Wading thru education

TMRA Uranium Camp Friday 7/15

2011-07-20T21:29:00.002-05:00

Today, (Friday) we wrapped up the camp. We completed our job fair portion of the camp. Each of us had a job function which we had researched during the week. We then created a display of the job and we had a gallery walk among the different jobs and descriptions of each. We exchanged contact information among the different participants and instructors. I will say that the experience working with so many professional teachers was a much needed boost for my career. I do hope that we will be able to keep in touch and that the experiences can be shared with many more.

TMRA Uranium Camp Thursday 7/14

2011-07-20T21:15:00.003-05:00

All I can say is WOW!!! The trip to the south Texas project nuclear power plant was incredible. On the way to the plant we had a stop at the Blessing Hotel in Blessing Texas. If you are ever there be sure and drop in for lunch and some fantastic home cooked food! Our plant tour was very good, I want to commend Sheila, and all the others there, for the excellent work they did in directing the tour. The scale of the plant is mind boggling big. After extensive security, we toured the control room and the outer parts of the power plant. We then went through additional security and were issued dosimeters with which we toured the more inner workings including the spent fuel rod pool. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with my students. After the experience I can see why our potential energy independence will probably depend on nuclear power.

TMRA Uranium camp Wednesday 7/13

2011-07-13T21:33:00.003-05:00

Today thankfully, after last nights bus debacle, we were here at the hotel. We had several sessions going over plops (samples they use to examine the layers when a well is being dug) and how we could have simulated plops for our students. We learned to read graphs that geologists use to determine where the ore can be found, and had several activities that we could use in the class. I'm really enjoying the workshop and being able to network with other teachers and get ideas that I will be able to use effectively in class. The TMRA staff has done a VERY GOOD job taking care of all of us.

TMRA Uranium Camp Tuesday 7/12

2011-07-13T21:19:00.003-05:00

Tuesday was a "fun" day. We went to visit an in-situ uranium mine. It was in the middle of nowhere.... The tour was great, we learned many things about how the uranium is mined and how they process it to become what is called yellow cake. The staff at the mine was very good and knowledgeable about the work being done and was happy to share with all of us. Our adventure began when on the way out of the mine area we apparently damaged the bus and we were not able to get up to a descent speed. We ended up spending 3+ hours at the Falfurrias Walmart ( a very small Walmart) waiting for the bus company to send another bus to get us. We finally were able to get on our way to a late dinner. We had a wonderful dinner at Kings Inn restaurant, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anybody. We got back on the bus ready to go, however, the bus could not go, apparently the air brakes would not charge up. Luckily we had a participant who lived nearby and was able to call family and friends to pick us up and take us back to the hotel, plus a employee of the restaurant drove some particpants back and one of the instructors wife was able to come and pick the last of us up, a 1 hour trip, each way. We arrived back at the hotel at 1AM... It all made for a long day, but, I did feel like I learned alot I could share with my students and other teachers back at school.

TMRA Uranium camp Monday July 11th

2011-07-11T21:50:00.001-05:00

Today we had a great time in the hotel conference center. Several presenters came and talked about different aspects of what we will be doing this week. I left my notebook in the conference center so I will come back and add the names of the presenters later. We introduced ourselves and each teacher had to come up with the name of a book to describe themselves. My book name was clay, it seem that I'm always molding somebody or something... Anyways we were given some background information on the nuclear industry. I wish more people were aware of the FACTS not just what the media puts out. We were then given supporting information on the mine that we will visit tomorrow. Afterwards we all went for pizza, paid for by one of the contributing companies. Many thanks to all those who made these camps possible.

TMRA uranium camp

2011-07-10T21:29:00.004-05:00

Yep, you read that right, URANIUM camp. I'm excited to be here at the 2011 uranium camp here in Corpus Christi. Tonight we had a get together of all the participants and instructors. Being the first day, it was a travel and get to know each other day. The drive in wasn't too bad, my wife insisted that I rent a car instead of driving my own... More money we don't have but..... At least I'm able to participate. After tonights meeting I went strolling on the beach. Very pretty beach and very nice and warm water. Our tentative schedule includes a couple of days here at the hotel and 2 tour days. The first tour is of the uranium mine and processing and the 2nd tour is of the south texas nuclear power plant. I will try to update this blog everyday with my thoughts and activities of the day.

TCEA 3rd Day

2011-02-10T21:10:00.003-06:00

A Great experience!! What else can I say. After a long drive home I'm entering this a day late but what a day Wednesday. Started out the day with a session on using Firefox browser. I've already been using it but I did learn more about other add-ons that I could use. I went to the opening session with a speech by Leigh Ann Tuohy. She was very inspirational. I went to a session on Web 2.0 sites and I was blown away by the incredible sites that were presented. Very hard to describe how the sites could be used effectively to meet many differentiated needs of various student populations. Sadly we rushed thru the exhibit hall to be able to leave for home. BIG concerns on being able to get home at all due to the ice on the road. Overall it was an incredibly beneficial conference to be a part of. You will soon see various links I've gathered listed with some of my thoughts of each.

Day 2 TCEA

2011-02-08T19:17:00.003-06:00

WOW, what can I say..... today at the TCEA pre-conference we worked with the TATN

(Technology Applications Teacher Network). Many classes on various software and other technology for the classroom. Overall the conference has been VERY well run and a benefit to all involved. Today I learned about Glogster, Second life, wordle, Prezi, and other sites, some I've worked with before and others I am just learning about. I am psyched to get back and work on getting the school informed and up to speed on what I have learned. I believe that many of these sites and programs could help get our students to the next level. Technology is not a cure all, but several teachers have shown how effective use of technology can make a difference in the learning process. One teacher showed a video of his classroom students using various technology and the students were actively involved and when asked questions they were using proper science vocabulary and seemed to have an advanced understanding of the concepts. To say I was envious would be an understatement. I have seen the goal and it is my intention to take my school to the next level of achievement.

TCEA

2011-02-07T22:25:00.003-06:00

Texas Computer Education Association conference in Austin. Today we spent our day learning more about Google and how to incorporate Google docs and other functions in the classroom. I am very impressed with what was given today... on lil tidbit was texting to 466453 and you will receive an answer to a question or just type in wx name of city and it will come back with a forecast for that city. Many other sites within Google was shown and I am excited about bringing this back to my school.

