Conversations Episode 70 - Keeping the Spark Going to the End of the Year

LParisi - Sat, 2010-04-17 04:59

Post-Show description:

This week, while Sheila was away, Maria and Lisa talked about ways to keep the energy and excitement going until the end of the school year.

Chat:

11:23:40 Lisa Parisi: Hello Rose

11:24:37 Rose Arnell: Hi Lisa. How have you been?

11:25:18 Rose Arnell: Great topic today....I may have already hit that point

11:26:06 MariaK: Streaming on ETT A only today - no ustream

11:31:04 Lisa Parisi: Rose, can you hear us?

11:31:07 MariaK: Maurenn - stream in ETTA can you hear it

11:31:16 Maureen: Yes, On ETTA

11:32:39 Maureen: Hadn't missed the 30 second delay vs ustream

11:33:05 Maureen: Mornin Peggy

11:33:11 Lisa Parisi: Sound is in ETTA

11:33:14 Peggy George: good morning!

11:33:17 Rose Arnell: No the ustream keeps cycling with no sound

11:33:19 Peggy George: thanks

11:33:37 Maureen: Did you find help yet?

11:33:41 Maureen: Oh good

11:33:47 Rose Arnell: Got sound now...

11:34:05 Peggy George: hearing you great on ETT-A

11:34:08 minhaaj: Hi all

11:34:09 Lisa Parisi: Sound is in ETTA

11:34:50 McTeach: Good morning!

11:34:55 Lisa Parisi: Just lost Maria

11:35:11 Maureen: Lost audio

11:35:25 Lisa Parisi: Give us a moment. I lost Maria and she was streaming.

11:36:48 Lisa Parisi: Maria is coming back

11:36:58 Lisa Parisi: We're back.

11:36:59 Maureen: You're back

11:37:33 McTeach: Hijacking? That just sounds wrong.

11:37:36 Lisa Parisi: ETTA has sound

11:37:53 Lisa Parisi: Just so long as we don't ever stream on a plane! LOL

11:38:16 McTeach: lol

11:38:40 Peggy George: Brian Crosby will be the featured presentation/guest on K12 Online Echo on April 20 at 8:00pm EDT. Hope you will all join us.

11:38:42 Maureen: for us or the kids?

11:39:09 Peggy George: http://k12online.ning.com/events/k12-online-echo-brian-crosby

11:39:27 Peggy George: burnout happens for kids as well as teachers :-)

11:39:42 MariaK: [u]Whew! I'm back!

11:39:52 Maureen: I teach 4-9, and since a lot of the 8th graders leave after this year and it's the last year for 9th... they are checking out

11:39:53 Peggy George: it happens in AZ too and the weather really isn't the factor

11:40:45 McTeach: Hey Derrall!

11:40:50 Maureen: Not apathetic, just overwhelmed in the spring

11:40:57 Peggy George: Hi Derrall

11:41:32 McTeach: Guess we shouldn't have said "hi" to Derrall, Peggy!

11:42:03 Peggy George: some days are like that :-) we had a lot of logging in and out last night on ETT

11:42:16 derrallg: hi Karen and Peggy lost the window for a bit

11:42:17 Maureen: I saw Wes when Cheryl was streaming in Maine.

11:42:39 McTeach: This is a perfect topic for me!

11:42:40 Peggy George: yes Maureen!!! I'm so glad they streamed that!!

11:42:58 McTeach: Glad you're here Derrall!

11:43:23 derrallg: topic seemed relavant, just made it to spring break

11:43:48 McTeach: I'm just finishing my spring break. :/

11:44:04 derrallg: hope you got to recharge a little

11:44:24 McTeach: I did! But now I'm dreading going back.

11:44:33 McTeach: Not what I was hoping for.

11:44:44 derrallg: I had to take subs and bring the k/1 teams and then 2/3 teams into collaborating

11:44:57 Rose Arnell: I would love to have a secretary to do all of the papaerwork so I could teach and be creative

11:45:20 Maureen: I got a request yesterday to make a dvd for the arts week presentation... and made new spreadsheets for April conferences and come up with a 3-5 year plan for tech at the school and evaluate new SIS systems... and oh yeah- teach 6 classes. Work is getting to me... but it is really not apathy- it's overwhelming and frustrating

11:45:28 Peggy George: the "problem" with teachers is they never really take a break--even when there is spring break or weekends they continue planning, learning

11:45:38 McTeach: Exactly, Peggy!

11:45:51 McTeach: Seems like all I do is school stuff!

