December 18, 2008

Well, I have a funny feeling that this will be my final post of 2008 because tomorrow the weather is supposed to be ugleeeeeeee so no school. It is better to be safe than sorry. So, I have dedicated this blog to talk about the triumphs and tragedies of 2008. The first triumph is the starting of the blog. I know that I have posted in the past that I never thought blogging would be part of my routine, but it become that. I have enjoyed writing about CFF and some of the happenings this past year, and I do plan to continue the practice. Another triumph is my teachers who have tested the waters and come out of their comfort zones to try new ideas dealing with the integration of technology. I applaud their efforts, and at the same time I do not castigate those who are moving at a slower pace. I do understand the trepidation and concern about the impact of trying to integrate technology. All of my teachers know that I will be there to further their forays. Another triumph is definitely the district's vision to make integrator positions full-time at both the primary and secondary levels. I commend them on this move. I know that my sarcasm sometimes gets into the way, but I am quite serious this time. The biggest triumph of all has to be the students who as a collective group have settled into the 21st century will little resistance, and why shouldn't they do this (rhetorical).

Now the tragedies--The first deals with the school personnel as a group (teachers and students). Everyone needs to throw away some misheld myths. First the teachers need to believe that they can accomplish PSSA preparation in a new way of conveyance. We are so caught up with testing that I worry that we are just creating students who can do well on tests but unable to think on their own. The students need to embrace technology and school from the aspect of learning and preparing for the future instead of finding the so-called easy way out. They have choices to make, and those choices are what will create a future that is proactive and not automatonish (new word created by me). I do recognize that my use of stereotypes is not indicative of all, but I do think it is above 50% for both groups. I am not that far removed from these groups because I do understand the mentality, but in the same right, I can hope for change. Finally, another tragedy is the district which continually wants to institute changes and programs but refuses to give the time to proffer the correct means to utilize those changes and programs properly. I do agree with the facilitation model of education, but I do not agree with the hodgepodge model. I do see changes there, and I will be patient because I do preach that to my teachers and students.

I know that this is the longest blog of my more than 100 entries, but in this I have not rated myself. If I had to grade myself, it would be an 88% on the Penns Valley scale. I have the wherewithal to complete my assignment, but I sometimes get bogged down in the intricacies of technology. By that last statement I mean that I know that things must work in order to embed them into the curriculum; I make sure that they do work. I also have not learned all that I need to learn about certain softwares, etc. that I need to learn. I do excel in gathering resources and being there. My goal for 2009 is to increase my grade to 90%. I am on my way there, and I will achieve it.

There you have it. I have enjoyed the ride, and I know that I will continue to enjoy it. There is much to do. I know that I will have to help change some mindsets, learn new concepts, and be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. I will do it. I thrive on the challenge and will succeed. I will be back in 2009.....Are you ready for some more wit and wisdom from the sage? I am as long as the parsley and rosemary come with it....yeah, I know that is terrible, but at least in that respect I see no reason to change that concept. Goodbye 2008--I am looking forward to 2009. I do want to wish all my loyal readers the best of holidays no matter what aspect you celebrate...................flick

December 17, 2008

Today was a little easier, but one of the areas that disappointed me was the fact that people need to take notes on material and not rely on the memory. I know I have learned that the hard way, but I have learned it. It did turn out to be a busy day with a lot of little things. I did see some alumni. One who wants my opinion of going into IT, and the other who is a successful Los Angeles film editor and cameraman. I feel the reason why people will ask me about possibilities is that I will tell them the truth. The IT person wanted to know my feelings, and I told him that his skills are not the best, and he needs to work at those before entering school. Whether he listens or not remains clouded in time. I hope that he does because one can do well there if one is motivated. I also dealt with a myriad of issues, and most are solved. I forgot to tell you that yesterday a former student stopped by who is a Penn State football player and a starter. He is really focused and has done well for himself. I like to hear from alumni. it is great to see what they are all doing. Well, I know this did not deal too much with CFF or technology, but I sometimes have to let go, and today was that day. Lance. keep up the great work; Code, listen to my advice; Josh, kick some Trojan butt. Be back tomorrow. To all of my Farsi readers....Shab khosh.....flick

December 16, 2008

I need to be able to be in more than one place at one time. I knew this day was going to be a test of being to do all that was scheduled and to get it all done. I will tell you that was tough. First the Promethean representative came and did a beautiful job of in-servicing my first year CFF teachers. It was a lot of one-on-one instructional time, and by talking with the teachers, I know they benefit ted greatly from all of the time. I wish we had more time for it. I also had several meetings from Janus to working with alumni to working with a student on html. From there I had to deal with ideas and sit in on a social studies meeting. I finally left after 5PM. It makes for a long day, but it was well worthwhile. I felt a lot got accomplished and will help with technology integration in many different areas. Even though it was stressful, the rewards will be worth it. I also obtained some information for April that will help my team to even heighten skills more. I just wish I knew the board and the software better, and I know that I will get trained this year. I must also be patient. The weather looks rough for tomorrow. Neither rain, storm, nor power outage will stay this integrator from his appointed rounds.....flick PS Thanks Wendy for all of your help. You are great!!!!!

December 15, 2008

I do apologize for not posting until now, but it has been really busy. Monday was great in that it is always a learning experience to collaborate with fellow coaches, and the representative is doing a great job to get us to do that with various tools and meetings. We went over Thinkfinity, but most importantly, we had to opportunity to look at other projects and listen to each other. I feel this networking concept is fantastic, and I came back with good ideas. Tomorrow looks like a bear, but I will get there and win....flick

December 12, 2008

It sure has been a busy day. I got to meet with the social studies chair and talk over CFF and my duties. It did go well. I also did a presentation in Media 1 with Photostory. I modified the presentation I did last week, and I thought it went better. I sometimes have to get out of the old teacher stereotype and engage the students more myself. I did that this time, and I was pleased with the outcome. I also finalized plans for the Promethean representative to come in and work with the present CFF teachers concerning problems and questions about the boards. I hope that they become prepared and utilize the time to aid them. The rest of time I had to deal with small problems to allow teachers to work with the technology. It was good getting back into the classroom teaching and modifying the lesson. I have some things to contemplate over the weekend, and on Monday, I will going to the IU to do some training and to showcase some of the student work. Have a good weekend everyone, and I will tell you about the training.

December 11, 2008

There is no school today because of the impending weather, but I am here shackled to the computer doing some housekeeping. I know the district will take some complaints about this, but with the forecast, it made the right call--enough for that. I have to reschedule two meetings and a classroom presentation, which I had scheduled today. I will check with the people involved to see if they can be done tomorrow. It is nice working here on this day with no interruptions. Well, not much so else so to all of my Swedish readers God Dag!!!

December 10, 2008

I spent most of the day working with resources and helping teachers with small problems. I do wish Promethean would have added automatic updates for their software. I am going to have to create a directive for the teachers to do this. Promethean is coming the 16th to do some presentations and answer questions for teachers. Also, I want the presentations to focus more on math and language arts. I am going to bring her back in to in-service the new teachers who are coming on board. The meeting with the Penns Valley Janus team went very well. The two students who are creating the project came well prepared and wowed the group. They are going to have their work cut out for them, but I know they will do well. The project involves three of the high schools in Centre County to create a five-minute video to aid Penn State in getting a NASA grant to build a satellite to pinpoint gamma ray bursts in hopes of finding more about the age and origins of the universe. There will be a lot of work in the coming days. Hey, I will meet up with you tomorrow.. Happy Wednesday!!!!! flick

Roman God Janus

December 9, 2008

I met with the science department chairman to discuss the role of CFF and my role within the school district; it was a good meeting. I also set up a meeting with the social studies chairman for Thursday. Then I will meet with the rest of the teachers individually to assess where they are and where they want to go. I am also doing some nuts and bolts things here since the IT person left, but it is not too much. I also helped a student develop some CSS for a web site she was creating for the wrestling team. I have a meeting with the Janus group tomorrow after school to finalize the format of the video as well as have the students present their ideas to the group--a great project. It is nice working with PSU on such an important project:more about this tomorrow. Well, as you can tell by the post date that this is a little late. I have been busy. Tomorrow, dude!!!!!!

