Podcasting the Conference

I just learned how to use Audacity.  Here's the result.

Download the podcast, foxatetv-mp3, or just listen to it.

No School Today, Hooray, Hooray!

Which is NOT to say that I'm not working.  I'm at a technology conference in Columbia, SC.  It's being held at SCETV.

I've learned about how to use a Promethean board's software - you can start using it, even if you don't have an interactive whiteboard.  The download is here.

Also, found a lady who knows more about the social media than anyone who has a life - her professional learning network site is here.

In a podcasting workshop, I heard of a web conferencing software that is free to 20 or fewer participants - DimDim.com

There's a pdf for a Podcasting Plan here.

The woman who is teaching the podcasting is Fran Mauney (pronounced moony).  She's in Greenville, SC.  Very enthusiastic and knowledgable.

An Interesting Technology - Dropbox

I found a site that gives you 2 GB of online storage.  You can install it on all your computers, and it will sync files.  It works across platforms, and may be the next killer app for the masses.

Even without the multi-computer syncing, it would be worth it for the storage - hey, no more easily lost jump drives!  I'm going to try using it for my back-up needs.

The Value of "Goofing Off"

That's what I did this weekend.  I took home work to grade, but didn't do any of it.

What I did do is:

• Shopped - not for myself, but for my husband.  We went together, and got him some dress clothes (he's been in a khaki rut for some months), a VCR/DVD player, and various other items
• "Did lunch" with hubby at a Chinese buffet
• Surfed the web while he napped, later
• Crocheted
• Cleaned house
• Watched Hallmark Channel, several shows

That's it - a VERY non-busy weekend.  And, absolutely NO school work.  Not even planning - I tried, but the internet wouldn't cooperate, so I entered my plans today, in my planning period (Hey, maybe THAT'S what it's for).

I gotta remember to do that kind of weekend more often.

The Wonder of Light

Today, I've set up my class for some exploratory activities in light.  I have 12 stations around the room, and the students will circulate, looking at:

• Polarization of light
• Refraction (how light can slow down in different mediums)
• Reflection (using mirrored surfaces)
• Diffraction (breaking light up into its different colors)
• Intensity of light (I have a CBL and light sensor)

It took almost 2 hours to create, gather materials, and organize.  I've teamed with my main man (my husband, who works next door) to combine our classes (mine is very small).  We've done similar things before, and are comfortable with the format.

The materials can take some time to acqure, but many are off the shelf:

• Mini-lasers
• LED flashlights - VERY cheap now
• Mylar (that's the stuff that shiny birthday balloons are made of - get kids to bring in the back part, where there is no writing, as extra credit - or, go to an art supply store)
• Periscope - mine is cardboard
• Plexiglass cubes
• Polarized sheets/glasses - the glasses you can sometimes find in dollar stores

If you email me, I'll send the file for the directions for each station.

Writing Plan

I've decided to write about handling managing lab activities, in a high-needs urban environment.  My classes are the "regular" Physical Science, with the normal mix of students, including LD and other special-needs students.

My students' previous experience with hands-on activities is limited; many were in classes that seldom had the students exploring science concepts.  For many, the highlight of previous science classes was making a poster about a science topic.

So, when I ask my students what tool to use to measure centimeters, some honestly don't know that they should use a meter stick.  Similar results occur when asked to find the mass, volume, or speed of an object.

Understand, they aren't dumb.  They just have very limited exposure to the core aspect of science - hands-on investigations.

As a result, if I don't plan to the ultimate the procedures to be used in labs, they tend to wander aimlessly, and talk about personal stuff.  They need to be explicitly instructed on using the equipment, taking measurements, writing down the data (and how to make a table), graphing, and analyzing and drawing conclusions.  Once they have gone through the procedures a few times, they become adept in performing the required skills.  In fact, I've had teachers of my students the following year tell me that they could tell which were my students - their savvy about lab procedures/equipment was so much greater than other students.

But, there is a price to be paid for such success.  You have to anticipate, plan, and manage these hands-on activities.  You have to work to draw out student thinking about the meaning of the results, and be prepared to address errors.  Over the next few months, I'll be posting again about my progress with creating an article, and including some parts of the work in progress.

Test Scores Are UP, Test Scores Are UP!!!

Happy dance!!!!!

I just gave a quiz on electricity, and I had actually GOOD scores (well, at least 5 out of 20).  This is a first for me this semester.  This class has been passive, bored, and boring.

We did 3 labs in the last week, and those that were actively participating scored well on the quiz.  Perhaps this will be a stimulus to the rest of the class, none of whom are incapable, but most of whom are lazy, inattentive, and seldom giving their best.  Too many of them are repeaters - who failed last semester or last year.  Even the ones with not-great scores improved (with a few exceptions).

I also came up with a great way to teach kids how to solve problems, using a formula.  Most of them were able to solve the problems today.

So, I repeat - Happy Dance!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who Knew How Much Better I Could Feel With a Good Night's Sleep?

But, I do.  My February blahs are just about gone, I did hands-on lab activities in my worst classes, and, although they were NOT angels, I was able to move them forward nicely, without feeling the urge to annihilate the badly-behaved.

Instead, they got a truly-needed time out (one kid made me laugh - he put his face in the corner).

I went to bed early, slept nearly straight through (almost reverted to bed-wetting, but fortunately woke up enough to make it to the bathroom).  I woke with energy, and, at school, I spent almost all my planning period helping a teacher print out tests and scan sheets from our testing site (it IS difficult the first time).  I'm not a saint, I live with that teacher (my husband).

At 5:00 pm, I still have enough energy to put together my room, pack for the weekend, and tidy up loose ends - well, and blog, too.

I may just start sleeping extra-long once a week from now on.

