Oct Tech Report

It's November already (Maggie's will be 6 months old Sunday--unreal). October was a whorl-wind month.

In the interest of job security, I volunteered to pilot the GED-Option next semester. There was a void in my morning schedule next semester (TIS would have been enough to fill it), but at the risk of not looking as if I were working, I took on this new program. To teach and prepare high school students for the GED, the teacher (me) has to be ABE (adult basic education) certified. So on October 19th, I attended the WV Adult Education Association conference at Stonewall and October 25th attended a RESA V ABE training to earn hours toward this certificate. Some technology will be used to help students study for the GED. I attended one session in which CPS student responders were use to drill students. Also software such as Compass Odyssey and Plato will be used. These GED-Option students will still be responsible to take the WESTEST 2, therefore I think Acuity will be used to prepare them.

October 21st-23rd, I attended the WV Science Teachers Association state conference in Wheeling with all three girls and mom in tow. I look forward to this conference every year and find it very beneficial. Sessions I attended were on green schools and technologies and also GIS implementation in the classroom. I am looking into a certification process for my students to become ARC GIS certified after completing the Environmental Tech program. That has been one of our drawbacks as a CTE program, no certification after completion. Also, I presented with some colleagues on a watershed project we completed last year at the Career Center and one of the feeder high schools. It was well received. While at this conference, I missed our ISE day. Faculty members presented their MovieMaker videos. Our director was very impressed with their work and looks forward to faculty promoting their programs at our feeder schools.