Fighting a losing battle

So...everyone is sick at work. They are all coughing, sneezing, and running a fever. One of the guys at the store has mono....and I worked alongside him for 9 hours last weekend....so should I be very surprised when I have a headache for 4 days and am exhausted. I wanted so much to have today off to just sleep and rest....

Phone rings at 9am...it's the High school....Ben tried to be the goalie at soccer for gym with his thumb...

3 hours later and a splint on his right hand (at least he's left handed).... I get back home.

Now I'm listing ebay...and still exhausted...maybe Fri..........................

I really want to win this one.....really I do

Busy Times

So.......now I have finished my first week on my new schedule...and my new paycheck. It's amazing to me how frugal I have been for the past 3 years. I have worked so hard on my new degree that it is finally paying off. I can work less hours and still be okay financially. The only issue is only having 35 minutes with each class. I just get everyone started...and they have to stop.


So...how do you keep 20 five year olds busy for 35 minutes....when they have little or no fine motor control. It's a tall order.

I was excited to read the guidelines for students and technology though....I teach almost all the skills they need to have already. :)





Now I just need to take a deep breath...focus on each task one at a time.... and not completely flip out.



RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!

School has started

So...I started in the new year last week. Man it was nice to not have to get up early to drive 45 min to work, except I had to get up early to drive to GR. Mom was not doing well. Scary stuff when your parent gets sick. Even scarier when you are an only child. Not sure how I am handling this whole getting older thing. I can handle the kids getting older. I actually like the idea of them being on their own and doing their own things. But the idea of my parents getting older....is just not sitting too well with me.

Anyone else??

So...someone told me about the new site that tells you what percentage of the world you have seen. I would love to see where my kids have been. My son has traveled to so many countries its unbelievable. I am happy to say though that I have been to 74% of the US. Since I am making a trip to the great NW this coming fall (gotta check out that new Portland Trail Blazer dance group), I am going to add at least 3 more states to the mix. Now I just have to figure out how to figure out getting to Hawaii........................

Always dreaming.



create your own personalized map of the USA
or write about it on the open travel guide

Man it's hot!!!!

Okay, so I am going to work very hard at keeping up with this. I am struggling a bit with time management. I am supposed to turn in my proposal on my master's capstone, turn in my schedule for the next school year. and keep up with both Bandai, Decipher and RIW. I want to figure out how to get to Chi-Town next weekend. It would be fun to work at con without being in charge. I am excited about having 19 people confirmed to work the Bandai Booth at Gen Con. :-) Maybe I am finally getting this right.

My son has moved in with me now. I have been on my own at home for the past 2 years. It's hard to adjust to being home when he is. I'll get it right. Josh comes home in 3 weeks and I am so excite.

Anyway...just an update from me. :-)

I took this outside RIW. We have furry friends out back.

Last one..Flash

Wow...ever tried to type with a partial cast on...I thought the fact that it was my left hand would be cool...but nope..anyway...final blog try..

• Part 1: How hard is it to pick up & run with a new program like Flash that has a relatively steep learning curve? Why do you think that?

I think it is not effective to try and pick up and run a progam like flash on the fly. I think that it leads to frustration...and not wanting to continue. I am the geek at my school and I struggled here. You need to want to figure it out. Many of my colleagues will not want to spend the time, so they will miss the benefits. Programs like this would benefit from a tutorial built in.

• Part 2: Do you think most people need to have an expensive program (like Flash), when there are other programs that are free/much cheaper that do similar things but are more simplified (have fewer features)? When is it necessary to have the higher-end programs? When is it just spending more time to add bells & whistles?

I think it depends on the focus and outcomes wanted with these programs. Things like morphing programs need the complexity of flash...while most regular joes..can do just fine without all the bells and whistles. If you are using the program to sell something, or make a more professional presentation...you probably need the depth of the higher end programs.

arm hurts...time to stop

Video Podcast By Dick Hardt

So..for my video podcast, I watched a keynote address by Dick Clarence Hardt, who is the CEO of Sxip. This podcast was a couple of years old and about identity and the internet. This is just background because I am actually writing about the format he used. There was very little video of Mr. Hardt. The majority of the video was his voice showing what looked to me like a quick powerpoint presentation. I actually enjoyed it very much. He intermixed pictures and words to accentuate his points. Other podcasts that I have watched have been mostly direct video of an event. I have watched the finals of card game matches, interviews of politicians and sports personalities, and the weather person. These videos have been like short movies. They include pertinent information and video of the people talking as well as background video. This podcast was one where you could hear the words being said, but not see the speaker. On the screen were words or images related to the words, flashing quickly past the screen. It very much felt like a narrated power point presentation.
The link for this video is:

http://identity20.com/media/OSCON2005/
http://ipodmovies.illuster.nl/illusteritunesbanner.jpg

