Not What I Had Planned

So I've teamed up with my Shiny-New Friend as writing buddies. She's working on a novel, and I've got some ideas I'd like to work into something I could submit to the English Journal. So today during our writing time in language arts class, I opened up my writer's notebook and started planning out my essay/article/thingummy but I ran out of pages in the little blank section I was in, so I started turning pages to find the next blank one and GUESS WHAT I FOUND!

Notes for an unfinished chapter of Broken!

Thus instead of getting anything remotely professional done, I spent two classes worth of writing time on, yes, FANFIC. You know what? I really don't feel that bad about it. I have felt bad from time to time about not updating that fic, though, so there! :P

Go read it. I just read it again and I can see it happening. And I'm just SO caught up in it all over again. I love that. I think it may be better than Anniversary, which these days feels a bit overwrought, though I still like the concept.

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Baby Steps

I don't make friends easily.

Now, those of you who've met me might be surprised by this. After all, I'm fairly outgoing, I'm comfortable around strangers, and I have a pretty good grasp of social cueing. So what's the deal?

I've often wondered that myself. I moved with my husband to my current part of the country not quite seven years ago now, and I'm only just now finding someone that I'm starting to think of as a buddy.

Part of it may be that I haven't felt like I fit in anywhere. I mean, yes, as a female English teacher, there's lots of us. But I'm not much like my colleagues at the school where I work. They coordinate their jewelry and wear sweater sets; I'm much more comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt over a turtleneck. They talk about Literature and Bible school for their kids, and I'm more current with YA lit and current issues in social justice.

They won't let me ditch Julius Caesar and teach Othello instead.

And then there's my husband and his nerd buddies. And... they're all guys. Which is fine, but... it feels a little weird calling one of them up and saying, "Hey, want to go watch Beauty and the Beast in 3D?" And - I dunno, maybe they WOULD understand - but since they're not teachers, I don't really bring up my curiosity about, say, how best to design feedback so that it's both authentic/personal and fast. At least not in casual conversation.

I rarely feel disconnected, because I've got lots of casual connections... my colleagues, our gaming group, people at my exercise and dance classes. And I'm close with my family (and we're a teacher-heavy bunch, too!) and then of course, there's the Hunk, who has proven time and again that soul mates really do exist.

But then this year for the first time something clicked with an addition to our department, and I'm finding myself in very unfamiliar territory. I mean, what do friends DO? Especially when we've both got extracurricular responsibilities at school and then family and you have to sleep SOME time...

So we'll see how it goes. I haven't had a BFF since, like, grade school. I'm kind of nervous, but it's an excited-slash-hopeful kind of nervous.

Image thanks to http://www.babysteps2health.com/

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Examining Success

So I've been thinking about trying to write things that might be helpful for other teachers, and it's been difficult. Mardie asked why, and I realized that I hadn't really thought about that.

When things go wrong, it's often fairly simple to point to when: you have a pull of tension in your lower back that shoots up your spine, your ribcage tightens and your breath gets shallower and faster. Often there's an increase in the "audio clutter" - teachers, you know what I mean by that, right? There's just a different tone in the room when conversation is off-task, even though I still have a hard time pinpointing who's talking about the lesson or the assignment and who's out in left field.

Or you get a bunch of faces staring at you blankly before students start leaning towards their friends to see if someone else got it and can explain it in a way that makes more sense.

I guess perhaps I've been exceptionally fortunate in that when things go wrong, they don't go wrong for several different reasons all at the same time. This makes it much easier to pinpoint the trouble-spot so that I can tweak it for the next go-round.

On the other hand, when things go well, it's because everything is working well -- but to greater or lesser degrees. (My thought: Hey, at least it's working.)

So it can be difficult to figure out which parts are carrying the weight and which parts are along for the ride.

How can we pinpoint which activities or strategies best help students learn? It's easy to see non-learning: faces turned away, heads down on desks, fingers texting away under the seat... I'm sure you could keep adding to that list all day!

But when students are reading or listening or writing and appear to be on task, how do we pinpoint the cause? Or, perhaps more accurately, how do we rank the causes?

That's what I haven't figured out.

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Green Eyes

I have to admit, this made me a wee bit pouty. Why couldn't they have picked MY state?

Then again, I can't complain TOO too much. I've only had one project not get funded - in fact, Real-Life Reading was funded earlier this week, and I only have two projects left over on my DonorsChoose page.

I better get crackin' on some new proposals! :D

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Ninny WHIRL!

I don't think I can adequately express just how much I love, love, LOVE going to Disney World. We just went last weekend for my birthday, and with spring break next week I am already eager to return, even though we just got back!

(Not gonna happen, though - taxes and car repairs on top of regular bills.)

At Disney World, there is a disproportionate amount of happy. Sure, there are the occasional toddlers who are under-rested and over-stimulated, but when you take into account the number of children in the park, the Not Happy group is quite small.

You smile at people and they smile back. You wave at people and they smile back. You say "Good morning!" to people... and they smile back! And the best part is, then they look at the people they're with and smile at them!

That's what Disney is about - making ripples of happiness!

But this has created quite a dilemma for me.

