Another College Week

Last week was full of lessons in the elementary. It was so much fun to get back to the 7 Habits lessons and those kiddos. While getting started in one second grade class, I mentioned that it seemed as if I hadn't been there for a long time when really it was just a couple of weeks ago. One little girl looked at me and said, "Yes, and you were wearing that same thing the last time you were here." I was laughing so hard I almost couldn't compose myself again. I guess I need to keep a list of what I wear the days I go to the elementary, or at least that class!

We have had two college weeks back to back. Unfortunately last week's college (university) didn't send any prizes, nor did the representative show up for the presentation that was scheduled last October. That happens occasionally. This week is another college and we have been given some wonderful prizes for the trivia questions each day.

The representative has confirmed her visit at the end of the week so we are good to go. I had students send their answers through Twitter and Instagram. It has worked beautifully. Instead of a stead stream of students in my office giving me answers and preventing me from getting anything accomplished (I love seeing them, though), they use social media. Then I give them their prize as I walk the hall on my way to something else or I stick them in students' lockers. It seems the number of followers for our account grows each day.

Seniors are rolling right along with scholarship applications and getting transcripts forwarded (something I do for them). Sophomores have been getting applications in to attend the technology center next year. Before I know it testing season will be here. I've already attended one test training and there are more to come. After testing season the school year will basically be finished. My how time flies!

It's just the middle of the first week after Christmas break and I am exhausted! Monday, it was a steady stream of students and teachers in my office needing schedule changes and other things. I walked in to my office and didn't even get everything put down before it started. At about 1:00 I realized my lunch of cottage cheese was still in my bag, hanging on my coat rack. I managed to squeeze in making a cup of coffee around 10. It sat on the maker until about 11:30. I put it in the microwave to warm and had to run it through three cycles because every time I started it, someone came in. When it was finished it just sat inside there until eventually I ran it again. So around 1:30 I was drinking my first cup of coffee of the day. The good part of all this is that the day whizzed by. Tuesday was almost as bad, but since then it has slowed down significantly. Today, a representative from our career tech school came out to speak to the 8th and 10th graders. I've had lots of transcript requests this week by seniors.

While on a short trip over Thanksgiving I saw several framed chalkboards with the Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook icon painted on them (or all three). They were various sizes. The cheapest one was $25. I thought what a neat idea, to have a school account and post different hashtags for the student to tweet or follow. I know many schools have social media sites. I wasn't going to pay $25+ for a board so I found one for $5 and made my own chalkboard paint. I had lots of acrylic paint around. At first I was just going with the twitter icon, thinking students could hashtag and we wouldn't have to set an account up.

The icon was easy to create and I didn't want to paint the Instagram icon. The more I thought about it the more I realized a higher number of students have Instagram accounts than any other site. I gave in and painted the icon and set us up a school account. So far it is a huge success and I expect that over time more and more students will begin to follow it.

I still have to set up a 7th grade girls' group. We're going to start reading the book, "Wonder". I loved reading this book a couple of summers ago and I really hope the students get something out of it. We will keep it small, maybe four students. I also start back my classroom lessons next week and sessions with an individual student on Friday. The start of the second semester means we are that much closer to summer and warmer weather!