December 8, 2008

The oracle is at work again. I am thinking of moving to Adelphi and buying a crystal ball. This was the day to answer a plethora of questions and trying to make sure the answers were cogent and viable. There are two I am contemplating, and I am not sure which way to go, cut I will research them and get the necessary information to arrive at a good decision. I also set up meetings with teachers for this week, signed up for the PETE&C conference, which I have never attended but heard it is great, developed some tutorial material, and updated the wiki. I need to do some rearranging there. Hey, not too bad for an AARP member. Seriously, the amount of work is increasing, and I do love the myriad of projects. Time is a definite factor for all concerned, but one has to learn to budget and prioritize. It will all get there. Be back tomorrow, and AH that is going to happen next Thursday; I will send you more details...flick

Decemberr 5, 2008

I find it quite interesting that people think a wysiwyg will solve all of their problems without learning basics. This is one problem I encounter when dealing with teachers and students who think that a program will solve all of their problems. I liken it to cooking a meal without the ingredients. Also, when something does not work, it is the fault of the technology and not the user. Instead of finding the answer, it is easier to just capitulate. I guess I am different. I know that some answer exists, and I will try to find it. I many times use the very technology vilified by others to gain enlightenment. Unfortunately, the defeatist attitude is not something that has just manifested itself; it is a carry over from before. I really thought that with the ease of access for information that this would abate, but, alas, it does not. Okay, okay, I am off of my lectern. I met with the district IT wizard, and I we were able to talk over a lot of matters. I know that he has budget constraints, and I am willing to work with him concerning them. It was good. I also set up my agenda for next week, and it will be meeting with teachers, honing the wiki, and dealing with matters. I feel matters are progressing well. Oh, I know that I have to get my log up-to-date. Have a nice weekend.....flick

December 4, 2008

Yep, it was quite busy. The supposed oracle had to deal with a lot of issues. I am glad the elementary IT person was here to help. I know that technical is not my emphasis; it still has to be done. I was able to meet with three teachers today to discuss matters, and I have a tentative time set up for the Promethean specialist to come in and do some in-servicing in December and February. I also have some Janus meetings ready to go. I am glad that things are going well, and I have a tremendous amount to do. It will all come together. I have a departmental meeting to attend in five minutes. Tomorrow, baby, al a Kojak (dating myself).

December 3, 2008

I just realized that it is already December. It was a very busy day. Since the IT man left, people are coming out of the woodwork. I am mostly working with the CFF equipment. The day went really fast because all I had to do. Oh, I also thought the lesson worked well. I used an online tutorial for it www.jakesonline.org It really worked great and was quite appropriate for the novice. I prefaced the assignment and checked constantly for understanding. I did not use the pairs or anything like that because it did not lend itself to it. I also had a handout for those who like the hands on approach and dealt with all concepts of the program. I also told them I wanted the fruits of their labor for presentations, but I also told them that they created it, and I wanted to have their consent to use it. I think that surprised them a whole lot. I expect them to follow copyright so why shouldn't I follow the same concept. Well, tomorrow is another day, and I will be ready for it. So all of you loyal readers who are glad that I am back blogging be ready for another post. It will happen.......For all of you readers who speak Swahili "Kwaheri!"

December 2, 2008

In-service: the very name can strike fear and loathing into many a teacher's psyche. Today was an in-service day, and although I do see a need for having them, I do feel that my enthusiasm in this category was waned somewhat over the eons of time, but if I am to model, I need to see the model in action. I did that and feel comfortable with what is happening and how to approach the philosophical concept. I got what I needed and will put it to good use tomorrow when I will model and teach Photo Story 3 to a group of juniors. I am well prepared, but as a teacher, I know that anything can happen. Back in the saddle again. I will let you know.

November 26, 2008

Ahhhhh (I just thought I would add a few "h's" for emphasis), the day before vacation, and it was nice to catch up on some things and say goodbye to others. I said goodbye to the IT person and was able to prepare for next week. I know that my services for various activities will increase, and I am quite happy about that. I am preparing for the PhotoStory presentation next Wednesday. I also sent along some links for resources to all teachers, and I talked with someone interested in the elementary technology position. Also, at this time, some of the former alums stop by to see how things are going. It is always great to check up on what they are doing. There is not too much to write, but I will be regaling all of you in the coming weeks with the Tales of the CFF Coach. Eat your heart out Stan Lee! Sorry, I cannot illustrate worth a crap... Happy Thanksgiving to all.

November 25, 2008

It is great when you hear an alumnus and former students is doing great things. I am adding to links at the bottom of the blog for you to view a speech given by a former student of mine who is now president of the graduate students at Clemson University. He is giving a speech on the state of the university along with the presidents of the university and the undergraduate president. All I can say that is I am proud of his accomplishments and his future accomplishments. He is currently working on his doctorate. Now, back to reality. I have been working on presentations next week, and they are going great. I am looking forward to working with the classes. I also have a problem with one of the boards seizing. I have updated the driver. I am now going to reinstall the software hoping that makes a difference. I also have been talking with teachers and getting ready for the installation on January 8th of the remaining whiteboards. Today has been a lot calmer, and I am thankful.

November 24, 2008

A very short week but if itoday is any indication of what it is going to be like, give me a long week any day. I found out today via email that part of our CFF is not up to date so I took it upon myself, after I checked out the responsibility of filling out this form, of course, to bring us up to date. It is not quite done, and I will finish it tomorrow. I also had to perform some menial duties and prepare for a presentation tomorrow and one after Thanksgiving. I also had to perform some duties with my workstation. Via email I found a disturbing site called Vexspot. The premise of this site is to thread anonymously about anything. I call it disturbing because I could not believe some of the vile comments I read about people in different school districts. I relayed the information to IT which blocked the site immediately. Many thanks to the listserv. Also, thanks to the listserv, I was able to look at Mikogo. This is a collaboration type software which will interface with Skype. I can conference with people I invite and show them my desktop. This could work with tutoring students on specific problems or with teachers. I like the looks of it, and will test it further. I must admit that I am looking forward to the Thanksgiving break. It is now snowing and all activities after school were canceled; maybe a delay tomorrow--we will see. Have a great evening, I will be back on the blogging circuit tomorrow.

November 21, 2008

Can you believe a two-hour delay? That is what happened today. It was good because I was able to get more done in the way of paperwork and prepare for the onslaught after the holidays. Another teacher approached me about doing some work with The Odyssey. I have taught the book so I asked her about what did she want the students to learn from the exercise. Every teacher has different concepts he/she wants the students to learn from any piece of writing. I will await her ideas. I also have been updating the wiki and should have most of it done by Thanksgiving. It is so hard to believe that there are so many sites on there, and I know there are more to go. I also will send the resource around to all the teachers so they know what is available. I did also create a tutorial for youtube users. It has been a good day. Now, I am ready for the weekend. Oh, a side note, with the IT person leaving, I am noticing an increase in teachers calling me to fix problems. I do not want this to take my time, but I know that I am going to have to help out in this area until we get a new one. I do have a problem with a board freezing. I downloaded the new driver, but it did not cure then problem. I am not sure if it is a Vista problem or not so i had her try XP to see if it worked better. I will post to let people know. Have a great weekend......... Do svidaniya!!!!

November 20, 2008

I look back and see that I have posted over 100 entries in my blog--I think that is amazing since I was hesitant about starting one. One of my teachers came and asked for a tutorial on Vista, and I said sure. As I look at the voluminous information, I have changed my mind and asked her what specifically she wants to know. I figure that would be much easier. I used today to play catch up on a lot of things from emailing to networking with people. Tomorrow I will be in the classroom working on several projects for teachers. I just got the classroom installation schedule for January 8, and I will have to construct a schedule to minimize disruptions. I guess we have to do what we have to do. I will send out links to my wiki and pvasd/shared to tell teachers what is available. Sometimes you lead a horse....aww you know the rest. Busy day and got caught up on a lot of things. Be back tomorrow....flick

November 19, 2008

I am going to being this blog with a little lesson in Roman mythology. Janus was the Roman god for gates, doors, etc. The district is partnering with PSU to help them obtain a NASA grant to build a satellite (JANUS-Joint Astrophysics Nascent Universe Satellite) to look into the deepest regions of our universe to find gamma bursts and study them hoping to find objects that were the first to form after the so-called "Dark Ages." I have gathered two students who will, with a team of teachers and the asst. super, construct a video to show the involvement of the community in this project. The video will be 3-5 minutes in length, but this video will take many hours for work. The students are excited about the project, and it will involve a lot of our students in grades k-12. A nice challenge and project for all. I also met with some teachers about working with technology and have scheduled times to meet with them and go over a plan. I also had a request to do a tutorial on Vista. I have begun to deal with the basics and should finish next week. I also am pushing for more of our teachers to become Keystone Technology Integrators. I feel this is an important attribute to have and will enable our teachers to network more. Finally, so I can leave you all with a smattering of what I do, I have talked with a colleague about getting a coaching certification to broaden horizons and take the classes with me. Check back tomorrow all of you CFFFLICK readers, err I mean reader, for more in the life of CFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFlick!!!!! Stan Lee, eat your heart out.