Last weekend was absolutely fantastic. I wore this dress --> and had a BLAST. It was like I was in this weird limbo between "guest" and "costumed character" - I could wander around the park and ride the rides and relax when I wanted, but people (complete strangers!) would come up and ask me questions and talk with me. And actual cast members always seem glad to see guests having a good time, which I obviously was. It was sooo much fun.

And I think I would really, REALLY like to work AT Disney World. Like, IN the park itself. It would be so much fun to get to portray one of the classic Disney characters - princesses would be fun, but I think it would be even cooler to be one of the villains. I think I fit the size requirements for Captain Hook or the Queen of Hearts, but I would absolutely love to get to be Maleficent! I mean, WHAT a fantastic personality - arrogance and power and passionate fury, all in one package. ^.^

Now, I love teaching. I know I couldn't just quit & work full-time somewhere else, even at Disney. However, if I were to accept a teaching position in central Florida, it might be possible to work there on weekends & holidays.

And that's the dilemma, because I also love working where I work. I have amazing co-workers, a fair amount of freedom in lesson planning and curriculum, decent resources for materials & technology, not to mention a nice low cost-of-living and an enormous used bookstore quite near by.

With all that, I have come up with what I believe is the perfect solution: Disney World needs to be moved to northeast Georgia.

...what do you mean, the world doesn't revolve around me? ;)

Image thanks to http://www.cloakrenaissance.com/

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This Makes Me Happy

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!!!

The puppy was asking to be let out, so I went over to the door, pulled back the curtain and said,

".. Holy s*t, it's SNOWING!"

And then I let the puppy out. Then I had to go pokle the Hunk and get him to come look. I felt a wee bit guilty at rousing him from sleep that abruptly early on a Saturday, but it will probably all be gone by the time he gets up for real.

Wow!

Snow!

ETA: at 8:45 or so it changed to dripping... now it's fading... I can see the ground again in places. :(

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SSSSMOKIN!

I love it! Oh my God, I love it. I didn't know I could DO something like this! WHAT a rush. I am absolutely giddy.

Usually things don't come out as good as what you imagine, but somehow this came out even better.

Is this what it feels like for students, when they succeed at something new? Is this what it's SUPPOSED to feel like to write? Because I feel just amazing.

More photos behind the cut!

Image thanks to MY OWN CAMERA!

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I Am Having SO MUCH FUN...

... well, except the part where I stabbed myself in the finger with a pair of scissors.

But other than that, it's been great!

Michael's is my new crack. It's like playing with Tinkertoys, only better, because they are bendy and SPARKLY. I already have a hair ornament, and I didn't even need the glue gun for that one.

Or the earrings - though I did have to take apart a couple of singles so that I'd have hooks.

I'm making a cabaret-style mask (think Mardi Gras/Carnival) for a costume. (Yes, I know Halloween was last month.) It looks sorrt of like this one. The base is black, and there are wispy things that come out from the base. But the color scheme is going to be black and gold and purple, rather than solid black.

The mask itself was like seventy cents... I did have to widen the eye-holes, and it doesn't conform to my face very well.

I haven't yet decided whether or not I'm going to use any of the feathers I bought... right now it's looking like I might have enough just from taking apart silk flowers and using the petals.

Right now I'm still looking through Google images to get more ideas. Do I want to put a layer of fabric over the mask before embellishing the front? Streamers from one side? or both?

Of course, what I really OUGHT to do is put dishes away... or fold clothes...

:P

Image thanks to http://www.imaginationscostumes.com

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EduCarnival v2 - Issue 14

Yesterday we had an instructional half-day, with parent-teacher conferences in the afternoon. I didn't have any, so I used the time to do parent calls and grade. I had more grading to do than I'd anticipated, but I should've seen it coming.

I bribed my seniors with the promise of food. I let them sign up to bring things in, but reminded them that their Frankenstein final projects were due. Anyone who didn't have a completed project to turn in would be given the opportunity to go to the library to type it during class (rather than sit around chatting and snacking).

Of the 32 students in that class, three were absent - and one of those emailed me the project! 26 of the other 28 turned theirs in at the start of class. I only had to have two of them finish up - and only one of those failed to turn in the work.

Now I just need to go hassle our AP about the newspaper that should have been approved (or returned) last week...

Click 'Continue' to read a WONDERFUL set of blog posts - I am SO THANKFUL for all of you who make this possible!

teachin' had a moment - or several - of frustration.

UA is getting ready to Reach for the whistle, posted at Under Assault: Teaching in NYC.

Pat thinks maybe we should Unblock Social Networking Sites, posted at Successful Teaching.

Siobhan Curious presents Yannick's debts posted at classroom as microcosm.

ms. understood takes a moment to laugh a little, with Good Quotes Good Times posted at Teacher, I Don't Get It.

Mr Teacher has a very full classroom - 34 posted at Mr Teacher.

MatthewPaulson shows you how to Save Money On College Costs posted at Fine Tuned Finances.

Liam Goldrick helped revise the Race to the Top regulations at Under The Hood posted at The Education Optimists.

The rarely-conventional Carol Richtsmeier talks about conventions she's gone to in Conventions, Museums & Yukon posted at Bellringers - also? her new book has been reviewed!.

Tense Teacher writes about The New Girl.

