Category: Blog

I’m glad I don’t have to make these decisions.

It’s interesting, because someone at my school was just asking me what happened with making us an Academy.  It’s a move neither our parents nor our teachers want.  We’re not good at change.  Thankfully with an interium principal we’ve seemed to be able to delay the change.

However, in the case of Spruce and Samuell, change has to come.  They are not doing it right, and I’m not sure what the problem is.  Well, I was talking with a retired teacher from Dallas, and yes, we do know what the problem is — middle school and elementary school.

QUESTION:  Why don’t middle schools and elementary schools get reconstituted? Or do they? Why don’t we hear about them?

By the way, DMN got it wrong — the correct term isn’t Magnet, it’s Academy.  Small difference BUT Magnets require a minimum set of standards to get in and stay in

I don’t know much about Spruce, but 18 years ago, I observed Sammuell and it doesn’t seem to have devolved.  I was there for a chess tournament with our kids last year and met a bunch of the math teachers.  They were all very young and apparently life was a mess because they told me that the principal was continually changing schedules — which isn’t good for the kids.

I keep talking about going to one of the reconstituted schools — which I just found out offended one of my best friends — I can’t help it, I’ve never worked in a stable work environment except for Hillcrest and we were always looking at different opportunities.  Weird, as I’ve been in the same classroom now for 16 years, you’d think I’d be used it.

But back to this.

First, which kids get sent to other schools? 

That’s been a HUGE problem for us.  We have been getting kids from less successful schools for two years now, and they just don’t fit in and they don’t know what to do to be successful.  That’s ALWAYS hard for me, because our neighborhood kids know at least enough to do the bare minimum.  These kids don’t.

I’ve got one that is failing my tech support class now, because he chooses to show up for once a month.  We met during lunch, so he only comes when someone noticed he’s been in the lunch room too long.  I won’t let him stay if he plays games on the computer when I am trying to accomplish something and so far he is really only good at helping with inventory.  However, he is MUCH better than the other kids.

I’ve got another who is on his third week in ISS — he was given 28 days of in house suspension which usually involves either alcohol or a knife. When he does come into class he doesn’t do my assignments.  I caught him playing a game early and he lied and said he wasn’t.  I sat him down and showed him how I know he was lying, and then he walked out of the room.  Every single time I’ve gotten on his case, he just gets up and leaves.  My solution:  leave him alone, but once in a while talk to him gently about how he is wasting his time.

Those are the two worse examples, but they don’t get much better.  I’m not sure why they won’t do their own part to be successful — you’d think since they took the trouble to come across town to us they would try harder, but maybe that is the best they can do. 

Quoted from http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/032909dnmetdisd.323ff76.html:

Dallas ISD OKs plan to turn Samuell, Spruce high schools into magnets | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

Dallas school district trustees voted Saturday to change two low-performing high schools facing possible closure into magnet schools

I usually hate this but it turned out to be a fun day.

My district gets ALL the AP kids together for Super Saturday tutoring for AP subjects.  They have different days — and Computer Science is lumped into Math usually.

So we have kids from every high school — busses bring them in.  And we've had some real behavior problems — at lunch one year one kid hit another kid hard enough we had to call 911.

We usually host it at Townview — which is a center which houses a bunch of our Magnet schools including SEM (Science and Engineering Magnet) and TAG (Talented and Gifted Magnet).

In the past, it is been a huge chore as the kids were REALLY hard to get along with.  The first group was a bit tough but I just sat there (like I do with my 6th period class), and quietly said “you won't get credit for this if I don't present, and I won't present if you are not quiet". 

Did the trick.

I also think my Geek toys helped.  I demonstrated my “Think Geek” Personal Area Network shirt and they really loved it and one kid wondered outloud if I was getting a cut, but I don't — I just like the shirts — would it be too Geekie if I wore them every day?  FYI: http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/generic/af26 and I'm even mentioned in the product review!!!!!

I also was on the internet with my phone and had my IGo charger plugged into it so I wouldn't lose power.  They thought it was cool that it was "3G". iPhone and ATT have done a good job.

I covered the 2006 Design Question and it went well.  I was WAY over prepared and that helped too,

The fun part — one kid from the first session asked if I would please come teach at SEM, and the second group all asked if they could come to my school for tutoring.

It got better!!!! At the end of the day, lots of them thanked me!

Oh and they did learn something new — this.  For the non-CS person — this is a noun in Java and other programming languages.

When we were in New Orleans, I ran into a little problem — I ran out of power on my cell phone.  Now, I have 4 cell phone batteries, and they were fully charged when I left, but husband and I shared the cell phone (WMWifiRemote) for wireless access in the hotel room.

We were at Embassy Suites and they charge for the wireless <snarl>

I had remembered that Office Depot had a few solutions, but we tried three Office Depots and didn't have anything.  Finally in the same parking lot of Office Depot was a Radio Shack and they had the iGo PowerXtender. Man this thing works well.  About two 2AA batteries equals a cell phone charge.  It takes a while for the electrons to go into the phone, but you can stick it attached in your bag and let it work.

Now I have a love/hate relationship with Radio Shack like all ham radio operators, but this one was pretty courteous and even they couldn't understand why the iGO was in the different spot.  You can also buy it on line.  I've looked at their adapters and are tempted — BUT it's much easier to just go on EBay and by a second adapter. I can usually find them cheaper than what they sell the tips for.

