Wow! Time really should slow down! Since it will not, then I am estactic to be participant in a digital classroom.
I posted here at Treasure Chest of Thoughts my summary thus far of living in a nearly paperless world.
My immediate concern right now is my air conditioner: need to learn how to reset the default from seventy degrees, for with these new units, this temperature feels much closer to sixty! Plus, this is just a waste of monetary resources.
The built-in's for my journalism computers are partially here. These should be completed this week, which is working out fine since the yearbook staff is selling business ads for one more week and the newspaper staff is using the mini's to draft articles for the online newspaper.
Speaking of newspaper: I need to chat with the tech persons to determine if posting our online newspaper on the school website is an option or maybe we should just link to the one we have created via a Wordpress account? Right now while so many changes are occurring? Think I will opt for current situation.
A final thought: I am spending less time in class "teaching" because I am spending more time out of class creating blog posts and links for the students to access to meet our daily goals via online access. To be repetitive...time does fly in class. Wow! Please don't tell that May is just around the corner!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
School Is So Cool OR Time Flies
Both of the above post headings fit this commentary…we are three days into school, and we (my students and myself) are both noting how fast the class periods go. Why? School is just cooler this year in room 16!
REASONS School is COOLER:
1.First, the rooms are literally cooler and quieter thanks to the new air conditioning units installed this summer. They are so quiet…very awesome. All of a sudden, we notice the room is getting almost cold (yes, need to ask them to reset the defaults by a few degrees, for the system itself is also digital…nice of them to select a system that, of course, blends in with our new classroom redesign!)
2.Blue. Mini. Laptops. YES! Got them in my room on Tuesday afternoon and managed to get enough of them imaged to use with my newspaper class on the first day of school…and then with all my English classes on Thursday and Friday. Way cool! Of course, the students love having a computer…literally…in their hands. I love being able to send them to Mrs. G’s Info Page…and going to work…or is it play?! Fewer papers to hand out…with just a click of a button (or two), the students and I were already at work…again! (I really am missing my LCD projector…my presentations would be much more effective with it.)
3.Comfy chairs. New colors. Yes, we call it classroom redesign. I found it a little humorous that the students looked at the “comfy” chairs but would not sit in them until I said, “Of course, you may…that’s what they are for!” What surprised me, though, was that many of them still chose the desks. Not sure about that reason for that choice yet…will observe (ah, action research) and write more about that later. If they like these desks now, just wait until our new ones finally get here in a week or so…yes, way cool!
4.Lighting. The new lights have a softer hue, which those of us who wear contacts really appreciate! I also have several lamps in my room (bought bulbs of too low a wattage yesterday…going back to Wal-Mart to invest in more so that we can switch to that type of lighting when viewing movies, videos, podcasts, and such.
In every class, either a student(s) or I would comment, after glancing at the clock (usually the one on the wall…not the one in the lower right corner ~ isn’t that interesting?) that “this class went by so fast.” I like it like that!
I. Love. My. Room. And so do my former students, many of whom commented as they stopped by to visit and check out the new design, “Why couldn’t this have happened last year?” That’s right, those of you reading this, already know the answer to that one: that’s just the nature of change.
ROOM 16 TO GET COOLER STILL! My room is about 70% completed. Hopefully, my built-in unit for the journalism computers will arrive on Monday (would look really cool for Open House on Monday night!). Bookcases, shelves, desks, more artwork…and more tech tools!…still all on the to-do list for Room 16.
Pictures to be posted soon…or within a few days, I will have our photo-a-day blog (CAFE: In Pictures) for our Classroom Redesign ready for your viewing pleasure…or just stop by and visit us!
Also posted at Treasure Chest of Thoughts.
REASONS School is COOLER:
1.First, the rooms are literally cooler and quieter thanks to the new air conditioning units installed this summer. They are so quiet…very awesome. All of a sudden, we notice the room is getting almost cold (yes, need to ask them to reset the defaults by a few degrees, for the system itself is also digital…nice of them to select a system that, of course, blends in with our new classroom redesign!)
2.Blue. Mini. Laptops. YES! Got them in my room on Tuesday afternoon and managed to get enough of them imaged to use with my newspaper class on the first day of school…and then with all my English classes on Thursday and Friday. Way cool! Of course, the students love having a computer…literally…in their hands. I love being able to send them to Mrs. G’s Info Page…and going to work…or is it play?! Fewer papers to hand out…with just a click of a button (or two), the students and I were already at work…again! (I really am missing my LCD projector…my presentations would be much more effective with it.)
3.Comfy chairs. New colors. Yes, we call it classroom redesign. I found it a little humorous that the students looked at the “comfy” chairs but would not sit in them until I said, “Of course, you may…that’s what they are for!” What surprised me, though, was that many of them still chose the desks. Not sure about that reason for that choice yet…will observe (ah, action research) and write more about that later. If they like these desks now, just wait until our new ones finally get here in a week or so…yes, way cool!
4.Lighting. The new lights have a softer hue, which those of us who wear contacts really appreciate! I also have several lamps in my room (bought bulbs of too low a wattage yesterday…going back to Wal-Mart to invest in more so that we can switch to that type of lighting when viewing movies, videos, podcasts, and such.
In every class, either a student(s) or I would comment, after glancing at the clock (usually the one on the wall…not the one in the lower right corner ~ isn’t that interesting?) that “this class went by so fast.” I like it like that!