Miss Teacha has Been Thinking about starting over... or not...

John Spencer writers about the Most Neglected Subject.

Miss Bennett is surviving, but back!

Mr. B (no relation, as far as I know!) decided to make a Sacrifice to be there for his grieving students.

Ranting Teacher is trying to help the Little Loners.

Miss Paste is still dealing with a tough situation.

I don't know if I agree with the Peter Drucker quote posted on Education Innovation. What do you think?

Mr. Teacher had his day bookended by a rude parent, but I can't muster up too much sympathy since he got a whole week off and I was in school Monday and Tuesday! (My sympathies to those who are still working today!)

I wish I could send a hug to Mrs. Bees, who is going through NO-vember right now.

Roller Coaster Teacher is back on track with NaNoWriMo.

Angela Powell Watson offers some quick checks.

Do you want to Teach Forever? Then join the 52 Teachers, 52 Lessons Project.

Bill Ferriter muses that sometimes, knowing you're not alone is more frustrating than comforting.

Joanne Jacobs reported on a pair of overdue library books that were finally returned after FIFTY-ONE YEARS. Woah.

Mrs. Mimi doesn't hold back while ranting writing about the NYT article on selling lesson plans. *g* You know we love ya, Mrs. Mimi!

And Dina suggests that all too many of us are martyrs.

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by using the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

If you are interested in hosting an upcoming carnival, please email me at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Technorati tags:
education, teaching, educarnival v2, blog carnival.

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EduCarnival v2 - Issue 13

No cut-tags this time, and no frills. I'm floundering through our Frankenstein unit and I have NO IDEA how we're going to get six flats done - not just the 48 pages, we'll have that, oh no, it has to be in six flats. AURGH.

And none of them will be our people pages, because there's NO way we'll be able to have the portrait images in time. Eff.

And my journalism students cannot punctuate. Or follow directions AT ALL, it seems - HOW difficult is it to center bylines in the first column of the article?!

Fortunately there is a cheer-up just ahead: carnival articles! yey!

siobhan curious presents choose gratitude posted at classroom as microcosm.

Darren presents Classroom Visits By The Principal posted at Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher.

Scott Palat presents Choosing the Right College or University with AcceptEdge | posted at TutorFi.com.

Mister Teacher presents Bars, and Pictures, and Tallies, oh my! posted at Learn Me Good.

Joanne Jacobs presents Math teaching without the math posted at Joanne Jacobs.

Miss Eyre presents Murderers' Row posted at Life at the Morton School.

oldandrew presents Health Versus Education posted at Scenes From The Battleground.

Pat presents Lessons I Learned from Knitting posted at Successful Teaching.

Bruce presents Overcome the biggest barrier to good writing: time posted at A Blog about Writing Clearly.

Mr Teacher presents Sex, Ed?! posted at Mr Teacher.

Jim McGuire presents Learning to Read, Adult Style posted at The Reading Workshop.

teachin' presents Sure isn't. posted at I'm a Dreamer.

Liam Goldrick presents Using Value Added to Assess Teacher Effectiveness posted at The Education Optimists.

Darren presents Principal Injured In Food Fight posted at Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher.

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by using the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

If you are interested in hosting an upcoming carnival, please email me at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Technorati tags:
education, teaching, educarnival v2, blog carnival.

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EduCarnival v2 Issue 12

(I hope I'm counting right!)

I don't know if it's the season or the weather or the deadlines or the flu, but lately it's seemed like the days are just rocketing past. I blink and it's the weekend and the dishes and laundry and grading and leaves and bills have piled up and need to be taken care of NOW. I blink again and we're halfway into the next week and I haven't promoted the EduCarnival nearly as much as I meant to, and while I've been reading and bookmarking posts I meant to comment on those bookmarks are now how many weeks old?

Don't get me started on deadlines for the newspaper and the book...

But it's nice to host again! (Gives me a semi-legitimate reason to avoid emptying the dishwasher...)

Click 'Continue' and read on!

Joanne Jacobs presents Hip-hop as old-school teaching tool posted at Joanne Jacobs.

Last week's host, teachin', presents Bellwether posted at I'm a Dreamer.

Carol Richtsmeier presents The Richie Hata’s Club, T-Shirts & Interesting Emails posted at Bellringers.

ms. understood presents Ancient Greece posted at Teacher, I Don't Get It.

Mr Teacher presents Rate your teaching posted at Mr Teacher.

Mrs. Chili is hosting a seminar on teaching research over at A Teacher's Education.

Mr Teacher presents Spelling disaster posted at Mr Teacher.

Pat presents Getting Your Administration On Board posted at Successful Teaching.

Mamacita presents Happy Hallowe'en. Eat Up. Sing Along. Read Up. Jerk Down. Smash. Freeze. Blow Up. Enjoy. posted at Scheiss Weekly.

Jane presents Colorado Inventor’s Showcase 2009 – DaVinci Institute Teaches Inventors How to Market Ideas posted at Steve Spangler's Blog.

Sarah Garb presents Dead Class Pets: Little Baby Tampons posted at Dead Class Pets.

Darren presents Languages Spoken At School posted at Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher.

Joel presents How Do We Show Our Students That We Love Them? over at So You Want to Teach.

