When is my time, Mom?

We've been in school for a month and it seems like I'm already getting farther and farther behind.  With my after-school time taken up with New Teacher meetings, administrator meetings, and technology trainings, my time to work on projects and activities or meet with individual teachers is non-existent.  When I get home, I jump back on my computer and continue working, only to hear the justified whine of my daughter, "Mom, when are we going to go to the park?  When are you going to have time for me, Mom?"  It's a knife in my heart, that's for sure!  I'm so wrapped up in all the work things I "have" to get done, that I've been neglecting my own family, my own daughter.  My resolve to only do school work after she went to bed---well, it went out the window after the first few days of school.  The weekends have been spent cramming a few minutes of work in here and there-----ok, more like a couple of hours here and there.

This week I heard a great quote from a fellow teacher when we were discussing my time management difficulties, "My heart tells me YES, my schedule tells me No."  I have such a hard time telling teachers that I'm not able to help them, meet with them, research something for them etc... but now I have a great come-back without the guilt.  Classroom teachers have a much more difficult and stressful job then I have, and I want to ensure that I am doing everything I can to help them, in any way possible.  Yet, I also have to realize that I do the best I can every day, and even with that, there are some things I just cannot do.

When will I make time for my daughter? From the time I pick her up until she goes to bed---at least most days (I have to be realistic)!

Google Summit Overload

OVERLOAD!  That is what my brain was telling me as I experienced two days of Google Summit workshops.  Although I thought I already knew the basics of what I could do with Google, these workshops were packed with many more, more, more and more "things" that can be done with Google!  Sitting through an hour and a half session felt like I was going through boot camp.  Ideas and activities were presented so quickly that my brain was just spinning.  I jumped from one idea to another and back again... I eventually skipped a session just to explore more deeply some of the awesome ideas.

Attending this workshop with one of my principals was very beneficial.  She was able to learn how she could use Google with her staff, and we developed a PD plan that would be effective and efficient throughout the year.  I hope I am able to convince others from my buildings to attend the next Google Summit---it would be great to have others experience everything Google has to offer.

In addition, I was able to meet up with a friend I hadn't seen in ages.  I call that networking!  The ability to talk tech, talk experiences, talk life....... that's what it was all about!

Now I'm ready for my two week vacation!

NETA 2012

It's been a LONG time since I've posted on this blog, but the activities of this past week are more than worthy of their own post!  I will try my best to convey just how wonderful the past three days were for me personally and professionally.

NETA '12 was the best yet!  The colleagues that attended NETA with me pushed me to view all the sessions and information I gleaned, in a new light!  We laughed and joked and shared and laughed and collaborated and laughed..... Did I mention we laughed?  All the ideas and information that each of us learned, was shared in some form.  We have already started planning for the rest of the year, how we're going to "spread the wealth" of knowledge to the rest of the District, and also how we're going to begin next year with an iPad/iPod band using our own elementary students!

Attending such a great conference with a team of teachers who have the passion and thirst for trying new ideas/techniques accentuates the experience!  Back at home, I have others who will remind me, when I've had "one of those days", just how exciting my job is/can be!  As a team, all of us can reinforce one another and share the vast knowledge we gained with others throughout the District!

To those who attended NETA with me:  Woman Who Wheezes, Woman Who Takes Ranch Shots, Woman Who Shakes Finger, and Woman With Random Thoughts---thanks for all you do to support me and others at KPS!

Woman Who Cries on Khakis

EdCampOmaha Success!

I attended my first EdCamp in Omaha this past weekend.  It happened to be during my Spring Break and I wasn't sure I wanted to devote an entire day to something other than lazing around and Kandi, my friend/colleague, wasn't sure she was going to be able to attend.

Am I glad I went!  The only thing I knew I wanted to learn more about was iBooks Author.  Unfortunately there wasn't a session for that, and being a newbie to EdCamp I didn't want to write it on the board in case I was the only one who wanted to learn about it.  Well, Kandi just asked another participant if they knew anyone who knew anything about iBooks Author.  Of course they did, and we were hooked up with him immediately!  We sat in a room of our own with him for about 20 minutes while he answered questions and quickly demonstrated what was available with iBooks Author!

From this short session, I now have iBooks Author downloaded and have started my very first book for publication---ok, publication for my own personal use, but still....!  Kandi is starting her book and another teacher has said that she'd like to learn this for next year.  YEAH!!!!  Enthusiasm is brimming and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to sleep tonight due to my excitement!  It's always great to learn something new, but it's even better when you have someone to share the learning with.

Thanks to the organizers of EdCampOmaha and thanks to Kandi for supporting my learning of iBooks Author!