November 18, 2008

I have been doing informal interviews with the faculty to find out the needs and desires with respect to their integration of technology, etc. I find their levels to be across the spectrum, and I am going to have to accommodate myself to their level. I do not think it will be too hard because I dealt with that last year and as a teacher all my life. I also had a teacher (So-called Deb Harry) who wants to do a PhotoStory project. I will create the tutorial, and we will be ready to go. She also gave me enough lead time to help her prepare, which is good. I also talked with the librarian who really loves the use of technology and is a strong proponent of it. She loved my wiki, and it is almost ready for updates. I know that I will also have to realign material to further meet some needs. She was also impressed with the amount of audio books, etc. that I have accumulated. It is a work in progress.

November 17, 2008

Trying to get gathered after a a five-month hiatus is more difficult than I thought, but I am getting there. I have met with almost all of the CFF teachers and got a sense of where they are. They are doing well with the integration of technology and are using it. There are still some hardware problems, and time is still an issue with all. They are also overwhelmed with some of the other initiatives. I am now going to meet with some of the new CFF teachers who will be receiving their equipment next month. I know that the Embedded Learning will begin in January, for those taking the course for Act 48 credits. I am talking with the teachers today at a meeting outlining my duties, CFF, and the resources available. I am updating the wiki and preparing other concepts for the teachers. Since the job is all encompassing, I must prepare for all curricula, which is something I took into account last year. I will look for other available material to help supplement and implement technology into the classroom. I love the challenge and look forward to working along the side of my colleagues within the classroom....flick

November 14, 2008

Oh, sometimes one has to go to a conference, and one wonders why one is there. The conference did not help me but the networking was invaluable. I believe that sometimes things happen for a reason, and I do hope that these contacts and conversations will work out well. I must say that the information I had at this conference was old hat, but I attended to get the new administration up to speed with the CFF program. I know this is a short blog entry, but I will reiterate that this blog will only deal with CFF and my job. CIAO!!!!!!

November 13, 2008

Today, I met with several teachers and surveyed them on their use of technology and my role with them. It was quite productive, and almost to a tee most of them talked about the time they have to deal with it to learn it and feel comfortable with its use. I know that this is a problem, and I talked about it in my last entry. We also have to deal with some hardware issues that need a resolution, and I plan to act as an advocate in that area. I co-taught a class today dealing with how to use Dreamweaver to create web sites for use within the classroom and curriculum. I foresee other problems in the area of hardware support, and I will deal with this issue as it arises. I just found out news that our IT person is leaving for another job. I do understand his decision and wish him the best. This will create a chasm here, and who knows when this ditch will be filled. The powers need to look at this position and create some permanence by being creative. Already I have to deal with uncertainty, but it something that comes with the territory. Tomorrow I am scheduled to deal with embedded learning in State College. I will update you on that. Happy Thursday.....

November 12, 2008

I'm back. I know that it is a scary thought, but I am back. My job has been changed to a secondary technology integrator; it is a full-time position. The powers approached me in August about making the position permanent, and I jumped at the chance. I feel that it is very important to have a person who is able to assist teachers and students with technology and not just technology for technology's sake. It has to be viable and legerdemainical; otherwise, one will get caught in a trap of entertaining or busy work....a la...ad nauseum worksheets. I have begun meeting with my second year teachers to find out what they need, and tailor the ideas for them. I feel one of my biggest roles will be to coach the teachers into using and knowing the software and the new OS. The powers continually introduce new concepts and do not spend the time teaching the one who use it and need to integrate it into their teaching. This policy is contrary to all teaching strategies. One must prepare all students for new concepts; this will smooth the transition and help the learning curve. I know that I will be bucking a lot of people, but I feel it is worth it. This will bring about less stress and help the educational process from top to bottom. I will be giving updates from day to day and talk about the good, the bad, and of course me, the ugly. It feels good to be blogging again, and I will keep it entirely with CFF and technology and education. Till tomorrow..........flick

June 20--July 19-2008

I have not been keeping up with the blog, but there is new to report. In this first part, I am going to lambaste the Pennsylvania legislature for cutting the funding for CFF. I understand that there are budget constraints, but I cannot understand why they would cut something that works and is so vital to education. I actually wrote to the members of the legislature before the budget vote, and I got what I expected--no reply at all. In my 30 years of teaching, I have seen some crap come out of the legislature concerning education, but to cut a program that is working is ludicrous. Okay, off the soapbox. The next big news is that our principal is leaving for a new job. He was an advocate of the students and cared about all aspects of the school. He will be missed. Now we have uncertainty with who the replacement will be. I have been working on CFF material but not with a lot of diligence. I will be heading back to the classroom for the upcoming school year with mixed emotions,and I have been preparing for that return. I love teaching and I will be able to integrate the technology into my class, but I do worry about my role with the other teachers and students. I will not sacrifice my students. It might be an interesting fall. Well, that is my update; I do have a few more items to post, but I need to leave that for future bloggings because I have to view them with calmer feelings so I do not make any mistakes in my writing. Talk with you later........

June 12-19

See, I told you that you have not heard the last of me. With the last days of school behind us as well as the in-service day, it is my turn for the thoughts which has plagued my mind for the last week. There is a lot to do with this job, and I do relish the various concepts I have learned, and the teachers and students whom I have helped. I never knew what to expect or which tangent I would embark. It was a good experience I would not have traded for too much. The most important aspect I have learned is patience--both with one's self and others. Thank goodness we are all different and not an Ayn Rand society where one is placed in an occupation with no thought and no desire for something else. Working with adults and their uniqueness has allowed me to see the whole educational process in a different spectrum compared to just working with students. I get to see superior teaching prowess and a whole new respect for my colleagues, but I also get to see doubt and frustration, which are also good to have because I find that leads me to reflect upon my own complications. I try to be honest with myself and the people whom I work with. I find this to be the best policy. I am not a panacea, but I look at myself as one grain of sugar in that special pill. Will this grant work? It can if it is supported correctly. It does take money, but more importantly it takes support, willingness, success, and belief. This reflection is nothing new and applies to many functions, but in my 30 years in education, I have seen many initiatives come down the proverbial pike and fail due to a breakdown in one of the aforementioned concepts. I am anxious to be an active part in the failure or success (or somewhere in between those two absolutes) of this initiative. Does this first year give me a hint of the placement on the continuum? No, it is too early for me to speculate and there are way too many variables that are beyond my influence. I do know that I am the consummate optimist with a smattering of realist thrown in for good measure. I do sometimes wish I were the Oracle at Delphi, and I would have the answer. Alas, I reserve that function for others who exercise control over items beyond my menial grasp. I can answer that it will work for me. I will blog periodically over the break to collect my thoughts and prepare for next year (I also cannot disappoint my limitless readership[cough, gasp, spittle]). Check in; you never know what you may find.

June 11, 2008

This week's trite idiom would have to be "same old, same old." Basically it is just working on IT problems and getting ready for the end of the year. I expected this, and I am dong okay with it, but it sure does not give my blog anything scintillating for my loyal reader(s) to sink his (their) teeth into (gotta love the triteness of this blog). I am getting ready to go back to the classroom next year and begin all of this anew. I will end this brief blog entry with some other great saying, but I am at loss for one--oh, here it is....ready..."all's well that end's well." b bck tmrow.

June 10, 2008

Well, the meeting is over, and I know for sure that I am headed back to the classroom for the first half of the year. I am okay with that because I have been doing it for 30 years, and I do love being there. I do worry about CFF because I will have a full load of teaching with dean of students duties, but at the meeting I had with the teachers i told them to be patient with me next year, and I will get to them as soon as possible. There has alos beena last minute rush among faculty and students to get projects accomplished so that has kept me busy as well as no IT right now. AHHHHHHHHH, it all works out.