Teacher Academy Day 3

2010-07-14T21:54:00.002-05:00

Today was a good day in training. We went over some information for 8th grade science and we covered how the different TEKS have changed and where they might have moved too. Our presenters Lisa and Pam did a very good job explaining and presenting. I'm glad I was able to participate in this 3 days of training with these professionals.

Science Academy day 2

2010-07-13T20:31:00.002-05:00

Today we covered 6th and 7th grade information. The information and activities were very helpful and was presented very well. My back is much better today, I sat on a chair not on a lab stool.. :)

The presenters and other attendees have been very professional. I'm looking forward to wrapping it up tomorrow.

Summer teacher training

2010-07-12T20:30:00.003-05:00

Now we get to the required teacher training. Today I spent the day at Sherman High School at a teacher academy. The good news is that we are being paid a $100 a day stipend for this training. Anytime I can get paid for training, its a good day :) Today we mostly covered the new TEKS coming soon, and the new STAAR test that will replace the infamous TAKS test. The afternoon covered some 5th grade activities which I plan to incorporate into my lesson plans even tho I now teach 6th grade. I will increase the "rigor" and expectations for my students to bring them to the next level of accomplishment. Overall the class has gone well, I will say that I will try to sit in a chair tomorrow.... the lab stool has killed my back..

Friday at Luminant Teacher Academy

2010-07-04T21:34:00.004-05:00

Friday we started out with a workshop on coal with a lady from North American Coal. Some good information to pass along to the students. We then had a mock hearing on opening a mine. Earlier in the week we had each drawn a character to play in the hearing. Mine was a environmental activist. I had to turn on the acting but we all had some fun and everybody seemed to be laughing and enjoying the "hearing". Reflecting upon the week, I would encourage other teachers to participate in this program. It is a wonderful academy, fun, yet very informative. I have met several people with whom I hope to maintain contact and we will be able to grow in our teaching endeavors together. To the staff of TMRA, keep up the good work.

Thursday at Academy

2010-07-04T20:37:00.003-05:00

On Thursday we took the reclamation tour. They had dug a pit showing the soil before and after reclamation. A part of the reclamation area included a beautiful lake that was created and the company works with the parks and wildlife using the lake to breed bigger trophy bass. After a fajita lunch we did a porosity lab and worked with Dr. Sam Feagley from Texas A&M on different soils. I was able to find out that my soil from my backyard had a ph reading of 8.0. We had a very fun activity mining chips from chocolate chip cookies and having to get a profit from the mining. We had a wonderful workshop about the Aggregate industry in Texas. The gentleman Jerry McCalip was very good and we felt like Christmas in July, he brought in samples that we could take back with us :) We also were able to create t-shirts using leaves that we had collected in the reclamation areas. Mine was ok but some of the other teachers were VERY talented...

Wednesday at Luminant Teacher Academy

2010-06-30T21:33:00.002-05:00

This morning we took the mine tour. One word, AWESOME!!! The drag line was almost beyond description. We were in the cab as the operator moved 100 tons at a time. WOW!! We were able to collect some coal samples to take back with us. Imagine teachers digging in the dirt (soil :) ) and having some serious fun. We had a workshop on different environmental issues that the company has to deal with. We reviewed the hydrological cycle and discussed the groundwater/aquifer and how they affect mining. We had an awesome demonstration on aquifer contamination and on convection currents, and getting a "flue" to take home to our students. We next studied geophysical logs and how they use them to identify the different layers and what is contained in the layers to prepare for future mining. The last experience of the day was working with a polymer that to put it simply helped clean water by flocking... all the gunk ended on the bottom of a jar of water and the top water was "clean". Hazel has been taking really good care of us all week with some awesome food and some down home charm. Several of us have been spending some time around the conference center picking up samples of petrified wood and other rocks in the area. I did have a chance to finally go swimming at the hotel pool and sit in the hot tub. It was a nice break but I am looking forward to the reclamation tour tomorrow.

Tuesday in Teacher Academy

2010-06-29T21:22:00.003-05:00

Today we toured the Big Brown power plant. I felt like a kid again :) asked a bunch of questions and was able to take many pictures. I wish that I could bring some students to a place like this. The power plant tour was very impressive. We took an elevator up on the plant and walked around the outside. You could feel the whole structure vibrating. Safety equipment was required including hardhat, safety glasses, and hearing protection. Our first speaker today was from Luminant energy and spoke with us about the current power on the ercot (Electric Reliability Council Of Texas) grid and how the different sources of power contributed to the whole. I found it very interesting and informative. We conducted an erosion lab, density lab and a lab on effects of temperature on muffins :) We ended the day with a mine safety and training session in preparation for tomorrow. All the participants are a fantastic bunch of professionals and I feel privileged to be a part of the program.

1st full day of Teacher Academy

2010-06-28T20:33:00.002-05:00

Today was the first full day of the Luminant teacher academy in Fairfield. I've been having a great time and learning quite a bit to take back to my students, as well as a lot of goodies :) Today we took a pre-test, I did pretty good :) We had the oncor VP of Environmental Health and Safety Debbie Boyle come and talk to us about the pathway from power plant to home. We learned about the many issues that they have to deal with. Some are just mind boggling. I found out about the CREZ in Texas which stands for competitive renewable energy zone, basically getting the renewable energy from west Texas to those further east who need it. We had an coal activity where we studied the three types of coal lignite, Bitomous (sp) and Anthracite. We had an awesome activity making a 3D contour map. I hope to upload pictures of what we have been doing when I get home. We did studies on a cutting log and how the different forms of rock can be found at different layers and depths. I'm having a great time and learning a great deal to pass onto my students.

