Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Experiment
I'm experimenting with a new website----it's tagxedo.com . It turns words into "balloon" pictures----let's see if it works.
Beau
Dodge
Hayley
Marc
Mike
Linda
Thomas
Elizabeth
Rebekah
Nathanael
Matthew
James
Tate
Caleb
Blaine
Neil
Luke
Grayson
Miles
Friday, April 16, 2010
It's been awhile
Well, it's been awhile since I set up this blog, but I need to continue it's use to help me complete my internship assignments.
I am just finishing the first assignment of my tenth class---woohoo. I had requested permission to double up my last two classes so that I could finish in June rather than wait until September. If I finish in June I can graduate in August, if I wait, it will be December. I fussed and worried, and I've finally decided not to double up. it's just causing too much stress. In order to double up, I need to have my portfolio completely finished before the last two classes begin. That means that in five weeks I must be completely finished with everything entered into my portfolio. To do that would be like double up with this course and the portfolio-----added to the stress of the last weeks of school.
I knew that I was going to be nothing but a basket case, so I've decided not to double up. That's working out to be a good choice. Beau is coming home for a short visit tonight. He has been working the last week in San Antonio and will be working there again next week. It is approximately a 6 1/2 hour drive from San Antonio to DFW, and he's decided to come home---yeah! He hasn't been home since the summer after my chemo and radiation treatments. We've been up there to see them every year since then, but this is his first time "home." We're excited to get to spend some time with him.
This course will last until the end of May. There is a one week break and then my eleventh course begins. It will end the last of June and then Lamar is taking a 5 week break. It is during this time that I will complete my portfolio. I'll start my final class about the middle of August and complete it in September. That will be a little stressful as the school year begins, but it won't be long and I will be finished. I'm really looking forward to that day----this has been quite an experience, quite an experience.
I am just finishing the first assignment of my tenth class---woohoo. I had requested permission to double up my last two classes so that I could finish in June rather than wait until September. If I finish in June I can graduate in August, if I wait, it will be December. I fussed and worried, and I've finally decided not to double up. it's just causing too much stress. In order to double up, I need to have my portfolio completely finished before the last two classes begin. That means that in five weeks I must be completely finished with everything entered into my portfolio. To do that would be like double up with this course and the portfolio-----added to the stress of the last weeks of school.
I knew that I was going to be nothing but a basket case, so I've decided not to double up. That's working out to be a good choice. Beau is coming home for a short visit tonight. He has been working the last week in San Antonio and will be working there again next week. It is approximately a 6 1/2 hour drive from San Antonio to DFW, and he's decided to come home---yeah! He hasn't been home since the summer after my chemo and radiation treatments. We've been up there to see them every year since then, but this is his first time "home." We're excited to get to spend some time with him.
This course will last until the end of May. There is a one week break and then my eleventh course begins. It will end the last of June and then Lamar is taking a 5 week break. It is during this time that I will complete my portfolio. I'll start my final class about the middle of August and complete it in September. That will be a little stressful as the school year begins, but it won't be long and I will be finished. I'm really looking forward to that day----this has been quite an experience, quite an experience.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
RTI meeting and Literacy group meeting
Today I attended an RTI meeting for fifth grade students at Birdville Elementary School. Those in attendance were Niki Blilie (math specialist), Maegan Connor (Literacy Coach), and teachers Ronda Wilson, Katie Moran, and Ken Puhl.
We went over each child who is currently on tier. We looked at their most current benchmark scores and their current report card grades. Decisions were made whether to keep them on their current level, move them to the next level, move them back a level, or exit them from tier.
Mrs. Blilie and Mrs. Connor meet with the teachers individually to discuss interventions. No students were added to the tier system. The teachers will continue with the adaptations and interventions which are already in place.
The meeting was from 1:25 to 2:30. I'm not sure what date will accompany this post because right now it is 12:03AM. This RTI meeting was held on December 14.
I also attended a Literacy Group meeting from 3:30 to 4:30 this afternoon (Monday, Dec. 14). K-3 grade teachers met with Nikki Blilie, Maegan Connor, and me. We discussed how best to use me for tier tutoring time. I am on campus Mondays and Tuesdays. I must teach 7 hours of pull-out during those two days. The rest of mine time on campus is considered title II time. I can use that time to help reduce class size or give model lessons. I have been giving model lessons to first and third grade classrooms. I opened it up to k-3 third grade classrooms to teach enrichment lessons to their students while they take small groups for tier tutoring. In this way, I would be reducing class size and helping them to accomplish some tutoring within the school day. I will continue with my current schedule of serving first and third grades. Second grade will be added to my schedule. I moved kindergarten lessons to Fridays----but I may be able to move them back to Mondays----I need to check with them and see what they would like me to do. I was hoping to do 2 20-minute sessions for each class, but I just don't have enough hours in my day to do that.
