Getting Back into the Work Saddle - Slowly

I have heard others describe Shingles and now I know more than I had every wished to know about this virus!  If you are like me, getting a little older, may I recommend you consider seeking out the Shingles vaccine.  I plan to as soon as I am completely virus free as I never want a repeat performance.  Okay - as my Grandmother used to say 'nuff said about that....

Yesterday I spent part of the morning responding to emails and updating my calendar.  And then I had the distinct pleasure of attending an Adobe Connect meeting with two of my favorite AEA consultants - Jason and Tami.  We spent a productive 1.5 hours sharing information about a request to make the ELI resources available online.  I brought institutional memory and little else I am afraid.  But, hopefully the next time we meet I can offer a Mindomo to help all of us better visualize the content of each of the four years of ELI.  For those reading my blog who don't know what a Mindomo looks like or how it can be used; feel free to examine this link (URL = http://www.mindomo.com/) or click here to see one I created to use in a workshop on Teachers' Domain online resources.

Today I accomplished all seven items on my list.  I have a new 'app' on my phone that allows me to make lists quickly.  Nannette - since I know you love new app's why don't you see if you can find this one = Astrid Task for your iPad.  I am curious to know if it is available on both platforms as my phone is an Android version.

Time for some more R and R as I am still a little on the exhausted side of this virus.....

This Week in Review

As I enjoy the view from my window of the last of the fall leaves dangling from a few branches; I wanted to pause to record a few reflections about this past week.

On Monday I had the opportunity to meet with Jeanne for coffee at Fusion in North Liberty to discuss a request for MS science units from Vernon MS; with Janine for tea at the Linn Mar student coffee shop to debrief her observation of my Assessment for Learning presentation to the Marion District Leadership Team; with Amy K. at her new office in the Linn Mar ESC to discuss the future of the FOSS Benchmark Assessments and to show her the STC assessment packet; and finally I met with Jason, Eldon, Steve, Julie, Christopher and Nannette via Adobe Connect to plan for our Uncovering Student Thinking in Middle Level Science Course:  Connecting with the Iowa Core (aka USTMSS).  A full day to say the least.

On Tuesday I participated in the College CSD Secondary Cadre where the morning was spent deepening these teacher leader's understanding of Assessment for Learning and the afternoon was spent supporting the HS cadre members as they planned for their December District Professional Learning Day.  I had the opportunity to facilitate a discussion on two articles on AfL and decided to use a Prezi to support the verbal instructions with visual cues.  Although I am a confident user of multimedia presentation tools - for some reason I still struggle with switching to their document camera.  I think I need more practice!  I will make a request of Karen and Ying to practice with their document camera before I am asked to present in front of the diverse group of cadre teachers to better model the integration of this technology in my practice.  I am gaining more experience working with the CCSD Secondary Cadre members as a result of this work this year; which is a stretch for me as, in the past, I have mainly worked with the science teachers.  I plan to check in this week with the HS administrators to process how this new role is perceived by both of them and their cadre members.

Wednesday was a day I planned to use some comp time and focus on cleaning up some of my emails.  As it turned out I spent the morning in the UIHC Family Health Clinic trying to determine what skin affliction I was suffering.  When I learned it was Shingles I became concerned with the fact that I may have exposed young, expectant teachers to the chickenpox virus ~ so I emailed those I had been in contact with since last Friday.  Probably unnecessary; but I would rather be safe and fully disclose the possibilities of catching the chickenpox rather than learn after the fact that I was the cause of someone else's illness.  I was also advised by the doctors to take a couple of days off work.... so I did....sort'a

Thursday I SKYPED with Steve about the GEI plan and the Physics Olympics Rules committee meeting.

Friday I CONFERENCE CALLED the Vernon MS Science teachers to discuss their plan to 'pilot' or 'scout' the Force and Motion and Planetary Science units.  In addition, Nannette and I spoke via cell phones to debrief her week and speak specifically about VMS's OSO grant and the potential for Deb to use Engineering is Elementary kits.

Both days I EMAILED and made PHONE CALLS to stay abreast of my tasks.

So much for sick leave!!!!

Back to Routine

As I expected the first and second weeks of November find my calendar filled with routines and planning meetings; including: 

• grant meetings,
• science team meeting;
• Central Region Meeting,
• collaboration with teachers at CCSD,
• planning for DLT meeting with Cindy D.
• planning for upcoming professional learning days at CCSD,
• preparing for meetings with administrators about science related topics,
• meeting with literacy, school improvement, and math consultants about common work,
• working with Austin Beers on a model of a General Education Intervention Plan for a hypothetical student in science,
• attending STEM committee meetings (Academic Committee and OSO Committee),
• and lots of emails. 

I had anticipated my month of travel all summer and fall and now that it is behind me I hope to hang onto some of the fresh ideas and new information as I get back into my routines.

Catching up on Sleep, Emails and Blogging after NSTA

This first week of November finds me recharging my batteries after a month of work and travel.  October will have to go down in history for me as I went from Central Iowa (ISTS at Ames) to the West Coast (FOSS EH Training in Berkeley, CA) to the East Coast (Science and Engineering Festival on the Freedom Plaza in Washington DC) to the Midwest (NSTA in Kansas City, MO).  Whew ~ I am tired just typing this list of locations!  All of these travels gave me much to think about AND reminded me why I love my job (i.e. teaches and students engaged in learning science that can be used to stretch their imagination and possibly improve their own quality of life ~ ad possibly benefit others.

So I will share some of the highlights of NSTA and encourage those of you who have questions to ask me for more details.  Also; if you have time log onto the NSTA Website to see some of the highlights.  Here my top ten list with relevant links:

10.  Dinner with my family as my sister and brother - in - law had just moved to Overland Park, KS this week.  (I had Dr. Pepper BBQ ribs!)
9.  The small back pack gift from NSTA ExploreVision
8.  The Sally Ride Training on the PASCO SPARK
7.  The FOSS Training on the revised Planetary Science kit
6.  The ASU Workshop on Conceptual Modeling in Physics
5.  The Exhibit Hall Drawing where the VAST Center won a Digital Microscope from
4.  The chance to meet Lindy Lacy from Kansas City Public Schools
3.  The key note speech by Jeff Goldstein.  Click her to see the blog post from the NSTA Executive Director.
2.  Lots of good conversation with Nannette, Peg Christensen, Tami Plein, Jason Martin-Hiner and teachers from AEA 10 who attended.
1.  Fabulous weather and a nice drive to and fro....

As my final post I am going to link to my NSTA Peronal Scheduler as a reminder to myself on which sessions I attended.

Erica's NSTA Conference Scheduler