iPadio- FINALLY

I think I finally figured out how to embed this after learning how to embed other things on my blog. Hopefully it actually works this time!

Learning to use Voicethread

The whole idea of talking on the internet in "sticky notes" is still mind-blowing to me. I just never realized how much technology is out there for me to embrace and use in my classroom in a way that can make teaching (and grading) easier and more enjoyable for both myself and my students.

Being able to not only have knowledge of and access to this technology is cool, but knowing that I can just go to YouTube and find a video that shows me how to use it is awesome! I'm going to start recording videos of my son using my webcam and put it on a VoiceThread so my husband can still see what he does on a daily basis even though he's not here to see it for himself. Pretty cool stuff!

Transition

Today was my first full day as a temporarily single mom. My husband just got promoted to a position as a district manager and he is now in Georgia for anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months or longer. It's kinda hard not knowing when he'll be home. We haven't been apart this long since before we got married and he was living in Raleigh and I was in Clemson. On top of that, Philip keeps asking where daddy is and I have to keep telling him that daddy is at work. I know everything will be fine because I'm strong enough to handle everything on my own, but I miss him. I understand that sometimes you have to make sacrifices in life in order to get where you want to be, and I appreciate the fact that he's sacrificing being with us so that he can try to make a better life for us. With that said, the timing SUCKS!!!!! I'm trying to finish writing my two retake entries for National Board, it's the end of the nine weeks, our first vacation alone since our honeymoon had to be cancelled, and I'm just flat out tired. I'm actually glad that I have this blog so I can keep a journal of my thoughts and feelings while he's away. It might make things a lot easier for me because I don't have to keep everything so bottled up. It's weird because I'm tearing up as I type this, and I'm not really sure why. Yes, I miss my husband, but it's not like I'll never get to see him again (Lord willing); yes, I have a lot going on professionally that causes stress; yes, I fear being alone, but I also know that I can handle everything God puts in my path because He put it in my path not as a hurdle or obstacle, but another mountain for me to climb and conquer. I will reach the mountaintop. We will reach the mountaintop. I couldn't have chosen a better man to make that climb with and I'm grateful for that.

The Makings of Daddy's Boy

The more I watch my son Philip grow up, the more I realize how blessed I am to be his mom. Everywhere he goes, he meets people who instantly fall in love with him. He's only two, but he's already starting to read his favorite stories to me. I'm just absolutely amazed by him and the things he does on a daily basis. He's in the terrible twos with me, but he's almost a completely different child around his daddy. I guess it just goes to show that he's his daddy's boy. I'm ok with that though because he's so much like his dad- they click in a way that Philip and I don't. That's not to say that he doesn't love me or that he loves me less than he loves his dad- the love is just different. The video is a tribute to the love that he and his dad share. To my two favorite fellas- Buck and Philip. I love you guys and you make my life complete; that is, until my "Mini Me" comes along. ;-)

My wordle- My Life in a Nutshell

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/1727692/My_Life_in_a_Nutshell

Chapter 3 phonecast

http://www.ipadio.com/phlog_rss.asp?phlogid=20720

Please tell me WHY???

I'm supposed to be finishing my grading, eating my lunch and getting ready to go to Staff Development, but I've got something on my mind that is eager for an audience. I need answers! I've been sitting at my desk all morning grading papers and listening to the radio.(100.3 to be exact.) I'm trying to understand why the prevalent theme in music written and performed by African American males is sex- how they do it, why they do it, and what they do it with. Is this really necessary? What happened to the days where sex was a private matter that didn't need to be discussed with the entire world? It's not surprising that many young people who listen to this music think that this is what being an adult is about. OMG! Another one just came on called "BEDROCK" of all things, and they're not talking about the Flintstones!!! This is killing me! Why can't we find other, more intelligent, socially conscious things to talk about? What ever happened to Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin On" or the O'Jays, or even sweet love songs? It's not about love anymore...it's about sex. How can we expect girls to act like young ladies and boys to act like gentlemen if almost everything they see and hear is to the contrary? Someone please give me a little more insight? Where did we go wrong?

