What? No Way! It's Been That Long?

Waaaaaaaay back in the year 2001 (haha), I went through a metamorphisis; I became a teacher. I left the corporate rat race because I wanted to make a difference. Still, it's hard to believe that I am beginning my 10th year in teaching. Where has the time gone?

As I reflect over the past nine years, I realize that I've "grown." I have a thirst for knowledge and that thirst keeps me learning, and pushing, and driving for new and creative ways to teach my students. I've always embraced project-based learning, but rather than create on paper, I now utilize Web2.0 tools and Flat Classroom style techniques to open students to a whole new world of possibilities. My goal? I want my students will become productive citizens as they finish their high school careers and begin writing new chapters in their book of life.

I have the priviledge of "keeping up" with a number of my former students on Facebook. It's exciting to see the paths they choose--

I'm energized to begin this school year...and...I wonder what the next ten years will bring?

It's Been a Month??? What?

It's SO hard for me to believe that I haven't blogged in almost a month! Wow! Where did the time go?

A lot has happened this past month...

• The students I blogged about in my last post were featured on our high school "Tiger TV" channel


• My Junior Achievement Company Program students successfully created, delivered, and set up 70 incredible centerpieces for the Crystal Apple Awards Gala


• My BEIS class participated in a JA Titan competition while still working on the NetGenEd Project


• I had new systems installed in my computer lab (yeah!!!!...the old ones SO did not work anymore!!)


• My younger son 'champed up' in Tennis (woo hoo!)


• We moved my parents in with us during spring break

Needless to say, I've been incredibly busy. My only regret in all of this is that it has prevented me from being as involved as I wanted to be in the NetGenEd Project. It's is such an amazing opportunity for the students who are involved. I've been reduced to lurking about...trying to keep up as best I can with all of the happenings. I haven't had the time to participate in the webinars, the book club...not much of anything..and, well, frankly it's depressing... :-(

I am excited that my students will finish their videos on time, though. They have some incredible ideas for their videos; I'm looking forward to seeing those ideas come to life. These are the same students that participated in the 2008 Flat Classroom Project and the Flat Classroom Conference. They are amazing students! Most of them are seniors, so it's a little hard to get them to focus right now...they've all been accepted to various colleges and universities, so now they are waiting to hear about all of the scholarships for which they've applied. Plus, they are getting ready for the prom, various banquets, etc...

Well...off to help my students post-produce their NetGenEd multi-media artifacts!! Promise it won't be another month before I post again!!

Photo credit: http://eladthegreat.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/the-ultimate-clock/

Proud as a Peacock

I received an email last week from Ms. Branom. She is the Library Information Specialist for our District. Much to my delight, she asked if my "Qatar" students (that is, my students who participated in the Flat Classroom Conference) would make a presentation about their involvement in the Flat Classroom Project and Conference to the District Curriculum and Instruction Team.

Wow! What an opportunity! The students (Karla, Steve, and Erika) began brainstorming on how they would create a presentation...then...it hit them...POW!!! (or something like that)...why not utilize what they had learned from Frank Guttler at the conference?? Make a video that would chronicle their walk through the project, the conference, and their reflections!!!

So...they began...they first drew a storyboard. Then they did some video tape, chose some pictures, made some stills...awesome!

Since my computer is the only one with any post-production software on it :-(, I helped them post-produce the video. I must say they did pretty well...and...the C & I Team loved it. The best part though was how well the students fielded questions from the Team Members. They were asked for their input on project-based learning, the changing role of the teacher, and the implementation of different technologies in the classroom.

The students let the Team members know that they are (by default) multi-taskers and they would like to see more classrooms utilize that strength. They advocate laptops for all students and they conveyed how much they like using the back-channel in my class.

Take a look at their video and let me know what you think...I'm proud!!

Score 1 More for Technology in the Classroom

I stayed home from work today...the flu...

I felt just awful, but I really needed to meet with my Business Education Independent Study class. Today begins their trek into a Junior Achievement Titan competition and they needed to made their first round of business decisions...how can we do that when they are there and I am here? Enter technology...

...I set up a private chat room for us via Chatzy last week so that we could communicate and record our ideas during class I discovered Chatzy while attending the Flat Classroom Conference in Doha, Qatar last month--thanks Julie and Vicki!!. Since I can save text files of the chat room for later reference, we can recall our recorded chats as needed to make decisions for the JA Titan competition. Pretty cool, huh?

I called the substitute and told her what I wanted to do. With her support...well, having access to Chatzy helped make a difficult situation much easier. I was home...they were in class...We all logged into the room and began our chat. We exchanged ideas, scenarios, consequences, etc. Via the chat, the students made informed decisions for their competition.

Once again...I was able to utilize technology to be a 'guide on the side' rather than a 'sage on the stage' in my classroom...man, I love technology!

Put a Fork in Me, I'm Done

I've been beating my head against a brick wall now for over a month...I'm done.

A group of my students qualified to attend the upcoming Flat Classroom Leadership Conference in Doha, Qatar. I've been working tirelessly to raise money so that we can attend. We were awarded a scholarship that will help, but we needed to raise somewhere in the neighborhood of $20K in addition to the scholarship. To date...we've raised around $4300.

I know that the economy is tough, but I really felt like people would help. I started a ChipIn campaign and Tweeted about my students until people started unfollowing me. I contacted a number of media...we were featured on a local station here in Houston, still nothing.

I've been mostly offline the past month making calls, knocking on doors, talking with anyone who would listen about my students and the importance of attending the Conference. Absolutely EVERYONE that I have spoken with says that they believe in Thomas Friedman's work and that they see the relevance, the necessity of the students' attendance, still few are willing to help. If everyone that I have spoken with would have donated $25, we'd be on our way. When I tell people that they give me a funny look, but still do not pull out their wallet to help (although they say they support the cause).

This is it...I am spent...I've done all that I know how to do. Maybe someone will read this post and decide to help us...I sure hope so...

To my Students: I've done all that I know to do to help you get to Doha, but it wasn't enough...I am truly sorry...

Attending the Flat Classroom Conference...Will You Help?

This semester my students and I have been priviliged to participate in the 2008 Flat Classroom Project created by Vicki Davis and Julie Lindsey (my mentors, whether they realize it or not!). The project is based on Thomas Friedman's best selling book, The World is Flat.

Participating in the Project is incredible. My students are producing content on the Flat Classroom Wiki with students from around the globe. What they are creating is simply phenomonal to me. Tony Wagner would be proud of the type of "redefined rigor." ::smiles:: I never ceased to be amazed at what students can do whenever teachers get out of the way.

I digress...

The culmination of this year's Flat Classroom Project is the Flat Classroom Leadership Conference and Student Summit to be held in Doha, Qatar this coming January. I have been given permission by my School Board to attend the conference with 9 of my students involved in the project. We REALLY want to attend this conference! My students will come away from this experience enriched, engaged, and ready to succeed as they go off into college.

But...I trip like this costs big $$$. We are in the process of fundraising. I'm posting this out in the blogoshere looking for Angels who see the benefits and will help our students. My students and I have started a "Conference Blog." You can follow our Project progress on this blog...we've also posted a Sponsorship Brochure , which includes a Donation Form. All donations are tax deductable...

Will you help?

And Heeeeere's Estie!!

This year some of my students and I are privileged to be a part of the Flat Classroom Project. One of our first assignments is to record an audio introduction.

Here's my audio introduction to this year's Flat Classroom Project. Enjoy!!!