June 9, 2008

It is a sizzler, and no, not a steak. It is quite hot here in PA, and it is finals week. I am not working with the teachers too much except dealing with tech problems. It has given me a chance to catch up on some housekeeping duties. I am also preparing for my meeting with the powers tomorrow and finishing some teaching duties for Media II. The slowdown is really needed, but in the same light, I am doing some preparing for next year, even as I am writing this. I figure one can never have enough resources. I am also preparing for my last CFF meeting for the year. We just need to wrap up the year, and I need to hear both the good and the bad. I know the journal entries are a little short right now, but there is not too much happening. I will let you know how the meetings went and some of the discussion....flick

June 6, 2008

I guess someone today decided to celebrate the anniversary of D-Day by throwing a bomb scare into the mix. We had to shutdown the entire building and evacuate. This action took two hours out of the day and resulted in very little. I do sometimes wonder about the actions of some people, but I am not a psychologist, etc. I will leave the "why's" to someone more knowledgeable than I to answer that question. I am still having the printer problems, and it will be solved next week. I will also reflect next week on my summation of CFF--both the good and the bad--and prepare for the in-service. I know that next week will be finals in many ways. There are a lot of items for which I have no answers, and this weekend will be a great time to put it all into perspective. I know I am being somewhat specious in what I am writing, but this is how I feel at this time. I will illuminate more next week. Hey, have a great weekend, and we will wrap this up next week.

June 5, 2008

Shades of yesterday have really pervaded my day but that is how it happens. There just seem to be a lot of problems but that is all part of the grant. I have a printer that is really causing me some constipation--er, I mean consternation; I need to take it apart. It will be nice when we have a full-time IT person on board. I am getting ready for some meetings next week, and I am preparing for the final CFF meeting. Most of the teadhers are reviewing at this time so I have a lull in the classroom action. It will give me time to catch up on a lot of things. I also need to finish a class that I am partially teaching. The students know what I expect for a final project so we will see what does happen. O' what tomorrow may bring!

June 4, 2008

You have these days every once in awhile when everything just heaps (not Uriah, for you literary fans) upon you, and you constantly try to keep your head above water. The problems migrated from mundane to serious and back to mundane before the end of the day, but I kept pace and won. We also had an IT meeting to map out the summer plans from a technical standpoint. It is really neat to see the inner workings of all of this. I must admit that I did enjoy being part of the process. I already have my list for tomorrow and wonder what might exacerbate that list or mollify it. I still enjoy the spontaneity of the position even though days like this exist. I will sign in tomorrow because I am sure you are awaiting the outcome.

June 3, 2008

Solved the problem with biology class in a unique way. I do not understand why the Shockwave will not work under the student account so we had to create a new account. It should work. Also, the wireless system had an upgrade which should improve reception. I also had a meeting with the powers to discuss both CFF and nonCFF materials. Found out the in-service has changed again. I will make the adaptations necessary. The rest of the day was spent troubleshooting and working on a lot of different things. I know I have said this before, but I say it again, "I enjoy the many different problems one must face in a day. One never knows what will pop up next." Having said that, I am ready for what may happen tomorrow. I do have a meeting scheduled with the IT department to talk over the plans for next year. I do not know how I fit into those plans as of yet, but I do hope the meeting next week will shed some light on the subject.

June 2, 2008

Off to the races; oh yeah--school is winding down--two weeks from today--and I am quite busy. Did not get home until 9:30 last night because of meetings. Ya gotta love those over 14-hour days. I have to update Shockwave on a bunch of computers for a bio class tomorrow. I could not figure out why it did not work until the classes began, but now I know the answer. I have been working on the image, etc. There is a lot to get done before the break, but it will happen. I attended a meeting last night with a community group and techie group to complete a three-year technology plan for the district and the state. It was quite interesting to hear the views from the community, but most are quite viable. I am in agreement that there is a heightened interest in community communication, and we need to do a better job of promoting what happens as a district and the work their respective children are expected to accomplish. I know that in order to achieve this there has to be a logical progression in how it is handled, and I firmly believe we are headed there. I am learning a lot of patience from this job. I found a youtube video that has a little role reversal and can explain the patience one must have on either side of the fence. I love the video and puts a lot into perspective. Tomooooooooorrow!!!

May 30, 2008

The last day of the week. There was no IT person today so I had to handle most of it, and I had to do the proverbial myriad of activities from transforming film to handling formatting problems. I also was in the classrooms talking with CFF teachers about finishing their work and getting their business together for the summer. It was a very busy day, and I did survive. I also had to get items ready for the sports banquet and Oozefest. I have checked my schedule and know that I have several meetings next week. Oh well, ya gotta do what you have gotta do. I also know that the image I have been delaying needs to be done. Next week will be June, and the days are surely winding down. Well, I will be back next week. I have already decided to do a weekly journal over the summer--who knows; it might be daily--because I will have some work to do to get ready for next year.

May 29, 2008

I got back from training today, and I must say that I dreaded coming back because I know what happens when I am out. So far it has not been too bad. I dealt with three tech issues and a missing laptop. The missing laptop has been found in another room, so that is done. I am catching up on paper work and beginning to prepare for next year when I will be back in the classroom. I do miss the interaction with students, but I have enjoyed this job. I love the discovery. I know that I am sometimes criticized for not giving all of the answers, but I feel discovery is one of the best teachers; I will remain a disciple of that course. The training I had the last two days reinforced that same concept. Again, the instructor brought out the essentials and let us discover how to do concepts to create something using Adobe products. I found this gratifying and frustrating, but I was able to do the work because I have that drive to find the answers. I hate cookie cutter concepts, but I also realize that everyone is not like me. I have realized in my eons of teaching that giving the answers does not usually work when dealing with retention. I am a facilitator, and i am happy with that. I have a meeting soon with the powers to discuss the future with reference to this job. I will have the questions ready, and we will see. Well, now that I am caught up with blogging, I am ready to move on. Iglesias

May23, 2008

I know I am getting back to this almost a week later, but with the memorial Day weekend and being at a conference for two days, I guess I have an excuse. I worked very hard on getting a lot done for when I was out. I emailed all CFF teachers to complete the surveys, got my log up-to-date, which I need to complete by next Friday, made sure teachers had all of the material they needed, etc. I also had to work on some technical problems. All in all it was a good day, and I feel ready to be out for two days. We are still having problems with the Lenovos, and I find the tech support to be less than stellar. I know the ghost image will help, and i must complete it. Next week.

May 22, 2008

I got to spend a lot of time working on paperwork, etc. in my office today. I also got a chance to network with teachers and have some discussions about various topics. I also met with some CFF teachers who have volunteered to help me with the in-service using GPS units, geocaching, and Google Earth. I had to deal with some hardware problems and talk with some students who were using anonimizers. The use of anonimizers or proxies is becoming very tough to control. They are difficult to block because the groups change IP's frequently. The AUP states the nonuse of these, but I know students. I need to work on updating the wiki, but I feel that will be next week. I have training next week for Adobe products, and I am looking forward to that. I have used Adobe products for years and find them to be quite good. It will nice to learn some new tricks with them. The week ends tomorrow so I will be back with an end of the week wrap up. BBBBBBBBBBBback

May 21, 2008

The light bulb went on today with some problems, and I am slowly working through those. I do not know how it hit me, but it did. Being out the last two days has really put me behind, and it was quite hectic here at the old ranch. Tomorrow must be a day when I catch up on embedded learning and getting ready for the surveys we need to finish CFF for the year. I also have a lot of loose ends to tie up, as well as getting ready for the June 16th in-service. I know teachers are getting ready for finals, et al., and they are not using technology as much. Since it is the first year, I do understand the reluctance, but I still am seeing innovation. I am doing a lot of reflection through this first year of everything, and I will be sharing with you in future blogs. There is a lot of good, but there are some things that can be different. I am the eternal optimist when it comes to most things, and I carry that same optimism through all of this.

May 16, 2008

I feel like a firefighter today who is constantly on call putting out fires. Things are not working correctly, and I am trying to figure out solutions. I will be out of town until next Wednesday so that I will have time to think of things. I guess I will not be looking forward to Wednesday, but I will get the fires extinquished. I will be back next Wednesday.

May 15, 2008

I told you life would be better today. There has been another change in the in-service for the last day of school. I will just leave it at that. It sure does change what I had planned. Most of this day dealt with IT problems, and of course, one problem will be quite difficult to solve. The new hard drives came in for the Lenovo's, and that has been fun since the image does not work so I will have to take the laptop and rebuild it to create a new image. I am beginning to wonder if my first statement wasn't sarcastic. Yep, it was. I knew that these things would happen. On a brighter note, I have begun working with a new GPS program. I find it fascinating and am looking forward to delving more into what it can accomplish. I see a lot of good possibilities from it. I think I will just give this week one more day and see what happens.

