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February 22, 2005
Back From the Four Day Weekend
I recently wrote and submitted a Learn and Serve grant application and just found out some EXCELLENT NEWS over this last four-day weekend. Our grant was funded for $3,000! We will be able to purchase a document camera and a new visual presenter with this grant for our classroom. These resources are already in the private sector and are making a difference. Utilizing them in the classroom will really affect the potential learning of all the students. As part of this grant I will be offering several Saturday Technology Academies for students, teachers, and parents who want to bring their CPS’s in and learn how to do minor repair work. We will learn how about controlling adware and spy programs while also controlling viruses. We will also learn the benefits of upgrading operating software. These are free and simple programs that will extend the life of your computer while making it more productive.
Yesterday I worked on cleaning up a computer for a student I taught several years ago. He had somehow managed to get infected with over 2000 adware programs and over 150 different viruses – all over a dial up connection. This is pretty common and some people think the only thing they can do is buy a new computer. Well we are going to dispel that myth.
Congratulations to Jeff C. for making the Baseball Team! Now Skylar has some company on the Cobra athletic squads from the All-Stars.
We switched gears today and went back to the Problem-Solution essay. We are writing a paper this week on the “problem” of students not doing their homework. I am going to let the kids come up with their own solutions while they practice for the writing test. Next Tuesday is a BIG DAY for us; keep positive thoughts.
I just heard a great story that makes me think some of what we do makes a difference. Jessica’s next-door neighbor had a baby girl last week and Jessica made them a cartouche with her name on it to put in her room. The ropes of the cartouche keep the evil away. What a great gift from her own hands and mind.
Posted by hlperson at 11:30 AM | Comments (6)
February 16, 2005
A Busy Week
Our Candy fundraiser has been going very well. I am proud of the students who are helping NMS raise money to better our school. I think they were more interested in what they would receive for selling each box but hey whatever motivates you right? Please think about joining us in the candy sale. Every box that is sold earns the school $20.00. If every student participates Norwayne could earn almost $20,000 for our local funds. That would make this a much better place to work and learn.
This past week we have been working through our evaluative essays recommending our favorite book to another student. We worked through the partial multi flow map (Thinking Maps) that I learned at my Write for the Future workshops and got ourselves organized. We figured out the order we were going to write our paper in and began our opening paragraph. We discussed grabbing the reader’s attention and making our opinion very clear. We looked at mistakes we were making in our previous papers and worked to make our current one that much better. Our body paragraphs were written and we worked to make them clear and focused with exciting examples that would allow the reader to experience our strong feelings.
I cannot tell you how much easier having a program like “Write for the Future” makes teaching the process of preparing for the Writing Test. The kids are able to move through the steps and they develop the confidence young writers need.
Those that chose to participate in the Depression Screenings enjoyed that workshop. I kept the ones who opted out and we read for AR and played catch up on missing assignments and with our classroom jobs.
We had two young ladies from CBA's Teacher Cadet Program stop by today and help us out with new ways to say tired words. The kids enjoyed it and I hope Rachel and Jennifer enjoyed the experience. Good Luck ladies with your goals of becoming teachers!
Posted by hlperson at 01:18 PM | Comments (4)
February 08, 2005
Early Dismissal Day
Skylar commented on how the early dismissal “day flew by.” She was so right. We spent a good deal of time this morning going over the conventions rules for the Writing Test. Simple mistakes keep being made and conventions make up 20% of our score so we really focused in on them. We eliminated words like: good, bad, ok, and a lot. These are so non-descriptive we wanted to do better. We addressed some problems we are still having with: their and there, which and witch, to, too and two, and write, right, and Wright. These are very simple mistakes but they lower the quality of the writing when used incorrectly over and over again.
Addison and Jeffery modeled some beautiful Carolina Gear for us yesterday. I am very glad that my Tarheels won or I would have been in a Chuck Amato jersey all day. These two diehard NC State fans don’t have to love Carolina like I do, as long as they make plans to attend whatever university will prepare them for the life they want to live. (Even if it isn’t Carolina!)