Bill Ferriter presents The Torrid Pace of Change over at The Tempered Radical.

John Spencer presents Searching for What Was Lost over at Musings from a Not-So-Master Teacher.

Tense Teacher signed up for NaNoWriMo over at Tense Teacher.

Roller Coaster Teacher did as well, and is well on the way already!

Rob Jacobs presents Dumber Together over at Education Innovation.

Sarah suggests a Teachers Anonymous group over at Confessions of an Untenured Teacher.

Ms. Paste could use some encouragement over at I Teach, Therefore I Am.

Mr. B is reading good books and thinking about them over at Docere Est Discere.

Betty was frustrated by a parent who complained before getting details over at Timely Teacher Talk.

List posts:

Barbara Williams presents 100 Skills You Should Learn (for Free) While You’re Unemployed posted at Online Degree Programs.org.

Diane Steward presents Top 25 Social Media Sites for College Students posted at Undergraduate Degree.

Rachel Lynette presents Creative Writing: The Really Long List posted at Minds in Bloom.

Sophie presents Crucial tips about College Accreditation, learn how it will affect your wallet posted at Sophie's Blog.

Robert Damone presents Highlighting 10 Creative Professors Teaching at Online Universities posted at Online University Data.

Sophie presents 7 FAFSA Myths-Don't Lose this Money posted at Sophie's Blog.

And, since this is Issue #12, I am linking back to my Dirty Dozen, for those who haven't seen it already. And for those who have, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the list!

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by using the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

If you are interested in hosting an upcoming carnival, please email me at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com. (Mamacita, I know you commented - have you emailed me? I think I may have deleted it by accident.) And if you're on, pester me to get it set up at BlogCarnival. I haven't kept that updated as swiftly as I'd like!

Technorati tags:
education, teaching, educarnival v2, blog carnival.

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Educarnival v2 Issue 11

Issue 11 is up and running over at I'm a Dreamer Teacher. Teachin' has clearly made good use of that "extra" hour to put together a fantastic edition! Thanks for hosting :D

We're back here next week. You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by using the handy-dandy carnival submission form, or by emailing me at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

ETA: I knew I'd written this... somehow it got dated 'October' automatically... I hope everything's ok with our computers, because I don't remember which one I used to type it up!

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Boo to YOU!

I don't think I will ever get tired of Disney World! We went there last weekend - drove down Friday after school, and drove back on Tuesday.

We went to Epcot on Saturday and found out that the food & wine festival was going on. I'd like to do that sometime when we've got gobs of money. I'd love to snack my way around World Showcase, but at roughly $5 a pop, we'd need to save up for it. Plus we had a lunch reservation at the Morocco pavilion, and I wouldn't want to spoil my appetite!

The demographics were definitely different - lots and LOTS of college students. I figure it was probably fall break at both FSU and UF - we saw quite a bit of garnet/gold and orange/blue gear. Also, Sister Hazel (from Gainesville) played a couple of short sets at the amphitheater, and Better than Ezra (from Tallahassee) had performed earlier in the week.

On Sunday we went to Animal Kingdom in the morning and Hollywood Studios in the evening. I still can't believe there's never a line for Star Tours! I love that ride SO MUCH. Expedition Everest is probably my favorite ride overall - sit on the left-hand side of the coaster and then as you go up the first big hill look to the left. You can see Spaceship Earth pretty easily, and I think the white pointy building might be Space Mountain, but I'm not sure. The distances don't seem right. It's twisty-turny, there's lots to look at, and it has a great story!

The Hunk says his favorite ride is the Aerosmith rollercoaster, and I've gotta admit that one's a lot of fun too. It's INCREDIBLY FAST, and there are speakers in the headrest that play clips from their best-known songs. But at the same time, because it's so fast, the ride is over in no time. :(

Even more than the rides, though, I think I like the music. We got to see the Jammitors, Voices of America, and Mo'Rockin' at Epcot, the Caribbean band (I forget the name) at Animal Kingdom, and at the Magic Kingdom we saw the ragtime piano player at Casey's several times, as well as the saxophone group, the Dapper Dans, and the Main Street Philharmonic marching band. It's just so neat to talk to the performers about what they do and how they first became interested in music.

Disney as a whole is pretty awesome, but I think the Magic Kingdom does a great job of defining the Disney experience. It truly is the most magical place on earth. Big Thunder and the Haunted Mansion just feel so familiar to me - Space Mountain, too, though we didn't get to go on that because it was still being refurbished.

And everybody smiles. (Yet somehow it's not creepy.) It's like all of these storybook friends have been waiting here for you, and you can go and talk to all the minor characters and find out their stories. The Main Street characters are an absolute trip! I don't know that we saw anybody at Epcot or at Animal Kingdom, but we did catch an improv comedy skit at Hollywood Studios, and I know we'd seen non-movie characters there over the summer. I had dressed up in a peasant blouse and my green swirly skirt and had some fun chatting with the Main Street cast. I would love, love, love to do that some summer!



(Hi, Scoop!)

One thing I really missed was getting to see Wishes (the Magic Kingdom fireworks show). We were there for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and they had a special show for the event. It was pretty cool, because they shot the fireworks off from different sites so it covered the sky over the whole park. The finale was sooo bright it was like daytime for a few seconds! But... I think I like Wishes better.

