Teaching the way students learn…

Every summer I drive through the North Georgia mountains past tree farms.  The trees, during some time in their lives, will most likely end up in the living rooms of families around the country.  But did you know the secret life of what some call “The Christmas Tree?”

It’s amazing to think that it is already the end of the first nine weeks! Not only that, we just finished one of the most AMAZING homecoming weeks ever!

Did you accomplish your goals this nine weeks? If so, CONGRATULATIONS! If not, you still have 3 more nine weeks to make this an AMAZING year!

What are your goals for the next nine weeks? Feel free to comment to this post with some promises that you are making to make yourself a better student.

Hikers hang their old, used shoes from the trees just outside the hiking entrance to the Appalachian Trail ... Blairsville, GA

So what did you do this summer?  Students are always saddened when their summer vacation comes to an end.  Teachers, are no different!  Believe it or not, some teachers actually do some awesome things during summer.  The photo to the left was taken in an excursion I took this summer to the the starting point (in Northern GA) of the Appalachian Trail.  The Appalachian Trail starts in GA and runs through Maine.  It seems that when when the shoes that hikers have been wearing have come to the end of their “life”, it has become a tradition to hang them from a tree just outside the foot of the trail.  I had been to this site several times — but this is the first time I noticed the shoes.  Very cool!

As I start my 19th year of teaching, I also celebrated another “milestone”.  I celebrated my “Sweet 16″ at Camp Juliena.  Each year I volunteer at a camp for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.  I get in my car, drive the 11 hours to camp (in GA) and spend a week or so as the “Nature Director”.  I started out as a cabin counselor, but now I simply plan and deliver nature and “sciency” type lessons (yes, I just made up a new word).

Each year I plant a garden with campers and counselors in memory of Kyle, a camper/counselor who passed away a few years ago.

We enjoy nature hikes, making ice cream, doing crafts, feeding the birds…and just having fun.  To the left is a picture of me and some other counselors.  We had just finished planting a garden in memory of a camper/counselor who passed away.  It’s always nice to do something special to remember those we love.

Well, there you have it!  Summer is over…and you now know something about your new teacher…..well….”old teacher” for those of you who had me last year.  I look forward to a great 19th year of teaching — and I hope you have a very productive year!

Feel free to comment on this post telling us what cool stuff you did this summer!

I thought today would be a good day to use the computer to show teachers how to make a blog.  I think it’s a great way to share information with your students.

I am at the SDPBC Technology Conference

Say Hello to My Little Friend!

Students frequently want to know a lot about their teachers.  This blog has been a way of my sharing information my interests as well as those things I find really cool and want to share with students.

This week marked the start of another effort.  I am now a “Teacher Blogger” for The Secret LIfe of Scientists and Engineers.  The series’ website describes it as:  ”“Secret Life” is an Emmy-nominated web video series and site from the makers of one of the most acclaimed American science series ever, PBS’s NOVA.

I look forward to sharing things I find interesting about science.  Read my first blog post and bio to learn more about me and things I find interesting!

Now that this post is over, I bet you’re wondering why I included a picture of a rooster from Key West.  Well, I went to a wedding in Key West for Spring Break.  I have a hobby of taking digital pictures with my Cannon EOS camera. Now you know a little more about my Secret Life