#MTBoSBlaugust day 16: My not ready school and office

So this summer our campus was getting work done on the roof, the HVAC was getting replaced and new technology (interactive whiteboards) were getting installed.

Here's some of the technology that
is still waiting to be installed right now.

At least some of the interactive whiteboards
were installed this summer.

So I haven't been able to blog lately because I've been troubleshooting some beginning of the school hiccups with some of my teachers.  What hiccups you say?  The kind of hiccups where you have no way to project something while water is running down your walls.  :D 

Well, there were problems with the work on the roof, and after the rain this weekend some of the rooms and offices now have water damage.

  

On the right is how some of the rooms are currently going under demolition and construction to repair the water damages.  On the left is all the administrators stuff that has been moved to the teachers lounge while their offices are repaired.

The technology isn't installed. Hopefully it will get done before school starts in a week.

And my office has been abandoned and I don't know if I will be finished before the kids come back. Actually I'm pretty sure that it won't be finished...

So that's how were starting the school year. I hope everyone else has a better start to the school year!!

#MTBoSBlaugust Day 11: The right way to start the school year!

Yesterday was a super long day and I started this but literally fell asleep when working on it. It was the first day back to school for everyone and it's always so much fun putting all the teachers from a campus in a room where the AC isn't working right.  At least it wasn't as warm as the rest of the building was!

It was great seeing all the teachers together and getting to know the new teachers even better.  I have to admit that I was late to the start of the meeting because I thought it started 30 minutes earlier, but I wasn't late for the rest of it!

After the campus meeting we got to have a nice LONG lunch, seriously it was an amazingly long and wonderful lunch.  They gave us 2.5 hours!  But it was followed by convocation with all the staff of the district at one location so everyone needed the extra time to get to the location and try to find an easy way out once we all were released.

I have to admit that this was the best start to a convocation that I've ever been to.  Instead of starting with the superintendent on the stage a student that had made it into a video the last two years was on the stage in a fancy suit and tie.  

Kenneth gave us a perfect start to the school year!

His opening line was perfect!  "What?  Who were you expecting?  The superintendent?!"

This kid had so much personality and pizzazz and he's just now starting 6th grade!

It was a great start to the school and I'm hoping we hear more from the students when we meet as a campus and district in the future. I hope everyone else had a great start to the school year!!!

#MTBoSBlaugust Day 8 a little late: My biggest inspiration

I didn't get a chance to blog yesterday but I'm going to make up for it today!  

It was a busy day yesterday with helping out with New Teacher Orientation at my school, going to my mom's rent house to make sure the new AC unit got put in and visiting my mom. My mom's health has been declining since December and she's now receiving hospice care at home.  She was diagnosed with many issues last December when I took her to the hospital after seeing how weak she had gotten in just a few weeks.  The biggest issue ended up being a diagnosis of bile duct cancer which she (surprisingly) opted to have surgery on when there were no other options available for treatment.

My mom isn't the type to give up but with this she had her fourth cancer diagnosis and she initially was adamant about not having surgery (she's never recovered from it well).  While I'm glad she's fought as long as she has for her health and to see my brother, me and her grand kids grow up I know she's ready to relax, be at peace and not be in pain anymore.

I'm focusing on her for this post because she really has been the most influential on my career and has been a fantastic mother and a great mentor for my teaching practices at the same time.

My mom got her degree in counseling and ended up getting her PhD in child and adolescent development.  She always said she would have become a psychiatrist if her and my dad hadn't gotten into it so many times when he was trying to help her with her math classes.  (She wasn't the best at math while my dad was a wiz!)  

Growing up I saw my mom impact so many lives as an LPC and as a high school counselor at alternative schools while also teaching college classes.  She has always been someone I could go to and speak to about my personal struggles as well as my struggles in the classroom or with students and she knew exactly what to say.  She also gave me so many tips and tricks for working with difficult students or coworkers and helping students with learning disabilities.  She was also the big reason I finally went to grad school (she told me she was going to go travel with the money she had saved for me for grad school if I didn't start ASAP, LOL).  She has always known how to push me just enough and encouraged my curiosity and desire to further my education and help others in their pursuit for knowledge.  