Laura Shipley and I met with Sarah Upchurch (asst. principal of 101) from 12:35 to 1:00 today. She asked us to co-chair a volunteer program. We will invite members from the nearby church to participate in a volunteer program that will help free up time on Wednesdays and Thursdays for the teachers to do more tier tutoring----and possibly Tuesday and Mondays if we have enough volunteers. Laura and I will meet tomorrow to start work on the project.
We went over each child who is currently on tier. We looked at their most current benchmark scores and their current report card grades. Decisions were made whether to keep them on their current level, move them to the next level, move them back a level, or exit them from tier.
Mrs. Blilie and Mrs. Connor meet with the teachers individually to discuss interventions. No students were added to the tier system. The teachers will continue with the adaptations and interventions which are already in place.
The meeting was from 1:25 to 2:30. I'm not sure what date will accompany this post because right now it is 12:03AM. This RTI meeting was held on December 14.
I also attended a Literacy Group meeting from 3:30 to 4:30 this afternoon (Monday, Dec. 14). K-3 grade teachers met with Nikki Blilie, Maegan Connor, and me. We discussed how best to use me for tier tutoring time. I am on campus Mondays and Tuesdays. I must teach 7 hours of pull-out during those two days. The rest of mine time on campus is considered title II time. I can use that time to help reduce class size or give model lessons. I have been giving model lessons to first and third grade classrooms. I opened it up to k-3 third grade classrooms to teach enrichment lessons to their students while they take small groups for tier tutoring. In this way, I would be reducing class size and helping them to accomplish some tutoring within the school day. I will continue with my current schedule of serving first and third grades. Second grade will be added to my schedule. I moved kindergarten lessons to Fridays----but I may be able to move them back to Mondays----I need to check with them and see what they would like me to do. I was hoping to do 2 20-minute sessions for each class, but I just don't have enough hours in my day to do that.
Laura Shipley and I met with Sarah Upchurch (asst. principal of 101) from 12:35 to 1:00 today. She asked us to co-chair a volunteer program. We will invite members from the nearby church to participate in a volunteer program that will help free up time on Wednesdays and Thursdays for the teachers to do more tier tutoring----and possibly Tuesday and Mondays if we have enough volunteers. Laura and I will meet tomorrow to start work on the project.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
The Texas S Ta R Chart And
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
The Texas S Ta R Chart And
View more presentations from Linda DiVall.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
From the STaR Chart: Challenges in Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support
This challenge area on the Star Chart deals with the administrator’s responsibility for leadership in the area of technology. A responsible leader is innovative, has a vision, and is committed to the standards set by the Texas Long-Range Plan. Because of the on-going changes in technology, it isn’t possible for just one person to be trained in all areas of planning and implementing. Collaboration and on-going planning are needed to see improvement in student learning based on data-driven decisions.
Administrators must provide the leadership and the vision to encourage the staff to meet the expectations set forth by the long-range plan. Professional development that not only introduces a new aspect of technology but provides an opportunity for collaboration and implementation is essential to making this work. Teachers must be comfortable with the use of technology before they are willing to try it in front of their students. A staff development that merely “tickles” the inquiring mind is a waste of time. The teachers need to be taught a rational that can be justified in its use in the classroom. After studying the technology, they need ample opportunity to try it out in collaboration with teachers in their grade level to work out the “kinks” and become comfortable in it’s use. My recommendation would be to provide the time and training for collaboration and implementation as an integral part of staff development and/or set aside training time within the school day.
One improvement towards better implementation of technology into lesson plans is the availability of a trained ITS department (information technology staff). They encourage us to use pod-casts, train us in the creation and upkeep of web-pages, and stay current with best practices. They usually respond to a request for assistance within the school day that the request is made.
Administrators must provide the leadership and the vision to encourage the staff to meet the expectations set forth by the long-range plan. Professional development that not only introduces a new aspect of technology but provides an opportunity for collaboration and implementation is essential to making this work. Teachers must be comfortable with the use of technology before they are willing to try it in front of their students. A staff development that merely “tickles” the inquiring mind is a waste of time. The teachers need to be taught a rational that can be justified in its use in the classroom. After studying the technology, they need ample opportunity to try it out in collaboration with teachers in their grade level to work out the “kinks” and become comfortable in it’s use. My recommendation would be to provide the time and training for collaboration and implementation as an integral part of staff development and/or set aside training time within the school day.
One improvement towards better implementation of technology into lesson plans is the availability of a trained ITS department (information technology staff). They encourage us to use pod-casts, train us in the creation and upkeep of web-pages, and stay current with best practices. They usually respond to a request for assistance within the school day that the request is made.
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