My Most Critical Teacher Need

R & R.

Yeah, that's right, Rest & Relaxation.  Not taking grading/planning/paperwork home with me, not running around doing errands, not cleaning house.

I mean, sitting in a lounge chair with my right hand cradling a trashy novel, and my left hand wrapped around a Margarita.

Folks, I'm bone-tired.  Beyond vitamin help.  Needing some serious vaca-time.

It's only the last week of February, Easter Break is 5 weeks away, and I've reached bottom.

The kids are wack, and the administrators have hidden the referral forms.  I've had 6 kids expelled this year, and another 8 who have been recommended (or should be).  I've been doing this a long time, and this may be the worst year yet.

I soldiered on until last week, when I took a day off - not truly sick, just fatigued beyond belief.  It helped.  Not as much as 2-3 weeks, but it helped.

I'm open to suggestions.

Trying to Write a Publishable Article

I've been teaching for over 20 years, and, in that time, I've learned a lot (as we all have).  I recently decided to work on writing an article for a science/teacher magazine.

I'm going to post weekly about my progress (or lack of it), as a way of keeping me on track to have it finished in the next 3 months.  I'm not expecting that to be easy; we all know how the end of the year contributes to the pile-up of paperwork, parent contacts, and after-school catch-up sessions.  Added to that is the fact that I'm commuting each week to the school; I only manage to go home on the weekends.  (I hate to tell you how much work I have waiting for me there).

This week's goal:  to write a summary of what my article is about, including any additional information I might need.

Catching Up on the Internet

I'm home today.  I've not been feeling up-to-par for several days, and I thought a day home might be just the thing.

I was right.  Although I was so fatigued last night that I didn't even go to Ash Wednesday services (which I really love), today, when I woke up, I was nearly back to normal.  Well, it probably helped that I slept in until after 8 am.  I normally get up at 5 am.

I'll get to the necessary stuff later in the day; right now, I'm catching up on email, enjoying reading blogs, playing online games, and such.

Being Sick Sucks!

I'm not feeling well today - not feverish, not coughing, just tired and "oocky".  Because I have no confidence in getting better by tomorrow, I'm working on setting up my class for a day off:

• Write the sub plan, copy and attach worksheets to the plan
• Get copies of the class lists, mark reliable students
• Clean up the corners of the classroom (you know we ALL have piles of stuff somewhere), put away loose stuff (coffee cups, staplers, post-it notes, etc.) that I don't want to walk out the door
  
• Put all science equipment away in a locked cupboard
• Notify the teachers next door to watch out for crazy behavior
• Take grading home - oh, probably I won't do anything with it, but just maybe I will
• Persuade my husband to leave early (less than 5pm)

It's more work than coming to school would be.  But, tomorrow, maybe just worth it for the chance to NOT get out of bed at 5 am.

Managing Labs in a Science Class

This is something I am passionate about - the importance of doing labs in class.  I know it's a lot of prep, and it takes an unbelievable amount of oversight, but, even with - shall we say - difficult students, it's critical to their understanding of science.

Here's how I manage the process:

1. Compartmentalize everything that can be - either in a shoebox, or in gallon-sized ziplock baggies.  Get things ready before class, and hand out to the groups.  Make one kid responsible for getting everything back to you - have him sign for it (DON'T pick the "good" kid, pick the kid that you think would steal it if he thought he could get away with it - that way, he will make sure it all gets back - his name is one it).
2. Take notes on everything that goes well, as well as what goes wrong (and it will!).  For some labs with complicated directions, try setting it up the day before, and see what you have trouble with.  No matter what, expect that students will have difficulty following the multiple steps of the lab.  This is normal.  Sometimes, in the early days of lab, I have them do the lab twice - once with me watching them to see the problems, and the next time, hopefully goof-proofed.  If there isn't time for that, I sometimes provide sample data the following day, and have them compare theirs to that - that can help them by providing the data they "should" have gotten, but in a way that allows them to compare their technique, and (hopefully) improve their lab performance.
3. Take pictures of the students in action - that is a powerful technique that help assist students in focusing their efforts.  Don't take any "posed" pictures, but candids of them actually working.  Print them out (using a color printer with photo paper, or hit the local print shop), and post them on the bulletin board.
4. Mini-labs are better than larger ones, at least at first.  Look for them to write down only a limited number of observations, at first.  Focus on developing their observational and recording skills, little by little - hypothesis (I'm DEATH on them writing it in the form of an IF...THEN... statement), data table, graphing, analysis, conclusion.  It takes a LOT of time, and a lot of patience, particularly if you are the first teacher to do many labs.
5. Focus on their progress.  Sometimes, you can try repeating an earlier lab that they had difficulty with, and comparing their progress.  Remember, baby steps.
   

Using a Mobile Broadband

Several teachers at my school, including me, have recently purchased either a mobile broadband connection, or bought a netbook.  We did this for several reasons:

1. The school network blocks many sites, including those that might be useful in education.
2. JAVA and Flash don't always work, and we often can't update the apps to run the online applications.
3. Some of us also run businesses, and don't want to use the school network for outside businesses.  We may check company mail, or access a website on our free time, but while we are still at school.
4. We spend a lot of time away from home, and need to keep up on all our activities.
5. We are internet junkies.  (I confess, this is me).
   

Resource for Physical Science Teachers

I've been using the TeachersDomain site for a class I've been taking, and it's LOADED with resources - web pages, videos, interactive animations, etc., including some full unit lesson plans.

If you join (it's free), and sign up for the group # 6553, there are folders with topics organized by SC standards.  You can either just use them yourself, or copy them to folders of your own.  It's unbelievably easy.

They are most useful if you have either a Smartboard, or access to an LCD projector, but some don't require any technology.