We were talking last night when I was reading a message to her from an old family friend and we both started tearing up at it.  The conversation went something like this:
Mom: "Haha!! I'm not the only one that gets teary eyed at this!"
Me: "I'm getting teared up because Liz has lost her folks and she is trying to comfort me through this."
Mom: "This is what I'm going to miss the most.  The people that I've grown to know and love.  I'm just sad that I won't be in their lives anymore."
Me: "Mom, you're always going to be in their lives.  You've touched so many people, helped so many people and been a rock for so many for so long that you're always going to be in their lives, even when you aren't physically there you're spirit will be with them.  So don't be sad about that."
Mom: "You're right.  When did you finally grown up and become so mature?"

(Note: I'm about to turn 35 and I'm the baby of the family.  So I didn't have to start maturing and taking care of family stuff until recently.)

So that's it for this post, I promise the rest won't be as sad and sappy!

From before the wedding when she had just zipped up my dress. And that's my baby crib behind us.

#MTBoSBlaugust Day 7: Who wants to help me write this work equation?

I don't know about everyone else but when I find something that makes a job in my house a lot easier I want to turn it inti an equation. Like "Ms L spent 5 hours painting white coats on a bookshelf (including the dry time) with a traditional paint brush. Then she got annoyed with how long it was taking and decided to buy a paint sprayer. In 30 minutes she was able to set up, spray paint the bookshelf, break down and clean the paint sprayer. If she has to wait an hour between each coat, when is it the best for her to use the sprayer instead of the paint brush?"

And yes, that was the real timing of each event.

Also,  I mowed the lawn for the first time time since buying the house. It's been at least 5 weeks and I've learned that there's no equation for figuring out when we should mow the lawn. The answer is always yes, mow the lawn!

So these are some of the real world ways I'm gig to approach the students this year. And I also want to find a way to Pokémon Go in more than just the circles unit.

#MTBoSBlaugust: Day 6 10th Song on Playlist

So jumping to my Workout Playlist (which is the only Playlist on my phone) and I found that Blondies "One Way Or Another" is my 10th song. Talk about a song that has so many memories for me!!!

The first song that I laughed to, really belly  laughed to was this song. It was back in 1981 or 1982 and my mom, brother and I were sitting in the front seat of my mom's car. My brother kept reaching over and tickling my stomach during the "I'm gonna getcha, gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha" parts and I just let out a total barrel laugh.

For the rest of my life I haven't been able to listen to the song without getting a huge smile on my face and even laughing.

It also reminds me of all the times I've pushed to find exactly whag I need for my job, education, classroom and life. I've searched high and low, near and far to get exactly what I needed in my personal and professional life.

- I found the perfect job to start with in an amazingly supportive environment
- I found the perfect next job after that to move me to the high school level with amazing coworkers
- I found the perfect grad school program while working and planning my wedding
- I found the perfect job post grad school with the exact position I dreamed of (I didn't even realize that it was really an opportunity!)

So "one way or another, I'm gonna" get what I want, I'm going to get what I need to be the best educator and teacher I can be!

#MTBoSBlaugust: 20 Facts about me

1. Tell us about you!  Post 20 facts about yourself.
2. What is your fitness routine and how to stick to it during a busy school year?
3. A  mentor/colleague who impacted your classroom/teaching…
4. The best teacher I ever had was …. because ...
5. How do you tame the paper tiger?
6. What are your best organizational tips?
7. What’s the toughest challenge you face as a teacher today?

20 Facts about me...

1. I'm an Austin girl!  I love the city, all the fun things to do around town, the nature, the closeness of the hill country and that it doesn't get too cold here. 
   
2. I love to run.  I've done 4 half marathons (I'm only half crazy) and I'm planning on doing another 2 in January and February of next year. 

   

   Friends talk friends into doing the "Toughest Half Marathon in Texas" multiple times!

3. I also love to do yoga.  I haven't been able to do it as much as I would like lately due to an injury from attempting to move a ton of stuff ourselves but it's something I find myself doing even a little of each night to center myself before bed.
   
4. My husband and I just bought a house this summer and I'm loving being a homeowner! I still feel at times like someone is going to come in and tell me that I need to stop messing with their house and to get out. Hopefully someday soon it will all really sink in!
5. I got married April 4, 2015 and I'm still not used to my new last name.  How long did it take you to get used to yours?

   

   From our ceremony in my parents backyard.  Small weddings are the best!

6. We were engaged for a year and half and during that time I was teaching 2 preps, the credit recovery class (which was not completely computer based), and working on my masters. 

   

   From a day when I was trying to figure out how to fit in everything I needed to do; teach, run, read, go to class.  Such an exhausting and hectic time!!