May 14, 2008

I must say that this week is interesting as this day. I could not even begin to fathom some of the things I have been involved with from this job. Today I was asked to help in the creation of a self grammar tutorial to aid students with grammar skills. It will be a tough and interesting undertaking to say the least (colloquial, huh?). I also worked with converting a tape to DVD for class use, set up a Wheel of Fortune game for a class review, did a walkabout to check on updating desktops, worked in a classroom on wiki development, and that is about all I can remember. Oh, I worked on some tutorials for CFF and others. I am proud of what teachers are doing, but in the same light I feel that they are not availing themselves of things I have created as well as branching out into deeper water. I know that I need that same patience that I preach, and I do realize that time is a factor. I am just in one of those moods where I see so much and expectations are not being met on the whole. I really see some bright spots, and those excite me. I will shake this feeling tomorrow. As usual, I will be back!!!!!!

May 13, 2008

I got the laptop resurrected from the ashes. I guess I will have to change the name from Lenovo to Phoenix. I know a terrible sense of humor. I am still finshing installing programs and getting two new hard drives from Lenovo to fix some laptops. I also worked on the embedded learning to get all of my facilitating done with that. I need to work on some items here at school such as my IAP, etc. I know there is not much written, but I am busy. I also am working with teachers individually on projects. With it being the end the year, it is quite hectic. Also, I am helping with the planning for the summer to redo servers, etc. We are working on the AUP, domains, and possibly student email. There is a lot to consider and have in place. It does look like we have a new techie, and that will help a lot. So much to do and think about that I think there might be a mind implosion; naw, it will all get done. BRB

May 12, 2008

I will tell you that I would classify today as being a mish mash day. I am not sure the coinage of the word, but my definition would be a hodgepodge. I had a teacher laptop go afoul today, and I am trying to resurrect it. I will have to continue it tomorrow. I also dealt with numerous housekeeping details which required attention. I know that I need to work with the class today and try to finish the rest of the paperwork. I tried to do a tutorial on Google Earth, but somehow my file became corrupted so I had to uninstall and reinstall it. It still went well, but I wish I could have show them the material. I am doing an in-service presentation for June 16th, and this is an option I gave to the powers. I need to know what topic I need to address to begin the preparation. This is going to be a busy last month.

May 9, 2008

We are doing graduation project presentations today, and I spent most of the day troubleshooting and helping students with last minute glitches. I also found out that the Lenovo's have a digital card reader. Did not know that one. I also caught up on various items that were put on the back burner because of my conferencing. I got most of it done except the blog, and I will sneak in this weekend and do some work and be up-to-date. It was an interesting week, and I was happy to be a part of it. Next week!!!!!!!!

May 8, 2008

I am now in another part of the state at a conference in Williamsport dealing with video conferencing, and here is another conference that made my socks go up and down. What a great technological aspect to add to a classroom! There were four that really enthralled me. The first was a conference with the National Archives. What a great place and conference! David Rosenbaum did a fantastic job of putting things together for us, and the best part is that it is free. The second dealt with the Cleveland Museum of Art. I did not think that this was going to be good, but the presenter Arielle Levine did a magnificent job with Greek gods and heroes. The NASA one and the WWII Museum also were quite good. The NASA one is also free. It gave me great ideas to share with my staff, and I am going to get the video conferencing equipment out of storage and put it together to make it work. I was amazed and happy with what I saw and have great ideas on integrating it into the classroom. I will have to digest it, but it was quite palatable. Tomorrow!!!!

May 7, 2008

I am sitting here in Harrisburg at an innovative technology integration conference, and I must say that this a good conference with respect to resources. BER has done a great job in collecting voluminous resources to aid teachers in the classroom. I will have to add a lot of these to my wiki-- http://cffflick.wikispaces.com . I also like the ideas presented to integrate within the classroom setting. I feel I will have to digest a lot of the matter. I have learned a lot of new ideas. I also helped people with communication software and sent a file to Afghanistan. It does sound crazy. In this world, we must be able to multi-task, and I am working at being able to do that. If this entry sounds disjointed, it is because this is how my mind is working at this time. Tomorrow, I will be in Williamsport for a vid conferencing seminar. It has been a busy week. I will be back tomorrow.

May 6, 2008

I am sitting here listening to people from PDE and Wilkes talk about Embedded Learning, et. al. I know we have to attend this meeting for the grant, but I find it to be abou 10% worthwhile. This all could have been done through a webinar. We need to mirror what we preach. I am hoping that tomorrow's conference dealing with assimilating technology into the classroom is quite valuable. I am hoping it will be. I will make sure you know the answer tomorrow. Oh, today I got to network with our new assistant super. She is going to help me solve a problem with Promethean, which I am quite happy about her assistance to solve the problem.

May 5, 2008

Hello there all you CFFFlick fans. Ooops, I am talking to myself again. I had a good meeting today with my elementary counterpart. We were able to go around and show her some of the teachers and what they are doing. We do agree we have a ways to go, and I am taking one of my own prescriptions--patience. We will get there. I did have some hardware issues to take care of, and I knew I was going to be conferncing for three days so I had to get things ready. The student techie has been great in helping me. I finalized plans with the IU man to take care of the CFF meeting. There was some IT problems but nothing significant. We are exploring some student email plans. I know this creates some red flags, but I feel we can manage it with minimal problems. It will have to be monitored well and often, but I know we need to implement this to aid in wiki and blog creations. Since this week is so crazy, I missed a nice show yesterday at PSU dealing with educational technology. I hated to do so, but I will be out three days already. I will back with all of you (one) tomorrow.

May 2, 2008

I am sitting in front of the puter in extreme awe. Now you are asking yourself why? I am going to tell you. I found a loyal reader who reads my blog to cure insomnia. Yep, it works. I am going to patent the blog and give it out to the medical world. Just kidding, A. No, I had a great meeting with my elementary counterpart. We finalized plans for the June 16 in-service in a preliminary fashion basing the offerings upon some questions that need to be answered. We also agreed to push a plan for student email because we need that to incorporate this into our technology requirements. We know the dangers (and they can be mitigated with the right client), but the rewards are much higher. We will meet again on Monday and get out into the classrooms. Good meeting!!!! I worked on embedded learning and am impressed with a number of teachers finishing the course. I am still working on the responses. There was a little IT today but nothing of any record. The learning curve is getting less and less, and as I stressed to my teachers taking the course, one must have patience. The learning curve will gradually become a straight line, but we must all work toward that. Yes, there will be bumps and potholes, but everything can be leveled. Have a great weekend. Sleep well!!!!!! LOL

May 1, 2008

Happy Uno de Mayo--Yep, I know there is really no such thing, but why wait until the 5th. A very busy day; I did an in-service for the middle school teachers on Inspiration and Skype as well as a little bit on Google Earth. I prepared tutorials for them. I also explained my role as a coach, and how they could rely on me to aid in their endeavors to add technology into their respective classrooms. I am first and foremost a resource person. I then dealt with problems around the school since we still do not have a full-time IT person. I followed that with some purchase orders, etc. I also helped some teachers with integration and viewed what they have done. I told them i want to place those items on a shared folder for all to see and get ideas. I really must admit that I do love the various aspects which I do have involvement. I like being able to delve into a passion of mine and see it put to practical use. Almost the end of the week, and I am ready for the break. I do have a meeting tomorrow with my elementary counterpart. We do think very much alike on the integration of technology. It is also great to network with someone.

April 30, 2008

I had to work on budget requisitions, troubleshooting, and copying audiobooks, etc. The requisitions will allow me to do more things with my students. I am still having trouble with the node even though I have restarted it several times. The audiobooks are a project in elementary. I also had to be the Oracle at Delphi today dealing with several matters, and I will be meeting with the middle school teachers tomorrow. I plan to talk about Google Earth and Inspiration--if I have time, I will also deal with Office 2007. These are all solid programs, and I have tutorials for each. Again, each teacher must realize that I will supply them with the basics, and they need to explore from there. Discovery is an important tool for students and for adults. I also have to get ready for next week; I will be out three days for conferences. Don't you just love it, now. I am ready to pack it in for a day. I cannot believe that April 2008 is gone forever. I am of the philosophy that time is relative to the constraints that man has placed on it, but it can be bent and altered by the same people who have put the constraints upon it. I love doing that.

