Currently and I"m baaaack...

So, I"ve taken too much time off of blogging. My goal is to get back in the habit of publishing my thoughts and learning.

Currently...

Thanks as always to Farley for the currently as a source of reflection.

LISTENING: I"m sitting here for the last day that I"m subbing for summer school. SWEET job, because I got a nice 3 week break and then 6 days subbing in the computer class for one of my colleagues who became the principal for the last 6 days. I"ve learned code.org and scratch for teaching problem solving and coding skills. I"ve gotten a lot of work done for the courses that I am adjuncting at a local university in the fall. Coolmathgames is the site of choice today for kids. They are pretty self sufficient as long as I monitor conversations.

LOVING: Learning something new while I've been subbing. Coding sites, twitter feeds, ISTE posts, I"ve had the time to work and reignite the passion that I have for educational technology.

THINKING: Last school year was a rough year. I left feeling uneffective and completely BURNT OUT. It was the worst end in my 11 year career. I had a tough class and needed SUMMER to regroup. I've spent my first 3 weeks off relaxing and taking it easy. Tinkering with technology and planning fun things for next year. I entered summer knowing that I have to reignite my passion for what I do so that I am ready to enter school in the fall and form relationships with new students.

WANTING: STARBUCKS is my weakness. I started my morning with a Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte. If it didn't have a Weight Watchers Points Plus value of 4 points, I would really consider a second this morning. It was worth every drop.

NEEDING: A break to recharge and remember how much I love my job. To get back on the treadmill and start being active. Running is my sanity and I mentally notice when I haven't made the choice to run. Time to sleep. I"m not used to getting up at 5:15 to be at school. 6 days of subbing in the summer is taking its tole on my sleep patterns. I welcome tomorrow morning sleeping in as late as I can.

4th PLANS: The desire for relaxation. Thinking, dreaming, creating new ways that I can engage the mind of 6th graders in science and ancient civilizations. Hoping that I can instill some desire to research and be independent thinkers and learners. Tomorrow is about family and fun (after sleeping in late).

New Blog Find.....WOW!

I love it when I find new blogs

Ok, so I'm reading Facebook and looking at my blog friends sites. Normal Saturday morning for me, but today was different. WOW! what did I find.....

I was checking in with Lessons from the Middle and found my way though her post to Kleinspiration. Lessons in the Middle was hilighting a blog post on using Padlet in the classroom. 

So I went on over to Kleinspiration to check out the post. WOW! is all I can say. She has some outside of the box ways of looking at Padlet that I wouldn't have thought of. Boy did I learn a few things.

So I continued to search her site and found my way to a post about www.mentormob.com. I"m in love with this new site. I hadn't heard of it before, but it is well worth checking out. Head on over and check out www.mentormob.com.

App of the Day

Evernote

Link:  https://evernote.com/

Why?: I absolutely love this app there are so many features that I haven't touched yet, but still I'm in love.  For starters, I can access it from my PC, MAC, IPad, and Android phone. I can even share my Evernote books with anyone.

I love the organization that I can place the notes that I take within notebooks for organizing my notes by topic. I can even place pictures within the notes to help remember what I"m seeing and taking notes over. Even better, I can search when I forget where I filed things.

My Best Use: interface Conference at Tan-Tar-A. I loved the notes when I arrived home because of the integration on pictures.

Cool Find Sunday

Look what I just found......

Math Questioning prompts:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Questioning-Prompts-for-Teachers

My kids will tell you that I'm a stickler for having them figure out what they are learning rather than telling them what they need to know. I love this easy list of questioning strategies to help kids find their way to the answer or right strategy.

Currently April

Listening: Radio as I work is calming. 

Loving: The weather has turned to beautiful here is Missouri. The in between stage between the blizzards and blistering humid heat.

Thinking: I've been reflecting on my Interface conference back in February. I went to the best session on 

Technical Writing in Science. She presented the book Questions, Claims, and Evidence as a resources to get kids thinking about their science writing along with her notebooking process. I just need to make it work for me. 

Wanting- Really thinking about implementing some combination of self-directed learning and station rotation in the classroom. 

Needing: Exercise. I'm good some days, and horrible most. I need to get my butt in gear.

Advice: I struggle with 6 grades daily who won't try for fear of being wrong. My message is always the same, you have to show me where you are for me to be able to help you. If you can show me an attempt, I can help you fix the thinking to get your learning on the right track toward mastery. 

Standards Based vs. Standards Referenced

http://www.maine.gov/education/sbs/documents/RobertMarzanoResearchSBS.pdf

Clear distinctions...

This is one of the clearest ways that I have found to look at Standards Based and Standards Referenced Grading. 

Currently

Listening- Well, It is almost 11 p.m. and the house is quiet except for the distant TV show, the dogs snoring, and the bird hollering, "Pretty Bird."

Loving- Spring break...It has been very nice to not have a schedule and to do as I please.

Thinking- I haven't done a thing for school all week. I know I brought it home somewhere. Maybe this weekend.....

Wanting- I've got to find some more math games. I used some task cards before Spring Break and the kids loved them. For Science, I've had the kids going on the IPads and learning at their own pace. They are loving it, but it is hard for me to keep up with.

Needing- I've really slacked on the running. I have to get back out there and get it going again. I feel so much better when I'm making good choices.

Like, Love, Hate- Self Explanatory.


Thank you to Farley at
for the Currently!