7. I have my masters in Educational Leadership and Administration (yes, I just had to double check that on my LinkedIn profile).
8. I don't think I'm ever going to be an administrator even though I have my degree.  It's been over a year since I finished my degree and I still haven't taken my Principal certification test but I'm happy in my current role and it's really what I wanted in the first place!
9. I was in the classroom for 10 years working with everything from 8th graders to seniors, a majority of the time teaching Geometry.  Last school year was my first year as a math Instructional Coach and I loved it!  
10. As an Instructional Coach I love my job and being able to work with the teachers on implementing new practices, lessons and strategies but I do also miss having my own classroom and group of kiddos I get to know throughout the school year.
11. This year my goal is to get into the classroom and co-teach with my teachers more often.  I was hoping to do that more this last spring but with my mom's health issues I found myself working from home or the hospital more than I had anticipated. 
12. I love, and I mean LOVE, animals.  Cats, ferrets, foxes, bunnies, sloths...  You name it, I love them!  Someday I would love to open an animal rescue sanctuary with a close friend where we nurse animals back to health and build their independence and trust back up.

    

    The rescue cat, Gracie, and the rescue ferret, Dottie

13. On our honeymoon I went snorkeling for the first time and I wish there were more places close to me to be able to see such a beautiful and peaceful space.  

    

    snorkeling in Antigua

      
14. My husband and I both LOVE live music and while at SXSW, ACL and various music events around town we've met some pretty awesome folks over the years.

    

    From Left to Right: with Arcade Fire at a show at COTA, with Delta Rae at SXSW, with Max from Catfish at SXSW

15. I love to color!  I love coloring and tangling/zendoodle.  If you've never heard of it it's a wonderful therapeutic thing to do while at PD that you're not finding very useful or while sitting around waiting for a Doctor.  You can find tons of links with tips and tricks for adult coloring and zendoodle/tangling on Pintrest.
    
16. I'm a horrible procrastinator!  I'm currently doing this post instead of figuring out what PD I'm going to be presenting once school starts.  So far my calendar just has the topic of the first PD and all the meetings I'm going to go to. 

    

    I think I might need to actually start to do some work soon!

17. While I'm currently back on contract and supposed to be working the building hasn't officially been released for the teachers to work in it so this is currently the area around my desk.  I'm finding myself working in other people's offices more than my own right now...

    

    My desk is to the right of the interactive whiteboard.  The campus got new AC this summer and interactive whiteboards were installed in all the core classrooms but everything isn't quiet done yet.  Oops!

18. My husband and I are addicted to reality TV shows!  Bachelor, Bachelorette, Big Brother, Survivor, MTV's The Challenge, American Ninja Warrior, RuPaul's Drag Race.  You name it, we watch it!  Well, I really got into RuPaul's Drag Race after hearing about it on a podcast we listen to regularly.  If you're a member of Bachelor Nation I highly suggest the podcast Rose Buddies!  There's even a facebook group for the people that listen to it too!!!  FYI, it's NSFW but it's hilarious and great!  
    
19. I love to garden and play in the yard, even though I already killed our first lawn mower.  At least it was only $25 off of a Facebook swap and sale group.  

    

    Took forever to get it started and then the spokes on the wheel just broke right off.

20. I haven't been really good at posting blogs in the past few years but my goal this year is to blog at least once month, but ideally once a week. 

Looking forward to reading interesting things about everyone else participating in #MTBOSBlaugust!!!

#MTBoSBlaugust Day 3: Getting ready for the school year (yesterday's post)

You know you're kinda crazy when you're willing to help an old co-worker out that is opening a new high school in a district unpack and inventory stuff rather than get ready for your own school year.

Those are of her classroom that she's going to be sharing and of just half the biology supplies that needed to be unpacked, inventoried, and then packed back up (because the storage room currently has a bunch of lab desks in them).  

While working with her it really made me think about all the things that go into opening a new campus that many administrators don't know or take into consideration since they've never had to do it before.  It got me thinking that more than just Principals, APs and Department heads should be involved in determining the hours, pay and time available to work in classrooms before the school year starts.

I'm curious how other schools, districts and states attack opening a new school and the supplies that stream in before school starts.  I hope everyone is gearing up for school smoothly!!!

#MTBoSBlaugust Day 2: School year hasn't even started and I've already got success!!!

I just got done meeting with the Geometry PLC lead at my campus and in just 2 hours we laid out the topics for the 1st semester in Geometry while also talking about where to integrate NMSI/LTF lessons.