This was a unique presentation. There were times when I was distracted by the images and missed the words. I noticed that since I chose live streaming that the rewinding of the podcast was difficult, so I just let it go by. I was more interested though in the subject than I thought I would be, primarily because of the format. I looked forward to seeing which images he would use in this presentation. In other formats, audiences may tune out the interviewer, or close the podcast because they get tired of listening to the same person and seeing the same things. I know that long podcasts I have watched of games have been difficult to sit all the way through. The length of this was just about my limit without wanting to stop and get up. The streaming option I chose did not allow me to stop it where I was, so I watched it through to the end, mostly because I didn't want to have to do it again. I did enjoy this podcast and would like to try to create one using this type of video. I am not entirely sure how I would do it though.

One more thing to try...........


http://www.gapingvoid.com/i'm%20a%20speaker.jpg

Podcast Reflection

http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/203/what-is-a-podcast/
What is a podcast and How can I use one? by Yaro Starak

Yaro Starak is an internet writer specializing in the use of technology in the 21st century. His article "What is a Podcast and How can I use One?" is an introductory primer on getting started. He begins the article talking about what a Podcast is and how it is made. The article looks at the history of the podcast and it's continuing impact on communication. It also gives possible uses and suggestions for getting started in podcasting on your own. While this is a good article for those who don't know anything about podcasting, I feel it could be stronger in the areas of examples and suggestions. I would recommend this article for those who need to know what a podcast is and how to get started using them.
The article begins with a definition and history of podcast. I thought it was very interesting that the word podcast comes from IPod. However, it was good to let readers know that they can listen to a podcast in formats other than Ipods. "However you don’t have to listen to podcasts only on iPods;... It really doesn’t matter, as long as you have some way to play music on your computer you will be able to listen to podcasts."
The next section is a description of how to use a podcast. I currently subscribe to several podcasts about subjects that that interest me. The use of the subscribe denotes constantly changing content. It is an interesting idea that you can use a podcast like a magazine. The podcasts that I listen to usually update about every month or 6 weeks. I am certain that they can also update weekly or even daily. It is also a positive that you can save the podcast and listen to it at your leisure, rather than having to interact with it at the time it is posted.

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/jlo0079l.jpg

The next two sections talk about the impact of Podcasts on the society. The wide reaching nature of the Internet, coupled with the ability to listen when and where you choose, have made Podcasts the new form of information dissemination. "Podcasts and blogs are leading a new content distribution revolution on the web that you are going to hear a lot about in the future...Podcasts are considered to be part of the beginnings of a timeshifting revolution" according to the author. I see many uses for this in education as well. Students who are homebound, traveling or have work/sports conflicts will be able to take classes they may have missed in the past. Students could also avail themselves much more to college classes, as they can partake in lectures that they might not be able to attend for a variety of reasons.
The author gives a quick overview of some of the software he uses in his podcasts, as well as links to the needed software. This is important for the beginner, as there are many different ways to record and publish a podcast. Finally, the author takes a peek into the future of podcasts. "Podcasting is the start of a new media content revolution that is empowering individuals with the ability to globally distribute their ideas and create a following of like minded fans." The next steps will include videocasting or independent creations. The rise in popularity of UTube and Google Video are a testament to the rise in popularity of these forms of communication. It is just a matter of time until the educational community catches up. Our students may be the next Internet stars.

http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/102705/itd-last-longer.gif

I would use podcasting for creation of instructions for teachers and students to tasks I want them to complete. I would also create a podcast for those students who missed a session in the lab. I work outside of school and can see creating a podcast of announcements or important information that I want stored for all those with whom I work. I could create podcast messages for my children who are scattered around the country at this time, or create messages that can be sent to my parents and relatives who do not live nearby keeping them updated with kids and their events. I also see podcasting as a great tool for Professional development for staff. Podcasts could be created for teachers on a variety of subjects they need and left for them to access as necessary. The uses are nearly as endless as the topics available.

