December 17, 2009

This is my 275th posting, and I would have never thought that I would have stuck with this for all this time. I know that few read this, and I also know that it really serves no purpose except for me alone to vent and talk about mostly technology. I have read many other blogs and the substance they have, but I feel this is my Twitter on a grander scale. I am going to have an end-of-the-year ranting and raving about many different topics. This is a good venue for me, and I think it will help me focus on the task ahead. I still get bogged down with mundane tasks, but they still need to be addressed; otherwise, the task of incorporating technology cannot be accomplished. I had a ton of those mundane tasks today, but each one dealt with not being able to use the technology at hand. I do realize those tasks will alleviate frustration, and that is so important when aiding all in the integration of technology. To all of my Korean readers......Annyong-hi kashipshio...........flick

December 17, 2009

TTWF rocks. I know that you have been waiting for the latest outcome of TTWF, and I am here to tell you that I did have a participant and it went well. I know that it is not that well-received, but I will continue the endeavor because I feel it is important to offer. I worked with Movie Maker again with a class, and I must tell you that the industry needs to standardize codecs. They cause more problems, and I do remember that audio codecs used to cause a lot of problems. At least that has stabilized to some degree. I am a firm believer in standardizing things because the average person finds all of the different technological quirks to be cumbersome and frustrating. It needs to happen. People will eventually not use products who use proprietary code. Microsoft is finding this out more and more and has lost a lot of its base because of this. Google has gained a tremendous share of the fan base because it will not dwell in that realm, although I am beginning to see a change there to some degree. Hey, back tomorrow...............flick

December 16, 2009

I began the day with an almost clean calendar; well, that sure changed. Wireless issues are still plaguing us, and I am not sure what to do. We are going to test a Windows 7 image to see if that will solve some of the problems. Tonight is TTWF, and I expect a crowd unsurpassed in the annals of tech symposiums. I will tell you that we are progressing well here with technology even though we do have some glitches. I am off to TTWF. I will let you know how it all turns out....flick

December 15, 2009

I am still working with Movie Maker and having a blast with it. I am worried about the timeline with the students so I am mostly acting as a troubleshooter and helper to get them going. I talked with the teacher about getting some flip cameras, and she has actually started the process. They will take off well. I also scheduled some time for a teacher to talk about eportfolios with a class of seniors. I love this topic, and I know that the software is there to create some fabulous ones, but there is a limitation of time. There is no doubt that the use of eportfolios will explode in the next decade, and the traditional resume will be gathering dust with the telephone. I also experienced the same problem with the wireless today. It is so odd. I had to call the network wizard for help. This needs to be handled. My trip to the elementary yesterday did not go as planned. I cannot solve the issue of Activprimary. I may have to call another wizard. Hey, a busy but not a bad day................flick

December 14, 2009

I looked at my schedule today and told myself that it is wonderful that I have worn my sneakers because I am going to be all over this district today. I had to do a lot of fixing today, and I have noticed a trend with the wireless that concerns me. I also taught a class on Movie Maker and a class on Photostory. I love to see those projects come together, and they should be good ones. I am hoping that the school will invest in some flip video cameras. They are wonderful for down and dirty shooting of video, and for the most part save the district money, especially in peripheral equipment such as cords, tapes, and investment. I also have a meeting with two elementary teachers today at CH. I believe I can help them with some of their frustration. Well, getting to be HO HO time........................flick

December 11, 2009

Well, it seems like I have been gone four days--wait I have been. I taught two classes today, and it was good getting back into the classroom. I did not spend too much time talking about things they already knew, but I did challenge the students to think outside the box; some took up that challenge, and i am anxious to see what they do. I also had to catch up on a host emails and messages. I thought I got a lot done, but I sure did not sit back and muse about too much. I am looking forward to the weekend when I can immerse myself into something else to rest the gray matter. Well, another week on the horizon--let's see what goodies it may bring............flick

December 11, 2009

The final day of the conference, and I am glad that it is over; I feel like my butt is about 10ft. wide at this point sitting there and listening to people talk. I will give you my assessment of it all. I will tell you that Standard Aligned Systems Portal is going to be okay when it is finished, and I do like the fact that all lessons there are aligned to the standards. I think this will help educators work toward the standardization of concepts, but I do have a fear. That fear is that this will become a state curriculum. I know that in all of our workshops the presenters integrated that this is not there to be used as a curriculum for the districts, but I must warn all of my readers that the potential to use it in this fashion is now in place. That is okay if the districts in the state want to migrate to a set curriculum, but I still love my autonomy. Only time will give us the answer. I also thought it was interesting that all of this will be tied to the PIMS system in some way. I am glad it is over, but I do dread what I am going to face back at school...............flick

December 9, 2009

I forgot to ask all of my loyal readers what they think of the holiday motif of my blog. I do admit that addition of the tacky animated gif brings out the best in it. I just try to stay current with the time of the seasons, and I know that I will add some more gifs to it for future reference. Today at the conference was quite good. It was great to see teachers teaching lessons integrating the standards and showing great creativity; albeit, only 20 minutes of it. I about conferenced out, and I have another half day left of it. There is a lot of relevance with what is presented, and I am glad to be working with it. I have had some interesting questions concerning integration, and I must do some research. I have learned some things, and I am grateful for that chance. Well, back to the grindstone.............flick

December 8, 2009

I will not lie with respect that SAS will make the integration of the standards into the classroom easier. I do worry that some may use this database as a curriculum and not become inventive with all that they need to to. Of course, it may not happen, but I do know the human spirit has a streak of laziness. Everything one needs is right there to utilize. I do like the function that teachers have a toolbox to store and create. The web page component is quite elementary and will be easy for teachers to create a web page. I look at this site as a way to synchronize what is taught across the commonwealth. It has been a long day, and I know that there will be other trainings in the future which I will attend because I will be a facilitator for our district. Well, I must be off..............flick

December 7, 2009

I do want to pause to honor the combatants of WWII when on this day the attack on Pearl Harbor brought us into the war. My father fought in WWII, and I am proud of what he did as well as all the others who fought for the freedom of so many.

Well, I am in Hershey, and the conference is off to a rousing start with the gov making a videotaped speech and the Secretary of Education telling about SAS. I rambled about that in last Friday's posting. I do believe on the surface that it does have merits, but I do disagree with the great powers of government who claim that this is not a curriculum for school districts. It is, and there is nothing wrong with that. Since our society has become more mobile and better informed, it is important to synchronize the learning environment with the basics. If I moved to another district in the state, I would be able to learn and teach in that district with those basic standards. I also disagree with the precept that we are not teaching to a test. We are teaching to a test. We have done that for decades, but this test means more than other tests. I am keeping my overall verdict about SAS until the end of the conference. So to my readers.....keep hanging on until Friday...................flick

December 4, 2009

I needed to catch up on all sorts of loose ends today, and I was able to achieve that goal. I also set up a time to meet with some elementary cohorts to help them with some problems. I also had some time to research the new state SAS standards, which is why I am headed to Hershey next week. I do not feel the site is ready to access and do much good, but I feel it is the way of the future. There is one aspect that bothers me about this way of checking student progress; teachers are linked to the student in name no matter whether that student passes or fails to meet the standards. I do not care what anyone says with respect to students; not all students care whether they succeed or not. With 21st century concepts, the onus is supposed to shift to the student, and they need to take charge of their learning. I have been teaching for over 30 years, and I must tell you that in that time I have had one to two per cent of my students not give a damn about their learning at any level or subject. What I also found amazing is that I have had a couple of students come back and blame the system for their failures. I do believe that there is some fault with the system, but I watched these students choose to fail. To a tee, they come back and ask the question, "Why did you not make me work." I say #$%^&$##%$ to that question and tell them point blank that they failed and not the system. I do not make any friends over it. Which brings me to the point that not everyone is the same even though we try to lump them all into the same category. We will not achieve 100%. I do agree we can make it to the 90's. Okay, Okay I am done with this. I will report my findings from the conference to my salivating fans who are hanging on the precipice awaiting my twist...Have a great weekend..........flick

