lesson central

Hello Everybody!

I know that it has been a long time since I have posted on my blog.  I must apologize for that.  I have had trouble with my phone service and switched providers and it was so bad I am switching back.  So until I get back up and running posting may be a little hit and miss for awhile.

My nephew Ewell has his 39th birthday this Saturday.  Ewell is dying of brain cancer.  He told us all that he is stopping his treatments since it was not decreasing the tumor.  He also informed us that he didn’t think he would be with us this Christmas.  I hope not.  I would like for him to get at least three more holidays this year to celebrate his life.  I am not gong to spend a lot of time about this so that I can devote an entire post to him at a later date.

School is about to start and I have mixed emotions about that.  I am anxious to start but am not wanting to start at the same time.  I guess it is going to be one of “those” years,  at least I know that it is going to be a lot less stressful than last year.  I am not going to have as much to do as last year.  Well class is about to start so I am going to close.  More will be posted next time.

 

I have posted in the past about my nephew Ewell is dying of brain cancer. He was tested last week and his count was 12 (I do not understand the count).  The highest is 15.  We were told 3 months ago that he would have maybe 2 years.  Now I don’t believe he will last until Christmas.  Ewell is working every day.  He is lucky to have a boss that will let him leave or come to work when he feels able.  He is carrying on with his life with dignity and respect.  He is honoring his work commitments and is maintaining his life as if nothing is happening.  He is beginning to forget more and more.  I am so sad that this is happening to someone who is 39 years of age.  It is not fair!  I cannot begin to fatham how they live each day as if nothing is happening or going to happen.  But I am glad he has support with his wife, his sister, and mom.  They live near him and visit each day.  I am also glad that he asked for me to come down and visit.

Because of that visit, Ewell got to meet his young cousins Joseph and Cheyenne.  Cheyenne wants to go back to visit and her dad, Robert, is making plans to visit as often as possible.  Now that he is off vacation it will only be on the weekends but I am sure they will go down often.  I am glad that my grandchildren are accepting Ewell just as he is.   They are getting to know an older cousin before he leaves this earth and will have fond memories of him. 

Maybe peace will come my way with this knowledge.  I wish I could visit more, but I can’t.  The next time I will probably see him will be at his funeral.  I hope with all my heart that he will not suffer when the time comes.  I know though that he will greet death with dignity and grace.

Well, I made it through the first three days of SI 2008.  Last year about this time I was so ready to quit and had a meltdown.  Yes I said a meltdown.  I was a blubbering idiot.  The writing and the expectations were so great, and I was feeling way insecure, was just too much for me to handle.  On top of that I was going through a very trying time in my personal live and I just felt as if I was drowning.

This year, the first three days have been fantastic.  I am more confident, when the writing prompts are given I don’t have to struggle with what I want to say, I have read both books, wrote my revision piece, posted my story about my quilt, done my annotated bibliography and still had time left over to do something for myself.

The writing this year, seems better.  The thoughts come more freely and I don’t struggle so much to come up with a story or whatever.  The only thing that has been negative, was trying to write about my hometown.  How can I when I don’t live in a town or community; unless you count the houses in the hollow that I live in.  Just about 15 houses, but is that a community.  I guess I could have written about what it was like when I was growing up.  It has changed a lot.

But back to SI 2008–I am so happy it is easier for me.  I guess I am becomming a writer whether I like or want to or not.  Tomorrow I do my demo and I hope it is better than last years.  It bombed.  But I planned this one better.  I started in April after our kickoff.  I plan on using this lesson this fall.  I know the lesson template helped me to develop the lesson better.  I believe it will be a good lesson because it is on listening and applying lessons learned to the job. 

I have noticed throughout the last three days that those in the institute are writers.  They’re younger so the writing is easier.  I am glad that I am able to do just as well as the others.  I hope they like listening to what I have read.  I still need to use more adjectives so I can work on that. 

The technology sessions for the past three days have been excellent.  Of course we did not get to do much on Wednesday because of the death of a friend and coworker, but we have to be flexible.  Tia’s demonstration was fantastic.  Now I can develop some games for my classes and jazz up my PowerPoint presentation this fall as an introduction to the developments of our laws.  Thank goodness I have just started to get my material together.  Tia’s intro to what we can do will be extremely helpful.  Thank you Tia. 

