Week 4 publishing my AR report - the computer isn't responding.

My computer is doing everything it can to be very bad.

The little colored wheel keeps spinning and taking a very long time to do everything.

I haven't been able to get my powerpoint into the idisk.  I am still trying to get that done.

I have other work still not working..

I see that the problem with finding my discussion questions was a problem with the website, so I wasted time redoing that.

I didn't want a bad grade again because of missing a question.

Today has been frustrating.  I did go to church, but now I'm questioning my wisdom, but I hate to miss church, so I am hoping that won't make me make a bad grade.

I promise, the rest of the day I have worked.

I did not call FSO to get a ticket number.  I contacted them once, on ichat to see if it was working and it was, but they were very busy and went back to the person they were helping.

My time will be up in 7 minutes, but I will continue to try to get this powerpoint into the blogspot.

If that doesn't work, I am going to try a different route.
Thanks,
karen smith

Wk 4.Presentation of AR Project at FEMEA Summer Conference, Aug. 7, 2010

 I am going to share my Action Research project in another week, lots of work to do, getting handouts ready, movie on the computer, board, etc.

The Florida Elementary Music Educators Association Summer Conference is going to be held in Jacksonville, FL on August 7, 2010 and I will set up a "science board" by the registration table and do it at the beginning of the conference.  I was going to do it during the Lunch time, but we decided I could choose either time, or at the end, and feel this is a more effective time as people come in over a longer period of time, as I will go when we set up and will be there as they trickle in, eat food, visit, etc.

I would be there then, anyway, as one thing I've learned as being a board member, when you go off the board, you aren't really off.  Especially when you were on it for 11 years!  Whew!  So, I would be there anyway, helping set up, and this way, I'll help some, and be at the table, by registration table and share with them as they come in.  There will be some new teachers there, as we always invite new teachers to come free of charge, just so they can find our organization and get to know us and see how valuable it is to be a part of your professional organization.   We are a part of FMEA, which is a part of MENC, which is the National Organization for Music Educators of all kinds, band, orchestra, vocal, elementary, jazz, guitar, recorder, Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze and more.

I'm a member of AOSA (Orff), The Recorder Association, and the Research Group of the Orff Association. But even those are associate members of MENC.

Wk 4.Comment 1 Amanda Beery - the Blame Game - chap 10-12 The Art of Possibility

Week 4- Chapters 10-12

Ah, the blame game. My students would do better if the teachers they had last year taught them more, their parents were more involved, we have more money to spend on them. I have what I have and I am given the students I am given…I can find excuses for why they aren’t performing at the highest levels or I can look for ways to help them achieve more. I choose to look for ways to help them achieve more.
I like the idea of thinking of myself as the board, rather than a single chess piece. When I am in a situation that I am not happy with or frustrated I should look at where I am and how I got there…then determine what I can do to change the place that I am in.

Week 4 Art of Possibility -Chapters 9-12 What a Book!

It disappeared.  I just answered this blog and my computer took it away.  So I'm on my second writing of my answer.

You might say, hmmm, you should have put it on a word document, as they told us about this.  No, they didn't tell us about THIS.  I'm using blogger, not the discussion board on FSO.  It shouldn't disappear.  But, it did.  And it does it to my word documents, too.

I have re-done many of my answers though this year 2-4 times.  I listened in Wimba list night , or read someone's discussion.  I don't remember, but they said they work about 4 hours a day and 8 hours on weekends. I wish that were true for me.  I probably appear to be a person who puts things off til the last minute, as so much work gets turned in at the last moment.  The irony to all this is I begin things in enough time that I should be able to have it go in early.

