I Found My Teaching Home

Well, it’s been over 6 months since I posted in this blog.  My excuse is that I managed to over commit myself in several areas.  So, now my goal is to “un” commit in as many as I can so that I can focus on some priorities–like my health (ha ha).  That’s my story and I am sticking to it.

To that end, blogs are time consuming and require a commitment if you wish to do them successfully.  Despite my lack of consistence and to a certain extent lack of success, I am convinced that blogs can be a vital part of most classrooms.  They offer conversation and idea sharing to build.  They exist inside and outside the realm of the classroom.  It seems like a valuable resource that I will continue to explore and hopefully one day master.

 The Powerpoint from January 26th PD day. weblogging09_manistee

The Handout, too. manistee_bloghandout

I just spent four days with seventeen other people.  We are all teachers, writers and women.  The days were long, twelve hours minimum, but the bonding was once again amazing.  I don’t know what the magic is–shared experience, writing about yourself, the type of people who choose to come or a combination of all of those.  We will be spending three more weeks togehter writing, discussing, researching and demonstrating.  We will learn more about teaching, writing, each other and most importantly to most ourselves.  I am happy to once again be on this journey called Summer Institute.  No one who has never participated can truly understand the life changing experience of this workshop.  Every year it’s a little different, but every year I see countless rewards for myself and for those who come to participate for the first time.

So, I have not done a spectacular job of keeping this blog current or particularily interesting.  It is amazing what a schedule that is too full will do to ones creative powers.  

 That is what has happened (or at least that is my excuse).  I thought I had learned the word NO, but it is apparent that once again I probably said “Yes, I can do that!” a few too many times.  I am doing what I said I would (all of it as far as I know), but I am not sure how well some of it is getting done.

 The seniors in my high school classes are complaining about all they have to do before they graduate and I think to myself, “if you only knew.”  They are also part of the reason that I don’t have enough time.  With 30+ essays a week to read, planning lessons in hopes of engaging 18 year olds who already know everything of value and then keeping tabs on them when they are in the building is sapping most of my energy.  We are on the last few yards of the mad dash to the finish.

Soon, I will dedicate myself to keeping this blog current and maybe even interesting or enlightenting.

Week one was short, only four days, but I was more tired than I have been in over a month.  When I attended the Advanced Summer Institute on the heels of Andrea’s wedding I was tired, but…well how tired I was and/or am is irrelevant, really.  Blogging and online writing are not an option in school yet, since we have no laptops, yet.  There are several working computers in the media center, but not nearly enough for a class of 30.

I think that it will be a good year for me and a memorable one.  I have all but one of my seniors twice a day and almost a third of them three times.  I am sure that we will be very close by the end of the year.  It will be a difficult graduation for me; saying goodbye to so many. 

Carpe Diem is the phrase I am hoping they will live. Their locker signs (which I made) have that phrase on them with the guts of a grandfather clock as the background (thanks to my principal’s clock and my colleague’s help in brainstorming a symbolic photo).  I want them to have a good senior year (and I wouldn’t mind having a good year either).

My goals for the year are still vague.  Today’s primary goal is to flesh out my year plans.  What do I want to accomplish with the new challenge (English IV)?  What changes will be needed in my math classes in light of the new state “course expectations?”  How will I change the psychology class to accomadate 26 students, which would be too many mentors for our little elementary?  How will the new website program work as a class project?  That’s a LOT of planning.  There are so many changes that I feel overwhelmed and like a new teacher.  So, one day at a time and luckily I am not a new teacher.  I have the discipline, the reputation, and the rapport already established.  I can do this…carpe diem. 

Hello-

This is the beginning of my blog about….well….me.  I will of course add information about other interesting things (well, interesting to me). So, as you can see it truly is all about me.

 This summer I am tutoring a young lady in mathematics (one of my areas of expertise).  I also am involved with the CWP (Crossroads Writing Project) in a couple of ways. First I am their technology liaison, then I am a substitute leader (for Jenny), and I am also participating in the first ever Advanced Summer Institute.  In addition to all that I am trying to relax, get some sun and spend time with family and friends. 

 It is hard to believe that summer is almost half over.  This weekend it is Bear Lake Days and that kind of marks the half way point for me.  Then it is time to start planning for fall.  I have a new class and some new parameters for one of my classes.  So…I must start focusing on that (sometime soon).

 Well, the sun is shining.  My student is working.  The cats are stretched out in amusing poses in the sun. All is good now.  The new beginning is good.