First Step into a Larger World...

One of the things I was able to fit into an already chaotic schedule at the beginning of this school year was a brief introduction to Kagan cooperative learning.  While I'm certainly no expert, I can say that I am very intrigued by the concept and how it could affect the management of my classroom.  Today marked the first foray into something new.

My humanities classes and homeroom have been organized into groups or 'pods' of four.  Before organizing the seating, I gave students a chance to indicate to me who they would like to work with.  I tried to ensure that they have one 'friend' in their groups.  The rest are theoretically new faces, or at the very least, someone that they might not visit with all that much.

I really like the idea of being able to have built-in groups.  This leads itself nicely into greater interaction among students, relieves some of the pressure of having to work by yourself, and will make for a more enjoyable year in my opinion.  While we still have a few kinks to work out (mainly keeping conversations at a workable level which is understandable), I'm actually quite excited about what this will mean for my teaching style and how I can help to get ALL students engaged in their learning.

And... I got an opportunity to refer to Star Wars!  Win win!!

Cheers,

~Mr. T

Labour Day

Ahhh... there's nothing like celebrating Labour Day by doing... absolutely nothing.  RANDOM FACT:  Labour Day in Canada can be traced back to the 1880s where workers at that time demonstrated for luxuries like a 58-hour workweek.  How times have changed.

Although, I did manage to get some much-needed planning done and a quick trip to Echo Dale with the family.  It was a gorgeous day... who could possibly resist?

Tomorrow marks the return to school, although this will be a bit more gradual at CHHS with our annual Activation Day.  Junior High students should have already stopped by to grab timetables, books, lockers, etc.  Tomorrow is dedicated to Grades 9 to 12.  However, if you find yourself roaming the hallways and want to stop in and say hi, you'll likely find me in my classroom (Room 632).

I'm looking forward to what will be a new and challenging year.  The switch from senior to junior high might be a bit crazy at first, but I'm certain that this will be the most memorable year yet.

Cheers!

~Mr. T

Song Crushes...

Every so often, I hear a new song and I cannot for the life of me get it out of my head.  This usually drives my wife crazy, which makes the purchase of headphones more worthwhile.

Image courtesy of bit.ly/15sRby4

Today's culprit comes courtesy of a friend who recently shared a few glimpses of the show 'Portlandia' over this past weekend.  While I have enjoyed a number of sketches and segments from the show, the theme from the show lodged itself into my brain and has made itself rather comfortable in my auditory cortex.  It seems a rather fitting song to accompany the fast-approaching end of summer.  Enjoy!

Cheers,

~Mr. T

Back to school...

I suppose there's no time like the present to get back into the swing of things.  After a hard-earned, and well deserved break for staff and students alike, the unforgiving tones of my alarm clock (eventually) manged to chase the sleep from my eyes and begin my day.  And yet... in spite of these so-called challenges, I was excited to arrive at CHHS and see so many students for Junior High Activation.

I spent most of the day in my classroom, trying to erase signs of the move I had put off for far too long.  Old desks were removed, new ones arrived, flags were hung... all in all, not a bad day.  And I am very excited for the opportunity to work with my new students to make that space our own.

Most of the day was spent thinking about how I would approach the new course-load given to me this semester.  More importantly, I thought a lot about how I can use space like that found on this blog to better showcase what's going on in our day-to-day activities.  For now, I'm going to focus on three main goals:

1.  Regular review of learning objectives and activities

2.  Showcasing of student materials and activities

3.  Sharing of matters of interest for students, parents, and anyone else who may happen upon this humble blog.

I'll try to keep option 3 minimal and focus more directly on the first two.  After all, that's what will likely be bringing you here.  Not to hear me ramble on about this and that... at least not too much.

More information on how this blog can/will be used will be forthcoming.

Cheers

~Mr. T

Daily Review

Drowning in essays (always fun) will keep me occupied for most of the week.  That won't stop us from getting some good ol' fashioned work done.

