Day 4- Taking a moment for work but only a moment

Yesterday, I posted about the need for one to take a break from work on the weekends.  As an educator it is important that we take a moment for ourselves and our families in order to focus on what is important to us beyond the school day.  I have hobbies, I have stuff to do, and I like to do things with other people.  If I worked all the time those things wouldn't be able to occur.  

For me, time to refresh is important.  (Click the link.) It should be for you as well.  I know that there are people that just can't turn it off.  It has to be all work all the time.  If you are one of those folks, check this out. 

So for one moment, one brief moment, take a deep breath and walk away from what you are doing.  Are you still reading?  Get up walk away and come back.

Did you know what to do with your time?  Did you do nothing?  Did you do something for yourself?  I hope you did.  Try to take a longer break later today and hopefully this weekend.  You will thank yourself.

#wmmschat 

Questions this week: (questions subject to change/alter)

Topic: How to make this the best year ever?

Warm-up: Introduce yourself and title, don't forget #wmmschat in your response?

Q1: What is one thing you did last year that you will not do this year?

Q2: What is some things that you want to try this year?

Q3: What are your goals for the year/what do you plan to accomplish by the end of the year?

Q3a: How will you meet them?

Q4: How do you plan to set the tone in your classroom this year?

Q5: Is there a better way to do what you have always done? Elaborate.

Q6: How will you make this the BEST YEAR EVER?

Day Three- Finding time for you and Enter Technology

So today is the third day of my challenge for blogging.  Since a long weekend is coming up with Labor Day, I figured I would get this post in before leaving for the day.  I haven't quite decided if I should post on the weekend or not but we all need sometime away from the job.  Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Speaking of time away, at my school we run a weekly Twitter chat that pertains to concerns, issues, and activities that we have going on in our building.  The chat also expands out to the greater community by talking about middle level education, helping first year teachers, and discussing salient points that pertain to initiatives in our district.  With that being said the chat is back.  Please join the discussion each week at #wmmschat

This week our discussion will be about: making this the best year ever.  Please check back here to preview the questions.  I hope I can get them posted in time.

Have a happy and safe Labor Day.

Day Two- Lockers, Buses, and Schedules (oh my)

So today was the second day at school and we distributed lockers and combinations.  I started thinking how lockers can be a great analogy for class.  See with a locker one needs to follow a prescribed sequence (combination) in order to meet the end result (open locker).  If one makes a mistake with the combination then one must start from the beginning.  This is FRUSTRATING.  Students will blame the locker, say it is broken, that it doesn't work, and even say they got the wrong combination.  Some students won't say a word and just stare at the locker or run around the hall looking for something else to replace their time.  Some will quietly persevere in this task despite having made multiple mistakes.  They won't quit until they opened up that locker.  They will lower their shoulders and hang their heads but they will keep trying.  Other students will try it once and immediately ask for help; yet, others will wait patiently for the teacher to come to them before trying to do it.

So think for a minute:
How does this sound like a classroom?
How will you help each type of student open their locker this year?

First Day of School 2014-2015

Today was our first day of school for the 2014-2015 school year.  

This year I made a resolution to make an ATTEMPT at blogging.  The purpose of this blog will to be to share information with teachers, families, and students.  Primarily the goal is to extend my learning into this medium and to also assist teachers with growing professionally.  

I have consistently said to my faculty that I would not ask them to do something I have not done myself.  Since we are moving to a new and higher level of tech focus this year and some teachers are thinking about how to start this process, I figured that I would give it a shot to offer advice on how to proceed.

This blog will start off as a way to post the questions for our weekly twitter chat.  This week our topic will be: Starting off the school year and how was your summer?

With that being said...let the adventure begin.