December 3, 2009

I had a meeting today with the power who wanted to transform the school website in the areas of teachers. I have a beef with this site because it teachers our students absolutely nothing in the techniques and language of website development; hence, I refused to participate in this travesty and have not logged on. Well, the power wants teachers to create their individual sites for better communication among the faculty and parents, and I am okay with this; therefore, I have begun my quest to get to know the site again. I do not like the site to this day, but I see a direction here that I am anxious to help. I am getting ready to attend a conference next week, and it does sound like a cluster, but I have to attend. I am still trying to resolve the Promethean problem, and my options are now limited to calling tech support. I have not dealt with them before so I will leave my opinions reserved at this point. Well, I had better get to work. Be back tomorrow............flick

December 2, 2009

Back from vacation, and man is it cold...outside the building and in our office. I actually brought in a space heater to accommodate my lack of R-value, and I do not care what the powers proclaim from their ivory towers that have heat. I came across an interesting problem today, and I do believe I found the solution. One of the teachers complained that when writing the board will automatically shift to shape recognition or handwriting recognition. I have found in the past that this problem can be solved with updates. Did not work at all. I reinstalled software and updated drivers to no avail. I hooked my laptop to the unit with the same results. I do believe that there is a Promethean board malfunction. Now, to go through that mess. I met with several teachers today who have great ideas for implementing technology.

November 25, 2009

I know it has been several days since I posted, but I do have a good excuse....vacation--hey, that is a great excuse. Well, this say was set aside to work with teachers on various aspects of technology. I did not have a formal presentation, and I kept the topics open. We mostly dealt with the Promethean board, and I thought it did go well. I and my TIMS went from room to room taking on challenges from our teachers. We did well, but one did stump me, and I now have the answer (I had to ask one of my teachers for the solution). Before you chastise and castigate me to the depths or Mordor, I do not know it all, and I have no pretenses of knowing it all, but I can find solutions. It did go well, and I was quite satisfied. Now off to Thanksgiving......flick

November 24, 2009

I kind of thought that today would be different than it turned out, but the powers to be have a habit of interceding on the behalf of my schedule. I turned into DEAN OF STUDENTS and meted out punishment to the miscreants. It turned into a many hour ordeal, but it cleared a lot off of the slate for the office. I also spent time in the tech lab helping them with their Promethean board; they love it. The other time slots were filled with just solving problems and talking with teachers. The Guess Who would love my day (that will take some of you back to the 70's). Tomorrow is in-service; we will see what that brings...............flick

November 23, 2009

Back from the weekend to a short week--ya gotta love it. Today one of the teachers did a Skype with a professor from Ohio and his class. The students asked questions and heard a lecture. I do believe that it is marvelous to be able to work this into our classroom experience. I see the classroom getting larger and more diverse with all of the tools available. Teachers and students have to get outside that damned box and not be afraid of the consequences. Wednesday is in-service so I am getting ready for that. It will deal with mostly Activinspire and interactive whiteboards. I am looking forward to the holiday to get some work done. I have to do some techie stuff on my own puter to make it better. I am migrating to Windows 7 on all of my stuff. I am looking forward to it. I must admit I liked Vista, but I think I am in the minority. The day was fairly uneventful and calming to some degree. Hey, cya tomorrow..............flick

November 20, 2009

The job of getting things ready for lots of people is quite time-consuming especially when on gets called upon to do perfunctory duties (I will not elaborate here). I just had to get that one off the chest, you know what I mean. I was able to put away a lot of things today, but I doubt if I will be ready to do an online test scenario on Tuesday. I will just keep trudging along to complete the task, but when I have to depend upon others to do their task, I know that things may not go as planned. I do believe I solved a problem plaguing one of our programs so I am quite happy about that. It is the weekend where I salute one of my readers in the native tongue......For all of my Kirgiz readers........Aq col...be back on Monday...........flick

November 19, 2009

My calendar from this day looks like a who's who of teachers throughout the building. If my social calendar (if I had one) looked like that, I would be the envy of those who find solace in the mingling among the upper crust. Most of the day dealt with getting certain softwares to work. I do believe most of it is solved. Now we just have to get it working. I am confident that will happen. Although I was not an advocate of my moving, there is greater accessibility of me by the teachers. They are feeling more and more comfortable coming to me and discussing various ideas; therefore, my selfishness has swayed my previous opinion to one of acceptance for the good of the program. I also taught some more Ibsen today; it went quite well. Tomorrow is Friday, and I am looking toward the expulsion of the demons that have haunted me over the past few months, if for only a few hours. Hey, I will be back..........flick

Novembwer 18, 2009

TTWF (Tech Talk With Flick) was a rousing success with me, myself, I, and a teacher who dropped by because he saw me in there. This does not daunt my spirit because with that teacher dropping by, I was still able to help with him with some questions. Besides my initial meeting last night, yesterday was quite busy. A teacher broached me about Exam View and how to set it up. I did not know so I installed it and have a meeting with another teacher to find out all of the particulars. The teacher who did the photomosaics posted them on her wiki, and she was extremely happy with the results. I viewed them and thought they were quite good. She is actively working other angles, and I know I will be busy. I also had other things to handle which were not too bad. I am still trying to solve the problem with the dual pens in Promethean, and I think I have a lead. The problem that stymied yesterday dealt with Excel and how to get the links to be absolute and relative. I do think that problem is solved. It was a busy day, and I am happy about the results. I still will have TTWF next week even though it is after an in-service day and right before Thanksgiving...............flick

November 17, 2009

I cannot shake this cold I contracted, but at least it is not the flu. I have come across a problem with the Activinspire software that I cannot solve. It deals with the Activarena. Somehow that piece is on, and I have not been able to turn it off. I will continue my search. I also taught two classes today. The photomosaic is going great, and the students are having fun doing the creation. Ibsen, I, and five other students had fun yesterday dealing with a play. It also went well, but I can see that this group needs something to spice it up. I will talk with the lit coach. I am also working on a problem with creating absolute links within Excel. I have tried various methods, but the only now logical approach is to create a web site involving all of the material. I am also one week away from in-service where I am involved in working with teachers using the Promethean board. I did a summer workshop, and I feel it went over well. Tomorrow after school I will host TTWF (Talking Tech with Flick). It is a new series I have created for teachers who have issues with some aspects of technology, who may want to learn something new, or who just need to talk through some aspects with technology integration. I will inform all of my loyal readers of just what happens. Hey, Have a great day.............flick

November 16, 2009

I am going on the record by saying I am going on the record; I am glad that is out of the way. Well, today I taught my first lesson using Paint.net. After working with Photoshop all these years, I find the interface to be similar, but the behavior is not what I expect. This will teach me to do some previewing before I do the teaching. Secondly, off of the listserv I have found a way for teachers to download Youtube vids to use within their lessons. The best part is that the format is quite compatible with Activinspire. I do warn teachers that once the lesson is completed they need to destroy the vid due to copyright infringements. Speaking of the listserv, I have found it to be invaluable for certain information, and I do value it, even though it can sometimes be overwhelming with the plethora of emails. I did receive good news in that I am attending PETEandC. I still wish PAECT could find a different venue for it. Well, tomorrow I am in the classroom quite a bit so I must prepare.......flick

November 13, 2009

It's Friday the 13th!!!! I am not sure how the number 13 got such a bad rap, but I am sure there is some reason out there. For all of you triskaidekaphobics, I raise a toast of sympathy to you; for the rest of you, I commiserate with your logic and just wish all of the hype would just go away. Wow, what a politically correct statement! I proffered myself to both sides. Let's get to the good stuff. I went into two classes and showed them the power of Photoshop. I had them morph a subject and create a new being. A lot of them were surprised when they could actually do it, and some of them pined that it did not look like mine. I told them that this is their creation, and it needs to have their signature. I also had several meetings with teachers. I am preparing to teach photomosaics Monday. I am looking forward to it. Have a great weekend.

