What is Your Why?

Once upon a time there lived a young girl that wanted to change the world, so she became a teacher. 

Why did you go into education? What is your why? 

I think it’s easy to forget when we get bogged down into the nitty gritty. 

I want to make learning fun. 

I want kids to know they are special. 

I want them to know that they have someone in their corner. 

I want to make a difference in the next generation. 

I want to be part of their school story.

I want to teach kids to fall in love with learning.

What is your why? 

I just finished this 40 day Social Media fast... well technically I’m still on it because I just can’t bring myself to log into the different platforms. I really like the quiet.

Something I’ve learned in the last 6 weeks of not having the noise, is how loud the questions can get when nothing else distracts you. Those internal questions. Those essential questions. Those thought provoking questions that come when I’m sitting in silence. 

What is my purpose? What is my next step supposed to be? Am I supposed to do something else? I love being a teacher. But it does make me wonder.

What is your why? 

Happy Spring Break!

Getting Techy with It

It always amazes me how much kids know how to do on a device or a computer. While I struggle to figure out where to put what cord, they can navigate things a lot easier.

So I’m pretty happy I figured out how to get everything to work in the classroom and still have the kids be able to hear and see each other, home and school. I want to thank my wonderful team that let me practice on them. 

Figured today I’d write it down so that next year I can remember, just in case. :)

Right now I am blessed to have 2 laptops at school for my use, a ladibug, a projector, a webcam, and a pair of external speakers. There is also a vhs/dvd player, but I’m not using that right now.

I start the TEAMs meeting on my regular laptop, then I join the meeting on my second device. I start it before I head out to get my in person kids, home starts joining the lobby so we are ready to go when in person gets inside. 

My laptop is connected to the projector through a dock. The ladibug (doc camera) is also connected to the dock so I can switch back and forth for in class kids to see my workbook via the doc cam, and my computer screen with the kids at home. The projector pretty much stays on all morning long. 

On my laptop I keep my camera on so they can see me when I’m sitting there, or when I’m at the board directly behind. I have the computer microphone muted and my volume is down to 0 as well. 

The second laptop is on a table next to the main teaching cart. I couldn’t have the computers right next to each other, it made a ringing noise. The second laptop has the webcam attached in addition to the external speakers hooked up through the headphone jack. 

The webcam is on a tripod, short on the table, so I can move it to show the room. During the online meeting the webcam microphone is the one we use. Kids at home can hear all the kids in the classroom using just that. I also use the webcam camera quite a bit. It connects automatically to the meeting, and it gives an overview of the kids in class. I rotate it around when kids are coming up to share with the kids at home. 

I don’t have to be stuck right next to a computer anymore. It’s really nice after 29 weeks of not being able to lean back in my chair. 

By having the external speakers attached to the second laptop, we can easily hear in class when I screen share a video or to hear the classmates at home. I love how the volume is adjustable, so when we need it to be silent, I can turn the volume way down. 

As for their tech, this year each student was able to get a school device. It’s one of the things they had to pick up if they were coming to school for hybrid. They bring their device, their charge cord, and their headphones with them each time they come. 

So far, each day I have had my in class group log in to our TEAM meeting to do a breakout with the others at home. It’s not for very long, but I want them to keep having those small group conversations and building relationships. My in class stays muted unless they want to talk into their headset microphones. If they don’t remember their headphones, I have little cheap ear buds that will allow them to listen, but they have to type in their breakout room chat instead of talk. 

My in class has also logged in when they need to do an assignment on TEAMs, but I’m also giving them an option to do hard copies of assignments and then they take them home to snap a picture and upload. So far it’s working and every day is getting easier. 

Anyhow, just things I want to remember for the future. Hope you had a great day! 

What I Tackle After the Kids Leave

We all know being a teacher, especially this year, is a lot more than just teaching the kids. Here’s how I’ve been setting up my to do lists to keep on a weekly schedule. These are mainly things I've done all year, and now I'm adding in the in person items...

Daily:

*Grade

*Send reminder to tomorrow’s in class group about items to bring 

*Update Class Dojo points and give praises if reach certain milestones

*Respond to kid messages and questions in their private channels, answer emails, and host a daily Q/A afternoon meeting (where I can multi-task if kids don't show up).

Monday:

*Give out weekly materials to Group A when they arrive at school.

*AM - Make all TEAM assignments active

*Send morning email to parents with weekly information (Weekly Breakdown and Weekly Focus). If something is happening to the schedule for Monday, then I send it out on Friday afternoon.

*Grade all the late work that came in over the weekend...

Tuesday:

*Go through email and clean up mailbox

*Update parent portal with missing work

*Play catch up...

Wednesday: (Everyone DL day)

*Start making plans for next week

*Sketch out next week’s Breakdown of assignments 

*Update next week’s Focus for essential questions and I can statements.

Thursday:

*Fill out engagement log and be ready to upload on Friday

*Prep any materials for next week, including drafting assignments in TEAMS

*Start drafting next week's parent email

Friday:

*Give out the next week’s paperwork to my Group B while they are there in class.

After class:

*Update whiteboard - Change out the essential questions, I can statements, and next week’s reminders

*Spray down front table and set up materials for Monday.

*Change out DL office crate to next week’s materials for pick up

*Upload engagement logs

*Turn in temp check forms to office

*Update Parent Portal with grades

*Update TEAM with new color teams, new Breakdown, new Focus 

Of course everything is subject to change, but this is my goal each week. 

Every Unit:

*I sketch out what the ideal pacing would be, knowing that things change.  But at least it's all in my plan book and I know where we're headed.  I also use the drafts in my email to have an ongoing list of unit web links for science, social studies, and math.  I update those links on a weekly basis as I find more resources.  I may not always use everything in my "menu" but it's just a click away.  

And to think... a lot of this random paperwork is new this year... I wonder if it's going to be something we have to do for a long time to come, or if it's a one year deal.  I miss the simpler days.  

Hope you had a great day!