A New Course Begins
16/Jan/2011 03:23 PM
I get to know another student in a new course through an e-mail conversation.
From: Ted
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 7:46 PM
To: Linda
Subject: Assessment class
Hello, Linda.
I noticed in your profile that we live fairly close to each other. I'm over in Grayslake, IL. I thought that we could be partners for the first activity in the Assessment class we're taking through Stout.
I'm currently a principal of a 3rd-8th grade building in Wisconsin. This is my 8th year. I have a love of all things technology and I'm a big supporter of it at my school. When I was still teaching, I created my own computer lab in my classroom from donated computers. I had more computers in my room than in all of the other rooms in the school! To this day, I seek out opportunities for teachers to integrate technology and use it like another tool. I see online learning as the next tool to meet the needs of students.
If you already have a partner, let me know. If not, write back and tell me a little about yourself.
From: Linda
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 8:02 PM
To: Ted
Subject: RE: Assessment class
Hello Ted, Sounds great partner! I am a 6th grade teacher at Machesney Elementary in Machesney Park, Il and I am half way through my 4th year of teaching. My experience with technology in the classroom is with my Smart board. I use it for everything. I also love to use technology and learn new things. I also agree with you that online learning will become a big part of student's education. Both of my kids took some required high school classes online in the summer so that they could take more interesting classes during the school year. I look forward to working with you.
From: Ted
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 8:14 PM
To: Linda
Subject: RE: Assessment class
Excellent. Does your school have many SmartBoards? We have put one in every classroom with a ceiling mounted projector. I'm now working on getting more mini-labs in classrooms, clickers, document cameras, and classroom amplification devices. I find that he fourth year of something is the year in which I can finally breath a little. Routines and procedures have become old hat which leaves time for more important things. Did you work in another field before teaching?
From: Linda
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 8:24 PM
To: Ted
Subject: RE: Assessment class
Hi, At my school we have a smart board in every room, including the library and the resource rooms. Our district received grant money to fund the title 1 program. So.. all of the title one school's classrooms received mounted smart boards with over head projectors and document cameras. I am lucky enough to teach in a title 1 school. We do have one set of clickers for our school, but I have not used them yet. My bachelor's degree is in Electrical Engineering and I worked as an Engineer for 10 years at Dresden Nuclear Power Plant in Morris Il. I left ComEd and stayed home with my kids and when they were old enough I went back to school and received my masters in education. How about you, what grade did you teach before you became principal? Why did you become a principal? What do you enjoy most about being a principal? I would not like the disciplining part. The majority of the families at our school are at the poverty level and we have a lot of behavior issues.
From: Ted
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 9:43 PM
To: Linda
Subject: RE: Assessment class
I used grant money too. We're a Title I school also, but we don't get much money for it. Our poverty rate is only about 35%, up from 24% two years ago though. We have two cell phone towers and two Educational Foundations in my District. The money from the cell tower rent goes to the Foundations which in turn give the money to teachers through grants. The two Foundations have agreed to donate at least $25K for the next five years. I was a middle school science & health teacher for ten years. I earned my Masters in Curriculum & Instruction in my tenth year of teaching then switched jobs. I went to my current school as the technology coordinator, which became the interim principal/technology coordinator after only five months in the school! I wasn't certified nor did I have any training. I remained in that role for about 1 1/2 years before they hired the real principal and I became the curriculum director/technology coordinator/assistant principal. After about 2 years the principal retired and I was made principal. I did go back by then to get my certification in administration. This is my 13th year at Trevor Grade School and my eighth as principal. I absolutely love my job. The best part of the job is watching the students learn and achieve. We frequently become teachers because we have something we want t share and we want to help kids. Each day when I walk through classrooms and I watch the interactions of the teachers and students it makes me feel good to know that I've had a bit of influence in all of their lives. I hope that doesn't sound conceited, because I don't mean it to be. I work hard to create the best environment for students to learn and teachers to teach. I work to minimize their problems (teachers and students) in order to maximize the learning opportunities. Discipline is only a small part of the job, at least it is at my school. It's not my favorite part, especially when a bigger problem has erupted. But I work to prevent the problems before they occur. When kids are engaged in meaningful and significant work, discipline problems frequently go away. When I do have to discipline, it's done with compassion and made into a learning opportunity so the kids won't repeat it. I've always been able to understand kids and their motivations pretty well. Tell me about life as an electrical engineer. It sounds fascinating and exciting. What kind of things did you do at Dresden? When I lived in Waukegan, we were close to the Zion plant, but it's closed now. Why did you switch to education? Are you a subject area specialist or general ed sixth grade teacher? How do you bring your past experiences into your classroom? I hope that wasn't too chatty.
From: Linda
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 8:32 PM
To: Ted
Subject: RE: Assessment class
Hello,
I am getting a late start tonight!
At Dresden I was a Modification Engineer and then a Project Manager. A project manager is the same thing with a little more power and freedom. I was responsible for installing new equipment and making modifications to the plant when the unit was shut down for refueling. We had 18 months to plan our projects, prepare testing, order parts, and organize our crews. We then had about 10 weeks to get in and get the work done. It was our team’s goal to never be the last ones out and holding up the start up of the unit. The interesting part was I was the only women engineer on the team. It was crazy!
I quit when my husband took a job in North Carolina and then I stayed home with my kids. When we returned to Illinois the Principal who was giving us the school tour offered me a job as lunch and recess lady, I took it. Then the superintendent encouraged me to substitute teach. So...I did lunch and recess duty and was a substitute teacher for my kids school, Prairie Hill k-8. When my daughter felt comfortable enough to watch Zak at night I went back to school to get my masters in education. I teach all subjects and math and science are my favorite. I always bring my past experiences into the classroom and when students say I will never use this in math I can say your right or you will use this in this application.
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