New Year Goals

Conversations Episode 115 - What Keeps Us Motivated? New Year Goals

For our first show of 2012, we decided to discuss our goals for the New Year.  This led to a conversation about what keeps us motivated in our classrooms?

Chat:

19:40:07 Lisa Parisi : Hello Renee

19:40:54 msreneescience : Hi Lisa Happy New Year

19:44:19 Lisa Parisi : Happy New Year

19:54:02 sheila : Welcome - We will be streaming in a few.

19:55:00 Lisa Parisi : Hello there

19:55:20 sheila : Welcome all to Conversations!

19:56:54 Lisa Parisi : Hello Adina!

19:57:03 adinasullivan : Hey Lisa!

19:57:13 Lisa Parisi : Hello Jeremy

19:58:14 Jeremy M. : Hi Lisa. Saw the tweet. Thought I'd "watch" the convo for a bit.

19:58:47 Lisa Parisi : Thanks, Jeremy

19:59:19 Jeremy M. : Is there a specific topic tonight?

19:59:39 Lisa Parisi : Tonight's topic is goals for the New Year and how to we keep motivated

19:59:54 Lisa Parisi : Hello Tammy

20:00:19 Tammy Bush : Hi Lisa - I'm finally in a Canadian time zone and this is happening when I am awake :)

20:00:43 Lisa Parisi : Conversations is on ustream.  Click the play button to hear us.

20:01:08 Lisa Parisi : Hello Amanda

20:01:11 mariak : hi amanda

20:01:15 sheila : Hi all!

20:01:57 Lisa Parisi : Hello Cathy and Peggy

20:02:00 PeggyG : whew!!! was worried I couldn't get in

20:02:02 Lisa Parisi : Hello Jan

20:02:04 marragem : hi everyone!

20:02:08 PeggyG : Chrome didn't work for me tonight

20:02:09 Lisa Parisi : CAn anyone hear us?

20:02:12 PeggyG : hearing you great!

20:02:25 msreneescience : yes

20:02:27 marragem : chrome's not working for me either, Peggy

20:02:34 PeggyG : hi everyone!!! Happy New Year!!!

20:02:41 Cathy E : I'm in with Chrome

20:02:47 adinasullivan : Hear you just fine

20:02:50 @janwells : Hi all.....I'm new to this, I don't hear anything.

20:02:53 Cathy E : Love the chat window

20:02:58 PeggyG : Amanda at the beach :-) That must be quite a scene :-)

20:03:06 Lisa Parisi : Jan, click on the play button on the ustream page on the right

20:03:12 marragem : I'm home, now Peggy :(

20:03:12 Tammy Bush : I'm not hearing it either

20:03:21 PeggyG : sounds fabulous!

20:03:30 @janwells : Oh, thanks......got it.

20:03:39 PeggyG : Hi Jan :-)

20:03:50 @janwells : Hi Peggy!!!

20:03:57 Cathy E : Maria, you sound sick - are you ok?

20:04:00 PeggyG : was it a web cam on the Australian beach? :-)

20:04:08 sheila : Yes.

20:04:12 PeggyG : love it!

20:04:31 PeggyG : hahahaha

20:04:37 Lisa Parisi : Hi Jamie

20:04:40 marragem : my chat's lagging behind the audio :(

20:04:43 PeggyG : Hi Jamie

20:04:43 connect2jamie : Hi all! Happy New Year!!

20:04:49 sheila : Welcome all!

20:04:58 connect2jamie : ETT A?

20:04:59 PeggyG : that's not unusual Amanda for the chat to lag behind the audio

20:05:04 marragem : not a pretty sight!

20:05:07 PeggyG : click play on ustream

20:05:25 connect2jamie : Hooray!

20:05:26 marragem : I was great to have you there - Maria & Sheila!

20:05:40 Cathy E : Show 115!  Ya'll are web stars!

20:05:43 PeggyG : tell the truth--how many of you are still writing 2011 on your checks and messages???

20:06:00 sheila : Today is 1-2-12

20:06:10 connect2jamie : I wrote 2010 on a check to my yard guy the other day!! :\

20:06:28 PeggyG : some people say you shouldn't have new goals/resolutions just at the beginning of the year but you should renew them all year long :-)

20:06:29 sheila : Welcome tgilley

20:06:38 PeggyG : funny jamie!