11:45:52 derrallg: I'm worried about being ready for the webcast for earthday

11:46:09 Rose Arnell: @Maureen...that sounds like an absurd request!

11:46:13 sr: time for a day off ..personal day..call in a substitute

11:46:16 Maureen: It is all I do- work and more work.

11:46:28 McTeach: Derrall, what all do you need to do?

11:46:35 Peggy George: that's really funny Maria!! you're not filling my bucket!!

11:46:48 Maureen: Oh- and I get to sub for a preK class in the morning, instead of my prep time.

11:46:49 McTeach: What book?

11:47:00 derrallg: @Mcteach have to make sure student presentations are ready and how to present online live

11:47:16 McTeach: How close are they to being ready?

11:47:24 Lisa Parisi: http://www.steveandcat.net/mrswalker/bucket_fillers.htm

11:47:44 derrallg: @mcteach they're getting their but all over the map for how they will present

11:47:49 derrallg: there

11:48:16 Maureen: Trying out green screen and stop motion animation with one of my classes- that's fun and the kids are excited. 6th graders asked if they could so it too- but that class needs strict structure in order to do anything- don't have it in me at the moment

11:48:43 Maureen: sorry- if they could "do" it too

11:48:55 McTeach: Derrall...kids always surprise me. I think they're not even close to being ready and then they pull it off beautifully

11:49:17 derrallg: @maureen at some points you have to choose, hope you don't blame yourself

11:49:55 derrallg: @mcteach I'm hoping, just pushed myself and what they can do so unsure, will learn a lot regardless

11:50:28 Maureen: @derralg- no, I wish it could be different, but one section has a kid who will hijack the class given any opportunity- and I've tried all year, but nothing works with him. So, therefore the whole class is losing out.

11:50:52 Rose Arnell: Kids have to learn the difference between faciliatator and teacher. They are used to being spoon fed.

11:50:53 Peggy George: I would love to see what your kids do with green screen Maureen! That is so exciting!

11:50:55 MariaK: Hi Minhaaj - just noticed you were here.

11:51:38 Maureen: @peggyg- they are making "peep shows". I bought them packages of peeps- they are coming up with stories and will do the animation

11:52:12 Peggy George: I loved that idea about the peeps!

11:52:36 derrallg: @maureen that sounds like fun

11:52:55 Lisa Parisi: Maureen, I cannot wait to see wht the end result is.

11:53:04 minhaaj: Hey maria

11:53:06 McTeach: Maureen...my brother created his own Peep Show at his house for Easter! Hilarious!!

11:53:09 Lisa Parisi: Anyone want to join the skype call?

11:53:11 minhaaj: How are you ?

11:53:20 McTeach: Robots???

11:53:30 derrallg: oh oh have to cook pancakes now , will be listening though

11:53:34 Maureen: I tried something new with 7th grade/excel- parents filled out a "census" form and the kids have to play with the data. They have 200 people with 5 fields of data for each one. It'll be interesting- excel and google spreadsheets so they can map birthplace, etc...

11:54:03 McTeach: Derrall...mmm...I'll take a few pancakes!

11:54:07 McTeach: :)

11:54:16 Lisa Parisi: Yes, Derrall, make extra!

11:54:45 Maureen: I am struggling with trying to both integrate with other classes and teach basic computer skills that the kids need. Too many projects at once

11:55:59 Maureen: Good point Maria- you know you can get thru this... it does happen every year. We came back from break March 31st- and it is really just hold your breath and go for it til the end. But you know it will work out

11:56:32 McTeach: I haven't been able to depend on our schedule this entire year! It's so hard for someone like myself who has ADD.

11:56:45 Maureen: Do you have to do DIBELS or some other assessment?

11:56:51 Peggy George: there are so many extra things to be doing/thinking about at the end of the year on top of daily teaching! end of year procedures, planning for next year, preparing for summer PD, celebrations, etc.

11:57:15 McTeach: Peggy...and planning for ISTE!! :D

11:57:21 Peggy George: definitely!

11:57:54 MariaK: tThe literacy folks require something called AIMS web - similar to dibels - I do not think it is measuring real reading/literacy behaviors

11:57:56 Peggy George: ISTE is summer PD :-)

11:58:19 Maureen: Our last day for 7-9 is June 2nd, the 10th for everyone else (7-9) have finals.

11:58:30 minhaaj: excellent conversation but i gotta run unfortunately.