April 29, 2008

I'm back. Okay enough of the movie quotes. I feel one of the wireless nodes we placed in the school is malfunctioning. One room of laptops will only let a few students log on. I have contacted the disrict network administrator to bring in the group to check it out. Other than that, I helped a teacher with PowerPoint Jeopardy. It is working well. The students are having a good time with it and using it to review. I am finding out more and more the different ideas the teachers are using to help parlay information. By engaging the students, they will learn. I also spent a tremendous time working on embedded learning. A lot of teachers are completing the course. There is also some controversy with respect to Wilkes. Wilkes is now offering those teachers who did not take it for credit to do so by writing a paper. Those teachers who chose to take it for credit had a minimum of eight weeks to finish the course and are upset at the fact that others can get credit with a longer period of time. I do not know why Wilkes is doing this, but I do have my thoughts. See you tomorrow.

April 28, 2008

I was here early, of course, and the floodgates opened by 7. Fixed that problem. The internet went down. Laptops would not connect. Saw some awesome flip books made in PowerPoint. Taught a class. Did Dean work. Solved the gas problem (oops, that is tomorrow). Worked with Active Directory. Worked on embedded learning. Copied DVD's for student. Worked on audiobook for elementary. I am sure I am forgetting something, but I forgot what that was ( I know that delves into a redundant redundancy). It sounds like I am complaining, but I am not. It is great to broaden my own horizons and see how all of this is working together. I am just amazed at all of the things I get into in a day, and I vowed to make a list today of everything that invloved me. Well, half way through, the list went by the wayside. I must commend the teacher who used PPT as a flip book. It is fantastic, and she told me how much her students were engaged in the topic. I saw the results, and it took me back to when I used to doodle and make a flip book with a tablet. I thought it was creative and allowed the students to think logically and sequentially. Teachers are expanding their comfort zones to incorporate old ideas with new technology. They are starting to, as they say, "Get It!" Keep up the great work. What a great day to be involved with all of this. I will be updating you tomorrow. Oh, check out the wiki http://cffflick.wikispaces.com/ It is expanding every day. I found some great software for the music people. Reflect with you tomorrow. Oh, I did forget a big concept today. I found an article that dealt with teachers on social sites. There have been problems across the country with some teachers forgetting their professional side and posting inappropriate content on MySpace and Facebook, etc. Although these items are not governed by most districts, everyone needs to remember when these are put online, anyone can read them and look at the pictures. I gave them a copy of the article so they could be aware of the ramifications. Like this blog, anything put online is accessible by someone. Curiosis scriptor -- loose translation --be careful writer.

April 25, 2008

It seems like my days are a myriad of concoctions that would make the Wizard of Id proud to be an accomplished alchemist. It is mainly a feast of so many different items that I sometimes I feel I need to break things into categories. Okay, enough, I really want to commend most of the teachers to kicking out some great work. I still am marveling at walking around the school and watching some great engagement. This is the best. I also have been working on facilitating the course. There is a lot of work with this, but more and more teachers are completing the course well. I guess one has figured that this blog is mostly a scattering of ideas that have been moving around the cranial cavity. I am looking at the schedule for May, and I wonder how everything will get finished. Okay, okay, I am done, next week will be a good one....Have a great weekend.

April 24, 2008

Well, this is the second time I am trying to blog this day. Our IP provider is doing some upgrades to the internet. I wish the group would use a different time other than school hours. Yesterday was a half day for me. I spent most of the time facilitating the embedded learning course. three more teachers have completed the course, but I must go in a check their work. Cassie says "hi" to everyone. I have several more hours working with the course, and I will do that tomorrow. I also had to troubleshoot several problems....Tasher says "Hi!" They were all successful. Talk with you tomorrow.

April 23, 2008

Happy Shakespeare's birthday and Happy Secretary's Day (Administrative Assistant)--I have to watch out and politically correct--yeah. I have a teacher working on a Romeo and Juliet unit. I researched some sites and downloaded a Jeopardy game for her. She is trying hard to integrate the technology into her unit. I also have a math teacher who is working on a nonlinear powerpoint so students can construct their own quizzes. I also have another teacher who wants his students to blog on line. The list is continuing. With all of the IT thangs and teachers broadening their scopes, it does make for a busy day. I am concerned about next year's grant with respect to the fact that my time will be limited. It will be difficult to teach and integrate the grant, but I believe strongly in the program; I will make it work somehow. I also had a request from the administration to present something on in-service day. I am not sure what to do so I am going to poll the teachers and find out what they might want. Hi ho, Hi ho, it's off to work I go. Thanks Walt.

April 22, 2008

Happy Earth Day to all!!! This is a time when I reflect on some of the technology and the good and harm it does to our planet. I am still the eternal optimist because I say that there is more good than harm, but with the ever burgeoning technological advances, I wish that more people would recycle their old technology the correct way. Enough of the soapbox. I spent most of the day troubleshooting. I did do some collaborative teaching, but most of it dealt with IT issues. I have also noticed that some students want to play with taking the keys off of the lappys. This creates two issues. One is the plastic breaks easily under the keys, and two teachers need to check the computers while they are being shelved. I did have my meeting after school and warned the teachers who were there about this problem and asked them to check the puters before being shelved. I also talked about the wiki and office 2007. I gave them a handout on word and nonlinear ppt's. I also told them that I have a wiki posted. Another teacher is interested on doing some online blogging with his class so I will get that ready tomorrow. We will see what tomorrow brings. adieu.

April 21, 2008

Since the IT guy left last week, today became the day I had to run interference with IT problems. I still have not solved the printing problem with CFF 1; I cannot figure out why the lappys keep dropping the printer. I will have to do some consultation. I will also have to figure out why a board stopped working. I have a meeting after school tomorrow with the CFF teachers, and it will be devoted to Office 2007. I will not be here for the next meeting in May, and I asked Eddie (CIU 10) to come in and work with them on nettrekker. I need to keep the meeting schedule and have the meetings meaningful. I have also placed some tutorials on my wiki http://cffflick.wikispaces.com/ to help teachers with the most popular programs. I plan to do this for most of the programs we use. I keep reminding the teachers of the resources there, but I am unsure of how many avail themselves of it. One must keep trying. I looked at my schedule for May, and it looks like it will be oot and aboot. It seems like organizations love to put a lot of conferences at this time. I do need these to help delve deeper into things I have to know. It seems that this job is more in line with the function of the Oracle at Delphi. I will write tomorrow............

April 18, 2008

I spent the day sitting in meetings and learning about some new software and hardware. The software deals with streaming video and its uses. I thought it was quite good. I also thought it was quite pricey. I see the benefits of this service, but I really think we need to get things in order here before venturing into this area. I could see implementation in a year or two. I like the concept of linking classes and doing lectures on line, but all of this can be accomplished with what we have. It will not be the greatest of quality, but it will be functional. The next aspect dealt with a hardware company in Syracuse called Seneca. I thought their presentation was good and viable for schools. I like their services as well as their ability to tailor a product for each individual school. I feel this is a company we need to look into and possibly avail ourselves with their products. Then we had a presentation dealing with using the Macintosh active directory. If we integrate Macs into the system next year, this will quite useful. A very productive day. Have a great weekend. While I was away, there were a few problems that i will have to deal with when I get back...All in the life.....

April 17, 2008

I guess the old adage "when it rains, it pours" is very appropriate for the day. Who could believe finding one driver for a laptop could cause such dismay. I know that it is rhetorical but true. From there, it just went downhill in that a whole class of CFF puters just did not want to log on or work properly. Then I moved to a raid boot issue, etc. I had to put all of this down today, or I would have forgotten about some of this. I put the mileage on the old shoes today. I also finished the tutorial on ppt 2007 and gave it the instructor. That is about it, and I will be out tomorrow at a TIG meeting. I will be back and ready.

April 16, 2008

Since the IT guy was out today, I had to do some double duty, but it all worked out. I also had to work on a tutorial for ppt 2007 on how to set-up a nonlinear powerpoint. I accomplished that and have it ready for her perusal. I also spent time researching and updating the wiki. I need to go through the links and give a short description of each as well as making sure the links are categorized properly. I also did a skype for a class and projected it on the whiteboard. That in itself is not earth shattering, but the fact it was from Afghanistan and dealt with one of our faculty who is serving there is a little earth shattering. The class was able to ask him questions, and it is not everyday that they get to talk and see someone in another country. Ya gotta love technology!!!!! It was a busy day, but I also can see things progressing every day--it may be minute steps, but so many steps will make a stride. Talk with you tomorrow.