SOCIAL 10:

• after completing the last essays (in-class and take home), we now turn our attention to global economics and regional trade blocs (EU, NAFTA, etc)
• everyone should have received via email a Chapter 10 Review (DUE THURSDAY, MAY 9) and a World Map.  Complete it using the instructions on Lab Day #6
• you will also form groups (up to 3) where you will choose one of the regional trade blocs provided in Lab Day #6 and complete a visual summary of the criteria provided.  I will provide the paper.  A due date for this assignment will be provided in the next day or two.

SOCIAL 9:

• after an energetic discussion of the dress code (please, just follow it) we moved on with economic policies and an examination of how different economies function
• you were given time to finish some of the projects that you already have on the go:

1. Chapter 5: Part 3 Review (DUE TODAY)
2. Chapter 6: Part 1 Review (DUE WEDNESDAY, MAY 8)
3. Immigration Brochure/Pamphlet/Poster.  Remember that the focus of this assignment if to sell Canada to a new generation of Immigrants.  Use the following criteria to help you complete your assignment:

• What types of immigrants are you trying to attract?
• Where should immigrants consider moving to in Canada?  Why?
• Why should people want to move to Canada?
• What sorts of programs/services will immigrants be able to take advantage of once they get here?
• Additional facts and information that you feel might be helpful to potential immigrants

Oooo... Shiny!

Post will be brief as I'm working hard to finish marking a large plethora (just fun to say) of exams.

Of note (meh... bad pun) are Canada's new $10 and $5 dollar bills.

I, for one, am a fan.  I particularly enjoy the new references to Canadian identity/culture.  And... how many other currencies are you aware of that have been unveiled IN SPACE?  Exactly.

I'll post the summary of yesterday's activities later.

Cheers.

~Mr. T

Thoughts on a Monday Evening...

No time like the present to get off my comfy seat and... wait... Well. Like I said. Time to make this blog thing happen again.

A quick overview of the day, and yes.  I'm putting this on the main page.  Neener neener...

SOCIAL 10:

• General introduction to economic globalization: factors that affect the global economy, introduction to World War I, and one or two vids to boot.  Oh, and lest we forget... Holey Moley!

• Reminder about a few things:  Chapter 9 Questions DUE TODAY.  Your second essay is DUE on FRIDAY.  And you have a quiz tomorrow.  Because, you gotta have quizzes.  Or something like that.

SOCIAL 9:

• Spent the day in the lab today.  Refer to Lab Day #7 instructions which have been sent to you.  To sum up:  complete your Family Tree (3 generations) by WEDNESDAY, hand in your completed Essay by WEDNESDAY, and continue working on your material from Chapter 5.  Neither Parts 2 or 3 have due dates... yet... but they will.  So be nice to me, mmmkay?

Interesting News Items of the Day #1

In order to make things a bit more interesting for everyone, I'm going to try to draw your attention to something interesting/weird that I found in the news on a daily basis.  I'm going to kick off this ritual with not one, but TWO stories.  I know, I know... maybe you should sit down.

1.  A lot of neat stuff happening in the realm of private space flight.  Virgin Galactic had a successful test in California that saw it's space-liner go supersonic.  I don't know about you, but I'm going to start saving for my ticket on one of these flights.  Only $200,000 for a quick jaunt into the upper atmosphere to experience the sensation of weightlessness.  Or, I could just exercise more.  Decisions, decisions...  Story here.

2.  I've made no secret of my once-on, now off relationship with Apple.  It was a matter of principle for to upgrade from my little Koodo to the Samsung Galaxy SIII.  And it was on sale.  Win-win.  In any case, I'm intrigued by the latest information about the competition between Samsung and Apple.  The world of SmartPhones is an extremely competitive one.  It'll be interesting for me to see how this battle goes down.

Thanks again for all you do!  Lots of good questions today and that makes things more interesting for everyone.  

Cheers!

~Mr. T

The Challenges of Modern Education

While this doesn't sum up everything, it is worth noting that this comic expresses some of the limitations of a far-reaching system that cannot always personalize to the needs of every single student.

Our education system

I'm not always successful with this on a daily basis.  I can't always engage students in a way that is meaningful to them.  This is where we have the opportunity, though, to determine what our own educational goals are.

