Ready to Come Back

Yes, I know.....it's been a long time since I've done a post. Once the end of school came I took a hiatus.....an extended hiatus. Now, I feel the urge to write again. I wonder what that means???:) I can't believe the time to go back to school is right around the corner. It seems once July hits, the summer just folds away and in the blink of an eye, we have to go back to the grind. I've been doing some things I've wanted to do but never had time to do during the school year--like paint my laundry room, kitchen, and living room and READ! I'm hooked on the Sookie Stackhouse series and can't seem to get enough of them! I KNOW the power of a good book! So, I guess I am feeling the twitch to get into my routine....write, read, teach :) It truly is my thread.

Last Digital Writing Post

This is the last of my projects for my Digital Writing Class; however, this is NOT the last of me :) Hope you enjoy it!



http://upload.youtube.com/my_videos_upload

I'm Scared

Saturday is my last face-to-face meeting with Bill and our Digital Writing group. I can't begin to tell you how much I've grown professionally in terms of incorporating technology into my teaching practices. Bill made me feel uncomfortable and took me WAY out of my comfort zone and required me to use certain pieces of technology I would have otherwise NEVER known about or chosen to use. He required me to read professional text that took my thinking outside the box. I complained at first and thought, "What had I gotten myself into??" He required me to do things and use things and read things I would have never been exposed to had I not taken this course. Now I find myself scared to death because I might not have this contact anymore. I'm scared to think about going back to "Pre-Bill" and I don't like it! Colleen, Ann, and I just presented a staff development to our faculty about some of the neat things we have been introduced to. I love the idea of "each one, teach one." I feel "empowered" that I have some knowledge about technology and how to use a few things in my teaching. I don't want my learning to end. I am not ready to do this on my own. I feel like I have just started my journey and I don't want to lose my connection to these wonderful people. I'm wondering if we can keep our support group going so we can continue to learn and grow from each other?? I'm scared of losing this contact. I wonder if anyone else feels the same as me.

Here We Go Again

Okay....here I am in Florida and I am supposed to be on vacation. I pick up the daily newspaper and listen to the daily news and the top news story over the past three days is teachers picketing the state capital because there is a bill getting ready to be passed that ties teachers salaries/bonuses to test scores. The state of Florida says higher test scores equals higher salaries. Hmmmmmmm.......are they really being serious??? Are you telling me that the only measure of a child's growth over a school year is being tied to a test score????? Is there not anything else we can look at??? Excuse me for sounding so down on this, but come on....we live in the 21st century. If I were measured by every test I ever took during my school days, I may never be in the position I am in today. Test scores are but ONE measure teachers/parents/administrators should look at when it comes to growth. Even the teacher of the year is so against this. Why is it that people who are not involved in the day-to-day grind of the daily classroom make decisions that influence teachers that force them to go in a direction they know is not right??? I'm on vacation right now, but my heart and my passion are on fire right now for what I know is right. Tying student test scores to teacher salaries is not right and it is not fair. If a teacher is not performing to standard, create an improvement plan that measures various ways a child's growth can be measured, and then, if no progress is shown, get rid of them. That is fair. But DO NOT measure a teacher's salary based on a child's performance on ONE test. Are the senators/legislatures in Florida really thinking this through??????

The Digital Writing Workshop Book Voice Thread

What a neat tool! Now, if I can get my microphone working so I can leave longer comments, I'll be doing great!

Learning Voice Thread

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U1wlRrKyyk


I feel like I am getting step-by-step closer to actually understanding the world of technology! Not only did I learn how to use Voice Thread on my own, I also was able to make a comment on Bill's Voice Thread about Troy Hick's book! My only problem was my equipment. My microphone kept cutting off after about 15 seconds which caused me to do my comment over and over again. I must confess the first time I got ready to do it my heart started to pound....almost as if I was giving some kind of presentation! I just didn't want to say something stupid! Trust me....I used that little trash can more than a few times before I finally got something I could live with. So, hopefully the more I use this, the more comfortable I will get. Who knows.....maybe I'll try the webcam next!!