April 15, 2008

Tax Day--this has nothing to do with CFF except that this is how the grant is funded so get that tax money in, and if you would like to pay more, just send it care of me--just kidding!!! I am just happy to have some of my taxes go to something worthwhile such as CFF. I was really in proverbial seventh heaven yesterday when one of my teachers stopped me and said come and look at my flipcharts. I did and was quite happy seeing how this teacher made a flipchart utilizing some of the concepts learned in a training that we attended. It was fantastic. She also said that she was sharing it with others in the department. I also sent out an email to all faculty to utilize the wiki I created for them to use as a resource. It is in constant revision, as it should be, and I am hoping that they give me other sites to add. The idea that I as a teacher have proprietary rights to something I have found is ludicrous, even though I must admit my own belief in that concept. We must be willing to share the information with all to best educate our students.

April 14, 2008

I tried to propagate a large program across the network today, and I met with NO success. I figured this might happen so I am now ready for plan B with CD's. It would have saved a lot of time and aggravation. I cannot create an image with it because it is only a few computers that need to suite. In retrospect, I guess I could, but it sometimes is worth it doing it the hard way. I am then sure of it. I had another Lenovo die today, and I have some teachers who are having problems with the laptops. I feel my fears of the Lenovo are coming to fruition. I am not having problems with the one I received because I made some alterations to it and am taking care of it, but some do not do what I do. I am worried that this will happen more and more causing the frustration level to rise with teachers and students. I will just have to be ready. I feel the image created will help solve some of the issues. I also have been working with the wiki trying to update some links and categorizing them better. I will tell you that the day flew by. I will be back tomorrow so be ready.........

April 12, 2008

I met with several teachers today to design some tutorials and class items for them to use. I also did some research to find information related to the lessons instructed. Of course, I had to handle some hardware issues, which can be very interesting. I have been researching sites for teachers and students to use, and it has completely blown me away (sorry for the triteness). I knew there was a lot out there, but since I have been looking at other disciplines, there is just so many sites that sometimes I have problems categorizing them. I know that this needs to be done to make it easier for others to access the sites. I hate going through a multiple list of links trying to find something appropriate for what I need. I thought I used a computer a lot before this job, but I think I have monitor eyes and keyboard fingers. It gives me more of an appreciation of the internet and the power of a puter. Have a great weekend.

April 10, 2008

I have been doing a lot of research today for teachers, and it has been great. Being a resource person can be time consuming, but it all pays off in the end with sum learnin'. I guess I am like the proverbial sweet tooth in a candy store when I am able to find something new or a new web site that helps in the dissemination of knowledge. I still love the aspect of learning and discovery. There is so much out there, and I know that I am only scratching the surface. I am continually updating the wiki with more and more information for teachers to use. One of the middle level teachers skyped me into her class today so her students could view the process. I also helped on some hardware issues, set up some student projects with jing, worked with audacity with students, etc. One never knows what he/she will be doing next in this job, and I like that just fine. Oh, my prinicpal showed me a video which I feel is quite appropriate for this whole initiative. It deals with a university setting, which I feel many times spouts how it should be but does not practice what is preached. It is a great video, and I hope that you enjoy it.

April 9, 2008

I had a surprise meeting from a school board member who just happened by and wanted to sit and talk. Well, it was a multi-tasking session because the IT person and I were installing a new program on a cart of laptops. The conversation went well, and the member also talked to some other teachers about a myriad of topics. I guess one could say that after 30 years I do not mince words. The rest of the day I played fireman and put out fires. I also got a chance to do some problem solving on a new Dell--haven't solved the problem yet. Oh, one of my colleagues skyped me from Afghanistan. It was good to see him, and I promised him a virtual tour of the school via webcam so he could converse with other colleagues and students. Ya gotta love technology! I also have it confirmed that our one of our IT people is leaving for sure. I wish that person a lot of luck and really do understand the plight. I need to catch up on the embedded learning and plan to come in early. I love the discussions because people tend to be more honest with the written word. This is very important to find out what people really think. I liken this concept to taking a picture of a person who is unaware that a picture is being taken. Be back tomorrow!!!!!!!!

April 8, 2008

I had my meeting with the teachers after school today, and it went well. I showed them Skype and Oovoo and had them all set up accounts. Next meeting I plan to work with the Office 2007 and help explain the ribbons to the teachers, etc. I also dealt with any other problems and related how the grant may work next year. I also worked on various hardware issues and delivered a cart to a teacher who is working great with technology. I walked by the room yesterday, and the whole class was working with Inspiration 8. I am impressed with the things that are happening. I still have to make the image for the student computers. I have one almost ready, but I do have reservations because of the problems I had before. Ya gotta love these lappys (again, notice the strong sense of sarcasm). We have to make them work so that is all. Be back tomorrow.

April 7, 2008

We are into April, the end of the third nine-week period, and on the final leg of CFF for the year. To top it all off, our IT guy is taking another job. I do understand his reasoning because of many issues, and I do wish him good luck. I mostly spent the day working on hardware concerns and trying to catch up on many items. I did okay except the embedded learning needs a couple of more hours to complete what I need to do. I have to prepare for a CFF meeting tomorrow and have heard back from a few of the teachers that they cannot be there. I have decided to answer questions and do short mini-lessons on various software. I am going to go over Skype and Oovoo so they can contact me faster and use it to talk with each other. Next meeting I am going over Office 2007. These lessons will not be intense but whet the appetite so they can explore the software at their own leisure. They are using the the media; let me preface that by saying, they are exploring the possibilities. This is good. I will inform you on how the meeting went and other tidbits. Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!

April 4, 2008

A little hardware and a lot of research is how this CFF coach chracterized the day. Of course, it is done in melodramatic style. Seriously, this week has been a great week. I had an odd email from one of my colleagues who is not part of CFF. The teacher showed great disdain over the fact that the department was not allowed to use the laptops when they would be of great benefit to the students taking the classes. I informed the teacher that one needs training and part of the grant to use the CFF materials, and also that the department would be part of next year's grant proposal. I am very glad that other teachers are taking notice of CFF and anxious to take part. Now we will see what we can obtain from the grant for next year. I know that a lot of other schools are applying for the grant so funds may be limited. Have a great weekend and enjoy the warm weather for us. PS--I almost forgot--thanks B,E,T for breakfast.

April 3, 2008

Meetings is a word that does spell out the character of my day. The first meeting involved writing the CFF grant for next year. I have worked on some grants, but the involvement of this one is quite extensive. We are considering getting Macs for this phase of the grant. It would include some changes to the network, but I have always liked the dual-platformed concept; I even feel the tri-platform as even better. In the afternoon, I attended a CFF meeting at IU10 in Philipsburg. The meeting gave CFF coaches a chance to network and look at work from the various schools. We also had a the opportunity to talk with our regional representative from PDE. We expressed some of our concerns with her, but we also told her of our triumphs. It is sometimes difficult dealing with bureaucracy, and when one deals with a person face-to-face, it is somewhat comforting, although there is always that cynicism developed innately through years of dealing with the government. Being out all day means that I will have to do a lot of catch up tomorrow. It is the law of the West. The weekend is around the corner.

April 2, 2008

This day dealt with everything from A-Z. That sure makes the day interesting. I cannot say enough about how much some of the teachers are really branching out to try concepts they would not have thought about three weeks ago. These teachers are seeing the difference in student engagement. I know it is out of the comfort zone, but they are finding that their comfort zone is expanding. I found out that they are getting braver. What a difference! I also see skype used more often and students are getting interested. I am going to leave you at that. I am quite happy and looking forward to working on next year's grant and networking with my peers tomorrow.

April 1, 2008

When it rains, it pours, but that rain sure is good when it deals with the projects that the teachers are contemplating. It sure sets me to thinking to create and research the various areas to make the ideas come alive. It is great so come on rain. I did have a few hardware issues to deal with today, but they were minor. I learned something new about the Promethean boards, which I will be able to impart. Of course, I had student imput into the matter. Some of my teachers are getting into Skype, and I love that, also. They are beginning to contact me through that program. I must still admit that I like oovoo better, and I need to look at other programs. I like what I am seeing, and I like where this is headed. The district newsletter also made its rounds, and CFF is a big part of it. People need to see what can happen by engaging students with the same skills but in a different way. Yep, I am quite ecstatic today, and I will take that one. I will be back on the blogging path. OH, I forgot one thing....I am sorry to hear that Microsoft was bought out by Apple.......Oops, April Fool's.