Kim

Blogs and Wikis

My musings from reading from my multimedia class:
The important things I have gleaned from the readings. The Google article on creating a good blog had great ideas and suggestions. I really like the idea that you do not link to other sites or pictures and find a top level domain. I have been able to keep with this site for a couple of years now, even when I don't write for a long time. It has only recently moved to a stable relationship with Google, which is actually better for me. I also really agreed with the idea that in a blog a writer must explain more than normal. I have re read things I wrote months ago and have to really try and remember why I wrote that, or what I meant by it. The Harvard Weblog article talks about comments. I have found the comments section can be annoying and difficult, and also a way for others to interact with my writing. Those interactions are what can be difficult, but then all writing that is public comes under scrutiny, so I guess it comes with the territory.
A wiki is a new concept for me in terms of my own use. I send students to Wikipedia all the time, with the admonishment that the entries must be scrutinized for validity and correctness. However, the thought of creating my own Wiki has never crossed my mind. However, in the O'Reilly article, the concept that a wiki is used by a large group of people to communicate and share a workspace is a really interesting concept. Recently, I had a group project that didn't work very well, but could have been much better with a wiki. I can see many writers using a wiki to create a book. As I have never used a wiki, I would not know what a good software program is, but am looking forward to using the class wiki. I was interested in the reasons for not using a wiki. I can see that those who are not technology savvy would have a difficult time managing this type of communication. Sometimes the public nature of a blog or a wiki makes it hard to really communicate with others. I can see that I will have much more immediate uses for a blog and plan to help my students create their own blog in an effort to evaluate writing and their ideas in the future. We'll just have to see about a Wiki.
http://blog.org/uploads/dogsandblogsnewyorker.gif (gif link)

Been a long time

It's been sooooooo long since I have been able to get here. Now that it's connected to my email, maybe it will be easier. So much has happened, but the big news is that I only have one more kid in high school. Jonathan graduated from Grand Ledge last friday. He looked awesome and I am so proud of him. He has worked hard to graduate and made it now. He is working through the summer and moving to Howell in the fall. He will be sharing a room with the only high schooler left. Ben moves in with me this week. The house will not be the same..that's for sure. Here is Jon in his cap and gown. He's a young man now working on figuring out his life. I know that he will succeed.

Proud mom is me!!! :-)

Man...it's been a while

I knew I was going to struggle at this, but geez...10 months? A lifetime happens in 10 min. and it's taken me 10 months to get back here. Now it's the end of the year...and I am back. Lots has happened. I got a new assignment at school, got a new job (with Bandai), and got a new cat. Daughter is in Santa Barbara, Son #1 is in Portland OR, Son #3 is who knows where (as in on tour) and sons #4 and 5 are still in Grand Ledge..at least for the time being. I still hang out at the store, but not as much, but it is very busy. I will work on this tomorrow.... Maybe a time line or something.

maybe....maybe not.

Sick of being Sick

So...my doctor finally calls over the weekend...I've been tired and run down for weeks now. It's Mono...right...I have mono....I wanted to laugh. All I do is work and drive...no kisses for me...so how the heck do I get mono? Turns out..i probably had it all along. Anyway, now I am off work for a week. I never want to do this again. I found out at 4pm that I was going to have to take the next 4 days off work. So..I am at school til well after dark trying to plan for the next 4 days..all papers copied...all things that could possibly go wrong...all special instructions...all letters that will need to go home...tests to give...it's just wild...... And I am so tired all the time...that it takes me forever just to think of the next thing.

My kid is in Japan...the view is amazing. He calls and IM's pretty regularly. He is seeing so many wonderful things. I am so proud of all he has done. He is leaving for Germany for 7 months to teach dance soon...A year is a long time to not see a child.

My daughter left for CA yesterday...so I am starting to also deal with the empty nest thing... Not sure that i was really ready for all this at once. She was my rock and I will miss her very much. Hold your kids...they grow up fast.

Poetry Day

Tues was Valentines Day. Fortunately for me, it is the very LAST party I will have to deal with this school year....and now it may be that I am going back into the lab if I am still working in Michigan. This is a short week for us, as we are having Mid Winter Break here. No school Fri or Monday!!! So... I had scheduled a poetry reading for this week. The kids in class have been working on poetry books for 3.5 weeks. I decided I really only wanted to lose one day of the short week. So, I decided to have the reading in the morning of the party...I thought that was pretty good thinking, but really...it was not. I was so exhausted by the end of the day, I just wanted to sleep right in the room. The kids did great. They all read at least 2 poems and didn't get nervous or scared reading. We had something like 30 adults in the room. It was pretty awesome. I hope that the kids remember what we did as positive. :-)

It's a New Year

I stayed home from school today...the flu is a really nasty thing to have. You are not really sick enough to be sick, but nothing sounds good. Even moving makes me queasy. I thought maybe I was better, since I slept in all day. So I went to the store. Tried to bring Elvis..my cat....and he got out of the car and ran. I'm so sad. He's the one who is always there when I come home. How do we get so attacted to an animal anyway?

