Posted on

YUM!




DSC05395.JPG

Originally uploaded by BCrosby

I had many tell me that I HAD to post many photos from Shanghai. This is a start. My hotel internet connection is not great so posting over 20 was really pretty good.

You will have to click on the photo to figure out why I chose this one over many. It is important to read what it says on the window.

Had a great first day here. So far I have managed to avoid jet lag. Jeff Utecht is the consummate host. Even though he is busy setting up this conference he took us around “Old Town” Shanghai this morning.

24 million people live in this city. Jeff showed me a freeway that they started construction on in June and is already well along its way.

Wish I could write more, but still much to do to get ready to present. See more photos on my Flickr page here.

Learning is messy!

Posted on

Just Your Normal Day At School

The specific day mentioned in the title above was last Tuesday, the day after a 3 day weekend. A weekend when my wife broke her wrist falling from her mountain bike that she was actually riding in the mountains … the Sierra Nevadas to be exact in a place call Cisco Grove (no connection to the technology company btw). She had surgery that Wednesday and is doing fine.

I managed to get to school a bit earlier than usual that Tuesday. I settled into my overstuffed desk chair and began checking email when I noticed a Twitter notification from Jeff Utecht asking me to Skype him ASAP. Within 1 minute I was talking to Jeff in Bangkok, Thailand (Skype is just too cool!). Jeff informed me that he had someone drop out from presenting at the Learning 2.008 Conference in Shanghai, China, and wondered if would I consider making the trip. He explained all the arrangements and requirements, and right after I picked my jaw off the floor I found myself saying “Yes!” He told me I wouldn’t know for sure until Thursday and that would still leave me plenty of time to prep 6 sub days, multiple presentations in Shanghai, visa applications and other arrangements and teach full time … Nooooo problem! : ) I mean that gives me 9 days. : )

So Thursday we confirmed it and the rest is (or will be) history. My principal has bent over backwards getting the required I’s dotted and T’s crossed and unless something falls through I’m Shanghai bound!

Later that same day I found out that the iBook laptops that were stolen a few weeks back will be replaced with new Macbooks … could be here any day … ho hum.

Just your normal day at school.

BTW I explained the next day to my students about the new laptops AND my trip to China. They were happy about the laptops but equally happy about my trip. I zoomed from the roof of our school to Shanghai using Google Earth (they never get tired of that) and answered a bunch of questions and dispelled some misconceptions about China. I only wish the time zone thing worked so that I could Skype them into one or so of my presentations. I will be able to share blog posts they’ll be posting though.

I have had this class of students for 2 years now and starting our 3rd year together. There are 12 of my original 28 – 4th graders left and 8 students that joined us last year in fifth grade that are still here. Celest tried to come back, but they moved further away and couldn’t get the after-school care to work so no Celest – but she has been leaving a few comments on blogs and I saw her the first day of school and she looks great. We’ve also heard from 3 other students that moved out of the area. These things happen in neighborhoods overwhelmed with poverty … lots of movement.

Well back to prep!

Learning is messy!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Tags:

Posted on

My Family Seems To Think There Is Reason To Be Worried This Weekend

So for the second year in a row we are camping in the Sierra Nevada Mountains during the Labor Day Weekend. To me this kind of camping in these slots just big enough to park in (but we have plug-ins!) is not umm … real camping. But I was out voted so here we are.

Last year on our camping trip, as you may recall, we had a run in with a bear – but fortunately I came to the rescue and scared the bear away, saving one and all. My family doesn’t see it that way (why I don’t know – but you might want to follow the link above) so since we are once again in bear country (but northeast of where we were last year) they are afraid of a repeat performance. I’ll let you know if we have any bear sightings.

Learning is messy!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Tags: , ,

Posted on

Dealing With Adversity

Monday I broke the news to my students that we were down 10 laptops that had been stolen. We passed out the remaining 18 and figured out whose were missing. One student couldn’t get theirs to start up and upon investigation we realized that the keyboard had been opened and the airport card removed and other damage had occurred that prevented it from working.