20:06:54 PeggyG : me too Jamie! that's why I asked...

20:07:05 Jeremy M. : I'm lurking today, but I hope that many of you have seen digitallearningday.com. We are hoping to motivate more of our more "reluctant" teachers and keep the rest of us motivated.

20:07:09 connect2jamie : Like that Peggy! I don't do well with New Years resolutions

20:07:11 marragem : I'm so not motivated for the start of my school year

20:07:24 tgilley : Hello.  What's the topic of conversation?

20:07:37 mariak : hopes and dreams for 2012

20:07:39 PeggyG : what else...new year's goals/resolutions

20:07:55 PeggyG : oh no!!! test prep time begins in January?????

20:08:03 mariak : @marragem - Me too! i don't want to go back.

20:08:03 connect2jamie : yes--we had inservice today and it's already all about test prep

20:08:19 marragem : or like me, you're coming off a way too short summer break

20:08:39 tgilley : my hope and dream is common core will have us doing less test prep

20:08:56 sheila : I like that one tgilley!

20:08:58 PeggyG : yes teachers can lose their jobs if they don't administer the tests

20:09:06 Tammy Bush : Jeremy - is it digitallearningday.org?  I just typed in the url and it gave me that option instead

20:09:20 PeggyG : teachers also can't tell kids to tell their parents to opt them out...

20:09:27 Jeremy M. : Tammy- Oops, yes it is.

20:09:44 Jeremy M. : digitallearningday.org

20:09:50 Lisa Parisi : Sound is on ustream

20:09:53 tgilley : PeggyG maybe we should be telling more parents to opt out

20:09:55 Tammy Bush : thanks - I'm looking at it now

20:10:30 adinasullivan : Parents can opt-out in California, but the school is penalized if the percentage taking the test is too low

20:10:48 sheila : @marragem I'm more motivated at the beginning of a new school year in Sept rather than now in January.

20:10:51 Lisa Parisi : Do you have a lot of kids opting out?

20:11:02 connect2jamie : I guess I don't know what you mean by opt out day

20:11:13 Jeremy M. : I have to jump ship to make dinner, but please take a moment to look at digitallearningday.org. You can contact me at [email protected] or on twitter @MrMacnology. Will be a great day and will help bring a lot of what we are doing with edtech to the surface. Please support.

20:11:14 PeggyG : no---that's not allowed either--I had an experience with that when I was a principal and apparently one of my teachers told the kids they could have their parents keep them home from the testing and she got in big trouble with the state.

20:11:19 tgilley : we don't have any opting out in our building

20:11:29 PeggyG : thanks Jeremy-will check it out

20:11:42 mariak : www.facebook.com/groups/264594250218348/doc/277171252293981/www.unitedop...

20:11:49 Jeremy M. : Thanks everyone. Will have to catch the next broadcast.

20:11:59 PeggyG : right Maria--required to have a certain % of your students taking the test

20:12:00 tgilley : let's check out this digitallearning.org what's that all about?

20:12:10 mariak : unitedoptout.com

20:12:14 sheila : Bye Jeremy M! Thanks for stopping by.

20:12:41 connect2jamie : got it.

20:13:17 connect2jamie : I think Steve Hargadon did it for one of his daughters

20:13:26 PeggyG : that's true Lisa! parents can keep their kids home the entire testing week but teachers can't tell them to do that

20:14:05 connect2jamie : LOL--the librarian is testing too, in our building!

20:14:28 PeggyG : that would make the other teachers mad at you Lisa--every person in the school gets involved with helping with testing so if you ask to send your child to another room it imposes on them

20:14:38 PeggyG : exactly Jamie!

20:14:39 mariak : Everyone is involved in testing at our school - lots of folks are pulled to monitor - art, music , phys ed....

20:15:07 connect2jamie : @maria us too b/c we have sooo many small group testing situations, etc

20:15:09 PeggyG : Steve actually homeschooled some of his kids--not sure about all

20:15:12 sheila : Only homeroom teachers are involved in our testing.