I've Got The Fever

I am just as bad as the kids. Over this past week right in the middle of teaching, I have found myself more than once thinking about all the things I am going to do next week while on Spring Break! I completely understand how the kids are feeling--squirmy, unattentive, ready to bust loose! We are all ready for some down time, family time, and me time. I hope I can make it till Friday..........

Family Fun

Here is the first attempt of a family digital story. Hope you like it!

PASS Hysteria

I hate this time of the year--you know, those few days right before a statewide test. You can almost feel the tension in the air as you talk with colleagues. Simple tasks suddenly become monumental and I find myself not being as patient as I normally am. Why do I allow myself to get sucked into this hysteria that seems to develop each and every year?? My rational self knows better, but somehow there's always a part of me that begins to panic just a little and question what I did and did not do in terms of test preparation. One of these days, I'm going to stop this mess and focus on what's really important: fostering a lifetime love of reading and writing within my students. I WILL get there....one of these days.

I'm Movin' On Up!!

http://ipad.io/H1M

My daughter, Schyler, sent my husband and I a Valentine's card for the first time in YEARS! She is away at college and very busy doing her own thing when out of the blue came this card. We have not received a card from her since she was teeny tiny and at first I was a little taken back. Then, after getting over the initial shock, I felt so lucky to have such a thoughtful and caring daughter. I knew she was growing up, but I guess I just didn't realize how quickly it was happening. All I kept thinking about was how she is turning into me!! I send my parents a card each year and now she is doing the same to me. So, you will understand me when I say that this card is symbolic of so many things besides just a "card." I am one lucky mom!
By the way, this is my first podcast!!

I am going to a school tomorrow to observe their writing program. I am excited and scared to death! Excited in that I am so pumped to see what other schools are doing to promote literacy--that drives me! Scared to death because I'm not sure half the time if I know what I am doing! What I do know is that if we have a common thread called literacy, that is half the battle. Anything we can do to allow students the opportunity to become better readers and writers is the most important job any of us can have. So, I go with an open mind and open eyes and can't wait for the wonderful things I will see! I'll bet they will teach me a thing or two.....or three!

Love is in the Air

I love snow.....for about 5 minutes, then I'm ready for it to go away! As I sit and watch the big, fat, fluffy flakes fall faster and faster, I am reminded how beautiful a simple thing such as a snowflake can be. To see its contrast against a black sky is truly mesmerizing. I'm thinking how ironic it is to be watching it snow in a coastal region and the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, are just beginning its opening ceremonies! Tomorrow, however, I will want warmer weather. You see, while I like to look at snow, I don't like to be in it. That is a strange comment coming from someone who grew up in Massachusetts, a place that got feet of snow each year. Since moving to a coastal region 25 years ago, I've become a weenie to cold weather. I like it warm. So, while I am loving this special gift from Mother Nature tonight, I am secretly yearning for that warm, sunny day tomorrow!

Test scores...What do they really say???

The PASS test scores went public today. There is a part of me that needs to know how my students did in comparison to other students in the grade I teach as well as how my students compare to others across the district. I need to know whether or not my teaching strategies are on par with other schools based on the performance of my students. This part of me always searches for connections I can make to test scores, growth, etc. Sometimes I loathe this part. PASS is a one shot deal - one day writing - one day for grammar and revising - one day for reading and research. Three days to represent a child's entire ELA experience in one year. I wrestle with whether or not this is a true measure of a child. If my success was based only on test scores, I may not be where I am today. What did my test scores say about me? Not enough. My will to learn, my determination, and my sacrifices were my true measures. Testing is important and it should be done. But is it the tell-all of a child?

Need Class Set!