November 12, 2009

The hole in the proverbial dike this week has been patched for a little while. It was nice to work on some items that needed attention and prepare for the photoshop and photostory tutorials. Most of the students know photostory. I have a neat tutorial on how to morph something into a Shrek-like creature so get to know the power of the software. I also have been meeting with more and more teachers who are breaking out of their comfort zones to work with technology such as wikis, mosaics, etc. I am finding my services more and more in demand. The Skype with Iraq went well. The students were able to talk with someone actually there, and, from what I hear, was the hit of the assembly. I am just forging ahead and doing certain things. Tomorrow is Friday, and I have no idea what it will bring. I still love that unknown. Oh, the additional wireless node in a classroom has solved a lot of problems. Okay, I am finished. Be back tomorrow.............flick

November 11, 2009

Happy Veteran's Day to all vets. I want to thank all of you for all you have done and will do. Once can classify this day as the day I wish I had a pedometer on me. I solved many problems and dealt with unique ones. The Veteran's Day Skype went well with few difficulties. It is nice to see our district actively taking part. I met with several teachers today. I have also decided that I will hold my technology forums on Wednesdays. I will begin that next week. Generally, it will be an open forum so teachers can come and discuss anything dealing with technology. I feel I need to make myself available and not set an agenda. I hope that teachers will avail themselves of this. I met several hours yesterday with my TIMS dude. We discussed many topics, and I showed him some of the nuances with ActivInspire. It went well. We will be working together on November 25 doing an in-service together. I will rest my legs and get them ready for tomorrow..............flick

November 10, 2009

We used Skype today so a student could do his graduation project. We could not use the video because of his slow connection. I found out today that I will have to set-up a Skype connection to Kuwait for a Veteran's Day assembly tomorrow. One of our parents is serving there, and I streamed graduation for her last June. I also taught a class today filling in for our esteemed literacy coach. Again, I enjoyed it. Plans are really moving ahead for an innovative class in social studies, and this will really test my skills. We tested some new ActivExpressions today, and I must admit that I was not ready to provide the necessary expertise to get them synchronized, but it all turned out well. We will be getting more, and I know some teachers are anxious to use them. The rest of the day turned out well......................flick

November 9, 2009

Yep, I am behind again; nope, I have not been procrastinating; I have been busy. I am ready to catch all up this morning--sorry about the colloquialism. Today was an in-service day. Supposedly, we were doing a grad project from Brazil, but there was some confusion about the time; it is scheduled for tomorrow. I worked on various projects and problems the rest of the day. I am teaching two classes tomorrow and have several meeting scheduled to talk about future endeavors. I am ready..............flick

November 6, 2009

Ah, the end of the week and coming back after a day out--adding those two together can lead to chaos. I also had surprise in that the IT person was out this day. Bizzy. I did solve the projector problem with a off the wall the solution, but it works. I spent most of the adding dates to my calendar for next week. Everything from Photostory to Photoshop: could be interesting. I am also setting a time to hold after school meetings each week for anyone interested in meeting with me. I am keeping the agenda open, and I feel Tuesday or Wednesday would be good days. I think it is important for me to hold regular times for those interested. It also can help with accountability, if needed. On Monday we have graduation project presentations, and I am doing one via Skype from South America. I do like Skype and Oovoo and feel that they have a place in education. I will inform you on how well it went. Have a great weekend. And for all of my Nigerian readers Ka odi.

November 4, 2009

Getting ready to be out a day is tough, but I will get it all done. Hey, I just want to inform all of you that the teaching is going well. It is a very small class, and I am enjoying it immensely. I also came across a problem with a direct connection to a projector that is causing me some constipation. I am not sure how to handle it, but I will come up with an idea. I know I am rambling today, but it is how my mind is working. I also want to compliment the listserv on really doing what it is supposed to do--give information and ask questions. Next on my rambling agenda is continuation of the great meeting I had with a teacher who needs ideas for a class. Things are progressing well there. I am almost done with my random thoughts. Oops, I forgot what the last one is. Friday gang..........flick

November 3, 2009

I took a good look at my color scheme for the blog, and I said to myself, "Self, it is still appropriate for the upcoming month; therefore, I will not change a thang." I know I have great conversations with myself. Speaking of conversations, I had a great one with a Social Studies teacher yesterday who came to me wondering what innovative and 21st Centuryesque could be done with a new class. We brainstormed the topic and came up with several. I loved it. Oh, the the teaching went great yesterday, and I must admit that I missed being there. I love the collaborative aspect of education at this point, and even though it is not new to me, I think it is great to watch this aspect unfold. Technology is helping to spearhead the collaborative concept, and I take some satisfaction in knowing I was correct in my approach years ago, even though I took some heat for it. I do not like the regimen that is driving it all here, but I know one can adapt. I also told all of my loyal reader(s?) that I would keep up the blog, and I am adhering to that promise. So, for all of you out there in blogdom.....pppppppppttttttttttttttttttt...flick

November 2, 2009

Back from a weekend and wondering what will await the intrepid CFF/technology integrator dude. I did find out that I will be heading to Hershey for the SAS conference, which CFF is now a part of. SAS is Standards Aligned System. I was also out and about today. I finished some housekeeping duties with the wiki project and discussed some with others. I also found out my role in the upcoming teacher's in-service right before Thanksgiving, and I am looking forward to working with the elementary teachers on Activinspire. I did have one tech problem that I could not figure out, but tomorrow is a new day. I am also going to teach some LA this week, and I must admit that I think I will enjoy that. Back tomorrow............flick

October 16-31

Yes, I know that I have been remiss in updating the blog, and I have heard from the bevy of my loyal readers so i have decided to get it updated. This will be a long entry so I will also try not to bore you with all of the minute details. First of all I will update you on the wiki project. The project did go well with the classes, and they presented this week. I was impressed with how easy wikispaces has made the entire process....Kudos. I even made an interactive rubrik for the scoring of them. I was not impressed with the effort exerted by most of the groups; I am glad that some did put effort into it. It was a good and quick project. With the same teacher I assisted in the Voice of Democracy contest in that I supplied the technical and the lit coach did the teaching. I am assisting the lit coach next week when she is out of town. I am back in my original genre, English. Henrik Ibsen will not be the same.

The rest of the time dealt with meetings with teachers, examining web sites, research, and the endless drone of "This does not work." I would like report on a collaboration site called Wiggio. I have looked at this, and I do see practical application for its use. If a teacher wants to use it with a class, then he/she must be careful of the email application embedded within the program. It is touted as an extension of the social networking package big on the internet today. I like the collaborative aspect.