At 1:00 the kids got to leave and go home while the teachers had to attend another meeting – not fair! We spent time on Expository Writing and talked about some issues with AR. While I was in the meeting I had my printer working overtime. I took a collection of pictures while I was at NCCAT and wanted to print several out. They look great but it is so easy with the beauty of the North Carolina mountains as the back drop. I am headed off to Sam’s Club as we are out of Purell. I might have created some germophobes.
Posted by hlperson at 02:59 PM | Comments (10)
February 04, 2005
Friday at NCCAT
Our featured speaker today was a gentleman who survived the Holocaust concentration camps all over Eastern Europe from the age of 14 until almost his 18th birthday. Working in war industry is what kept him from being sent to perish but his strong family ties and personal courage is what kept him alive. It was an honor to be able to listen as Mr. Ziffer shared stories from his experiences. All I could think about is that he was not much older than the kids I teach and I wonder if they would have that inner strength to be able to exist under such harsh and inhumane circumstances.
I did get a little break and Ms. Johnson and I headed to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Unfortunately the Parkway was closed so we settled for touring all over Jackson County. I took some pictures from the airport overlooking the campus. They are amazing. It would be hard for us to live here, everywhere you go, there are HUGE hills to walk up.
I am off to another session then its dinner time and another meeting for 2 hours after dinner. Enjoy your weekend and I can’t wait to get back and share with you next week!
Posted by hlperson at 03:51 PM | Comments (7)
February 03, 2005
First Day at NCCAT
It has been so long since I have been to the western part of the state I had forgotten how wonderful it is. Woke up early this morning and headed to the Biltmore House to do a little exploring before everything got going good. This time of year lets you have a pretty uninterrupted visit and it is half price! I have lived here in NC my whole life and came up to the mountains all the time growing up and I have never visited the Biltmore. I have now, and it will not be the last time. Short description – indescribable. If you are not sure what I am talking about, most of you have seen the house on the movie Richie Rich.
I had to make a mad dash over to Western Carolina University this evening to catch the second half of Carolina’s domination of NC State. Can you believe NCCAT does not have a TV? This is sacrilege in North Carolina during basketball season. I know Addison is not happy right now, but I am smiling. Monday is going to be fun!
Tomorrow during my break time I plan on traveling a little ways on the Blue Ridge Parkway and snapping some photos. The views are gorgeous during the fall and spring, but not as colorful during the winter. I figure I am here so I might as well go check it out though. I am most excited to be able to speak with the Holocaust survivor who has come to discuss his experiences with us. There are so many strong educators here; I hope I can learn from them.
Be good and make sure Mrs. Toler enjoys her stay with you guys. I want her to know how much I appreciate her working with you guys while I am out.
Posted by hlperson at 09:45 PM | Comments (11)
February 01, 2005
NCCAT
We began the day with a school wide video to address the issue of bullying among young people. It was a very strong subject matter in the video but it did deliver a significant message. There was a good deal of discussion on the issue and each student took a 6-page survey (which I spent the better part of the rest of the day tallying up) on his or her own experiences. I believe the students took their survey pretty seriously and really poured themselves into it. Over the next six weeks we will conduct several classroom activities that will further explore this idea and search for solutions.
I also brought in a “different” kind of lesson for the students to participate in. A friend of mine from Wilson has a 14-year-old daughter who is working on a science fair project. She prepared an iMovie of several forty-five second driving scenes around Wilson, NC. The students watched the clips with the instructions to “pay attention”. Sometimes I wonder why I even say it. :-) There is a simple twenty-question test the kids took immediately after. Simple questions about items they should have observed during the video. Needless to say, the scores ranged from 15 to a high score of 60! Yes 60 out of 100. In case you wondered if they were really paying attention to all these things you tell them, here is your proof – Nope.
I will be out of the classroom the rest of this week at a workshop at NCCAT in Cullowee, NC. The Gathering of Holocaust Educators is a chance for me to share a couple of highly effective lessons I have conducted with my classes since last school year when I was chosen to spend a week at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. Besides being able to share my lessons, I get an amazing opportunity to learn from some of the best educators in North Carolina. I will try to post the best of things from NCCAT as the week progresses. I know the kids are begging for snow, but let it hold off until first of next week so I can learn a lot for them and get home. If you need to reach me, please feel free to email. I will check it regularly.
Posted by hlperson at 09:24 AM | Comments (3)