Teacher Academy

2010-06-27T21:14:00.003-05:00

Today I began the Luminant teacher academy at Big Brown coal mine and power plant near Fairfield Texas. The trip down was good, I brought my daughter down to spend some time with my folks, they met us at Sams Restaurant off of Hwy 45. After lunch we parted ways and I looked up the hotel I was staying at... the GPS said that it was less than .1 miles away. I looked over my shoulder and there it was :) We began the academy with a lite dinner afterwards we had a discussion on what was important in the minds of teachers.. Global warming was a hot topic. Mr. Richard White did an incredible job discussing global warming without the fear mongering that so many fall into. I did win a Whale of an award for answering the closest to the percentage that man was responsible for CO2. I answered .005% the correct answer was .117%, of all the teachers I came the closest to the correct answer and won a wood carved set of whale comparisons and several books on whales. Come to find out Mr. White is a founder of "Baja School Friends" helping a school at San Ignacio Lagoon in Mexico ( www.bajaschoolfriends.org ) I'm back at my hotel and looking forward to tomorrow.

Summer gotta love it

2010-06-27T07:52:00.000-05:00

Summer is here.... it already has been a bear... My first week was somewhat relaxing got a lot done, scheduled and planned. The second week came with a vengeance, late Tuesday, June 15th, I get a call from my wife's doctor, she had gone there due to shortness of breath they gave her a nebulizer treatment it did not do any good, long story short she was picked up at her doctors office and taken by ambulance to Medical Center of Plano. She was diagnosed with multiple pulmonary emboli, multiple blood clots in her lungs... After nearly 4 glorious days of being in the hospital she was released. This past week we have spent our time visiting various doctors and specialists including being on coumadin therapy. A wonderful drug... not... This is now the end of the 3^rd week, thankfully next week I am scheduled to spend a week at a coal mine participating in a teacher academy for science. I'm looking forward to it. I plan to keep a daily log which I will either enter online or will keep a record of my experiences that I will update when I get home.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T11:39:00.002-06:00

The new year is upon us.... I have resolutions which I will plan on keeping this year... Like every year :) Christmas was very good for the family, it is all worthwhile to see the gleam in my daughters eyes when she saw what Santa brought for her. I was able to work on some school stuff and I am mostly ready to get back to work and move on.
My resolutions include: (not necessarily in order)
1. get into better shape.
2. read the bible
3. be a better father/husband/teacher
4. be better organized
5. renew friendships
6. be a role model for those around me
7. take better care of my finances

Nothing dramatic, just some common ideas to better myself and help my fellow man with the rough times that lay ahead.
May God forgive me my sins and help me and my family do what is necessary and right in the new year. AMEN.

Vacation

2009-12-22T15:02:00.002-06:00

Vacation? It's Tuesday December 21st 2009, I should be happy that I am off for the next week+, but no.... Men are outside working on my gas line. Saturday night I smelled gas, yep gas leak, I spent Sunday and Monday getting quotes ranging from $2,000 to over $3,500. Christmas spirit is hard to come by right this moment.... School let out on an OK note.. I've been very busy trying to get everything done. As soon as the gas is back on (heat, hot water) I'll be able to concentrate on getting something else done...

Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T20:04:00.003-06:00

Recovering from a week off from school.... :) I have been able to get some things done, however it never seems to be enough. I enjoyed a Thanksgiving family reunion at the Chilton Volunteer Fire Department Hall. Now, I need to prepare my mind for the coming three weeks of school. I expect it to be very intense. I hope the students have been able to come to terms with expectations and have done some work on their Science Fair projects. I do remember that I have many things to be thankful for, including family, friends, Church, and Country. I am hoping that some students will come back with a new attitude towards school and that we can work together to meet our goals.

Cast Conference for the Advancement of Sciene Teaching

2009-11-08T21:44:00.003-06:00

I returned yesterday from being at CAST. The Texas Conference for the Advancement of Science Teachers held in Galveston. It was a very busy weekend in workshops and meeting teachers from all over the state. I feel as if I have learned more in 1 weekend than several weeks of training at district training. The weather was very good the people nice, but, they had nearly 6,000 teachers in attendance but only enough capacity in the workshops for about half of them at a time. Many teachers left in frustration after not being able to participate in any workshops. Many tried to have a "backup" plan, but, once the target workshop was filled they would probably have to get on a shuttle bus to be taken to another site and by the time they arrived the other workshop was either filled as well or had already started and well underway when they arrived. Hopefully next year the bugs will be worked out. The challenge for me now is to take what I have received and use it in the classroom as well as spread the wealth among my peers at work. I now feel energized and look forward to increasing my students interest using the ideas and information that I received.

Science Fair Time of Year...

2009-10-11T19:24:00.005-05:00

Yes, it is that wonderful time of year. SCIENCE FAIR... :) I am the Science Fair Coordinator for my campus. It will be challenging but I look forward to the competition. We are requiring all students in 6th and 7th grades to complete a Science Fair Project. I am giving all my students a timeline and rubric to facilitate a good Science Fair for all. Speaking of fairs, I spent Friday (fair day) at the Texas State Fair. I talked to several vendors for information for class, I got some positive feedback and I look forward to working with several of the vendors in the classroom. Saturday I helped my sister in law by flying Challenge air with my nephew. Pilots volunteer their time to fly children with disabilities. We had alot of fun and the smile on my nephews face was priceless!!

School is ...

2009-09-19T21:37:00.004-05:00

School has been very good lately... I've been very busy and the students have been for the most part attentive in class. As usual there are a few students who refuse to cooperate, however, unlike my previous school, the teachers are working together to develop effective teaching and discipline. The teamwork has been VERY helpful. At my old school, intimidation was the norm. At my new school there is a sense of TEAMwork which is readily apparent when working with the other teachers. The old school was mostly cliches and "others", an old teacher who would brag about her CEI's, which as a professional, means very little, except, maybe teaching the test. Despite having the largest percentage passing the Science TAKS in school history, I have a very low CEI (Classroom Effectiveness Index). I have no problem being held accountable, however, my accountability should be based on facts, not algorithms created to fill in blanks. I would challenge those in charge to justify my numbers without using other previous content areas as a base line. When students who have NEVER passed any MANDATED test, fail, and the teacher is held accountable for that students inability, something is wrong. Maybe, for each student who enters in the 9th grade, yet, doesn't graduate, the supers pay is decreased by $10 would be enough to get some attention. Would it be fair, NO, would it be consistent with how the teachers are "graded", YES.

Getting back in...

