L. Suzanne Shanks's Blog – April 2008 Archive (5)

Don't tell anyone, but this cheerful but aloof teacher had a serious moment of grief yesterday. It happens every year--don't tell me you haven't experienced it, too. These kids I've known since they were 11 and who are now 14, going off to high school, saying goodbye. . . it makes my eyes leak! A lot! Sometimes I even have to hide from them for a few minutes on the last day of school; I don't think it will help ease their transition for them to see me this way. Now I've admitted it. I'm… Continue

Many of you know that my school has been working an extra 65 minutes a day this year so we could clear out early for the demolition/remodel. Now we are conducting all the activities that happen at year end at the same time as we are conducting all the activities that happen in April. A couple of us were chatting today in the counseling office how great it might be to have a job that was only 50 hours a week (and no homework beyond that would be awesome, as well!). Obviously we are tired and so… Continue

**UPDATE**



I only lasted 2 days. Oops.



I heard about Screen Free Week through a post on Jeff Utecht's U Tech Tips. The idea is to abstain from using any screen except for must-do work tasks. Apparently the event happens once a year. Because I am someone who struggles with work-life-web balance, it seemed like an inspired idea. TV zombieNo Twitter. No reading non-work blogs. No personal email (except for emergencies, in which case, wouldn't phone call would be better… Continue

I've been making a lot of plans that, God willing, will come to fruition in the next few months. I've never had such a busy summer schedule, despite the fact that it will be a month longer than usual.



Early Release May 2. Counting down! My colleagues and I have been stuffing, cramming, double-booking, and overlapping all of April and May's activities into one month, so I've been more busy than usual with end-of-year ceremonies, testing, etc. Oh, yes, and we're still trying to teach.… Continue

My school district held a very nice 21st Century Learning Summit yesterday. It was great to hear tools I'd been trying to use and navigate for a couple of years suddenly being openly discussed and introduced to my colleagues. I don't feel I learned anything "new," yet it thrilled me to be there anyway because I've been waiting and waiting for someone to discuss Web 2.0, etc.



For instance, we were given the article on Digital Natives v. Digital Immigrants by Mark Prensky, which was… Continue