Educational Leaders and Blogs

Educational leaders can use blogs as a place to store thoughts, that “can serve as a sort of ‘online diary’ where administrators can post commentary or news about the research they are currently engaged in” (Dana 87).  These blogs will not only be available to you anywhere Internet is available, but these blogs may also help other administrators wanting to conduct the same type of research.

What is Action Research?

Over the last week, I have been studying and learning what action research is and how to implement it in schools. Although I had heard of this type of research, I really didn’t know how to implement or go about conducting research of this nature.
Action research requires administrators and teachers to be active in the process and work together in professional development to have a plan in place to recognize the practices that need to be improved. By asking questions and collecting data a plan is created to follow for  a better understanding of  what needs to be done to make changes. This not only helps administrators recognize what changes need to be made on the administrative side, to deliver information to teachers, but it also helps teachers see how their method of delivering lessons to improve student achievement.
Although action research may take more time and more people involved, they are useful for many different topics. For example, one administrator might want to know what could be done to better the process of discipline and if the procedures in place are effective. While another administrator wants to know if the Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are effectively delivering information to teachers and are they able to implement that information in the classroom.
Action research is very helpful for all stakeholders of the school. It offers questions to think about and the evidence of what needs to be changed to be more effective.

Ready or Not, It's here anyway!

Today was the first day back.
I thought I was ready to start the school year and get into a routine, but I quickly figured out that I am not ready in any capacity.
Listening to people talk at you all day, is not ideal, for me anyway. But one part of me feels like it's really time to go, leave this school, whoops.. too late for that this school year, however there is another part that's telling me I am here for a reason. Let's hope it's the latter, because I may lose it this year.
I have noticed as I get older, the more emotional I get and over stupid stuff, I want the old me, the unemotional one, where no feelings are shown. Like today for instance, I started tearing up over something so minor, so petty, but at that moment everything in my mind and body began to tell me what if this... what about this... All I did was begin to look at the past, not the present.
So, after a long day of meetings and sitting on my butt, then a wonderful visit with two of my darlings, that have graduated and off to college in the fall, I prayed and listed to kind words from friends, I am going in this year positive, and whatever is thrown my way I am ready, because the Lord has prepared me and I know I have His strength in me to make it through.
Tomorrow begins a new day. One filled with more meetings and people talking at you about policies and expectations. Maybe I am ready for the kids to be back, maybe I am ready to be back in a routine, but I know I am definitely not ready for a bunch of mess and fake people. As I go to bed, I will remember tomorrow God will bring a new day and I get to start over, put on a smile and know you will bless someone today! That's at least what is going to get me through this coming school year.
Bring it on!

5306 Course Reflections

Over the past five weeks I have worked with new technologies to me. I was familiar with some of the information, but did not fully understand. Below is my course reflection of the past four weeks.

1.     What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?

Coming into this program, I was a little nervous because I have been out of school for so long. When I entered the course I was hoping to get a good grasp of what technology resources are available to teachers and how to implement them in the classroom. I did get great resources; I may even be presenting one or more of these topics during our professional development in the weeks to follow. The course aligned with mostly what I envisioned for this class. I am excited to take what I learned and start the year and see what I can utilize in my classroom and hopefully as I learn I will be able to bring ideas to the administration to help implement new ways to integrate technology into all classrooms. I have already started using Google docs and wikis with my yearbook staff and how we edit and review stories and class announcements.

2. To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?

Yes, they are very relevant, because for my journalism classes students are always turning in written articles. Having each student set up a Google account to use for the class will be helpful for me to see the work and for students to collaborate on each other’s work. As I stated in number one, we have already started utilizing some of the resources for the yearbook to communicate and see documents for the class. I feel all of the information presented in this course will be helpful to starting the year. There are many aspects of what I have created and worked on over the past four weeks that I will be able to carry through into my classroom. The wikis are good for class collaboration and group projects. It will also be exciting for me to help other teachers see the benefits in technology and how to apply existing lesson plans with implementing technology.

3. What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?

Overall, I believe I have achieved my outcomes. However, during week 5, I feel as though I have been behind because for some reason I am confused on the types of activities needed for the internship plan. My secondary mentor, our school directory of technology has helped me and given me examples of how we are we doing things at our school and what works best with students. I am hoping to get a clearer view of the technology facilitators and applying them to help me and help the school as I learn I can present it to them and try to help other teachers. Other than those small issues, I think I am achieving all the outcomes I envisioned for this course. After taking the post-self evaluation I rated myself higher because I not only knew about these items listed, I understood and can relate the information into my lessons and hopefully as the program continues I will be more available as a source for other teachers.