2009-08-29T22:05:00.003-05:00

Worn out after a long week at school. I am loving my new school!!! I have had a very positive experience with the staff and students. I have been working very hard at getting everything up and running. There are a few areas of concern, but overall, it is great! I am loving the challenge of moving from a Elementary school with 50+/- students to having over 90. I do hope that my former students will keep me informed on how they are doing.. Here's to a good year!

School Begins tomorrow

2009-08-23T19:24:00.003-05:00

Yes, school has finally arrived after a too short summer. My assignment this year will be at a middle school in the southeast corner of the district. The school is a little further to drive but I am looking forward to the change. After having worked with the staff for the past 2 weeks I have a much better outlook. The school has a certain esprit de corp which you can feel in working with the staff. Thursday night we had an open house, I met several of the students and their parents, I have a good feeling about this coming year. The principal and administrative staff are very positive and outgoing. After a long summer of uncertainty I am glad that I will be able to teach at this school. I see many trials and tribulations ahead but I am confident of my abilities to make a positive difference.

Summer is coming to an end.

2009-08-01T21:38:00.004-05:00

The past few weeks have been VERY busy... My family went on a vacation to Crested Butte Colorado and then to Santa Fe New Mexico. I had a great time. Despite my Wife hurting her leg and I had to take her to the doctor in Crested Butte, at the same time my daughter got sick and I had to play Dr. Dad :). The Monday after I got back I found out that I passed the Technology Applications Test with a 285 out of 300 score (95%). I then got the word out about my new certification. While on my vacation I had received some phone calls. One of the calls came from a Middle School Principal who I was able to meet with her Assistant Principal, and it looks like, after a bit of exasperating waiting to find out where the district had placed me, I will be teaching at the Middle School. This past week my little girl and I went and visited my parents near Waco. We had a great time, despite me frequently checking my email and phone to find out where I might be teaching. Not to mention that my Wife went out and bought a Hyundai Santa Fe using the Cash for Clunkers program while I was gone. I could've lived without the extra payment, but it was hard to pass up the money they offered for a 98 Jeep with 212,000 miles on it. The summer is quickly ending and I still have a lot to do. Here is to getting some stuff done and being ready for the coming school year.

Sum Sum Summertime...

2009-07-01T14:04:00.003-05:00

Saturday I took the EC-12 Technology Applications Certification test, whew, it was not easy. I am anxious to find out the results but I know that I will have to be patient... This past week I completed most of the Staff Development requirements that I signed up for. I signed up for additional hours to better prepare myself for the coming year. I still don't know at what school I will be teaching at next year, hopefully it will either be the same school, or preferably closer to home. Interestingly several other teachers at the training sessions were in the same boat as me.. not quite sure where they will be teaching. Me no habla espaniol, so, ... Here's hoping that I find an English speaking class...

Summer is here!!

2009-06-10T10:59:00.003-05:00

Yes, summer is finally here! A time to rejuvenate and prepare for next school year. Notice I did not say relax.... My summer is already filling up :) This has been a very good school year as far as TAKS is concerned. Science did well. It is the only content area to show a gain in scores (when you look at 1st admin, Reading and Math have a 2nd admin to enable their scores coming up). I can also see how much improvement is still needed in all content areas. My school has reached the "recognized" status for the 1st time. Hopefully Reading will do better next year. Of the 11 students of mine who failed the Science TAKS, 9 also failed reading, in which they had to retake the day before the Science test. The testing schedule is definitly not in favor of Science. One of my ongoing concerns is the lack of responsibility and maturity among a large portion of the students. I will be working on several avenues of discipline and expectations for next years students. It is not in my nature to be harsh, yet sometimes I am finding it more and more necessary. One big problem is that whatever I may do, if the other teachers are not working in conjunction with my efforts, or me with theirs, it all falls apart. Whether it is discipline or classroom expectations, the students need a consistentcy among all the teachers, regardless of what the teacher "wants", all should work for the common good. Teamwork is very important to the modern classroom. Just because what the teacher has done in the past might have worked, the teacher needs to be able to adjust accordingly for the current students to ensure that all students are fully engaged in active learning.

Whew...

2009-04-18T17:55:00.003-05:00

Whew....
Is all I can say. The year has been furious. We have completed the Reading and Math TAKS tests and we are now prepping the students for the all important Science TAKS. I honestly think the kids are burned out. Many have the glazed look in their eyes, as do the teachers, waiting for the year to be over with (6 weeks more). We have received the results for our reading test, 64% did pass but, that means that over a third of our students will have to retake the reading test the day before the Science test. This is so unfair to the students. They have already failed the reading test once, if they fail it again they will have to go to summer school. The very next day they will have to take another BIG test in which they have only 1 chance to pass. What are the chances of them passing the science test if they have difficulty reading? I would say that it is somewhere between slim and none, yet the teachers are held accountable for the students to pass the test regardless of what they can do with reading or math. I participated in Saturday School this morning, the kids were wired and had a very hard time concentrating on the subject being taught, also they were more interested in eating than anything else.....
I did have a Kodak moment on Friday, a student who had been a sore spot for most of the year had a little bit of coming to terms. I had invited his mother to visit during his time in my class, he was unaware that she was coming :) he was his usual self till he saw his mom at the door of the classroom, the color drained from his face and he became very quiet. The class started and we were moving along nicely, when I received a note for the student to go to the assistant principals office due to a fight he started between classes. I told his mom that she might want to join him. The look on his face when he realized that the "gig" was up was absolutely priceless :) Here's hoping that Monday will start a new day for him and he will have learned his lesson.

Tis the season

2008-12-13T16:45:00.003-06:00

Whew, this is the season.... The season for what you may ask? The season of being reminded on a regular basis that despite surviving the RIF our jobs are still in jeopardy. Other schools are closing due to poor performance and they are trying to lay the blame of poor performing students in High School on the elementary teachers. Yes, the "stuffing" does roll downhill.... Teachers are weary of the ongoing district problems. No Supplies to speak of. But wait we did get 750 sheets of paper to use, except our copier is broken, as it invariably is on a very regular basis. Hands on activity is the order of the day but alas the dollar store is our best hope to get needed supplies. But even here, if we do buy, using our own meager money, the students will steal whatever is not tied down. My students are in a seasonal slump.. Next week we are scheduled to give them ANOTHER released TAKS test. All to show that, yes, they don't know it yet and we have a "long way to go and a short time to get there" . Here's to a good CHRISTMAS vacation and a happy new year.

