Blog Responses

After our Skype call this past week, I had my students take the time to blog about the experience. I think it's a great way for them to reflect on the Skype call. They are able to think about what they learned from the call, and it helps me to make sure they are gaining a value lesson from experience. It also allows them to ask any more questions to the person we spoke with or they may address them to me. If you're looking for another grade, you can always create a rubric that the students must follow as they are writing their blogs.


Here are a few of the great responses I got this week:

We skyped with a guy Miss.Turner used to go to high school with.He owned a bussiness for insurance and he told us about all kinds of things, like math and where he worked when he started.He even told us we can be good enough at math to own our own bussiness. – Brandon G.

When I skyped with Duncan we asked him a few questens about him. He was really nice. He told us about his job and how he works. When we were done we waved goodbye. We all liked him a lot. He was pretty cool when we talked to him. That is my blog!! He’s a friend of Mrs. Turner. He was really nice. – Ashlie G

Yesterday we skyped with one of Miss Turner's friend and he was very nice. I know that because I was the first one to ask him the first queshton. He talked longer than he talked to any body else,  and  he talked to everyone for a second. Then he was finished and now I know where good people go to school because he told us where he went to college. He went to Texas A&M, and thats all I remember of that. The best part is that he was a boss and he owns he owns his own busness. It is like a plant but it needs math to work it . It was very big and he proboly has to pay everyone. C.J.

We skyped with a man named Duncan who works at A+ Finance. He sells things like insurance. He's a boss of his own company. He went to collage at A  and M. Duncan is a friend of Miss Turner. They are the same age. He didn't do well in English class. He has to do math a lot in his job! I hope we skype again. Kate-lyn

It was awesome when we skyped with Duncan.We asked him where he works he said A+ Finance. He uses a lot of math too.We asked him how many times he uses math a day and he said alot. IT was fun skyping with Duncan. I hope we skype with Duncan again. K'Von

More Skyping Fun

Yesterday we had the opportunity to Skype with Duncan Furrh, owner of A+ Finance in Marshall and Longview. He talked to our class and Mrs. Gregory's class about how math is used throughout his day. He told us about the importance of studying and asking questions when we need help with something. 
I'm attaching a couple of videos. One shows several pictures that were taken throughout the Skype call. You can also see a list of the questions that the students were able to ask. The other video is Duncan's response to a question by Brandon, which was about what the students can do if they want to become owners of their own businesses.

News article

I really appreciate the article that was in the MNM today! I'm glad that word of this project is spreading so that more of the community can contribute to helping the children in our area. 


I'd like to just clarify a couple of things that were mentioned in the article. First, I want to mention the foundation that I have started with three other friends. The Green Heart Foundation was formed in order to help local organizations raise funds to continue their efforts in supporting the families in need in Marion County, which happens to be one of the poorest counties in Texas. You can visit our website at www.greenheartfoundation.com to learn more about us and our most recent project that benefited the Marion County chapter of Toys for Tots. 


I do have a passion for helping others, which is why I am glad that LETU incorporates service projects into their curriculum, so that all students get experience with reaching out to their communities. I think being able to work closely with your community can only help someone in an educational administrative position. 


I did mention that Marion County is one of the poorer counties in Texas. When most people think of Jefferson, they picture the downtown community, which is filled with beautiful older homes. They don't realize that the majority of our students don't live in that area, but come from the outer banks of the county. We do have many families in our community that struggle to make ends meet, and projects like this can help fill the void for these children. 


We do have many children that have been bringing in items for the tree, and they have also been collecting new toys for the Toys for Tots program. There have been a couple of students that have brought in items, that will be receiving one of the backpacks. These children understand what it means to support one another and help out as much as they can. I find it encouraging to know that they are learning this valuable lesson at such a young age. 


There are many organizations in and around this area that support families and children in need. Toys for Tots and the backpack program through FUMC Jefferson are just two of the many. The Empty Stocking Fund also does a wonderful job of supporting children in need during the holiday season and could really use your support this year as well. 


I will be collecting the items within our district on Dec. 14 and 15. The tree downtown at the Chamber of Commerce will remain up until Christmas. If you have any questions or would like to help in any way, please feel free to contact me. 817-291-1969 or afturner@jeffersonisd.org


Click the link below to see the article in the Marshall News Messenger today. I have also attached a copy of the flyer that has been sent with students and posted in local businesses. 


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Today's Presentation

Here is the presentation from this afternoon's staff meeting. I know we tend to get frustrated, because we don't have the "stuff" to integrate with. However, we need to understand that it's not the equipment that integrates technology. We need to be creative in the ways that we integrate and collaborate with others on our campus in order to ensure we are truly meeting the needs of our students. Remember that Crystal and I are willing to help out when we can. Just email us or stop by and we will try and walk you through whatever we can. I will also work to schedule some other workshops so that we can learn some things that we can do without having to have all of the bells and whistles. Thanks for listening this afternoon!







You can't view the whole thing in this blog, so you can use this link to make it full screen.

Inspiring Video

This is another one of my all time favorite videos! (Sorry for my video addiction the last couple of days!)


For my small town friends, let me explain what this is. Every year before school each of the districts in the DFW area holds what they call a convocation where every single employee for the district comes together for a big pep rally type event. In Coppell, we had a theme each year and each school dresses to fit the theme, but to distinguish themselves from the other schools. We meet in one of the mega churches or in a convention center in order to accommodate the THOUSANDS of employees that work in the district. (Not at all like the few hundred in Jefferson!) We have music, skits, speeches from the TOYs, and usually a great keynote speaker. One year a ton of the districts in the area invited Ron Clark, which is what started my obsession with his philosophy, etc. The goal of these convocations is to get everyone pumped up for the year. It's very different than just meeting for your typical trainings and staff information meetings. They generally seek to inspire you to be the best teacher you can be for the upcoming year.


In 2008, DISD invited one of their students to be the keynote speaker. He has to be one of the best that I have seen!! Everytime I need a lift, I watch this kid! He is the reason we teach, and does an AMAZING job of reminding us of that! I hope you enjoy!!

Pay Attention

Pay Attention

Another great video that I just found on TeacherTube! Take notice of the date on the references! All of them were from before 2007. Imagine how much the numbers and facts have changed for 2010! 
(Click the link above)

Just one more for tonight!

This is another one of my all time favorite videos! Not only are these kids so cute, but they are trying to tell us we are behind the times! And this video was created in 2007! Imagine how much further behind we are now!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i0iPphcgtU

Another Favorite Video

This has been another one of my favorite videos for the last several years. If you haven't decided to make the change to technology integration, this will bring home the point! It's time to reach the kids where they are and play on their field. As teachers, we have to make the leap into the 21st century with our students! 

Technology Integration

I am currently working on a presentation for my campus, as well as a school research paper, and have run across some great videos and presentations that I'd like to share. Below is a presentation that I found on Prezi this afternoon when I was getting ready to create my own. It's nice to find that someone else has already done the hard work for you!! 


This is a great presentation that gives you a little perspective on the difference of just using technology in the classroom and actually integrating technology into your lessons. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! (Thank you to Ben Lusk!!)

Integrating Technology into the Classroom on Prezi