Board Member-Visits my classroom....

It was of course a Friday afternoon.That was when the board  member would arrive for period 6, right after lunch. I made the decision to tell my students the day before of our visitor. We talked about body language of laying your head on your arms on the table as we  work. We talked about how that physical stature is not  one that promotes engagement, aka-don't do it!

The board member is a very nice man and a realist.  He was supposed to come to my class  3 weeks ago, when quite suddenly we had a  power outage. Our power was out for an hour totally, and just before we sent the kids home the power came back on. Needless to say, they were annoyed! Now would be our new day for our visitor. This board member is assigned to our school. He will visit several times this year.  I found it interesting and still do that of all the classrooms and all the programs going on in the school that my class was spotlighted as one on his first visit list. Hmm, it does make me a little nervous. With Read 180 and System 44 down  in the 5/6th grade wings, my imagination wonders if they believe that Read 180 is also the answer for grades 7 and 8, my grades. This is just one reason why I am doing two things right now. Enrolling in the Technology Integrator program through Walden will demonstrate my newest passion of technology integration. Actually it's not a new passion, but for the first time last year, I am thinking of this as a new direction. Another way I am demonstrating my knowledge and growing expertise is through creating a spreadsheet and a google site showing examples of my technology knowledge,  integration,  and instruction to students and staff alike. This documentation is for an alternate route certificate as a New Hampshire Technology Integrator. The two paths cross to show that I am a serious contender when a position  opens up in my district. With my teaching background, my daily use of technology, my Walden program, and my Alternate Route process I think I will be a good candidate for any technology integration position.

Now, back to the board  member. He came during my lunch in my room. I  explained that the NIE periods, study hall type of 1/2 periods  that surround lunch periods, I was helping students, so this was my lunch. He said that is okay, and clearly didn't get the message I was trying to send him! It was fine. Soon  students  filtered in, and I asked them  to introduce themselves. They did a great job. We worked on a Google Document  using the projector and the Smart Board and Smart Pens. Students were doing all the work.  I wanted him to see the students in my smaller class actually use the technology. They love  using  the pen to highlight the key ideas from an article that I cut and paste into a Google Document to later practice  'putting it in their own  words' or paraphrase it!

I think he was impressed with the kids and what they were doing. I know that I was pretty proud of them....I think I owe them some chocolate on Tuesday!