The New Year

Another year is here and its time to start again.
After having a couple of rough years, I am hoping for a great 2009. I am looking forward to new experiences and trying new things and spending it with those that I love.

Christmas Holidays

It's the night before Christmas Eve Day and the Christmas rush is upon me. My presents are bought, wrapped and under the tree, with a couple exceptions. The laundry is on (yes, at 1:00 am) as I am preparing for my voyage south. The next 2 days are packed with family activities and Christmas Turkey will be bountiful.

There are a couple family traditions that we have in our family - one is that we spend every Christmas Eve with my husbands family. They always made Christmas Eve the big night and had a big turkey dinner and opened presents late and played and slept in late on Christmas day - and we still do that! And Christmas morning (well, usually late in the morning) hubby and I do our gifts and stockings at home. Christmas Day is always with my parents and my moms side of the family. Again, there is more turkey, more presents, and more fun. By the end of Christmas day, I'm normally turkey-ed out and tired, but its well worth it. All in all, Christmas is all about being with family and friends, giving and receiving, being with those we love, and yes, we celebrate Christ's birth.

Past Boxing Days have brought various things - sleeping in, more Turkey, sometimes running out to stores early in the morning for the sales and spending all that precious Christmas money or gift cards.

This year Boxing Day brings a road trip!


We will pack our bags and leave sometime Friday afternoon, headed for the sunny south. Temperatures in Florida this week have been around 25 degrees Celsius (Don't even ask me what that is in Fahrenheit...) and that's a lot warmer than -10 degrees and snow. So I'm looking forward to a road trip with hubby. We have audio books, iPods, portable DVD player & DVDs, the radio, and each other to keep us awake and alert for 24 hours until we hit Tampa Airport and pick up our Florida Buddies Saturday night (who fly in instead of driving, lucky ducks). Then, they get to keep us somewhat sane for the last hour to the condo, where we will likely both collapse and sleep until Sunday morning, when the fun begins!

ideas...

Today was a refreshing day. I attending a conference on eLearning, and it challenged some of my ideas on how to use technology in all classes, both in an eLearning environment and in a traditional classroom.

The neatest thing... Cell Phone Film Fest ... yup, all those teenagers with cell phone video cameras have to create a video that is filmed entirely on their cell phone (editing allowed after the fact) and then submit for a film fest and judging. Never would have thought of it, and kids would eat it up. Something to consider if I can find a way to work it in. (Dont think I'm quite up to it yet though)

We talked about podcasting for presentations instead of getting in front of the class. Letting kids test, edit, and finalize what they say... rather than the pressure of getting in front of the class. And yes, I know the argument against that is that it isn't like the real world,... but on the other hand, I wouldnt want every presentation to be "virtual" just one or 2 to give them the experience of recording, revising, critiquing and analyzing their own work, which is a higher order thinking process in itself.

Also, taking pictures of completed assignments or notes on a board with a cell phone, submitting it to qipit.com and getting a PDF sent back to you to post on your website, email to absentee students, display and save exemplars, etc.

There were some really interesting things discussed. And I was also introduced to Twitter, and that looks like a lot of fun. More things to play with!

Good morning...

Ever feel like this as you go through the daily grind?
Luckily, there is but one more week before the Christmas Holidays.

Full moons

For 3 years I have been in the teaching profession and for 3 years I have begun to recognize and analyze a trend... the problem now is how to utilize this trend to my advantage. The trend is the moon phases and the affects it has on children and teenagers. (Yes, I realize I will start to sound like an old witch who should be standing over her cauldron chanting "Double Double Toil and Trouble").

For many years I have spent my days with students who are extremely "active" or "jubliant" or "wild and rangy", etc etc. That's not to say that the kids are "bad", rather some of them have been brilliant at times. But alas, hormones always seem to kick in. And for some reason I have yet to determine, the week around the full moon is always the worst for behavior and rudeness and kids sent to the office. For many, this is a time when they seem to lose control of themselves and forget that they are in fact human beings who can think, reason, act and behave. For the few days leading up to and after the full moon, said "children" become beings who forget what manners and respect are, and become totally self indulgent (yes, even MORE so than they normally are, if you can possibly believe that). All reason and logic flee said individuals, leaving teachers in a frustrating state of insanity and at a loss as to why seemingly normal students have lost all ability to think and reason.

And then this teacher went home and complained to her significant other about said students. Said Significant other then opened up google and said "Oh look, a full moon" ... And lo, the heavens opened and the light of knowledge shone down upon me and I said "That explains EVERYTHING".

So there it is. The Cycle begins again. When another full moon comes upon us and I am caught unawares again, I hope to have hubby to remind me of the madness that will ensue in the school for a few days before returning to normal.

Which leads me to my dilemma that brought this rant up in the first place... How do I deal with such knowledge? How do I harness the power that a full moon has and a) remind myself ahead of time to expect Dr. Jekyll instead of Mr Hyde, and b) prepare myself for the the inevitable outcome of insanity for a few days? Add to this the fact that the holidays are a week away and they are hyper with the prospect of the myriad of gifts that are forthcoming (spoiled brats that we raise in society today). This all equals a double trouble for teachers.

What is the answer? Is the answer in the all mighty movie day? Should I plan ahead and show movies on days of the full moon? Or just continue on as usual? Continuing doesn't seem to work without causing stress and frustration on my part. For now, I'll just rely on the fact that there 6 days left of school and then a 2 week break that is much needed.

Favorites

ICHC has added another new site (I love when they expand) called Once Upon a Win and it is full of goodness from my childhood, such as LiteBright, Fraggle Rock, Fisher Price, Nintendo and Atari! It really brings me back to days as a kid playing with these toys and watching these tv shows. Who knew I'd be looking at it years later over the net (which didnt exist at the time) and writing about it on a blog... ahh as the world turns.

In other news, my favorite author of all time Jacqueline Carey has posted a link on her site to the newest blurb about her next trilogy and I'm drooling already. Too bad I need to wait 6 or 7 months before I get it. However, it does add to my excitment for the summer. For the last few years, every June brings not only the end of school and the beginning of a summer vacation, sunshine and freedom, but it also has always brought a new Kushiel's book with it! And this year seems it will be no different. The last book, Kushiel's Mercy, I read... nay, devoured in about 4 days. Its a pretty hefty book too. Her prose is so alluring and sensual. I always buy the hardcover copy of her books. There's something satisfying about holding a hard bound book fresh off the press. Writing is a huge process, and to hold it firmly in a hand and feel the presence of the book and the writer is just as much a part of enjoying the book as actually reading it.

My apartment is getting more decorated for Christmas, which is a favorite time of year.

Work is getting closer to being done for a 2 week break, which is always a bonus.

My Roadtrip south with the Hubby is also getting closer... thats a favorite too, and add in my love of the ocean and a couple of favorite friends and I'm all set for a great vacation.

People are fools...