MATH PREP

Spent about two hours on youtube and teachertube finding videos to use for Math 7 this week. Found the "youcube" and added six videos to it. Check it out and see if they help to learn about our topics for the next several days.

PROBLEM SOLVING & SCIENTIFIC NOTATION

Spring Time

As spring arrives our minds conjure up thoughts of wildflowers, spring cleaning, family reunions, trips to the zoo, walks in the park, or baseball. Stop a Texas educator and ask them and you'll hear things like TAKS, spring fever, tutorials, or SSI. Ask a Texas coach and you're more likely to hear FOOTBALL.

Yep, that's right its time for spring football in Texas largest classifications. That time of year where for 15 days young men strap on pads and spend time getting ready for the next football season. Its a time for coaches to evaluate their off season programs. Assess what they're loosing to graduation and determine how to reload the bus for next season.

For the young men its time for them to prove their readiness to move into those vacancies. Or perhaps show that they deserve a seat on the bus. And just maybe show they're in the wrong seat and have something more to offer.

To many the smell of spring is the sweet smell of flowers, but to me the odor of spring is 'sweat-drenched.' Its spring, it must be time for football!

Sunday Night Comfort Food

Tonight my bride asked me "What's for supper?" Her suggestion of Zoe's chicken salad and Michael's Baked Cheese Puffs pressed the right buttons in my comfort zone. As I trekked to Whole Foods for the cheese puffs and swung by Zoe's for the chicken I remembered my childhood Sunday comfort meals.

Growing up along the Texas Gulf Coast provided for many fond memories. One of those was Sunday night leftovers. Sunday always started with Mom's breakfast after which we got ready dressed for church. During elementary every Sunday without fail we were either at FBC, Three Rivers with Bro. Litzler or "at home" in FBC, Cuero with Bro. Sanders.

When we were in Three Rivers (where we lived) Mom would fry chicken, bake a roast with potatoes and carrots or fix a pot of chili or stew. Side dishes would consist of tomatoes, potatoes-mashed or boiled, beans-green or pinto (we called 'em red), peas-green or black-eyed, corn-on cob or out of a can with rolls or corn bread. If it was a special Sunday we'd have Kraft Macaroni and Cheese instead of potatoes.

As grand dinners as all those meals were, the left-over suppers they produced are indelibly ingrained in my memory. Suppers like a cold chicken leg and a side of mac & cheese with corn-bread really hit the spot after evening services.

One of my favorites was left over pot-roast. Mom would reheat it in the oven and rewarm the brown gravy. If we had mashed potatoes, she'd add egg and milk to them and make potato pancakes. In the summer, sliced cucumbers in vinegar were always plentiful, add a little pepper and you were in a fight with Dad to get your fair share.
Any number of combinations of meat and sides consumed while sitting with the family at the table was always filling and fun.

While Michael's Cheese Puffs and Zoe's Pomento cheese on wheat aren't treks into my childhood memories they are great Sunday night comfort today. The memories of the family are often missed in the empty nest days of life, but they aren't forgotten. And every once in a while new 'traditions' trigger old memories and I'm reminded that it's important to take time to see the joys of life in "Sunday Night Comfort Food."

Networking and the Digital Age

I can admittedly be identified as a digital immigrant(Prensky, 2001). Daily I enter the classroom surrounded by students who can text with one hand while taking notes with the other. Students who produce videos, make photo collages, build websites, interface in social networks, edit/mix play lists on mp3s.

Earlier this evening I watched the CBS 60 Minutes piece on computer worms, malware, viruses, Spyware and more. In the piece the top networking site, facebook, was mentioned as one of the major targets of the malicious software being used to damage networks, steal information, and even worse, steal funds earned by others. Digital natives (Prensky, 2001) learning to use the technology they've grown up with to make a living long before their even old enough to drive, drink or vote without any social conscience.

My bride shared an article from one of her Rss feeds about the growing trend of minors posting staged fights on the Internet. Many of these fights escalating and resulting in serious injuries, all in the name of their 15 seconds of fame.

Networking in the digital age has allowed me to retain long time friendships. Its provided a way to see the results and 'investments' made in students lives after they've become adults. I've seen my grandson grow up by visiting with him online and watching v-logs from his dad and mom.

I've opened a 'Delicious' account to keep my bookmarks readily available no mater what computer I'm on. Joined "LinkedIn" to in hopes of developing professional network contacts. I've added the CoolIris add-on to Firefox making it easier to preview links in articles, blogs, etc. without having to actually leave my original site.

In the classroom I'm being challenged to learn quickly how to integrate a clicker system into the everyday learning experience. The difficult thing about it is finding the time to assign all the students a clicker inside the software so that they can use it.

I just completed my ninth online master's degree class. I've taken my tests, completed my readings, posted discussions, sent assignments, credentials, applications and more . And it all goes well I will graduate with Master's of Education in Administrative Leadership in 18 months without ever setting foot on the university campus.

I may be an immigrant but I'm learning to survive in the digital age like a native. Now all I have to do is learn how to use the technology available to me to make Algebra 1 just as engaging as twitter.

Unexpected Civics Lesson

While establishing my first online bookmark account today I was reminded of several bookmarked sites that I had neglected. So off to eduhounds, webquests and then suddenly I was a site by Tom March. On his site he had clipped the video below. It was interesting because of its use of cell phones in creative learning. But the message that is being taught was even more intriguing.

As I watched in awe I was reminded how easy it is to become comfortable in life missing opportunities to serve others. Perhaps its time to get out of my comfort zone and get back in the battle! Taste and see if it doesn't speak to you too.

"No Man Is an Island"