Technology in Schools

After a week in Charleston with my students, I had them to write a journal that I would post on the following website: www.tcmsyandg.blogspot.com My roommate in Charleston taught at Ripley Middle School and he asked me how much I used technology in my classes and how much my colleagues used technology. I said I try to use technology but I am limited because I only have one computer in my classroom and the labs and library are usually booked up. I assign work for students to look on the computer feel they don't have to use a computer for class outside of the actual classtime, so I feel limited with that. As for my colleagues, I try to get them to use computers and similar technology in the classroom as well. In fact, I had one teacher give me an e-mail from our County Technology Coordinator today suggesting that I should go complete courses for a Techonology Integration Specialist certification the state has. I was asked by another teacher to do this last year also. But the dates of the training conflicts with a vacation I have this year although I would still like to do.
I see my kids imersing themselves with technology everyday that adults including most teachers cannot catch up with and grasp how they are using it. I got a couple of students added to my Facebook account today. So I have to be especially careful with what I put on that, but I don't put anything incriminating on it anyway.
So here I go working on a new chapter in my class this weekend and trying to figure out what technology to use!

I just started a new blog today that I intend to chronicle auto dealerships in the area. With changes in the auto industry and the economy, I would like to record changes with pictures and a brief history. The site is www.autodealershipsusa.blogspot.com

10th Anniversary

Today is the tenth anniversary of my father's passing. I remember February 2, 1999 in detail and even the week prior to that. It is one of those days in which all four of us were at the house at the same time. It was 7:00 P.M. and "Jeopardy" had just started and he suddenly convulsed and passed. We called the EMS and they spent about an hour trying to revive him. My sister was just getting ready to wash the dog, Missy, and the dog was in the tub. The dog was in the tub four about four hours I bet. After the hubbub of the EMS crew, my mom, sister, and I just sat in the living room talking about dad. By the way, Missy was still in the tub.
I also remember as the EMS crew was in the living room with dad laying on the floor, one of our outside dogs, King, came in. King never comes into the house unless there was a thunderstorm. (Big scare-dy cat) King just looked at him and wanted to know what was going on. He did not try to intrude, but we got him out of the way quickly.
I remember the next few days with making funeral arrangements and family coming in for the funeral. It's still surreal but I know it's something that families go through all the time all over the world, yet in different manners of paying homage through funerals. Dad had been ill for a long time, but he was one of those people you can see who is struggling with his issues, but didn't want to let his family down. I remember that he took naps and that is something I treasure myself. He like to cook and I remember what he had cooked on the last day. He baked a cake and cooked pork for dinner. That is a passion he passed to my sister. She likes to cook and share what she cooks. No one else would eat the cake that he baked, so I ate it all. And just look at me - of all people, huh!
These aren't all the memories I have of that day or of that week, but just some of them. It wasn't a tragic time, but it was somber but memorable.

West Virginia International Auto Show

Yesterday I went to the West Virginia International Auto Show in Charleston. For me, this was a relaxing time looking at all the cars and trucks. I have been a fan of new cars and trucks since I was about 6 or 7 years old. I can recall most car models from the late 1970s on. It is sort of an obsession since I have car magazines and car brochures at my house dating back from the 1980s. Of course they are all organized into a computer database. However, I don't look at them very often. Sometimes I think I would be able to sell them, but not now.
I got into some of the cars. Some were easy to get in and out of, but others such as sport cars were easy to get into, but very hard to get out. It's a result of the extra girth around my waist.
Right now I plan to go to the Pittsburgh Auto Show in February. I liked going to Charleston since the ceiling were more intimate (lower ceilings) and separate rooms. The Pittsburgh Convention Center is more open and more crowded.

The Inauguration of President Obama

Today was a day of fanfare and optimism as President Obama takes the oath of office on a cold wintry day in Washington, D.C. The oath was fumbled by both the Chief Justice and the President. It was amusing to see a such an eloquent speaker such as the President being tongue twisted by the Chief Justice.
I didn't get to see much of the days events except for watching the oath of office during my lunch period. But I tried to catch bits and pieces throughout the day such as the parade and the balls. And check out "The Beast" aka the Presidential Limousine.
So tomorrow is going to be a different story. I want to see change in the air in Washington, D.C. to shift to our cities and towns. I want change for the better. I want to see jobs to stay and multiply. I want to see new energy resources open to the populace. I want to see children stay in school and educated. I want our country to have a sense of optimism. Most importantly, I want everyone to make the right decisions for themselves, our nation, and our world. Don't just rely on our lawmakers to make decisions for us, but make decisions for yourself and to help others.
President Obama wanted the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday to be a day of service. I just don't want one day to be devoted to a day of service. I want lifestyle devoted to service. I want families to be role models and spend time and money for those who are less fortunate and be an example how lives can change. That is change we can believe in!
God Bless America!

