What I did on my summer vacation: 6/27/13

It's been an exhausting week.  I've been helping my wife get her boxes and boxes of school "stuff" organized in the garage.  We bought four 4-tiered shelves and three sizes of Sterlite boxes.  Although it's been devilishly hot, it's also been satisfying to get the garage back to some semblance of order.  I even got my work table and tools cleaned up and organized.  Needless to say, the trash man won't be happy with us.

I made a trip to TES today (one of the advantages of being so close) to make sure that the camcorder I recommended will work for the morning show.  I met with Mrs. Parr and Dr. Yeldell for a little while, and we discussed a few items about next year.  These are nice people, and it's going to be fun getting to know each other.  I even met Mrs. Parr's daughters.  The older one is on the same career path as my son, Nathan: a music teacher.  BTW, the camcorder worked!

Now, we're getting packed for our trip to New Orleans.  This will be our third visit to the Crescent City, the Big Easy, NOLA.  We've mapped out our week with things to do and places to eat.  It's time for vacation to begin in earnest.

What I did on my summer vacation: 6/24/13

So, I  came up with an idea.  For the last couple of months I've been blogging about what I did at school each day.  It was my attempt to give others an idea of what an educational technology facilitator does.  Since I'm off between now and August 1, I thought occasionally I'd write about what I'm doing on my summer vacation. 

Yesterday was an "exciting" day.  We cleaned closets.  It might not sound exciting to you, but it was very satisfying and oddly, back wrenching work.  Tomorrow we'll make a trip to the CHKD thrift shop to drop off several large bags of clothes and a few other items. 

Today, we met my wife's father for lunch.  We brought home her mother's antique desk.  He told us she used to play school as a child (they were childhood sweethearts), and that the desk was the beginning of her teaching career.  It's found a special place in our home, and it is a nice memory of my mother-in-law. 

Before lunch, I stopped at TES to exchange a tall mini-fridge I dropped off last week with a smaller one, transfer the larger one to MVES, and drop off a few boxes to store over the summer.  Everyone I have met so far has been so nice. 

Also, I've been working with the TES secretary helping the school purchase a new camcorder for the morning show.  I did a little online research, but I also went to our local Best Buy to talk to someone.  That was time well spent, because I got some critical information that better informed our decision about what to buy. I guess it was my first official task at my new workplace.

After lunch, we hit the YMCA and started working on cleaning out the garage.  Oh, the wonders of summer chores!

What I did at school yesterday: 6/20/13

Yesterday was the last day of the 2012-2013 school year for most of the ETFs. We had our monthly meeting. These meetings were extended from a half day to a full day early in the school year.  It was an attempt at compensating us for the extra time we put in preparing for Technology Tuesday sessions.  Here's what I have to say about that.  First of all, it's not really compensation.  Theoretically, it gives us an extra 3 hours to do work we would otherwise be doing on our own time.  It hasn't really worked out that way.  Much of those 3 hours have gotten eaten up with other matters.  Secondly, it takes us out of our schools for an additional half day each month.  This is particularly hard on those of us who split our time between schools.  Lastly, although preparing and delivering a Tech Tuesday session is definitely time consuming, I don't feel I need to be compensated for it.  Classroom teachers spend hours and hours each week before and after school completing tasks that just can't be done in the school day.  Although I would never turn down additional compensation in any form, I don't believe I am owed it either.  (My father taught me never to ask someone for money but never to turn it down when offered.)

Hmmm, I didn't mean to get into all that.  Anyway . . . we each received a new Windows Surface.  You've seen the commercials.  They're a hybrid laptop/tablet.  Plus, they run Windows 8, which is new to most of us.  It has a bit of a learning curve, but I think I'm going to like it. Windows doesn't have all the apps I'm accustomed to using on my iPad, but it has many of them, and I love the flexibility of being able to use both apps and applications.

Most of the ETFs went out to lunch.  They're a great group to work with, and we had a fun time discussing work, summer plans, and other topics I shouldn't mention.  Patty, the ETF whose schools I will be moving to next year, was not in attendance (why would she be?), but we're celebrating her retirement this afternoon off site.

The afternoon was spent in various ways, and one by one we started leaving.  We don't all have the same number of extra days built into our contracts, so some came in just for the meeting, some were finished after the meeting, and a few still have a handful of days left to give.