So were the students that had their laptops stolen visibly upset? Not especially (note I said “visibly upset”). I mentioned when our classroom was broken into last year how during a class discussion it came out that this was not an unusual enough experience for my students (unfortunately). To that end we have begun a unit on perseverance and courage and “being involved.” I decided that during this election year would be an especially good time for “involvement.” We can’t do much as a class yet as far as being involved in replacing the computers because we don’t know yet what will happen as far as insurance (I’m not real optimistic – but we’ll see) – however we have already had some discussion about possibilities for being involved ourselves if necessary – not just being victims and having an “oh well” attitude.

From there I’m also planning on having the students look at other aspects of improving their lives. Having them identify issues that effect them … corresponding with various candidates for local, state and national office and so forth.

Should be some good messy learning!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Tags:

Posted on

I Have To Break This Pattern!

Lesson planning short term and long term should be the top priority when getting ready for a new school year. If a few things need to be finished up in your classroom at the start of the year that’s not as important … having powerful lessons and activities and meeting with other teachers about the year that should come first!!!

So why is it I cannot shake having my room all arranged before I can get serious about planning?!!! I know I’m not the only one who suffers from this because when I mentioned it yesterday to a few colleagues at school I received a rousing AMEN!!

The kind of spooky part is that at about three o’clock Friday (school starts Monday) when I had finished a classroom inventory our principal assigned us and looked around and noticed the room was pretty much ready … all I could focus on was planning. My brain started connecting with the curriculum for the year and I was furiously making notes and looking for materials and thinking about a possible field trip. UGGGH!

The most infuriating part is that now the weekend is here and I really crave more time to think it all through. My very organized wife is going through this to a lesser extent, but she understands completely. How about you? Does this happen to you?

I was starting to hate Clarence Fischer this morning after seeing this post of his set-up room and school doesn’t start for a week for him. But who could hate Clarence? : ) I’ll have to learn to “channel” him next year I guess.

Learning is messy!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Tags:

Posted on

Science Textbook Support?


Photo_08.jpg

Originally uploaded by BCrosby

School begins next week and I’m busily preparing my classroom for my soon to arrive students. Tuesday I attended training provided by the textbook company on our newly adopted science program. I was putting away the teacher materials we received and realized what a load of stuff it was (various workbook pages, software, etc.). Realize all of this is for the teacher … the textbooks for students are not included here. The reading program we have has easily 3 times this much support material and EACH TEACHER gets this stuff. Our social studies program is a bit more than is pictured here. 1st to 5th grade math is at least this much. This is what adds to the extreme cost of these programs and helps keep the tree population in check.

Sheesh!

Learning is messy!

Posted on

Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools – Poll Results

Results from the 40th Phi Delta Kappa International (PDK)/Gallup Poll of the “Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools are in and here are a few of the interesting and even heartening findings:

Federal Funding
Americans support an increased use of federal funds to maintain local public schools.

No Child Left Behind
Fewer than 2 of 10 Americans believe the No Child Left Behind legislation should be continued without significant change.

Biggest Problems
Lack of funding for schools tops the list of “biggest problems facing schools” for the sixth year in a row.

Assessment
In a change from nine years ago, Americans believe written observations by teachers, as opposed to scores on standardized tests, are a superior way to document student academic progress.

Teacher Pay
Almost three of four Americans believe teachers should be paid higher salaries as an incentive to teach in schools identified as ‘in need of improvement.’

Follow the link above for the whole study “downloadable” in PDF.

Learning is messy

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Tags:

Posted on

Stolen Laptops Update

The good news is that we are being told that the 32 stolen HP laptops will be replaced … when that will happen is of course way up in the air – could be months. I don’t know yet about any possibility of replacing my students’ iBooks and I have no idea when I might find out yet. The worst part is I can’t be involved, so far at least, so I have to ask questions through my very-busy-the-week-before-school-starts principal who I really don’t want to keep bothering.

Now I’m deciding how to handle this with my students. We will share the laptops we have left (about 18 although I’m not positive they all work, one looks “messed up”), and blog the best we can. We’ll just have to adapt for at least awhile.

Thanks again for all your kind thoughts!

Learning is messy!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Tags: