A Tech Savvy Summer

Can you imagine 150 teachers in a high school cafeteria tweeting their questions, answers, ideas, and comments during a workshop?  That's what we've been doing this week! 

My friend, Kim, tweeting during our workshop.

 The happy Hounddogs of Halls Elementary school won a technology challenge put forth by our district, and we are one of 11 schools that are working toward integrating more and more technology into our curriculum... hopefully ending with 1:1 tech in each classroom (as of now, elementary classrooms are getting 5 student devices plus a teacher device, not 1:1, but getting there). We've been spending this week working together and learning about constructivist and connectivist educational theories, and learning how to implement them in our classrooms via iPad and Web 2.0 apps.  It's so exciting!   (and a little scary)

Stay tuned as I navigate through using this new shift in teaching philosophies in my classroom {and try to do better in keeping this blog updated!}  

And if you want to follow me on twitter, I've got a professional account @mslmiller123

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More Summer Fun

     When you were a kid, did you ever wonder what your teacher did after all the kids were gone for the day?  Or better yet, what she did over the summer?  It's sometimes hard for kids to picture their teachers out of context, and it's always fun for me to ask my munchkins to think outside the box {or rather, outside the classroom} and find out what they think I do when I'm not at school teaching.  One of my back to school activities this year is going to be to have the kids share what they did this summer and write about what they think I did.  {more on that in a later blog post.}

     So, what AM I doing this summer?  Besides going to workshops next month, doing DIY projects around the house, and making recipes and crafty things I found on Pinterest, I've been busy relaxing and having fun with Wagner, my dog.

 Wagner loves to relax in the air conditioning.

He also loves to watch the Today Show.  Especially when they show animal videos.

 

 

 

 

     Earlier this week I went with nine of my teacher friends on a white water rafting trip.  That's right... White. Water. Rafting.  I was leery of it at first, having never done anything like it before, and realizing that I could be seriously injured {or worse}.  Once we got to Outdoor Adventure Rafting on the Ocoee River, I started to feel better because they were very professional and took WONDERFUL care of us.  We got a safety lesson, our helmets, paddles, and PFDs {NOT a life jacket, it turns out!}, then loaded the bus.  Then we went rafting.

      We had 5 people on each boat, and went through several class 4 rapids.  It was so much fun!

     A special thanks to our guides, Taylor and Donnie, who took such great care of us out on the Ocoee River.






     We laughed the whole time, even during the scary parts!  I would go back and do it again in a heartbeat!  We were able to eddy out and go swimming in one of the calmer parts of the river, but the fun part was getting back into the boat.  One thing I learned is that it's really hard to swim upstream and pull each other into the boat when you're laughing hysterically. 



     On another note.....

 

     I'm really excited to reveal my super-secret crochet project I've been playing with.  I haven't told ANYONE about it because I wasn't sure I could get the pattern to work out correctly.  I was cleaning out a closet a couple of weeks ago and found some skeins of variegated yarn, and I decided to see what I could do with them, and here it is--my new bag!  I've never made anything before without using a pattern, and I had to try it a few times {and take it out again} before I got the hang of it.  I love the way the spacing of the colors makes a plaid pattern on the sides.  It's the perfect size to take to the library with me and use for selecting new books to read {I heart the library!}.

  I promise that next week's blog post will be more school-oriented, but I'm having trouble staying focused with all the fun going on!

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The End Is Near

The end of the school year is always bittersweet.  It's nice to look forward to summertime and a chance to take a break and recharge the teaching batteries.  It's sad to see students leave the classroom on that last day, knowing that some of them will be moving and I'll probably never see them again.  It's nice to know that I'll finally have time to weed my garden and pressure wash the siding on my house.  But it's hard to leave my friends that I see every day and know that I won't see many of them again for two months.

This year it's especially difficult because after seven wonderful years at my current school, I'm moving to a different one.  Yes, I'll still be teaching third grade, and yes, I'll still be in the same county, working for the same school system, so many things will stay the same. 

I won't miss the long drive to school every morning and back home every evening, and how much I pay for gas and upkeep on my 14 year-old car, but there are so many things I am going to miss...

  --seeing my teammate every morning and hearing about her two precious girls and the trials and tribulations of living with an engineer
  --talking with my fellow 3rd grade teachers family and seeing them every day, joking with them in the halls, and being there to support them when they need it (and especially when they don't think they need it, but really do)
  --being in the school where I started my career and where I know everyone and everyone knows me

I know I'll grow to love my new school, and I've already heard so many wonderful things about it, and I'm really looking forward to the excuse to purge and throw away so many of my old and outdated materials and start fresh in a new room, but that doesn't make leaving my Lotts family any easier.  Pin It Now!