Hopes for the coming year....

Ahh.....

   A new start - a fresh beginning....what we all can always use.....

What are my hopes for this new year?  I have so many.... Last year was a learning experience.  There are many things that I will do differently this coming year - I am excited to implement my new plans!

When I started teaching last year, I was not sure how the year would develop.  I have programmed for 16+ years, but this was intimidating - what if I did not do something like the WorldWideWorkshop people wanted me to do?  There was SO much to remember - what if I forgot something(s)....

                                                         

Well, I did forget things and it did feel like I was winging it at times.....but it was a GREAT year!  I am totally behind this program and the way that it teaches students HOW to learn and be self directed. 

I believe that I am 200% more prepared for this coming fall....Word got around school about what a great class it was, that the enrollment went sky high!!  That is GREAT!  My students told their classmates that it was a great class, but NOT a blow off class, that you had to work every day, but if you stayed on top of things you would not have a problem.

What will I do differently personally?  I will update my Learning Log EVERY Friday!  I will Blog at least twice a week. 

I commented on the following blogs:

   Austin'shttp://karenglobaloria2010.blogspot.com/2011/07/hopes-for-coming-year.html?showComment=1314886922044#c99897810503137919

Caitlin Caitline

Gary

Last week of school.....

It is finally here - the last real week of school - next week is finals....I didn't think that it would come and then... suddenly it was here.  It is strange, the halls seem empty - I guess with 300+ seniors gone, that would make a difference.

It was kinda sad last week when I realized that my seniors were done and leaving....John and Anthony came back on Friday because they wanted to make more changes on their game.  I was so very impressed with their game....they were pretty happy with it, too, they just wished that they had more time.  They wanted to be able to record their voices saying the dialog.....

                                         

What to do without electricity

Just when you think that your plate is full, that nothing else crappy can happen to you.....just when you think that things HAVE to be looking up......does it?  Weeelllll.....NO!

                                                                         

OK - last couple of days of Spring Break - everyone is back at home and I do not have to be driving all over the state - Dennis is taking Lillianna to a scarrryy movie and I can settle down on a Saturday night and get caught up on school work and getting ready for the following week....and....

                                                                                    

the electricity goes out - ARG!

                                                               

I called the power company and they said that it would be back on by 3:30 pm the following day.....as I said before, when it rains, it pours!

                                                      

Spring Break

For once, I was not looking forward to Spring Break - my 84 year old mother was having total hip replacement on Tuesday.  I planned on staying the first night with her at the hospital in Huntington and then driving back and forth the rest of the week.  She did pretty well except that she has been sick to her stomach every day.  The Dr finally figured out that it was the pain medication that was making her sick - they tried different medicines but everything made her sick.  They finally figured out that she will just have to take Tylenol - that is a little medicine for a big operation....

It seems that it doesn't just rain, it pours....there are other things going on in my life that required that I drive back and forth to Beckley every day, too.  Sometimes there is just too much to take care of all at once :(

But, as always, I will make it through....

Nuclear fallout/disaster?

I asked my students to blog this week about the happenings in Japan.  When I asked if they were concerned about the nuclear ramifications, many said that the media was blowing it out of proportion.  When we came in today, some said that they may have changed their minds.  I told them to do some research and see what information they could come up with. 
Am I concerned?  Yes, I am.  The possible side-effects of what is happening in Japan just plain scares me.
                                                                 

Qualities of a best friend

I asked my students to Blog this week about what they feel are the qualities of a best friend.  I thought that I would Blog about this topic also.  As a high school student, I had a best friend.  As a college student, I did not really have a best friend, I was too busy.  If I wanted to go do something, it was always with my boyfriend.  As an adult, again, I do not really have a best friend.  I have friends, but not what I consider a "best friend" lke I had in high school.

Going to Columbus

Tomorrow Lillianna and I are going to Columbus, Ohio for Adoption Day.  Our plans: see at least 3 movies, spend the evening in the game room, and sleep in the next day.