{NEW} Bright Ideas

Technology is in full swing in my classroom.  Roadblocks from earlier in the school year have been conquered.  I have a fantastic (and frankly just plain better) vision for technology usage in my classroom.  A large portion of this new version is looking into my students futures, envisioning what technology will enrich and be permanently part of their lives and ensuring that I am teaching them to use these tools to its fullest.  This change in how I view technology in my classroom and how I view its purpose for each individual student has taken me on an amazing new journey.  This journey has already been full of trying more new things in my classroom and continuing to look and try  more amazing new ideas. Continue reading “{NEW} Bright Ideas”

She Was Always Listening

Driving home I was happy.  For once I had finished them early.  For once I would have them done before they needed to be sent out.  For once I could get them all ready to go and just stare at them all beautiful, neatly folded, hand printed and done…early!!  It only took me eight years…I totally rock this mom thing!

I took my work bag out of the car and walked in the house with a smile (yup still proud of myself)

I put my bag on the arm of the couch and took out a blue file folder.  I could not wait to show her what I had gotten done so that we could put everything together.

“Olivia!  Come here!!!!” I hollered to the upstairs, “Mommy’s home and I have something to showwww youuuu,” I happily sang.

“Coming mommy!” she answered back in the sweetest voice

“Look what mommy got done today!!!” I said proudly showing  her the neatly printed, ready to be paired with glittery ice cream cone party invitations and put into envelopes sheet of directions and party details.

“Oh…” she fround. Continue reading “She Was Always Listening”

Francine Cooks: I See 12345 Animals In The Zoo

Francine Cooks...a swirl of those, a dash of this and a sprinkle of that.  You never know what she'll whip up!

 

I see 1 giraffe in the zoo.

AB Giraffee

I see 2 monkeys in the zoo.

ABmonkies

I see 3 elephants  in the zoo.

ABelephants

I see 4 bunnies in the zoo.

ABbunnies

I see 5 bears in the zoo.

ABbears

The end.

 

Mommy Disclaimer….All the words and the ideas are completely Francine’s.  I only helped with the typing, formatting,  spelling and with Photoshopping the pictures.  By writing her stories Francine hopes that other “kids” will learn to cook up ideas just like her!

Francine Cooks...be a chef just like me!

 

What Connected Educators Could Learn from Bloggers

October is connected educators month. Everyday I see a post, a tweet sharing a passionate moment about being a connected educator and stories showing the awesomeness of being a connected educator. Each post, tweet and story fills me up and makes me feel happiness for my peers and their new found connectedness.  Even with all these positive and inspired feelings I am still left with a nagging feeling that many educators are missing the most important piece of being a connected educator.  They are missing the other part of CONNECT in being a connected educators.  I think it is a lesson they could learn from bloggers (non-teacher bloggers).

Three years ago I created my first twitter account.  A month later I had my first blog. I blogged and tweeted about being a woman, a friend, being a wife and all the ups and downs of motherhood. I blogged anonymously worried that if I dare share or show that I was an educator this kind of sharing would be severely looked down upon.  Through it all, I learned the lingo, tuned my writing skills and I found passion and was awaken like I had never been before.  I wrote and shared and created and wrote some more. I shared and healed parts of me that had deeply hurt for a very long time.  I wrote more and shared more and woke a creative side of me I had forgotten existed.  I wrote and shared and I suddenly found my voice. Most of all I found a fulfillment and a connection to others I had never known before. These experiences were (and still are) life changing.

Six months ago I hit the publish key on my first post as Carrie Baughcum Special Education teacher. I came out from behind my anonymity and shared about my classroom, my lessons, my journey as an educator. I was terrified, but excited. Sharing and reflecting about my classroom experiences filled me like never before. I shared and wrote more and more.  I shared and wrote and shared and wrote some more.  It felt wonderful to share this part of me. I felt invigorated and fulfilled, but I was also left with a deep yearning.  I yearned to connect the same way with educators as I had with the amazing bloggers I had met on my journey.