Anyway, life has been very up and down lately. I am very busy with all the things I do...and sometimes it seems just too busy...

busy is cleary not a way to savor the moment.

Sunny CA

That is the biggest misnomer there is. I have been in Southern CA for 3 days now...first day..smog...second day clouds....and third day...well..it's 5 am, so not too sure on that one yet. Weatherbug says lots of wind, so you would guesss that the clouds would just be blown away...but probably not with my luck. I can't complain too loudly because when I left MI it was like 5 degrees and we were shoveling several inches of snow off the ground.
Anyway..I am here because my middle son was performing in his "New Kids Show". That is the show that the newest Young Americans do for the rest of the group(and their parents). Now the kids are rehersing for the "Christmas Show". Man am I glad that I don't have to go through these paces everyday. Watching Josiah was sometimes like watching his older brother, facial expressions and the hamming it up. He is his own performer too, but there are glimpses here and there.

That's my kid....with the red shirt and yellow pants. He has his arms up and is making sure everyone can see him at least once. In a group of very talented kids (110) in all, everyone has some trouble getting noticed. So for 2.5 hours on Fri. night...I searched and searched the stage over and over for where my kid was. Now instead of having to look for just one kid, I'm going to be having to look for two.

If you are wondering who these "Young Americans" are: they have a website.

www.youngamericans.org


But back to CA....it hasn't been sunny and warm must be a relative term, when you pack for 70 and its the low 60's...it's chilly. Should have packed for the 50's....I never even got to get my shorts out. :=(

I fly back to the frigid temps today though....and I'm sure that I m going to wish it were 60.

I have to get better at this

So...life is nuts. My full time job is still sapping all my time. I am still planning this week during this week. Now it's MEAP. That's an anachornism for Michigan Educational Assessment Program. I say it's short for Educational Stupidity. But that is probably for another day. At least it's over next week. My third graders are in the midst of 7 different tests. That means that my second graders spend an hour a day in someone else's room. I have spent at least 7 weeks trying to build a classroom that doesn't distinguish grades with these kids and in the space of a week, the state rips it apart.

At my second almost full time job, things changed again. I really want things to stop changing, but given the current climate in the world...i am gussing that is not going to happen. I have been working hard to get things I am responsible for on the right track...and not taking on the other stuff. We'll see how well that works.

The store is going great guns. 7 nights of magic, lots of games, lots of people. I am not there as much as I want to be. Gas is too expensive, it's a long drive back and forth and I have to be up way too early.

Yesterday was FIsh Day. I couldn't have furry animals in my room. One of the kids are allergic, so I got fish. I started with 5....and am down to two. Went to the store tonight to get a replacement one to try and fool the kids tomorrow. So for Fish day, I wore my fish pants and we did fish writing and fish art and watched a fish movie. I think the kids had a good time and learned some cool things along the way. I just don't want my year to be a waste. :-(

Anyway...More on things later....

Been a while

So..it's been a while since I've been back here. School started with quite a bang and I jumped out t of the frying pan and into the freaking fire. I have a huge classroom with 21 kids. They are evenly divided between the 2nd grade and 3rd. They are all of the out of the box thinkers...which in the end is good since I am not exactly a by the book kind of teacher, but for now, it's a bit hectic. I am spending long days at school...then the store...then home and just crash. It's Fri at 11 and I am so tired I can hardly see. My austic student is doing all right. He pretty much loses it after lunch, so I need to structure things a bit more then...but that's okay too.
Things on all other fronts are going through upheavals again, but I will leave that for another day....

Tag I'm It!!

Okay...so I am a bit slow on the uptake these few days. I'm going to blame it on having to teach a class of 21 8 and 9yr olds starting on Monday... Gee thanks..Hayden

Ten Years ago, 1995-08-26

Well...that would mean I am the mom of 5 kids at home. The oldest Josh would have been 12. That means 6th grade and at Pattengill Middle School. Next was Beth, she was in 5th grade at Fairview Elementary. Josiah is in 2nd grade, Jon is in 1st grade and Ben is in preschool 3x a week all morning. I am going back to school now to get my teaching certificate, but I am trying to fill in all the holes that were created by my lack of wanting to take core classes in college the first time. I am in Algebra. I haven't taken a math class since I was a junior in HS...and it is not making me a happy camper. My oldest and I are getting a lot of the same type of homework. What did that tell me about the state of education in Lansing???

Five Years ago, 2000-08-26

So...now I've been teaching for 3 years....and it's time to move again. My son Jon has decided he wants to come live with me and so I pack everyone else up, move to East Lansing and start teaching at a new school. I haven't found a new place yet, but I am already working at my new job. We won't move til labor day weekend. I remember that the kids will be starting school as soon as I can get a lease signed. It seems I wait til the last minute a lot....not too sure why that is, but it makes for an exciting life.