Reflecting

I began keeping my first journal at age 10 and stopped soon after having my son almost 2 years ago. I never thought about why I stopped until I went back and read some of the things I wrote. I discovered writing as a way to voice my opinions that I felt that I couldn't share with anybody. Most of what I felt I couldn't say were things that would hurt other people's feelings or were about things that hurt my feelings. Writing became a way for me to vent my frustrations most of the time, so naturally my voice was going to come through my writing as angry, upset, or distraught. Based on what I wrote in my journals and the fact that I no longer write in them can mean a few things:
1.) I'm a lot happier than I used to be (which I am!!!)
OR
2.) I have found another way to vent my frustrations (which I did)

Does this mean that I should no longer write because I no longer have use for its' theraputic purposes? Heck NO!!! I'm hoping that this blog will become my new journal and that I'll find a new voice that is much more optimistic and more reflective of my (usually) bubbly personality.

TSEC- For REAL??!!!!

Is Kadjer serious? Where do her students come from... another planet? It just seems so amazing to me that she is able to break through with so many of her students. I hold my students accountable for their learning and I set high expectations for them, but I honestly can't see my students doing much of what her students have done throughout the course of the TSEC text. It's not that I don't believe that some of my students are capable of producing at this level because I do; it's just that most of my students are so apathetic about learning that they will not complete even the most simple of writing assignments, let alone design a web page, with some of the work being done outside of class. Designing a web page may be a little more exciting for those who are into technology, but it also takes much more effort than writing 25 lines where they answer questions about themselves. Honestly, my students are more into texting and playing videogames. My greatest challenge in implementing many of the strategies Kadjer suggests is revising them in a way that will not only hook my students' interest and keep them interested, but also giving them a long-term task that they will actually complete instead of turning in a "half done" [I really wanted to use stronger language there, but I won't ;-) ] assignment just to say they did something in class.

BOI-Thought process

I've spent the last week reading the rest of Sara Kadjer's texts and letting my thoughts marinate before I made another post. I came to a few conclusions and also have even more questions; how do I find the "right task, right tool, right student" for some of the activities/strategies she suggests using? I'm also concerned with the fact that many of these strategies seem to be so time consuming. How will I ever be able to fit in all of the essential texts on the district list AND prepare my students for state-mandated, high-stakes assessments if I use strategies that will eat away at my instructional time? I realize that I should not teach to the test, but if I take as much time as Kadjer suggests on many of these activities, how will I be able to balance that with making sure that my students are prepared when so many of them come to me with below grade-level content knowledge and skills?

Tough week!

This week has been a tough one in many ways- my husband has been away on business, my son has been sick, I've had duty all over campus all week... the list goes on. Now that I finally have a few moments to myself to clear my head, it's scary because my mind actually is clear. No worries, no problems, no constant "things to do list" racking my brain.

It's funny that in the few moments I had to begin writing this post I was interrupted and never actually got to post it! That's life for you I guess. You always have to expect the unexpected!

Friday!!!

Yes, it's finally Friday...and a long weekend! Awesome! Too bad I'll be at school until 8:30! Not really- I'll be performing on the basketball court with the step team I help co-sponsor. What's funny is that I'm actually a bit nervous. I'll post the results of the performance when it's over. Wish me luck!

Brief Bio & Purpose for EDPD 547

I am in my fifth year of teaching English and African American Literature at Carolina Forest High School. I am married to my college sweetheart, “Buck”, and we have a two year old son named Philip who is the light of our lives. I thoroughly enjoy being a mother, and even though I was deathly afraid of childbirth, I gave birth to Philip naturally and without medication. Being a parent is difficult because I am the type of person who constantly questions herself, but my goal is to raise him with old-school values so that he becomes a well-rounded, responsible, independent, and intelligent adult. We plan on having another child soon because we don't want to chase small children when we're 50!
My personal life keeps me busy, but my professional life keeps me even busier. I currently teach three classes: English 1, 2, and African American Literature, I sponsor the step team, teach homebound students, and am pursuing National Board Certification. Although I am exhausted most of the time, I enjoy doing what I do. My purposes for taking this course are to obtain more ideas that will keep my students engaged and to incorporate technology into my classroom in a way that will promote more creative writing and thinking.