For only the 2nd day back to work I'm feeling pretty successful and on track already!  Woohoo!!!  Now if I can just keep up with the daily blogs for the month I'll be on fire.  It might be challenging since we're still moving out of our apartment and into our house.  We're so excited for the first house and all the accidental math applications I found while sprucing things up.  Note to self: Even former Geometry teachers don't always do the math right when finding the area of a trapezoid on the back of an old receipt while standing at home depot.  *Sigh*  But at least it's not constantly visible!

Happy 2nd day of August everyone!!!

Count me in for #MTBoSBlaugust!!!

OK, I gotta join in on this so I can get back in the habit of blogging more regularly!

Here are some of the prompts for #MTBoSBlaugust for those interested.  I'm probably going to be going off topic on some of them since I'm no longer in the classroom but really love being an instructional coach!  I'm also in need of more ideas to diversify the lessons and activities we do in our remediation/intervention/enrichment flex time during the day and I think this will be a great way for me to see more ideas from various people.  I'm really looking forward to it!

I'm hoping to get more in the habit of blogging by participating in Blaugust and I'm looking forward to making new connections, finding new ideas, and sharing ideas and strategies with teachers from all around.

Prompts for the MTBoS Blaugust 2015

1. What do you hope to get out of Blaugust this year?
2. Show us your classroom
3. Top 5 Tips for New Teachers
4. What are your Back to School Must-Haves?
5. What would you like to Start doing this school year?  What would you like to Stop doing?  What would you like to Continue doing?
6. One time in math class… (as a teacher… or when I was a student…)
7. 5 APPS I can’t live without…
8. Something I read/learned this summer that intrigued me…
9. Pinned It, Did It and/or Pinned it, Did it, It flopped.
10. Recipe Swap for Busy Teachers
11. Something that makes your classroom unique
12. A  mentor/colleague who impacted your classroom/teaching…
13. The best teacher I ever had was …. because …
14. How do you tame the paper tiger?
15. Brain breaks for students.
16. Favorite take 5 for yourself?
17. Be the Change.. what will you do this year to impact the culture of your school and/or classroom?
18. Using your school mascot, create an acrostic of character traits you wish to instill in your students
19. What is your focus/theme/mantra for the year and why?  Create and share a notecard for your desk as a reminder.
20. What are your go to quotes?
21. Reblog an old post – reflect how you see/use it now?
22. What are your favorite formative assessment strategies?
23. Professional Growth Goal
24. What are your best organizational tips?
25. Theme song for the year? like your personal fight song?
26. What is something in your classroom that you cannot live without?
27. What’s a positive change you would like to make in your life – could be community/school/home/health?
28. Last time you belly laughed…
29. List of gratitude.
30. Describe a typical day (or hour) in your classroom.
31. What is your biggest classroom pet-peeve?
32. Link to 3 blog posts that impacted you and share why.
33. Read 3 posts from blogs you’ve never visited, give a quick take-away from each.
34. What is your greatest joy in teaching?  What is your greatest fear?
35. Tell us about you!  Post 20 facts about yourself.
36. What are your New School Year Goals or Resolutions?
37. What’s in (and on) your teacher desk?
38. Interact with a new follower and use FORE from Make It Stick reading, then introduce them in a post?
39. What’s the 10th song on your device playlist?  What memory does it conjure?
40. Text 5 people, ask them for 1 word that describes you and reflect.
41. What’s your “One Good Thing” for today?
42. What do you do on parent night / open house?
43. What’s the toughest challenge you face as a teacher today?
44. A favorite activity that is fun and leads to learning…
45. A nostalgic thing/activity in your classroom you wish to modify and improve.

Enjoy! And please tweet out your posts with #MTBoSblaugust so we can follow along!

Instructional Coaching - Year 1 - Check!!!

As I write this post it's the last day that students are on campus and taking finals for the school year.  This year as an instructional coach at a new campus has been eye opening, educational and so enlightening!  

While I have missed having my own class of kids and interacting with them on a daily basis I have not missed taking home piles of material to grade and getting frustrated with the students performance.  Instead, while working with the teachers I would attempt to find new strategies and resources that would engage them throughout the year in Professional Development while also creating lessons and activities for our built in math intervention throughout the year.

This year was also the perfect year to start as an IC since my mom spent a lot of time in the hospital this Spring.  The flexibility of being able to work remotely while staying with her in the hospital was needed and appreciated by everyone in my family and the nurses that worked with her.

I learned a lot this year and I'm looking forward to the next year where I can improve on my PD and coaching of the teachers while also preparing the students even more for their upcoming classes.