So, here's a toast to the 2012-2013 school year.  From my point of view, it was highly successful.  Next year will bring a great many changes, but I look forward to the challenges.  I'll try to post from time to time until I return on August 1, but I make no promises.  We're leaving for New Orleans next Friday, and if I have to choose between sipping coffee and eating beignets at Café DuMonde or sitting in my hotel and posting about 21st century skills, I'll take the former.  Have a terrific summer.

What I did at school today: 6/19/13

I spent most of today at MES doing some end-of-year chores and packing up the car with the last of my things.  I had lunch with the other ETF who serves this part of the county.  He was new this year, and this was the first time we had the luxury of eating out like big boys.  I stopped at WMES to pick up a chair and drop off my keys.  Tomorrow, I'll be at the SBO office all day, so this is my last day at my two schools.

The month of July will be a time to relax, to spend with my family, and to complete some long neglected honey-do jobs.  But the past and the future won't be far from my mind.  I'll think back to the friends and colleagues with whom I've spent the last four years, and I'll look ahead to the many new relationships yet to be forged.  Taking on new schools and new staff members will be energizing and exciting. 

When I began my first technology facilitator job eight years ago, I didn't yet have a vision of what that would be.  At the time, it was a new position, and I made it up as I went along.  There were patterns and precedents I set from the get-go, not realizing that these would be hardwired into job for the next four years.  Then, when I moved into my current position, I saw it as a bit of a do-over.  This time I did have a vision, and I saw it as an opportunity to build it from scratch.  All in all, I think I was successful.

Now, I get another do-over.  I have four more years of experience, I'm four years older, and I'm four times better at seeing the big picture.  I hope I have gained the wisdom to know when to let things happen and when to make things happen.  A teacher begins a new school year remembering the strong relationships she had developed with her last class, and she knows it takes time for to bond with her new students.  That's what it's like for me.  It's like I've been looping.  I moved up with my class for the last three years, and now it's time to begin a new cycle.

What I did at school today: 6/18/13

I'm up at WMES today, but it's a ghost town.  The principal and both secretaries are at meetings, so it's basically the AP and me.  People often wonder what we do after the teachers have begun their vacation.  We'll, I've been pretty busy.  In fact, I needed to make a list.

• Spend the rest of the money awarded through a grant.
• Back up all the files on the server.
• Install some new apps on the iPads and update all the others.
• Delete all the pictures and videos from the iPads.
• Work on the Twitter workshop I'll be presenting in August.
• Finish packing.
• And that's just at one school.

What I did at school today: 6/17/13

Teachers' last day was Friday. Today was the beginning of our summer schedule: work the equivalent of five days Monday-Thursday. I'm not sure if today was an ending or a beginning, but I spent the morning with my soon to be predecessor visiting her/my schools. 

I dropped off my boxes from MES and WMES at MVES to store over the summer. We talked about accounts and usernames and passwords. I met several staff members. This should be a smooth transition, since I'm just moving down the road in the same county. Unlike my last move, I don't have to learn a whole new set of software and procedures. I can concentrate on building relationships. 

I haven't been able to post about this move before now because my transfer required an interview, and the other candidates hadn't been notified yet that they selected someone else (me!). One of my new principals told me today that she would send out an email to the staff, welcoming me, so I think it's okay to post this. 

I made this move because I'll be working 5-10 minutes from my home. As much as I loved working at my old schools, the unpredictable commute home was getting very, very old. I am looking forward to this next chapter of my career. 

What I did at school today: 6/14/13

I said goodbye.

What I did at school yesterday: 6/13/13

Once again, I'm posting a day late.  Yesterday was our students' last day, and the last student day of the year brings a mix of emotions.  Most teachers, like most students, are ecstatic about the beginning of summer vacation.  The school year can be a long, arduous journey, and the opportunity to rest and regenerate is necessary for everyone's mental and physical health.  So, there is joy and relief throughout a school that is both visible and audible. 

But there's also an undefined sadness.  A classroom is a community and in most cases, a family.  For better or worse, a teacher and her students become close, and the end of the year means the breakup of this family.  (If I had to name one thing about being a classroom teacher I miss it would be developing a relationship with a class of students.)  So, there's a sadness that permeates the joy as students and teachers alike come to the realization that they are leaving something that will no longer exist in that exact form.

And, then there are the fifth graders.  More tears are shed by fifth graders on the last day than any other group of students at an elementary school.  Developmentally, they are the most capable of understanding what the end of the school year means, and of course, they know they are leaving a comfortable and familiar cocoon for a new and scary adventure.  At MES, they have their fifth grade "Moving Up" celebration on the last day of school.  The fifth grade classes walk up and down the halls of the school on their way to the cafeteria for the ceremony.  Teachers, parents, and other students line the halls and cheer them on.  It's a heartwarming exercise.