~Mr. T

Yes. I LOL'd...

As a teacher, I've learned that I have to take a few minutes every day to appreciate the humour in life.  Fortunately for society and my highly developed sense of procrastination, the internet is all too willing to fill that need.

Little gems like this make it very much worth the journey.

Hey you kids...

Easter Approacheth

Once again, I find myself in the position of falling behind on my posts.  This has been done for two reasons:

• I've been giving you lots to do... this makes everything a bit more hectic
• I'm an old man and I'm tired...

That being said, we're going to hit the ol' Reset Button and try again to establish a bit more consistency on my part.

There.  Much better.

There's little doubt on my mind that we are all eager for the Easter break.  As busy as we might get from time to time, there is little denying that we have more than our fair share of time off.  This works out well given the immense quantities of holiday-themed goodies that must be consumed.  And general catching up... but mostly goodies.  On an entirely unrelated note, I am fond of the iconic Creme Eggs.  Bribery, in this case, would hypothetically be accepted.

My goals for this blog are going to evolve somewhat.  Instead of providing general updates to regular happenings from the classroom (although that will still happen), I want to provide additional information of note that might spark some thought on your part, or much-valued debate and conversation in those moments when worksheets and textbooks just won't cut it.  The more engaged you are, the better things will be for all.

In addition, I should be caught up on marking before everyone leaves for Easter.  Yay!  Although, I think it's safe to say that I'll be repeating that phrase often through my career.  Unless we do away with homework... now there's an idea.  ;)

~Mr. T

Everybody Loves Marking!

Every now and then just when I think I've gotten on top of my schedule and commitments, life throws me a curveball.  I appreciate your patience as I try to get caught up on some important marking.  The plan is to have everything done and put on PowerSchool by Monday.

Thanks everyone.

Now.  Here's a topical image to prepare you for the inevitable North Korean blustering.



Consider yourself warned.

~Mr. T

Winter Returns

I suppose if we've learned anything after being in Canada for most of our lives it's that we can't always count on the seasons behaving the way they're meant to.  True, we are still in winter, but the past week has been absolutely glorious.  Winter, it seems, needed to remind us that it was still here and deserved our attention.  Kind of like that kid in the back row frantically waving his/her hand shouting, "Look at me!  Look what I can do!"

Suddenly... A TEST!

Good luck to my Grade 10s today on their first Unit Exam.

Why Technology?

Today was one of those days that actually make me feel like I've done my job as an educator.  Students were given a list of tasks to accomplish, you went to work, you were challenged, and you largely overcame. Not you, though, Grade 9s... you went to a Pep Rally.   I guess that counts, too...  ;)

In any case, to the Grade 10s who spent the day in the lab, I can't thank you enough for the effort you put into trying something new.  As a sign of my appreciation, here's what I'm going to propose... and yes, this will apply to the Grade 9s, too:

• the toolset given to you through your Google Accounts (shown above) will now be the basis for a lot of the work you'll do through the semester; the more you use it, the easier it will be for everyone
• today, you were asked to setup an account with Symbaloo... the main purpose of this is to easily allow you to collect and have access to a wide variety of tools that you can use over the next few months

• instead of overwhelming you with a bunch of new ideas every couple of days, I'll simply provide access to them via my own webmix which in turn, becomes available to you; let me know if you haven't yet been able to find this on Symbaloo and I can get you set up

I was able to talk with a few students who were absolutely committed to not using some applications and programs.  This goes for everyone... I appreciate that they can even bring their objections to my attention and explain why they have concerns.  I want to reiterate here what I've said to some of them: I don't expect anyone to have to like and become a lifelong user of any of the stuff we'll work with in class.  I have little control over how you use these tools outside of my classroom and it would not be reasonable for my to impose more than is necessary on your already busy lives.  

I remain committed to finding ways to effectively using technology as a way to enhance learning in the classroom.  I feel that you need to learn how to become more competent and confident with these kinds of programs as our world continues to embrace more portability and greater accessibility.  If we try something, and it doesn't work, we move on... no harm done.