Fortunately, there are a bojillion of 'em on youtube, so just about any time I like I can sing along and get ALL SNIFFLY. (I always do!) ^.^

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EduCarnival v2 Issue 8 (for real, this time)

The EduCarnival is NOT here this week - it's over at Bellringers! Richie is her usual delightfully clever-charming-witty self, and I'm just tickled that she was the first stop on our tour. (Also? Don't forget to congratulate her on her NEW BOOK!)

Sorry about the number mixup. This is why I teach English, not math. ;D

If you're interested in hosting, please email me at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com to let hem know! I'll email ya right(ish) back. All I'd ask is that you continue to be patient with me as I pretend I know what I'm doing with BlogCarnival. ;)

Expect a new "real" post TOMORROW, as it is Friday, and I will actually, you know, BE HERE.

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Educarnival v2 Issue 6

Whew! I was really worried that I wouldn't make it. We're coming up fast on the end of the nine weeks and I keep hearing, "Mrs. Keys, can I still turn in (name of late assignment here)?"

With that in mind, if you are at ALL interested in hosting next week's carnival, please email me at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Mister Teacher presents Well at least I haven't heard THAT! posted at Learn Me Good, saying, "Good to see the carnival back up and running!"

Liam Goldrick presents Superteacher To The Rescue! posted at The Education Optimists.

FizzSoda presents Studying Spanish: A Painless and Fun Method posted at Spanish Langauge Studies: Ira Riklis.

John Mastro presents The Lifelong Benefits of Music Education posted at John Mastro.net.

John Mastro presents Should Kids Read 20 Minutes a Day? posted at John Mastro.net.

teachin' presents At least he doesn't have hairy palms (yet) posted at I'm a Dreamer, saying, "So glad it wasn't what I thought..."

Pat presents On the Playground posted at Successful Teaching.

Carol Richtsmeier presents Stopping the Big Fat Stupid Head Timer posted at Bellringers.

Marjorie Morgan presents Jessica Watson posted at GO! Girls Outdoors, saying, "Jess is taking a year off school to attempt a solo sail around the world, and to beat the record for the youngest to complete the journey!"

ms. understood presents The Day in Short posted at Teacher, I Don't Get It.

hall monitor presents School Students Sing Praises of President Obama posted at DetentionSlip.org, saying, "Controversy arises when students praise the Prez."

Mr. Teacher presents At Least I Haven't Heard THAT over at Learn Me Good.

Liz Nilsen presents Core, core, and more core posted at STEM-ology.

Gin G. presents A Nations Wealth posted at Sense Scribe, saying, "Learn about a nations economic strategies for home and people. Read more."

I don't know if it was just because I powered through everything at once (didn't get to work on this over the weekend as we ALSO had newspaper deadlines), but it seemed like there are a LOT of list posts this week:

Carol Brown presents 100 Awesome Bookhacks for Students & Bibilophiles posted at online classes.org.

Deidre Laverriere presents Top 10 Free Open Courseware Directories posted at Online University Rankings.

Sidney Phipps presents Top 10 Free Resources for Digital Learners posted at Online University Reviews.

Alex Filley presents Top 10 Free Open Courseware Classes About Health Care posted at Masters in Health Care.

Gene Desrosiers presents Top 10 Free Open Courseware Classes about Healthcare Policy posted at Masters in Health Administration.

Dickon Ervin presents Top 10 Free Open Courseware Classes for Teachers posted at Masters in Health Education.

Wikholm Nelida presents Top 10 Free Open Courseware Classes About Science posted at masters in health science.

Mayra Forbes presents Top 10 Free Open Courseware Classes About Statistics posted at Masters in Health Informatics.

Ayomide Astley presents Top 10 Free Open Courseware Classes About Nutrition posted at Online Masters in Health.

Susie Cortez presents Top 10 Free Open Courseware Classes About Criminal Justice posted at Online Masters in Criminal Justice.

Nancee Dietrick presents Top 10 Free Open Courseware Classes about Career Management posted at Masters of Nursing.

Anne Simone presents 100 Best Blogs for Econ Students posted at Online Universities Weblog.

Susan White presents 100 Incredible, Cutting-Edge Lectures for Medical Professionals posted at RN Central.

Kathy Wilson presents 100 Best Blogs for Photography Students posted at online classes.org.

Kathy Wilson presents 100 Free Tools to Make Your Teaching More Entertaining posted at Online Schools.

I'm about to call it a night. Email me if you'd like to host the Carnival next week (or later).Remember, a blogger who hosts gets to read lots of posts! (Although I'm not sure that works, because we ALL get to read them... hmmm...)

What about: a blogger who hosts gets ... first look at the posts?

The annoying rhymes will only stop when the Carnival hits the road! (Mwahahaha!)

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by using the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Note: if I do receive a request (or requests!) to host, I'll post the email to send posts to here, but you can ALWAYS use the form.

Technorati tags:
education, teaching, educarnival v2, blog carnival.

