How appropriate that I would take my first leadership course on the day I meet the new principal of our school. This is our 4th principals in the past 5 years. The first principal, Sr. Marie Estelle was an outstanding leader. She lead a private Catholic grade school together at the capacity of 350 students when other schools around us were failing with attendance lower than 100. She was loved by all and ruled with the dignity of grandmotherly matron. Everyone respected her.
When the merger took place, all that held us together was thrown away and treated with disregard. Our track record could not stand against the evil forces that destroyed our wonderful school. We have struggled with incompetent leaders and an uncooperative staff since, and our attendance now, after 4 years and the merger of 4 schools is at an all time low of 285 students. We are cutting staff each year and our future looks bleak. I have been a part of this school my entire life and am crushed to see what was once a shining star for education is now struggling to keep it's doors open.
Strong leadership with a cohesive staff is what we need. I will work to get the most out of this class to try and assist our new principal in any way I can to bring about the positive change that is needed to turn our school back on a course of progress and excellence. Possibly this is the boost I need to get us on the right track? I can only hope!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Content Management Systems
Wow, last class was packed full of information. I have my homework (or summer work) cut out for me. I would really, really like to have a CMS in place when the kids return next school year, but I have to do a lot of research before I can make that happen. This class as full of valuable information and now I have to decide what system to go with.
Paying for off site support seems like the easiest way to go, but on our tight budget paying an annual fee may not be in the budget. We are very fortunate and have a wonderful tech who maintains our server at a very reasonable rate, so maybe on site is best for us. I will have to talk to him and see what he thinks.
Even though I am feeling more confident in my html skills, I have a long way to go. There is so much to learn and remember! I so wish I would have been introduced to this earlier in my life, before the part of my brain that learns foreign language hadn't hardened over ;) And all this on top of my crazy life! The end of the school year teacher luncheon ended at 1:15 on Friday, I picked my cousin and her family up from the airport at 1:30. I had everyone over on Friday, the wedding was Saturday, we had 2 Fr's day celebrations on Sunday, everyone was back over on Monday to celebrate my birthday and our 25th wedding anniversary. Tom and I were able to have a few hours to ourselves on Tuesday for dinner and I kicked them all out of the house today so I could get my homework done! Not to mention that my allergies are in full swing and my meds are making me so soooo very sleepy.
With all said I do have a good start to my new webpage for the coming school year and can feel good about accomplishing that.
Paying for off site support seems like the easiest way to go, but on our tight budget paying an annual fee may not be in the budget. We are very fortunate and have a wonderful tech who maintains our server at a very reasonable rate, so maybe on site is best for us. I will have to talk to him and see what he thinks.
Even though I am feeling more confident in my html skills, I have a long way to go. There is so much to learn and remember! I so wish I would have been introduced to this earlier in my life, before the part of my brain that learns foreign language hadn't hardened over ;) And all this on top of my crazy life! The end of the school year teacher luncheon ended at 1:15 on Friday, I picked my cousin and her family up from the airport at 1:30. I had everyone over on Friday, the wedding was Saturday, we had 2 Fr's day celebrations on Sunday, everyone was back over on Monday to celebrate my birthday and our 25th wedding anniversary. Tom and I were able to have a few hours to ourselves on Tuesday for dinner and I kicked them all out of the house today so I could get my homework done! Not to mention that my allergies are in full swing and my meds are making me so soooo very sleepy.
With all said I do have a good start to my new webpage for the coming school year and can feel good about accomplishing that.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Last Class
I should have used Nvu for the midterm. It really didn’t make much sense for me to learn Nvu and then take the midterm using html. I should have taken the test with what I had been learning. I know after this course I will never use html again, I will use webpage software and that is what will be most beneficial to my students and I. That is what this whole masters program is about, making me a better teacher with technology, learning tools that will enhance the learning experience for my students. I can see the benefit of understanding html, which I do, but knowing exactly where to place the tags is an obstacle I just don't have the time to tackle right now. It causes too much frustration, especially when I know there is an easier way.
This course should be offer earlier in the program. It is a good course and I would love to have done this with my students this year. I could have done so much with them and this knowledge. Now I am sending them off to high school without this knowledge. Also this is such a busy time of school to be learning this. More technical knowledge at the beginning of this masters program would be very beneficial to all of us. I know I will tackle it with the jr. high early on in the school year.
This course should be offer earlier in the program. It is a good course and I would love to have done this with my students this year. I could have done so much with them and this knowledge. Now I am sending them off to high school without this knowledge. Also this is such a busy time of school to be learning this. More technical knowledge at the beginning of this masters program would be very beneficial to all of us. I know I will tackle it with the jr. high early on in the school year.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Nvu
I find HTML challenging yet addictive. But I think my students would be better served if I used a web page software than trying to teach them HTML. Learning the basics gives them background knowledge that is very helpful, but the software will enable them to do daily maintenance on the sites I have planned for next year. I would love to have the time to sit and learn HTML in its entirety, but that is not efficient for me. Although learning Nvu has it's share of challenges as well.
I plan on playing with Nvu a lot this summer and becoming proficient enough at it that I can teach it to my Jr. high students. Web page design and maintenance are skills that need to be practiced on a regular basis. The possibilities are endless and one can only excel with lots and lots of practice. Again time is the big obstacle and I will have find even more of it to gain that desired level if I want to be able to teach it. I seem to catch on to the software well enough, it is all that posting which has me baffled. I need to post more often so I get the hang of it.
The tutorials and tag web pages are very helpful. I need to spend more time viewing those. There is so much to learn! Last night's working time was very useful. I gain so much from sessions like that. I do feel like an idiot asking so many questions, but I know if I don't ask, the frustration level will kill my desire to learn. Creating web pages has always been something I wanted to learn and now I have the opportunity. I know I will get it and by next school year I will be creating like it is second nature to me.