20:15:36 PeggyG : so is that your resolution for this year Lisa?????

20:16:05 mariak : Yes, Jamie - it is mostly so we can have small group testing - more "child friendly" testing - which seems like an oxymoron for me.

20:16:08 connect2jamie : Every 2-5th gr teacher plus librarian, counselor, all special ed, etc do testing in our bldg. My library assistant has even tested before.

20:16:24 tgilley : if all of us are doing so much small group testing is this really good for kids? Does this make them independent; I thought our goal as educators were to create independent citizens.

20:16:29 PeggyG : well you can state it postively! :-)

20:16:45 PeggyG : I will engage my students all day every day except for 45 minutes a day

20:17:07 PeggyG : I'm sure your entire day will be engaging! just teasing

20:17:23 connect2jamie : I'm going to drink more water! That's not exactly a professional goal, but...

20:17:31 Lisa Parisi : http://pointofviewwritingproject.wikispaces.com/

20:17:59 PeggyG : that's an awesome project Lisa!

20:18:08 Tammy Bush : I would hope that people are starting to reevaluate the amount of testing we do and decide what is really informing our teaching/learning for our students - otherwise it is just paper work/ paper trails fo the sake of testing.  Anyway, I've gotta run but will stop by again ... thanks for welcoming me!

20:18:10 PeggyG : makes me wish I had a class so I could participate

20:18:23 PeggyG : thanks for coming Tammy

20:18:43 PeggyG : are you going to use the POV videos?

20:18:54 @janwells : Please pass the link to your PLN that might be interested. Thanks.

20:19:32 PeggyG : definitely Jan! I'll share it in our Mini-geekfest next week :-)

20:20:15 @janwells : Thanks Peggy......that reminds me I need to sign up for Sat.

20:20:34 PeggyG : I was wondering about the POV documentary videos on PBS...

20:20:47 PeggyG : yes please Jan!!! would love to have you share a tool/slide :-)

20:20:50 Lisa Parisi : I used that site as a resource link, Peggy.

20:21:32 connect2jamie : that's a really motiviating project, Lisa. I think your kids are going to learn a lot.

20:21:38 PeggyG : that is hugely exciting Sheila!!! I sure wish I could join you to chat with Dr. Roper!

20:21:58 sheila : http://earthbridges.net/live on Wed Jan 4, 12:30-1pm with Dr. Clyde Roper. Please join us!

20:22:07 tgilley : The POV projects looks good; I'll share with my PLN

20:22:17 PeggyG : I hope you'll be able to record it Sheila!

20:22:34 Lisa Parisi : HEllo Josh

20:22:44 Lisa Parisi : Anyone want to join in the skype call?

20:22:51 sheila : I will be able to record it.

20:23:05 PeggyG : @Maria-you just need a little maple syrup and dill pickle to get your voice back :-)

20:23:23 PeggyG : that's great Sheila!

20:23:23 connect2jamie : :)

20:23:25 sheila : I have a feeling we will be talking with him again.

20:24:51 PeggyG : have you seen all of the grade level Pinterest boards for ideas and materials for your classroom? They have some pretty neat ideas on them :-)

20:25:25 PeggyG : My kids grew up with Lincoln Logs (and so did I) :-)

20:25:34 @janwells : Participating in Mystery State Skype project.  It's on-going, and students are excited and movtivated in anticipation of next Mystery call.

20:25:36 marragem : have you got a link for K board, Peggy?

20:25:47 PeggyG : I'll check Amanda

20:25:55 connect2jamie : I LOVED lincoln logs in kindergarten! i remember the lincoln log center!

20:25:55 Lisa Parisi : I never heard of this, Jan.  Sounds like fun.

20:26:00 adinasullivan : they'll pick it up quickly

20:26:07 sheila : We had some but not enough to make much.

20:26:17 @janwells : How do you drop a link in the chat?

20:26:33 marragem : thankyou! I haven't found the grade level boards, yet...despite living on Pinterest lately

20:26:36 connect2jamie : @maria you have a lot of time to make up for! You and your kids will have a blast!