On the hardware front, a lot of problems have been eliminated. Oh, do not tar and feather me for not knocking on the proverbial hard drive, but I have less and less to contend with. School districts, if they want to continue to use technology, need to have good people and enough people in place to make it all work. I am also perturbed by those who feel that they can cheapen the system because they end up paying more later. Okay, I am done with the b%$#%%. Well, that is my update. I will do my best to become more diligent in the future with my blog so my readers do not migrate to someone else. Have a great Halloween...............flick

October 15, 2008

It is snowing today in central Pennsylvania--it is early even for us. I really wish that we would bite the bullet and place access points in every room. I know that I am frustrated with our lack of connectivity for certain classrooms. It is tough to infuse technology when one cannot use it, and all of the hardware is accessible. I know it will occur with time. There is a high frustration level among certain faculty, also. I know, PATIENCE. Hey, I gotta go and shovel some snow...catch up with ya.....flick

October 14, 2009

It is great reading blogs from contemporaries even though they are slanted to one particular type of system, etc. My network wizard sent me a link for a blog he found, and I am impressed with it. The author looks at various topics with respect to technology and education, and although I do not agree with everything, it does help me introspect with reference to my own beliefs. The link for all my readers to inspect http://education.zdnet.com/ I hope that you found it as informative as I have. I was really out and about today. It is good to be busy. I am also looking at something new on paiunet that will really help us with wikis and blogging. It is too early to tell whether it will benefit us or not. I will find the answers. Hey, be back tomorrow....flick

October 13, 2009

The frost definitely covered the pumpkin today; I could tell because it was cold outside then building and cold inside. That did not stop the intrepid CFF, oops, secondary technology integrator from attacking his duties. I still working on the wiki presentation, and I do think it will be a good one. Wikispaces is making it easier and user-friendly to get students and teachers involved. I think it is great. I also finished the kmz file for the teacher who took students on a field trip. I was out and about. I also had a chance to work on my wiki. I have taken a look at it, and it is huge; there are great resources there, but it is overwhelming. I have decided to break it down even more for ease of use. A good day with lots of work accomplished so I will be back tomorrow. Maybe the frost will ease....Nawwwww!!!!!!!!!!! ...............flick

October 9, 2009

I had a great time playing with the data from the GPS units and interfacing with Googlemaps. The only item that upset me was the inability to add pictures and make it a tour. I see a function that I can create a tour, but I have to do it bit by bit and recreate it with the waypoints and tracks. I will still do some research. Other than that, I am working on connecting with faculty members whom I have not had much contact. So all of you have a great weekend.....So to all of my Hungarian readers.........Sziasztok.............flick

October 8, 2009

I sent the group on its way this morning with GPS units and cameras in hand to map their trip and take pictures. Now we will see if I can do some interfacing. I met with two teachers today on some projects they have in mind, and I am sure that I can bring them to fruition. I am also helping the lit coach with a project dealing with the Voice of Democracy contest. One never knows which way the wind will take ya. I also received information about the PETE&C conference, which I hope that I may attend. There is a lot of cutting edge information there, and I like to be a part of it. I guess I better get the paperwork filed (I hate paperwork). Other than those things I mentioned, it was pretty much a normal day. Tomorrow calls for rain....at least, I know there is not a drout....LOL....be back tomorrow.............flick

October 7, 2009

I introduced GPS to a group of students who were going to test them out today on a field trip. I am anxious to test it out and try to interface the units with Googlemaps. It is a good test for me and the students. I also am working on the wiki project for social studies and just talking with teachers to see their needs, etc. There are still some bugs that need help so I am also helping in that realm. The one concept about this job that I knew heading into it that comes to life everyday is what I do not know. I have learned a lot. The best thing from all of this is watching the cfl bulb finally come to full brightness in both teacher and student. I like that part a whooooole lot. I will inform all of my readers of the progress......flick

October 6, 2009

There was a guy named Arte Johnson of Laugh-In who made famous a phrase, "very interesting." Today made me think of Arte and that phrase because there were a myriad of problems, a multitude of what if's, and multiple solutions. I also contacted my TIMS to talk about where CFF is going and what we should do in relation to all of the information that we must submit to the state. I am not sure if we should maintain the status quo or move ahead. I know that we are still in survey mode, etc. I do not have a definitive answer. I also am working on different ideas for people and presentations. I do love unsolvable problems, and I had two of those today with viable solutions. It has been a good one. I will inform all of my loyals about the GPS unit. I am sure I will be talking about it over the next few day. Take care and talk with ye tomorrow...............flick

October 5, 2009

Another week, and I am ready for what awaits me. I have a half day today due to some personal business I have to handle. I set up a GPS unit with for a field trip. I will talk with them on Wednesday and get them ready. I also talked with some other teachers about future units. I will do some research and get that ready. I also talked with a teacher about creating wikis for her class. Lookedy good. I will be back tomorrow.............flick

October 2, 2009

It was a dark and gloomy night...oops, that is the first line of my new novel--innovative, isn't it. Okay, to the meat, the class went well yesterday. I like the fact that the teacher allowed students to choose between Power Point and Photo Story. I think it is quite important to give choices when a student becomes comfortable with a piece of software. I did go back today to solve some issues, which I knew would happen. Even though they are digital natives, they still do not have the expertise to solve all problems. I am working with virtual conferencing, and I am looking forward to it. I do worry about finding the time during the day to do this. I am working with FETC. I am a newbie at this, but I hope it works well. Here is the link for all of my fans, if you are interested http://virtual.fetc.org/Microsites/FETC-Virtual/Event-Home.aspx I like these new experiences, and I do hope it will be worthwhile. I am off to the weekend. Talk to you next week...............flick

October 1, 2009

Holy Kadongies!!!!!! October is here, and it is quite cool. I got that out of the way. We are still working on the wireless; there is something wrong, and with my limited knowledge, I cannot discern what it is. I worked on everything from Photoshop today to Office. Some interesting problems, and I have to admit that I also had some learning moments--just love those. Like I said before, one never knows what will happen. Well, I am off to prepare for the day......flick

September 30, 2009

The wireless problem still continues, and I see it getting worse. I am not sure of the problems, but I will inform the great powers of it. Did some tech training with a science class. I also have been in contact with the science dept chair. There are some good in roads happening there, and I will bide my time. I also have been working with the social studies dept on various projects, and I like what is happening there. Someone asked me today if I like what I do. I answered in the affirmative with the following caveat, "I never know what is going to happen when I walk through those doors." That is not always true, but it is true with respect that something new will happen each day, and I learn from it. I am busy with all sorts of tasks, but the day goes sailing by with little concept of time. I have Back to School night tonight, and I dealt with teachers on many topics to ease their evenings. I will await tomorrow............flick

September 29, 2009

I am not sure if I have been around too long or not, but I am now witnessing another Microsoft OS--Windows 7. The mini conference I attended dealt with the migration to this new OS and the ramifications dealing with technology. Of course, I attended to find out about its impact on education and the possible migration here. There will be little problems with software like there was in Vista, and it sounds like it will be smoother. I am wondering some driver issues and things like that. A good session, and I walked away feeling at ease with a migration............flick

September 28, 2009

There are some problems with our wireless system. I am not sure what it is, and we are calling in the wizards to fix the problem. We will see. I know there is some frustration among teachers, but I do try hard to have workable plans to overcome the problems. It is also frustrating for me. Tomorrow I will be attending a seminar on migrating to Windows 7. I hope that it helps for the future. Not much today......