4.     Were you successful in carrying out the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?

In the beginning I was worried I would not figure out my time management, but overall I have been successful in carrying out the course assignments. However it was a bit confusing on the paragraph we were to write on the web conference, because it was to be submitted by the end of the third week, and there was a place on both week 2 and week 3 to submit, so that was discouraging. When you take each assignment and assess what needs to be done for the week and break it down into sections, it makes it easier to understand the material. Or then there are times, like week 5, where I started working on different sections and then go between each, making sure I have made progress each day. I am glad to have started the class and program during the summer, to see how it would work and learn how to work my time management and be able to apply those items when school starts and I become busy with work.

  

5.     What did you learn from this course…about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?

I have learned about many different resources, such as wikis that I knew and heard others talking about, but I was not fully aware on how to use them and implement them in the classroom. About myself, I learned that I am pretty tech savvy, however I need to learn how to use it in the classroom and teach students how to use the same resources to help with learning. I have leadership skills; I just do not use them or show them as much as I probably should.  It was interesting to take the personal learning assessments. In the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, I learned I was the Guardian, but before I new this was my temperament I read the summaries of each and automatically thought to myself, “I am probably Guardian” and it is true. For the Multiple Intelligence, the main one my personality fell under was Interpersonal, which also follows with the temperament. I like to talk to people and learn from what they have taught or experienced for themselves.

 

I'm not afraid of needles... Just the dentist and dry socket!

The dentist... that is a dreaded word, for me anyway. For one I don't like my face touched by other people, as weird as it sounds, it kind of freaks me out.. maybe I was traumatized, who knows with me. Four years ago I had to have a back tooth pulled, not a wisdom tooth either, and it was very painful one of the worst things I have had to deal with and I have a high tolerance for pain. I thought that was the end of my dental nightmares. But no, of course not, with my luck why did I even think that. Again here I am with a hole in my head, literally, that throbs and is filled with weird looking gunk...  I know that gross, sorry. I told the girl that pulled my tooth I was afraid this would happen, but no, I don't know what I am talking about. It has becoming a numbing sensation on my right side of my face. This just makes me dislike the dentist even more and I am grown-woman. So hopefully I can get into the office tomorrow to see a dentist and get the relief I need. I just dope I can make it one more day.
Although it seemed as the only option was to pull the tooth, I don't know if I am going to be so ready to say sure, go ahead, rip a tooth away from the bone and out of my head unless the dentist agrees to stitch me up! My teeth are pretty on the outside, but really the inside is another story. Hopefully it will all be corrected and I can start eating normal.

Where did the summer go...

Sitting here tonight, I couldn't believe it's already August. I feel like life is flying by and I haven't even seen it. I'm still getting use to this whole 30 thing, I don't feel any older and it seems everyone else thinks I am only 19.. lol! Not sure if that's a good thing, I guess thanks, I have good skin! I just got back from a cruise with my mom, aunt, grandmother and cousin, we had a good time.. however I think I might be cruised out, even though it's really the only way to really get away from everything.
School starts in less than two weeks for teachers, but that's ok, I think I am ready to have a routine again. The sooner the year starts, the sooner it will be over and I'll be closer to finishing my masters.. yippee!
With the end of summer, that means I am only a few weeks from my audition for the voice, that I am so excited to even do this whether I make it to the next round or not, it's just the fact I am finally doing something for myself.  I seem to be rambling tonight, but also with the end of summer means I am finishing my first graduate class... It's a lot of work for one week, but I am getting the hang of it and again it's hard to believe five weeks has almost passed. I hope I do well on the final, I suck at testing, no really. I think the information could be glued to my hand and I would still miss questions. Hopefully it will be different.
I read about a documentary that recently came out, The Bully Project, the trailer itself made me sad, but I would like to watch to understand, and I still want to see Waiting for Superman.
My dad is scheduled to have his surgery tomorrow afternoon, I am just glad we are all back and here for him I know he is nervous and scared, but we pray and hope for the best outcome.
This blog started about the summer, but somewhere took a turn into many ramblings all things that needed to be expressed, I guess.
Did I mention I my be homeless soon, only because my apartments are trying to raise my rent a ridiculous amount, I just hope it all works out the way it's suppose to... I am trying to keep from trying to do it my way, because that never works out.
Well I didn't really talk about much of anything this time, but hopefully next time I will have something prolific to say and teach someone something!