Tuesday, August 25, 2015

What is happening here?

Books, that what makes this morning exciting! I have books for my fellow teacher. I get the bag out of my trunk. Close the trunk, and immediately I get a feeling that I should have never closed my trunk! Why? Because my car keys are still in the trunk!
Image result for car keys

What to do?
First, deliver books (the exciting part), and then call AAA. Thankfully it only took them 10 minutes to arrive. Fastest service ever!

My day progressed. Meetings attended and work accomplished. Charts were created. Data was entered. Scores were analyzed. I was looking forward to going out for ice cream with friends. My bag is packed. Where is my cell phone?

Green Glow iPhone5
Image by mobiletechguru
Begin search! Not in my bag. Not on my desk. Not in any of the other rooms in my wing. People are leaving. I need to hurry before I lock myself out of my possible search zones. Master key in hand, Amina calling my phone, tennis shoes on, and I am ready. Pace fast (you know the pace that Fitbit loves). I race through the school peaking in every possible place that I have entered earlier today. Nothing. Last classroom on the right is fast approaching.

A memory surfaces. Didn't I use the computer in that classroom earlier today? Peak in. YES!!! There it is! Ringing quite peacefully on the corner of the desk! 
Perhaps if my phone had glowed as in the photo, I would have spotted it earlier in the day.....

Keys returned. I am ready to leave. Oh, you want to talk about tomorrow's PD? Sure. I have time. We determine the way to use the data, which charts need to be made and uploaded to drive by tomorrow morning. Details are being discussed. And suddenly my eyes drift to the lower right corner of my computer. Yikes! I should already be at the ice cream place!!!! Faith is waiting for me to unload her wheelchair!  I take my packed bag and rush out (with my keys and phone intact)!


Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Training in August in Northern Michigan


This past May and June I went trough a Train the Trainers training for Language and Literacy for English Learners. Now in August it was my turn to join a couple of other trainers and deliver our first training. Our training was in a beautiful Traverse City in Northern Michigan. What could be better during summer vacation than a trip to northern Michigan?


We talked about how we learn to read or how we learn a new language. Then we tried to determine if a particular way of learning was either explicit and implicit. Great discussions followed! We as teachers had to stop and think if the way we learn would be the same for English Language Learners.


We shared many wonderful read alouds! This is one of my favorites from the four days. If you have not read it, I think you should get it!





Here is Karen, one of my wonderful go presenters! We traveled together, planned together and found great places to have dinner. We were joined by Nahla on our travels and dinners and Deb and Barbara as go presenters! I am so glad that my summer PD included these wonderful ladies. I did not just present, but I learned so much from each of them!


We did not just sit around either. We made letters and words. Most of the time with our writing utensils, but at times our whole bodies were engaged in our experiments in learning! 

I hope your summer PDs were as much fun as mine! All the best to those of you who have already started school! I have a few more days before I need to report to school!