September 25, 2009

I have no idea what is up with the wireless network, but it has caused a lot of constipation (I know I chose that word) today when I am trying to have classes do things. I talked to the grand wizard of IT, and he is going to see what can be done. I am worried about next week because I know a lot of classes are going to be using it. A lot of the classes are finishing their Photostories, and I will get to view some creative geniuses. I spent a lot of time in the classrooms to day working with teachers. I am also finding great new sources to pass along to teachers and add to my wiki: http://cffflick.wikispaces.com/ . It is a sound wiki with good resources. I do need to do some recategorizing. Well, it is off to the weekend. Next week already looks busy, and I will be in a conference in Harrisburg on Tuesday. Take care...........flick

September 24, 2009

I did forget the onset of the autumn season. It is definitely my favorite time of the year (I almost used texting lang there). The leaves are starting to turn and cooler weather is embracing the evenings. Okay, I got all of that out. I finally got a chance today to catch up in my office. Oh, I did a fair amount of getting out to aid and abet (naw, not criminal activity unless one views education as such). It has been a solid day with solid results. I do love the bizarre questions about converting images into as2 files. I still do not have a definitive answer for that one. The others have all been satisfied. I have dealt with everything today from 9 to 5 to graphic properties. That is what I love about all of this--the menagerie (I know for you purists of the language that the word is animal based). Of course, my bailiwick (tribute to the asst. super) is running fairly well at his point. I will return tomorrow to end the week and almost the month...................flick

September 23, 2009

Someone once said that it is the little things that can drive one crazy so don't fret about the little things. I know this is a paraphrase so I did not add the quotes. Sometimes these little things can raise the frustration ten-fold. Today turned out to be the "little thing" day. I traveled to many destinations to solve 90% of those problems. I consider that number pretty good for a neophyte. I also am preparing for next week when i travel to the science department to immerse CFF into their curriculum. It should be interesting. I also became bogged down in an internal investigation of some students. Fun....Hey be back tomorrow........flick

September 20, 2009

Working with the sophomores on Photostory has gone well. This is just another tool that a student or teacher can use instead of the dreaded powerpoint. It is easier to use and input one's voice into the mix. I will be out tomorrow so I am trying to get things together for the absence. I am still out and about with teachers, and I already have a lot of things booked for next week. I finally am making inroads into science. I am quite patient with the teachers and look forward to working with the students. I also came across and email about an online event campus technology virtual conference on December 3. I think this would be good, and I need to check into it. Hey, be back on Wednesday..........flick

September 18, 2009

What a difference between yesterday and today. Things went smoothly, and we were able to get a lot done. I did find out that the node will definitely have to be upgraded. I am in the classrooms quite busy. I am still doing a lot of firemen work, but it is slowly getting there. In other words, things are working. I know this is as short entry, but there is little else to say. To all of my Gabonese readers..........Magha.........flick

September 17,2009

I must have made the SNAFU guardians really angry by not paying them some sort of homage because today they wreaked their havoc upon me and others. Everything from a corrupted file to a wireless node not being able to handle 28 computers. Both problems are in the process of a solution; it might take longer for one than the other. I will tell you that the hours are hurtling by according to my internal Timex. I am quite busy, and it is nice the lit coach is here to help with a lot of things. There is just a lot to do. It will be nice when everything is working well, and I can just go ahead and not have to troubleshoot when teaching. Well, I need to prepare for tomorrow.....................flick

September 16, 2009

Give me my soapbox, for I have a tale to tell which involves a group of people who fail to listen to advice. The tale: The great powers decided that they must trickle down some new concepts upon a educated populace--the knowledge givers. This populace's charge was to impart knowledge to another populace and were called to task when the knowledge was not imparted correctly. The great powers dictated the changes but failed to properly inform and educate the knowledge givers about the changes and how to properly use these changes. Of course, no one is there to call them to task......the end.

I use this tale for illustrative purposes only and not for any specific purpose (sarkasmos--Greek). Quite a busy day that involved many duties, but again I have rallied those to proceed into areas unknown and finish with a productive day. Tomorrow will find me working with classes all day on two programs: InDesign and Photo Story. A busy day for sure.....flick

September 15, 2009

Yep, I was right. Hardly anyone showed, but that is due to a multitude of reasons. I guess they will stop by when something does not go their way. I iterated before that I will begin after school hours once football is completed so we will see how many times I will sit by myself. Learning takes initiative. I have been out and about today, and I completed the InDesign basic tutorial. It is really basic, and I hope that the class avails themselves with the Atomic Learning. It is a great site for those things. I have been collaborating with teachers, and the schedule is sporting some names. I am off to do some good deeds for humanity. Take care all of my loyal readers.........flick

September 14, 2009

I am working on the InDesign tutorial for the classes I will be instructing. The program is so voluminous that I am just going to touch on the basics to get them started. I am going to allow KS to borrow my book during the time period. I am still working with a lot of teachers who have a lot of ideas. This is the fun part. I did only have a half day because I became ill so I will have to play catch up tomorrow and get prepared for the coaches' open house affair, which will only be attended by a few. Whoever uttered the phrase "build it and they will come" did not deal with teachers. I know some will show up but not many.

September 11, 2009

Well, the dam has broken unleashing a multitude of problems. Since there was a lag in our networked projectors, the district installed hard wired plugs. Well, one should be able to hook up a vga and a dvi on the same computer. "Should be" are the operative words. It does not work on one of the computer models we have; hence, a blown computer, and I am the one who did it. I also met with several teachers today, and the literacy coach and I are having an Open House to talk with teachers and explain to them the services we offer and the roles. We are hoping that this will give them some incentive to avail themselves of us. We plan to do this periodically throughout the year. I am supplying the cookies....LOL. The movie maker tutorial went well yesterday, and I am now working on a Indesign tutorial. I am doing that on Thursday. Things are busy, but in a good way. For all of my Sumatran readers.......Trok lom Flick

September 10, 2009

Just when you think it is safe to go into the water, something arises from the depths to take a bite out of you; the dreaded teacher who vents and frets and wants something more. Naw, I just had to add some literary sarcasm to the blog. Spent two periods today doing Movie Maker with a class, and I spent most of the time on the product than the actual program. This is a great start when students have the information to run the software and now need the facilitation to produce a good product. I am also continuing my quest to get the correct driver to run the CFF printers. This has to happen. I may have to call in the experts to get this done. I have been really busy, and I like the time. Who knows what tomorrow may bring...........flick

September 9, 2009

09/09/09 I know that numerologists are having a field day with this, but I have a hard time believing that numbers play an important role in the fates of all. I imagine the lotteries around the US will be inundated with those playing that number today. That is my take on it all. Still working on various problems. I also updated my wiki today and am prepared to teach tomorrow the moviemaker program. I met with the lit coach, and we are making a concerted effort to get the Read 180 program working. The teachers are doing a great job at integrating technology in many ways. I still love to see the light turn on in people's faces. I met with a total of six teachers today formally a three more informally. I am scheduled for the classroom many times in the next couple of weeks. It will be busy, but that is why I do this. I wish all of you numbers people great luck today...........flick

September 8, 2009

CFF is dead; there is no denying this. I do understand the reasoning behind it all, but I do not have to like it. I do believe that the US data supports this initiatives and others in PA as being viable. Viable is not always a motivating factor when it comes to budgeting. Yes, I know, the cynicism is spewing, but I again cannot help the distaste that comes from politics. It is a typical first day of school. I have been working on putting out fires, etc. I have been in 8 classrooms this morning, and the morning is not over. I am scheduled to teach four classes this week and next. It could be quite interesting, and I am sure it is. I did Promethean training over the summer to almost 30 teachers, and that went quite well, also. I had a little time right now so I thought I would begin another blogging year. Be back tomorrow........flick

July 23, 2009

Well, I thought that I would check in over the summer and let you know how things are going. First of all, I have now moved to a new area; it is okay if one does not like air conditioning or ambiance...oops, her comes the sarcasm. I will survive...thanks Gloria Gaynor...some more sarcasm. I also did some Promethean training for PV teachers. It went extremely well. I kept it simple and showed them the basics and allowed them to create something for themselves. I know that they were pleased with the outcome and so was I. I have been doing things here and there for preparation for the year and the class I will be teaching in early August. With the news from Harrisburg, it sure does sound like that CFF as we know it will be dead in the water. I am sure that the legislators will get their pay. How do you like it when ya got something that works and the state takes it away. I know that I am biased, but it is the truth. I will get a vacation soon, and I am looking forward to it. Sure do love my water recreation. Well, I thought I would blog in and let the loyals know what was happening. I did not fall off the face of the earth....LOL...............flick