March 31, 2008

Well, the weekend is over, my log is up-to-date, the blog is current, and the world is now at awaiting the last installment of my blog for the month of March 2008. I spent a lot of my time today in the classroom and working with teachers. A few are seeking me out more and more to integrate various teachnologies into their classes. The sounds you here are cheers from the masses applauding those who are willing to try various new ideas to enhance the learning process and engage the learner. Flipping the switch does happen. I will be busy the next few days working on their ideas. I did have some hardware issues, but nothing to write home about. I met with my elementary counterpart. We talked about various issues and strategies--a very good meeting. We both share a passion for technology, not for the sake of it, but for the utilization of it into the educational process. Sometimes it is difficult to change tradition. I have titillated you enough with my world. I will be here tomorrow...

March 28, 2008

A catch up day for sure, but one that is needed. I was able to get a laptop into another teacher's hands. He is a non-CFF teacher, but he has come on board because he had a desire to do so. I like that, and I know that it will work out well. I had a few hardware issues today and spent a lot of classroom time helping students prepare for presentations on Wednesday. I do wish other teachers would avail themselves more of me to come up with ideas, but I do know that it is early in the game. I have a meeting this afternoon to work on next year's grant, and I am glad that the district is again striving to forge ahead. I do believe in this program, and I also know that the seeds are planted. There are some political workings that are occurring concerning some matters, which I cannot and will not elaborate upon. I mention them for my own reasons, mainly to job my mind in the future. I am not a fan of these backdoor maneuverings, and I do not have a play in them. I am sure the outcome will be quite interesting and have ramfications in the future. A hard drive completly fried today in one of the Lenovos; I do wonder about them. Hey, have a great weekend.

March 26,27, 2008

Training has taken the greatest amount of time these two days. It is good with respect that I have learned that something can be broken down to a simpler aspect, with respect to teaching, than before. The training was excellent, but it has put me behind. Tomorrow I will need to catch up with everything. I also have a meeting tomorrow to rewrite the CFF Grant for next year. I am glad that we are placing a high priority on that. It will be a lot of work, but I do feel that the rewards are worth it. I did manage to squeeze some CFF time into the schedule and found out that my log must be up-to-date. I have been procrastinating that, but I sure am glad that I kept notes and kept my blog alive. They have been invaluable to me in many ways. I still cannot believe that I am blogging. It is good.

March 25, 2008

I was in training for almost the entire day yesterday, but I still was able to do some CFF items. I had a meeting after school with the teachers to talk about next year's grant and to go over the software Inspiration. I also talked about the Embedded Learning course. It was a good meeting although few in attendance. The grant took up most of the time, and I found the input invaluable. I will be ready for Friday's meeting. I have been working with Spry, and I find it to be quite good, but there is definitely a learning curve. It will help me in the future. That is about all so I will be back tomorrow. I do have another day of training for the day.

March 24, 2008

After I got the hardware issues solved today, I was able to proceed in working with some classes that are doing projects. I completed the tutorials for the different programs and gave them some introductions on the software. I also worked on the agenda for the CFF meeting after school tomorrow and met with the principal concerning some issues. The hardware issues took most of my time, though. I did have an interesting problem with a Lenovo in that one of the teachers took it home and connected with another network but used the thinkpad software; man, did it play havoc when it was brought back to school. It would not connect with our network. We had to uninstall the thinkpad software and download the driver for the wireless. Quite interest would you not say. We could not solve the problem otherwise. I also helped with a web site using spry. I guess one could say that I learned a lot. Tomorrow is training so I will be indisposed most of the day. Well, I will be back again tomorrow. Adios!

March 20, 2008

I do have to remember to write the blog the day of or the day after because my memory does not last over a three-day weekend, but I am beginning to jog it now. It was mostly a hardware day just putting out fires with my usual panache. My day on Monday is scheduled mostly with the classroom teachers on some strategies. I must prepare for Tuesday's meeting because I will be involved in training for three days next week. I did find out that we are applying for the grant again, and we will see where the winds will scatter my remains with respect to my role applying for the grant as well as my role with next year's implementation. I know we are off to a good start, and I feel it will make a difference. The blogging next week will be limited due to the aforementioned training, but I will be forging ahead. I will be back Monday--check it out!!!!!!!!!!!

March 19, 2008

Already a much better day. The puter is done and working well. It takes time to do it right, but that is what needs to be done. This was mostly a hardware day. I think that I have a teacher Lenovo dying. I am going to have to work on it. Even though I like the hardware end, I will be happy when this gets pretty well done. I have to work on a web site and finish the board presentation. I still like the fact that the CFF teachers are really moving forward on ideas, etc. I have seen everything from interactive movies to a probability game using rendition of Wheel of Fortune. This is great. They are making time in their schedules to learn and try new concepts. They are rethinking past workable ideas and evolving them by using technology to enhance the lesson and engage the learners. I have two meeting tomorrow and five on Monday to go over ideas with teachers and students on material. This is the part I like the best. I will be keeping a compulation file of projects to show people. I feel the best thing to do is to show student work because that is the end product. Well, wish me luck with the board meeting. One never knows the questions, etc., but I feel confident with what I know and believe. I will let all of you loyal readers know tomorrow.........HMMMM that would be I.

March 18, 2008

If one could pick a day when everything goes wrong, this is the day. I could not believe it. The biggest problem was a desktop computer crash--mine. I spent a long time rebuilding it. I finally finished it on the 19th. Those things happen from time to time, and I was mostly responsible for it. It is a good thing that I had all of the files backed, and the rebuild did not take too much time. it is always good to rebuild it, but I like to do it on my terms. I am preparing for a school board presentation tomorrow night, but there is so much in the way of student work that I decided just to talk with them and answer questions. I feel this is the best way to approach this meeting. I do not know how much time I have for a presentation so I decided to do this. I feel that I am ready. I know that I will attend another meeting, and I will have some teacher and student work to show. I am glad that this is over. It was one disaster after another. It is good that I could just laugh and continue. Be back tomorrow.

March 17, 2008

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all--I guess on this day we all have a wee bit of the Irish in us. Today was a day I needed to catch up on a lot of things that I could not get to do last week because of the training. I met with several teachers and got a list of projects that they wanted to do. I also had to do some hardware problems, but this is becoming less and less. I know I keep saying this, but the teachers are really willing to try different things. I hope that this filters down into within all disciplines, but I like the fact they are just willing to do some things differently. I do believe my problem will be trying to fit all of them into a schedule when more of them want me to come into the classroom and work with different ideas. I have been working on guides for them and their students dealing with different programs. Again, these guides only deal with the rudiments; the concept of discovery still has to be that of the student. This is all part of the learning process. I also have noticed that students will come the aid of students and teachers alike in that process. This is a goal of facilitating. I do know that the frustration level get high, but what better way to learn something than to go through that frustration. Again, this will not happen overnight, but I hope that the seeds of learning will sprout through a continuous effort. I know that I am getting somewhat philosophical, but I feel that one has to keep a lot of optimism in goal. I will be back with you tomorrow. I need to prepare a board presentation for Wednesday night. I have thought out the vehicle and the message, but it needs to be refined and completed. Till tomorrow Cha bhi fios aire math an tobair gus an tràigh e--The value of the well is not known until it goes dry. I had to throw a little Gaelic into the mix. Have a Great St. Patty's Day!!!!!!!!!

March 14, 2008

Again, I spent almost the entire day in training. The aspect I liked so much was that the CFF teachers were thinking of ways of taking the training and using it with their interactive whiteboards, etc. I like the way they think. This is great, and I know will spark some interesting questions and ideas. I know it t'ain't much, but that is it. I will be back next week. Have a great weekend.

March 13, 2008

The second day of training is over. I had to come in last night and come in this early this morning to do some work. I got the one laptop done in time for a teacher today, and also get back-up copies for all the CFF programs. I got most of it done. I do not think I will have to come in tonight. The teachers present asked me about creating some of the documents to use with the interactive whiteboards. I like how they are thinking. I have to help a girl do a web site; I wrote some javascript for her and borrowed some aspects to aid her in her competition. As a side note--there are too many things missing. I need two power supplies that I know came with the computers, and I am also missing some pens. I do sometimes wonder. I got that off my chest. Well, I will be back tomorrow. I hope you are awaiting with much anticipation.....