Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms | Video on TED.com

Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms | Video on TED.com

This is a very interesting video about our educational system.

New direction

Well, I am headed in a new direction with my life.  I started the Alternate Certification Program to become a teacher.  My father is soooo happy that I have finally decided to become a teacher.  All of my classes are online, which will be interesting.  I also have to write a 10 page papger, UGH!  I have started doing the 30 hrs of observation at the local middle school.  So, everything is started.  I still have a few other things to do but so far so good.

Christmas 2010

Well, the Christmas season got off to a slow start for us.  I am thinking because we were so busy from the 1st - 17.  Either 1 or more things was going on every day.  I was practicing with Trinity's choir for our proformance and then the proformance.  Zachary was in the local highschool production of The Wizard of OZ.  He was the mayor of munchin land.  He had practices and then 5 proformances.  The rest was either cub scouts, Christmas parties, and a birthday party. 

We started our buying the week of Christmas and finished the day before Christmas Eve.  I don't suggest this to anyone it was crazy.  But, everything was found and wrapped and under the tree.

Christmas Eve Brooke got to sing at church and light candles.  Then we made cookies for Santa.  The kids were difficult to put to sleep. 

Christmas day started out at 5am with Brooke waking up and crawling into our bed.  We somewhat sleep until 7am. 

Brooke's presents:  A very big baby doll, perry pj's, roller skates, doll, pillow pet, a couple of matching games, pink boots, a coat, a red dress, cloths, Phineas and Ferb figures, dora video, dora figures.

Zachary's presents:  Ben 10 ultramatrix, ben 10 figures, perry pj's (2 sets), more pj's, lego star wars, Super Mario Bro's 2 along with the book that explains everything, electronic monolopy

My presents:  a new computer, Wii Fit, Jillian Micheals Wii fit, fuzzy slippers, necklace from Zachary, tennis shoes, flip flops, belt,

Mark's presents:  Wii Tiger Woods golf, Wii boweling, crown royal, tennis shoes, chocolates, jeans, gun shells, pic of his mom/dad/scott, movies (tons of movies)

Family gifts:  creationary and repair/paint the house

All in all it was a very goo Christmas.

First Day of school at Annie Sims

Well, yesterday was Zachary first day at Annie Sims.  He really enjoyed it and was looking forward to going back.  So, he had 5 sheets front and back to do for homework and he had done all but 1 back page.  He gave me his homework that he had done and said he only needed help on one page.  Then after seeing if everything was correct I went back to the front page.  That's when I realized the 5 pages of sheets was homework for the entire week and not for just Monday .  He finished it up a weeks worth of homework in about 40 min.  Guess that gives him time to work on Cub Scout and other stuff in the evenings.  We will continue to study the spelling words and the 20 min. reading per day.  The spelling words are really really easy compared to what he has been doing.





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Really Big Changes

We have decided to take Zachary out of TXVA (virtual public school) and we are putting him into Annie Sims a brick and mortar public school. He will be going into the 4th grade. We didn't talk to the principal about subject acceleration or anything. I am going to try and continue to work with him in math on his level. He is excited about the new adventure. I know the first few weeks will be a huge change for him but I know he can handle it.

I will be taking about a month off from really doing anything other than keeping my house clean and running errands. However, I have decided that I would like to get a teaching certification. So, I will be talking to Texas A&M in Texarkana about their certification program. Probably starting in Nov. I will start substituting again but only on the days that Brooke goes to her preschool. Last time I did this I was pregnant with Brooke.

With Zachary going back to school that will leave me at the house with Brooke. So, I will start doing more than i've been doing with her. She is progressing at such a fast pace since she started Kindlelight. She knows all her colors now and has started tracing her letters and some numbers. It is amazing what they have gotten her to do at her preschool.

So, all in all there are huge changes at the Alexander's house.

New happenings with school

Well, Zachary teacher, her lead teacher and I had a meeting last week. It was about Zachary's Scantron test and what that means for his schooling. The test he took was an achievement test. The objectives said that he needed to work on 7th grade math and 9th,10th,&11th grade for Reading/Language Arts. Well, Mark and I decided that there was no way he could work that high up but maybe he should be move up for a bit of a challenge. Well, his teacher agreed. They gave him 3 units to do in his math and 3 units for Vocabulary & Writing and then they will move him up. So, in about 1-2 weeks Zachary will be placed into 6th grade math which is Pre-Algebra and 5th grade for Language Arts, spelling, literature, vocabulary. He is excited and working really hard to complete the 3 units so that he can start the new material. I am so proud of him!

Schoo Year 2010-2011 (4th/5th grade)

Well, we somewhat started school this past Monday. I am not making him do much for school. We are just gradually wadding into school instead of jumping feet first into the deep end. I think this may go well. I am going to try to incorporate more You Tube videos and more fun into this school year.

Zachary will be in 4th grade this year. His Science, Social Studies (Texas History), Health, Art, Latin and PE are all 4th grade. He is 50% finished with Spelling, Literature, and Language Arts (except for Grammar he will finish it in a week). After he finishes up the last half of Spelling, Literature and Language Arts he will begin 5th grade. He will be starting 5th grade math and it will be interesting because it seems most of it is online and I'm not really needed. I am only needed if he needs help.