20:27:19 sheila : short pieces are for windows  ;)

20:27:20 PeggyG : if you just do a search for boards on Pinterest using Kindergarten you'll see a bunch of them

20:27:29 PeggyG : http://pinterest.com/search/boards/?q=kindergarten

20:27:35 Lisa Parisi : Jan, you have to make your chat room float (see window button on the bottom).  Then drag the link to the chat.

20:27:43 marragem : thanks, Peggy.

20:27:50 tgilley : janwells what is the Myster State Skype project? Can anyone get involved?

20:28:30 PeggyG : sometimes the chat window won't float--tonight mine did in Firefox :-)

20:28:48 marragem : Gee, Peggy. It will be days before I come up for air. There are so many boards!!

20:28:56 PeggyG : once you get your chat window to float then you can drag the URL into the text window

20:29:15 PeggyG : yes there are tons of them Amanda :-) they'll keep you busy re-pinning for days!

20:30:13 @janwells : http://mysterystate.wikispaces.com/   http://4thchat.wikispaces.com/Mystery+Skype+Sign+Up

20:30:32 @janwells : Anyone and everyone can join......

20:30:54 PeggyG : another great search on Pinterest is Kindergarten Blogs I Love :-) Lots of great blogs to check out. That's where I posted Maria's blog

20:31:01 @janwells : My class has had two mystery state calls, and 48 to go!!!

20:31:36 tgilley : I love the idea of Myster State; is it to late to get involved?

20:31:40 PeggyG : not terrible!!!! dying to share :-)

20:31:54 PeggyG : hahaha Maria!

20:31:55 tgilley : sorry Mystery State

20:32:16 PeggyG : don't worry about the followers--just use it to select things you want to repin

20:32:17 @janwells : No please join......I'd love to be one of your first CALLS.

20:32:35 tgilley : thanks, Jan I'm going to check it out closer and sign up

20:32:38 Lisa Parisi : Jan, thank you so much for that link.  I am excited to explore it.

20:32:41 marragem : sorry, Maria. I started that!

20:32:48 Lisa Parisi : I am going to sign up for the mystery skype call

20:33:13 @janwells : @tgilley   what grade/age do you teach?

20:33:34 PeggyG : http://kinderkidsfun.blogspot.com/ this blog is fun! one of her "currently doing" things on her list is "stalking Pinterest" :-)

20:34:06 PeggyG : @Jan-can I be a mystery state call even though I don't have a class?

20:34:55 PeggyG : there is a fantastic blog roll on the kinderkidsfun blog for other Kindergarten blogs :-)

20:35:07 @janwells : Absolutely.

20:35:26 tgilley : Done! I'm signed up.  I can't wait; I've been looking for a project all year.

20:35:56 @janwells : What grade do you teach? @tgilley

20:36:05 tgilley : Jan, I teach 4th grade

20:36:30 @janwells : Perfect.....not that it had to be 4th grade.  It's open to other grades.

20:36:52 PeggyG : do you have anyone from AZ signed up?

20:37:03 tgilley : we cover US regions; so this is perfect for my class

20:37:19 PeggyG : I can use a memory jogger too Sheila!

20:38:42 adinasullivan : Have to go for now, but thanks for the chat. Lisa, will share your new project with teachers when I go back.  Have a great night :-)

20:39:05 tgilley : Is anyone intrested in a US travel buddy? I've got an idea I've been working on, but need different states or classrooms to send the travel buddy to.

20:39:11 PeggyG : bye adina

20:39:49 @janwells : Peggy, there is one class signed up, Melissa Englehard.  It's not limited to just one per state.

20:40:13 @janwells : I'd be interested in the Travel Buddy.

20:40:18 marragem : It was a cool inquiry!

20:40:21 PeggyG : @tgilley-could you participate in Civil War Sallies travel buddy project? She started it when she was in the 6th grade and she may be an 8th grader now.

20:40:45 Lisa Parisi : Come see my state wiki, @tgilley.  http://virtualusa.wikispaces.com/

20:40:58 PeggyG : http://www.civilwarsallie.com/

20:40:59 sheila : @tgilley - Not sure what you mean? Receive and take it around the state and journal?

20:41:00 Lisa Parisi : Perhaps you can do something with your travel buddy and the site.

20:42:08 PeggyG : great wiki Lisa!

