Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Struggles

Obviously, I am struggling. I haven't posted here in months. Mostly because I have been incredibly busy trying to keep ahead of my kids. Seriously, I have been making copies for classes as the bell rings.

I keep changing things.

When I took my biology teaching methods class way back in college, my professor said something that stuck with me. Actually, I think it more or less killed any chances of me having an unstressful career. Basically, he told us not to teach the same biology class for 20 years.

I have never actually taught biology (how is that for irony?), but I have taught everything else. And NEVER have I been able to simply pull out a paper from last year and go make a copy. Every year, as we move through the activity, I write notes in the margins. I cross things out. I add things in.

Now I have discovered TeachPaperless, a blog about a guy who has figured out how to not stand at the copy machine. Blogs. Diigo. Twitter. Twitter???

I am intrigued. I am stuck. I love the idea behind letting kids start to build their own PLN. But where do I start?

Well, my ocean science started with Diigo. It's been two days. And four people can't remember their user name and password. Really? I'm beginning to think it is all a ruse to waste time.

But I'm sticking with it. I am trying to look past the 68 minutes of my class and help them to see that it's not just about getting a grade. It's about learning. It's about expanding their world in to places they don't even know exists.

Here's hoping.