Since we will need to post something probably tomorrow, I will stop now so that I can have something else to write about.

Today in SI08 class, we had to write about an artifact that meant something to us, with a twist.  We moved our artifact to the left one person and that person had to write about the artifact.

I brought the last quilt my mom and I made together.  We had a bargain, I made them and my mom quilted them,  Even though I could set up and quilt the thing, school work would get in the way,  I pieced my quilts during the summer.  Mom then quilted it during the winter.  I paid her, it was a way of income for her, so she would quilt my quilt between jobs.  I insisted on paying full price because as I stated, it was supplemental income with her on Social Security.  If she had my quilt in, I would help to quilt it during the weekend.  I would usually get on the very end at the left, mom would start at the extreme right.  Usually by the time I got my section done, she had caught up and was waiting for me to finish.  Boy could she fly.  I guess I would also if that was all I did all winter long. 

Mom would make some beautiful quilts, crochet pillow cases, etc.  Patience and interest kept her busy.  I know that bringing a quilt was probably the wrong thing to do, but this is my memory of my mom.  She raised and worked in her garden in the summer and quilted during the winter, just to have money to pay the bills, food to eat, pay for expenses, and buy gifts for Christmas.  She also made money to buy coal for her furnace to keep her warm. 

She past her ability to quilt to all of us girls and to my oldest grandson.  He makes beautiful quilts.  I am glad the art of quilting is not dying out in my family. 

While quilting mom and I would talk, about anything and everything.  It was our time together.  I can picture her sitting at her quilting frame eating her popcorn (she did that with every quilt she did) and her fingers flying across the material and talking about what went on in the neighborhood, what my plans were, and what she was going to do with this money.

  My Mom was the best and I miss her.  She died six months after my husband in December of 2000. 

Today is the day that my nephew by marriage will be buried.  Brian was only 38 years old and he died of cancer.

What I am apprehensive about is what my niece Kathy is going to do after today.  How is she going to hold up when she returns to Ohio and tries to put her life back together.  Thank goodness she has the two kids to help her. 

What I am concerned about is the “aloneness” she will feel when the children go off to school that first day.  How is she going to handle doing something the first time by herself when she use to have Brian with her?  How is she going to make decisions by herself when her other half is missing?  These are things  that only time will take care of. 

I know about this first hand because I went through it when my husband died.  The thing that got to me was when I began to do things he used to help with and I “thought” I could see a shadow out of the corner of my eye.  Then, the wave of sadness that overwhelms you at times.  Who is she going to turn to for support when that happens?  Calling someone may help a little but that human touch is important.  I had a built in support system for colleagues at school and family at home.  Does Kathey have that when she is in Ohio.  I know she has neighbors but will they be available for her?  Will someone from her church be available? 

I hate funerals.  They bring too many memories and emotions that is hard to sort and figure out.  This is the time that I feel more “alone” in my life then ever before.  I will work through it and carry one.  What else can we do?

This week I learned of a new terminology in educaiton.  I had never heard of it before getting information about my SI class for this summer.  The word was “sponge activity”.  I looked it up on the net and discovered the thing meant–anticipatory set, bell ringer, etc.  Why can’t educators leave language along.  If one word is working—why change it.  Is it because someone doesn’t like what it implies?  They are in competition with another who started the word in the first place?  or is it one upmanship?  I don’t know.  I wish people would leave things alone.  Education is hard enough without changing its vocabulary (which replaces another) every year or two.  That is why education is not doing so hot today.  People are really not changing it to help but to hinder.  Yes, we may introduce a subject in a new way but we still must teach and apply what works not what someone dreams up all the time.  If america wants well educated children—stick to the basics and then add to them as the years go by.  Third grades doing algebra is just plain stupid.  Yes!  I said it Stupid.  Making kids take higher educational classes does not make them mathematicians, scientists, doctors, etc.  In fact, it burns the kids out.  They will choose the least amount of work because they have had it.  They will choose the vocation that is right for them and not because of federal policy or educational expectations.  They do things they way they want.

Why else would we have such a high level of drop outs.  If they are repeating classes they don’t want or may be need why stay in school.  Not a single advisor, expert or educational dictate explains this.  I think it is because it has never entered their minds.  Educators need to finally say enough.  Let children be children and give them good solid basics and then add on when they have a good foundation to build on. 

