We had a staff meeting yesterday morning. The superintendent addressed us concerning the potential financial strait we face. I'm just glad our curriculum was updated last year. I feel sorry for the languages (who were up last year with us, but they had their renewal pushed back because of lack of funds) and the history department. But, then again, we got the same dire speech at a curriculum meeting, and we still got quite a bit of our requests.
Of course, what does this say about our education system? I don't know. When it comes to the economy, everything seems to be doom and gloom.
But the one area all sources point to when it comes to improving education is technology. And that ain't free. So how are we supposed to prepare our students for the 21st century when we have the budget of the 20th?
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Brandon Schwabb of WDAZ out of Grand Forks spent three days at our school last week for a feature called "Inside These Walls."
The first segment aired last night at ten.
Guess whose ugly mug was one of those featured?
Yep.
Me.
Oh boy.
I never thought that he'd bother to interview me. I was originally told it would focus on how education has changedi nthe 20 years Mr. Schwabb has been out of high school. I thought he'd focus on the technology, students, and issues they face. He did - for the most part. We had a lock down, so he could see how that worked. He talked to students. He visited classes with smartboards.
All the while I was giving anyone who was either dressed up or had an important class grief. "Oh, of course, they would come and film your class," I teased a few of the more innovative teachers. Or I'd spy a colleague dressed up and say, "Yeah, right. Why would he come to your class? At least, you dressed up for it."
I should have known better.
Our principal stopped by my room later to ask if I minded if he sat in on my College in the High School class. Why didn't I think he might be interested in that class in the first place? That is certainly a new change to schools in the last 20 years?
He was suppose to show up for class last Wednesday, but he didn't get their on time. Too bad. He missed a great session on reading and responding to the students essays.
He did show up when they were working on an analysis of a short story. So he didn't get to see them reading and discussing. He got to see them being obedient and quite.
Oh well.
Then he asked to interview me. I said he'd be better off talking to Kevin, one of my best writers from last semester, but I couldn't get ahold of him.
That meant he had to put my ugly mug on camera.
And out of all the hours of film he compiled, that was one he chose to feature last night.
I have a feeling I'm going to hear all about it.
Kristie was delighted. She came running down the stairs to tell me I had been on. I was helping KoKo with the dishes (since she saw the four Saw movies, she is terrified to be alone - of course, some of my childish pranks don't help her either). I can honestly say that Kristie enjoyed the episode more than me.
Schwabb did a phenomenal job. I just could have lived without having my face zoomed in on.
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