Week 11 Reflection
This has been a week of lots of reflection. There was a shooting here yesterday morning and 5 people were shot. There was no theft involved, no carjacking, just someone driving down the street and randomly shooting outside a daycare center. Two of the people who were shot died. They both worked at the daycare center. One of the people killed was the brother of a coworker and dear friend of mine. He was an ex-marine, ordained minister, and all around great guy. This was just senseless.Six teachers have been laid off in my building. Of course, these are the younger, new, motivated teachers who were more willing to use technology in the classroom. We already have classes with over 35 students, and with the loss of teachers will have to combine classes. In addition the district is suing each teacher who went on strike for $250 a day for each day that we stayed on strike. It seems the district is working hard to punish us for not doing what they wanted us to do.
I have really enjoyed this week's topic! Simulations and games are great motivational objects for students. They like to play them so they stay on task longer. If games and sims are chosen wisely, students will be motivated to use them, spend more time on task, and even learn something in the process! My district blocks many of the game and simulation sites as they do not feel that games are an acceptable form of learning. I need to find a way to convince them otherwise...
I was not on MSN a lot this week as I was back in the hospital for a few days but I did manage to chat with David, Lisa, and Yolanda. I did some file sharing with Yolanda and discussed Learning Objects, their characteristics and uses.
posted by Karen Keffer @ 11/17/2006 08:16:00 PM
6 Comments:
Karen:
I am so sorry to hear about your week. A senseless shooting is so senseless. But it hurts when you lose people that you knew for no reason. I am sorry that you have been back in the hospital. I hope that you feel better soon.
Just like your district, my state blocks lots of games but then we may find some game sites. It just depends. It does make the teachers check before they use a site. Keep your chin up. Dianne
Karen,
You have had the week from hell...my goodness such trauma and devastation. I often tell people the public school system certainly needs to change. As professionals we should not retaliate when educators fight for rights for pay raises, equitable benefits, that we all so much deserve to put up with senseless things such as killings, threats from students, verbal and mental abuse from parents and students, and all the other things we go through personally and professionally. I am certainly sorry to hear about your week being so troubling. But certainly hope that your health gets better and your community.
Well, sometimes reflection can be self-directed and sometimes it's situation directed. It can be good, and it can be bad ... all at the same time. But, each reflection changes us ... and we are different because of the reflection.
Hi Karen!
It was nice to blog with you all this quarter. It is sad that all this bad things are happenin g in your district. Hopefully things will get better and most probably technology will be part of the solution for these problems. Let’s keep our motivation high so that we can finish our requirements and obtain our degrees. Then, we can contrinbute together to make a better society in which to live. Happy Thanksgiving Day and weekend! Regards!
Hi Karen:
It has been really nice being in class with you. Good luck with all of your grants. I have written several but only had one funded and then it is frustrating. Good luck with your work on Walden. Maybe we will meet up again. I hope so. See ya. Dianne
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