Onward...

2008-10-26T18:45:00.003-05:00

After having survived the RIF (Reduction in Force) with all the uncertainty involved my wife and I went on a mini vacation. As a surprise for our 10th wedding anniversary I took her to Hideaway Ranch and Retreat near Glen Rose, Texas. We had a great time and we were able to reconnect with one another. After a home cooked breakfast (I cooked) we went to Bluff Dale and had lunch at a small restaurant called Lets Eat. The food was great. We had a wine tasting at a local vineyard and winery. The Granbury fall festival was loads of fun, with street vendors and blues music to entertain. Saturday evening we ended our day at a wonderful place called Loco Coyote , be careful, the loco margarita is VERY loco... :) I now face the challenge of returning to work with more potential layoffs held over our heads. The energy at school is not nearly what it has been in the past. We have passed the 1/4 mark for the school year. I am like most teachers, trying to work through the rough areas and keep our students focused on what is needed. The difficulties continue with shortages and such. I am rationing my paper to try and make it last as long as possible. Anyways, here is to a great weekend and to a challenging school year.

Wearing out

2008-09-28T10:00:00.002-05:00

Having the school board meet twice and put off any decision till later is very tough on the teachers. We are all committed to our students, however we now have to be concerned that our family financials and more will be severly affected. Many teachers are like myself not going to fret over something that we have no control over. I am taking it one day at a time and working hard to be sure that my students are getting what they need.

Looooooong Week

2008-09-20T11:11:00.004-05:00

The tension at school is tremendous. Four weeks in and tumult has hit the district. The teachers have been informed that we are now employed at will. Due to "financial emergency" our contracts have been voided and be prepared for massive layoffs and not to expect anything of consequence for supplies, equipment, etc. Was this due to the drop in home values and the resulting drop in tax revenues NO. Was this due to a natural disaster that devestated the area, NO. Simply put, this "financial emergency" is due to lack of oversight and basic bookkeeping. We are expecting 600+ teachers to be released, Rifed, (4 weeks into the school year) the chance of any of them finding a teaching job is somewhere between slim and none. All the teachers I have talked to said that they are having a difficult time having class when they are not sure if they will have a job tomorrow... I am just working day to day, planning the best I can and try not to let such matters affect my work. I know that the teachers at my school are like me, professional and are striving to do the best they can for their students.

School Has Begun

2008-09-06T10:16:00.002-05:00

School has begun, I have completed the 2nd week of school and the year does look promising. Yet again there were bumps. I am sad to say that my 1st week of school was not very good personally. My brother in-law Paul Bailey passed away from a heart attack at age 52, very unexpected. Labor day weekend was spent paying respects to his life and loves.

Not being able to concentrate on school ( I went to the hospital almost everyday, we thought he might recover) I am now behind the almighty paperwork. I need to work on a individual profile for each of my students, plus I need to arrange them in tiers and bands according to ability and expectations for testing, remind you this is only the second week. Ahh Yes, school has in fact begun and in the words words of Jim Reeves "we have a long way to go and a short time to get there"

Summertime

2008-08-10T22:46:00.003-05:00

This past week has been a very busy week. I was a group leader at my church's Vacation Bible school. We had a lot of fun throughout the week, we ended the VBS with a swim party at a church members pool. During the week, I spent several days going to my school and trying to be a bit more organized than what I've been in the past. Saturday was very somber for my wife and I, we went to the funeral services for our good friends father. I was held at the "Higher Trails Cowboy Church". The service was very good and we will miss George dearly.

Family, during the summer

2008-07-30T10:38:00.004-05:00

Today, my little girl and I are spending time with my parents (mema and papa). I do appreciate the ability that being a teacher gives me to spend time with my parents and my little girl. Unfortunately my wife was unable to come down with us because she did not have any time off available. My mom and little girl are now bonding.

Preparing for school year

2008-07-18T15:27:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I went to Mardel bookstore in Plano, they had a teacher sale 20% off any educational and small children item in the store. I could have spent a mint, but I was able to get some very useful items that hopefully will make my school year just a lil bit better. :) Mostly reproducibles and some classroom needs.

Time with family

2008-07-12T14:02:00.004-05:00

Today I was able to go to my local Lowes Home Improvement. On Saturdays, twice a month, they have children clinics. My little girl and I went and built a wooden dune buggy together. We had alot of fun. I hope other corporations see this and maybe we can work together and get the children out from in front of the tv and have them working with their hands. The buggy, certificate of completion, patch and work apron were all free. The only cost, was a little bit of time spent with my little girl. THAT, is priceless.

Summer and Family

2008-07-11T00:20:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was able to spend some time with my 3 year old. We went to go see a movie together (her first movie, Happy Feet,). We both had fun, however, I realize now that most 3 year olds do not have the patience for a movie. Hopefully we will be able to do it again later in the summer.

HAPPY JULY 4TH

2008-07-04T14:37:00.002-05:00

Happy 4th to everyone.
Today reminds me of the necessity to teach my students the importance of being an American and to take pride in our great country.

Summer Service

2008-07-01T13:44:00.002-05:00

I have made a determination to spend at least some of my time during the summer helping my fellow man. This week, my church is serving lunch at a local park for the neighborhood children. I find it interesting, the commonality among children that we serve at the park compared to the students at the school I teach at. My home is in a very affluent area (wealthiest county in Texas), where approximately 1 in 5 children have reduced priced or free lunches while the school I work at has a 93% free/reduced lunch population. Despite the differences in location, I could recognize similarities among the groups.

Open educational resources

2008-06-26T14:23:00.001-05:00

I've come across another treasure trove for teachers. http://www.oercommons.org
I have scanned thru it and it seems to have quite a bit for teachers to use. I will be exploring this site in more detail during the summer. I will let you know what I find.

Teacher staff development

2008-06-26T14:19:00.002-05:00

I've just completed my 21 hours of staff development. WHEW!! Alot of good information to be had. I was able to network with other teachers and I feel that we accomplished quite a bit. I will be writing more about what I've learned in the days and weeks to come. I hope everybody is having a good summer break.