I can't wait to see what's in store for us next year!!!

No longer just teaching

Hi strangers!  Once again it's been a really long time since I wrote, but some wonderful things have happened since I last wrote.

I finished my Master's in Educational Leadership in May, 2015 shortly after getting married in April, 2015.  (I really love the married life!)  After getting my Master's my applied to a few campus and district level positions around the area and ended up getting a position at a local high school as an Instructional Coach. (The official district title is Master NIET Coach, but that sounds kinda pompous to and doesn't really accurately describe the position.)

During my graduate school classes I discover that my calling in education had morphed from being a high school math teacher to being a teacher of teachers.  I'm so excited for what this year has in store and how I can help the teachers with the weekly content specific professional development I'm going to be presenting to them.  They already seem very open to what I have planned and the various ways I want to help them and have them work together collaboratively.

There are great things on the horizon for this year!!!

Long Time No Type!

It's been quiet some time since I was on here and wanted to share many of my teaching ideas and techniques.

What brings me back today is my grad school reading.

Yes, I'm crazy and possibly being turned to the dark side.  I'm currently in a program to get my M.Ed. in Educational Leadership where I will also end with my principal certification.  While this is a route I never foresaw myself going down there are many reasons for me following this educational path that I will delve into in a later post.

As for today, it's the idea of blogging that brought me back!

This is my second semester and the classes are SuperVision and Instructional Leadership (Weds night class) and Professional Development (Mon nigh class).  In the PD class we've been focusing on creating meaningful and lasting professional development that is cohesive with the campuses vision and culture while engaging everyone in it.

What sparked my interest today the most in my readings was what V.E. Killian wrote about in 1991.  Killian wrote about a "colleague journal network" where teachers and their partners "wrote and shared journals".  This sounds to me like what has currently morphed into the edusphere and become viral for many teachers.  It made me want to come back to my blog, I have continued following other's blogs and pintrest boards, and share my experiences.

Just my thought to share today.  I hope everyone is having a wonderful Sunday!!!

HELP!!! Need out of the box ideas fast!

With the end of the semester rapidly approaching I don't know why I never took into consideration the fact that my "Keys to Math" students (the TAKS remediation students) would need to take a "midterm" for me and have something put in the gradebook.  The class is a local elective and for some of them won't count one way or another but now I'm pressed to come up with a "midterm" for these students to do.

I know what you're thinking.  "Duh Sarah!!!  Come on!  It's not like you can just have a party and actually expect the kids to show up for their grade."  As far as the details of this are concerned I just texted my AP and hopefully I will hear back from him soon.

Here's my issue:
These kids don't do well on tests.  And the focus of the class was to have them all work on their individual weak objectives, reflect on their progress, work in small groups, and take ownership of their own learning.  This happened for almost all of the students and I'm super thrilled.  BUT I can't give them a traditional or they will revolt.  Plus, the students were working on their own personal weak objectives so if I did come up with a so called test it would need to be tailored to the individual student.

So here's the deal:
I'm in need of ideas, activities (preferably computer/internet based) that aren't super crazy difficult but something that kid would enjoy the fun math challenge of and I could come up with a grade of.  And everyone needs to be able to succeed at it. 

Anything and everything would be greatly appreciated!  I hope everyone's having a great week so far.

Interested in thoughts on the "Common Core" (Common State Standards)

So I just got back from a lunch with a coworker that has hooked me into blogging about school and we share a lot of the same ideas on education and the going ons in the classroom (Yes Stacy, I'm talking about you).  One thing she brought up that I have not formed an opinion on is the Common Core movement.  I don't know if it is just because I am currently more concerned with my new upcoming class or if it's because I like to stay out of the politics of education (I just want to teach and work with kids) or if it is because my state, Texas, is not participating in creating the standards. 

I am curious as to other people's opinions, especially those that are not from Texas.  Do you know what your state is going to do with the standards?  Will everyone be giving the same assessments eventually?  I understand the move to common standards is a beneficial one and will *fingers crossed* keep all the states at the same level and prevent some states from "dumbing down" their standards so they don't get in trouble with NCLB.  I would just like to hear everyone's thoughts.  As a math teacher I feel like math doesn't change much from one state to another and it is rigid in the order that things need to be taught.  I would love to hear everyone's thoughts and opinions.

On an interesting note along with this only Texas and Alaska aren't participating in creating the standards, but Virgina is helping create them but they have already made it clear they will not adopt them.  Interesting...