Author: kathleen

I teach computer science and I strongly believe if you are going to put a device in the hands of a child, it should be a device that they should be able to write real programs with. I spent a few moments watching Teach, and I rejected the premise immediately when I saw them giving out Chromebooks (and putting kids on Khan Academy, but that’s for another post).

I have blogged before about my Chromebook experience – and they just don’t give enough bang for the buck. A netbook gives a full computer user experience and allows children to program, as do other devices at the same price point.

If you are only going to give children the ability to do the internet and edit some files, do something smaller, like the Amazon Fire. Don’t fool anyone any thinking that you are giving them a computer.

By the way, I’ve been teaching programming to failing math students for years and they have gone on to succeed on the state tests. Math is about reading and following directions and nothing teaches that better than programming. Math is also about problem solving and again nothing teaches that better than programming. In fact, teach programming – Alice and Scratch solves a whole lot of the problems that failing math students have.

At least physically.

This year I was able to put my classroom back together myself. I couldn’t the past few years. That means dragging the tables together and hooking the computers back up. This year, a roving crew decided to unplug everything. It isn’t neat right now, but everything works. I’ve got some repairs to make to boards, but waiting until some materials come in.

Last night I was able to run both dogs in class. I skipped the last exercise, but I knew that after a month’s break, none of us was ready for us, and it let me pack up at a more leisurely pace.

I’ve had lots of years when I couldn’t run ONE dog the full class, much less both of them.

Hopefully the biggest issue I’m having will get resolved today – it’s more of a mental issue than anything – how to teach two groups of students who need close supervision at once. My answer is to not do it.

It is difficult to reduce the nerd factor in my room. There are at least 30 desktop computers in the room at any given time plus all the assorted things need to make FIRST FTC Robots, but I am doing my best.

In the past, I’ve had medium blue borders around my bulletin boards, but I have changed the borders to this:

I want to place the tape other places but I’ve had problems with duct tape residual adhesive in the past so I’m going to be careful with it. I’m welcome to ideas. I can always put paper down first.

I’ve also taken down a bunch of my old signs – they tended to be in school colors, and am going with the same color scheme. Will probably bug the boys….

Went to the Microsoft Store to look at the Surface Pro, and ended up with …. Lenovo Yoga

It’s cool. More memory than the Surface Pro, but doesn’t have the Pen thing. But who can read my handwriting anyway?

Much bigger screen. But isn’t supposed to be as fast. Haven’t noticed that. Haven’t tried all my other apps yet.

Much better built that that Sony thing I curse at all the time.

Just got the call this afternoon — for our third year in a row, the FIRST FTC Team will be sponsored by the Junior League.  That will cover some new parts, registrations, probably a practice court.

That adds to the course itself being sponsored.

Principal is excited too!

I have a backup camera that works with a rear view mirror display. It had been driving me nuts because it has two inputs and I was only using one.

Well Saturday the display relay failed and I had to take it and get it fixed. Told the guys I wanted access to the other input so they put in an input jack.

Threw the laptop in the car, got a converter from Microcenter and now I have my laptop display on my review mirror. 

Mostly maps. Doesn't interfere with the rear view mirror view or the back up camera view, as it switches when I put the car in reverse.

Love it. Wish I could project the phone instead, and maybe with Bluetooth.

Sent from my Windows Phone

I had an almost horrific drive to Austin, I left sometime after noon but well before 1:00 and got there at almost 7:00 pm. Had to take some side roads to avoid some road stoppages. BUT north bound was worse. Plus I got an email saying that their all the exits near my house were going to be closed again like they were last week.

As a result, I was pretty sure Dulce and I were going to end up staying somewhere on the way and not getting back until today.

Luckily it didn’t work out that way.

Still can't say much about it.

Hilton was nice.  Food was okay.  Too many carbs, too many of the wrong foods and not enough of the right foods that I could eat.

Finally figured out that leaving the hotel and getting a Starbucks down the road was cheaper and better than getting a Starbucks in the hotel because of the card thing.

Didn't sleep well there.

It was a good educational opportunity.  It was stressful.  I'd do it again.

I might be learning how Dulce feels….

Drove down to Austin today for the State Textbook Committee and have already met a few more of the committee members. We’re at the Hilton Austin Airport, and I don’t think there is much close around. Dinner wasn’t bad, but there aren’t a lot of choices…. I think the same choices as for lunch. I’m also not sure that the waiter is used to someone who eats so slow.

By the way, the traffic on I35 was slow. Most of the trip was 40, if we were moving. North look slower, so I’m not looking forward to the drive home. Yes, I could have flown. But I have a lot of stuff that I honestly need. Ask any diabetic.

I took the Tollway around Austin, and the speed limit was 80, but my poor Escape wasn’t happy with that. It likes 75.

Nice room, nice hotel. We start at 8:00 tomorrow.

Five basic lessons on public education (short and long versions)

via www.washingtonpost.com

My cousin's husband wrote this. We have a lot of smart teachers in the family.