Day 2 -- Blogs, NASBAS, etc.

We continute to learn from each other in our ADVANCED Summer Insitute. Today we had a Writing Workshop Demonstration, lunch, NASBAS and a quick presentation on using graphics, fonts and white space to enhance our handouts. It is all so hard to describe for those who aren't here.

We, the nine people who chose to spend these three days at FSU, are working toward improving our presentation and teaching skills. We are writing, talking, and demonstrating. We are learning from each other and developing professiona and personal relationships. It is a great experiene and a good continutation of our previous summer experience. Twelve hours of thinking...wow what a way to end July.

Blogs, Blogs, Blogs

Today is the first day of the first ADVANCED Summer Institute. I presented information about blogs and using blogs in education. We surfed random blogs, discussed blogs and the use of blogs in the classroom, and currently everyone is setting up a blog or posting to their existing blogs.

I am asking everyone to respond to my blog. Since my fellow participants are asked to critique my presentation; it was suggested that the critique be in comment form at my blog. So, please feel free to post your comments about the presentation in this format (or on paper if you prefer). The questions that I have are---What type of handout would you like to see? This is an abbreviated handout, but I had a bulkier one t hat I wasn't happy with either. What would you like more of and/or less of?

Thanks for your feedback

SI 2006 Ending

Well, some more time went by with out me blogging or reading about blogs or even deciding how to incorporate blogs into this upcoming school year. I guess it is a really good thing that I don't have to start that school year for another month (plus a little). However, I have decided that I may try a Wiki in precalculus and that I will use blogs in Psychology and English IV.

I just finsihed a few days with the CWP SI (Crossroads Writing Project Summer Institute) group in Traverse City. Tonight is the Celebratory Dinner (not celibatory---we are celebrating not being celibate). It was (as usual) a life changing event for the participants. I wish I could have been involved earlier; they are a friendly group. It was fun to observe another group and the strong bonds they formed so quickly.

Today discussion was had about those bonds while we went to eat. SI is a great way to increase your friendship and colleague pool. We all can use a few more sympatico people in our lives and SI seems to provide a good place to find those additions. I wonder if it is the nature of the program or the people who choose to participate.

Next week I present a workshop about Blogs to the first annual Advanced Summer Institute (who will be asked to respond to this or another post). I look forward to the writing, sharing and most of all, the fun that I know that week will bring. I also look forward to some feedback on my presentation. We (the advanced institute participants) are hoping to develop "shows to go" and I am hoping mine might be nearly ready for some where.

Well, it is nearly time to head for the dinner and the capstone event.

Summer Time

It seems that summer time is different than other time. The last month went in a heart beat and stretched a life time. It was a wonderful month, full of friendships found, refound, and unfortunately lost (probably). It was a time for sleeping, staying up all night, talking, listening, playing, working, reading, writing, thinking and transcending thought. It was a time to recognize the moment and live each one of them; be they pleasant, unpleasant or anywhere inbetween.

Now it is time to think about planning for the upcoming school year, for the upcoming advanced institute and for the second half of summer. It is a time to savour the time that I still have left to taste slowly...rolling each second slowly on my tongue experiencing each subtle seasoning and texture. Time to begin to again be creative and linger over each word, hoping that my first draft isn't too "shitty" to post. Since blogs (thus far for me) have been first drafts and therefore probably more dung than Jung. Ah well, such is what is...time later for revisions and polishing. Now just sipping and enjoying.