 One teacher actually took away 20 points of my GPS due to work not getting in 2 days early, as he changed MY due dates to 2 days before it was due.  I still didn't get it in on HIS time.  I was also in trouble for:  getting ticket numbers from FSO people, for having a sore throat (I had to get doctors notes, even though he heard my sore throat in a video we made and he made me redo it, and didn't understand why it wasn't redone a few days later (my voice was still horrible).  Oh yes, the other one was I didn't attend a Wimba, that I was there the entire time, but he didn't record it so that I could prove I was there, by my notes I wrote in it, or the conversations I heard., after the text box disappeard and I couldn't write anymore.  It made my grade drop down.

So, now, I understand that even though he did that, judging me the way he did, I can now understand it better if I treat him as though he was the drunk driver who hit me.  I will have to rearrange my thinking about that class.  I have really bad feelings about the class, even though I learned a few good things from it and even have thought of telling one of the schools here about something I learned in there.  there has just been no time, due to this computer.

I haven't even had time to try to talk to Apple about the fact that it really is a lemon and needs to be replaced, as I need it, even though it's horrible. So, one day, I'm doing to have a Mac that works and I will hardly know what to do with my time, because it will be a time saver, not a time waster.

I actually defend it to PC users.  I may say something about it and they will say:  Well, that's a Mac for you.  I will remind them that Mac's are wonderful.  I tell them how great the programs are.  My problem isn't with Apple.  It's only with this computer.

When I saw in the back of the book, Behind the Coda, is a list of stories and the page numbers, I was excited.  The stories are so powerful.  Wow.  When I read about the courage of the King of Denmark, and that he would be the soldier to take down the Nazi flag, knowing they could just as easily shoot him, too... but didn't.   WOW

When me mentioned the book about when a door closes, another one opens, that is part of my special Bible verse that I love.  I Cor.10:15:  There hath no temptation, taken you, but such as is common to man, But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  Isn't that so cool?

This book raised much thought.  Like when the kids were making noise on the roof and others wee out in the wrong part of town,, after they were supposed to be in and Ben Zander called the meeting.  Many things could have happened, and he was wrong to not give the kids the Plan.

Teen Missions, my group I take kids on trips with for all summer (but not this summer!), always tells us (leaders), Make a Plan, tell the Kids the Plan!  If something goes wrong, they know the Plan and will help with it, and they do help.  I know if we treat wild acting teenagers in the way they "deserve".  we aren't helping them to grow any.  Many times we may think we are being helpful, to punish and give them what they deserve, but God, didn't do that to Adam and Eve.  He did punish them, yes, but even with the pain of childbirth, comes this wonderful amnesia.  We don't forget it hurt like crazy, but as we hold our precious babies, we know they are worth is and, we know we will do it again, if we get pregnant again.

I think that is powerful and I'm ashamed to say, I didn't always react the right way when raising my 3 boys, when working with my teens in the summer and even with my K-2 students at school.
I have made mistakes and some of them I am really not proud of, but you can certainly know those are painful memories and the thought of them brings not only remorse, but a sense of "let's get this right, this time."

Today, our pastor talked about our responsibility of raising our kids and not messing up.  Well, I know I messed up some, but I am so proud of how they have become adults and know that even with my mistakes, some right things happened and they learned how to make good choices (not without some mistakes, of course), but still, in using local vernacular, "We done good!"  (oh, that hurt, just writing those words!)

I know I've rambled, but this was a great book.  Thank you for giving it to us to read.  I loved it and I hope I've learned from it.  One thing I know is it needs to be read again, maybe this should be one of those once a year books, right before school starts.

I saw 3 of my students at the grocery store today and they said they couldn't wait for school to start.  I told them I've already been thinking of my lesson plans and I am going to start with spanking everyone and throwing them in the garbage can!  They all laughed and as they were hugging, they said, Yea, I love music class with you!  Not even such a silly remark could make them think I would really do such a thing to them!  They know what ever we do, they are going to love it.  They are so trusting.  I have a huge responsibility, of teaching these children the standards, and doing it with love and such enthusiasm and fun that they catch and keep that spirit.

Thank you, Joe. Thanks for quitting the phone company and becoming a teacher.