So, after three years of blogging and six months also blogging as an educator I have come to realize this…educators do not blog or used social media like bloggers. I think there are many things that connected educators could learn from bloggers.

Here is what I think educators can learn from bloggers….

Bloggers– Come to blogs to read, to absorb, to learn about the author.  They soak up each others words.  More then that they reflect and really connect with the posts they read.  In return for a blogger sharing their words an other blogger will share back their own reflections, insight and feelings. It is important to them to really connect with the stories and also to make sure the author know what they thought.

Sample Blogger Comments:

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Educators– Visit blogs for information. They read the posts.  They gather and bookmark and gather and collect their information.  They come to read blogs and take in their words and stories but they leave as if they were never there.

Bloggers– Read social media streams looking for others to connect with. They are happy to reply to a tweet or Google+ post based on the information that caught their interest. Who wrote it is often unimportant.

Educators– Read and gather information.

Bloggers–  Reply to tweets to them.  They offer more information, ask questions to engage with each other and connect with each other through the words they share.

Sample Blogger Twitter Stream:

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Educators– May politely reply a thank you but often do not offer an inquiry or work to get to know the other person any further.

Bloggers– They share. They take what they have read, what they have learned, what they felt, how they were moved and even what they didn’t like.  They share their words and the words of others with others.  Bloggers know that by sharing others work, words and inspirations that their words will be meaningful to others person and have an impact.  It will connect them with other.

Educators– Read and gather.  They may re-share information to others, but often do not add any personal thoughts, opinions or insights.

I think that educators have made their presence known in social media…It is quite amazing!  They have written and shared and offered their words for others to read.  They have read and gathered and learned new things from people from all over the world.  They have discovered the power of words and social media to bring ideas to each other.  I think it is time for educators to take the next step.  It is time for them to stop just gathering and collecting.  It is time for educators to share, offer words, shout out each others awesomeness.  Our voices are powerful and crazy awesome. The the small gifts we give with our words connects us deeper and builds those relationships.  It is time we go from connecting to information and really connecting with each other.  We won’t be disappointed!

Brene Brown Quote

Olivia’s World #2: A Pet, A New Friend and Being Good To The Earth

Olivia's World

Story #1: The New Pet

Once upon a time there was a girl named Ginger.  Ginger always asked and asked her mom and dad when they were going to get a pet.  Until finally her mom and dad said that she could get a pet.  But what kind do you want?-asked Ginger’s mother.  A puppy!-yelled Ginger.  I will do anything you say to get a puppy.  But-said her mother.  I just want you to know that having a pet is a big responsibility.  I can do the big responsibility-said Ginger.  So the next day Ginger and her mom went to the pet store called Petco.  Ginger got the puppy using all of her money.  Ginger cared so much for her puppy until it was a dog.  The dog was named Lucky.  Ginger had the best day ever.

Story #2: The New Girl

Once upon a time there was a girl named Twinkle.  Twinkle lived in Mexico where she had so much fun and did the things she was supposed to do at school.  At  playtime she always played with her friends Reynoso, Justin and Famosa.  But one day that all was about to change when one day Twinkle’s dad said that they were moving to Bartlett.  The next day Twinkle’s hole family went to Bartlett.  Twinkle did’t do anything she was supposed to be doing and outside she did’t  make any new friends.  Twinkle felt homesick and wasn’t having any fun.  The next day outside at playtime Twinkle saw a girl that looked like a nice girl to be a friend.  Hello I am Twinkle-said Twinkle.  Twinkle is that you!?-said the girl.  Who are you?-asked Twinkle.  It’s me Reynoso-said the girl.  Reynoso?-asked Twinkle.  The girl nodded.  Twinkle and Reynoso played a little.  Then stopped.  I wish Justin and Famosa were here-said Twinkle.  Stay right here-said Reynoso.  Reynoso came back running.  I found them!-yelled Reynoso.  Justin! Famosa!-yelled Twinkle.  They all gave each other all big hugs.  Then agreed that every day they would play together at the playground.  But if they ever moved again they leaned there lesson.