I. Love. My. Room. And so do my former students, many of whom commented as they stopped by to visit and check out the new design, “Why couldn’t this have happened last year?” That’s right, those of you reading this, already know the answer to that one: that’s just the nature of change.
ROOM 16 TO GET COOLER STILL! My room is about 70% completed. Hopefully, my built-in unit for the journalism computers will arrive on Monday (would look really cool for Open House on Monday night!). Bookcases, shelves, desks, more artwork…and more tech tools!…still all on the to-do list for Room 16.
Pictures to be posted soon…or within a few days, I will have our photo-a-day blog (CAFE: In Pictures) for our Classroom Redesign ready for your viewing pleasure…or just stop by and visit us!
Also posted at Treasure Chest of Thoughts.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
3:12 AM
We are getting into our rooms today! That gives me a half day to do what I need two weeks to complete.
So here I sit, cannot sleep, for my brain is on overdrive!
I suppose if I could have one gift in my room right now it would be my doors back to my cabinets, for all of my junk is exposed to all the "prying" eyes! What am I saying? My room may end up being full of unemptied boxes, also!
Also not sure what to do my about my room arrangement, just hoping that comes together tomorrow as the guys move my furniture into my room.
Really should be working on day one lesson plans...so think I will see if I can get my wiki pages to load; they were not cooperating earlier this evening on this mini. At that point I was just too tired to try opening them on our home computer.
3:18 ~ Maybe I should attempt to sleep again!?
So here I sit, cannot sleep, for my brain is on overdrive!
I suppose if I could have one gift in my room right now it would be my doors back to my cabinets, for all of my junk is exposed to all the "prying" eyes! What am I saying? My room may end up being full of unemptied boxes, also!
Also not sure what to do my about my room arrangement, just hoping that comes together tomorrow as the guys move my furniture into my room.
Really should be working on day one lesson plans...so think I will see if I can get my wiki pages to load; they were not cooperating earlier this evening on this mini. At that point I was just too tired to try opening them on our home computer.
3:18 ~ Maybe I should attempt to sleep again!?
Saturday, August 15, 2009
A Miracle Is Needed!
Today is Saturday, August 15....this is important to note, for it is going to take a miracle for our classrooms to be ready for us to move into on Tuesday...despite all "guarantees" that the rooms will be ready!
TO-DO LIST in my classroom:
TO-DO LIST in my classroom:
- Complete flooring (tile is now down!)
- Electricity needed (exposed wires needed to find their homes!)
- Baseboards absent.
- Technology? Not sure where it all is!
- Boxes and boxes to unpack...still sitting out in the hallway.
- Bookcases? Just went and selected cabinet top on Friday morning. Uh, oh! Thought they had started on the bookcases and built-in's a month ago!
- Desks had to be re-ordered...due to their no longer making our first order. Took the company about six weeks to let us know this. Uh, oh!
- Decorate...HGTV style!
My to-do list:
- Paint...and paint: changing what is black to brown.
- Frame a picture.
- Order duckies!
- Re-create my room layout...hookup box got placed where I had not planned it...now have to reconfigure where everything goes.
- Decide what goes where on my walls.
- Decide what to do until all my components come in...bookcases, built-ins, desks.
To-Purchase List:
- bench cushions
- white boards
- corner table for monitor
BUT...this is going to be an awesome classroom!
Regardless of these lists...school starts Wednesday!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
An Artful Moment...or Two
Rather than copy/paste my post from Treasure Chest of Thoughts....I would like to invite you to click here and preview my latest work on my Classroom Redesign.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Checkin' that Checklist!
Today a friend took me to lunch...to get me out of the house! I can again drive on Monday (surgery can ground a person!).
While out, I asked to stop at some local furniture stores to browse and attempt to purchase a few items for my classroom...after all, school does start in less than two weeks!
Let me digress...before browsing and eating lunch, we stopped by school to pick up my inspiration pillow and to peruse my room. Let me just say: I, for one, still believe in miracles!
Room checklist of "to-do's" from Gillmore's perspective:
While out, I asked to stop at some local furniture stores to browse and attempt to purchase a few items for my classroom...after all, school does start in less than two weeks!
Let me digress...before browsing and eating lunch, we stopped by school to pick up my inspiration pillow and to peruse my room. Let me just say: I, for one, still believe in miracles!
Room checklist of "to-do's" from Gillmore's perspective:
- Install lighting.
- Install ceiling tiles.
- Install flooring.
- Install tech tools.
- Where, oh, where are the new desks?
- Move in other furniture.
- Decorate.
As I stated earlier, I still believe in miracles!
With inspiration pillow in hand, we began shopping! And shop we did!
Gillmore's List of Purchases for Room 16:
- 2 chairs
- 2 tables
- 2 lamps
- 2 pillows
- 3 framed pictures
NOW, I am ready to get into my room.
Okay, Classroom Redesign teammates, I ask you: who amongst you has prayed for patience lately? For patience comes by trials and tribulations...as in having to wait to get into our rooms to play and decorate and plan for 2009-2010!
No, it wasn't I!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Am I Blue?
Feeling a little lonely in this digital world. Where are all the blog posts from my team? The Gurls?
Where, oh, where are you tonight?
Why did you leave me here all alone?
I searched the Internet over, and I thought I'd find a post from you.
But you got distracted and PTHHP! you left me alone!
You just got to love Hee Haw!
Where, oh, where are you tonight?
Why did you leave me here all alone?
I searched the Internet over, and I thought I'd find a post from you.
But you got distracted and PTHHP! you left me alone!
You just got to love Hee Haw!
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