Category: Blog

#ghc2011 #k12

good keynote on diversity in computing

Had a problem with a blanket statement about immigrants. Not all want their girls to go to college.

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Had to be really hard for the presentation, but they set up 9 tables with representatives from Google, Microsoft, Tapestry, etc who have opportunities and resources for teachers.

A great way to get the word out. 

Got to see Pat Phillips!

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#ghc2011 #k12

The first session is on Lego Robotics. 

The first speaker is a former mom and was preaching to the choir for me as it was a sales pitch for FIRST.

The second speaker is a former competitor and mentor is talking about teaching programming. 

she actually wrote an AI program for the NXT. Picture is of her code that she wrote as a teenager.

I got napped and had a conversation during the third presentation but she also talked about Lego Robotics.

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#ghc2011 #k12

I arrived in Portland Oregon at about 10:00 am their time. Met up with a colleague who teaches CS on Austin.

We separated at the convention. I checked in, went through the exhibit hall and have met a ton of really cool women. I want to hug all the college girls, they are all so cute and cool and earnest.

Had lunch with the Systers which was really great, but what happens with Systers stays with Systers.

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Apparently I and another friend were NOT invited to a meeting.  Honestly I don’t care, as I got what I wanted without being there — the best kind of meeting EVER.  I feel bad for him.

<HAPPY DANCE>

My school gets to be the pilot of the Games Programming class that has been included in the TEKS that were approved last summer.

We will put it on the choice sheets and if it makes, it will be the beginnings of the district course.  Will it make <evil grin>  The fun part is that all my old CS students can take the course, as it will have a different PIMS code.

See, best kind of meeting.  I didn’t have to go and I got what i wanted.

I’m having an excellent job year, even though my personal life sucks (see http://www.kweave.org/blog for the details.

Our school won a grant from the Junior League of Dallas which will allow us to have a second robot.

I was and am proud to have been a Civil Air Patrol Cadet.  I joined both CAP and Army JROTC when living in Detroit and going to school at Osborn High School on 7 mile (yes, it was worse than 8 mile).

I won the Distinguished Cadet award and still have the medal, ribbon and medal box that was presented to me. 

When we move to Jackson, MS, I was made the Battalion Commander and continued in Civil Air Patrol. 

I was also a National Merit Semi-Finalist.

I applied to the Coast Guard Academy, Air Force Academy and West Point, and received a nomination from Thad Cochran to West Point.  I checked out, as I would have been in the second class of women, but instead won a full four scholarship to the Air Force Academy.

Unfortunately the Air Force had to many officers when I graduated, and my father was terminally ill, I was offered a resignation which I took.

Just some cool stuff which could be looked up if you found a copy of “Who’s Who in High School Students, 1978”.

And yes, I am a nerd and was not well liked in Mississippi.  However, I had a really fun time with the people in Detroit, and miss that group to this day.  

Didn’t have A/C until Friday afternoon, have had to get in early to work.

Principal at my school and a few others shifted workday/staff development days making Minday and Friday workdays. I liked that as i had a better handle what needed to be done as I went and got small tasts done each morning.

I am still the Queen of Tech in my world, remembering that at least Office 2010 lets uou save PDFs so several people don’t need to buy Acrobat. Spent the week holding a lot of hands.

Scored help this morning as a former student saw I checked in with Foursquare.

Dress code for teachers got changed without me noticing. Much less strict and doesn’t require panty hose or socks for women.

Think i am ready for Monday.
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Someone got a really good idea and made the first day a workday. We had a short meeting and were told what happened with budget.

On Friday, I got my room keys and
got my teacher workstation going. That let me hit the ground running today. Plus I got the window unit running only, AC in the area.

I moved furniture where I wanted it. Still need to tweak it. Got Email group set up so we can communicate again.
We just went from GroupWise to LIVE.EDU.

One of the new custodians plugged all the cables back in. I have two groups of workstations to get back up bit am hoping the campus tech gets to it before I do. He has better tools to get the job done.

Printers are up and scanner , haven’t confirmed the web cam.

Attendance system and gradebook are up.

Baby steps .

Harest thing is to figure out what to do next.

Helped a bunch of people with email.

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Have my keys, spent some time and got my teacher workstation up and running.

How has the economy affected my classes?  Web class size is VERY large, and we’re missing one person from our department.

Computer Science enrollment is about even to last year.

Monday is our first day of staff development, we are scheduled to have three days of staff development and two teacher workdays.

When I stopped by on Monday, couldn’t get keys but was able to go by the room.  None of the workstations were plugged in and furniture had been completely moved.