Brrr...A Cold Day Out!

This morning I got the dogs out at 7:30 in the morning and the temperature was -6 degrees. I got up early to go to the RV Show in Pittsburgh. This is the third consecutive year I have gone to the Pittsburgh RV Show. I has shrunk every year to contract with the economy. A slowdown in RV's and travel are one of the first signs that an economic slowdown in coming. This year it was very evident. There were many less vendors at the show and the show was normally on two different floors, but this year it was on one floor. I spent a couple of hours there talking to some of the vendors about their feelings this year and they have seen an extreme downturn in their sales. I wished them the best. There usually are a good mix of motor homes to trailers. There were many trailers and very few motor homes. The most expensive motor home this year was $260,000 when in the past I have seen half-million dollar motor coaches. The dealers were heavily discounting their vehicles, many by as much a 1/3. One new vendor I saw there was Trailer City from Fairmont. Usually all the vendors are from Pennsylvania and I told Trailer City that I thanked them for coming to the RV show this week.
Later I went to Wheeling to Cabela's. That place seems to be bustling even with the economy. There is still some growth in the area with new retail and new restaurants. Across the interstate from Cabela's was a new dealership built for Bob Robinson Chevrolet-Pontiac-GMC-Buick that had relocated from downtown Wheeling. They are continuing to build more showrooms adjacent to the facility that they have open now. I just hope after all the financial investment they put into the new showrooms, General Motors doesn't go out of business.
Then I went to Washington Crown Center outside of Washington, Pennsylvania. All of its anchor stores are still open, but many stores have closed such as AT&T, Old Navy, and The Gap. KB Toys are in the process of being liquidated at this time. It's sad to see the demise of that mall since a year or two ago it was still bustling.
After going to Washington Crown Center, I went to Washington Mall. I first went to the JCPenney that had moved back to that mall after the new store subsided last summer. They had the glass doors to the mall closed and painted over. I wanted to go into the mall and see whats left. I exited JCPenney and went to the mall doors on the outside. The first set of doors I went to were locked, then the second, and a man exited the third set and went through those doors. I walked in and on the left there was a Coldwell Banker agency and on the right there was a photography studio. They were both closed, I presume for the day. I noticed the entire mall was cold, maybe 50 degrees. I kept walking through the hall, turned left, and show no stores or signs until I saw the JoAnn Frabric store at the end. I circle around and walked to the other end thinking about all of the stores that were once in the mall and all of the people who have once worked there. I remember the pastry shop and the Baskin-Robbins, as well as the Langs and the Christian bookstore that was once there. The ceilings in the mall were leaking through. I had a camera in my car and I had the notion to go get it, but it was just too cold to go back in the mall to take picture.
Let's just say it was a day to reflect on where we are now at in America! God Bless America in our next four years!

BBBrrrr!

We are now in our second consecutive snow day and the third so far this school year. I a concerned that students are missing instruction. I know as a teacher I am working about three hours a days finding new material and arranging ideas for school. In my humble opinion, I believe students should be working on content during snow days. Teachers used to be urged to make snow day packets for students to work on during snow days, but I haven't heard of anything like that for several years.
Many schools have Ed Line now and my school does too. I like adding material to Ed Line for resources and I encourage students and parents to utilize it besides checking for grades. But I don't get much feedback on it. I would like to see students use Ed Line on snow days to put in at least 15 minutes of time into an online quiz or activity to keep up their skills. Another idea I have would be to use a conferencing tool such as Skype that allow teachers and students to interact with one another during an assigned time.
These are just a couple of ideas I have for using snow days instead of letting it go to waste. For this work, we need families to have computers in their homes with Internet connection. We know this isn't going to happen anytime soon, but I want students to know that I am making education available to them right now even if it isn't a requirement!