Reflections in IE

As you might know, I am in a new position in my district and in my life. As a Technology Integration Specialist, I am responsible for helping teachers use technology within their lessons. Being a new position for the district, I and my partners get to be semi guinea pigs. There is a lot to do in regards to supporting teachers and having the majority of them be close to the same level technology skills wise. I know that may never happen because there is such a wide range of personal technology use, varied attitudes toward technology in general, and the priorities teachers have within the classroom. I know the list can go on and on but these are the ones that I feel are important to address in order to be successful in the integration of technology.
Where am I going with this? Well, you are going to have to follow me as I try not to ramble but make sense of how Instructional Elements (IEs) are to be used by my new department.
Please feel free to disagree, comment, and enlighten me. I want to learn how I can be a better mentor/coach because that is how people are going to see me and relate to me.
Over the new few posts I will be hashing out how the IEs are useful for me.
Feel free to follow along in the personal process.

Friendship Park

We had a great morning in nature. We went to a large suburban park that had lots of places for soccer and other sports fields, but they were closed for the summer.

So we went to the playground. Soon N got tired of the swings, play equipment, and shade. He wanted to see the "camels". Off we went. As we got closer, N kept changing his mind on what they were. First, they were camels, then they were buffalo, next they were elephants, then llamas. Finally, we got close enough that he saw they were elephants.

Pretty neat statues and the head of the larger one moves.

We started back to the car the circuitous route. As we walked along the bank, we could hear high-pitched peeps and little animals running from hole to hole. We saw that they were ground squirrels. Cute little things were everywhere. They were sounding the alarm and lookouts were telling everyone our position as N and I walked down the bank.

Just as we got to where a path broke off and went toward the car, I saw cattails. Where there are cattails, there is water! We had to go. Water was flowing westward to a small opening. I'm not sure what it was but the water made the air temperature around it lower by at least 10 degrees. It was nice to walk beside it and hear all the birds and watch the water.

Look at the map and you can see approximately where we were during our exploration.

Enjoy the videos, too.

An impressive 31 lan

An impressive 31 languages on the plastics containers. Do I know enough people that know more than 31?

Intense Potty traini

Intense Potty training today. Going with sweats, patience, and jelly beans!

New School Year, New Focus

I'm almost not ready for next year.  I've been thinking about many things and finally going to put them down, but not now.
I have created a short survey to fill out if you are interested in collaborating with me and my class next year.
I'm not sure what I will be teaching but I know that I will be focusing on a 2-3 tools rather than previous years 5+.
I really hope to get a good foundation this summer so I can be successful with my students, in my growth as a teacher, and in sharing with other teachers what I am doing in my class.
All are invited to fill out the short survey and anxiously await my responses. I have 2 months today to get things going and ready for implementation August 1, 2011.
I hope to see your name on the list for making better students and teachers.

Friday night walk

So, I've hopefully started a new habit. I know it takes over 27 times to become a habit, but at least I have 25 more to go.
I've taken a walk through the fields around my house. Yes, there are fields in the Valley of the Sun. Let me be more specific, they are alfalfa and wheat fields.
DS1 and I took off around 6:45p just as the Sun disappeared behind nearby houses. I knew if it was up it would be still too warm to walk the planned route.

As we got to the road that separated houses and fields, DS1 said, "Let's walk through the field, Daddy!" My thought, exactly. We crossed the 3 ft ravine and ran into the alfalfa. I soon realized the ground was moist, not quite wet but enough that it gave slightly under pressure. It had been flooded earlier today or late yesterday. Oh, well, let's go and see what happens.
As we walked hand in hand, DS1 didn't want to hold my hand and I didn't him running into a large hidden mud puddle, so I told him once we get to the road I would let go and he could run all he wanted. He was okay with that. Here he is outstanding... in the field.

He was fading as we walked the 1/4 mile through the alfalfa. Once he even dropped his pinwheel and didn't call out for it. I had to go back 50 meters or so to get it. As we neared the access road, he began to get excited. He was also free. But we had to cross an empty canal first. It was about 4 ft wide and 4 ft deep. He couldn't walk through it so I straddled it, picked him up and swung him across at the same time. He giggled a lot. Soon, he was off.

I had to stop and take this picture. 

 It was what I was feeling at the time. I heard almost no traffic noise. There was a slight breeze carrying the alfalfa and wheat smells. I could even feel the cool spots and warm spots in the air as we walked. It reminded me of the times back in rural Rago, KS. My friends and I would take off walking all afternoon exploring the countryside. We walked through cow pastures, alfalfa, wheat, oats fields. Over fences, through streams, and wooded areas. It was a really good time to be 12-14. I still yearn for those types of adventures. But I want my boys to experience new ones with me. DS1 was running around, jumping on dirt piles, getting in to the wheat, examining ant hills, and sticking his hand in holes. I did tell him not to because he didn't know what was in the holes. He stopped.

#Sunset pictures for those who love them. Tonight's sunset was very nice.

Aqua setting on my phone

 

On our way back home, we had to cross another canal, but we had a bridge this time.
On the dirt path back, I kept seeing these foot prints. At one time I could name 10 different animal tracks in the wild, but no way now. Too Urbanized. Does someone know what bird made these tracks? Leave a comment below.

 A canine of some type left this one

 On our way back home, DS1 said, "There's the moon, Daddy!" He pointed up at it. It was at 2 o'clock high. He was tired but still chattering away while walking.

It was a good walk. DS1 was exhausted. He had a bath and went to bed with little more than a pout.
With that kind of finish, I think I should walk every night. Round trip was about 1.5 miles! Well, worth it.

What have you done lately that reminds you of what you did as a youngster?

The Little Turner Boys

A video I made from many pictures we take of our wonderful boys.

Micah Turner

Here is a short video of pictures I created of my new son, Micah.