This is my fourth year in York County, and because of the way my schedule is set up, I have always been at WMES for the last day of school.  Every school has its own traditions for seeing their students off.  At WMES, the teachers blow bubbles and the buses drive the bus loop multiple times, blaring their horns, before exiting into summer vacation.

So, today is the last day for most teachers.  Goodbyes will be said, some for two months, some forever.  Hugs will be exchanged and tears will fall.  Potted plants and teacher gifts will be toted out to cars.  Summer plans will be discussed and promises to keep in touch will be made.  It's the end of a cycle.  After 34 years of teaching, it is all I know.  A school year has a beginning, middle, and end, and this is one more ending.  Rest up, my friends, and I'll see you all in August.  I can't wait to hear about your trip to (fill in the blank).

What I did at school yesterday: 6/12/13

This post is from last Thursday (about Wednesday). 

Yesterday was a difficult day.  The story actually began more than four years ago.  At the time I was working in Gloucester County as an ITRT (instructional technology resource teacher), and I wanted to be closer to home.  I applied for an ETF (educational technology facilitator) position in York County, and I was thrilled when they called me for an interview.  There are five elementary schools within a few miles of my home.  As luck would have it, the openings were at two schools in Williamsburg, a 30 minute commute on a good day and a 90 minute commute on a bad one.

However, despite the commute, I learned to love my schools, which means the people with whom I've been working.  Each is unique in its own way, and I learned to appreciate their differences. But when my colleague announced her retirement in March, I knew I had no choice but to request a transfer to her schools.  One is literally within walking distance of my house and the other isn't much farther.

The process has been more difficult than I anticipated.  First, it has been drawn out.  I would need to compete against others, and it was weeks before the opening was even posted.  Then, it was several more weeks before interviews were scheduled.  The interview went well, and I felt optimistic.  I expected to hear something by the end of last week, but as the weekend came and went, I started doubting my prospects.  On Monday, after a LONG weekend, both my principals and the ETF I would be replacing asked if I'd heard anything.  I began to suspect that this was no coincidence and they knew something.  Tuesday crawled by, but I was hopeful I'd get a call.  Finally, around 2:30, en route from WMES to MES, my cell phone rang.  It was someone from the SBO offering me the job (AKA transfer).

So, why was yesterday a difficult day?  It was a day to start saying my goodbyes.  Each school had its end of the year luncheon and recognized those of us who would be leaving.  MES gave me a beautiful painting of a tree with thumbprints for leaves and each staff member's signature.  WMES planned an orange themed luncheon (the color of one of my new schools), and put together a heart-twisting slide show. 

I will miss my friends and colleagues, but I am excited about the next chapter in my career.  And, I am thrilled to bid farewell to my commute.  Next year, the only delays I should experience getting to and from school should be due to oversleeping.

What I did at school today: 6/11/13

Part of my duties is to check off each teacher before they can leave for the summer.  This used to be a time consuming project, as each teacher had her own laptop.  This required looking at each machine and making sure all the accessories were in the case.  Now, it's just clean out your files and e-mail, and clean your computer (more or less).  Since I can't be in two places at one time, I have to sign off on my teachers at MES before the end of the week.  They know what needs to be done, and I trust that it will get done before they leave.  I spent a good part of my day visiting classrooms and signing forms.  It's always interesting to see what goes on in a classroom the last week of school.  Yes, some teachers were showing videos, but there are a lot of teachers still teaching.  I've even had several classes visit the lab.  (It's a good thing I set up the laptops again yesterday.)

What I did at school today: 6/10/13

I returned to MES for the first time since SOL testing was over. I entered the lab to find it empty of any computers. Apparently, the classroom desktop computers had been returned, but the laptops were not brought back. With only 3 short days left, I wasn't sure it was worth the effort. 

Either way, I had to retrieve the laptops from a few classrooms. To my surprise, several classrooms hadn't had their desktop computers returned. This concerned me because I didn't know where they were. Well, I did find them, and then I moved them. There were only about a dozen or so, but it was so humid, and I was dressed in a shirt and tie. By the time I was done, I was dripping with sweat. I went to my car, but I didn't have an extra shirt there. Finally, I went to the office to see if they had any extras. 

Three more student days, one teacher day, and six ETF days left. 

