Another Cell Phone!! Aaaaarrrrr!!!

Yes, I had to take up another cell phone today! The guy is sitting right in front of me. His cell phone vibrates in his pocket, he proceeds to take it out and answer it. He couldn't believe that I was taking his cell phone away and writing him up too!

I am going to recommend the cloaking device that Gary talked about Paulding County having in schools to my principal. Way too much time is wasted with teachers battling students over cells phones! And iPods and other electronic devices!

I know parents are concerned about their kids being able to contact them if something tragic is happening at school, and I do understand that. But parents have no idea how disruptive cells phones and iPods are at school.

Aaaaarrrrr!

Ditto!

Connie brought up a concern that I'm sure has affected everyone! Cell phones, I-pods etc.! They should be banned from school! Any student found with one should be met with swift action! I'm constantly, constantly and more constantly having to speak to my kids about this. They don't realize it but their minds are actually in competition with these things! There should be a state-wide ban! If you agree with me then I think we should approach the DOE about this. These things are affecting our kids ability to learn, in turn affecting grades, AYP, testing scores, etc., etc., etc.! As Ty would say on Extreme Home Improvement, "Let's do iiiiiit"!

Need e-mail help

Seriously, I had two boys square off at one another yesterday. I was able to intervene and separate them with a little police "lingo" that I'll refrain from saying here for the sake of graceful eyes. I realized that I may have to go into the "Cop" mode to protect other kids in these situations. The way I see it, 25% of my student load is either High Risk Intervention kids, "Almost Fry Cook" Kids, or the very precious Special Education Kids. So I have to be on my toes...very little can set these guys off.
Anyway, yesterday, I made my first big e-mail "boo-boo". I sent an invitation to the entire school to my Lab on November 5 which will be the "Pedestrian Under the Influence" drill. My guys will wear "Drunk Buster" goggles and negotiate through an obstacle course with the mighty Dr. Burns watching, (with two #2 pencils! )Anyway, the e-mail said..." All are invited to observe the Public Safety 4th period "Pedestrian Under the Influence" drill on November 5 in the yard. This is a very funny drill to watch but it also teaches the kids they shouldn't drink. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY...WHAT WAS SENT WAS... "All are invited to observe the Public Safety 4th period "Pedestrian Under the Influence" drill November 5 in the yard. This is a very funny drill to watch but it also teaches the kids they should drink! (I left out the "n't" in shouldn't. Luckily Every administrator in my command found it at the same time and helped me spell it correctly. Every one had a big laugh. I throw the "rookie card" which I'm almost out of.

Frustrated

Last week I pulled out my portfolio assignment to update some information and to try to finish it up to turn in. I pulled out my disk that I have been saving it to and it would not come up. It said the disk was not formatted. I began to freak out because I spent all this time last month adding standards to it and I did not print them out or did not write it down on paper. I just figured that it was on a disk, I can just keep adding to it and I will print it all at the end when I am done. No, not a good idea. My first mistake was not saving it to the hard drive and then since I have been having trouble with my computer I should have saved it to a second disk. So for the past week I have been trying to redo some of the standards that I didn't write down or print out. I really hated computers last week but then I began to think that I should have taken precautions for such a big assignment. So learn from my mistakes always print out at least you will have a hard copy.

Technology: Ya Gotta Love It

For the past two days I've been trying to do my blog for this week. You know, get it done early so I don't have to stress over finishing it by midnight on Friday. Anyhow, my computer has been giving me problems lately. The screen keeps getting wavy and freezing up like there is a virus but Norton says it finds no viruses. I even bought a new monitor thinking that was the problem. It wasn't. So, I turn it on and off over and over hoping one time it will work. (Maybe this is the time!) I will have to break down and take it to the geeks but I was really hoping to make it through this semester first. I truly can't get along without it until the semester's end. My computer at school has too many blocks for me to do NTI work. Besides, who wants to stay at school until bedtime night after night! I stay too late as it is already.

My real classroom issue with technology right now is not the blocks on my internet access. My frustration is the beautiful interactive board that has been sitting there since before I entered the classroom for the first time on July 20, 2006. The first excuse I got from the county office was the absence of an LCD projector with which to hook it up. A few months into school the principal got involved and saw that an LCD was ordered and delivered. I contacted the county office again. I even got training in the use of the interactive board. Still nothing happened regarding hooking it up. Oh the plans I have for using that board! Yet, so far I have only used it as a display board, as an overhead transparency screen, even as a white board. I contacted the county office prior to Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, Winter Break, and now Spring Break. When I e-mailed before Spring Break, I copied it to my department head, assistant principal, and principal. That must have helped. Within two days I got a reply saying they had brought in a guy to give them an estimate how much it would cost to install it. I haven't heard any more. So, I am wondering when I get back to school Monday after Spring Break if the interactive board will be up and running. Dreamer, right?! I know one thing for sure; I will not be holding my breath. If it is installed though, I may have to get training in its use all over again to do all those wonderful things I have planned for its use.