Google and Symbaloo: the two hubs of your semester in Social Studies.  We'll make it work just fine.

~Mr. T

Remind 101

I have to say that I've been loving this app!  I hope that you've found it useful as well.  For those who have NOT yet signed up, I will be providing instructions once again during tomorrow's lab time.  It is a quick and easy way for me to send out reminders about deadlines and upcoming events (exams, etc).  Please take advantage of it.

~Mr. T

Happy Monday!

As much as I'd like to think it, there was no denying that there was a bit of this today...

I can't say that I blame you entirely.  Coming back after a long break can always be a bit tough.  That being said, we got some good stuff accomplished today.  Brief summaries will be provided in the appropriate class pages.

As I mentioned today, we now begin a period where we will see regular time in the lab to work on a variety of projects.  This time will be given not to mess around on YouTube or play flash games... you will begin to build your online portfolio via your blog.  You will have a number of simple tasks to complete on these lab days, with any leftover time able to be spent catching up on your other assignments.  While I will be helping those who might be less-technologically inclined, I will be depending on you to demonstrate your work ethic and stay focused.

If not, the 'World's Worst Superhero' may be called in to maintain discipline.  If only...

~Mr. T

Back to Normal

We're at that wonderful time in any scheduled break where our minds are beginning to prepare for the return to normal routines.  This is usually a sad experience for myself... I, like you, have immensely enjoyed a few much-needed days off and am ready to get back to the class next Monday.  That doesn't mean, though, that I have to be prefecly happy about it.

Class on Monday will mean a return to business.  We've made good progress so far but we have to get reconnected to the progress we've made.  Lab time is already scheduled for you to work through your blogs on a variety of different projects.  Despite reservations about the shift to MORE technology, this is the direction I will be moving the class and we need to do our part to get used to things.

Again, try not to get overwhelmed.  This will come with time and I'm fully convinced that you will be better equipped as students as we play with new applications and programs.  This will mean mistakes, yes, but that is how we learn.

Right not I'm sitting in a session at Teachers' Convention looking at a whole bunch of ideas that I literally cannot wait to share with you.  I guess that means I should pay more attention...

Enjoy the rest of your break and I'll see you in a few days.

~Mr. T

A Quick Response

After a day like yesterday, I think my situation can best be summed up below:

Thanks again for your patience as I get things sorted out.

~Mr. T

Sorry for Not Posting

Hey everyone,

Computer upgrades at the school, me coaching all weekend, and sheer exhaustion have meant no blogging for the past few days.  That should change today.

Thanks for your patience.

~Mr. T

Obligatory Late-Night Post

Lots of emails and questions today about all the stuff I've been throwing at you.  Yes.  I've given you a lot of new things over the past few days and I appreciate that some of you have concerns about how this is all going to play out.  Take a deep breath... hold... release...

My goal from day one was to try and provide you with more options for completing your work and succeeding in this course.  That means change.  It has taken me nearly five years, but I have become convinced that it isn't good enough to simply hand out questions, have you complete them, and repeat ad nauseum.  (FUN FACT: ad nauseum is a Latin phrase meaning something unpleasant that is repeated to the point of nausea or being sick).  If social studies is to become more meaningful and relevant, it means that YOU need to be more involved in your own learning.

Here are the general expectations in terms of technology that each of you will hopefully grow comfortable with over the next little while:

• Gmail... check your school account regularly for links to assignments and other relevant information
• Drive... complete and submit your work electronically by sharing/emailing complete documents to me; as someone pointed out earlier, you could literally do some of your work on your iPod given the right setup
• Blogger... ongoing digital portfolio where you will receive specific instructions for particular assignments on a weekly basis
• Groups... this will be primarily used as a forum; it is designed to be more open and less-intimidating then having a class-wide argument discussion... again, check you Gmail for instructions when they come up

Some of you are panicking because this is different to you.  Don't get too worked up over that...some of the best learning experiences that I have had in my life have come from being challenged.  Accept that this is going to be different and do your best to make it work.  I cannot ask for anything more than that.