Staff Development

2008-06-24T22:21:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week I am going to be at staff development for my district. Today was very interesting. We were going over the Principles of learning and how they can be implemented and what they look like in the classroom.

Mickelson Exxonmobil Teachers Academy

2008-06-22T16:19:00.010-05:00

From June 15^th thru 20^th I had the privilege to participate in the Mickelson Exxonmobil Teacher Academy. I worked with an extraordinary group of teachers who strive to learn more, to better serve their communities. The academy was held at the Woodlands Resort in The Woodlands, Texas. I had planned to enter a daily log from the location. but, $5 per 10 minute internet charges kept me from doing so. I will say that the academy, and resort staff did an incredible job, taking care of what we needed. If you have any comments, questions, or reflections of your own please drop me a line. This is a very short synopsis of what we covered.

Sunday

Arrived at the resort, had a reception and dinner to kickoff the Academy. I had an opportunity to network with 200 teachers from over 15 districts, mostly from Texas. I was in the “Green” group.

Monday

In the morning we started out with what was labeled the “egg drop”, consisting of a pizza pan, toilet paper roll, egg, broom, and a glass of water. Using the broom, we were able to knock the pizza pan and tp roll from under the egg and the egg landed in the glass of water. Other experiments dealing with Newtons 3 laws were done.

Tuesday

We worked on data analysis “what is typical”, graphing the results of a survey that was taken by the class. We discussed notebooking and how effective it can be particularly when the notebook is passed from one grade to the next. We covered some more math, which I started out dreading but I have developed a better appreciation for this week. Also worked on experiments using ball whackers, straw wars (using straws, ping pong balls, and your breath).

Wednesday

Lets not forget the film canisters filled with water and alka seltzer, very fun and educational indeed. We also developed a better understanding of doubling and how it will affect the area and volume. During our break (early) several of us went to the Houston Museum of Science and Nature at the Mall, it was a very rewarding trip.

Thursday

Worked with pendulums, showing mass and motion. I felt I learned some perspective that my students have. Yikes, origami, made some origami boxes predicted the number of lima beans that would be required to fill the different sizes of boxes, then filled them with an actual count. Learned a lot about estimation, prediction and doubling. Thursday night, an awesome dinner and closing remarks from the Academy, Exxonmobil and Phil Mikelson.

Friday

Learned some more about assessments. Demonstration, structured inquiry, guided inquiry, and student initiated inquiry.

If you are ever able to participate with the Exxonmobil teacher academy be sure to give an resounding YES. It will be well worth the time and you will benefit tremendously.

If you have any questions, comments, or reflections, please leave a comment for others to see.

Thinkfinity.org

2008-06-12T15:12:00.003-05:00

Thinkfinity.org All I can say is try it. I find it to be an incredible tool to use during school and with its new interface for students and parents it is a must have. The best thing to do is go and explore. You will find something new every time and the resources are just incredible. Finding ways to cross over to other content areas is a snap using this website.

TAKS scores

2008-06-10T16:02:00.003-05:00

The science TAKS scores came in with a 24% increase in the passing rate from last year. YEAH!!! The students were much better this year than last. There were fewer discipline issues and I having been able to enforce discipline from day one had a much better control of my students. I want to thank a coworker, Ms Miller, who showed my class and me a better TAKS strategy than what was previously used. The fact that so much emphasis is placed on students doing well on a series of make or break tests is disturbing as a professional educator. Hopefully, one day soon we will come upon a better way.

Exxon / Mobil Teacher Academy

2008-06-10T15:58:00.002-05:00

Next week I will be privileged to participate in the Exxon/Mobil teacher academy in the woodlands resort near Houston. If I am able, I will write a daily log of my experiences.

Summer has begun

2008-06-10T15:51:00.002-05:00

Yes, summer has indeed begun.
I am able to spend a lil bit of time doing some volunteer work. Today I helped my church serve a lunch for the local elderly. We served over 200 meals, whew! Hard work, but it was well worth it. It is funny how summer has just begun however I am already making plans for my new school year. Alas, the work never really truly ends.. :)

Mixing it up

2007-11-03T09:50:00.001-05:00

Teachers in Loudoun County, Va., decided to stir the status quo by mixing honors, regular, and special ed students in the same class. Three teachers at Blue Ridge Middle School in Purcellville, Va., hope to inspire the “slower-developing students to see new possibilities,” school administrators said in a Washington Post article by Jay Matthews.

"It’s more challenging for the kids,” said Inez Lemmert, a sixth-grade teacher of the class. “They bring themselves up to these new expectations, rather than someone dumbing down all the work for them."

The experiment is taking place in an English- and social studies-infused class, where the teachers parallel studies of literature and history.

This nontraditional concept of fusing the two subjects helps make the lessons seem more practical in the everyday world, suggests Pat Graff, a National Council of Teachers of English expert on combining subjects, in the Post article. It also cuts down on the number of teachers the students have to see each day.

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/webwatch/2007/10/shaking_the_status_quo.html

I think this can be a good idea, but, when the class as a whole is behind, it makes the whole operation more difficult.

More than just academics

2007-10-14T14:22:00.000-05:00

The top 10 skills that students need to succeed based on surveys of more than 8,000 teachers include:

* Listen to others
* Follow the steps
* Follow the rules
* Ignore distractions
* Ask for help
* Take turns when you talk
* Get along with others
* Stay calm with others
* Be responsible for your behavior
* Do nice things for others.

10 Things Schools Don't Teach Well
By LiveScience Staff http://www.livescience.com/

posted: 27 September 2007 10:49 am ET

These concepts should be taught at home and re-enforced at school. This sounds like a need for parental involvement.

No child left untested

2007-10-09T21:28:00.000-05:00

Lets remember to teach the content, not the test!!!

The Christian Science Monitor reported on the 2007 National Assessment of Education Progress test results. The NAEP scores indicate that elementary and middle school students are making significant gains in math and marginal improvements in reading. The achievement gap between black and white students—27 points—is still large, but at an all-time low.

Many are quick to link the achievement gains to No Child Left Behind, particularly as Congress debates its reauthorization. Defending NCLB in light of the NAEP results, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said, “[It’s]…working…Any efforts to weaken accountability would fly in the face of rising achievement." However, the NAEP results may not be enough to convince most. A September PDK/Gallup Poll suggests that, for the first time, most Americans view NCLB unfavorably.

