Carmel+D

Carm's April and May Report and March (sorry, did this a bit backwards)

=**Carm's Jan-March Report Below:**=

It's been a very busy, or should I say hectic couple of months. January has been CRAZY. I even dropped the online course I had started because I just didn't have the time. I'm averaging 2-3 hours a night responding to work-related email. The good thing about the one week in the course was I figured out how to use Wikispace.com as I had begun an online journal there. The bad thing is I don't have time to write a good report:-)

This is a cool clock you can add to your wiki or webpage: media type="clocklink" key="8010-red.swf" ARG0="GMT-0400" height="150" width="150"

District 18 is pushing school based PD revolving around concept of 2-3 supply teachers come in for the day as mentors give numerous sessions. Everyone involved seems to be pleased:
 * 1) **Principals** only have to book 2-3 supply teachers at a time.
 * 2) **Teachers** getting personalized PD, don't have to plan for an entire day, don't have to attend after school when they're "burnt" and attending sessions they want. Sessions of 60-90 minutes are "just right"...no one leaving feeling overwhelmed. Also, with the small numbers, teachers can join the "beginning powerpoint" session OR the "advanced powerpoint" session, so much less diversity in the attendees.
 * 3) **Mentors** leaving the day feeling like they've made a major impact.

Thought I'd try a different layout. I often have my students create "PMI" charts. Let's see how it works as a summary of past 2 months.


 * **PLUS** || **MINUS** || **INTERESTING** ||
 * Spent more time at HHS after getting the impression that they weren't taking advantage of the technology as much as they should/could. I think I've made an impact and see more use lately. || HHS experiencing networking difficulties. Staff frustrated with shared drives dropping, etc.After a couple of afternoons experimenting, we've determined that students "quickly" restarting their computers at beginning of class helps. Quick isn't as fast as teachers and students would like. || The more I work with different teachers the more I learn. Every day a question is asked that I don`t know answer to, but almost always find the answer via exploration/experimentation/Google, etc. ||
 * Great email sent by a teacher to myself and Bryan Facey thanking/complimenting my work. Nice to know that all that effort pays off. || I'm so busy that I don't have time to prepare for sessions as I would like. So far I've been able to "wing" it without any complications, but I just know it's going to cause a problem soon. || As more contacts are made with school staff, I can't help but think that this mentorship should be at least a minimum 2 year placement. It's taken me this long to "break the ice" and I just know that if I was doing this again next year that there would be much more dialogue. Once a connection has been made, teachers are much more likely to request help, etc. ||
 * Happened to give a great (in my opinion) Smartboard presentation at Liverpool Elementary. One of the supply teachers attending happens to be married to head of the Home & School association. At next day`s meeting they approved purchase of a 2nd portable Smartboard! || Everything takes longer than expected. Weatherstation should take an hour or so...3 hours later still not finished. Converting tapes-->Mp3 should take an hour or so...4 hours later still not finished! || I've learned so much that I'm looking forward to experimenting & using with my students in the future. Just wish it wasn't next year:-) See comment above. ||
 * Got extra RAM in laptop. Should help. || The standard laptops given to all teachers doesn't quite "cut it" for mentors. Mine is often bogging down/ lagging, hanging up, etc. I have so much software installed and constantly trying to mult-task. Mentors really should have higher end laptops. This is not greed talking...it's practicality. || No matter how often I think to myself "This is so easy to do, they shouldn't have any problem with it" I'm always wrong. There are so many things that I do unconciously "Ctrl-C" "Triple click" "Alt-Tab" etc. that the regular teacher find alien. I instinctively know what to do so often it's hard to realize that this is new for others. Must always keep this in mind when explaining/modelling to others. ||
 * Grade 7 students genuinely happy to see me. The "Hey, Mr. D's here" gossip spreads upstairs before I do:-) || So busy that I'm having to ask teachers to wait till after March 31st before I can commit to anything of an extensive nature. || The only person that loves a storm day more than a student or teacher is a technology mentor:-) ||
 * HHS staff very receptive to new ideas etc. || Teaching 32 grade 7 students with laptops is not easy. Despite my (and fellow teachers" best classroom managment techniques, the students are quickly "off task." Hoping Synchroneyes will help. || "Baby steps" are so important. Teachers need to be given just a little at a time or else they're overwhelmed and give up... ||
 * Fellow mentors quickly help cover a session when I have to suddenly handle a technical issue at HHS. Talk about an amazing team, Dawn & Brenda went out of their way! || Blogger.com server goes down at exact same time that I'm presenting to a staff. || Somehow Moncton teachers have found my website and have been requesting cds of information. Nice to know that all the hard work over the years is being appreciated by others.... [|Mr.D Site] ||
 * Moncton meetings were great as usual. Really starting to develop relationships with mentors from around the province. Such a different feeling from last June when I couldn't place a face to a name... || HHS staff biggest challenge...TIME! Rural teachers teach so many different courses, they just don't have the time to convert their lessons to digital format. It's also very difficult for them to embrace the "PBL" concept...Old habits are hard to break. ||  ||
 * Got HHS & MHS weather stations up and running! [|HHS Weather] [|MHS Weather] || OWA/Exchange email constantly over limit. It's a struggle to delete stuff, especially sent items, etc. Very frustrating. ||  ||
 * I can't figure out how to delete || rows on this damn || wiki-based table:-) ||
 * I can't figure out how to delete || rows on this damn || wiki-based table:-) ||

One grade 7 student is so enthusiastic about computers since the laptop initiative began that he's decided to do a science project on computers. With a technician donating a "clunker" and a grade 12 student helping, he's had a blast. More pictures such as this one can be found by **//__clicking on picture below__//**...




 * WHAT TEACHERS MAKE**

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...) "Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental...

You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.) I make kids wonder. I make them question. I make them criticize. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions. I teach them to write and then I make them write. I make them read, read, read. I make them show all their work in math. I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity. I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe. Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.) "Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant... You want to know what I make? **I MAKE A DIFFERENCE**. What do you make?"

THERE IS MUCH TRUTH IN THIS STATEMENT: "Teachers make every other profession" Thanks to Brenda for sending this to me...