Sunday, February 26, 2012

Oh Hunger Games..You are so addictive!


I listen to The Bobby Bones Show every morning as I get ready, and it is to this show that I owe my current obsession to.  For weeks, Bobby (the host) and Amy (one of his sidekicks) raved about the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Luckily, my husband is a Language Arts teacher and he had the first two books on hand in his classroom. I finished the first two in a span of about 4 days—and he bought the third book for me from the Book Fair on Friday. I am more than halfway done with that as we speak.
Yes…I am currently obsessed with “The Hunger Games.” I know, that was so 2008—what can I say, to reference Fergie—I am so “2000 and late.” Whatevs. But, yes, I am obsessed. 
I noticed that several of my darling sixth graders are reading the books, too. They crack me up with how involved they are—if there is a moment of downtime, they will pick up their books. I can pretty much tell where they are based on the emotions on their faces. (Probably because my face was a mirror image of theirs as I was reading.)
I talked to one of my students before school started the other day. She had just finished the first book and wanted me to email her mother to ask if she could read the second book. 
I decided to probe a little further.
“Well….she thinks I am becoming obsessed with the Hunger Games. I told her that I wanted to live in District 12 and if I did, I would slap Katniss in the face.”
Awesome.
“I think your mom might be right in this case.” I encouraged her to have her mom read some reviews for the second book—I didn’t really want to get in the middle of a domestic situation.
Anyway, I informed husband that we are going to the movie when it comes out in March.
And, just a few minutes ago, I decided to watch the trailer—I don’t remember seeing it yet…or..lately.
Husband hears the trailer in the background, and says, “Katie, I think you are becoming obsessed.”
(He is just now realizing this?!? Ah well.)
I can’t wait to go to school tomorrow, so I can catch up with my students to see who finished Mockingjay this weekend!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Engineering and Building "Stuff" in my classroom

Apparently, when I spoke to the group of parents and students in our gym about the class that I teach, (Gateways to Technology) I might have sold it too well.

Right now, I have over 200 kids signed up for my class and we are still waiting for two more elementary schools to turn in their Choice Sheets.

Earlier this week, there was talk that we might have to hire another teacher because the interest is so high, but I think that we will just have to put a cap on how many kids we can take. I tried to convince the counselor that I didn’t want any behavior problems. Luckily, since I only have 29 computers—I can only have 29 in each class. Hopefully, they will be 29 angels. Right?

I am getting really excited for next year. I should be able to teach Gateways to Technology all day long!  

On another note, after we finished our assignments on Friday—I gave my kids “choice time.”


My students working with nuts and screws.
We have these kits that we will use to “program robots,” after we get back from spring break. The kits have millions of tiny pieces that include screws, gears, shafts, nuts, etc. If you are a middle schooler—these terms are absolutely hilarious...maybe if you are not a middle schooler, it is still hilarious?!?

But, anyway, back to the choice time. Most of my kids wanted to play some different games on the computers—but I was shocked when I had several groups of girls who asked me if they could work on the VEX kits and build “stuff” during choice time.
The girls working on the VEX kits.
I don't know why it is upside down. :(

This was so awesome to me! As a matter of fact, I had to sneak up behind them and take some pictures because I was so in awe of their enthusiasm for building, and I didn't want them to think I was a creeper.

Who says girls don’t like to work with their hands? Not my girls!

And, on another note, only 14 more days (with kids) until spring break!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Superbowl Commerical: Eastwood the "Voice of Michigan?"

Yes, I watched the Superbowl, but I didn’t have a dog in the fight. I do enjoy watching the commercials, however.  

A Superbowl commercial that caught my attention was the one with Clint Eastwood about Detroit.

In, "It's Halftime in America," Eastwood points out that Americans are hurting, then adds: "The people of Detroit know something about this. They almost lost everything. But we all pulled together. Now Motor City is fighting again."