Story #3: The Friends That Were Good to The Earth

Once upon a time there were 2 friends 1 named Frogalina and 1 named Famosa.  Frogalina liked to plant plants and Famosa liked to pick up stuff that are dirty and put it in the garbage can and put the clean garbage in the recycling bin.  One day Frogalina was walking down the street when she saw a tree cut down.  But she planted a new one.  One day Famosa was walking down the street when she saw garbage on the street.  But good thing there was a garbage can and a recycling bin.  Famosa piked up all the dirty garbage and put it in the garbage can and put all the clean garbage in the recycling bin.  And that’s how the 2 friends were good to the earth.

 

Mommy Disclaimer….  Olivia is my 7 year old daughter.  She began writing here so she could share her voice too.  All the words, the ideas and the typing… the entire story was done totally and completely by Olivia.   I only helped with spelling and Photoshopping the drawings and pictures she draws.  By writing these story Olivia hopes to inspire other kids to create, be kind to each other and share their words and stories too!

Olivia World Writes

A Simple Note

She left it in a spot she knew I’d look as soon as I got home.

It stared back at me and a smile took over my face. I quickly opened it and saw the hand written note. I knew exactly who it was from. I was instantly warmed by her thoughtfulness and the lovely surprise after a long work week. I clutched and embraced it in delight as I was filled with happiness.

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I yelled to Francine upstairs,”FRRRRAAANNNNCIIIIINNNNNNEEEEE”

“Yes momma!”  I love when she calls me momma…. makes my heart melt

“Come here peanut!”

“In a second I’m putting my cupcakes in the oven!”

Thump…thump…thump…at the bottom of the stairs our eyes meet and we were lit up by each other’s smiles.

” I saw that note,” I say grabbing her hand and pulling her in to squeeze her close and kiss her cheek

“Uh huh.”

“Thank you! It was sooooo sweet!” I say this time embracing her cheek to cheek and adding another kiss.

“You’re welcome momma,” she answers with a straight face

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she answers.

“Francine what is it?”

“Nothing……” she answers again.

This time with a fake smile. She looks at me. This time hers shouting do you get it momma. Do you know what I need? I paused and stared at her searching her eyes for the answer. The card she wrote flashed in my head.

“You really miss momma don’t you! Has it been hard on you, daddy taking you to practice this season and mom taking Olivia to swimming? We don’t get much time together these days do we?!”

“No!” she bursts confirming my words.

“Mom will be home all weekend! We can spend tons of time together.”

Saturday afternoon came around and my 7 week old nephew was coming over to spend a couple hours with us while my sister and her husband went to a surprise party. Olivia complained of a sore throat and stomach ache. I texted my sister and told her it was probably best if we came to her being that Olivia was not feeling good.  With the ok from my sister I spoke with my husband explaining what happen the night before with Francine and the note.

“Francinnnnnneeeeeee!!!!!!!!”

“Yes momma?!”

“Do you want to come help take care of Callan tonight, just you and me. ”

“Suuuuure!!”

That night at my sisters it was all about her… and a lot about my nephew too… she picked her favorite dinner, we all snuggled and watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (one of her favorite movies) and High School Musical (another favorite) were the movies of choice. We snacked on popcorn and played Monopoly. She smiled and giggled and we laughed together in between moments of being a smidge jealous of the time had to spend on my nephew and her buying up all her favorite avenues and street and collected her rent.

At the end of the night as my nephew tried to see if he could out last both of us, Francine laid on the couch snuggling up with me as I fed him. I smiled and gazed into my nephews eyes and took moments to rub Fracine’s back as her eyes opened and closed fighting off sleep. Just as I thought she had finally surrendered to the sand man I looked down to see her staring at me. She looked up and just stared at me and smiled.

“What?!” I giggled as I stared back at her.

“You’re really good at that momma,” answered sweetly.

I smiled at her kissing her forehead her and tucking her in again as my heart melted.

“Thank you sweetie. I try,” and I kissed her good night one more time.