Remember that this is only 'Day 5' of the semester.  There will be plenty of time to figure things out and get expand your comfort zone.  And as always, when in doubt, ask for help.  It's often been said that there's no such thing as a stupid question.  I prefer this Chinese proverb: "He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever."

We're in this together and we will make it work.  Just hang in there... there's lots more to come.

~Mr. T

Thank you

I know today didn't always go according to plan (sorry Grade 9's) but I wanted to thank all of you for helping me out as I was dealing with my weird day.  It makes a huge difference and is always appreciated.

~Mr. T

PS  First Discussion topic is up for Grade 10 Groups!..  Group members can and should feel free to participate.  Grade 9s will be up and running once everyone has their account working.

Reminder...

There are a couple of things that I need each of you to complete, and I don't want to to have to ask for much longer.

1.  Please make sure that you are getting your course outlines signed by mom/dad/guardian.  If I can get parent emails, this will be super helpful in my efforts to reach out to them and keep them informed on what's going on.

2.  Please send me an email with the URL (address) of your new blogs.  As mentioned in class today, you will probably have one assignment per week that you will be expected to share on your blog.  In order for me to follow up on your progress, I need to know where to look.  Please send these to me by the end of the week as work on your blogs will likely begin early next week.

Thanks again for your patience... I know I've been pushing this a lot but I am convinced that having these outlets will provide each of you with more tools to succeed.

~Mr. T

The End is in Sight!

I just combed through the digital mountain of emails gracing my mailbox (I feel so powerful and popular... but mostly powerful) and here are the most up-to-date results as of 7:53 pm:


Social 10-1 Period 1:  8/23 emails  ( 35% completion )
Social 10-1 Period 2:  22/23 emails  ( 96% completion... oh so close!.. )
Social 10-1 Period 4:  23/25 emails  ( 92% completion )
Social 9 Period 5:  10/30 emails  ( 33% completion )

While it is true that Periods 2 and 4 were taken to the lab, there is little else stopping the other classes from completing the task assigned to them this past Friday.  You have to ask yourself... who wants deep-fried glazed carbohydrates more?

WHO?

~Mr. T

Blogging: More than just Facebook 2.0

Barring crazy lab-scheduling, many of the students today were able to (finally) get their accounts up and running.  I appreciate your willingness to try something different.

My hope for students this semester is to be able to complete and present more of their projects online.  In my mind, your Google account already provides the ideal venue through Blogger mainly because the account it already set up.  The intent is to have you submit and display some of your work through this venue.  This will allow you to bring together different forms of media with relative ease.  More details will be forthcoming over the coming days and weeks.

Kudos to those who were prepared for their quizzes.  Each class was told to prepare for daily quizzes as a quick learning check to see if content has been understood and if you are doing your part in learning the material.  These quizzes, while not necessarily an integral part of your overall grade, give me an idea about where you stand and will be reviewed on a frequent basis.  I will do my part to provide fair notice but this is something that each of you must do on your own.

I suppose it's time to invite each of you to begin delving into the world of current events.  It should come as no surprise that I LOVE to talk about what's happening around the world.  There is always something happening somewhere... this is the beauty of social studies.  I would suggest that you take 5 or 10 minutes on a daily basis a look at a story or two.  Follow the links in the sidebar, open a newspaper, or watch a few minutes of a newscast.  Current events add relevance and meaning to what can be dry content.  Please be prepared to bring something to talk about.

All in all, I like the way that things are taking shape and I am excited about the possibilities this semester.  Thanks for an uncommonly good Monday.

~Mr. T

More Shameless Bribery...

My most recent check on the assignment completion reveals the following numbers.  Note that some class sizes are still fluctuating a bit.

Social 10-1 Period 1:  5/23 emails  ( 22% completion )
Social 10-1 Period 2:  9/23 emails  ( 39% completion )
Social 10-1 Period 4:  10/26 emails  ( 38% completion )
Social 9 Period 5:  8/31 emails  ( 26% completion )

We still have some work to do in order to get this crucial step done.  As such, I will be offering a class reward for the first group to achieve 100% completion.  Try not to let your imaginations get the better of you... most likely this will involve doughnuts.  Still.  Some doughnuts are better than no doughnuts.