What I did at school today: 6/7/13

David Futch @futchd from Discovery Education did a training with a few of us today. Part of the training was observing him teach a model lesson. We visited a third grade class, where David taught a lesson on third grade economics SOLs. One concept/vocabulary that student are responsible for learning is "opportunity cost".  His intro included an activity where students colored two pictures on either side of a single sheet of paper. One was a fish, and the other was a butterfly. Once they were done, they had to choose one and cut it out. Cutting out one ruined the one on the other side. The ruined picture is the opportunity cost. 

He also shared other DE resources, like videos and Board Builder. BB is DE's version of Glogster.  We spent the rest of the day going through the many resources available through DE. He also answered our dozens of questions. 

Gotta cut this short. We've got a tropical storm on top of us so it's time to go home. 

What I did at school yesterday: 6/6/13

Yesterday was another late day, but it was worth it. We had our second annual Waller Mill Film Festival. I spent a good part of the day putting the finishing touches on various video projects and posting them to YouTube, then to safeshare.tv, then to Edline. A lot of decorating took place, but 99% of the credit for that goes to my team. As I was busy finishing up the videos, they were making like elves. 

We had a matinee at 2:00. We all met in the cafeteria where I welcomed the students and showed 4 or 5 short videos. One of these videos was a sampling of work from our FFA (future Filmmakers of America) club. Then, classes went back to their classrooms and viewed their own and other classes' videos. 

The evening was the extravaganza. By 5:30, we were all dressed up and ready to welcome our guests. Families began to arrive with tickets in hand. A long line formed, and it didn't take long for there to br SRO in the cafeteria. My welcome to the audience was more planned than the matinee. 

One of my favorite moments was a clever setup. I planned with a teacher to have him Skype me in the middle of my welcome. We changed his profile name to Brad Pitt and replaced his picture with Brad's.  We had a whole schtick arranged. 

I showed the same short videos from earlier and then the audience left to visit classrooms and view their children's films.  It was so inspiring to walk the halls and see such big audiences for the students' films. To view our films, go to http://www.edline.net/pages/WMES/Links/New_Edline_folder__Postman_06_

What I did at school today: 6/5/13

It's 7:30 PM, and I thought I'd be home by now.  I've spent my day in preparation for tomorrow night's second annual film festival.  Everything is going well, and I've had lots of help, but there's so much to do.  I'm trying to post all the videos to YouTube but link them on my web page to safeshare.tv.  That's a little time consuming, but I also have to deal with students who can't have the pictures on the Internet.  For those classes, we have to have two versions of their films. 

Just in case, I'm also putting each video file on the server.  You never know when Internet access will get interrupted.  I'd also like to double back-up by putting them on DVDs.  I just don't know if I'll get around to that.  Most of the videos were completed by today.  Tomorrow will be more about decorating and getting the last minute stuff done.

There are many people to thank, but a BIG thanks today goes to Vicki O'Neill, one of our secretaries.  She took care of all the tickets today.  We have over 300 who have requested tickets, and I'm sure many will show up without tickets.  We won't turn anyone away, but we'll probably run out of candy early.

What I did at school today: 6/4/13

The British are coming.  The British are coming.  No, that's not it.  The new phone book is out.  The new phone book is out.  No, that's not it either.  SOL testing is over.  SOL testing is over.  YES, that's it!  No time today to switch out the classroom desktops with the laptops, and I won't be back at this school until Monday.

I showed a teacher how to embed her Vimeo videos on her blog.  She uses Blogger too, and she learned how very quickly.  She is one of my higher fliers.

I've been having a ball editing a couple of videos of one kindergarten class's plays.  We got the first one in two shots, but the second one took about 10, some of which had to be redone.  The editing was wicked fun!

I'm leaving early today.  More about that another day.

What I did at school today: 6/3/13

Today was the last full day of SOL testing, and I was all set to start returning the desktop computers to classrooms and to set up the laptop lab again.  (I even brought jeans to change into!)  However, there is still make-up testing tomorrow, and it has been decided that the lab is the preferred location for this testing, so I'm still in my shirt and tie.

Today was a Prezi day.  I have a couple of presentations that I am working on.  Yes, PowerPoint still offers the most flexibility, but Prezi has that cool factor.  If Prezi was a singer, it'd be Ray Charles or Van Morrison.  Both of my presentations were created from templates.  I have created many of my own templates in PowerPoint, but I've never done that in Prezi.  In PowerPoint you can insert images and text on the master slides, and that can be saved as a template.  I haven't yet figured out how to do this in Prezi.  I can insert an image, but I can't get it to be locked on to the background.  Perhaps it can't be done, but at the rate at which they keep improving Prezi, it's just a matter of time.