I have the iGo Bluetooth keyboard (which they no longer sell) and love it, so expected a good experience.  I even ordered tips for my bluetooth and my ZUNE and they work well too.  So now an extra gadget in the bag which comes in handy.

For lack of a better name, I’m calling my new course — Introduction to Computer Science

We have two problems right now:

• Ninth graders are not suited for computer science (well, TAG ones are but they go into PreAP Computer Science)
• We don’t have enough electives for 9th graders.

Solve the problem: come up with an local credit course that will assist the students in getting ready for Computer Science.

The ninth graders that are in my computer science course do not have these basic skills:

• Type with both hands
• Write an email (or even sign up for an email account)
• Use the basic office products
• Use the internet effectively for research

Some of the skills I think they would like to have:

• Take a picture with a digital camera and do some minor changes.
• Make a movie — especially DVD
• Update and decorate Facebook or other type of social networking website
• Write a blog entry or other type of web based content

Skills I would like to them have

• HTML
• Basic programming

The good news is that I have all the software in the classroom needed for that.

So a brief outline for the course:

• 1st Semester
  • Keyboarding
  • E-mail and e-mail etiquette
  • Basic office products
  • Internet Research
  • Products
    • Term paper
    • Presentation about a topic for another class
    • Resume
    • See other departments about other products that I can incorporate
• 2nd Semester
  • HTML
  • Facebook page (or whatever the latest teen social networking site is)
  • Personal website
  • Programming with Alice or Scratch

As an on-going basis, we’ll cover ethics, privacy and copyright. Will also explore technical jobs. Probably as the come up in the news.

First, I’ll start out by saying I believe that Ada Lovelace is a myth and I’d rather honor Grace Hopper.  I did a paper on this and I have not seen any proof that Ada Lovelace wrote a computer program.  However, I know that Grace Hopper did.

Yes, Ada Lovelace lived and yes, she knew Lord Byron and I haven’t seen anything definitive beyond that.  But I’ll let people have their myths.

I’d rather have reality.

There are lots of really cool women in technology who have done some really cool stuff.  I’ll start by honoring every high school CS teacher I know that turns kiddos onto technology. 

My heroes are and have always been the women who left teaching mathematics to help with computers and computing during World War II — Grace was only one of them.   I suspect it was a harder thing to do than we realize. 

I have a Lenovo Think Pad X61 tablet that was given to me by the district for writing curriculum. I don’t use it enough and one reason is that I perceive it as being delicate. Dumb as it has bien thrown in the floor accidently and survied.

Last week I decided to see what cases are out there for if and found a case designed for it to be used as a tablet by Lenovo,   Link here:  http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:item.detail?GroupID=38&Code=41U3142&current-category-id=DBA092A7A5CD4E598362EF6B5A5A916B  Not a nice link.

It’s nice, and worth the price. However, it does force you to use the Thinkpad as a tablet, something I am still not comfortable with.  I am looking forward to using it when I present the next two weeks after Spring Break.

Shipping was fast — UPS, Signature Required and I got a phone call yesterday that it was coming.

I will definately buy another Lenovo Think Pad — in face, came close to it last week but bought the Netbook instead.

And yes, I am helping the economy as much as I can.

This thing is a keeper, I think.  It fits in my Ameribag – there is a pouch in it just the right size.  It doesn’t add TOO much weight, especially if I take out the items it replaces.

I’ve been installing the software I use on a regular basis – Microsoft Office 2007 (especially OneNote), Jing, Twirl, and set up Outlook. 

I’m not going to install any teaching software or programming software – so far, I want to keep it a fun computer – too much of my stuff is work related.

Works well with ATT phone and worked well with the Wireless internet at the hair place, so I’m very happy.  Ebags has a sleeve on sale that looks like a good solution too.

We’ll see, but so far, a keeper.

I have been wanting a small, portable computer that will allow me to internet stuff.  I have a Thinkpad but it is still a bit too big, plus it’s a school computer.  I have a Gateway, and again to big.  My phone and Nokia Internet Table are too small.

Office Depot  is selling the Acer Aspire 1 for $299.99 and so I snagged one today.  It seems to be the right size.  Something I can keep in my bag, and use my phone to connect with.  I’m going to try installing the software I can’t live without and see what happens.

Some fun things?  Live Writer comes with it.

So does a webcam, built in.   Also has Windows Movie Maker so I might be able to make a Vlog entry.

Buy.com — who I really like doing business with — had a sale on the Zune AV this weekend. Arrived today, via Fed Ed.  I decided I wanted it on the TV downstairs — gives me a place to recharge the Zune and an opportunity to watch the Zune on the big TV — besides I have a dock for the computer / TV upstairs anyway.

Also, my home theatre has been furbarred for a while — the TV output wasn’t put into the speaker system which has been a bummer for a while.

We have a cool system — speakers in the back of the living room and on the deck.  It’s really nice to go out to the hot tub and listen to the TV or stereo on the deck — we also have speakers in the back yard for the pool which is now gone.  I’ll have to see if we can still hear the speakers back there or if the wires have been chewed by nature.

House came with the speakers.

It’s actually no fun to do this by yourself, as you have to tweak a bit, in the back, go to the front to see if you are right but I eventually got it done.

Very happy, now I can rock the whole house AND yard literally.

It’s a good thing the neighbors are far away — and the speakers are closer to the street.  Yes I can hear the speakers in the back yard.

Anyone for a Guitar Hero or Rock Band party this weekend (no one under 21 allowed).