20:42:15 Lisa Parisi : Thanks Peggy

20:42:37 PeggyG : wikis can be tricky and can be unintentionally trashed (accidentally)

20:43:01 tgilley : I'm familiar with civilwarsallie.com

20:43:14 PeggyG : that's why google forms is sometimes better when people are adding to resources and then you can let them see the spreadsheet without editing permissions

20:43:49 PeggyG : they add their content via google forms and view it on the spreadsheet

20:43:52 PeggyG : right

20:43:53 tgilley : Okay, Lisa.  I have to look at your site; at a glance it looks great.

20:44:19 tgilley : Wow! What resources folks. I'm glad I joined the chat tonight.

20:44:23 PeggyG : I've just had many bad experiences with multiple people editing wikis (and they were adults)

20:44:36 PeggyG : one false click and lots can be deleted

20:44:57 PeggyG : and even though you can restore via history if anything has been added after that you lose it

20:45:27 PeggyG : I'm not talking about spam but accidental deletion or changing of columns, etc.

20:45:31 tgilley : sheila, yes I'm thinking it would go to classrooms to visit and students could tell about their state/region

20:46:01 sheila : @tgilley - Ok, I can do that too! NH.

20:46:17 PeggyG : we have lost the most recent additions to a wiki when we had to revert back

20:46:55 PeggyG : I agree Lisa--require them to join if they are going to edit

20:46:57 tgilley : That would be fun, Shelia. I'm from Ks.

20:47:01 connect2jamie : yes that's the way I do permissions on wikis too, lisa.

20:47:37 PeggyG : but you can still require them to join Sheila

20:47:54 PeggyG : it just depends how much time you want to spend approving requests

20:48:18 @janwells : @tgilley  Where in KS.  I'm in KS, too, just north of Topeka!

20:48:36 tgilley : Southcenteral close to Wichita

20:48:48 PeggyG : I love your idea Maria!

20:49:15 @janwells : Are you on Plurk?  I've seen your name before.  Have you been to Podstock?

20:49:28 PeggyG : could you use a Google map and embed photos and descriptions Maria?

20:49:43 tgilley : Yes, I'm a plurker and have been to Podstock the last 2 yrs.

20:49:44 PeggyG : you can embed video too

20:50:02 PeggyG : it's pretty easy if you can copy/paste embed code :-)

20:50:05 PeggyG : hahahaha

20:50:18 PeggyG : owls, sparrows, robins :-)

20:50:31 PeggyG : there are short video tutorials to teach them and you can embed that on a wiki

20:50:38 tgilley : I've presented at MACE and ISTE also, Jan.  So you've probably seen my name in many place.

20:50:48 PeggyG : the roadrunner is the AZ state bird :-)

20:51:17 PeggyG : I think a google map would be awesome!! could easily show birds around the world

20:51:18 @janwells : MACE, too, for me. :)

20:51:52 tgilley : I'll be at MACE this year too; I'm presenting on ePubs

20:52:23 PeggyG : I'll be at educon 2.4 virtually :-)

20:53:07 PeggyG : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJU6e-mBhBg Nice video tutorial on embedding video and photos and posting to class site with Google Maps

20:53:31 PeggyG : Educon is always incredible and the conversations are so stimulating and enriching!

20:53:34 sheila : The woman with the links - Thanks PeggyG!

20:53:52 marragem : That's how I'm feeling now

20:53:56 PeggyG : http://educonphilly.org/

20:54:30 PeggyG : I know what you mean Lisa!

20:54:42 sheila : A jumpstart - that's what we need Amanda!

20:55:00 PeggyG : you can be stretched so much further when you are with people who understand and don't require you to defend why it's valuable!

20:55:14 marragem : I'm tired of defending

20:55:16 sheila : So true Peggy!

20:55:20 PeggyG : I have a picture of that Lisa :-) Kevin sitting on the floor with his iPad and everyone playing along

20:55:43 @janwells : Who's talking about Kevin......I haven't matched voices and names yet.

20:55:56 @janwells : Thanks.