I think the presentation went well tonight. As well as they could considering they were all on the same topic .............. again. There must be a way that we don't have to listen to the same material reiterated over and over again. This happens in every class. As we have stated in every class thus far, it would be far more productive to have each group present the concept in a different way, view, perspective, or cover a different subject entirely. When we were each given a different article to present to the class it worked very well. Everyone hates to repeat what has already been said. There just has to be a better way. I am relieved to know that at least in this course it will not happen again.
So off to the garden I go, to get muddy, pull weeds, and create beauty. Everyone should weed. Weeding is an outlet for frustration. I find it very therapeutic to eliminate destructive growth that allows beauty to flourish. Taking care of the plants I gave a home to, and nurtured from the start is very rewarding.
I plan on playing with Nvu a lot this summer and becoming proficient enough at it that I can teach it to my Jr. high students. Web page design and maintenance are skills that need to be practiced on a regular basis. The possibilities are endless and one can only excel with lots and lots of practice. Again time is the big obstacle and I will have find even more of it to gain that desired level if I want to be able to teach it. I seem to catch on to the software well enough, it is all that posting which has me baffled. I need to post more often so I get the hang of it.
The tutorials and tag web pages are very helpful. I need to spend more time viewing those. There is so much to learn! Last night's working time was very useful. I gain so much from sessions like that. I do feel like an idiot asking so many questions, but I know if I don't ask, the frustration level will kill my desire to learn. Creating web pages has always been something I wanted to learn and now I have the opportunity. I know I will get it and by next school year I will be creating like it is second nature to me.
I think the presentation went well tonight. As well as they could considering they were all on the same topic .............. again. There must be a way that we don't have to listen to the same material reiterated over and over again. This happens in every class. As we have stated in every class thus far, it would be far more productive to have each group present the concept in a different way, view, perspective, or cover a different subject entirely. When we were each given a different article to present to the class it worked very well. Everyone hates to repeat what has already been said. There just has to be a better way. I am relieved to know that at least in this course it will not happen again.
So off to the garden I go, to get muddy, pull weeds, and create beauty. Everyone should weed. Weeding is an outlet for frustration. I find it very therapeutic to eliminate destructive growth that allows beauty to flourish. Taking care of the plants I gave a home to, and nurtured from the start is very rewarding.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
HTML
I think the best way to learn HTML is to just do it. I got the most out of the 1 hour we were allowed to experiment on assignment 2. I am glad we were given time to actually play with the html in class this week. It is so helpful to have the instructor in the class when we are suppose to be learning something Many questions can be answered that way with a lot less frustration.
Learning HTML has been very interesting. I downloaded Nvu and am learning how to use it. Of course it is much easier to use than straight HTML, but learning HTML has its purpose and I would love to be able to teach it to my students in the fall. I need to learn how to set up a link on the school website to each classroom’s web page. I think for the 8th graders last day of class next week I am going to introduce them to HTML even if they can’t get it on the Internet. I think some of them would really enjoy it.
Next year I plan on having the 8th graders create web pages for each of the classrooms and then do the maintenance on them if the teacher is not willing or able to do so. Many of the rooms will be able self sufficient and update the web page by themselves, but some will not.
Learning HTML has been very interesting. I downloaded Nvu and am learning how to use it. Of course it is much easier to use than straight HTML, but learning HTML has its purpose and I would love to be able to teach it to my students in the fall. I need to learn how to set up a link on the school website to each classroom’s web page. I think for the 8th graders last day of class next week I am going to introduce them to HTML even if they can’t get it on the Internet. I think some of them would really enjoy it.
Next year I plan on having the 8th graders create web pages for each of the classrooms and then do the maintenance on them if the teacher is not willing or able to do so. Many of the rooms will be able self sufficient and update the web page by themselves, but some will not.
Monday, May 19, 2008
HTML
Class this week was very interesting. I am excited to learn web design and more useful tricks on the web. This would be so fun to teach my students. Next year I am definitely going to have my 8th graders create web pages for the teachers. What a useful tool for them to know. Seeing a web page grow from the ground up is very enlightening. There is truly a lot of work that goes into creating it. It seems to take a lot of time to do each task. But I am sure as this class moves along I will hang of it.
I played with the HTML this week and I enjoy it however I am having some trouble updating my page. I sure all will be worked out next class.
I played with the HTML this week and I enjoy it however I am having some trouble updating my page. I sure all will be worked out next class.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Digital Storytelling Thinking
It is my intent to use google earth and the Internet for my students to research one of several obscure counties. There are 175 countries in the world and most we are rarely even introduced to. My students will have to put together a digital story regarding the countries strengths, qualities, landscape, customs, traditions, people, and climate. They will have to describe to their audience where this country is located in regard to other landforms and countries. The presentation will take no more than 1 minute. It will include self created music from garage band representative of music of that country.
The students will need to make decisions on which information to include and how to compose their original music. The syncing of speech, sound, music, and photos will need to be arranged by the student. All information will be in their own words requiring them to rewrite and synthesis what they have read in their own words. All the information gathered will be creatively presented to their peers. The students will do peer evaluations on each presentation that will require them to analyse if the objects of the lesson were met.
The students will need to make decisions on which information to include and how to compose their original music. The syncing of speech, sound, music, and photos will need to be arranged by the student. All information will be in their own words requiring them to rewrite and synthesis what they have read in their own words. All the information gathered will be creatively presented to their peers. The students will do peer evaluations on each presentation that will require them to analyse if the objects of the lesson were met.
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