June 18, 2009

I know, I know! All of my loyal readers were out there wondering how the steaming went. Well, I made sure I got here early, did some testing, and got it going. It took her some time to connect. Then P secured and audio interface to make it even better. Her connection was not the best, but she was able to see it fairly well. She did lose sound, but I taped it. I will make a DVD of that tape. We should be in good shape. The whole process was stressful but worthwhile. I am now working on my presentation next week. I will be blogging every now and them but definitely not everyday; I do not want to tax the minds of the horde of loyal readers who await my every word. It is tough being a blogging icon, but I have taken on the role well. Okay, enough of my sarcasm. I will talk with ye later............................flick

June 12, 2009

The last day of school. I think I am getting old because it does not mean as much to me as it once did. I am more concerned about getting the stream of graduation working properly. It is such an important event, and I just want to make sure it works. The news concerning CFF looks quite bleak for next year. I do not see much of anything from the state in terms of money or equipment. I do understand the cutting of the program, but I do not have to like it one bit. I have become quite cynical when it comes to politics, and I would love to see the budget and the perks that are there for certain so-called public servants. Okay, okay...I will quit the b errr I mean, complaining. I will let you know how the stream worked..............flick

June 11, 2009

I finally got to test the stream of the graduation. Everything went well except I need to work on the sound. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it all works well. I want it to work especially for the mom in Kuwait. We will see how it goes. I do have the faith. I am just going to have to watch it carefully. Hey, I forgot to ask all how you like the new summer colors of my blog. I know you all do because I have heard nothing but good from the plethora of comments I have gotten from myself. Oops, I delved into the sarcasm again. I finally got the word that I am moving next year to room with the lit coach. I have begun to pack up the thangs. I will let you all know how tomorrow went with the stream. And for all of my farsi readers Khoda hafaz..........flick

June 10, 2009

I did get to test the indoor graduation feed, and I do believe that we can get that to work if we have to do it. I still have not checked the outdoor feed, but I am assured that it will happen tomorrow. I just want to make sure that it works. I have been told officially that I am moving next year from the air conditioned room to a hole in the wall. The office is not the best, but my placement with the literacy coach is a good move and conducive to the job. Right now I am just working on end-of-the-year problems with everyone. I do believe now is the time to insert some sarcasm. Ahhhhh, ya gotta love the end of the school year..............flick

June 9, 2009

I wanted to test the streaming of graduation, but, alas, the powers who were to run the cable are just now doing it. I am hoping to be able to test it tomorrow. *&((*&^%&*^&%$%$& I had to release some frustration because the running of this cable was known several weeks ago. It will work. The end of the year brings many different problems, and one never knows what will crop up next. I had a few of those today. One that perplexed me and still has me perplexed is getting a remote to work. I can get it to do everything except turn the TV on. Who knows the problem. Well, we will see what the rest of the week brings..............flick

June 8, 2009

The first day of the final week of school, and the school is abuzz with all sortsof things. I did my internet safety at CH with the 4th graders, and it did go well. The students were enthusiastic and had a ton of questions and comments. I know I said it before, but I do love their spontaneity. It was a lot of fun. The rest of the day dealt with backing information and getting things ready for the graduation. I did meet with the literacy coach, and we talked about things. Not too much so I will blog at you tomorrow.............flick

June 5, 2009

Today I visited PVEI and did two presentations on internet safety. It was great talking with students of that age. I just love the spontaneity and the naivete. They had some very good questions and comments about various things. On Monday, I do have two more programs to present in CH. I also am just working on the end of the year things. I also need to prepare for the whiteboard training on the 22 and 23 of this month. I have to make sure teachers download and install Activinspire. I have been migrating teachers to the program; it is the program that will be installed on the image for next year. Next week is the last week; therefore, it will be interesting. By that, I mean, one never knows what will happen. I will give you reports from the nether regions to inform you of the happenings.........flick

June 4, 2009

Still wrapping up things for the end of the year, and I am preparing for the second round of internet safety with the elementary students. I also am doing some ground work for graduation next week which will streamed live across the internet for those who cannot make it and for a certain parent deployed to the Middle East. Ahhhh, there is a lot of loose ends to deal with. I must make sure they get done. I have said all that I need to say; therefore, all I need to say is done......tomorrow.........flick

June 3, 2009

Many people are singling the praises of the end of the school year, and I am thinking of all the things I need to accomplish this summer to prepare for the upcoming year. There is a lot to do so I will be working persona non grata. I like to be prepared as much as possible. Teachers are backing information, etc. and I am preparing tutorials on how to do it. It is important for them to learn how this is done. I also facilitate them....shhh...do not tell them. I have no worry about them reading this. There are a lot of concerns about different concepts, but there is nothing concrete. I guess I am a realist in this matter, and whatever comes down the pike I can handle. Two more days this week. Hey, you all have a great Wednesday...........flick

June 1, 2009

It is June and two more weeks of school for us. It is said that the older we get our perception of time gets skewed to an increased sensation. I must agree with this. I feel that way. Okay enough of this old #%&*&^^--there goes my political correctness. I do believe I might be sent to sensitivity training. I think I would have too good of a time. I am doing a presentation tonight at the retirement dinner, and I know my comments are going to have a roasting concept to them. I do not like those things, but I will throw some technology stuff into it. I just have to do that. Still going around to teachers and checking on any problems. I am going to have to do a seminar on backing up things. I am off tomorrow to help family...be back Wednesday.........flick

May 29, 2009

There was an update done to the server and now printers HP printers will not work across the network on some machines. Not sure of the problem. I know we are doing server rebuilds this summer, and we will try to get by. I guess you can figure out what I had to do. That is okay because the year is winding down, and I have to see all and get their material backed. I know they are not used to doing that, and I will need to help them. They have produced a tremendous amount of work, and I would hate to see them lose any of it. It is the weekend......take care....flick

May 28, 2009

I am on the road again visiting the lovely burg of Curwensville for a CFF regional meeting with our lovely TIMS--Eddie. I took the literacy coach with me. The meeting dealt with getting the math people on board, and Curwensville did a great job with their teachers showing some of the things they were doing. I hate to be stereotyping math teachers because it is not politically correct, but I have never been accused of being politically correct. As a group, they do not want to change. There are exceptions to the rule, and I have two who break that stereotype. We also heard from the state about what is happening next year, and it does not look good money-wise. That does not surprise me. Not a bad meeting--a little lengthy. Talk to you tomorrow.......flick

May 27, 2009

I taught a group of 4th graders interent safety today, and I thought it went well. I was surprised at how little they knew when it came to the internet, but they did know enough, I feel, to find some problems like all people do. I know this is a strange comment, but I find that most people can venture out into cyberspace and have no idea what can happen. I feel that people need to make themselves aware of some of things out there. I thought it went well, and I thought that I communicated well with them with a lot of reiteration. I came back here to mostly a quiet day so that is good. Tomorrow, I am off to the land of CFF at the IU. I need to have a cart ready for an interesting project which I will miss. We will be working with one of the most recalcitrant groups of innovators. Man, that is a mouthful. I will inform my loyal readers [sarcasm] about the results. tomiglio...........flick