I couldn’t decide if this was a commercial about Michigan, Chrysler, or the economy. But, I was a little saddened that it was Clint Eastwood leading the charge. He is a Hollywood actor, and a gruff one with a great narrative voice, but what does he really know about Michigan? I know, he starred, directed and produced ‘Gran Torino,’ but would he have chosen Michigan without the tax incentives that enticed the film there?

Who could they have chosen for the “It’s Halftime in America” commercial?  As I Googled famous people from Detroit, I was sad to see there were so few actually born there. Many simply had ties to Detroit, Tim Allen, Kid Rock, Eminem. However, two people that were actually born in Detroit—Tom Selleck and Ed McMahon. Either of those voices would have totally changed the tone of “It’s Halftime in America.”

Maybe, Clint Eastwood was the best choice—but he is no Michigander.

What do I know about Michigan? Well, up until the recession I was a Michigander. I lived and grew up in the Flint area, which surely is no Detroit—but also not a picnic. My great-grandfather was one of the original sit down strikers in 1936 at the Fisher Body Plant. My grandfather worked at GM, so did both of my parents. I had a short stint where I worked for a chemical company, Haas TCM that was housed at one of the GM plants in Lansing. I walked the docks and wore my safety goggles as I made my way through the plant to pick up purchase orders. It was my first experience at a factory, but I was fascinated by the goings on around me.

When I think about Michigan, I think about those factories. That was what “we” were. The factories were our livelihood and when the factories closed down, so did everything else—which is what brought my husband and me to Texas.

Anyway, after the commercial ran, several of my friends from Michigan made comments on Facebook about “Eastwood for President” or “Eastwood is my hero.” Whereas, my Texas friends must have changed the channel during that commercial—or perhaps, it was time for them to refill their beers? All was silent on the Texas side.

I guess, if you don’t have a dog in the fight, you truly don’t understand what it is like to be from the Great Lakes State.  Michigan is still in bad shape—if you talk to the Michiganders who are still there—it is still not getting any better.

Michigan is still hurting. I sure hope the rest of America is faring better than she is.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Sales Pitch...sign up for my class!

This week I had a flashback to my Enterprise Rent-a-Car days. I had the pleasure of speaking to the incoming “nubes/noobs” aka, 6th graders that will be attending the middle school that I teach at.

Apparently, January 30th was not too early to start thinking about the 2012-2013 school year. So, I dusted off my old sales hat. I would be speaking twice—once to the prospective 6th graders and their teachers, and the next night I would be speaking to the kids and their parents.

Technically, I need about 90-120 kids to sign up for the Gateways to Technology Class that I teach—in order for me to teach the curriculum all day. I should have at least two classes of my current kids that will continue on with the program. I would love, love, love to teach Gateways to Technology all day long.

I adore the class and my kids with my whole heart.

Really 90-120 is not that many…
And as I got ready for my presentations, I remembered three things I learned from working in sales.
1. Be Confident
2. Be Prepared
3. Delivery is Key

When I worked at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, one of my biggest problems was that I was not confident. I didn’t believe in myself or what I was selling.

Gateways to Technology is a totally different story. My current kids really enjoy the class. I know this because they tell me.  And as I already mentioned, I really like the kids I teach. I think every kid could benefit from taking Gateways to Technology.

Another lesson I learned from my sales days was to be prepared. Sure, the Band Director, the Theatre Arts Teacher, and the Choir Teacher—none of them had notes, but I was NOT going to mess up in front of 200+ people. I had my notes ready to go. I had given my current kids a survey to find out what they liked about the class. I highlighted these talking points in my sales pitch.

I worked on my delivery—I made sure I talked slowly and loudly. There was some feedback from the microphone, but I pressed on.

I think it went pretty well. One of the parents who were there (and is also a teacher at our school) came by my room the next morning and told me I did a good job.  She said as I was speaking, she overheard several people remarking to each other that my class sounded like a good one.

I just hope that those people actually sign their kids up for my class.

Oh, and if these 90-120  kids could be smart and well-behaved like my current kids I would be even more happy.

I guess we will just wait and see.

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