Reflecting on the response to the NAEP scores, Gail Russell Chaddock of the Monitor writes, “The timing of the biennial release of fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading scores—as Congress takes up renewal of a controversial education law—could not be more politically charged.”

Science Daily

2007-09-12T21:38:00.000-05:00

www.sciencedaily.com

A great place to find new information for your students and a resource for research.

2007-09-12T21:32:00.000-05:00

California’s standardized test scores are in and the news isn’t good. The scores reveal that the performance gap between ethnic groups is more than just a question of wealth vs. poverty. On state math tests, white students who qualified for subsidized lunch scored two and eight percent higher, respectively, than their Latino and black peers who did not qualify for subsidized lunch. Scores on the standardized English tests were about equal for low-income white students and their non-poor Latino and black peers. “These are not just economic achievement gaps,” said state schools Superintendent Jack O’Connell. “They are racial achievement gaps, and we cannot excuse them.”

In response to the test results, Russlynn Ali, director of Education Trust West, criticized state policymakers who she said have done little to put well-trained teachers in the schools that most need them. Others variously attributed the gap to low expectations for minority students, biased test language, and teaching strategies that don’t accommodate alternative learning styles. According to Sharroky Hollie, a professor of teacher education at California State University, the key question is, “How can the instruction be reshaped to validate and affirm [different] cultural behaviors as a segue to standards-based learning?"

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/webwatch/2007/08/californias_racial_achievement.html

This is just the tip of the iceberg, why are there such differences? Are the "Standards" wrong? Can there be standards for all, or is this just a pipe dream?

TAKS scores and what they mean

2007-09-09T22:19:00.000-05:00

Dallas Morning news has a great article on TAKS

TAKS and Exemplary schools

Those rewarded with the best performance remain a largely homogeneous group.

Do the school ratings have more to do with the districts demographics than the quality of the teaching?

Study and evaluation is needed.

School and time....

2007-09-09T22:07:00.000-05:00

School has started, BIG TIME.... One week of staff development, first week of school, 2nd week of school, all one big blur. Staff development was a chance to get back up to speed after the summer break. I felt that alot of good information was to be had. The last two days were spent mostly trying to get my room ready. The first week of school flew by. I gave three days of assessment testing, Social Studies and Science. We have a long way to go for these kids to be ready for the Science TAKS. Previous years have left the students severely deficient in the necessary knowledge base and I have to bring the students up to 5th grade standards quickly. My 2nd week was cut short by the labor day weekend. Boy did I ever need it. The students are showing some promise and I am looking forward to a good year.

NCLB

2007-08-22T21:45:00.000-05:00

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) put schools under the microscope by requiring that they report, annually, the test-score performance of students in grades 3 through 8, and, again, for grade 10. As President Bush said shortly before he signed the bill into law, “We need to know whether a curriculum is working. We need to know whether the teachers, the methodology that teachers use is working. We need to know whether or not people are learning.
Many good schools—both charter schools and inner-city public schools serving the disadvantaged—are not recognized as such, while many poorly performing schools are given a pass.

The Lens that distorts

Why stay in school???

2007-08-13T09:15:00.000-05:00

When a student, or anybody else, asks why they should stay in school.....

$79,946
Average annual 2005 earnings of workers 18 and older with an advanced degree. This compares with $54,689 a year for those with bachelor’s degrees, $29,448 for those with a high school diploma only and $19,915 for those without a high school diploma.
www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/009749.html

$54,689 - $19,915 = $34,774 a year difference between a dropout and a bachelor's degree x 45yr work life(how many years to work) = $1,564,830 more money

$67,069
Average starting salary offered to bachelor’s degree candidates in petroleum engineering in 2006, among the highest of any field of study. At the other end of the spectrum were those majoring in the humanities; they were offered an average of $31,183. (Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008)

Teachers are happy with their work

2007-08-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

Some interesting facts I recently found Here

Ninety-three percent of teachers reported satisfaction with their jobs 10 years after entering the field, the report, released this week by the National Center for Education Statistics , surveyed 9,000 graduates who received their bachelor’s degrees in various disciplines in the 1992-93 school year. Nearly 20 percent of those graduates entered the teaching profession.

only 18 percent of those who entered teaching changed occupations within four years of getting a degree More than half those who became teachers were still teaching 10 years later.

A candidate’s age when he or she attended college also appeared to play a role in attrition rates: Those 30 or older when they obtained their degrees were more likely than younger graduates to remain in teaching.

Math, science, and engineering graduates were among those most likely to leave teaching jobs to work outside education.

Teacher Resigns

2007-08-03T22:21:00.000-05:00

According to a New York Times article, a New York City math teacher, resigned from his teaching post at the High School of Arts and Technology this year after the schools principal altered a students grade so she could graduate. The teacher told the Times that, although the student rarely attended class, failed to turn in homework assignments, and even missed the final exam, a school administrator gave her special treatment and a passing grade. The article suggests that this is one of many teachers in New York City who feels pressured by administrators to pass marginal students in order to boost declining graduation rates.

I feel lucky when I see stuff like this. My principal will stand behind her teachers when it comes to grades. What exactly are our kids learning when this happens...

Lesson Plans

2007-08-03T22:15:00.000-05:00

I've been tweaking my lesson plans for the coming school year.... I am looking forward to starting my year out right. I've ordered my materials for my class. Summer is almost over and I still have a bunch of "stuff" I need to do. Here's hoping for a laptop, internet access and projector for my classroom!!!

Online library

2007-08-03T22:10:00.000-05:00

Internet Public Library

A great place to visit. Whether your doing research or just want to sit back and read an e-book. It's fun to just explore and see what you can find.

Bilingual education is working

2007-07-31T08:58:00.000-05:00

A federal judge ruled Monday that Texas' bilingual programs for students who speak limited English complies with federal law, a setback for leading Hispanic groups requesting the state improve such programs.
Low test scores and high dropout rates among Hispanics cannot be linked to the state's bilingual and English as a Second Language programs, Justice said in his ruling. In fact, such programs in elementary schools have yielded "promising preliminary results," Justice wrote.