*NOTE: For those who have already set up their accounts, I have sent survey to the emails provided to me. Please complete those for 1,000,000 certified Mr. T 'Cool Points.'

~Mr. T

Groundhog Day!

At the risk of dating myself more than I would like, today would be a fantastic opportunity to enjoy one of the all-time theatrical greats: Groundhog Day.

If you are of the mind to enjoy a bit of light-hearted frivolity at Gobbler's Knob, you should see this film.  No... you MUST see this film.

You're welcome.

~Mr. T

Geography 101

One of the criticisms of the current social studies curriculum is the perceived lack of emphasis on geographic content: the general challenges from not really knowing where things are in the world.  In a course where we are focused on globalization, there is a hope that students at least have some sort of concept about how our planet is pieced together.

I read in a recent article of a university professor who provided students with a brief pop quiz on geography. The results were disappointing to say the least.  A local opinion of the matter claimed that "[t]oday's students are not dumb, nor stupid, nor lazy. Joe, Bobby, Sue and Ann have simply tossed their 'useless information' in the proverbial trash in order to make room for the more complex stuff."

I've been intrigued by the debate for a while so I decided to try this with my classes today.  Each student was given a blank map and tasked with labeling as much as they could in about ten or fifteen minutes.  Continents, oceans, countries, etc... it was all up for grabs.  All this was intended to be was a glimpse into where we stood in our view of the world around us.

First of all, kudos to each of you for handling the surprise with a sense of humour and a willingness to laugh.  Some of you know that geography is not your strong suit.  That each of you were willing to try was good enough for me.  Second, please remember what I told you in class today: geography is only a small part of a solid understanding of social studies.  In and of itself, your ability to pick out a random country on a map does not make you more or less of a student.  This was simply an exercise to see where we stood on one very particular aspect.

I've started to look through the many maps now on my desk, and some of you have impressed me.  Others have some work to do.  Here, though, are some of my favorites from today:

1.  Africa was labelled as Europe
2.  The Caribbean simply referred to as 'warm places'
3.  Australia was probably the most identified country, after Canada and the US
4.  A few American cities became full fledged nations... Baltimore is the new Algeria

I will be holding onto these maps and revisiting them towards the end of the semester to see if there's a change.  That being said, be reminded again that geographic knowledge in and of itself will not make you an expert in the course.

A reminder to both Grade 10s and Grade 9s... remember to follow the instructions given to you to complete the setup of your Google accounts.  Don't forget to send me the email with your information and be sure you are sending this to the CORRECT email address.

Have a great weekend!

~Mr. T

Google and Twitter and Chocolate, Oh My!

Just a quick refresher to everyone about your homework for the day.  And when I say homework, I mean very simple task.

All of you received a handout today showing you how to get your Google accounts up and running.  Please make sure that you do so tonight and let me know of any potential problems at tomorrow's class.

Please make sure that you email me at jason.thompson@sd76.ab.ca with the following information so that I can set up the classes and groups for the semester:

Full Name:
Class:
Email:  If you can't get you school Gmail to work, another working email address will do.  Ideally, though, you are setting up a Google account so that we can have the full benefit of their online suite of tools.

As a bonus, sign up here for your twitter account so we can begin to use it within the classroom.

Please also remember to show your course outlines to your parents so that can review and sign.  They need to be aware of the policies just as much as you are.

Thanks again for your efforts and attendance today.  I'm excited for what's gearing up to be a great semester.

~Mr. T

*EVENING UPDATE:

I've been combing through emails and putting together a list of those students that have completed their homework.  As of 7:00-ish... here's what I'm looking at so far:

Social 10-1 Period 1:  0/20 emails  (0% completion); 1 on Twitter

Social 10-1 Period 2:  5/23 emails (22% completion); 5 on Twitter

Social 10-1 Period 4:  4/26 emails (15% completion); 3 on Twitter

Social 9 Period 5:  5/30 emails (17% completion); 0 on Twitter

Overall, I'm looking at a 14% completion rate.  Still early but we let's get these taken care of.  