11:58:32 minhaaj: have fun

11:58:54 Peggy George: the projects are so great during this time but they are a lot more work for both teachers and students

11:59:42 MariaK: our last day is around june 19 - ugh

12:00:02 Maureen: I'm still making it up as I go... first year teaching 4th and 5th and revising 6th- since we changed when computer classes begin- was 1-12, then 4-8, then 6-8, now 4-9... kids are in all different places.

12:02:03 Peggy George: do you think you need to change what you're doing to ease your end of year stress/burnout or just change your attitude?

12:02:14 Maureen: How do you handle integration/immersion or whatever you call it with your "computer" teacher if you have one? I can suggest a project- but it seems like whatever I do in class is never used in the other class. Even when I try to get buy-in from others. They are happy to let me do it, but I never get feedback.

12:02:48 Peggy George: that's so frustrating Maureen!!

12:03:02 Peggy George: can you co-teach with the computer teacher?

12:03:13 Maureen: @peggyg- I am the computer teacher

12:03:26 McTeach: Always joyful for me!!! :D

12:03:48 Peggy George: I mean can you co-teach with the teacher who doesn't follow up with your activities?

12:04:06 Maureen: @peggyg- no, our schedules don't work

12:04:11 Peggy George: that "joyful" attitude is very important!

12:04:47 Peggy George: that's too bad Maureen. they would be inspired by working with you

12:05:11 Rose Arnell: I have rotations of students so what I do for first group has to be as engaging for the last group.

12:05:42 Lisa Parisi: That's why I never wanted to teach only one subject, Rose

12:06:08 Maureen: @Maria- I had kids make a demo of our school water system. They learned about where we get our water, and then made a pvc pipe system that modeled getting the water to all the buildings. Need sunshine and a hose! But it was fun.. We made our own water filters in plastic bottles too.

12:06:50 MariaK: sounds like fun - maureen - I may build on that!

12:07:00 Rose Arnell: @ Lisa I teach GT so we create as we go. Student centered learning is about them developing and having vested interest in project ideas.

12:07:11 Peggy George: maybe you need to squeeze in some physical exercise at the start of a day--10 minutes of jumping jacks, stretching, etc. might get the cobwebs cleared out for both teachers and students and it clears the brain of stressors :-)

12:08:35 McTeach: The only reason I do diagramming sentences is because we do sentence art. They diagram and then create a piece of artwork. They love it!

12:08:53 Maureen: @maria- we did an experiment with watersheds... instant mashed potatos as the land.. in a roasting pan- made terrain- put little lego people, houses, etc... rivers, mountains. Then we sprinkled instant coffee- pollution- around and then sprayed it with water to watch how pollution moves in watersheds.

12:09:30 McTeach: But then you have parents who don't think their kids can or should make mistakes!

12:09:39 McTeach: How are they going to learn if they don't make mistakes?!

12:10:12 Maureen: DId you make newspaper chairs? That's fun- great engineering

12:10:28 Rose Arnell: @Mcteach how are teachers going to learn if they don't go out their comfort zones and makes mistakes. Great point!

12:10:53 Peggy George: those all sound like such fun projects!!! your energy level picks up when you are describing them :-)

12:11:00 Lisa Parisi: Isn't that the biggest issue with using tech? YOu have to be willing to mess up.

12:11:18 Lisa Parisi: Yes, Peggy. Maybe that's what we need to do.

12:11:21 McTeach: Rose...exactly!! My biggest lessons (for myself) have come from forcing myself to leave my comfort zone this year!

12:11:33 Rose Arnell: That's how I know which mistakes the students are going to make. I make them first as I teach myself the tool.

12:11:44 Maureen: Almost everything I am doing with tech is new to me... the kids know that I am learning too.

12:12:34 Peggy George: maybe you can focus on using tools they have learned earlier in the year on new content so you're not learning new tools and new content at the same time???

12:12:38 Maureen: That's why I loved co-teaching. My partner could take my hare-brained ideas and make the classroom management piece work

12:13:22 Rose Arnell: @McTeach go outside of your zone outside of the classroom as well. Then the class setting will seem like a piece of cake.

12:13:58 Peggy George: co-teaching is so great for building on each other's ideas and strengths!

12:14:10 McTeach: Rose...I think that's even harder to do for me

12:14:41 Rose Arnell: @McTeach The first step is the hardest one. You can do it!

12:15:24 Maureen: When I taught science I was a "dumpster-diver" myself.

12:15:50 McTeach: Rose...I'll add it to my list. :D

12:15:54 Rose Arnell: @Mcteach Find something that you have always wanted to try and then do it. You'll be amazed at the 'power and energy' you will feel.

