Hello everyone! Sorry I've been MIA for so long.... I went
to Hawaii for spring break, and I think I caught a severe case of island fever!
I long to be back in the sun, enjoying the beauty of the Kauai Island, eating
coconut pineapple ice cream and shave ice while listening to the sounds of the
ocean. I do plan on posting pictures
soon, but first I want to catch up with you!!
 |
| here's one picture from my trip... I promise to post more soon! How beautiful is this waterfall?! |
This past year I took a few weekend technology classes and
started looking into getting an endorsement in educational technology. The week
I returned from Hawaii, my district announced that they were starting an
ed-tech program in the fall.... I was sooooo excited.... I got my nomination
turned in, then got the bad news that they were only allowing 3rd thru 6th
grade teachers to participate (insert super sad face here... I may have shed a
few tears).... I emailed them, pleased my case, but got nowhere. Second grade
teachers were not allowed... The. End. They told me if I wanted to even be
considered, I had to switch grades....well, in an amazing twist of fate, just a
few days after this whole ordeal began, not one, but TWO third grade positions
opened up in my school. I was at a training that day, so I quickly emailed my
principal and asked to have one of the spots.... I wasn't guaranteed anything
in regard to the ed-tech program by switching grades, but in order to apply, I
HAD to be a 3rd grade teacher. Now, let me just explain.... I began 9 years ago
as a 1st grade teacher.... I did 1st for one year, then moved schools and began
teaching 2nd.... I immediately fell in love with 2nd grade and have been there
ever sense (I have taught second grade at 3 different schools now, and have
always said I wouldn't move unless I could teach 2nd!) I have now been teaching
second grade for EIGHT years and have TONS of materials for 2nd grade.... I had
even worked for a few years as a math specialist for second grade... This was a tough decision to make.... But I feel
so passionately about technology as the future of education, that I was willing
to make the change and see where it led.
The next few weeks were torture.... I submitted my
application and had an observation looming over my head (they didn't make appointments
or tell us when they were coming, just that they would be out during the
week)... I waited, and waited some more.... Sometime around mid-May, I finally
got the news that I had been ACCEPTED into the ed-tech program!! I was soooo
excited! This two-year program includes a smart board for my classroom, and a class set
of chrome books for the students.... So you can imagine just how excited I
was..... Except, that my excitement was quickly replaced with a bit of panic along
the lines of "What have I gotten myself into?" And "I don't know
how to teach third grade!" So that's why I've been MIA lately.... The last
2 months of school were just pure "survival mode", followed by 2 weeks of
training for 3rd grade common core (which kind of scared me!!)
Still with me? Sorry for the novel!! Anyway, so I am now
home from all my vacations and can start focusing on third grade. Holy moly,
there is SO MUCH to learn!! Between teaching a new grade, and doing the ed-tech
endorsement, I really can't make any promises right now for how much I'll be
around or how much I'll be creating. I have a list a mile long of things I
would like to do, but right now, my top priority is figuring out my new grade
and integrating technology into my classroom.
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