I am so excited because tonight is the night we begin our new SI 08.  It is going to be exciting to see all the new faces that will be in SI this summer.  Just think, you learn new ways to incorporate writing in a class, you get to make new friends, and you become a better teacher.  That should make your life easier.  I know that during this past year, I refer back to some of the lessons I got from last year and have adapted them to my classes.  It is fantastic.  The kids like it also.   I am constantly being asked, when are we going to do the fun stuff?  Well, give me time to think up something is my reply.  I am going to try to figure out something.  It has been fun trying to incorporate the material. 

SI has become important to me because it has helped me grow as a person and a teacher.  Both is important but the calmness of a person has been the most rewarding experience I have had.  I learned a lot about myself and because of that I have been able to grow as a teacher also.  SI 07 came along when I needed it the most and I will always be eternally grateful for that.  It is an experience I would advise everyone to sign up for Coalfiel Writiers and experience the internal calm the way I do. 

Last year I signed up for a class called Coalfield Writers.  I thought how neat to only go to class for three weeks, write, get lessons from other teacher and six hours of credit.  Pretty Cool!  Little did I know that at the time, it would help me to feel better about myself and to be more emotionally healthy.  It was Hard that first week.  Little did a lot of my fellow SI members knew of the traumatic experience I was having in my personal life and it colored my way of looking at things and dealing with emotional upheavels.  I found I did not handle stress or extreme conditions very well.  The activities and the talking in the SI helped me tremendously.

How do I know this?  Simple, this past year has been very stressful–Ap Coordinator, Faculty Senate Chair, HSTW Site Coordinator, Department Chair, Teacher and all around go to guy at school.  Is that stressful or what?  Well, thanks to SI, with all the things I had to do, I stayed calm.  I did not get frustrated, aggravated, stressed out, grumpy, etc.  I did things one at a time, managed my school work, and extracurricular activities and did not explode or act nutty.  In other words, I behaved and reacted without making a jerk of myself. 

Thanks to SI, it has also helped me to write better.  Clearer instructions, detailed informatin, and finishing work way ahead of time.  SI helped me like nothing else had.  The lessons I got from the Summer Institute I have adapted to meet my classes.  They have motivated the kids and they loved doing them.  Did I use all of the lessons, no.  But I have not had too much time to look at each one and find a way to adapt them. 

If you have the opportunity to go to a CoalFields Writers Summer Institute or any other writing institute, go for it.  It may help you also.  You learn a lot and become a better teacher and person for it.

Thanks SI for your loving, kindness, your support, your understanding.  YOU all saved my sanity.  I love you guys.

Wow! This has been a fantastic summer for me. For the past three days I have been in Charleston West Virginia for our annual West Virginia Career and Technical Education Conference. I learned a lot about our future in teaching and the direction that West Virginia and I imagine the rest of the country is heading toward achieving 21st Century learning.
Thanks to my technololgy technician Peggy Hensley, I at least knew some of the terminology used at the conference and the use of technology in the classroom and why and some ways to use it.
I have already written about David Warlick, the guru of using technology in the classroom, replying to one of my posts and my willingness to use his advice. Well, I had another first. Mark Prensky, the passionate advocate of using technolgy and phrase owner of the title of this post was our guest speaker. I got to hear him speak for two days. I also go to meet him and we had a nice conversation for about 5 minutes. He was a very nice person. He told us about using games and especially one called Typing of the Dead. It promotes keying accuracy and speed and the best part is that it is free online.
I can only say that for whatever reason, God wanted me to take my writing class, meet some very nice people, and expand my abilities of a teacher. HE actually guided me this summer.
I want to thank all the people at the conference for getting such nice speakers and especially my SI fellow members, Andi, Tracy, Mary, Angel, Judy, Debbie, Bob, Susan, Sharon, Debra and Tia. Without all of you my self discovery, enlightenment, self-esteem, and self confience would not be what it is today. God bless you every one.

Warlick hits the nail on the head with students loving to see their material posted, otherwise they would not be writing their thoughts on their own blog, I do find it disturbing because students do not have a self management on their thoughts or emotions at this time of their life and I am afraid what they could inadvertently post without thinking of the ramifications.  I cannot see how I would use a blog in my classes. Maybe because business is a traditional class that I cannot see how it would be used.  I literally can see no use for it.