12:16:24 Peggy George: http://712educators.about.com/cs/testingstress/a/stress_2.htm This has some great tips! page 2 of article about end of year teacher stress :-)

12:16:31 McTeach: Rose...hmmm...you have me thinking...

12:16:43 Rose Arnell: @McTeach...there is no try... there is only do... Yoda

12:17:00 Maureen: @maria- the bus drivers did not like me... balloons, messy projects, etc..

12:18:01 Peggy George: that is the link to page 2

12:18:09 Alexis -> puentesalmundo: hola Jose, Pilar y a todos los compañeros

12:18:22 Peggy George: it talks about the importance of taking time for yourself--personal time :-)

12:18:29 Maureen: But, listen to your voices now... you are both laughing- not apathetic

12:18:37 Peggy George: laughter!!! :-)

12:18:51 Peggy George: that's the problem!! need a different hobby!

12:18:56 McTeach: Having issues here...

12:19:25 Peggy George: exactly Maureen!!

12:20:10 Maureen: Absolutely- I gave the 7th graders a quiz the other day- on excel- lots of easter candy to graph- and eat. But projects, deadlines, etc are real and we just have to manage our time and remember to breathe!

12:20:58 Peggy George: http://712educators.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=712educators&cd... this is a link from the earlier site--instant stress buster ideas :-)

12:21:15 Maureen: Different class dynamics- my 6th grade class cannot be given an inch- the 5th graders- are so much fun- they can work and play

12:21:20 Peggy George: if that link doesn't work for you it is on the other link

12:21:51 Peggy George: pop bubble wrap :-)

12:22:21 McTeach: I can't seem to click on any of the links in the chat. Do I need to change something?

12:22:48 Peggy George: could be your browser is blocking them?

12:23:02 Lisa Parisi: Wait until the show is over and try again.

12:23:28 McTeach: Peggy...I'm still working on getting the iMac set up. I'm sure there's a lot I need to do.

12:23:34 Peggy George: yes-try copying/pasting the link into an email or word doc to try later

12:23:47 McTeach: Thanks, Peggy.

12:24:16 Maureen: But this year's class moves on for you... I've had the current 7th graders in K, then in science for gr 1-3, then in computer for 6-9.. Problems don't go away for some

12:25:55 Peggy George: try this tinyurl http://tinyurl.com/yd65nhm

12:26:16 Peggy George: the chat seems to shorten the URLs I added earlier

12:26:49 McTeach: Nope...nothing happens when I click on the links.

12:27:26 Peggy George: that may be your browser then--I've had that happen sometimes in Firefox

12:27:32 Rose Arnell: Thanks Ladies, off to reds v cubs game. have a good week.

12:27:45 Lisa Parisi: Bye rose

12:27:56 Peggy George: have fun Rose!!!

12:28:01 Lisa Parisi: Have a great week!

12:28:11 McTeach: Sounds like me when I was a kid...well, not the tattoo part, but I was always an old soul. Felt like I had to be a grown up

12:28:16 McTeach: Have fun Rose!

12:28:16 Rose Arnell: Bye! Thanks for your time and sharing.

12:29:16 Rose Arnell: McTeach...let me know what you decide to do as a personal challenge. [email protected]:?

12:29:35 McTeach: Thanks Rose! Will do!

12:29:56 Peggy George: did you get to see the student speaker at the end of TEDxOntario this week?

12:30:32 Peggy George: he talked about being the kind of kid that was a teacher's worst nightmare and explained what he needed in school to be learning and successful--very inspiring!

12:31:13 McTeach: What a great story!

12:31:25 Peggy George: would love to do your survey Maria!!

12:31:34 Cathy E: It is hard for college kids too. My daughter is going through the sophomore slump

12:31:35 McTeach: Peggy...is that recorded and online somewhere?

12:31:47 Peggy George: my favorite shoes are my ASU clogs :-)

12:32:00 Peggy George: I think it is McTeach-just a sec

12:32:25 McTeach: Oh, can you send out that first link again, Peggy? The one for the article...I got bumped out before I could copy it.

12:32:45 Peggy George: http://tedxontarioed.ca/

12:32:53 Maureen: Have a great week!

12:32:58 cc Cathy E: Maria, do you want just kindergarten

12:32:59 Lisa Parisi: http://ettconversations.blogspot.com/

12:33:14 Peggy George: http://tinyurl.com/yd65nhm