Judge upholds state programs

What exactly are the Hispanic groups wanting?? We are the USA where English is the predominate language. Maybe we should offer English lessons for parents, to were there could be re-enforcement of English at home, and the students would have a much better chance of success.

Textbooks of the future

2007-07-28T21:46:00.000-05:00

“The textbook-publishing industry has seen a great deal of mergers and acquisitions over the past eight to 10 years,” said Jay Diskey, the executive director of the Washington-based school division of the Association of American Publishers. “This latest one, if it goes through, will in essence leave three very large companies doing 80 [percent] to 85 percent of the K-12 textbook sales.”
education week

There are many sides to this story, one would be consistency of material for all schools, another would be potential mediocrity to appeal to all....
Time will tell

Open Office . org

2007-07-27T09:31:00.000-05:00

Students, teachers and others who need to work on a computer but don't have a rich uncle paying for software will enjoy using this.
Open office.org

More and more people and organizations are using this as a substitute for expensive office suite programs. It has a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, database and more. Not to mention that it is compatible with most microsoft office products.

Here is some information about how openoffice is being used http://opseast.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/openofficeorg-in-education-a-roundup/

I will recommend that everybody should at least evaluate this product. Oh btw, did I tell you that openoffice.org office suite is FREE, no strings attached.

Teaching to the test

2007-07-26T21:54:00.000-05:00

Call it teaching to the test. According to findings from the nonpartisan Center on Education Policy, 62 percent of school districts reported increasing time for reading and/or math instruction in elementary schools since 2001-02 (Bush signed the NCLB law in January 2002), while middle schools reported a 20 percent rise.

In elementary schools, for example, 36 percent of the schools surveyed decreased the amount of time spent on social studies, and 28 percent reduced time spent on science.

it does show that teachers are concentrating their efforts on the areas of the curriculum that are under the most scrutiny, while other subjects like science, art, and social studies are receiving less and less attention.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/articles/070725/25nclb.htm

Education Statistics 2

2007-07-26T21:49:00.000-05:00

Regardless of educational attainment, persons in rural areas generally had higher median earnings in 2004 than those in cities and towns (when adjusted to reflect regional cost differences), but lower median earnings than those in suburban areas.

College enrollment rates for both 18- to 24-year olds and 25- to 29-year olds were generally lower in rural areas than in all other locales in 2004.

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/ruraled/hl_outcomes.asp

Education Statistics

2007-07-26T21:46:00.000-05:00

A larger percentage of rural public school students in the 4th- and 8th-grades in 2005 scored at or above the Proficient level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading, mathematics, and science assessments than did public school students in cities at these grade levels. However, smaller percentages of rural public school students than suburban public school students scored at or above the Proficient level in reading and mathematics.

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/ruraled/hl_outcomes.asp

Google Earth, WOW

2007-07-25T21:36:00.000-05:00

If you have not used google earth give it a try. Students, impress your teachers with accurate maps, 3D, satellite images, and information. Parents, a great way to bolster your child's interest in geography. Teachers / students locate your school, zoom out further and further to where you can see the relationships of the local area from high altitude or even outer space. I've used this to show a virtual tour of the grand canyon, Mississippi river delta, and Mt. St. Helens. I "flew" into the crater and spun around. We could see the blast effects, lava dome and it showed where recent earthquakes have been occurring, the students loved it.

Great Site for all

2007-07-24T13:27:00.000-05:00

A great resource for teachers, students, parents, and others. It does a great job of explaining subjects in everyday language.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/

What is important??

2007-07-24T12:54:00.000-05:00

The most important thing to remember is that regardless of where you are or what you are doing, despite what some politicians may say, schools and everything associated with them are for the kids. Sometimes that idea gets lost in the finances, politics and day to day operations of many schools. Whenever you don't want to study as a student, or as a teacher you are at your wits end, stop and remember what you do now can have consequences for many many years to come. Take a deep breath, think calm thoughts and remember the ultimate goal, SUCCESS!!

Learning never ends

2007-07-23T22:40:00.000-05:00

Summertime is very busy..... I'm scheduled for a class tomorrow... sounds interesting. I will have an update on how the class went and what I will do with the information I get.

The class went very well! Earth Sciences is a bugger bear for our students, so I took an additional class to get materials and information. Thankfully, the class was not a global warming pep rally. I received some AV materials and I look forward to using them in the class. If I could just get a computer, projector, TV, and equipment....

Classroom Management

2007-07-22T22:34:00.000-05:00

Discipline had been my Achilles heel. Having started 3 weeks into the school year I had what was given to me.... Now I know that I should have been more direct, however I did not know what the other teachers were doing... so I crept along, maintained order and kept on task, but in the future I will be more diligent on behavior issues. I will be reading a book on CHAMPS classroom management. I look forward to having that as an example of what to do and having clear expectations for my students. Furthermore, students, their parents and myself will have much better communication this year.

"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." Proverbs 12:1 NIV

Reference site

2007-07-22T22:33:00.001-05:00

This is one of, if not the best, reference site on the net.
http://www.refdesk.com

Summer

2007-07-22T22:31:00.000-05:00

After completing a year of teaching, I was planning to conquer the world and get everything around the house done and in tip top shape. Lo and behold, the summer is quickly slipping away and I have many things yet to do. One thing that I will be spending alot more time on is lesson planning. But of course the school district has changed its curriculum planning guide, so...... Anyways I am looking forward to the new school year. I am re-reading Harry Wong's "The first days of school". I have many ideas from the book and the web. One of my greatest challenges is the fact that my classroom does not have a sink, internet access, or any lab facilities. I work extra hard on the lesson plan and material planning to compensate for what my classroom lacks to were my students have what is needed to maintain their interest in the class for a enhanced learning environment.

Science for All

2007-07-22T22:21:00.000-05:00

This is a site I created, it has a pretty good collection of science materials for students, teachers, parents and those whose just have an interest in science.

http://science4all.zlio.com/

check it out.

Wading thru it all

2007-07-22T22:19:00.000-05:00

To wade is to to make one's way slowly or laboriously. I think sometimes this is an appropriate description regarding teaching. My first year of teaching was spent seemingly going from one objective to the next, covering all the necessary class material, and keeping my head above the turbulent waters of the school, district, and state bureaucracy.