As an additional note, please make sure you are doing everything possible to set up your school Google accounts.  Other emails will work to an extent, but not having the Google account limits your ability to take advantage of some of the technology and programs we plan to use in the semester.

Food for thought.

*EVENING UPDATE 2:

New numbers for your homework as of 9:30 pm.  Brace yourselves...

Social 10-1 Period 1:  0/20 emails  (0% completion); 1 on Twitter

Social 10-1 Period 2:  6/23 emails  (26% completion); 5 on Twitter

Social 10-1 Period 4:  5/26 emails  (19% completion); 4 on Twitter

Social 9 Period 5:  5/30 emails  (17% completion); 1 on Twitter

Tsk tsk, period 1...

Semester 2... Here we Go!

Alright students... the dust has settled from your exams and you are set to continue the next half of your school year.  Whether you are grade 9 or 10, look to this blog to serve as a starting point (or a quick review) of our what's going on in my class.

Now that we're on the blog, let me quickly rundown what my commitment is for this space:

1.  This blog should be updated every single day, barring some catastrophic event or zombie apocalypse.  In the event that you miss a class, this can give you an idea about what we talked about and what you likely need to catch up on.  Note that it will not replace the instruction of the day... for that you should probably come and have a quick chat with me.

2.  This blog will be used as a starting point for a variety of education activities from research activities, to online discussion, or me simply sharing something that I think you might find interesting.  There are going to be times when the confines of the classroom will not do... you need to see the bigger picture.  This will hopefully help to make that happen.

3.  This blog will hopefully serve as a bit of a showcase for what we've been up to in the classroom.  Every effort will be made to be respectful and protect your right to privacy.  At the same time, I hope that some of you will take reasonable opportunities to allow me to share your accomplishments.  This space is, after all, more about you than it is for me.

Here's to a great semester.

~Mr. T

Wordle

One of my favorite apps that I've encountered as a teacher is Wordle.  Most of you know how it works: simply take text and turn it into a visual summary of key words, phrases, and ideas.

I took a break from marking final exams to do this one for my Social 10-1 class.

Hoping to use these a bit more in the coming semester.

You can play with Wordle here.

The Wonderful World of Google

*Image couretsy of PetaPixel

One of my projects these past few days (while not scrambling to complete marking) is to get more familiar with the wonderful architecture provided by Google (sorry Internet Explorer).  As one of the goals for the semester, each of my students will set up and utilize a Google account which will provide them with a plethora  (Word Win!!) of services.  I'm hoping to show kids that there's more to Google than funny pictures with cats.

... Although, there's still a place for some of those, too...

Exam Anxiety

This is perhaps one of the days I most dread in any semester: the diploma exam. It's stressful for everyone, including me, because at the end of the day, I want my students to do well.  I want to feel like I've done everything that I could to help them get to where they want to be.

Here's a good source of information on identifying exam anxiety and how to deal with it.

Bottom line: prepare early and often. Take care of yourself and don't add more stress than you need to.

Good luck, again, to all of my grade 12s today.

One final note... in this modern age of technology, please save your work often.  I saw three students nearly lose their work yesterday because the computers they were using shut down.  Nope.  Don't want.

~Mr. T

Finals Week

Seriously, though.  Best of luck to all of my current students on your exams.

~Mr. T

A New Beginning...

With the new year comes the annual ritual of self-reflection and resolution.  January is awash in trips to the gym, the casting off of unwanted vices, and at least for me, the chance to challenge myself in new ways.  This year, I will be pushing myself to take more of my classroom activities and discussion into a more accessible and digital format.

My goal this year is to use this blog to share information on the day's activities, share additional tid-bits, and provide a venue where ideas and opinions can hopefully be more freely exchanged.  This will obviously take some getting used to but if this works, each of you will have a more rewarding and fulfilling experience in the world of social studies than I can normally provide only within the walls of my classroom.

Thank you for sharing in this journey.

~Mr. T