Okay......I tried something new this week. I gave one of my classes an essay final on Call of the Wild. I had them work in groups with a total of 6 essay questions about the novel's elements and characters. Using post-it notes, the students found examples throughout the novel they could use to justify and support possible responses to those questions. After the group activity, each student chose 4 questions they individually would actually write to for their test. The group did not have to do the same 4 questions. On test day, I brought the mobile lab of mini netbooks into my classroom and had students type their responses. The quality of writing I got from the students was unbelievable---a direct result, I believe, from the simple fact they could use the netbooks rather than hand write the test. All students told me afterwards they much preferred to type their answers....and then the wheels started to turn. The problem with our computer labs (both stationary and mobile) is that every time I wanted to use one I couldn't because of some kind of benchmark testing that was being conducted. This past week was a bonus due to the fact I got the netbooks twice--once for a webquest activity with all of my students and then for the typing of the final with one of my classes. My kids were all so encouraged and wanted to know why we couldn't have a set of netbooks in the classroom all of the time. And then I decided I have to get a grant and get a set of computers for my room. With all of Sara Kajder's suggestions given in The Tech-Savy English Classroom, a set of netbooks could put into motion a classroom full of engagement, diversity, and technology. Any ideas on how to go about getting a grant for this??????

Social Networking Hits Wall

I love the whole idea of social bookmarking and blogging. However, a problem I've encountered over and over again is that the technology department is not on the same page as the teachers. When I find cool sites (Wallwisher, for example) and want to share them with the students, I'm running into the big "Access Denied" sign due to all of the filters in place. With this idea fostering choice for students through RSS, Social Bookmarking, and Blogging, we've got to ALL be working from the same script. Many of my students have access to technology only at school, and if teachers and students can't access the "tools" that will make these kids ready for the 21st century, what good will the tools be to us? We are moving quickly with these ideas of engaging technology and we all need to be moving in the same direction.

Imagining a Digital Workshop

The title for Chapter 1 of Troy Hicks' The Digital Writing Workshop obviously caught my attention. I'm thinking that I can't wait for this year to be over with so I can rethink the processes I currently have in place and replace some of what I do with many of these wonderful, engaging strategies. I know I have to start small, but I think I am on the verge of the ginormous iceberg of technology. The possibilities of utilizing the framework of a digital writing workshop in my classroom are both exhilarating and nerve wracking all at the same time! I am committed to allowing my students opportunities for engagement through the use of technology. I may even try a few things myself :)

Too Much To Do, Not Enough Time

I have such a dilemma. I read so much professional "stuff" that my head sometimes swims with ideas and things I want to do. Most everything I read I want to try in my classroom because I am a risk taker. I like to try different activities and if they work, yeah for me. And if they don't, it's back to the drawing board. I love reading about new things to do......until I realize that I can't get done now what I need to do during my regular day. I wish for one year I could throw all the mandates to the wind and do some really different kinds of things on my timeframe. I struggle how to make it all work and still incorporate some of these cool strategies I read about. Sara Kajder's technology strategies have me thinking.......once again.

Tutorial

Ann, Colleen, and I are trying to figure out how to blog correctly. So far we've figured out we need to sign in.......HELP!!

Kelly Gallagher Holds the Key

I am currently reading/using the text Teaching Adolescent Writers and I love what the author, Kelly Gallagher, said in chapter 5 about state standards and testing. His viewpoint is to forget teaching the standards for a while and just let the kids write! Allow students to choose what they want to write and let them have tons of practice doing so. Build the love of writing first and then hone the skills. How smart is that?!

Back to School

Well, it was back to school today. Back to cold hallways, talkative middle school students, and too much to do and too little time! I'm just now starting a unit on natural disasters with my grade level students, reading Treasure Island with my honors, and starting a unit on the Revolutionary War with my Accelerated. It keeps me busy and on my toes! I'm waiting on warmer weather so these kids can get outside and burn off some of this bottled energy!!!!

The Quarter Century Mark!

I've been teaching in Horry County Schools for 25 years now. I've only taught at two schools--Myrtle Beach Middle and North Myrtle Beach Middle--where I am currently. I teach 7th grade ELA and I'm having a blast :) I love to read and write!

Today is a new day!

Today is the day I entered the 21st century by creating my very first blog! I am excited to think about all of the possibilities this can hold for me and my students! While technology can be overwhelming, it is also very exciting!