Aim to Be Awesome, Not Perfect

So it has been a crazy month... these new math TEKS are making everyone struggle... teachers, students, and I am sure some of the parents are worried too.  But this is just to explain why it has been a month since I updated the blog. Up until 10 days ago, I still was debating my choice to flip.  But I think part of the issue was that I hadn't really found my groove, my flavor, so to speak. I wasn't always making my own videos (and I still might not). I had been making some guided notes for students who don't have regular access to the internet and had told students to do one or the other, but I think a few of them were saying they would do one or the other and then not do either. 10 days ago I went to a technology training and worked with someone who has flipped her HS classroom for a couple years now and I asked her what her secret was.  And she said, "Notes are very personal."  She then went on to show me her fill-in-the-blank notes for her students and that...

So I flipped my classroom.  I thought the kids would love homework that was watching videos and using their technology for school. Granted it is only the 2nd week of school, but I am already feeling that my kids are not buying in.  Ugh. My onlevel students just think it means they don't have any homework.  So when they come to class, they have no idea what we are discussing that day.  Right now it is a lot of review from 6th grade, but I can already see the roadblocks when we get to new material.  It isn't going to be pretty. And my accelerated students are mixed.  They like using the technology, but a few of them are complaining the videos take longer than a worksheet. Some of them don't really like it because it is new.  But at least they all are trying it. So now what? How long do I keep trying? Do I do a mix?  Maybe have videos with the worksheets?  Help is now greatly appreciated!

Hi, my name is Kimberly and I am a Facebook addict. Since I am working full-time, I don't see my friends as often.  Facebook helps me stay in touch. So two days ago, I read this article about the guy who liked everything on Facebook.  I really stuck with me because I have noticed that I don't like Facebook as much. The last Facebook update really turned me off.  I am tired of seeing things my friends like that have nothing to do with them or me.  Ugh.  And I feel like I am missing important things because they aren't showing up in my newsfeed. Then I came across another article by someone who didn't like anything for 2 weeks.  2 WEEKS?  That sounds impossible.  But his Facebook experience definitely improved.  So it go me wondering, can I do this - for 2 weeks?  One week? One day? I realized I have to try.  Otherwise, I am about ready to give up on Facebook. So here goes!

Since I am making the move from 6th grade math to 7th grade math, the inevitable happened - I had to change classrooms.  This move was one of the hardest things for me - I love my classroom.  It has a blue wall and two of the walls are magnetic.  It was in the center of the hallway - in the middle of all the excitement. I am emotionally attached to my room.  And I had to say goodbye - I even said goodbye with this photo on Instagram.    This week the girls had tumble camp, but I didn't have anywhere to be, so I thought I would spend some time in my new space, my new classroom.  I am a visual person, so just hanging out in the space, getting a feel for its size, is a good start for me.  When I left for the summer, it had desks (which I hate, but I had in the old room, so I was used to them).  But luckily, another teacher decided she didn't want her trapezoid tables, and I snatched those babies! This is what my classroom looked like when I ...

I am sure you read the headline, and said 'Don't you know about the little shortcut with bookmarking the pinmarklet?' Yes, I do, but it doesn't seem to work all the time. Ugh.  And Pinterest is my GO TO for organizing all the fab stuff I find in the internet.  So today, while I was taking a break from water park wackiness, I was searching around my Pinterest app and noticed that there was an 'Add a pin' spot. This could be the answer to my prayer!  And it was! Any link I opened in Twitter or Facebook or Google Plus, I can now pin very easily. I know this seems really simple, but for me, it rivals the 'Pin in' extension in Chrome that is my savior.    I know this might be silly, but for me, this is Awesome! 

  So in my head, all summer, I have been thinking about a LMS for the upcoming year.  In case you don't know, a LMS is a learning management system.  Teachers use them to keep track of students' content mastery, behavior, even posting assignments and test dates.  In short, an LMS can do a lot - and it is all about what you need and what will give it to you.  So which one do I need?   The first thing I need to do is think about what I want my LMS to be.  Besides my website, I want the LMS to be a go-to place for students to get information, like homework links and test dates.  I am flipping my classroom, so I would really like there to be multiple ways (besides my website) for students to get to the videos.  I also need a location for in-class quizzes or check-ups to be housed.  So that's what I need... I think.    One issue is that there are so many out there! Some do a few things, some do many, and some are new and shiny -...

Sorry I haven't written - summer has been a little crazy, between 2 trips and a week of Girl Scout camp (that I helped run/organize).  My brain has been on overdrive though, so the next few blog posts will probably be about all my thoughts and what not that pertain to the upcoming school year.  Well, there might be one or two posts about vacation.... Anyway, in one of my overdrive moments, I was thinking about all the information I have amassed (that I might need at a later point) to help with either of my three upcoming challenges - 7th grade math, flipping my classroom, and the Next Generation Digital Classroom.   Pinterest is my main go to - I am a visual person, so I really like bookmarking with pictures.  I have been organizing my pins by unit, so that for example, when I teach integers, all of the games/foldables/manipulatives are in one spot.  When looking them over yesterday (yes, I occasionally due to cleaning and rearranging) I realized my boards ar...