20:56:08 msreneescience : being with and sharing with like minds motivate me like ISTE and EDUCON I agree with you Lisa

20:56:16 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : Sounds like your "Zone of proximal development"

20:57:18 connect2jamie : @lisa that's why I need to participate with my online PLN--I don't have a lot of ppl in my RL that are interested in this sort of stuff--like all of you are! :) You're my peeps!

20:57:21 PeggyG : we actually used that image in our Classroom 2.0 LIVE show this past summer called Blast from the Past. It's in our Animoto for our upcoming Reflection Smackdown next Saturday (Jan. 7)

20:57:40 PeggyG : so true Jamie!!!

20:57:54 Lisa Parisi : I love my peeps, too Jamie!!!  We need each other. :D

20:58:20 tgilley : I too am greatful for my PLN

20:58:40 connect2jamie : my PLN has changed my brain--again and again.

20:58:45 PeggyG : conferences like educon aren't rewarding for people who expect to go and sit and listen to presentations. It's all about having conversations!

20:59:12 marragem : I'm so glad I have you all!

20:59:26 connect2jamie : me too! New Years hugs all around!

20:59:33 PeggyG : I have been co-hosting Classroom 2.0 LIVE with Lorna Costantini from Canada for almost 3 years and we have never met in person. But we chat in Skype every day!

20:59:43 msreneescience : The sharing makes the difference

20:59:56 @janwells : Can you put your Twitter names in the chat please.  @janwells

21:00:09 msreneescience : msreneescience

21:00:10 PeggyG : I totally agree! My PLN (all of you) is what keeps me young :-)

21:00:12 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : ok

21:00:13 PeggyG : @pgeorge

21:00:13 Lisa Parisi : @lparisi

21:00:14 mariak : @mariak

21:00:17 marragem : @marragem

21:00:18 PeggyG : Hi Scott :-)

21:00:22 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : Hi Peggy

21:00:22 connect2jamie : I've worked with Keisa Williams and REgina Hartley for 2 years too, and I've never met them.

21:00:22 sheila : @sheila_a

21:00:29 msreneescience : @msreneescience

21:00:31 connect2jamie : I'm @connect2jamie

21:00:33 tgilley : That's wonderful, Peggy and Jamie

21:00:35 PeggyG : woo hoo Scoctt!!!!!

21:00:37 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : Yes, just a few papers to finish.  Student teaching done

21:00:46 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : ...and a CPR class

21:00:50 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : I

21:00:51 connect2jamie : Hooray Scott!!

21:00:59 PeggyG : Scott, it was 79 degrees in Phoenix today :-) come to Phoenix!

21:01:04 marragem : I sacred out of my wits!

21:01:09 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : I'm trying to figure out how to attend job fairs not associated with my college

21:01:13 marragem : scared, I mean!

21:01:23 @janwells : Thanks to you all!   Oh, join us....its great

21:01:26 @janwells : YeS

21:01:45 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : crazy=creative

21:01:58 @janwells : There's a 5th chat, 3rd chat, 6th chat......we overlap a bit.

21:02:11 PeggyG : I hope you get to do that Lisa!

21:02:24 connect2jamie : It was a good chat tonight all! Get better @maria!!

21:02:26 @janwells : LOL....

21:02:27 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : Good to see you all.  Sorry I was late

21:02:35 connect2jamie : Congrats Scott!

21:02:37 PeggyG : what a fun session!! so great to have you all back!

21:02:42 marragem : that's the day before I start back

21:02:59 Lisa Parisi : Next show is January 16th.

21:03:00 PeggyG : watch out! those acronyms will get you every time :-)

21:03:13 Scott Shelhart (@kd9sr) : Thanks, Jamie.  I'm starting to search for jobs... should be all set by fall

21:03:22 PeggyG : conversations can be about anything...

21:03:27 connect2jamie : Hope so! Kids need you!

21:03:41 connect2jamie : Thanks all!

21:03:53 PeggyG : good night everyone! see you on Jan. 16th

21:03:56 marragem : bye everyone. Enjoy the rest of your evening

21:03:59 Lisa Parisi : Bye all.

 


For our first show of 2012, we decided to discuss our goals for the New Year.  This led to a conversation about what keeps us motivated in our classrooms?
Subscribe to RSS - New Year Goals