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EduCarnival v2 - Issue 5

Hooray! Once again, it's CARNIVAL TIME! The pendulum seems to have swung back this week - BOY did I get a lotta list posts. (Is Letterman hiring or something?) So here we go! If your post should've been included and wasn't, please email me. Enjoy!

And remember this, because it's important: DON'T eat an entire funnel cake right before going on the Tilt-a-Whirl!

Shannon Wills presents Sarah Palin’s Stand on Special Education posted at Nurse Practitioner Schools.

Pat presents Are My Students Weeds or Flowers? posted at Successful Teaching.

Carol Richtsmeier presents Picture Day, Emergency Chocolate & My Lizzie Borden Smile posted at Bellringers.

Emily Moser presents Education Reforms in the DC Area posted at Online Degree.net.

Mary Jones presents Educational Technology – Do We Teach the Tool or Teach Literacy? posted at Accredited Online PHD Universities.

Mathew Needleman presents Questions About Independent Work Time posted at Open Court Resources.com Blog.

Mathew Needleman presents Creating Lifelong Learners » Blog Archive » Beginning of the Year Pre-Assessments posted at Open Court Resources.com Blog.

Joep de Graaff presents Does a bird have horns? posted at Dancing Crocodile.

Liz Nilsen presents Ready...Set...Compete! posted at STEM-ology, saying, "My blog is new for those in the STEM-my areas, or just interested in what's going on in STEM. Thanks for re-starting the carnival!"

Susanne Nobles presents Literature Circles posted at Still Learning, saying, "Literature circles are great for many subject areas and many grade levels."

And your enterprising host presents Knowledge vs Skills right here at Epic Adventures Are Often Uncomfortable, though in fairness it was inspired by a post over at Joanne Jacobs.

List Posts

Linda Jones presents 25 Cutting-Edge Wolfram Alpha Tips for Serious Students posted at Online Universities Weblog.

Abeni Banvard presents Top 10 Nutrition Experts to Follow on Twitter posted at Online Masters in Health.

Mirles Tamra presents Top 10 Law Enforcement Professionals to Follow on Twitter posted at Online Masters in Criminal Justice.

Cora Fernande presents Top 10 professors to follow on Twitter posted at Online University Rankings.

Sheldon Louis presents Top 10 Teachers to Follow on Twitter posted at Online University Reviews.

Lisa Taylor presents 4 Crime Fiction Writers Worth Reading posted at Forensic Science Schools.

Damion Calvert presents Top 10 Health Experts to Follow on Twitter posted at Masters in Health Care.

Alvina Lopez presents Top 100 Film Studies Blogs posted at Online Degree Hub.

Emily Moser presents Top 100 Drafting Blogs posted at Drafting School.

Edwin Choi presents Business Degrees at Saint Leo University for Minorities posted at Degrees In Business Blog, saying, "Lists like the Top 100 Degrees for Minorities give prospective college students the ability to find universities that are proud in the cultural diversity they offer to nation’s educational community. Business students especially benefit from a “Melting Pot” college, with exposure to all kinds of ethnicities and cultures enhancing their understanding of business relations in a diverse world in the future."

Bennie Shih presents Top 10 Leadership Experts to Follow on Twitter posted at Masters in Health Administration.

Adjoa Barnard presents Top 10 Nurses to Follow on Twitter posted at Masters in Health Education.

Rosella Habowski presents Top 10 Scientists to Follow on Twitter posted at masters in health science.

Daren Bass presents Top 10 Statisticians to follow on Twitter posted at Masters in Health Informatics.

Geneva Elazisi presents Top 10 Career Experts to Follow on Twitter posted at Masters of Nursing.

Alvina Lopez presents 100 Innovative Blogs for Architecture Students posted at online classes.org.

Susan White presents 50 Fascinating Lectures All About Your Brain posted at Associate Degree Blog.

Chris presents Special Scholarships for Women posted at MJJ Party, saying, "A look at special scholarships for women."

Carol Brown presents 50 Must-Listen-to Lectures for Tech Lovers posted at Online Universities.com.

Susan White presents 100 Free and Useful Tools for AP Students and Teachers posted at Online Colleges.

Kate Hopkins presents 100 Excellent RSS Feeds for Lifelong Learners posted at Online School.

And once again, my fellow primitive screwheads, our roundup is up. (Cue: Awwww!) And yet, if you've got end-of-carnival blues, you can always write a post and submit it for next week! (And tell your friends to submit, too!)

Remember, a blogger who submits gets many more hits!

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by emailing me the direct URL of your article at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com. Or, you can use the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Also, don't forget, next week is the FINAL regularly scheduled week here at Epic Adventures. After that, the carnival begins touring again! (Cue: Yaaaaay!)

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Today is a GOOD day

After spending all weekend slaving over those darn research papers (except for the time I spent on here grousing about attempting to write a donorschoose essay) I finally got done last night. I still have to check cards and outlines, but that's pretty much a completion grade - making sure there aren't any that are just duplicates and/or "This is a fact card for my research paper" cards.

And I did get TWO new donorschoose proposals written - they're under review now.

And THEN sometime last night (I crashed at, like, eight) the Hunk nudged me awake enough to tell me that the roads were washed out and SCHOOL IS CLOSED TODAY.

!!!!!