May 26, 2009

A day after a vacation; ya gotta love it. I spent most of the day working on various matters that needed my attention. I also worked on the presentation to the 4th graders on internet safety; I will let you know how that went tomorrow. I am making rounds with teachers trying to solidify plans, etc. on what they want and need. I am looking already to next school year. I am still amazed at how well some people catch on to things. I am anxious to see what the stim money will bring in the form of technology. I do know that some of the wish lists were quite extensive, and I will see what Santa has granted. The activotes were quite popular on the lists. I am looking to garner a new lappy for my use. We will see about that one. Hey, I will be back tomorrow...toots.............flick

May 22, 2009

Spent most of the day catching up on a variety of items that needed what I call housekeeping. Wow, they sure do amass after a hectic week, and I will be out tomorrow attending a wedding out of town. I do believe that I am prepared for the Internet safety next week and the following. I am sure that I will be doing some tweaking after the initial presentation. I am also working on the logistics with graduation feed. I do hope that things work out well with that. There are a lot of things to think about and have contingencies in place in case of's. I think you all know what I mean. All of you have a great holiday weekend. There is not much left of this school year. See you after the holiday.............flick

May 20, 2009

Man, getting those Activotes working took awhile, but in the end it was worth it. I am so glad that we got them working. There is no manual for them, and the material I have found on line did not deal with all of the nuances. It became a trial and error, but they are working. It will save a lot of time for the next batch. Really became busy the rest of the day, although I did not have too much time. All in all quite good............flick

May 19, 2009

Well, I got to work with Activotes today, and I do think we go it set up really well. It is an experience, and I will troubleshoot it tomorrow. Oh, yesterday was my 200th blog entry. I forgot to mention that. Happy blog to me, Happy blog to me. Okay, I got that out of my system. I also helped with the senior class meeting and supplied some of the tech and music for it. I also tried to solve a problem with activstudio, but to no avail. I do think there is a puter problem there. I will call on the big guns to solve it. I am just busy working on end of the year things. I have to get it all done, and I will. See ya tomorrow for 202...............flick

May 18, 2009

I set up a teacher on Skype today. She was thrilled to be able to Skype teachers and others to join in on class discussions. I also had a long meeting with the Lit coach. We discussed our collaborative efforts for the rest of this year and next. It will work out well. I also have been tagged to teach Internet safety to elementary students. I find this topic quite interesting am looking forward to preparing for the topic. My first one is next week. I have some work to do to get all of this done. I have been meeting with teachers to wrap up the year and look at things for next year. Some of their plans are big, but I believe doable. Well, back to getting things done. I was out for most of the morning working with seniors.............adieu......mes amis..........flick

May 15, 2009

I took a group of middle school students to the solar car competition at PSU. It was great. I did enjoy the time, and the kids were great. We did have a winner for our first competition, and we also had a second place group. I really have to thank the B's for their time and efforts to help with everything. They were wonderful, and it is great to have parents of this caliber helping. I do hope that it will continue in the years to come.......have a great weekend..........flick

May 14, 2009

It seems like there has to be a day to celebrate Murphy's Law and today was the day. If anything could go wrong, it did. About the only thing that went correctly was the meeting with the principal. We talked about all sorts of things including the solar car competition tomorrow, which I am attending. I got most of the problems solved. AHHHHHHHHHHHH, just one of those days.....tomorrow........flick

May 13, 2009

We had a debriefing session with the JANUS group from PSU. It lasted an hour, and I think it will lead to a very productive liaison between PV and PSU--more productive for PV. I like the idea that we will be able to produce something that they can use. It is so important to have authenticity and relevancy when doing projects because it adds an important concept to its completion. I know that it will lead to some great productive projects. We are also having trouble completing the CFF survey with PSU. We and PSU have no idea what the heck is wrong, and someone needs to find a solution. I feel that it has something to do with our student profile. I am not sure, though. I also met with teachers today. We are starting to wind down with things. I am helping them with last minute details and budgetary concerns. Other than that I have nothing to report.................flick

May 12, 2009

I had an interesting meeting with a coach, and I had to admit that I was amazed at some of the information she told me about a student who questioned the practice of collaboration among the various disciplines. I have thought about this one, and I do see the student's point. I have been worried about the teachers, and I also feel that we need to address the why to the students. It does follow the learning focused model that we are touting, and whenever I go into a classroom to teach or team teach, I will explain the collaboration to them. What an eye opening experience! I also have been trying to get the solar car competitors together. It is so neat to see what they have created. I hope that they have the foresight to test their vehicles and solve problems. I also have to prepare a kit for them to do repairs. Could be an interesting day Friday! Holy smokes, two exclamation marks in the same blog entry. With all of this, I still met with five teachers today and attended the district track and field meet in Altoona. So, I will be back tomorrow....flick

May 11, 2009

I started this over two hours ago so you know what kind of day it has been. Meeting with several teachers has gone really well. I am more and more amazed at some of the things they are doing. It is really coming around full circle. I would say that we are reaching over 60% of the teachers willing to come out of the box. Today was the first day of the cff survey, and their has been major problems connecting to the survey. PSU has to realize that the traffic is going to increase, and they need to be ready. I know it will get fixed, but the teachers are losing teaching time, and they and I do not like that. Be back tomorrow. I am coming up on my 200th anniversary...yeah....................flick

May 7, 2009

The morning began with chaos as we had a electrical interruption which caused many computer problems, including mine. The problems were solved and the day continued. I taught photostory to two classes today, or I should say co-taught. Teachers are adopting this program quite well because of its ease and interface. I like it, also. As teachers move outside the comfort zone, I am finding my work load and collaborating with them also increasing. I teach this by having them work on a project as I am talking and help them with any problem. It is a lot of facilitating, and it does to see to work out well. I have also done moviemaker with her classes. Tomorrow, the school has an Act 80 day for senior project presentations. I am anxious to see them and the integration of technology............flick

May 6, 2009

My calendar this week is looking more like a teacher repository of names, but the one name that is prominent, and I have to pay special attention to is my TIMS man. We met concerning the state of CFF. The meeting went quite well, and we able to talk on a variety of subjects. The visit went well, and we are well within compliance. The TIMS does a great job. We also set up our first classroom wiki, and we are ironing out the bugs with it. I am anxious to see how it works. I also have been doing some research on some Web 2.0 apps. One of the concepts that worries me about a lot of it is the age restrictions being placed on them by the developers. We will get by this. Well, back again tomorrow..............flick

May 5, 2009

As the Canadians would say, "oot and aboot" (I mean no disrespect--love Canada). Little time to sit today because the conference last week and its subsequent collaboration has generated a plethora of requests about various subjects. I can not even describe how many times I was stopped and asked various questions about everything from Web 2.0 items to just software questions. Yep, you got it; I like it. It does get a little disconcerting with the firing of questions from all over the dartboard, but I did have most of the answers. Those I do not know; I will find them and get back. I have begun preparation for the TIMS for tomorrow and worked on other projects for the rest of the week. I will let you know how it all goes........austinlavista--I can fracture any language.......LOL...........flick

May 4, 2009

Ah, May...it is so hard to believe that it is this time of the year. The school year has flown, and I hear the older one gets, the faster the time. It is a good thing that I am so young: chortle (always loved that word). I got a lot of odds and ends and networking done today with quite a lot of people. I still have to commend J on the strides she is making....wow!! I have told others about it, and I am hoping that some take a good look at where she is headed. I do have to admit that I am somewhat peeved at wikispaces for not replying to an email I sent on Friday. I will do the things I have to do to prepare for a class. I would say something else about them, but a little inappropriate it be. My calendar is really getting booked for the week. I look at it on Monday and say to myself that it might be an easy one, but that never seems to happen. I like the hustle, and the more I get out there, the better it is. I am also getting some odd requests for jobs to help out in other areas--don't worry all tech except one. Well, off to a track meet and fame and fortune. For all of my French readers à bientôt................flick

