoy.! Just a side note ...I need an app to get youtube videos on my blog site. I have uploaded this #@! for 15 minutes now and nothing. Tried copy and paste, sending it to an email...nothing works. So now I am just hoping that writing it down on a piece of paper and then typing it in the post works. But if you are counting on my typing to be accurate (along with my spelling) that might be the best joke of all. Soooo...(yes I am using the dots again) if nothing works go to Youtube like I did, search under these exact words (exact right) April Fools joke app smell and taste. If it is funny you found it (should be two newscasters).

Grass Is Always Greener...Yeah I Know....

Just got back from the Area 5 Iowa Artist show. I volunteer every year to bring the easels and set up. I am always glad I go and sometimes even push myself to enter a piece of my art work. Oh by the way I am an artist , that is a great description of my personality and the way approack everything I do especially education. Basically what is true education... a creative endevor to learn more and by doing so create. Okay now to what this post is about... I WOULD LIKE TO QUIT MY DAY JOB (SCHOOL ADMINISTATIVE MANAGER) AND BECOME A FULL TIME ARTIST. Why wouldn't I? I would be around like minded creative people, I would be pushing my limits of creativity, I would be fulfilling my passion. I would be learning new art techniques and medium applications. Wow when can I start!!! What would I be giving up? Pay and benefits (don't like that but I think I could work around it as long as I did not starve). Frustration (not having to follow state guidelines for testing, budget, and everything involving state and federal unfunded and funded mandates. Hours of working on forms and data and correspondance. Stress. Heartache ( students who can't succeed know matter how much you help). Now the flip side: I would also give up teaching children ages 5-20. I would up being part of a child's learning process. I would give up working with top quality staff. I would give up the sense of helping families. Much more also. SO I GUESS THIS IS AN EXCERCISE FOR MY MIND... Not sure if when Monday comes I might still want to quit but I hope not. BUT TODAY I AM GOING TO BE AN ARTIST... AT LEAST UNTIL I HAVE TO MAKE DINNER WHICH IS NOT MY CREATIVE SUITE.

Wow, What a Day!!!

Spent the day touring the Algona Community School District. I was treated to walk through tours of all the buildings, discussions with staff on programs and philosophies, and great opportunities to watch teachers in action. It was so interesting and reminded me of why I do what I do. Everyone in education should have the opportunity to do the same. Thankyou Algona School District!! Now to bring the conversations back to staff...

My Grama Has A Dog With Three Legs

I really do not have to time to write another post for this blog...but sometimes you just have to do this.

Reflect on the pure joy of teaching children of all ages.

Time to enjoy and hope you do also!!!

A beautiful pig tailed 5 year old student waved her had back and forth during breakfast at school last week. This usually means she has to go to the bathroom and wants permission to leave her tray and then come back to eat. Not today. With a look of concern she said," Mrs. K. my Grama has a dog with three legs." of course my response is "I hope that the dog is okay". She nodded yes and then said, " Grama says two legs got ran over Mrs. K.". Okay what to say next? I could not think of anything, my mind was busy with the thought process of ... does that mean it only has one working leg? ... or it had five legs to start with and now only has three?. I am going with the five legs to start since that is what I think a five year old might think. What fun to think like a 5 year old.

Switch age levels....

Same day a tenth grade boy walks into my classroom/office with a huge smile on his face. "Mrs. K. he says did you hear about my ticket?" I said no of course and asked about what happened. He told me he was pulled over for speeding 93 miles per hour in a 55 MPH area. I wanted to ask a couple of more questions to see if he had learned anything about the experience (teacher in me). I asked "What did you say to the officer when he came up to your car? The student replied "The officer asked me if I knew how fast I was going and I told him yes of course, I had my cruise control on!" Enough said...
Now add to my list of stories and of course I will too.....

Let the other Team Score!!!

My son had his last basketball game of the season. It went really well and I can say he played his heart out. Second game the team stepped on the floor and the crowd could tell they were no match. Okay 3rd grade are in it for the experience so play. That being said my son is a good 12 inches taller than most 3rd graders and for this game maybe even more than that. When the game was getting ridiculous his coach (generous man that he is ) told many of the players (my son being one) to play only outside the zone. Okay I did agree with that. Our team has been on whipping end of the game before and at 3rd grade I think that was appropriate. My sons comment after the 2nd game was "I thought basketball was supposed to be fun, what fun was that?" He has trained the entire season to rebound and shoot and the two things that he does well he does not get to do?
So how does this blog relate to education?
Well think about it. How much money is spent on struggling schools when schools that are successful go without? How much time and tax money is spent on legislation that concerns low achieving school districts. How much federal money is put into states that have failing educational systems. How much work goes into working with a poor teacher and not towards an innovative idea a successful teacher is trying to implement. How much time and money is put towards a drop out when the student in the middle keeps swinging and the student at the top just watches.
Now I am not advocating 'educational survival of the fittest" but I do know that is how China and India get the test scores that make the USA look bad.
What I am advocating is how can this be more balanced?
I am searching for more ideas... as always