Seriously?! I mean, because, ALL WEEK it was rolling around in my brain that I was going to have no weekend thanks to those papers. I've been grinding through them as best as I can but GRACIOUS it's awful. As in why are there no citations anywhere in your paper?? WTF?!

And now I get a day for ME. I just feel so ... so vindicated! I am going to play WoW, and read Fire Study (I am SO glad we picked that up last night), and ... well, okay, and I'll probably work on my next two unit plans. Where is my copy of Shakespeare Set Free?...

Granted, if it doesn't stop raining sometime today, there may be serious trouble. Right now it's just flooded roads and possibly some power outages, afaik.

(Tangent: I've started pronouncing web acronyms as words. So, like: btw = BIT-oo, wtf = wa-ta-FAY, afaik = uh-FAKE. Usually lowercased like regular words, BUT, if they're at the start of a sentences, the whole thing gets uppercased. Why? Because! I don't know!)

Ennyhoo, WE at least will be all right. Temperatures are quite mild, and being stuck in the house with neither power nor water would be quite feasible, if inconvenient, for up to a week - perhaps longer. But I REALLY don't think it'll go even that far.

And then! This morning I got an email that said that my latest donorschoose proposal has been funded! We're getting two new digital cameras! WAHOOO!

Just a coupla point-and-shoots, but still! ^.^ Glee!

LIFE IS GOOD! *happysigh*

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EduCarnival v2 - Issue 4

HUR-ray, HUR-ray, HUR-ray, STEP right in! ONE show only... well, this week anyway.

Or, to paraphrase Shel Silverstein: "What? What's that you say? You say today is CARNIVAL day?! Wahoo! I'm clickin' through to play!"

Welcome to the September 16, 2009 issue of EduCarnival v2! You know, I had realized I'd missed the weekly Carnivals, but I hadn't realized how much. It makes me smile every time I see I've got new mail, because mostly it's Carnival stuff and that means I get to go read a post! And then I cobble things together and it all looks so nice and I feel good about that and people even READ it and there's sharing and just... YAY.

So, thank you all so much for making this possible! I really do enjoy putting this together - it's work, but it's fun. :) Hopefully I will remember to update BlogCarnival before leaving for school on Wednesday - when I went to the site I saw that I didn't update last week. Whoops!

And a few people have asked about hosting. Before I post this one I'll set up the next few issues and see if I can figure out how to get that arranged. I'd like to have the EduCarnival start roaming in October if I can.

What with research papers, a field trip, and open house, things have been a wee bit crazy, so I must confess that there's not a lot of cleverness directly behind the cut. You'll have to follow the links to the submitted posts to get to the clever!

If your post should've been included and wasn't, please email me. Enjoy!

Aaron R presents The Changing Library posted at Aaron Rogier, saying, "How the role of libraries in communities will change little as they change to accommodate new resources."

Erin presents Parents Supporting Education posted at School Psychologist Blog Files.

Mark Stock presents Do laptops for every child threaten the traditional role of the teacher? posted at HOPE Foundation.

Diana Senechal is guest-blogging, and posted What's with those clickers in physics class? over at Joanne Jacobs.

Carolyn Friedman presents Why and How to Become a Paralegal posted at Accelerated Online Degree.

Emily Moser presents The Internet and Your Kids: An educational opportunity or risk? posted at Accredited Online Universities.

Tom DeRosa presents How to Make Feature-Length Films Fit into a Class Period posted at I Want to Teach Forever.

SwitchedOnMom presents Why I Care About the Singam Case posted at The "More" Child.

Shannon Wills presents When Medical Ethics Leads to a Conflict of Interest posted at Christian College.

Annette Berlin presents Colored Pencil Tutorials posted at Craft Stew, saying, "Colored pencils make an easy and inexpensive addition to any art program. In case you have no training in using color pencils, here are some color pencil tutorials to get you started."

Kakie presents September is National Literacy Month - Free Resources! posted at Bur Bur & Friends: Community Park, saying, "Here are some great tools and resources to engage kids in the reading process. Happy reading!"

Suzane Smith presents Pinching Pennies? Improve Your Home on a Budget posted at Construction Management Schools.

teachin' presents I'm a Dreamer: Student Connections Outside of the Classroom posted at I'm a Dreamer.

Mrs D. presents Performance Framework vs. Personal Learning posted at Footsteps of Aristotle.

Jasmin Loire presents theinfamousj: New Year’s Resolutions (via Continuous Everywhere but Differentiable Nowhere) posted at TheInfamousJ, saying, "Sam Shaw, blogger and teacher, suggested that for teachers should make ours on the eve of the first day back to school our New Years Resolution day. Here are mine. Feel free to add yours!"

Carol Richtsmeier presents President Obama, Speeches & Rubber Chickens posted at Bellringers.

Shannon Wills presents Attention to Design and Detail – Learning from the Europeans posted at Drafting School.

Pat presents Closing School Libraries posted at Successful Teaching, saying, "I know we have to cut corners, but cutting out the school library is not the way to go!"

OnlineCollege presents How to Spot Diploma Mills and Fake Degree Programs posted at Universities and Colleges.



List Posts

Emma Taylor presents 100 Useful Tools for Special Needs Students & Educators posted at Teaching Tips.