April 29, 2009

The meeting went well today, and we have things finalized for the new image. It was busy dealing with all the consultations. I need to work with the solar car folks. I have to finalize some of that this week to get things ready. Next week I have to get my CFF group ready to do the survey. I know this will be lots of fun. There will be a million questions, but ya gots to do what you gots to do. I also have a meeting with the lit coach and the TIMS. I will let you know how it all goes.................flick

April 28, 2009

I had a meeting scheduled today with the regional TIMS, but with the incident here, I have rescheduled it for next week. It was a day to catch up on all of the problems, etc. There were a bunch of them. Getting to all of them and meeting with the literacy coach to set up a wiki was fun. We were able to do it all. I had some unique problems to overcome. I like the idea that some of the faculty is really stepping out of their comfort zones to tackle. I really must commend one J, who is really trying some new things. Tomorrow is a meeting with the IT wizard to talk about some tech things to get all puters ready for next year. We need to change our image to accommodate some new features, etc. Well, gotta get caught up..............flick

April 23-27, 2009

As you can see, I have lumped several days together because I have attended three different conferences during this time. I am conferenced (I know this is not a word, but in the Flick lexicon, it is perfectly acceptable). I am believer that if one walks away with one item, then it was worthwhile. Well, I must tell you that these were worthwhile. The one over the weekend (yes, I said over the weekend--I know this may surprise some of my loyal readers err, I meant reader) was at Hershey. I took one teacher with me to a conference about Promethean boards. It was quite good, and I feel the networking was fantastic. On Monday, I attended a CFF conference. This conference dealt with hands on concepts dealing with the different disciplines. I attended the math and social studies sessions.

Finally, the previous two days I attended the one-to-one computing conference held at PSU. Again it was very good, and I enjoyed most of it. I must admit that I did not enjoy PSU's lack of a viable internet connectivity. It was pathetic. It limited my multi-tasking...LOL. I especially thought the presentations were good, and I got more out of this than the PETE&C. I know everyone touts the aforementioned conference, but it has become too large and unwieldy. The neat part about the one-to-one was that we had a large contingent of teachers attend. This alone has stimulated some into areas, hitherto, unknown to them. Now it is back to the grind....flick

April 22, 2009

My 187th post on this blog. I would have never guessed that when I began this that I would continue it this long concerning a function of my life. Oh well, I am glad that I have done it. I sent out an email to the listserv with a link to the JANUS video. I hope that others take a look at it. I came across one of the laptops today that has been severely abused. This really %&*^%$%# me off. I do not appreciate it one iota, but there is little I can do. This is one of the items that concerned me when I took this job. Okay that is off my chest. Today I spent with Embedded Learning and cleaning up a lot loose ends. It was quite productive. I also met with several teachers and brought my coach's log up-to-date. Tomorrow is the science fair so I will be busy with that. Hey, be back then...........flick

April 21, 2009

Holy Smokes--a false fire drill and a lock down for a message scrawled on the bathroom wall--other than that, a normal day. I am still visiting teachers and talking with them concerning their needs. Overwhelmingly their responses deal with the working of technology vs. ideas for the integration, but I am dealing with the integration. We are moving along well. I am also slowly migrating all to Activinspire. I find the program interfaces well, and I like the new conveniences; it is well thought out. I also like the fact that we are going to make it part of the student image so the group can take advantage of it and create flipcharts in classes. This will add another tool to the teacher arsenal of technology. The middle level teachers have asked me to judge a science fair on Thursday. I really do not have the time, but I must practice what I espouse. I am looking forward to see what the students have done since we have touted the JANUS project. We are progressing well. I shall return tomorrow.......flick

April 20, 2009

I met today with both the principal and the literacy coach in separate meetings. Again both were productive, and I feel we are all on the same page, which is good. I also worked with Inspiration and the embedded learning. I got the chance today to work on a web site, which I have not done in a long time. It took me awhile to remember where some of the things were, but I did it. I must admit that I miss that. I also am trying to make arrangements for some conferences. Conferences are like coaching clinics; if you get one thing out of them, then it was worthwhile. I also am preparing for a visit from the TIMS to discuss the implementation of CFF. I will have to work out all of the details for that. It was a good day, and I feel on top of things. Be back tomorrow...........flick

April 17, 2009

What a meeting! The principals and the coaches had a meeting about respective roles and and happenings. The meeting was fantastic in that it was quite productive and lent itself to direction for us and the admin. I do not say that too much about meetings, but I have to say that about this one. The coach and I also worked with Inspiration with a class. You talk about engaged; the students were very engaged. It went well. I have also received a ton of emails concerning the Janus video. I know there is not too much to write today, but a lot of things happened...quite good. I will leave this week on a very happy note.....flick

April 16, 2009

I am continuing the task of talking to all the teachers to assess needs and the integration of technology. Most are quite receptive. I also uploaded the Janus video to TeacherTube, but I must admit that they are a little quirky. The video does not show up on a search yet, which also is odd. I know they have a review process. Here is the link: http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9823eb22de3e1cd88ba6 It already has some views, which is good. I will just make it easier for all my reader(s)....LOL My schedule for Friday is quite filled in, which is good. I will be working with Inspiration, Photo Story, Eyeplorer, and have a coaches' meeting. The literacy coach and I have been working together well. I feel that is a strong component to making this all work. Be back tomorrow....flick

April 15, 2009

Welcome to another income tax day. I have read about the tea parties around the nation, and I do understand their feelings. I will not deal with politics here unless it deals with education. Met with several teachers today and discussed where they are heading and what I can do to help. I plan to meet with more over the coming days. I found out how many people are attending the Promethean workshop in Hershey next weekend: one besides me. Again, I do understand the reluctance on a weekend, but I do not understand the B&C that will come from not understanding the program. It takes two to tango. Hey, I uploaded the JANUS video to YouTube. I had some problems with formatting, but I tweaked some things here and there and got it. I have been trying TeacherTube, but I have not had any luck. I am not sure if it is too big or what. I have embedded it here. I cannot say enough about the girls who produced, shot, and edited the result. They did a great job, and I am proud of their accomplishment. I have the school board meeting tonight and must thank them for their support as well as the administration's in this endeavor.

April 14, 2009

I did my first movie maker class presentation today, and it went very well. I had them create their own movie using the program; it went well, and they are using the program. They will also use it to create a school district project. I love to see real life experiences for projects. I need to get everything ready for the school board presentation tomorrow night for the JANUS project. The girls will do the presentation. I am also working on a you tube upload. I am finding the embedded learning to be tough to manage working with two courses. It is going well, but not a well as I would like. Not much today but busy.......flick

April 13, 2009

The golden touch definitely came into play today, but, of course, I wonder if I will jinx myself for the rest of the week. Nah, just will not happen. It was also a day of frustration with some matters, but I will not go into that because of names. I was able to help A's class with photo story, and I was also able to finish the movie maker and prepare for that tomorrow. The rest of the day dealt with handling problems. I still have been working with eyeplorer and becoming more accustomed to its odd search patterns. I still feel that there is some good relevance there, and I do look forward to working with it. I need to finalize plans for the van for the weekend of the 25th and 26th for the Promethean conference in Hershey. I will finish that tomorrow. Then the following week I have the one-to-one computing conference at PSU. I also worked with the embedded learning, and forging into areas unknown to mortal man (just in my own mind). Ya gotta love it. Well, I must also prepare for the school board meeting on Wednesday. I will be back tomorrow. Oh, this is my 180th posting for all of you keeping count. Yay!!!!!!