Blog Hop

Life

We have a four day weekend because of parent/teacher conferences. I am hoping to spend a lot of time relaxing these four days, but then I remember my busy life and feel like any relaxing is going to be better than none!

Today is a day to relax. I plan on staying in my pajamas longer than I should, but spending some time getting organized for the next couple of months of school...planning lessons, projects, making sure I have cleaned up my email, etc. I might clean some of my house if I am feeling motivated, but then again, maybe not. Tonight I will watch my favorite show...Grey's Anatomy...right when it comes on and not have to DVR it and watch it at some later date. 

Tomorrow I am taking the girls to the pumpkin patch. We love the pumpkin patch and I think it may be the first year that we are going without dad, but he is just too busy to go along this year.
Saturday I am going with my daughter to an ALL DAY gun safety class for 4-H because her dad has to work. Completely out of my comfort zone, but maybe I will learn something.
Sunday will be church and preparing for the week ahead.
Our oldest daughter is leaving Tuesday morning to head to Indianapolis for 5 days of FFA Nationals. The house is always so different with one of the girls gone and five days always seem so long. But, she loves going and I am excited that she has the opportunity.

Now, I just have to hope that all the things I want to get done, get done and prepare myself that life always has a way of surprising me with twists and turns I hadn't planned on. That's life!

Technology in a Project-Based Primary Classroom

Technology keeps running through my head. I know that I don't do it as well as I could or should. Often times, I don't know where to start or have a valid reason as to why I should, but then I remember how excited and how engaged my students are when we do something interactively with technology. They love using our tools. I need to remember that it is just a tool and should be used when it will effectively help the students with the learning process. I also want to take on more of a role of a facilitator of the technology and allow the students to be able to interact with the tools more. This article has some wonderful ideas on how to use technology in the classroom to make it a more effective tool...instead of just an add-on. Meaningful Connections
I was so excited to find this article. I really think it helped me understand my own thinking into what I want to happen in my classroom. Ultimately, I want learning to be more meaningful to my students. I just need to do a better job of figuring out how.

Teacher Evaluations

Teacher evaluations being based on student test scores has been a hot topic and watching Romney also discussed it in some detail recently during the Summit on Education Nation: Decision 2012 Part II. I didn't realize that Kansas was one of a very few number of states that are not currently using test scores to evaluate. As a teacher, I do feel that our evaluations should be based on student performance to a certain extent, but not the way that it is currently being done. I do not feel that all students will ever all be at the same level and being evaluated as a teacher by having all students at a 100% doesn't seem reasonable or realistic. A lot of factors go into a students test score, besides just the teaching and learning that went on in the classroom that particular year. I think it should more based on student progression or student growth. Expecting perfection makes it difficult in the classroom, not only for teachers, but also for students. This article from the New York Times discusses parents that are boycotting the test, because they are so fed up with the process. What are your thoughts?

Education Nation

I have spent the past two nights watching videos we were assigned on Education Nation. Two videos on the Summit...one featuring Obama and one featuring Romney and part I and part II of Teacher Town Hall. I am copying the comment I posted on the Teacher Town Hall video, but haven't quite figured out how to carefully comment on either of the Summit videos so that will come later.
Teacher Town Hall

• Watching the "Teacher Town Hall" inspired me to want more for my students, my school, my community. I teach kindergarten in a rural school and a lot of time we may know what we are doing well and what we could be doing better, but we don't often get to hear ideas and/or success stories of other teachers and schools around the nation.
  Teachers are often one of the most misunderstood professions. We work very hard for our students, are very passionate about our jobs and put in more hours than many realize to educate all the future doctors, lawyers, astronauts, inventors, creators, etc. Networking among each other is very beneficial...sharing ideas, lessons, what works and doesn't work so that we are not all "reinventing the wheel". As a kindergarten teacher, I often feel that teaching is one of my many roles that I take on with these young beginning learners.
  Inspiration from time to time is good for all of us

Staying Focused

My life is BUSY (as I am sure most of your lives are too)! I am finding that I need to figure out a way to be more organized and more focused so that I can get more done in a day.
 October feels overwhelming and then I see all the Christmas decorations up at EVERY SINGLE store and feel like there is going to be no way I will have time this year to prepare for my favorite holiday.
All day kindergarten started last week so now my lessons need to be more organized so we can accomplish more. My three daughters keep me running in the evening with school projects, 4H & FFA activities, basketball, soccer, girl scouts, dance and whatever else happens to come up during the week. I have a difficult time saying no...so I have my own fair share of meetings, commitments, etc. I have my own homework now that I am working towards a new degree. Plus at some point my family needs to eat, laundry needs to be washed, the dishwasher needs to be unloaded and loaded and I could go on and on. Every family is busy, but I am realizing that I am so busy that I am beginning to worry about the things in my life that are going to suffer because of it. I don't want anything to suffer!

So now that I have completely vented my next blog posts are going to be dedicated to my homework assignment. I don't want to make this a political statement, but I guess I kinda am. Please make sure you know what the candidates stand for before you vote. I honestly didn't pay much attention, wasn't interested and figured whatever happened would happen...then I had class last Wednesday. We were instructed to watch videos on Education Nation and now I cannot believe I didn't pay more attention before. So please pay attention...even though I didn't...until now.

A Village to Raise a Child

This article focuses on one particular school that had a need and a parent, among with many others that stepped in to fulfill the need with countless hours and fundraising efforts. I feel that this may be one of many stories that show what some people may be willing to do in light of continued budget cuts. How do we tap into these resources at our schools to get help with all the shortfalls we are facing, if education continues to be underfunded? Parents Pitch In
Budget cuts are a serious situation that affect everyone. Our school is bursting at the seams currently and we can't seem to get the money to add on classroom space. Our art room doubles as the music room. Our gym is also our lunchroom. Our computer lab is also a hallway to get to three of our classrooms and it is also our tornado shelter area. Our speech room is in a storage closet. Every space at our school is being used, which creates a scheduling nightmare. For the first time since I have been teaching, I do not have a classroom aide to help during math time, science time or social studies. Things will look different in my room this year because of it and it is unfortunate. Projects will need to be things I can manage on my own with my kindergarten students. Trying to figure out how to give my students everything they need, in a fun and engaging (and hands-on, project-based) way, knowing I need to manage it alone will be a task I will work on constantly this year.