Kate Hopkins presents 100 Free Lectures for a Cutting-Edge Business Education posted at Online College Reviews - College Ratings.

Alvina Lopez presents 100 Excellent Advice Site for Homeschoolers posted at Teaching Tips.

Emma Taylor presents 100 Useful College-Planning Tools for Conscientious Parents posted at Online College.org.

Kate Hopkins presents 100 Hacks to Learn a New Language in No Time posted at Online College Reviews - College Ratings.

Anne Simone presents 100 Best Blogs for Real World Advice and Education posted at Online Schools.

Alvina Lopez presents 100 Best Blogs for Tech-Savvy Teachers posted at Online Courses.org.

Emma Taylor presents 100 Free Tools for Your College Planning & Prep posted at Online Degree Hub.

Alas, that is all for this issue. Tune in next week, citizens - same Bat-time, same Bat.... uh... blog? And submit a post! And tell your friends to submit, too.

Remember, each time you share, it shows you care!

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by emailing me the direct URL of your article at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com. Or, you can use the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

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EduCarnival v2 - Issue 3

Step right up and get yo' tikkit! It is CARNIVAL time!

Welcome to the September 9, 2009 issue of EduCarnival v2, and thank you all so much for stopping by! I am both excited and honored to present this set of posts, and I'm already looking forward to what will be submitted for next week's issue.

Labor Day marks the beginning of the school year in many areas. Some of us are well into the swing of things, and others are just starting back, but either way, the holiday pinpoints one of the most exciting times of the year for many of us.

Jasmin throws down the glove with her response to "Any educator that buys wall maps or globes should be fired" posted at TheInfamousJ, saying, "Recently, Scott of Dangerously Irrelevant posted an image on his educational theory blog that stated "Any educator that buys wall maps or globes should be fired." It claimed that in a world of GIS and Google Earth, the wall map and globe were hurting students instead of helping them. Here's my response to that sentiment." I can just picture a squad of cheerleaders chanting LET'S! GET! FIRED! UP!

Melissa B. brings a little magic to the start of school in Medicine Man Magic posted at the scholastic scribe, saying, "You go, Clix...Thanks!" Aww, shucks, Scribey! Thanks for contributing! :D

Tom DeRosa presents 52 Teachers, 52 Lessons Project posted at I Want to Teach Forever, saying, "If you have not yet participated in this exciting community project, there are still many weeks left to fill!" You may also want to peek through other teachers' submissions for inspiration.

Sonja Stewart shares an honest struggle in A Homeschooling Guru Sends Her Kids to Public School posted at Parenting Squad. As a teacher, I found it both encouraging and inspiring!

The always-delightful Mr. B presents Becoming 3-dimensional posted at Docere Est Discere. My early experiences as a teacher are still fresh enough in my memory that I can sympathize, but he expresses himself so well that there's also a tinge of jealousy. ;) Those moments when you connect with your students are priceless.

"Consider more than just a few factors!" says Michaele Sommerville in What This Teacher Thinks About Early Starts to Kindergarten posted at Kindergarten's 3 R's: Respect, Resources, & Rants.

ms. understood looks at the (hopefully) unintended effects of the intense focus on math and reading with Social Studies: The Expendable Subject? posted at Teacher, I Don't Get It.

DrPezz presents First Day of School: The 2009 Edition posted at The Doc Is In, saying, "I hope this helps someone out there in the blogosphere. :)" DO NOT miss the link in the article! The activity is a great opener.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Republicans Bring "Classiness" To the Classroom posted at Mad Kane's Political Madness. And as a bonus, there's a poetry slam going on in the comments!

Mrs D. finds out that sometimes a situation that worries you turns out for the best in Part of a Team posted at Footsteps of Aristotle, saying, "Parent-teacher interviews made me realize I'm part of a bigger team."

Pat knows that the most successful students practice what they've learned in class. She writes about Developing a Study Plan posted at Successful Teaching, saying, "Having a study plan is important for a student's success in the classroom."

Scott Palat agrees, offering Study Tips and Learning Strategies for the New School Year posted at Colleen Palat.

teachin' suggests starting on the right foot with Positive Parent Calls posted at I'm a Dreamer.

Mrs. Chili is heading in a new direction this year, but you don't need to be worried when you've got a Manifesto reminding you of your cause, posted at A Teacher's Education.

There is quite the lively conversation going on over at Joanne Jacobs about The Speech. Go read what people are ranting talking about. (You know you wanna!)

And I'm discovering some of the differences between sophomores and seniors in SSR Minor Frustration.

Somehow I didn't receive as many List Posts as I did the last couple of weeks:

Kate Hopkins presents 15 Predictions for the Library of Tomorrow posted at Online Degree Programs.org.

Alvina Lopez presents 100 Best Higher Education Blogs posted at Online Degree Hub.

Linda Jones presents 100 Blog Posts You Should Read Before Going to Med School posted at Nursing Schools.net.

That concludes this issue. (Or, as Barnum reportedly said, "This way to the Great Egress!") Thank you so much to our contributors, and thanks readers for stopping by. I hope you all enjoyed this tour of the blogosphere as much as I did!

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by emailing me the direct URL of your article at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com. Or, you can use the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

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