One Year ago, 2004-08-26

Third school in the past 7 years, but at least I am spending 2-3 years at each one. I am getting ready to start another year in the computer lab. It's going to be the last one for awhile, but I don't know that last summer. I still don't have a place to live again. My sons have decided to live in GL with their dad...it's fine with me, but I don't think they are going to be too happy in the long run.(turns out I'm right). We all have to learn lessons though. :-) I have just gotten back from Gen Con, where I judged worlds for Rings. Little do I know the changes that will happen there.....last minute again for me... :-)

Yesterday, 2005-08-25

Pam came down and we painted desks until dark. I am now going to teach a multiple age class. I have 10 2nd graders and 11 3rd graders. It's a daunting enough task, to move from teaching one subject to everyone to all subjects to one group. It's made a bit more interesting by the fact that I have an austic student in my class as well. He's a great kid and already knows me, so that parts easier. It's just so much to do....here I am waiting again to get things together. I really do need to learn this lesson.

Tomorrow, 2005-08-27

I am leaving in the morning to drive up north to see Josh perform in his last dinner theatre. He's not going back up north next summer, so this is it for him. I am so proud of his ability and what he is doing. I just wish I had more people to share that with. I guess it's a mom thing, just sometimes it's hard for me. I'm going to do it all in one day, so I can get back to work on the last minute things and spend some time at the store before school starts on Monday.

Five snacks I enjoy:
Diet Coke, Chex Mix, potato skins, snackers from olgas, fresh fruit

Five bands that I know most of their lyrics:
Dashboard Confessional, Kansas, Savage Garden, Styx, Dixie Chicks

Five things I'd do with a million dollars:
pay off my loans and my parents, buy a condo with a dog, downpayment on a building for RIW, pay for my kids to go to the schools they want, bank the last $100.00 :-)

Five Places I'd Run Away to:
Southern CA, Ireland, Greece, Boston, Chicago

Five Bad Habits I have:
waiting til the last minute, talking on the cell when I really shouldn't, taking blame for things that aren't my fault, not speaking up when I need to, not being organized

Five things I like doing:
watching crime shows, spending time at RIW, sleeping in in the morning, watching my kids perform, walking anywhere hand in hand.

Five things I wouldn't wear:
a bikini, pants around my hips, a cumberbun, a fur coat, spike heels

Five TV Shows I love:
any CSI, any Law & Order, West Wing, Cold Case, Bewitched

Five Movies I love:
You've got mail, Lord of the Rings, Chorus Line, High Society, My Fair Lady

Five Famous people I'd like to meet:
Princess Di, Tom Hanks, Jan Brett, Susan Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt

Five biggest joys at the moment:
watching any of my kids perform, hanging out with Pam at the store, watching TV with a cat in my lap, being with friends anywhere, seeing kids in my class happy to be there

Five Favorite Toys:
Arwen miniature, legos, anything winnie the pooh, coloring books and crayons, barbie camper

Five People to Tag:

David E
Tania
Royce
Justin
Michael

Getting ready for school

So...I just get back from GenCon...and I have to get ready for school. Teachers come back tomorrow....so I came back today. Painted desks for several hours, hung paper, organized books. I haven't been in a classroom for 4 years...and man it shows. I am feeling very lost right now. Okay...so a couple of days have past. Pam came and helped me paint desks for the past two days. They are blue, green, yellow and red. Teachers are coming by...telling me to group them as all one color. My instinct is to make a group of 4, one of each color, but since I haven't done this in so long, I see their points. I doubt it will stay this way, but that's okay too. I have most things done with the physical space, now I have to deal with the mental place. That's tomorrow's blog. :-)

Still Hot and Muggy

So...It's still hot and muggy here. Makes it hard to sleep. I can't imagine how hard it is for my cats during this time. I have two black cats, Ricco and Elvis. I call them Big Head and Shaggy. At least I know that Elvis is not alone when I am not home.

I went to school today to check things out. My room is a mess, there is stuff everywhere and its all 2nd grade stuff. Kyle came in and fixated on the mirror. Kyle is austic and will be in my room this year. He comes with an full time aide, and his own set of challenges. I wanted to take it down, but I think we are going to try and cover it first.

I have a dream class...all the kids that are independent workers...no behavior issues...I'm still feeling a little overwhelmed though...I only have a couple of days to get ready for school. I think I am going to get things from mom's tonight. I'm not sleeping well, so I think I will just use the time to do other things...sleep is overrated.